bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of comorbidity on relative survival following hospitalisation for fall‐related hip fracture in older people
Authors: Hindmarsh Diane , Loh Ming , Finch Caroline F , Hayen Andrew , Close Jacqueline CT 
Published: October 2012

AimTo assess the effect of comorbidity on relative survival after hip fracture.MethodsRelative survival analysis was undertaken in 16 838 fall‐related hip fracture hospitalisations in New South Wales, Australia. Comorbidity was measured on the basis of additional diagnosis codes on the same hospital separation as the hip fracture using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Interval‐specific relative survival and relative excess risk of death were calculated.ResultsComorbidity was more frequently documented in men than women across the age groups. Survival decreased with increasing age and increasing comorbidity, but the relative impact of comorbidity was greater in the younger‐old age group (65–74 years). The excess mortality in men was not accounted for by age or comorbidities.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates an association between increasing comorbidity and death particularly in the first 3 months post hip fracture. It also highlights a relative excess risk of death in men after hip fracture after adjusting for age and comorbidity.
A new method of computing the vertebral heart scale by means of direct standardisation
Authors: Sánchez X. , Prandi D. , Badiella L. , Vázquez A. , Llabrés‐Díaz F. , Bussadori C. , Domènech O. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractObjectivesThe aim of this study was to describe and compare a simplified vertebral heart scale computation method (ObjectiveVHS) with the original Buchanan method (BuchananVHS).MethodsThe ObjectiveVHSwas compared to the BuchananVHSmethod in 42 dogs including 14 healthy dogs and 28 dogs with mitral insufficiency. For the ObjectiveVHS, the sum of the length of the long and short axes of the cardiac silhouette obtained in centimetres using a metric ruler was subsequently converted into units of vertebral length by means of a direct standardization method. The BuchananVHSwas obtained as previously described.ResultsNo significant differences in vertebral heart scale values were found between the two methods in all dogs. There was a strong positive correlation (0·99) between ObjectiveVHSand BuchananVHS.Clinical SignificanceThe use of a direct standardization method based on a unit conversion allows ‐computation of vertebral heart scale values without transposing long and short axes to the cranial edge ofT4.
Monetary Policy and Corporate Investment: Evidence from Chinese Micro Data
Authors: Huang Ying Sophie , Song Frank M. , Wang Yizhong 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThis paper investigates how a firm's characteristics restrict the influence of monetary policy changes on its investment behavior. Focusing on China's listed companies for a sample period from the first quarter of 2002 to the first quarter of 2011, we find that quantity‐oriented and price‐based monetary policies have heterogeneous impacts on corporate investment behavior, but the influence of monetary policies is constrained by the liquidity, inventory, size and asset–liability ratio of a firm. Firms with higher liquidity, lower inventory level and lower asset–liability ratios are less sensitive to the impact from two kinds of monetary policies. The larger the size of the firm, the less it is subject to influence from quantity‐oriented monetary policy; it responds more to price‐based monetary policy. The policy implication is that the monetary authorities should pay attention to the importance of policy‐making based on the monetary demand of microeconomic entities.
Product‐destination Portfolio and Dynamics by Firm Ownership and Trade Mode: Evidence from Chinese Industrial Exporters
Authors: Cheng Dazhong 
Published: October 2012

AbstractUsing matched firm‐level trade and production data over the period 2000–2006, we study the product‐destination portfolio and dynamics of Chinese industrial exporters and make a thorough comparison among four types of firms and between two kinds of trade modes. We find that ownership structure and trading modes do matter to the destination and product mix choices of Chinese industrial exporters. In particular, foreign firms' exports and processing trade tend to be more destination‐specific and products are more specialized. Therefore, foreign firms are more likely to maintain a particular link within a specific global supply chain.
Ownership Restructuring, Marketization and Wealth Inequality in Urban China: 1995 and 2002
Authors: He Xiaobin , Huang Zhuo 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThis paper proposes a property transformation perspective to examine the mechanisms of wealth accumulation and wealth inequality creation during China's post‐1978 transformation. It examines how enterprise ownership restructuring, marketization and state politics have resulted in greater wealth inequality between cadres and ordinary workers, between public sectors/organizations and private sectors/organizations. Mainly drawing on data from the Chinese Household Income Project conducted in 1995 and 2002, we find that the property transformation process has created greater wealth disparity among different occupational groups and among those working in different work organizations since the mid‐1990s. However, it is inconclusive whether non‐housing wealth or total household wealth are increasing at the same pace across different occupations and work organizations with the growing market penetration and the spread of privatization.
Renminbi Internationalization: Progress, Prospect and Comparison
Authors: Tung Chen‐yuan , Wang Guo‐chen , Yeh Jason 
Published: October 2012

AbstractUsing principal component analyses, this paper constructs two internationalization indices for the renminbi (RMB) and 32 other major currencies. We find that the RMB's currency internationalization degree index (CIDI) is still low, and far behind the 4 most important international currencies. In 2009, it was ranked 18th among all important international currencies. However, in terms of the currency internationalization prospect index (CIPI), the RMB has remained the world's fifth highest since 2006. Although it is still far behind the US dollar and the euro, surpassing the ranking of the yen and the pound is possible in the near future. The dramatic difference in the ranking between the CIDI and the CIPI is a result of China's tight capital account control, the usage continuity of international currency due to network externalities, and the narrow foreign exchange and imperfect financial markets. Hence, to a large degree, the RMB's potential as an international currency depends on China's capital account liberalization.
Strategic Interaction in Spending on Environmental Protection: Spatial Evidence from Chinese Cities
Authors: Deng Huihui , Zheng Xinye , Huang Nan , Li Fanghua 
Published: October 2012

AbstractIn China, the responsibility of protecting the environment lies largely with local governments. Within the framework of spatial econometrics, we investigate empirically the consequence of such an institutional setting. Using city‐level data for China, the present study finds that city governments behave strategically in making spending decisions regarding environmental protection. This paper finds that a city government appears to cut its own spending as a response to the rise in environmental protection spending by its neighbors. Hence, environmental protection tends to be underprovided. As a result, we suggest that centralizing the environmental protection responsibility to a higher level of government would be beneficial in terms of controlling pollution in China.
Family Dynamics and Self‐Injury Behaviors: A Correlation Analysis
Authors: Halstead Ruth Ogden , Pavkov Thomas W. , Hecker Lorna L. , Seliner Michelle M. 
Published: October 2012

This study tested the relationship between family dynamics and self‐injury. A total of 189 participants responded to a web‐based survey collecting information related to previous self‐injury behaviors and family dynamics. Participants were over 18 years old who had used self‐injury (intentionally harming themselves physically to relieve painful emotions without suicidal intent), but who had not used self‐injury for over a year. Results indicated that healthy family dynamics were negatively correlated and associated with higher scores of self‐injury behaviors. This study offers some evidence that family dynamics influence self‐injury behaviors. The implications for family therapy are discussed.
GeoLight – processing and analysing light‐based geolocator data in R
Authors: Lisovski Simeon , Hahn Steffen 
Published: October 2012

Summary

Determining global position by light measurements (‘geolocation’) has revolutionised the methods used to track migratory birds throughout their annual cycle.

To date, there is no standard way of analysing geolocator data, making communication of analyses cumbersome and hampering the reproducibility of results.

We have, therefore, developed the R package GeoLight, which provides basic functions for all steps of determining global positioning and a new approach in analysing movement pattern.

Here, we briefly introduce and discuss the major functions of this package using example movement data of European hoopoe (Upupa epops).
The influence of narrative risk communication on feelings of cancer risk
Authors: Janssen Eva , van Osch Liesbeth , de Vries Hein , Lechner Lilian 
Published: October 2012

ObjectiveEvidence is accumulating for the importance of feelings of risk in explaining cancer preventive behaviours, but best practices for influencing these feelings are limited. The aim of this experimental study was to compare the effects of narrative and non‐narrative risk communication about sunbed use on ease of imagination and feelings of cancer risk.Design and methodsA total of 233 female sunbed users in the general Dutch population were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a narrative message (i.e., personal testimonial), a non‐narrative cognitive message (i.e., factual risk information using cognitive‐laden words), or a non‐narrative affective message (i.e., factual risk information using affective‐laden words). Ease of imagination and feelings of risk were assessed directly after the risk information was given (T1). Three weeks after the baseline session, feelings of risk were measured again (T2).ResultsThe results revealed that sunbed users who were exposed to narrative risk information could better imagine themselves developing skin cancer and reported higher feelings of skin cancer risk at T1. Moreover, ease of imagination mediated the effects of message type on feelings of risk at T1 and T2.ConclusionThe findings provide support for the effects of narrative risk communication in influencing feelings of cancer risk through ease of imagination. Cancer prevention programmes may therefore benefit from including narrative risk information. Future research is important to investigate other mechanisms of narrative information and their most effective content and format.Statement of contributionWhat is already known on this subject?

Evidence is growing for the importance of feelings of risk in explaining cancer preventive behaviours. Narratives have increasingly been considered as an effective format for persuasive risk messages and studies have shown narrative risk communication to be effective in influencing cognitive risk beliefs.What does this study add?Increasing understanding of how feelings of cancer risk can be influenced since best practices for influencing these feelings are limited. Extending knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of narrative effects on feelings of cancer risk (i.e., the mediating role of ease of imagination) using a non‐student sample.The findings provide support for the effects of narrative risk communication in influencing feelings of cancer risk through ease of imagination.
Trade practices are main factors involved in the transmission of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia
Authors: Reichert M , Matras M , Skall H F , Olesen N J , Kahns S 
Published: October 2012

AbstractViral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS), caused by the novirhabdovirus viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV), causes significant economic problems to European rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), production. The virus isolates can be divided into four distinct genotypes with additional subgroups. The main source of outbreaks in European rainbow trout farming is sublineage Ia isolates. Recently, this group of isolates has been further subdivided in to two subclades of which the Ia‐2 consists of isolates occurring mainly in Continental Europe outside of Denmark. In this study, we sequenced the full‐length G‐gene sequences of 24 VHSV isolates that caused VHS outbreaks in Polish trout farms between 2005 and 2009. All these isolates were identified as genotype Ia‐2; they divided however into two genetically distinct subgroups, that we name Pol I and Pol II. The Pol I isolates mainly caused outbreaks in the southern part of Poland, while Pol II isolates predominantly were sampled in the north of Poland, although it seems that they have been transmitted to other parts of the country. Molecular epidemiology was used for characterization of transmission pathways. This study shows that a main cause of virus transmission appears to be movement of fish. At least in Polish circumstances trading practices appear to have significant impact on spreading of VHSV infection.
Asp664 cleavage of amyloid precursor protein induces tau phosphorylation by decreasing protein phosphatase 2A activity
Authors: Park Seok Soon , Jung Hyun‐Jung , Kim Yoon‐Jeong , Park Tae Kwan , Kim Chaeyoung , Choi Heesun , Mook‐Jung In Hee , Koo Edward H. , Park Sun Ah 
Published: October 2012

AbstractCaspase cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) has been reported to be important in amyloid beta protein (Aβ)‐mediated neurotoxicity. However, the underlying mechanisms are not clearly understood. In this study, we explored the effect of caspase cleavage of APP on tau phosphorylation in relation to Aβ. We found that Asp664 cleavage of APP increased tau phosphorylation at Thr212 and Ser262 in N2A cells and primary cultured hippocampal neurons. Compared with wild‐type APP, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity was significantly increased when Asp664 cleavage was blocked by the D664A point mutation. Furthermore, we found that over‐expression of C31 reduced PP2A activity. C31 binds directly to the PP2A catalytic subunit, through the asparagine, proline, threonine, tyrosine (NPTY) motif, which is essential for C31‐induced tau hyperphosphorylation. However, it appears that the other fragment produced by Asp664 cleavage, Jcasp, modulates neither PP2A activity nor tau hyperphosphorylation. Asp664 cleavage and accompanying tau hyperphosphorylation were remarkably diminished by blockage of Aβ production using a γ‐secretase inhibitor. Taken together, our results suggest that Asp664 cleavage of APP leads to tau hyperphosphorylation at specific epitopes by modulating PP2A activity as a downstream of Aβ. Direct binding of C31 to PP2A through the C31‐NPTY domain was identified as a mechanism underlying this effect.
Mitogen‐ and stress‐activated kinases regulate progenitor cell proliferation and neuron development in the adult dentate gyrus
Authors: Choi Yun‐Sik , Karelina Kate , Alzate‐Correa Diego , Hoyt Kari R. , Impey Soren , Arthur J. Simon , Obrietan Karl 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe neurogenic niche within the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus is a source of new neurons throughout life. Interestingly, SGZ proliferative capacity is regulated by both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. One outstanding question involves the molecular mechanisms that regulate both basal and inducible adult neurogenesis. Here, we examined the role of the MAPK‐regulated kinases, mitogen‐ and stress‐activated kinase (MSK)1 and MSK2. as regulators of dentate gyrus SGZ progenitor cell proliferation and neurogenesis. Under basal conditions, MSK1/2 null mice exhibited significantly reduced progenitor cell proliferation capacity and a corollary reduction in the number of doublecortin (DCX)‐positive immature neurons. Strikingly, seizure‐induced progenitor proliferation was totally blocked in MSK1/2 null mice. This blunting of cell proliferation in MSK1/2 null mice was partially reversed by forskolin infusion, indicating that the inducible proliferative capacity of the progenitor cell population was intact. Furthermore, in MSK1/2 null mice, DCX‐positive immature neurons exhibited reduced neurite arborization. Together, these data reveal a critical role for MSK1/2 as regulators of both basal and activity‐dependent progenitor cell proliferation and morphological maturation in the SGZ.
Melatonin enhances antioxidative enzyme gene expression (CAT, GPx, SOD), prevents their UVR‐induced depletion, and protects against the formation of DNA damage (8‐hydroxy‐2'‐deoxyguanosine) in ex vivo human skin
Authors: Fischer Tobias W. , Kleszczyński Konrad , Hardkop Lena H. , Kruse Nathalie , Zillikens Detlef 
Published: October 2012

AbstractUV radiation (UVR) induces serious structural and functional alterations in human skin leading to skin aging and carcinogenesis. Reactive oxygen species are key players in UVR‐mediated photodamage and induce the DNA‐base‐oxidized, intermediate 8‐hydroxy‐2'‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG). Herein, we report the protective action of melatonin against UVR‐induced 8‐OHdG formation and depletion of antioxidative enzymes using ex vivo human full‐thickness skin exposed to UVR in a dose (0, 100, 300 mJ/cm2)‐ and time‐dependent manner (0, 24, 48 hr post‐UVR). Dynamics of depletion of antioxidative enzymes including catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), or 8‐OHdG formation were studied by real‐time PCR and immunofluorescence/immunohistochemical staining. UVR‐treated skin revealed significant and immediate (0 hr 300 mJ/cm2) reduction of gene expression, and this effect intensified within 24 hr post‐UVR. Simultaneous increase in 8‐OHdG‐positive keratinocytes occurred already after 0 hr post‐UVR reaching 71% and 99% up‐regulation at 100 and 300 mJ/cm2, respectively (P < 0.001). Preincubation with melatonin (10−3 m) led to 32% and 29% significant reductions in 8‐OHdG‐positive cells and the prevention of antioxidative enzyme gene and protein suppression. Thus, melatonin was shown to play a crucial role as a potent antioxidant and DNA protectant against UVR‐induced oxidative damage in human skin.
Suitability of live yeast addition to alleviate the adverse effects due to the restriction of the time of access to feed in sheep fed only pasture
Authors: Pérez‐Ruchel A. , Repetto J. L. , Cajarville C. 
Published: October 2012

SummaryThe effect of yeast addition on intake and digestive utilization of pasture was studied in ovines under restricted time of access to forage. Eighteen wethers housed in metabolic cages and fed fresh forage (predominantly Lotus corniculatus) were randomly assigned to three treatments: forage available all day (AD); forage available only 6 h/day (R) and forage available only 6 h/day plus live Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast (RY). Feed intake and digestibility, feeding behaviour, kinetics of passage, ruminal pH and ammonia concentration, nitrogen balance and microbial nitrogen synthesis (MNS) were determined in vivo, and ruminal liquor activity of animals was evaluated in vitro. Restricted animals consumed less than those fed all day but achieved more than 75% of the intake and spent less time ruminating (p = 0.014). Although animals without restriction consumed more feed, they had a lower rate of passage (p = 0.030). The addition of yeast did affect neither intake nor feeding behaviour, but increased digestibility. Organic matter digestibility tended to increase 11% by yeast addition (p = 0.051), mainly by a rise in NDF (27%, p = 0.032) and ADF digestibility (37%, p = 0.051). Ingested and retained N was lower in restricted animals, as MNS (p ≤ 0.045). The use of yeasts did not significantly change the N balance or MNS, but retained N tended to be higher in supplemented animals (p = 0.090). Neither ruminal pH nor ammonia concentrations were affected by the restriction, but restricted animals had a lower ruminal activity evidenced by a lower volume of gas (p = 0.020). The addition of yeast overcame this limitation, noted by a higher volume of gas of inocula from supplemented animals (p = 0.015). Yeast addition emerged as a useful tool to improve digestibility of forage cell walls in ovines under restricted time of access to forage.
Focus on invasive mucormycosis in paediatric haematology oncology patients: a series of 11 cases
Authors: Phulpin‐Weibel Aurélie , Rivier Alexandre , Leblanc Thierry , Bertrand Yves , Chastagner Pascal 
Published: October 2012

SummaryMucormycosis has emerged as an increasingly important infection in oncology centres with high mortality, especially in severely immunocompromised patients. We carried out a retrospective study of 11 children with mucormycosis treated in seven French oncology‐haematology paediatric wards during the period from 1991 to 2011. Lichtheimia corymbifera and Mucor spp. were the predominant pathogens. Treatment regimens included antifungal therapy, reversal of underlying predisposing risk factors and surgical debridement. Although mucormycosis is associated with high mortality, this infection could be cured in eight of our cases of severely immunocompromised paediatric cancer patients.
General anesthesia for intussusception reduction by enema
Authors: Purenne Emilien , Franchi‐Abella Stéphanie , Branchereau Sophie , Baujard Catherine , Benhamou Dan , Mazoit Jean‐Xavier 
Published: October 2012

SummaryObjectivesIntussusception is the most frequent cause of bowel obstruction in children. Although enema is usually used as the initial treatment, surgery may be required in more than 50% of patients. General anesthesia (GA) has been suggested to increase the rate of enema success. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether GA increases the success rate of reduction by air enema.MethodsIn this retrospective single‐center study from 1989 to the end of June 2008, patients receiving air enema for intussusception reduction were studied. Multivariable analysis using propensity score was performed to compare the success rate between patients receiving sedation or GA.ResultsThe success rate of air enema increased from 72% in 1989 to the current rate of 90%. When time elapsed between first symptoms and enema was >12 h, the success rate decreased significantly (Odds Ratio 0.67 [0.56–0.81], P < 0.0001). When patients were matched by propensity score, GA significantly increased the likelihood of success (OR 5.66 [2.85–12.89], P = 0.013).ConclusionsAir enema performed under GA allows intussusception reduction in more than 90% of patients.