bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
hiPSC‐derived iMSCs: NextGen MSCs as an advanced therapeutically active cell resource for regenerative medicine
Authors: Sabapathy Vikram , Kumar Sanjay 
Published: April 2016

AbstractMesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being assessed for ameliorating the severity of graft‐versus‐host disease, autoimmune conditions, musculoskeletal injuries and cardiovascular diseases. While most of these clinical therapeutic applications require substantial cell quantities, the number of MSCs that can be obtained initially from a single donor remains limited. The utility of MSCs derived from human‐induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has been shown in recent pre‐clinical studies. Since adult MSCs have limited capability regarding proliferation, the quantum of bioactive factor secretion and immunomodulation ability may be constrained. Hence, the alternate source of MSCs is being considered to replace the commonly used adult tissue‐derived MSCs. The MSCs have been obtained from various adult and foetal tissues. The hiPSC‐derived MSCs (iMSCs) are transpiring as an attractive source of MSCs because during reprogramming process, cells undergo rejuvination, exhibiting better cellular vitality such as survival, proliferation and differentiations potentials. The autologous iMSCs could be considered as an inexhaustible source of MSCs that could be used to meet the unmet clinical needs. Human‐induced PSC‐derived MSCs are reported to be superior when compared to the adult MSCs regarding cell proliferation, immunomodulation, cytokines profiles, microenvironment modulating exosomes and bioactive paracrine factors secretion. Strategies such as derivation and propagation of iMSCs in chemically defined culture conditions and use of footprint‐free safer reprogramming strategies have contributed towards the development of clinically relevant cell types. In this review, the role of iPSC‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells (iMSCs) as an alternate source of therapeutically active MSCs has been described. Additionally, we also describe the role of iMSCs in regenerative medical applications, the necessary strategies, and the regulatory policies that have to be enforced to render iMSC's effectiveness in translational medicine.
Loose Ties or Strong Bonds? The Effect of a Commissioner's Nationality and Partisanship on Voting in the Council
Authors: Killermann Kira 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThis article studies the consequences of the increased appointment of political Commissioners for the legislative process. Based on the principal–agent relation between the Council and the Commission, it is hypothesized that governments sharing national and partisan ties with the Commissioner responsible for a legislative proposal are less likely to cast a negative vote. Analysing 687 contested legislative proposals voted upon between 1999 and 2014, it is found that a Member State is indeed less likely to vote against a proposal by the Commissioner from that Member State. Likewise, if the responsible Commissioner is a member of the same European Party Group as at least one of the governing parties, contestation is less likely. European Commissioners seem to use the discretion the EU's legislative system grants them to promote the preferences of their home country and also – to a lesser extent – their party family.
Trends in Prevalence and Determinants of Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing in the United States: 2007 to 2012
Authors: Jirón Marcela , Pate Virginia , Hanson Laura C. , Lund Jennifer L. , Jonsson Funk Michele , Stürmer Til 
Published: April 2016

ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence and determinants of the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in older U.S. adults using the 2012 Beers criteria.DesignRetrospective cohort study in a random national sample of Medicare beneficiaries.SettingFee‐for‐service Medicare beneficiaries from 2007 to 2012.ParticipantsU.S. population aged 65 and older with Parts A, B, and D enrollment in at least 1 month during a calendar year (N = 38,250 individuals; 1,308,116 observations).MeasurementsThe 2012 Beers criteria were used to estimate the prevalence of the use of PIMs in each calendar month and over a 12‐month period using data on diagnoses or conditions present in the previous 12 months. Generalized estimating equations were used to account for the dependence of multiple monthly observations of a single person when estimating 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and logistic regression was used to identify independent determinants of PIM use.ResultsThe point prevalence of the use of PIMs decreased from 37.6% (95% CI = 37.0–38.1) in 2007 to 34.2% (95% CI = 33.6–34.7) in 2012, with a statistically significant 2% (95% CI = 1–3%) decline per year assuming a linear trend. The 1‐year period prevalence declined from 64.9% in 2007 to 56.6% in 2012. The strongest predictor of PIM use was the number of drugs dispensed. Individuals aged 70 and older and those seen by a geriatrician were less likely to receive a PIM.ConclusionFrom 2007 to 2012, the prevalence of PIM use in older U.S. adults decreased according to the 2012 Beers criteria, although it remains high, still affecting one‐third each month and more than half over 12 months. The number of dispensed prescriptions could be used to target future interventions.
An exploration of the bone health of older adults with an intellectual disability in Ireland
Authors: Burke E. A. , McCallion P. , Carroll R. , Walsh J. B. , McCarron M. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractBackgroundMany risk factors have been confirmed for poor bone health among the general population including age, gender and corticosteroid use. There is a paucity of investigation among people with intellectual disability; however, research points to differing risks namely anti‐epileptic medication use, Down syndrome and poor behaviour lifestyle.MethodsData was extracted from the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing in Ireland. In total, 753 participants took part, and data was gathered on participants' health status, behavioural health, health screenings and activities of daily living. The prevalence of osteoporosis and related risk factors were specifically examined.ResultsOverall, 8.1% reported a doctor's diagnosis of osteoporosis with over 20% reporting history of fracture. Risk identified included older age (P < 0.0001), female gender (P < 0.0001), difficulty walking (P < 0.0001) with older age and being female the stronger predictors for osteoporosis, odds ratio = 6.53; 95% confidence interval 2.82–15.11 and odds ratio = 4.58; 95% confidence interval 2.29–9.17, respectively. There was no gender difference regarding the level of fractures; however, epilepsy and anti‐epileptic medication were strong predictors. Overall, 11.1% attended for bone screening diagnostics.ConclusionDespite low levels of reported doctor's diagnosis of osteoporosis risk factor prevalence was high. Considering the insidious nature of osteoporosis and the low levels of diagnostic screening, prevalence could be possibly higher.
Update on the pharmacological treatment of adult myositis
Authors: Oddis C. V. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe management of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) remains a challenge given the systemic features beyond active myositis. That is, recognizing the inflammatory arthropathy, varying dermatomyositis rashes, and overt and occult features of interstitial lung disease in addition to myositis adds to the complexity of diagnosis and treatment of IIM. However, clinicians now have available many more immunosuppressive drugs as well as biologic agents for use in patients with myositis and other autoimmune diseases. Here, the use of these agents is reviewed and support based on available published literature is provided even though many studies have been small and results somewhat anecdotal. Glucocorticoids remain the initial treatment of choice in most instances and methotrexate and azathioprine are often used early in the treatment course. These agents are followed by other immunosuppressive drugs, for example mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus, cyclosporine and cyclophosphamide, some of which are used alone while combinations of these agents also provide an effective option. There is more rationale for the use of biologic agents such as rituximab from a mechanistic perspective and, given the incorporation of validated core set measures in assessing myositis patients, we can look forward to better designed clinical trials in the future.
Family Caregiving of Aging Adults With Down Syndrome
Authors: Hodapp Robert M. , Burke Meghan M. , Finley Crystal I. , Urbano Richard C. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractAlthough persons with Down syndrome now live to approximately 60 years, the implications of increased longevity on family caregiving have received inadequate attention. Even compared with adults with other types of intellectual disabilities, by their late 40s and 50s adults with Down syndrome often show multiple health problems, cognitive‐adaptive declines, and changes in daily work and activities. If alive, their parents are more often elderly, as mothers give birth to newborns with Down syndrome at a median age of 32 years (with high percentages age 40 and older). In addition, higher percentages of adults with (vs. without) Down syndrome live in their family homes and greater percentages may ultimately reside with siblings. Compared with caring for other adults with intellectual disabilities, aging adults with Down syndrome may present earlier—and possibly more severe and more health‐related—caregiving challenges to their parents and siblings. As a field and as a society, the authors note that we need to promote revisions of family support policies and interventions; recognize the inter‐relations of aging‐related changes and their effects; and anticipate how aging‐related changes in the brother–sister with Down syndrome and the parent(s) might affect sibling caregivers.
Fructose consumption impairs serotonergic signaling in the murine enteric nervous system
Authors: Lowette K. , Desmet A.‐S. , Farré R.M. , Tack J. , Vanden Berghe P. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe intake of free fructose has increased substantially since the development of high‐fructose corn syrup. This has not only been associated with metabolic disorders but recent evidence also indicates that chronic fructose consumption can affect neuronal and cognitive function. In this study we investigated the effects of fructose consumption on serotonergic signaling and neuronal activity in the mouse submucous plexus. Male mice were put on a control or fructose (23% solution) diet for 6 weeks or were assigned to a recovery group that received normal water (2 weeks) after 4 weeks of fructose. At the end of the diet, gene expressions and enteric neuronal activity, after depolarization with high K+ and 5‐HT, were measured using Ca2+ imaging and RT‐qPCR, respectively. Even in the lack of gain weight and the absence of changes in duodenal permeability, the total number of 5‐HT‐responding neurons and the depolarization and 5‐HT‐evoked Ca2+ amplitudes were significantly lower after fructose consumption. Expression of synaptobrevin CaV2.1 and CaV2.2 mRNA did not differ after fructose intake; however, CaV2.1 mRNA levels were significantly higher in the recovery animals. SERT mRNA concentration, isolated from submucosal plexus containing mucosal epithelium, was significantly decreased after fructose consumption. Chronic fructose consumption impairs serotonergic signaling in the mouse submucous plexus, prior to weight gain and detectable intestinal permeability problems.
High‐mobility group box‐1 release into fetal circulation from umbilical cord tissue and amniotic epithelium in fetal ischemia
Authors: Nakamura Toshihiko , Yoshioka Toshirou , Yamada Shingo , Miyasho Taku , Sakakibara Nana , Hatanaka Daishuke 
Published: April 2016

AbstractWe report the case of a baby with low birthweight born by emergency caesarean section at 33 weeks 2 days' gestation due to placental abruption. High‐mobility group box‐1 (HMGB‐1) and interleukin‐17 concentration in the umbilical cord blood were high at 55.7 ng/mL and 50.7 pg/mL, respectively. On immunostaining of umbilical cord and amniotic epithelium, HMGB‐1 was identified in the nuclei of vascular endothelial cells and cytoplasm of the surrounding cells in the umbilical cord. This suggests that, in the present case of placental abruption and subsequent ischemic placenta and fetus, the high level of HMGB‐1 observed was due to the release of HMGB‐1 into the umbilical cord blood from the vascular endothelial cells of the umbilical cord.
What's the meaning of this? A behavioral and neurophysiological investigation into the principles behind the classification of visual emotional stimuli
Authors: Czekóová Kristína , Shaw Daniel J. , Urbánek Tomáš , Chládek Jan , Lamoš Martin , Roman Robert , Brázdil Milan 
Published: April 2016

AbstractTwo experiments were performed to investigate the principles by which emotional stimuli are classified on the dimensions of valence and arousal. In Experiment 1, a large sample of healthy participants rated emotional stimuli according to both broad dimensions. Hierarchical cluster analyses performed on these ratings revealed that stimuli were clustered according to their semantic content at the beginning of the agglomerative process. Example semantic themes include food, violence, nudes, death, and objects. Importantly, this pattern occurred in a parallel fashion for ratings on both dimensions. In Experiment 2, we investigated if the same semantic clusters were differentiated at the neurophysiological level. Intracerebral EEG was recorded from 18 patients with intractable epilepsy who viewed the same set of stimuli. Not only did electrocortical responses differentiate between these data‐defined semantic clusters, they converged with the behavioral measurements to highlight the importance of categories associated with survival and reproduction. These findings provide strong evidence that the semantic content of affective material influences their classification along the broad dimensions of valence and arousal, and this principle of categorization exerts an effect on the evoked emotional response. Future studies should consider data‐driven techniques rather than normative ratings to identify more specific, semantically related emotional images.
Non‐pharmacological treatments for COPD
Authors: Mulhall Patrick , Criner Gerard 
Published: April 2016

AbstractChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects roughly 10% of the global population and is growing in prevalence annually. COPD is characterized by progressive non‐reversible narrowing of airways mainly due to cigarette smoking. Therapeutic interventions aimed at altering this progressive disease course can largely be grouped into pharmacological or non‐pharmacological therapies. The focus of this paper is on the non‐pharmacological aspects of COPD management, reviewing the current literature to provide an evidence‐based management approach. Non‐pharmacological therapies reviewed in this article include the implementation of comprehensive care models utilizing a coordinated multidisciplinary team, tele‐monitoring and patient‐centred approach to optimize COPD care and improve compliance. Preventing progression of COPD via smoking cessation remains of paramount importance, and newer therapeutic options including electronic cigarettes show promise in small studies as cessation aids. COPD has systemic manifestations that can be ameliorated with the enrollment in pulmonary rehabilitation programmes, which focus on exercise endurance to improve dyspnoea and quality of life. Advanced therapeutics for COPD includes lung volume reduction surgery for a pre‐specified cohort and minimally invasive bronchoscopic valves that in recent reviews show promise. Lastly, patients on maximal COPD therapy with progressive disease can be referred for lung transplantation; however, this often requires a highly selected and motivated patient and care team. Survival rates for lung transplantation are improving; thus, this procedure remains a viable option as more expertise and experience are gained.
Introduction to systematic reviews and meta‐analysis
Authors: McKenzie Joanne E. , Beller Elaine M. , Forbes Andrew B. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractSystematic reviews provide a method for collating and synthesizing research, and are used to inform healthcare decision making by clinicians, consumers and policy makers. A core component of many systematic reviews is a meta‐analysis, which is a statistical synthesis of results across studies. In this review article, we introduce meta‐analysis, focusing on the different meta‐analysis models, their interpretation, how a model should be selected and discuss potential threats to the validity of meta‐analyses. We illustrate the application of meta‐analysis using data from a review examining the effects of early use of inhaled corticosteroids in the emergency department treatment of acute asthma.
Reappraising and Extending the Predictors of States’ Immigrant Policies: Industry Influences and the Moderating Effect of Political Ideology*
Authors: Commins Margaret M. , Wills Jeremiah B. 
Published: April 2016

ObjectiveWe examined how the preferences of firms in immigrant‐heavy industries influence the enactment of immigration policies by states and considered whether political ideology, serving as an interpretive lens for such preferences, moderates the effects of industry influences. Existing hypotheses about immigrant policy predictors were also reevaluated.MethodWe coded all immigration bills enacted for years 2005–2012 and fit multilevel, mixed models to predict state‐year counts of beneficial and restrictive policies.ResultsModels showed that increases in GDP and employment within the accommodations industry predicted more beneficial immigrant policies within states. The effect of construction industry variables was conditional on state residents’ political ideology. There was mixed support for extant racial and economic threat and political climate hypotheses.ConclusionFirms in sectors heavily dependent on immigrant labor influence state‐level immigrant policy. Some of these effects are direct, and some are moderated by state residents’ political beliefs.
Empirical Evidence and Determinants of Region‐Based Environmental Injustice in China: Does Environmental Public Service Level Make a Difference?*
Authors: Zhang Xiaojie , Zhao Ke , Jennings Edward T. 
Published: April 2016

ObjectiveWe examine empirical evidence of region‐based environmental injustice in China, and factors, especially environmental public service, that contribute to the distribution of environmental hazards among various Chinese regions.MethodsWe use variance analysis to assess the disparate distribution of environmental hazards, and then employ the expanded Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model to identify the determinants, using a panel data set of 26 provincial capital cities and four municipalities directly under Chinese central government over the period 2003–2010.Results and ConclusionsOur findings confirm the presence of region‐based environmental injustice in China and demonstrate its annual improvement. We also find that environmental public service, economic development level, population size, and environmental protection technology are major impact factors. These findings not only support the environmental Kuznets curve assumption, but also help to advance the existing literature on environmental justice and the human‐environment relationship.
Following the Crowd or Thinking Outside of the Box? Saliency and Issue Consistency*
Authors: Garner Andrew D. , Palmer Harvey D. 
Published: April 2016

ObjectiveThis article examines the distinction between group‐based issue opinion formation (what we term “following the crowd”) and idiosyncratic or nongroup‐based formation (what we term “thinking outside of the box”). The argument put forth is that issue saliency can lead citizens to think about issues in nongroup‐based terms.MethodWe use heteroskedastic regression to measure the degree to which group‐based variables explain issue opinions. Using group variables (demographics, party identification, etc.) to estimate respondents' issue responses means that nongroup variation is soaked up by the error term.ResultsWe find that citizens who view an issue as highly salient are more likely to “think outside the box,” while citizens who view an issue as less salient are more likely to “follow the crowd” by defaulting to their group memberships and identifications.ConclusionOur results indicate that response variability (less consistency within groups) on issue opinions is not always the result of uncertain citizens, nonattitudes, or measurement error. In some situations, greater response variability can reflect a deliberative and policy‐based form of opinion formation.
Expansion of the Adherence Club model for stable antiretroviral therapy patients in the Cape Metro, South Africa 2011–2015
Authors: Wilkinson Lynne , Harley Beth , Sharp Joseph , Solomon Suhair , Jacobs Shahieda , Cragg Carol , Kriel Ebrahim , Peton Neshaan , Jennings Karen , Grimsrud Anna 
Published: April 2016

AbstractObjectiveThe ambitious ‘90‐90‐90’ treatment targets require innovative models of care to support quality antiretroviral therapy (ART) delivery. While evidence for differentiated models of ART delivery is growing, there are few data on the feasibility of scale‐up. We describe the implementation of the Adherence Club (AC) model across the Cape Metro health district in Cape Town, South Africa, between January 2011 and March 2015.MethodsUsing data from monthly aggregate AC monitoring reports and electronic monitoring systems for the district cohort, we report on the number of facilities offering ACs and the number of patients receiving ART care in the AC model.ResultsBetween January 2011 and March 2015, the AC programme expanded to reach 32 425 patients in 1308 ACs at 55 facilities. The proportion of the total ART cohort retained in an AC increased from 7.3% at the end of 2011 to 25.2% by March 2015. The number of facilities offering ACs also increased and by the end of the study period, 92.3% of patients were receiving ART at a facility that offered ACs. During this time, the overall ART cohort doubled from 66 616 to 128 697 patients. The implementation of the AC programme offset this increase by 51%.ConclusionsACs now provide ART care to more than 30 000 patients. Further expansion of the model will require additional resources and support. More research is necessary to determine the outcomes and quality of care provided in ACs and other differentiated models of ART delivery, especially when implemented at scale.
Cylinders in singular del Pezzo surfaces
Authors: Cheltsov Ivan , Park Jihun , Won Joonyeong 
Published: April 2016

For each del Pezzo surface$S$with du Val singularities, we determine whether it admits a$(-K_{S})$-polar cylinder or not. If it allows one, then we present an effective$\mathbb{Q}$-divisor$D$that is$\mathbb{Q}$-linearly equivalent to$-K_{S}$and such that the open set$S\setminus \text{Supp}(D)$is a cylinder. As a corollary, we classify all the del Pezzo surfaces with du Val singularities that admit non-trivial$\mathbb{G}_{a}$-actions on their affine cones defined by their anticanonical divisors.