bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ein guter Weg zum Kunden
Authors: Zebothsen Hilkka
Published: March 2016

Verbandsnachrichten der FKT - Fachvereinigung Krankenhaustechnik (e. V.). Diese Seiten sind nur als PDF-Dokument verfügbar.
Aufgalopp
Authors: Glatzer Ulrich
Published: March 2016

Bis zum Ende der Konvergenzphase sind es noch rund zwei Jahre. Bis dahin geht es in der Diskussion und in der täglichen Arbeit vor allem um die Frage der weiteren Ausgestaltung und Verfeinerung des Systems.
Killer-Rückmeldung aus den Testregionen
Authors: Heuer Claudia
Published: March 2016

Der Ruf der sprichwörtlichen deutschen Pünktlichkeit wird angesichts des Projekts “Einführung der elektronischen Gesundheitskarte” auf einen harten Prüfstand gestellt. Natürlich kann man dieser “Anpassung an die Realität”, wie Kai Burmeister, Geschäftsführer der für das Projekt federführenden eHP Wolfsburg GmbH, es nennt, auch viel Positives abgewinnen, aber es bleibt ein Euphemismus. Er selbst allerdings ist froh, dass die Gematik nicht auf feste, unrealistische Terminankündigen beharrt.
Flaute
Authors: Gaede Kirsten
Published: March 2016

Vorstände kommen, Vorstände gehen, Vorstände kommen – dies ist kein so erschütternder Vorgang in der Klinikbranche. Aber dass Vorstände gehen und dann niemand kommt?
Lieber frei
Authors: Mühlnikel Ingrid
Published: March 2016

Eine Studie im Auftrag der Stiftung Gesundheit hat festgestellt: 80 Prozent der niedergelassenen Ärzte und Zahnärzte wollen lieber selbstständig und damit Freiberufler bleiben. Entgegen vieler Prognosen übt ein Anstellungsverhältnis keine Attraktivität auf die Mediziner aus.
Warum die Gesundheitswirtschaft nur einen Teil ihrer Wachstumsmöglichkeiten nutzen kann.
Authors: Glatzer Ulrich
Published: March 2016

Die Gesundheitswirtschaft hinkt dem allgemeinen Aufschwung der deutschen Wirtschaft deutlich hinterher. Bei näherer Betrachtung zeigt sich: Solange die Regulierung von Preisen und Mengen in Krankenhaus und Arztpraxis nicht mehr Wettbewerb Platz macht, bleiben alle Hoffnungen auf eine Gesundheitskonjunktur unerfüllt.
Volle Pipeline bei MeVis
Authors: Mau Jens
Published: March 2016

Die Bremer Institutsausgründung Mevis Medical Solutions stellt bildgebende Software für Medizingeräte her und arbeitet mit fast allen großen Medizintechnikkonzernen zusammen. Die Pipeline ist voll, versichert das Unternehmen, und geht deshalb an die Börse.
Zeigt mir die Fenster
Authors: Heuer Claudia
Published: March 2016

Seit Inkrafttreten der Gesundheitsreform 2007 sollen sich die gesetzlichen Krankenversicherungen viel mehr als vorher dem Wettbewerb stellen, sich als Unternehmen verstehen. Erste Versuche in Richtung Marktwirtschaft scheitern dann aber doch noch oftmals an den Regulierungen des Systems. Also sucht man nach Schlupflöchern. Das Schlupfloch der Deutschen BKK heißt Gesundheitswelt direkt.
Dummheit schützt vor Strafe nicht
Authors: Heuer Claudia
Published: March 2016

Zertifikate können Auskunft über bestimmte Qualitätsstandards geben, sie können aber auch nur so aussehen, als gäben sie über bestimmte Qualitätsstandards Auskunft. Gerade Krankenhausbetreiber sollten etwas genauer hinschauen, wenn ihnen ein Dienstleister ein Zertifikat unter die Nase hält – im Schadensfall sind sie es, die haftungsrechtlich zur Verantwortung gezogen werden.
Der Makel des 4. Quartals
Authors: Schmidt Hartmut
Published: March 2016

Die Marseille-Zahlen 2006/07 sowie der Ausblick auf 2007/08 überraschen nicht. Trotzdem ist die Aktie seit Anfang Oktober um 11 Prozent gestiegen. Könnte es sein, dass Marseille bereits von dem Wyser-Pratte-Einstieg bei Curanum profitiert?
Medizintechnik aus der Mitte
Authors: Oelschlegel Florian
Published: March 2016

Die Medica öffnet mit spektakulären Erfindungen und Neuigkeiten. Aber die Erfolgsgeschichte der deutschen Medizintechnik ist vor allem eine des Mittelstands. Die vielen kleinen, aber feinen Fachfirmen, die beständig an ihren Produkten feilen, machen das Leben und Arbeiten in der Klinik leichter. Über sie redet man selten, aber ohne sie fehlte dem Erfolg die solide Basis. Ein Rundgang.
Porträt Thomas Pasold
Authors: Otto Volkmar
Published: March 2016

Er ist nach einem langen Reigen von Managing-Director-Jobs bei verschiedenen Softwareunternehmen der neue CEO der Medos AG. Seine Affinität zum Außendienst und sein damit einhergehender Kommunikationsstil werden ihm gute Begleiter bei seiner neuen Aufgabe sein: der Verzahnung des stationären mit dem ambulanten Gesundheitssektor.
Absolventen sagen mehr als Zertifikate
Authors: Otto Volkmar
Published: March 2016

Eine Management-Hochschule kann für einen Arzt oder eine Krankenschwester einen echten Karrieresprung bedeuten – doch er muss es nicht. Es lohnt sich deshalb, auf eine staatliche Akkreditierung zu achten. Auch Zertifikate geben einen Hinweis auf Qualität. Noch besser sind Rankings und Aussagen von Absolventen.
Impact of gas flow rate on breakdown of filamentary dielectric barrier discharges
Authors: Höft H. , Becker M. M. , Kettlitz M.
Published: March 2016

The influence of gas flow rate on breakdown properties and stability of pulsed dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) in a single filament arrangement using a gas mixture of 0.1 vol. % O2 in N2 at atmospheric pressure was investigated by means of electrical and optical diagnostics, accompanied by fluid dynamics and electrostatics simulations. A higher flow rate perpendicular to the electrode symmetry axis resulted in an increased breakdown voltage and DBD current maximum, a higher discharge inception jitter, and a larger emission diameter of the discharge channel. In addition, a shift of the filament position for low gas flow rates with respect to the electrode symmetry axis was observed. These effects can be explained by the change of the residence time of charge carriers in the discharge region—i.e., the volume pre-ionization—for changed flow conditions due to the convective transport of particles out of the center of the gap.
Collisional damping of the geodesic acoustic mode with toroidal rotation. I. Viscous damping
Authors: Gong Xueyu , Xie Baoyi , Guo Wenfeng , Chen You , Yu Jiangmei , Yu Jun
Published: March 2016

With the dispersion relation derived for the geodesic acoustic mode in toroidally rotating tokamak plasmas using the fluid model, the effect of the toroidal rotation on the collisional viscous damping of the geodesic acoustic mode is investigated. It is found that the collisional viscous damping of the geodesic acoustic mode has weak increase with respect to the toroidal Mach number.
Magnetized jets driven by the Sun: The structure of the heliosphere revisited—Updates
Authors: Opher M. , Drake J. F. , Zieger B. , Swisdak M. , Toth G.
Published: March 2016

As the solar system moves through the interstellar medium, the solar wind is deflected forming the heliosphere. The standard picture of the heliosphere is a comet-shape like structure with the tail extending for 1000s of astronomical units. This standard picture stems from a view where magnetic forces are negligible and the solar magnetic field is convected passively down the tail. Recently, we showed that the magnetic tension of the solar magnetic field plays a crucial role on organizing the solar wind in the heliosheath into two jet-like structures. The two jets are separated by the interstellar medium that flows between them. The heliosphere then has a “croissant”-like shape where the distance to the heliopause downtail is almost the same as towards the nose. This new view of the heliosphere is in agreement with the energetic neutral atoms maps taken by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer and INCA/CASSINI. We developed as well an analytic model of the heliosheath in the axisymmetric limit that shows how the magnetic tension force is the driver for the north and south jets. We confirmed that the formation of these jets with magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. The main reason why previous global MHD simulations did not see these jets is due to spurious magnetic dissipation that was present at the heliospheric current sheet. We instead kept the same polarity for the interplanetary (solar) magnetic field in both the northern and southern hemispheres, eliminating spurious magnetic dissipation effects at the heliospheric current sheet. In this paper, we extend these previous results to include additional cases where we used: (a) weaker solar magnetic field; (b) solar magnetic field that reverses polarity at the solar equator in the axisymmetric limit; and (c) slower motion through the interstellar system. We discuss as well future challenges regarding the structure of the heliosphere.
Diet of the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) in the Tasmanian Southern Midlands
Authors: Sprent Jenny A. , Nicol Stewart C.
Published: March 2016

The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is generally considered to be myrmecophagous, consuming a diet consisting of ants and termites. The range and seasonal variation of food items consumed by echidnas in the Southern Midlands of Tasmania, an area where termites are absent, was examined using faecal scat analysis. Scat analysis indicated that echidnas in this region are not purely myrmecophagous. Whilst ants were present in 96% of scats and made up 55 ± 39% of scat contents by percentage volume, non-ant food items (scarab larvae and Oxycanus moth larvae) were found in 72% of scats. Scarab larvae were present in 68% of scats, and in those scats made up 46 ± 39% of the volume of prey material. The only significant seasonal variation of any dietary item was for scarab larvae, which can be attributed to variations in the abundance of these larvae throughout their lifecycle. The patterns of consumption indicate that echidnas are opportunistic foragers.
Temporally chimeric mice reveal flexibility of circadian period-setting in the suprachiasmatic nucleus
Authors: Smyllie Nicola J. , Chesham Johanna E. , Hamnett Ryan , Maywood Elizabeth S. , Hastings Michael H.
Published: March 2016

Significance

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the principal circadian clock of the mammalian brain. To function effectively, SCN neurons must operate as a synchronized circuit. How cell-autonomous and circuit-level circadian mechanisms interact to achieve this is unclear. Here, we used intersectional genetics to create temporally chimeric mice where both 24-h and 20-h clock neurons were present in the SCN, in different cell populations. The 24-h dopamine receptor-positive cells set the speed of the SCN, imposing their cell-autonomous 24-h period on all cells in the circuit. Exposure to a 20-h lighting cycle, however, inverted this dominance, reprograming the circuit to 20 h. These results show how robust circuit-level signaling underlies complex, nonlinear computations of circadian period that also exhibit a remarkable level of plasticity.
Desert in liberal justice: beyond institutional guarantees
Authors: Messina J. P.
Published: March 2016

I argue that a theory of distributive justice is sensitive to desert if and only if it (1) does not require an institutional scheme thatpreventsindividuals from treating one another as they deserve, and (2) requires a desertethos. A desertethosis a set of principles that, though not embodied in a society’s basic coercive structure, nevertheless governs interpersonal relations between citizens. These two necessary conditions are jointly sufficient for ‘giving desert its due’ in a theory of justice. I therefore reject the received view that a desert-sensitive theory must endeavor to guarantee distributions patterned according to desert.
A Lactobacillus mutant capable of accumulating long-chain polyphosphates that enhance intestinal barrier function
Authors: Saiki Asako , Ishida Yasuaki , Segawa Shuichi , Hirota Ryuichi , Nakamura Takeshi , Kuroda Akio
Published: March 2016

Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) was previously identified as a probiotic-derived substance that enhances intestinal barrier function. PolyP-accumulating bacteria are expected to have beneficial effects on the human gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we selected Lactobacillus paracasei JCM 1163 as a strain with the potential to accumulate polyP, because among the probiotic bacteria stored in our laboratory, it had the largest amount of polyP. The chain length of polyP accumulated in L. paracasei JCM 1163 was approximately 700 phosphate (Pi) residues. L. paracasei JCM 1163 accumulated polyP when Pi was added to Pi-starved cells. We further improved the ability of L. paracasei JCM 1163 to accumulate polyP by nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. The mutant accumulated polyP at a level of 1500 nmol/mg protein—approximately 190 times that of the wild-type strain. PolyP extracted from the L. paracasei JCM 1163 significantly suppressed the oxidant-induced intestinal permeability in mouse small intestine. In conclusion, we have succeeded in breeding the polyP-accumulating Lactobacillus mutant that is expected to enhance intestinal barrier function.
Searching for novel ATF4 target genes in human hepatoma cells by microarray analysis
Authors: Maruyama Ryuto , Shimizu Makoto , Ishijima Tomoko , Nakai Yuji , Inoue Jun , Sato Ryuichiro
Published: March 2016

Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is a transcription factor with an important biological activity. ATF4 is induced by various stresses, such as endoplasmic reticulum stress, through the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α. ATF4 is also involved in lipid metabolism. In the present study, we performed a microarray experiment to identify new ATF4 target genes, particularly those involved in lipid metabolism, and identified C12orf39, CSTA, and CALCB as novel ATF4 target genes. An amino acid response element (AARE) as an ATF4-binding site is present in the promoter regions of these genes. In a detailed analysis using luciferase assay, we showed that ATF4 activated C12orf39 promoter activity and that this activation was diminished by deletion or mutation of the AARE sequence in the promoter region. Our results suggest that C12orf39, CSTA, and CALCB are novel ATF4 target genes and that C12orf39 promoter activity is activated by ATF4 through AARE.
Naringin lauroyl ester inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of nuclear factor κB signaling in macrophages
Authors: Hattori Hiromi , Tsutsuki Hiroyasu , Nakazawa Masami , Ueda Mitsuhiro , Ihara Hideshi , Sakamoto Tatsuji
Published: March 2016

Naringin (Nar) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It was recently reported that enzymatic modification of Nar enhanced its functions. Here, we acylated Nar with fatty acids of different sizes (C2–C18) using immobilized lipase from Rhizomucor miehei and investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of these molecules. Treatment of murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells with Nar alkyl esters inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production, with Nar lauroyl ester (Nar-C12) showing the strongest effect. Furthermore, Nar-C12 suppressed the LPS-induced expression of inducible NO synthase by blocking the phosphorylation of inhibitor of nuclear factor (NF)-κB-α as well as the nuclear translocation of NF-κB subunit p65 in macrophage cells. Analysis of Nar-C12 uptake in macrophage cells revealed that Nar-C12 ester bond was partially degraded in the cell membrane and free Nar was translocated to the cytosol. These results indicate that Nar released from Nar-C12 exerts anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing NF-κB signaling pathway.
An ethanol extract of Ramulus mori improves blood circulation by inhibiting platelet aggregation
Authors: Lee Jiyun , Kwon Gayeung , Park Jieun , Kim Jeong-Keun , Choe Soo Young , Seo Yoonhee , Lim Young-Hee
Published: March 2016

Inappropriate platelet aggregation can cause blood coagulation and thrombosis. In this study, the effect of an ethanol extract of Ramulus mori (ERM) on blood circulation was investigated. The antithrombotic activity of ERM on rat carotid arterial thrombosis was evaluated in vivo, and the effect of ERM on platelet aggregation and blood coagulation time was evaluated ex vivo. To evaluate the safety of ERM, its cytotoxicity to platelets and its effect on tail bleeding time were assessed; ERM was not toxic to rat platelets and did not prolong bleeding time. Moreover, administering ERM to rats had a significant preventive effect on carotid arterial thrombosis in vivo, and significantly inhibited adenosine diphosphate- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation ex vivo, whereas it did not prolong coagulation periods, such as prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. The results suggest that ERM is effective in improving blood circulation via antiplatelet activity rather than anticoagulation activity.
Assessment of the Effects of Hepatic Impairment and Smoking on the Pharmacokinetics of a Single Oral Dose of the Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Stimulator Riociguat (BAY 63‐2521)
Authors: Frey Reiner , Becker Corina , Unger Sigrun , Schmidt Anja , Wensing Georg , Mück Wolfgang
Published: March 2016

Riociguat, a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator developed for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, is metabolized in part by the liver. Expression of one of the metabolizing enzymes, CYP1A1, is induced by aromatic hydrocarbons in tobacco smoke. Two non‐∗∗∗randomized, nonblinded studies were conducted to investigate the pharmacokinetics of riociguat in individuals with mild (Child‐Pugh A) or moderate (Child‐Pugh B) hepatic impairment associated with liver cirrhosis compared with that in age‐, weight‐, and sex‐matched healthy controls: study 1 included smokers and nonsmokers, and study 2 included nonsmokers only. Data from these studies were integrated for analysis. All participants (N = 64) received a single oral dose of riociguat 1.0 mg. Riociguat exposure was significantly higher in individuals with Child‐Pugh B hepatic impairment than in healthy controls (ratio: 153% [90% confidence interval: 103%‐228%]) but was similar in those with Child‐Pugh A hepatic impairment and controls. The half‐life of the riociguat metabolite M1 was prolonged in patients with Child‐Pugh B or A hepatic impairment compared with that in controls by approximately 43% and 24%, respectively. Impaired hepatic function was associated with higher riociguat exposure in nonsmokers compared with the population of smokers and nonsmokers combined. Riociguat's safety profile was similar in individuals with impaired or normal liver function. In conclusion, moderate hepatic impairment was associated with increased riociguat exposure compared with that in controls, probably as a result of reduced clearance of the metabolite M1. This suggests that dose titration of riociguat should be administered with particular care in patients with moderate hepatic impairment.
Assessment of the Effects of Renal Impairment and Smoking on the Pharmacokinetics of a Single Oral Dose of the Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Stimulator Riociguat (BAY 63‐2521)
Authors: Frey Reiner , Becker Corina , Unger Sigrun , Schmidt Anja , Wensing Georg , Mück Wolfgang
Published: March 2016

Renal impairment is a common comborbidity in patients with pulmonary hypertension. The breakdown of riociguat, an oral soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator used to treat pulmonary hypertension, may be affected by smoking because polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in tobacco smoke induce expression of one of the metabolizing enzymes, CYP1A1. Two nonrandomized, nonblinded studies were therefore performed to investigate the pharmacokinetics and safety of a single oral dose of riociguat 1.0 mg in individuals with mild, moderate, or severe renal impairment compared with age‐, weight‐, and sex‐matched healthy controls, including either smokers and nonsmokers (study I) or nonsmokers alone (study II). Pharmacokinetic analyses focused on the integrated per‐protocol data set of both studies (N = 63). In patients with renal impairment, the renal clearance of riociguat was reduced and its terminal half‐life prolonged compared with those in healthy controls. There was a monotonic relationship between creatinine clearance on treatment day and riociguat renal clearance (R2 = 0.62). However, increased riociguat exposure with decreasing renal function was not strictly proportional. Riociguat exposure appeared to be greater in nonsmokers than in the combined population of smokers and nonsmokers, irrespective of renal function. Adverse events were mild to moderate and in line with the mode of action of riociguat. No serious adverse events occurred. In conclusion, renal impairment was associated with reduced riociguat clearance compared with that in controls; however, riociguat exposure in patients with renal impairment was highly variable, and ranges overlapped with those observed in healthy controls.
Population Pharmacokinetics and the Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Relationship of Riociguat in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension or Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Saleh Soundos , Becker Corina , Frey Reiner , Mück Wolfgang
Published: March 2016

This analysis aimed to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) and PK/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship of riociguat and its metabolite M1 in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Blood samples were collected in two phase 3 studies—PATENT‐1 (Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Soluble Guanylate Cyclase‐Stimulator Trial 1; 12 weeks; PAH) and CHEST‐1 (Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Soluble Guanylate Cyclase–Stimulator Trial 1; 16 weeks; CTEPH)—and long‐term extensions. Patients were initially randomized to receive placebo or riociguat, and they received riociguat in the extensions. Nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling was used to develop a population PK model describing riociguat PK. PK/PD relationships were investigated by comparing derived PK parameters with changes in PD parameters. Covariate analyses included smoking status, bosentan comedication, bilirubin levels, and baseline creatinine clearance. The PK of riociguat/M1 was described by a one‐compartment model. Mean population estimates for riociguat absorption rate constant, clearance, and volume of distribution were 2.17/h, 1.81 L/h, and 32.3 L, respectively; for M1 they were 0.258/h, 3.16 L/h, and 124 L. Interindividual variability was moderate for riociguat and moderate to high for M1. There was no evidence of time‐ or dose‐dependent changes in riociguat/M1 PK. Riociguat clearance was higher in smokers (120% increase) and bosentan‐treated patients (36% increase) than in nonsmokers and those not receiving bosentan. There was an inverse correlation between bilirubin and riociguat clearance. In PK/PD analyses, 6‐minute walk distance was related to hemodynamic parameters, particularly pulmonary vascular resistance. Riociguat PK were described by a one‐compartment model. Effects of covariates on riociguat and M1 PK were established, and a PK/PD relationship was demonstrated. (ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: PATENT‐1, NCT00810693; PATENT‐2, NCT00863681; CHEST‐1, NCT00855465; CHEST‐2, NCT00910429.)
Pharmacokinetic Interaction Study between Riociguat and the Combined Oral Contraceptives Levonorgestrel and Ethinylestradiol in Healthy Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Frey Reiner , Unger Sigrun , van der Mey Dorina , Becker Corina , Saleh Soundos , Wensing Georg , Mück Wolfgang
Published: March 2016

Female patients requiring treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are advised to avoid pregnancy because of the high associated mortality rate. Oral contraception is one of the main methods of preventing pregnancy in this context, mandating pharmacokinetic and safety studies for new agents in this setting. Riociguat is a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator approved for treatment of PAH and inoperable and persistent or recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. This single‐center, randomized, nonblinded study involving healthy postmenopausal women investigated the effect of riociguat on plasma concentrations of levonorgestrel (0.15 mg) and ethinylestradiol (0.03 mg) in a combined oral contraceptive. Treatment A was a single oral tablet of levonorgestrel‐ethinylestradiol. In treatment B, subjects received 2.5 mg riociguat 3 times daily for 12 days. On the eighth day, they also received a single oral tablet of levonorgestrel‐ethinylestradiol. Subjects received both regimens in a crossover design. There was no change in area under the plasma concentration—time curves of levonorgestrel or ethinylestradiol or maximum concentration in plasma (Cmax) of levonorgestrel during combined administration versus levonorgestrel‐ethinylestradiol alone. A 20% increase in the Cmax of ethinylestradiol was noted during coadministration; this is not anticipated to adversely impact the contraceptive efficacy or to require any dose adjustment for ethinylestradiol. Plasma concentrations and exposures of riociguat were within the expected range and were not influenced by coadministration with levonorgestrel‐ethinylestradiol. Combined treatment was safe and well tolerated. In conclusion, riociguat did not change the exposure to levonorgestrel or ethinylestradiol relative to oral contraceptive administered alone.
Radiological properties of nanocomposite Fricke gel dosimeters for heavy ion beams
Authors: Maeyama Takuya , Fukunishi Nobuhisa , Ishikawa Kenichi L. , Fukasaku Kazuaki , Fukuda Shigekazu
Published: March 2016

The radiological properties of nanocomposite Fricke gel (NC-FG) dosimeters prepared with different concentrations of nano-clay, perchloric acid and ferrous ions in deaerated conditions were investigated under carbon and argon ion beam irradiation covering a linear-energy-transfer (LET) range of 10 to 3000 eV/nm. We found that NC-FG exhibits radiological properties distinct from those of conventional Fricke gel. The radiation sensitivity of NC-FG is independent of the LET and is nearly constant even at very high LET (3000 eV/nm) values in the Bragg peak region of the argon ion beam. In addition, whereas conventional Fricke gel dosimeters only operate under acidic conditions, NC-FG dosimeters function under both acidic and neutral conditions. The radiation sensitivity decreases with decreasing nano-clay concentration in NC-FG, which indicates that the nano-clay plays a vital role in the radiation-induced oxidation of Fe 2+ .
Environmental and Climate Justice
Authors: Vanderheiden Steve
Published: March 2016

This chapter surveys the origin and development of environmental justice discourse from its early use as a civil rights strategy to resist the siting of hazardous waste facilities in the neighborhoods of poor people of color to its more contemporary usage as a directive for equity in global cooperation in pursuit of environmental sustainability. From debates among scholars and activists over the demands of justice as applied to problems of global climate change mitigation and adaptation, or climate justice, it examines three principles of justice invoked in a landmark climate treaty and later applied to the design and evaluation of international climate change policy efforts. The chapter concludes by considering potential new directions that environmental justice theorizing might take in the context of other issues in environmental politics.
Cosmopolitanism and the Environment
Authors: Caney Simon
Published: March 2016

The last 35 years have seen the emergence and defense of “cosmopolitan” accounts of justice and political institutions. This chapter examines the relationships between three leading cosmopolitan accounts of distributive justice (those of Charles Beitz, Henry Shue, and Thomas Pogge) and the environment. It further aims to explore at a more general level how cosmopolitan accounts of distributive justice need to consider both the environmental impacts of realizing their principles of justice and the environmental preconditions of realizing them, so as to ensure that their vision of the just society is sustainable and that humanity is not living beyond its means. Having examined the relationship between cosmopolitan accounts of justice and the environment, the chapter concludes by analyzing the relationship between cosmopolitan accounts of political institutions and the environment, exploring the implications for sovereignty and the scope of democratic institutions.
Environmental Justice and the Anthropocene Meme
Authors: Di Chiro Giovanna
Published: March 2016

This essay examines the adoption of and the indifference to the term “Anthropocene” in diverse discourses addressing the urgency of climate change in the early twenty-first century. Through an analysis of keynote speeches, this essay argues that Anthropocene—a storytelling device invoking a pan-human species responsibility for the current climate crisis—is deployed widely within Euro-Australo-American academic environmental studies and environmental politics, but has not gained political or epistemic traction in environmental justice and climate justice organizations and social movements. Challenging the underlying universalism, anti-humanism, and cynicism woven into Anthropocene discourse, activists from environmental justice, climate justice, and indigenous organizations do not invoke Anthropocene’s rhetoric of humans as destroyers or masters of nature. Rather, these groups provide examples of “people powered” regenerative politics based on life-enhancing political strategies and proactive organizing in support of a just transition toward renewable energy, local economies, and socially and ecologically sustainable communities.
Environmental Political Theory and Republicanism
Authors: Cannavò Peter
Published: March 2016

This chapter attempts to broaden our understanding of the relatively under-investigated connection between civic republican and green perspectives. The chapter outlines key similarities between civic republicanism and more radical forms of environmentalism and highlights how both republicanism and environmentalism face an internal tension between communitarian values and a strong commitment to meaningful participatory politics. The author argues that greater engagement with republicanism by environmental political theory can promote a better grasp of environmentalism’s political implications and internal tensions. Moreover, engagement with republicanism can also yield insight into how we might address ecological threats, including climate change. Republican conceptions of dispersed sovereignty, civic virtue, and even the proper use of nature can help guide a more ecologically sustainable society.
Environmental Political Theory and the Liberal Tradition
Authors: Stephens Piers
Published: March 2016

This chapter discusses the history of environmental concern within the liberal tradition from the latter’s roots onwards, moving from the private property orientated “old liberalism” of John Locke into the self-development orientated “new liberalism” of John Stuart Mill, then onwards into American pragmatism and the neutralist liberalism of John Rawls and his contemporary followers. This leads into an overview of the current debate, which started in the 1990s, over the possibilities of synthesizing environmentalist goals of sustainability and nature protection with some variant of liberalism. The chapter concludes with an argument that yokes the new liberal concern with self-development to the environmentalist emphasis on nature protection, arguing that the continued existence of relatively untransformed nonhuman nature is a vital precondition and assistance to human imaginative development and thus freedom.
Environmental Management in the Anthropocene
Authors: Schlosberg David
Published: March 2016

In the filmBeasts of the Southern Wild, the main character, Hushpuppy, lays out the dilemma of environmental management in the Anthropocene: “For the animals that didn’t have a dad to put them in the boat, the end of the world already happened.” The Anthropocene will not recede, and the central question of environmental management will be whether we can develop ways to reflexively and sustainably manage ecosystems, habitats, and human needs. This chapter examines four possible normative underpinnings for such management: traditional notions of preservation and restoration, the idea of ecological limits and boundaries, the continued hubris of promethean technological intervention, and a conception of ecological receptivity or a “politics of sight” that makes visible human immersion in natural systems. As sight is a particular characteristic of the Anthropocene, this form of receptivity may hold some promise for environmental management.
Political Economy of the Greening of the State
Authors: Paterson Matthew
Published: March 2016

Two different general claims have been made about large-scale political transformations produced by responses to environmental change. One is the claim that we are witnessing the potential emergence of a “green state,” where states internalize an ecological function as a core state imperative. Another is that we are undergoing a transition to an “environmental state.” The former claim thus envisages a radical transformation and its theory of the state based on historical sociology, while the latter is more skeptical about the capacity of states to undergo radical transformation, being informed by neo-Marxist accounts of the state. This chapter uses responses to climate change—a key test case for claims about large-scale political transformation—to suggest that some substantial transformations in the state are occurring, but that the driving forces are indeed political–economic and thus existing accounts of the “green state” need to be reformulated in this light.
Responsibility for Climate Change as a Structural Injustice
Authors: Eckersley Robyn
Published: March 2016

This chapter critically explores the political and moral challenges involved in understanding the harms of climate change as the product of structural injustices with a specific focus on political responsibility. The chapter stages a critical encounter between Iris Marion Young’s account of political responsibility, and the debate among climate justice theorists on how to assign responsibility for mitigation and adaptation to citizens and states. This encounter demonstrates the value of a hybrid approach that includes, and bridges, forward looking shared responsibility and backward looking liability models, but also reveals a major predicament. The more that structural injustices based on historical responsibility are backgrounded, the easier it becomes to reach agreements between the world’s most vulnerable and most privileged. Yet doing so accelerates the skewed distribution of climate vulnerability toward the least privileged, diminishing the common ground needed to achieve an equitable allocation of responsibility for climate change.
Cultivating Human and Non-human Capabilities for Mutual Flourishing
Authors: Holland Breena , Linch Amy
Published: March 2016

The commitment to human flourishing in various traditions of political thought has been an important bridge between anthropocentrically conceived political theory and the more encompassing concerns of biocentrism and eco-centrism in environmental political theory. This chapter explores how this commitment has been developed and applied by scholars drawing on the theory of human capabilities—or “capabilities theory”—to imagine and construct an environmentally and ecologically just democratic politics. Treating the natural environment as both a component and condition of human flourishing, some have engaged capabilities theory without challenging anthropocentrism. Others have drawn on and expanded the theory to specify the non-human capabilities of animals, species, and the systems that comprise the natural world. Regarding non-human beings and ecosystems as having a dignity that makes them worthy of recognition as intrinsically valuable ends, these scholars use capabilities theory to include non-human beings and ecosystems as subjects of political justice.
Effective Assessment and Evaluation for Shared Accountability in University Music Programs
Authors: Hourigan Ryan M.
Published: March 2016

This article examines the basic framework for program assessment and evaluation in preparation for university annual reporting, accreditation, and reflection on curriculum and teaching practice among professors within the music school. The discussion focuses on twenty-first-century accountability standards and student expectations, with a concentration on assessing student-learning objectives in music at the university level. Strategies are provided for simple workflow, reporting, and cloud storage to promote a common understanding among the professor, student, and administrator. Strategies for determining appropriate events to assess as well as direct and indirect measures are examined within the framework of applied music. Examples of processes to establish student learning objectives and example instruments are provided, and common terminology is operationally defined.
Detection and Molecular Characterization of Benzimidazole Resistance Among Colletotrichum truncatum Isolates Infecting Bell Pepper in Trinidad
Authors: Ramdial H. , Hosein F. N. , Rampersad S. N.
Published: March 2016

Anthracnose is an economically important disease that affects pepper (Capsicum spp.) production worldwide. Eighty-seven Colletotrichum truncatum isolates infecting bell pepper in Trinidad were isolated and screened for resistance to benomyl. All isolates were found to be highly resistant at the discriminatory dose of 10.0 μg/ml. The effective concentration required to achieve 50% colony growth inhibition values were found to be significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) for isolates collected in South Trinidad compared with those collected in North Trinidad. Isolates with the resistant phenotype had a single amino acid substitution from glutamic acid to alanine at position 198 (E198A) within the β-tubulin 2 gene. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms that result in amino acid substitutions in the β-tubulin 2 protein are associated with high resistance to benzimidazole chemistries. There were also two other deduced amino acid changes at nucleotide positions 359 to 361 (ATA/TTG [F270Y]) and at 362 to 364 (CGC/GCC [A271S]). Genetic analysis revealed that benomyl-sensitive isolates clustered separately from the resistant isolates regardless of species, with strong bootstrap support (85%). Within the resistance cluster, there was an apparent differentiation among those isolates with the F200Y, E198A, and E198K genotypes, with moderate support (>60%) for clustering of the F200Y and E198K genotypes. C. truncatum clustered separately (97%) from the other resistant genotypes due to the additional amino acid substitutions detected. The findings also indicated that consistent benzimidazole fungicide use may explain the predominance of the C. truncatum pathogen populations in bell pepper fields in Trinidad because sensitive C. gloeosporioides sensu lato isolates were selectively minimized. This underlines the importance of accurate identification of Colletotrichum spp. associated with anthracnose disease and routine monitoring for development of fungicide resistance.
Interaction of Basal Foliage Removal and Late-Season Fungicide Applications in Management of Hop Powdery Mildew
Authors: Gent David H. , Probst Claudia , Nelson Mark E. , Grove Gary G. , Massie Stephen T. , Twomey Megan C.
Published: March 2016

Canopy management is an important aspect of control of powdery mildew diseases and may influence the intensity of fungicide applications required to suppress disease. In hop, powdery mildew (caused by Podosphaera macularis) is most damaging to cones when infection occurs during bloom and the juvenile stages of cone development. Experiments were conducted over 3 years to evaluate whether fungicide applications could be ceased after the most susceptible stages of cone development (late July) without unduly affecting crop yield and quality when disease pressure was moderated with varying levels of basal foliage removal. In experimental plots of ‘Galena’ hop, the incidence of leaves with powdery mildew was similar whether fungicides were ceased in late July or made in late August. Disease levels on leaves were unaffected by the intensity of basal foliage removal, whereas the intensity of basal foliage removal interacted with the duration of fungicide applications to affect disease levels on cones. Similar experiments conducted in large plots of ‘Tomahawk’ hop in a commercial hop yard similarly found no significant impact on disease levels on leaves from either the duration of fungicide applications or intensity of basal foliage removal. In contrast, on cones, application of fungicides into August had a modest, suppressive effect on powdery mildew. There was also some evidence that the level of powdery mildew on cones associated with fungicide treatment was influenced by the intensity of basal foliage removal. When fungicide applications ceased in late July, there was a progressive decrease in the incidence of cones with powdery mildew with increasing intensity of basal foliage removal. Removing basal foliage two to three times allowed fungicide applications to be terminated in late July rather than late August without diminishing disease control on cones, yield, or cone quality factors. Thus, this study further establishes that fungicide applications made during the early stages of hop cone development have the strongest effect on suppression of powdery mildew on cones. The additive effect of fungicide applications targeted to the periods of greatest cone susceptibility and canopy management to reduce disease favorability may obviate the need for fungicide applications later in the season. This appears to be a viable strategy in mature hop yards of certain cultivars when disease pressure is not excessively high.
A Binational Multicenter Pilot Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial of Early Goal-Directed Mobilization in the ICU*
Authors: Hodgson Carol L. , Bailey Michael , Bellomo Rinaldo , Berney Susan , Buhr Heidi , Denehy Linda , Gabbe Belinda , Harrold Megan , Higgins Alisa , Iwashyna Theodore J. , Papworth Rebecca , Parke Rachael , Patman Shane , Presneill Jeffrey , Saxena Manoj , Skinner Elizabeth , Tipping Claire , Young Paul , Webb Steven
Published: March 2016

Objectives:

To determine if the early goal-directed mobilization intervention could be delivered to patients receiving mechanical ventilation with increased maximal levels of activity compared with standard care.

Design:

A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Five ICUs in Australia and New Zealand.

Participants:

Fifty critically ill adults mechanically ventilated for greater than 24 hours.

Intervention:

Patients were randomly assigned to either early goal-directed mobilization (intervention) or to standard care (control). Early goal-directed mobilization comprised functional rehabilitation treatment conducted at the highest level of activity possible for that patient assessed by the ICU mobility scale while receiving mechanical ventilation.

Measurements and Main Results:

The ICU mobility scale, strength, ventilation duration, ICU and hospital length of stay, and total inpatient (acute and rehabilitation) stay as well as 6-month post-ICU discharge health-related quality of life, activities of daily living, and anxiety and depression were recorded. The mean age was 61 years and 60% were men. The highest level of activity (ICU mobility scale) recorded during the ICU stay between the intervention and control groups was mean (95% CI) 7.3 (6.3–8.3) versus 5.9 (4.9–6.9), p = 0.05. The proportion of patients who walked in ICU was almost doubled with early goal-directed mobilization (intervention n = 19 [66%] vs control n = 8 [38%]; p = 0.05). There was no difference in total inpatient stay (d) between the intervention versus control groups (20 [15–35] vs 34 [18–43]; p = 0.37). There were no adverse events.

Conclusions:

Key Practice Points: Delivery of early goal-directed mobilization within a randomized controlled trial was feasible, safe and resulted in increased duration and level of active exercises.
SUBRETINAL CANNULATION AS A COMPLICATION OF SUTURE TRABECULOTOMY SURGERY IN A PEDIATRIC PATIENT
Authors: Wise Justin , Toygar Okan , Corrêa Zélia M. , Miller Daniel M. , Sisk Robert A.
Published: March 2016

Purpose:

To report a case of inadvertent subretinal cannulation of ab externo suture trabeculotomy surgery associated with serous macular detachment.

Methods:

Retrospective case report. Ophthalmic examination and portable spectral domain optical coherence tomography (Envisu C2300; Bioptogen, Morrisville, NC) were performed under general anesthesia.

Results:

A 5-year-old girl with uveitis secondary to oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis underwent trabeculotomy surgery of the left eye for steroid-induced glaucoma refractory to medical management. The surgery was complicated by inadvertent subretinal cannulation with the prolene suture. Multiple, arcuate, hypopigmented subretinal tracks, originating from the ora serrata, were observed. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography images through the macula revealed subretinal fluid overlying funduscopically visible tracks, defects in photoreceptor outer segments overlying the tracks, and normal choroidal anatomy. The serous macular detachment resolved spontaneously after 4 months and visual acuity returned to baseline 20/25 in the left eye, consistent with reversible localized damage to the outer retina and retinal pigment epithelium.

Conclusion:

We report a case of inadvertent subretinal cannulation during suture trabeculotomy surgery that resulted in serous macular detachment which resolved spontaneously. The inadvertent complication demonstrated a pathway for administration of therapeutics to the subretinal space.
TUBULOINTERSTITIAL NEPHRITIS AND UVEITIS SYNDROME WITH A PRIMARY PRESENTATION OF ACUTE POSTERIOR MULTIFOCAL PLACOID PIGMENT EPITHELIOPATHY
Authors: Lee Andrew R. , Sharma Sumit , Mahmoud Tamer H.
Published: March 2016

Purpose:

To report a case of tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome with a primary presentation of acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy after use of lamotrigine.

Methods:

Retrospective case report with ultra-widefield fundus imaging, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography.

Results:

A 19-year-old woman presented with decreased visual acuity and acute renal failure after starting lamotrigine. Her examination demonstrated 1+ anterior chamber cell and numerous white deep retinal plaque-like lesions predominantly in the macula in both eyes. After extensive ophthalmic and systemic evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome with a primary presentation of acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy. She had excellent visual recovery with topical and systemic steroids.

Conclusion:

Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy is a rare but important clinical presentation of tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome. Oral corticosteroid treatment can be considered for tubulointerstitial nephritis but is generally not necessary for acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy.