bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Maternal obesity and risk of Down syndrome in the offspring
Authors: Hildebrand Eric , Källén Bengt , Josefsson Ann , Gottvall Tomas , Blomberg Marie 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTObjectiveThe objective of this article is to determine if maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk of Down syndrome in the offspring and whether the risk estimates for trisomy 21 based on combined screening is affected by maternal body mass index (BMI).MethodsStudy group I consisted of a nationwide cohort of 1 568 604 women giving birth; outcome was infants born with Down syndrome [Correction made here after initial online publication.]. Adjustment was made for maternal age. Study group II consisted of 10 224 women undergoing 1st trimester combined screening. Outcome was risk assessment for Down syndrome. All women were divided into six BMI groups, and outcomes were evaluated over the BMI strata with BMI 18.5 to 24.9 as reference and correcting for maternal age.ResultsObese women had an increased risk for giving birth to an infant with Down syndrome compared with normal‐weight women, BMI 30 to 34.9 odds ratio (OR) 1.31 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10–1.55], BMI 35 to 39.9 OR 1.12 (95% CI 0.82–1.53), BMI ≥ 40 OR 1.56 (95% CI 1.00–2.43). The observed and the expected numbers of women with a risk of Down syndrome >1/300 based on 1st trimester combined screen and maternal age were similar in each BMI group.ConclusionMaternal obesity seems to increase the risk for Down syndrome births. The risk estimate for Down syndrome with 1st trimester combined screening is unaffected by BMI. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Polymer physics inspired approaches for the study of the mechanical properties of amyloid fibrils
Authors: Volpatti Lisa R. , Knowles Tuomas P. J. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTAmyloid structures constitute a class of highly ordered nanomaterials formed by insoluble protein aggregates. These aggregates are characterized by a cross‐β structural motif in which β‐sheets are oriented perpendicular to the fibril axis and bound together by a dense hydrogen bonding network. Although they have been associated with several neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, amyloid fibrils have also been found in many physiologically beneficial roles, for instance in adhesives and hormone storage. Inspired by this natural occurrence of functional amyloid, the hierarchal self‐assembly of these structures has recently been used to develop artificial biomaterials for applications in medicine and nanotechnology. In order to realize the full potential of amyloids as functional materials, it is important to understand their fundamental mechanical properties. This review explores a range of experimental strategies to determine the mechanical properties of amyloid fibrils and discusses the results in the context of polymer physics concepts. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys.2014,52, 281–292
ALPPS for Patients with Colorectal Liver Metastases: Effective Liver Hypertrophy, but Early Tumor Recurrence
Authors: Oldhafer Karl J. , Donati Marcello , Jenner Robert M. , Stang Axel , Stavrou Gregor A. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractBackgroundAssociating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) is a promising method to increase resectability rates of liver tumors. Little has been published about oncological results so far. This report describes clinical evidence regarding a possible effect of ALPPS on tumor recurrence.MethodsTen ALPPS procedures were performed for otherwise non‐resectable colorectal liver metastases. Seven of these ten patients had a follow‐up of at least 3 months and were analyzed for tumor recurrence.ResultsSix of these seven patients had tumor recurrence to the liver. Three of seven patients presented with lung metastases, occurring earlier than liver metastases in two of three cases. One patient with a follow‐up of 3 months had no visible recurrent disease, but increasing carcinoembryonic antigen levels.ConclusionsThe patient group operable only through ALPPS is at high risk for recurrence and early tumor progression. Still, this new method is the only chance for an oncological treatment strategy including a surgical approach and possibly better outcome.
Short-term functional outcome and premorbid adjustment in clinical high-risk patients. Results of the EPOS project
Authors: Salokangas R.K.R. , Heinimaa M. , From T. , Löyttyniemi E. , Ilonen T. , Luutonen S. , Hietala J. , Svirskis T. , von Reventlow H.G. , Juckel G. , Linszen D. , Dingemans P. , Birchwood M. , Patterson P. , Schultze-Lutter F. , Ruhrmann S. , Klosterkötter J. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractPurposeIn patients with schizophrenia, premorbid psychosocial adjustment is an important predictor of functional outcome. We studied functional outcome in young clinical high-risk (CHR) patients and how this was predicted by their childhood to adolescence premorbid adjustment.MethodsIn all, 245 young help-seeking CHR patients were assessed with the Premorbid Adjustment Scale, the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) and the Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument (SPI-A). The SIPS assesses positive, negative, disorganised, general symptoms, and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), the SPI-A self-experienced basic symptoms; they were carried out at baseline, at 9-month and 18-month follow-up. Transitions to psychosis were identified. In the hierarchical linear model, associations between premorbid adjustment, background data, symptoms, transitions to psychosis and GAF scores were analysed.ResultsDuring the 18-month follow-up, GAF scores improved significantly, and the proportion of patients with poor functioning decreased from 74% to 37%. Poor premorbid adjustment, single marital status, poor work status, and symptoms were associated with low baseline GAF scores. Low GAF scores were predicted by poor premorbid adjustment, negative, positive and basic symptoms, and poor baseline work status. The association between premorbid adjustment and follow-up GAF scores remained significant, even when baseline GAF and transition to psychosis were included in the model.ConclusionA great majority of help-seeking CHR patients suffer from deficits in their functioning. In CHR patients, premorbid psychosocial adjustment, baseline positive, negative, basic symptoms and poor working/schooling situation predict poor short-term functional outcome. These aspects should be taken into account when acute intervention and long-term rehabilitation for improving outcome in CHR patients are carried out.
Conscientious objection or fear of social stigma and unawareness of ethical obligations
Authors: Faúndes Anibal , Duarte Graciana Alves , Osis Maria José Duarte 
Published: December 2013

AbstractConscientious objection is a legitimate right of physicians to reject the practice of actions that violate their ethical or moral principles. The application of that principle is being used in many countries as a justification to deny safe abortion care to women who have the legal right to have access to safe termination of pregnancy. The problem is that, often, this concept is abused by physicians who camouflage under the guise of conscientious objection their fear of experiencing discrimination and social stigma if they perform legal abortions. These colleagues seem to ignore the ethical principle that the primary conscientious duty of OB/GYNs is—at all times—to treat, or provide benefit and prevent harm to, the patients for whose care they are responsible. Any conscientious objection to treating a patient is secondary to this primary duty. One of the jobs of the FIGO Working Group for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion is to change this paradigm and make our colleagues proud of providing legal abortion services that protect women's life and health, and concerned about disrespecting the human rights of women and professional ethical principles.
Stepwise artificial evolution of a plant disease resistance gene
Authors: Harris C. Jake , Slootweg Erik J. , Goverse Aska , Baulcombe David C. 
Published: December 2013

Significance
Plant nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) proteins are responsible for detecting potential pathogens and triggering a defense response. However, disease resistance can also involve a cost. Here we show that the trailing necrosis cost associated with a broad-recognition version of the NB-LRR protein, Rx, can be overcome by selecting for mutations that increase the sensitivity of the NB-LRR protein. Using homology modeling, we predict that these mutations are colocalized to the ATP/ADP nucleotide-binding pocket, which is thought to control the switch between “active” and “inactive” states. These results suggest that a stepwise approach to coordinating recognition and response could be used to design improved NB-LRRs for use in agriculture.
Reproducible copy number variation patterns among single circulating tumor cells of lung cancer patients
Authors: Ni Xiaohui , Zhuo Minglei , Su Zhe , Duan Jianchun , Gao Yan , Wang Zhijie , Zong Chenghang , Bai Hua , Chapman Alec R. , Zhao Jun , Xu Liya , An Tongtong , Ma Qi , Wang Yuyan , Wu Meina , Sun Yu , Wang Shuhang , Li Zhenxiang , Yang Xiaodan , Yong Jun , Su Xiao-Dong , Lu Youyong , Bai Fan , Xie X. Sunney , Wang Jie 
Published: December 2013

Significance
In a few milliliters of blood from a cancer patient, one can isolate a few circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Originating from the primary tumor, CTCs seed metastases, which account for the majority of cancer-related deaths. We demonstrate the analyses of the whole genome of single CTCs, which are highly needed for personalized treatment. We discovered that copy number variations (CNVs), one of the major genomic variations, are specific to cancer types, reproducible from cell to cell, and even from patient to patient. We hypothesize that CNVs at certain genomic loci are selected for and lead to metastasis. Our work shows the prospect of noninvasive CTC-based cancer diagnostics.
Identification of genes involved in low aminoglycoside-induced SOS response inVibrio cholerae: a role for transcription stalling and Mfd helicase
Authors: Baharoglu Zeynep , Babosan Anamaria , Mazel Didier 
Published: December 2013

AbstractSub-inhibitory concentrations (sub-MIC) of antibiotics play a very important role in selection and development of resistances. Unlike Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae induces its SOS response in presence of sub-MIC aminoglycosides. A role for oxidized guanine residues was observed, but the mechanisms of this induction remained unclear. To select for V. cholerae mutants that do not induce low aminoglycoside-mediated SOS induction, we developed a genetic screen that renders induction of SOS lethal. We identified genes involved in this pathway using two strategies, inactivation by transposition and gene overexpression. Interestingly, we obtained mutants inactivated for the expression of proteins known to destabilize the RNA polymerase complex. Reconstruction of the corresponding mutants confirmed their specific involvement in induction of SOS by low aminoglycoside concentrations. We propose that DNA lesions formed on aminoglycoside treatment are repaired through the formation of single-stranded DNA intermediates, inducing SOS. Inactivation of functions that dislodge RNA polymerase leads to prolonged stalling on these lesions, which hampers SOS induction and repair and reduces viability under antibiotic stress. The importance of these mechanisms is illustrated by a reduction of aminoglycoside sub-MIC. Our results point to a central role for transcription blocking at DNA lesions in SOS induction, so far underestimated.
Leadership, a key element of quality improvement in healthcare. Results from a literature review of “Lean Healthcare” and the Productive Ward
Authors: White Mark , Wells John , Butterworth Tony 
Published: December 2013

Purpose– This paper reviews the Lean Healthcare and Productive Ward: releasing time to care (RTC) literature and extracts the reported effects and impacts experienced by employees who implement it. The purpose of this paper is to identify and investigate the strength of the connection between the two models and explores the implications for leadership and implementation.Design/methodology/approach– This study reviewed the Lean Healthcare and Productive Ward: RTC literature using strict systematic inclusion criteria. A qualitative content analysis was used to identify key characteristics of reported employee experience, effect or impact. Themes and categories were ranked by the number of citations and presented.Findings– This study outlines the similar employee effects and impacts that exist between Lean-type improvement initiatives and the Productive Ward: RTC programme. It discusses the three top themes of: Empowerment, Leadership and Engagement and explores the opportunities for leadership. It also identifies one key difference between the two initiatives, the socio-cultural effect and impact which is strongly reported with Lean-type improvement initiatives. The socio-cultural element is discussed and presented as one of the fundamental aspects of Lean and the original Toyota production system.Originality/value– This study brings new insights for leaders involved in Lean-type improvement initiatives which are currently being imported into healthcare and provides a comprehensive list of reported employee impacts and effects of value to healthcare leaders attempting to establish an environment and culture of improvement.
What is happening to leadership in health care?
Authors: Iles Valerie 
Published: December 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to re-examine the challenges facing leaders in health care, to explore the impact of these on the choices available to healthcare leaders, and to re-visit the nature of leadership in general. It identifies a distinction between care that is a set of auditable transactions and care that is also a covenant, and suggests that leadership too can be practised in these distinctively different ways. It draws on a three year learning set of senior practitioners in the NHS in England.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper draws on the authors own observations over 25 years of educating and developing clinical leaders, and also on the insights of a learning set of senior NHS practitioners over a three period.

Findings
– The paper provides empirical insights about how both health care and leadership have changed over the last 30 years, and proposes that treating either of them as a set of auditable transactions in a market place results in dissatisfied leaders as well as practitioners, and that a covenant of both care and leadership needs to be understood and established.

Research limitations/implications
– Observations have been limited to the NHS in the UK although there are indications that the issues are of wider applicability.

Practical implications
– The paper includes implications for the behaviours of those leading health care organisations, those being led, and those influencing the context.

Originality/value
– This paper challenges prevailing definitions of leadership and prevailing explanations for difficulties in health care organisations.
On the almost inconceivable misunderstandings concerning the subject of value‐free social science
Authors: Black Donald 
Published: December 2013

AbstractA value judgment says what is good or bad, and value‐free social science simply means social science free of value judgments. Yet many sociologists regard value‐free social science as undesirable or impossible and readily make value judgments in the name of sociology. Often they display confusion about such matters as the meaning of value‐free social science, value judgments internal and external to social science, value judgments as a subject of social science, the relevance of objectivity for value‐free social science, and the difference between the human significance of social science and value‐free social science. But why so many sociologists are so value‐involved – and generally so unscientific – is sociologically understandable: The closest and most distant subjects attract the least scientific ideas. And during the past century sociologists have become increasingly close to their human subject. The debate about value‐free social science is also part of an epistemological counterrevolution of humanists (including many sociologists) against the more scientific social scientists who invaded and threatened to expropriate the human subject during the past century.
Theoretical and experimental investigations of the performance of keyword auction mechanisms
Authors: Fukuda Emiko , Kamijo Yoshio , Takeuchi Ai , Masui Michiharu , Funaki Yukihiko 
Published: December 2013

AbstractTwo keyword auction mechanisms, the Generalized Second‐Price auction (GSP) and the Vickrey‐Clarke‐Groves mechanism (VCG), were compared theoretically and experimentally. The former is widely used in practice; the latter is not, but it has a dominant strategy equilibrium where all participants bid their true values. In the theoretical investigation, by applying the “locally envy‐free Nash equilibrium” to the VCG, we found that the allocations are efficient and that upper and lower bounds of the auctioneer's revenue coincide in the two mechanisms. A laboratory experiment, in which the revenues and efficiencies were similar in both mechanisms, supported this result.
High hopes for CB2 receptors in neurogenesis
Authors: Downer Eric J 
Published: December 2013

During life, new neurons are continually added to hippocampal circuitry, with evidence suggesting that these adult‐born neurons are functionally linked to cognition and emotion. The mammalian brain contains actively dividing neural stem cells in discrete regions, including the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus. Once mature, these neurons integrate into neuronal networks, forming synaptic connections with interneurons, mossy cells and CA3 pyramidal cellsLinked ArticleThis article is a commentary on Avraham et al., pp. 468–479 of volume 171 issue 2. To view this paper visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.12478
Factors associated with dental caries in Brazilian children: a multilevel approach
Authors: Martins MT , Sardenberg F , Abreu MH , Vale MP , Paiva SM , Pordeus IA 
Published: December 2013

AbstractObjectivesThe aims of the present study were to assess caries experience among Brazilian children aged eight to 10 years and determine social factors of this disease, through a multilevel approach.MethodsThis is a cross‐sectional study in which a representative sample of 1204 eight‐to‐ten‐year‐old children were randomly selected from 19 public and private schools in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. After formal authorization from the parents, the children were clinically examined at school by two calibrated examiners (Kappa=0.78). Individual socioeconomic status was determined using household income, number of residents in the home and parents'/caregivers' schooling. The social vulnerability index and type of school were used as contextual variables. The outcome variables were severity score of dental caries in permanent teeth (DMFT index), dental caries experience in permanent teeth (DMFT = 0 or ≠ 0), severity score of dental caries in primary teeth (dmft index) and dental caries experience in primary teeth (dmft = 0 or ≠ 0).ResultsThe minority of children (37.2%) had dental caries experience. Chi‐squared and Mann–Whitney tests showed that age, parents'/caregivers' schooling, household income and type of school were associated with dental caries experience in permanent and primary teeth (P < 0.05). Mann–Whitney, Kruskal–Wallis tests and Spearman correlation coefficient showed that age, parents'/caregivers' schooling, household income, and type of school were associated with severity score of dental caries in permanent and primary teeth (P < 0.05). In multilevel approach, the individual variables, age and household income demonstrated association with dental caries experience and with severity score of dental caries in primary teeth (P < 0.05). Type of school was also associated with dental caries experience and with severity score of dental caries in these teeth (P < 0.05).In the Poisson multilevel approach, the analysis of the final estimation of variance components of the null model revealed a significant difference among the 19 schools with regard to severity score of dental caries in permanent teeth too (P < 0.001). Younger children and attending private schools showed lower severity score of dental caries in permanent teeth.ConclusionDental caries experience and severity score of dental caries in primary teeth was influenced by age, household income, and the type of school The dental caries experience in permanent teeth was influenced by age, parents'/caregivers' schooling, household income, and type of school, whereas the severity score of dental caries in permanent teeth was influenced by age and type of school.
Levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel infusion in advanced Parkinson's disease: a 7‐year experience
Authors: Zibetti M. , Merola A. , Artusi C. A. , Rizzi L. , Angrisano S. , Reggio D. , De Angelis C. , Rizzone M. , Lopiano L. 
Published: December 2013

Background and purposeLevodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) infusion is nowadays becoming an established therapeutic option for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with fluctuating symptoms unresponsive to conventional oral treatment. As the implementation of LCIG therapy is increasing, there is a need for safety and efficacy data from current clinical practice.MethodsAll PD patients treated with LCIG at our centre over a 7‐year period were analysed to determine the duration of treatment, retention rate, reasons for discontinuation, LCIG efficacy in motor complications, modifications of concomitant therapy and adverse events.ResultsOf the 59 patients, seven subjects (12%) died of causes unrelated to LCIG infusion and 11 patients (19%) discontinued therapy prior to the cut‐off date. Duodopa improved motor complications and over 90% of patients reported an improvement in their quality of life, autonomy and clinical global status. The most common adverse events were dislocation and kinking of the intestinal tube.ConclusionsLCIG infusion is effective for the long‐term treatment of advanced PD patients and exerts a positive and clinically significant effect on motor complications with a relatively low dropout rate.