bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modulation of the phenotype and function ofMycobacterium tuberculosis-stimulated dendritic cells by adrenal steroids
Authors: Angerami Matias , Suarez Guadalupe , Pascutti Maria Fernanda , Salomon Horacio , Bottasso Oscar , Quiroga Maria Florencia 
Published: February 2013

AbstractCell-mediated immunity, cytokines induced during the specific immune response and T-cell populations are crucial factors for containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Recent reports suggest a cross-regulation between adrenal steroids (glucocorticoids and dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA) and the function of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Therefore, we investigated the role of adrenal hormones on the functional capacity of M. tuberculosis-induced dendritic cells (DCs). Cortisol significantly inhibited the functions of M. tuberculosis-induced DCs. Interestingly, the presence of DHEA enhanced the M. tuberculosis-induced expression of MHC I, MHC II and CD86 and also increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Moreover, DHEA improved the production of IL-12 in response to M. tuberculosis stimulation, diminished IL-10 secretion and could not modify TNF-α synthesis. Importantly, we observed that DHEA enhanced the antigen-specific T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ production induced by M. tuberculosis-stimulated DC. These data show for the first time the relevance of the adrenal axis (especially of DHEA) in the modulation of DC function in the context of tuberculosis, a disease where the induction of a Th1 environment by APCs is crucial for the development of an effective immune response to the mycobacteria.
Understanding the role of social media in bank marketing
Authors: Mitic Miljana , Kapoulas Alexandros 
Published: February 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of Web 2.0 and social media in relationship marketing (RM) in banking. The aim is to understand why some banks resist the Web 2.0 trend, how this is aligned with their RM approaches and what the alternative paths for advancing customer relations could be. The paper focuses on the practices of banks in the less‐researched yet dynamically evolving South East European (SEE) region.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative case study approach was employed for this study. In total, three case studies were constructed, describing practices and RM approaches of retail banks in SEE. Data used for the construct of case studies were collected through in‐depth interviews with top management, documentation and banks’ official web sites.FindingsPrimary reasons for refraining from social media included: low customer demand for such form of interaction with banks; concerns over safety of Web 2.0 for banking; and lack of alignment with current RM strategies. While social media were not discarded for the future, they were deemed more appropriate for smaller or younger banks seeking innovative ways to capture market share.Practical implicationsThe paper identifies requirements for the adoption of social media in bank marketing and offers insights on possible alternative RM strategies that combine electronic channels with a personal approach to banking.Originality/valueCase studies offer insights on marketing practices of banks in the SEE region. The paper unveils challenges banks encounter in their RM efforts and their vision of the future of RM in a contemporary online setting.
Marketing intelligence in SMEs: implications for the industry and policy makers
Authors: Cacciolatti L.A. , Fearne A. 
Published: February 2013

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to demonstrate empirically the relationship between firm characteristics and information use within a small and medium sized enterprises (SME) context, proposing that firm characteristics are a catalyst of information use. With marketing information it is intended all data usable within for a marketing purpose.Design/methodology/approachFirst, firm characteristics and their impact on information use amongst SMEs were identified in the literature. After that, a quantitative study was performed analysing the data through multivariate data analysis techniques, specifically principal component analysis (PCA), canonical correlation analysis and regression. The results of the analysis are discussed and the paper ends with the conclusions, implications for practitioners and policy makers, limitations of the study and indications for future research.FindingsThe results of this study show the importance of the association between firm characteristics and information use amongst SMEs, demonstrating that strategic approach, firm size and resources allocation are catalysts of information use.Originality/valueDifferent firm characteristics have an impact on information use. Understanding better what firm characteristics are potential catalysts of information use may empower practitioners’ with better marketing intelligence and policy makers with a measure to assess potential risk when subsidising small businesses.
An automated cross‐correlation based event detection technique and its application to a surface passive data set
Authors: Forghani‐Arani Farnoush , Behura Jyoti , Haines Seth S. , Batzle Mike 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACTIn studies on heavy oil, shale reservoirs, tight gas and enhanced geothermal systems, the use of surface passive seismic data to monitor induced microseismicity due to the fluid flow in the subsurface is becoming more common. However, in most studies passive seismic records contain days and months of data and manually analysing the data can be expensive and inaccurate. Moreover, in the presence of noise, detecting the arrival of weak microseismic events becomes challenging. Hence, the use of an automated, accurate and computationally fast technique for event detection in passive seismic data is essential. The conventional automatic event identification algorithm computes a running‐window energy ratio of the short‐term average to the long‐term average of the passive seismic data for each trace. We show that for the common case of a low signal‐to‐noise ratio in surface passive records, the conventional method is not sufficiently effective at event identification. Here, we extend the conventional algorithm by introducing a technique that is based on the cross‐correlation of the energy ratios computed by the conventional method. With our technique we can measure the similarities amongst the computed energy ratios at different traces. Our approach is successful at improving the detectability of events with a low signal‐to‐noise ratio that are not detectable with the conventional algorithm. Also, our algorithm has the advantage to identify if an event is common to all stations (a regional event) or to a limited number of stations (a local event). We provide examples of applying our technique to synthetic data and a field surface passive data set recorded at a geothermal site.
Characterizing the Public's Preferential Attitudes Toward End‐of‐Life Care Options: A Role for the Threshold Technique?
Authors: Trafford Crump R. , Llewellyn‐Thomas H. 
Published: February 2013

ObjectivesTo assess the Threshold Technique's (TT) feasibility in community‐wide surveys of U.S. Medicare beneficiaries' preferences for end‐of‐life (EOL) care options.Study SettingStudy participants were community‐dwelling Medicare beneficiaries in four different regions in the United States.Study DesignDuring personal interviews, participants considered four EOL scenarios, each presenting a choice between a less intense and more intense care option.Data CollectionParticipants selected their initially favored option. Depending on that choice, in the subsequent TT the length of life offered by the more intense option was systematically increased or decreased until the participant “switched” to his or her initially rejected option.Principal FindingsParticipants were able to select an initially favored option (in 3 of the 4 scenarios; this was the less intense option). The majority of participants were able to engage with the subsequent TT. In all scenarios, regardless of the increase/decrease in the length of life offered by the more intense option, the majority of participants were unwilling to “switch” to their initially rejected option.ConclusionsIn surveys of populations' preferential attitudes toward EOL care options, the TT was a feasible elicitation method, engaging most participants and measuring the strength of their attitudes. Further methodological work is merited, involving (1) populations with various participant characteristics, and (2) different attributes in the TT task itself.
Psychosis‐inducing effects of cannabis are related to both childhood abuse and COMT genotypes
Authors: Alemany S. , Arias B. , Fatjó‐Vilas M. , Villa H. , Moya J. , Ibáñez M. I. , Ortet G. , Gastó C. , Fañanás L. 
Published: February 2013

ObjectiveTo test whether the association between childhood abuse, cannabis use and psychotic experiences (PEs) was moderated by the COMT (catechol‐O‐methyltransferase) gene.MethodPsychotic experiences (PEs), childhood abuse, cannabis use and COMT Val158Met genotypes were assessed in 533 individuals from the general population. Data were analysed hierarchically by means of multiple linear regression models.ResultsChildhood abuse showed a significant main effect on both positive (β = 0.09; SE = 0.04; P = 0.047) and negative PEs (β = 0.11; SE = 0.05; P = 0.038). A significant three‐way interaction effect was found among childhood abuse, cannabis use and the COMT gene on positive PEs (β = −0.30; SE = 0.11; P = 0.006). This result suggests that COMT genotypes and cannabis use only influenced PE scores among individuals exposed to childhood abuse. Furthermore, exposure to childhood abuse and cannabis use increased PE scores in Val carriers. However, in individuals exposed to childhood abuse but who did not use cannabis, PEs increased as a function of the Met allele copies of the COMT gene.ConclusionCannabis use after exposure to childhood abuse may have opposite effects on the risk of PEs, depending on the COMT genotypes providing evidence for a qualitative interaction. Val carriers exposed to childhood abuse are vulnerable to the psychosis‐inducing effects of cannabis.
Dire Necessity and Transformation: Entry‐points for Modern Science in Islamic Bioethical Assessment of Porcine Products in Vaccines
Authors: Padela Aasim I. , Furber Steven W. , Kholwadia Mohammad A. , Moosa Ebrahim 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThe field of medicine provides an important window through which to examine the encounters between religion and science, and between modernity and tradition. While both religion and science consider health to be a ‘good’ that is to be preserved, and promoted, religious and science‐based teachings may differ in their conception of what constitutes good health, and how that health is to be achieved.This paper analyzes the way the Islamic ethico‐legal tradition assesses the permissibility of using vaccines that contain porcine‐derived components by referencing opinions of several Islamic authorities. In the Islamic ethico‐legal tradition controversy surrounds the use of proteins from an animal (pig) that is considered to be impure by Islamic law. As we discuss the Islamic ethico‐legal constructs used to argue for or against the use of porcine‐based vaccines we will call attention to areas where modern medical data may make the arguments more precise. By highlighting areas where science can buttress and clarify the ethico‐legal arguments we hope to spur an enhanced applied Islamic bioethics discourse where religious scholars and medical experts use modern science in a way that remains faithful to the epistemology of Islamic ethics to clarify what Islam requires of Muslim patients and healthcare workers.
Manchester iStent study: early results from a prospective UK case series
Authors: Patel Ilesh , de Klerk Timothy A , Au Leon 
Published: February 2013

AbstractBackgroundTo evaluate the 6‐month efficacy and safety of the iStent microtrabecular bypass stent in patients with open‐angle glaucoma.DesignA prospective, uncontrolled, interventional case series.ParticipantsForty‐four eyes with open‐angle glaucoma were reported.MethodsAll subjects underwent ab interno implantation of a single iStent together with (n = 40) or without (n = 4) cataract surgery.Main Outcome MeasuresPatients were assessed at postoperative week 1, months 1 and 3, and quarterly, thereafter. Data collected included visual acuity, intraocular pressure measurement using Goldmann tonometry, number of glaucoma medications, and number and type of complications.ResultsThe mean age of the sample was 76.8 years. The mean duration since glaucoma diagnosis was 5.3 years (standard deviation 2.9 years). The mean visual acuity was 0.53 logMAR at baseline that improved to 0.23 at 6 months postoperatively. The mean baseline intraocular pressure was 21.1 mmHg, and this decreased significantly to 16.7 mmHg at 6 months (P < 0.01). The mean number of drops prescribed preoperatively was 2.3, which decreased to 0.6 at 6 months (P < 0.01). Sixty‐six per cent of patients were drop‐free at 6 months. One patient developed an hyphaema following surgery; no other adverse events were recorded.ConclusionsThe iStent proved to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with open‐angle glaucoma over our 6‐month follow up period. Insertion resulted in a significant decrease in intraocular pressure as well as the number of topical antiglaucoma medications required for adequate intraocular pressure control.
Early intervention and evaluation for adult‐onset psychosis: the JCEP study rationale and design
Authors: Hui Christy L.M. , Chang Wing C. , Chan Sherry K.W. , Lee Edwin H.M. , Tam Wendy W.Y. , Lai Dik C. , Wong Gloria H.Y. , Tang Jennifer Y.M. , Li Frendi W.S. , Leung Kwok F. , McGhee Sarah M. , Sham Pak C. , Chen Eric Y.H. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractAimPsychotic disorders incur substantial long‐term burdens to patients and society. Early intervention (EI) during the initial years of psychotic disorders can improve long‐term outcome. In Hong Kong, a pilot EI programme (EASY, Early Assessment Service for Young people with psychosis) had been set up since 2001 to serve clients under 25 years of age. Although EASY has been effective in improving outcome, consolidation of early psychosis work requires further development.MethodsThe present paper describes a new EI development which targets adult patients with psychosis in Hong Kong. The Jockey Club Early Psychosis (JCEP) project was launched in 2009. Expanding the service to patients above 25 years old, JCEP aims to deliver a territory‐wide specialized EI service to adult‐onset psychosis patients, to promote public awareness on early psychosis, and to research on the optimal intervention model and duration for early psychosis in a 4‐year randomized controlled trial (RCT). Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 4 years of EI service, 2 years of EI service, or 4 years of standard care. Their symptoms, neurocognitive functions, psychosocial well‐being and health economics were regularly assessed.ResultsTo date, 360 patients were recruited into the RCT, and 740 patients were recruited in a 2‐year naturalistic study. Prospective, longitudinal follow‐up assessments of these patients are still underway.ConclusionsJCEP is the first EI project to provide adult early psychosis service in Chinese population. Future data would help to address the optimal duration of EI and its cost‐effectiveness. This would also assist regional and international mental health development.
Equine proliferative enteropathy – a review of recent developments
Authors: Pusterla N. , Gebhart C. J. 
Published: February 2013

SummaryEquine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) is a disease of foals caused by the obligate intracellular organismLawsonia intracellularis. This emerging disease affects mainly weanling foals and causes fever, lethargy, peripheral oedema, diarrhoea, colic and weight loss. The diagnosis ofEPEmay be challenging and relies on the presence of hypoproteinaemia, thickening of segments of the small intestinal wall observed upon abdominal ultrasonography, positive serology and molecular detection ofL. intracellularisin faeces. Although the clinical entity, diagnostic approach and treatment ofEPEare well established and described, the epidemiology for this disease has remained largely unaddressed. This article focuses on new developments in the field ofEPE, including epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.TheSummary is available inChinese – seeSupporting information.
Interannual variation in pelagic juvenile rockfish (Sebastes spp.) abundance – going with the flow
Authors: Ralston S. , Sakuma K.M. , Field J.C. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractWe report results from 28 yr of a midwater trawl survey of pelagic juvenile rockfish (Sebastes spp.) conducted off the central California coast. The fishery‐independent survey is designed to provide pre‐recruit indices of abundance for use in groundfish stock assessments. Standardized catch rate time series for 10 species were developed from delta‐generalized linear models that include main effects for year, station, and calendar date. Results show that interannual fluctuations of all 10 species are strongly coherent but highly variable, demonstrating both high‐ and low‐frequency components. A similarly coherent result is observed in the size composition of fish, with large fish associated with elevated catch rates. In contrast, spatial and seasonal patterns of abundance show greater species‐specific differences. A comparison of the shared common trend in pelagic juvenile rockfish abundance, derived from principal components analysis, with recruitments from five rockfish stock assessments shows that the time series are significantly correlated. An examination of oceanographic factors associated with year‐to‐year variability indicates that a signature of upwelled water at the time of the survey is only weakly related to abundance. Likewise, basin‐scale indices (the Multivariate El Niño‐Southern Oscillation Index, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation, and the Northern Oscillation Index) are poorly correlated with abundance. In contrast, sea level anomalies in the months preceding the survey are well correlated with reproductive success. In particular, equatorward anomalies in the alongshore flow field following the spawning season are associated with elevated survival and poleward anomalies with poor survival.
The use of long‐term monitoring data for studies of planktonic diversity: a cautionary tale from two Swiss lakes
Authors: Straile Dietmar , Jochimsen Marc C. , Kümmerlin Reiner 
Published: February 2013

Summary

Long‐term data have been suggested as resources for investigating environmental influences on biodiversity and, in turn, the role of biodiversity for ecosystem dynamics. However, scientists analysing biodiversity patterns in long‐term data need to recognise that multidecadal time series are likely to suffer from inconsistencies in methodology, which might strongly complicate the interpretation of diversity patterns. Unfortunately, such inconsistencies are usually difficult to detect, and consequently, it is not known how strongly they affect the conclusions drawn.

Here, we highlight two long‐term data sets sampled by one laboratory to analyse patterns in phytoplankton richness in two Swiss lakes, Lake Zurich and Lake Walen. Apparent patterns in the long‐term species richness in the two lakes arise from: (i) inconsistencies in species identification (changes in taxonomic literature and/or taxonomic expertise of the counting personnel) and (ii) changes in the detection limits of taxa. Hence, bias in these two case studies was strong enough to obscure any possible effects on species richness of environmental change (oligotrophication).

We show that in the case of these two data sets, inconsistency confounds estimates of phytoplankton richness not only at the species level but even at the generic and familial levels. This suggests that a solution often proposed for inconsistency, that is, reanalysis of the data after aggregation to genus or family, may be insufficient.

We suggest the use of two diagnostic plots, which may be used in other studies examining richness patterns in either long‐term time series or comparative studies in which several scientists/laboratories contributed to data acquisition. These plots illustrate temporal or spatial patterns in (i) the percentage of taxa identified only to genus and (ii) in the 5% percentile of the concentrations of individual algal taxa. They will help to identify inconsistency problems due to changes or differences in (i) taxonomic expertise and (ii) detection limits.
Can one blood draw replace transrectal ultrasonography‐estimated prostate volume to predict prostate cancer risk?
Authors: Carlsson Sigrid V. , Peltola Mari T. , Sjoberg Daniel , Schröder Fritz H. , Hugosson Jonas , Pettersson Kim , Scardino Peter T. , Vickers Andrew J. , Lilja Hans , Roobol Monique J. 
Published: February 2013

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?
Previous studies have shown that a statistical model based on a panel of kallikrein markers in blood (total, free and intact PSA and kallikrein‐related peptidase 2) can predict prostate cancer on biopsy.
The current study explores the relationship between the above‐mentioned panel and prostate volume, and whether this panel could be an alternative for clinical measures such as DRE and TRUS in predicting prostate cancer on biopsy.
Objective
To explore whether a panel of kallikrein markers in blood: total, free and intact prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) and kallikrein‐related peptidase 2, could be used as a non‐invasive alternative for predicting prostate cancer on biopsy in a screening setting.
Subjects and Methods
The study cohort comprised previously unscreened men who underwent sextant biopsy owing to elevated PSA (≥3 ng/mL) in two different centres of the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer, Rotterdam (n = 2914) and Göteborg (n = 740).
A statistical model, based on kallikrein markers, was compared with one based on established clinical factors for the prediction of biopsy outcome.
Results
The clinical tests were found to be no better than blood markers, with an area under the curve in favour of the blood measurements of 0.766 vs. 0.763 in Rotterdam and 0.809 vs. 0.774 in Göteborg.
Adding digital rectal examination (DRE) or DRE plus transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) volume to the markers improved discrimination, although the increases were small. Results were similar for predicting high‐grade cancer.
There was a strong correlation between the blood measurements and TRUS‐estimated prostate volume (Spearman's correlation 0.60 in Rotterdam and 0.57 in Göteborg).
Conclusions
In previously unscreened men, each with indication for biopsy, a statistical model based on kallikrein levels was similar to a clinical model in predicting prostate cancer in a screening setting, outside the day‐to‐day clinical practice.
Whether a clinical approach can be replaced by laboratory analyses or used in combination with decision models (nomograms) is a clinical judgment that may vary from clinician to clinician depending on how they weigh the different advantages and disadvantages (harms, costs, time, invasiveness) of both approaches.