bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changing labour regulations and labour standards in China: Retrospect and challenges
Authors: CHAN Chris King‐Chi , NADVI Khalid 
Published: January 2015

AbstractChina's global economic strength is underpinned by its manufacturing prowess, predicated on a disciplined, skilled but relatively low‐paid workforce. Hence the State's recent regulatory initiatives to improve employment conditions in response to growing labour unrest. In their introductory article, the coordinators of this Special Issue of the International Labour Review contextualize the contributions that follow by reviewing the broader debates on labour regulation in global production – particularly on “soft” vs “hard” regulation – and the changes that have occurred in China's labour markets, labour regulations, labour standards and labour relations over the past decade. They conclude with suggestions for further research.
Labour relations, production regimes and labour conflicts in the Chinese automotive industry
Authors: LÜTHJE Boy 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe auto workers' strikes that erupted in southern China in 2010 triggered significant labour relations reforms in Guandong province. Against this background, the author draws on extensive empirical research in leading car assembly plants and their suppliers to construct a typology of their production regimes for analysing current changes in labour relations. While this framework is helpful in understanding the growing diversity of China's manufacturing industries generally, it is used here to conceptualize the fragmentation and segmentation of labour relations between various firms, layers of suppliers and regional clusters in the automotive industry. The article concludes with a discussion of prospects for further reform.
Collective consultation under quota management: China's government‐led model of labour relations regulation
Authors: WU Qingjun , SUN Zhaoyang 
Published: January 2015

AbstractChina's system of labour relations regulation is based on a government‐led model of collective consultation and contracts, driven by the central planning tradition of “quota management”. Government and trade unions thus cooperate to fulfil coverage quotas, especially at the local/enterprise level. Though their methods are highly successful at overcoming employers' reluctance, the absence of genuine collective bargaining leaves collective contracts largely devoid of substance. Under this system, the authors argue, the Government is institutionalizing a labour regulation framework aimed at containing the recent rise in labour unrest, while pragmatically postponing collective bargaining for the sake of stability and growth.
The role of the cell–cell interactions in cancer progression
Authors: Kamińska Katarzyna , Szczylik Cezary , Bielecka Zofia F. , Bartnik Ewa , Porta Camillo , Lian Fei , Czarnecka Anna M. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractIn the field of cancer research, scientific investigations are based on analysing differences in the secretome, the proteome, the transcriptome, the expression of cell surface molecules, and the deregulation of signal transduction pathways between neoplastic and normal cells. Accumulating evidence indicates a crucial role in carcinogenesis concerning not only stromal cells but also normal cells from target organs and tissue where tumours emerge. The tumour microenvironment (TME) definitively plays an important role in regulating neighbouring cell behaviour. To date, limited attention has been focused upon interactions between cancer cells and normal cells. This review concentrates on the interactions between stromal and healthy cells from the TME in cancer development. In the article, the authors also describe mutations, genes and proteins expression pattern that are involved in tumour development in target organ.
Effect of a Falls Quality Improvement Program on Serious Fall‐Related Injuries
Authors: Ganz David A. , Kim Sung‐Bou , Zingmond David S. , Ramirez Karina D. , Roth Carol P. , Jennings Lee A. , Mori Takahiro , Keeler Emmett B. , Wenger Neil S. , Reuben David B. 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesTo determine whether a program that improves the quality of care for falls reduces the number of episodes of care for serious fall‐related injuries.DesignNonrandomized controlled trial.SettingFour community‐based primary care practices.ParticipantsIndividuals aged 75 and older who screened positive for fall risk.InterventionA multicomponent quality improvement program (Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders Practice Redesign for Improved Medical Care for Elders) involving face‐to‐face clinician education about falls and decision support to prompt primary care providers to implement appropriate care, including referral to appropriate community resources, in response to individuals screening positive for fall risk.MeasurementsEpisodes of care for selected fall‐related injuries, based on healthcare claims.ResultsOf 1,791 individuals with data available for analysis, 1,187 were in the intervention group, and 604 were in the control group. Mean age was 83, and more than two‐thirds of the sample were women. After adjusting for potential confounders, there were no statistically significant differences between intervention and control groups in episodes of care for fall‐related injuries during the 12‐month (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.93–1.73) or 24‐month (IRR 1.18, 95% CI = 0.93–1.49) period after initiation of the intervention.ConclusionDespite improving the care of falls, this quality improvement initiative did not result in a change in the number of episodes of care for serious fall‐related injuries. Future work in community‐based settings should test higher‐intensity interventions to reduce fall‐related injuries.
Factors that Affect Quality of Life from the Perspective of People with Dementia: A Metasynthesis
Authors: O'Rourke Hannah M. , Duggleby Wendy , Fraser Kimberly D. , Jerke Lauren 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesTo comprehensively and systematically identify, appraise, and synthesize qualitative research findings on factors that affect quality of life from the perspective of people with dementia.DesignSystematic review and metasynthesis of primary qualitative studies in published and gray literature that aimed to identify factors that influence quality of life from the perspective of people with dementia. Expert‐developed search strategies were applied in nine electronic databases. Reference lists of included articles and literature reviews identified during the search were reviewed. Structured inclusion criteria were applied to screen 5,625 titles and abstracts to identify 11 qualitative studies published from 1975 to April 2012. Two independent reviewers appraised study quality.SettingPrimary study recruitment sites included long‐term care and community‐based settings in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland, Australia, and Japan.ParticipantsA combined sample of 345 people with mild, moderate, and severe dementia.MeasurementsThe primary studies used interview and focus group methods. Findings from primary studies were synthesized using techniques of taxonomic analysis, constant comparison, and importing concepts.ResultsFour factors and the experience of connectedness or disconnectedness within each factor influenced quality of life according to people with dementia. These factors, and the terms that represent connectedness and disconnectedness, were relationships (together vs alone), agency in life today (purposeful vs aimless), wellness perspective (well vs ill), and sense of place (located vs unsettled). Happiness and sadness were key outcomes of good and poor quality of life, respectively.ConclusionThe four factors identified potentially modifiable areas to improve quality of life for people with dementia, even in the context of worsening cognitive function.
Hospital‐Associated Functional Decline: The Role of Hospitalization Processes Beyond Individual Risk Factors
Authors: Zisberg Anna , Shadmi Efrat , Gur‐Yaish Nurit , Tonkikh Orly , Sinoff Gary 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesTo investigate the combined contribution of processes of hospitalization and preadmission individual risk factors in explaining functional decline at discharge and at 1‐month follow‐up in older adults with nondisabling conditions.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingInternal medicine wards in two Israeli medical centers.ParticipantsSix hundred eighty‐four individuals aged 70 and older admitted for a nondisabling problem.MeasurementsFunctional decline was measured according to change in modified Barthel Index from premorbid to discharge and from premorbid to 1 month after discharge. In‐hospital mobility, continence care, sleep medication consumption, satisfaction with hospital environment, and nutrition intake were assessed using previously tested self‐report instruments.ResultsTwo hundred eighty‐two participants (41.2%) reported functional decline at discharge and 317 (46.3%) at 1 month after discharge. Path analysis indicated that in‐hospital mobility (standardized maximum likelihood estimate (SMLE) = −0.48, P < .001), continence care (SMLE = −0.12, P < .001), and length of stay (LOS) (SMLE = 0.06, P < .001) were directly related to functional decline at discharge and, together with personal risk factors, explained 64% of variance. In‐hospital mobility, continence care, and LOS were indirectly related to functional decline at 1 month after discharge through functional decline at discharge (SMLE = 0.45, P < .001). Nutrition consumption (SMLE = −0.07, P < .001) was significantly related to functional decline at 1 month after discharge, explaining, together with other risk factors, 32% of variance.ConclusionIn‐hospital low mobility, suboptimal continence care, and poor nutrition account for immediate and 1‐month posthospitalization functional decline. These are potentially modifiable hospitalization risk factors for which practice and policy should be targeted in efforts to curb the posthospitalization functional decline trajectory.
Associations Between Oral Health and Risk of Dementia in a 37‐Year Follow‐Up Study: The Prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg
Authors: Stewart Robert , Stenman Ulrika , Hakeberg Magnus , Hägglin Catharina , Gustafson Deb , Skoog Ingmar 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between incident dementia and previous number of teeth measured over a long interval.DesignRetrospective analysis of a 37‐year cohort study.SettingProspective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg.ParticipantsWomen with (n = 158) and without (n = 539) dementia in 2000 to 2005.MeasurementsTooth counts in 1968–69, 1980–81, and 1992–93. Covariates included age, education, stroke, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, smoking status, blood pressure, body mass index, and cholesterol level.ResultsAfter adjustment for age, odds ratios (ORs) for dementia in 2000–05, comparing first with fourth tooth count quartiles, were 1.81 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03–3.19) for tooth counts measured in 1968, 2.25 (95% CI = 1.18–4.32) for those in 1980, and 1.99 (0.92–4.30) for those in 1992. After further adjustment for education, ORs were 1.40 (95% CI = 1.03–3.19) for 1968, 1.96 (95% CI = 0.98–3.95) for 1980, and 1.59 (95% CI = 0.71–3.53) for 1992, and after additional adjustment for vascular risk factors, ORs were 1.38 (95% CI = 0.74–2.58) for 1968, 2.09 (95% CI = 1.01–4.32) for 1980, and 1.61 (95% CI = 0.70–3.68) for 1992.ConclusionIn most of the analyses, lower tooth count was not associated with dementia, although a significant association was found for one of the three examinations. Further research may benefit from more‐direct measures of dental and periodontal disease.
Comparative Study of Four Physical Performance Measures as Predictors of Death, Incident Disability, and Falls in Unselected Older Persons: The Insufficienza Cardiaca negli Anziani Residenti a Dicomano Study
Authors: Minneci Cristina , Mello Anna Maria , Mossello Enrico , Baldasseroni Samuele , Macchi Loredana , Cipolletti Stefano , Marchionni Niccolò , Di Bari Mauro 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesTo compare the ability of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), 4‐m walk test (4mWT), 6‐minute walk test (6MWT), and handgrip strength to predict mortality, incident disability, worsening mobility, and falls in older community dwellers.DesignCohort study.SettingPopulation‐based.ParticipantsIndividuals aged 65 and older n = 561) without prevalent basic activity of daily living (ADL) disability participating.MeasurementsSeparate logistic regression models were developed to predict incident ADL disability, worsening mobility, and falls in 3 years, and Cox regression models were used to assess 7‐year risk of death as a function of the four tests, adjusting for covariates.ResultsPerformance tests were reciprocally correlated at baseline. After 3 years, 33 (7.3%) of 453 participants reexamined were disabled in ADLs, 87 (20%) had worsening mobility, and 99 (22%) reported falls. Of the 561 baseline participants, 141 (25%) died over the 7 years. All measures predicted incident ADL disability, with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) per unit increase of 0.85 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.77–0.93) for handgrip strength, 0.08 (95% CI = 0.02–0.36) for 4mWT, 0.74 (95% CI = 0.61–0.89) for SPPB, and 0.993 (95% CI = 0.988–0.997) for 6MWT. Handgrip strength (OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.83–0.93), 4mWT (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.11–0.94), and SPPB (OR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.71–0.93) predicted worsening mobility. No measure predicted falls; only SPPB (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.85–0.997) and 6MWT (HR = 0.997, 95% CI = 0.995–0.999) predicted death.ConclusionPerformance measures are independent predictors of relevant health outcomes, with the exception of falls. Because SPPB is easily applied and is the only measure predicting incident ADL disability, worsening mobility, and death, it is preferable to the other tests.
Underuse of Oral Anticoagulation for Individuals with Atrial Fibrillation in a Nursing Home Setting in France: Comparisons of Resident Characteristics and Physician Attitude
Authors: Bahri Oarda , Roca Frederic , Lechani Tarik , Druesne Laurent , Jouanny Pierre , Serot Jean‐Marie , Boulanger Eric , Puisieux Francois , Chassagne Philippe 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesTo describe the characteristics of nursing home residents diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) and eligible for oral anticoagulants who did not receive these drugs and to detail the conditions that physicians who decide not to prescribe anticoagulants take into account.DesignCross‐sectional.SettingNursing home.ParticipantsNursing home residents with a history of AF (N = 1,085).MeasurementsData were collected on clinical characteristics, geriatric syndromes, and antithrombotic regimen. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with nonprescription of anticoagulants. A standardized questionnaire was submitted to physicians in charge of patients with AF, to detail conditions associated with their medical decision not to prescribe anticoagulants.ResultsHistory of AF was present in 1,085 nursing home residents (10.1%), mean age 87, with a mean CHA2DS2‐VASc score of 5.1 ± 1.4. Of these residents with AF, 544 (50.1%) did not receive anticoagulants. Recurrent falls (odds ratio (OR) = 4.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.4–9.9, P < .001), past history of bleeding (OR = 3.62, 95% CI = 1.54–8.51, P = .003), paroxysmal AF (OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.83–6.66, P < .001), and advanced age (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.01–1.17, P = .02) were significantly associated with not prescribing anticoagulants. Recurrent falls (47%), cognitive impairment (22.6%), and advanced age (16.4%) were the main reasons for not prescribing anticoagulants.ConclusionThe prevalence of AF in a cohort of very old nursing home residents was 10%. Anticoagulation was prescribed in fewer than 50% of eligible cases despite high individual risk of stroke. Geriatric syndromes, especially falls and cognitive disorders, were the main reported contraindications for prescribing anticoagulants. Physicians caring for those residents wrongly thought that paroxysmal AF caused fewer thromboembolic events than permanent AF, which explains lower rates of anticoagulant prescription in individuals with paroxysmal AF.
Frailty Prevalence and Neighborhood Residence in Older Mexican Americans: The San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging
Authors: Espinoza Sara E. , Hazuda Helen P. 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesTo examine the association between neighborhood residence and frailty prevalence in older Mexican Americans (MAs).DesignCross‐sectional, observational study.SettingSocioeconomically and ethnically diverse neighborhoods in San Antonio, Texas.ParticipantsCommunity‐dwelling older MA adults (aged ≥65) who completed the baseline examination of the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (SALSA) (1992–1996) (N = 394).MeasurementsSubjects were randomly sampled from three types of neighborhoods that varied in ethnic composition and economic environment: barrio (low‐income, exclusively MA), transitional (middle‐income, equal proportion MAs and European Americans (EAs)) and suburban (upper‐income, predominantly EA). Frailty was classified using the Fried criteria. Frailty odds were estimated according to neighborhood using logistic regression, with the suburban neighborhood as the reference category. Covariates included age, sex, diseases, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function.ResultsFrailty prevalence was 15.6% in the barrio, 9.4% in the transitional neighborhood, and 3.5% in the suburbs (P = .01). After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and disease covariates, odds of frailty were 4.15 times as high for MAs residing in the barrio as for those residing in the suburbs (P = .03). After adjustment for depression and cognition, this association was no longer significant. Diabetes mellitus and depression accounted for the higher odds of frailty in the barrio. Although odds of frailty in the transitional neighborhood were 1.95 times as high as those in the suburbs, the difference was not statistically significant.ConclusionThe ethnic composition and economic environment of the neighborhoods in which MA older adults reside are strongly associated with their odds of being frail.
Comparison of Anticholinergic Risk Scales and Associations with Adverse Health Outcomes in Older People
Authors: Salahudeen Mohammed Saji , Hilmer Sarah N. , Nishtala Prasad S. 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesTo investigate whether anticholinergic burden scores from nine published anticholinergic scales are associated with adverse health outcomes, including hospital admissions, hospitalizations for falls, hospital length of stay (LOS), and more visits to general practitioners (GPs).DesignPharmacoepidemiological population‐based study.SettingNew Zealand.ParticipantsPopulation aged 65 and older (n = 537,387).MeasurementsData were analyzed for 537,387 individuals from the Pharmaceutical Claims Data Mart data set (2011). Anticholinergic medication exposure was calculated using nine published scales. Events information (2012) was extracted from the National Minimum Datasets using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes. Predictors of hospital admissions, hospitalizations for falls, LOS, and GP visits were examined using regression models adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, comorbidities, and polypharmacy.ResultsPrevalence of exposure to anticholinergic medicines ranged from 22.8% to 55.9% according to the different scales. Multivariate regression analysis showed that anticholinergic burden scores quantified according to all nine scales were significantly associated with hospital admissions, hospitalizations for falls, LOS, and GP visits (P < .001). The strongest predictors of these outcomes were the Drug Burden Index—Anticholinergic component scores, aged 85 and older, female sex, and polypharmacy.ConclusionThere are substantial differences in the estimation of anticholinergic burden exposure between the nine scales. Anticholinergic burden scores obtained from each of the scales were associated with adverse clinical outcomes of interest.
A novel role for central ACBP/DBI as a regulator of long‐chain fatty acid metabolism in astrocytes
Authors: Bouyakdan Khalil , Taïb Bouchra , Budry Lionel , Zhao Shangang , Rodaros Demetra , Neess Ditte , Mandrup Susanne , Faergeman Nils. J. , Alquier Thierry 
Published: January 2015

AbstractAcyl‐CoA‐binding protein (ACBP) is a ubiquitously expressed protein that binds intracellular acyl‐CoA esters. Several studies have suggested that ACBP acts as an acyl‐CoA pool former and regulates long‐chain fatty acids (LCFA) metabolism in peripheral tissues. In the brain, ACBP is known as Diazepam‐Binding Inhibitor, a secreted peptide acting as an allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor. However, its role in central LCFA metabolism remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated ACBP cellular expression, ACBP regulation of LCFA intracellular metabolism, FA profile, and FA metabolism‐related gene expression using ACBP‐deficient and control mice. ACBP was mainly found in astrocytes with high expression levels in the mediobasal hypothalamus. We demonstrate that ACBP deficiency alters the central LCFA‐CoA profile and impairs unsaturated (oleate, linolenate) but not saturated (palmitate, stearate) LCFA metabolic fluxes in hypothalamic slices and astrocyte cultures. In addition, lack of ACBP differently affects the expression of genes involved in FA metabolism in cortical versus hypothalamic astrocytes. Finally, ACBP deficiency increases FA content and impairs their release in response to palmitate in hypothalamic astrocytes. Collectively, these findings reveal for the first time that central ACBP acts as a regulator of LCFA intracellular metabolism in astrocytes.
image
Acyl‐CoA‐binding protein (ACBP) or diazepam‐binding inhibitor is a secreted peptide acting centrally as a GABAA allosteric modulator. Using brain slices, cortical, and hypothalamic astrocyte cultures from ACBP KO mice, we demonstrate that ACBP mainly localizes in astrocytes and regulates unsaturated but not saturated long‐chain fatty acids (LCFA) metabolism. In addition, ACBP deficiency alters FA metabolism‐related genes and results in intracellular FA accumulation while affecting their release. Our results support a novel role for ACBP in brain lipid metabolism. FA, fatty acids; KO, knockout; PL, phospholipids; TAG, triacylglycerol.