bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Necrotizing fasciitis after spinal anesthesia
Authors: KUNDRA S. , SINGH R. M. , GREWAL A. , GUPTA V. , CHAUDHARY A. K. 
Published: December 2012

Regional anesthesia is the preferred technique for Cesarean delivery. Strict aseptic precautions should be taken; otherwise, infectious complications including abscess formation, meningitis and necrotizing fasciitis may result.We report a case of a 26‐year‐old post‐partum female who presented with necrosis of the skin of back following spinal anesthesia, which was administered for Cesarean delivery 5 days prior at a private nursing home. On presentation, she was drowsy, appeared dehydrated and febrile. Examination of her back revealed necrosis of skin extending from just below the scapula to the gluteal region. Debridement of skin over the back was performed, and intravenous antibiotics started. After three debridements following which skin grafting was performed, she made complete recovery. Infectious complications following regional anesthesia are rare, and most of the literature focuses on colonization of epidural catheters or epidural abscess. There is no report of necrotizing fasciitis following spinal anesthesia so far. Sources of infection that are suspected in our case include: local anesthetic solution used for subcutaneous infiltration, nonadherence to aseptic precautions, skin flora of patient, endogenous source and nasopharyngeal flora of anesthesiologist. We considered each possibility, and the most likely cause in our case appears to be infection from an already‐used vial of a local anesthetic agent. Local anesthetics have bacteriostatic properties, but infection may still be transmitted through contaminated solutions. The present case highlights the importance of maintaining strict aseptic precautions, avoiding reusing multidose vials and early recognition of this complication as timely intervention can be lifesaving.
Antidepressant use in pregnancy: a critical review focused on risks and controversies
Authors: Byatt N. , Deligiannidis K. M. , Freeman M. P. 
Published: December 2012

ObjectiveConflicting data have led to controversy regarding antidepressant use during pregnancy. The objectives of this study are to i) review the risks of untreated depression and anxiety, ii) review the literature on risks of exposure to antidepressants during pregnancy, iii) discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the different study designs used to evaluate those risks, and iv) provide clinical recommendations.MethodMEDLINE/PubMed was searched for reports and studies on the risk of first‐trimester teratogenicity, postnatal adaptation syndrome (PNAS), and persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) with in utero antidepressant exposure.ResultsWhile some individual studies suggest associations between some specific major malformations, the findings are inconsistent. Therefore, the absolute risks appear small. PNAS occurs in up to 30% of neonates exposed to antidepressants. In some studies, PPHN has been weakly associated with in utero antidepressant exposure, while in other studies, there has been no association.ConclusionExposures of concern include that of untreated maternal illness as well as medication exposure. It is vital to have a careful discussion, tailored to each patient, which incorporates the evidence to date and considers methodological and statistical limitations. Past medication trials, previous success with symptom remission, and women's preference should guide treatment decisions.
Fronto‐striatal functional connectivity during response inhibition in alcohol dependence
Authors: Courtney Kelly E. , Ghahremani Dara G. , Ray Lara A. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractPoor response inhibition has been implicated in the development of alcohol dependence, yet little is known about how neural pathways underlying cognitive control are affected in this disorder. Moreover, endogenous opioid levels may impact the functionality of inhibitory control pathways. This study investigated the relationship between alcohol dependence severity and functional connectivity of fronto‐striatal networks during response inhibition in an alcohol‐dependent sample. A secondary aim of this study was to test the moderating effect of a functional polymorphism (A118G) of the μ‐opioid receptor (OPRM1) gene. Twenty individuals with alcohol dependence (six females; 90% Caucasian; mean age = 29.4) who were prospectively genotyped on the OPRM1 gene underwent blood oxygen level‐dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a Stop‐Signal Task. The relationship between alcohol dependence severity and functional connectivity within fronto‐striatal networks important for response inhibition was assessed using psychophysiological interaction analyses. Analyses revealed greater alcohol dependence severity was associated with weaker functional connectivity between the putamen and prefrontal regions (e.g. the anterior insula, anterior cingulate and medial prefrontal cortex) during response inhibition. Furthermore, the OPRM1 genotype was associated with differential response inhibition‐related functional connectivity. This study demonstrates that individuals with more severe alcohol dependence exhibit less frontal connectivity with the striatum, a component of cognitive control networks important for response inhibition. These findings suggest that the fronto‐striatal pathway underlying response inhibition is weakened as alcoholism progresses.
Clinical value of component‐resolved diagnostics in peanut‐allergic patients
Authors: Eller E. , Bindslev‐Jensen C. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractIntroductionAs replacement for the oral food challenge, decision‐points for sensitization test have been established, but suboptimal sensitivity and/or specificity, as well as regional differences, have reduced the clinical usability. IgE toward specific peanut protein components has been reported to be of value, but data on correlation with clinical data are sparse. Our aim was to correlate IgE values with the outcome of peanut challenges.MethodData from 175 positive and 30 negative peanut challenges in patients aged 1–26 years were retrospectively correlated with the levels of specific IgE to peanut and peanut components (Ara h 1–3, h 8, and h 9).ResultThe best correlation between IgE and clinical thresholds was found for Ara h 2 (ρs = −0.30, P < 0.01). A cutoff of Ara h 2 > 1.63 kU/l yielded a specificity = 1.00, with a corresponding sensitivity of 0.70. Symptom severity elicited during challenge correlated significantly with the levels of Ara h 2 (ρs = 0.60, P < 0.0001), but large individual variation was found.ConclusionThe level of IgE toward Ara h 2 can improve diagnostic accuracy by introducing a more clear‐cut decision‐point with an optimal specificity maintaining a high sensitivity. In our study, this would have reduced the necessary number of challenges to be performed from 205 to 92. Extrapolation between centers is difficult and decision‐points need to be addressed in relation to settings and population. Further component‐resolved diagnostic cannot replace oral challenge neither in determining thresholds nor in the assessment of severity of symptoms elicited during challenge.
The multi‐faceted role of allergen exposure to the local airway mucosa
Authors: Golebski K. , Röschmann K. I. L. , Toppila‐Salmi S. , Hammad H. , Lambrecht B. N. , Renkonen R. , Fokkens W. J. , van Drunen C. M. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractAirway epithelial cells are the first to encounter aeroallergens and therefore have recently become an interesting target of many studies investigating their involvement in the modulation of allergic inflammatory responses. Disruption of a passive structural barrier composed of epithelial cells by intrinsic proteolytic activity of allergens may facilitate allergen penetration into local tissues and additionally affect chronic and ongoing inflammatory processes in respiratory tissues. Furthermore, the ability of rhinoviruses to disrupt and interfere with epithelial tight junctions may alter the barrier integrity and enable a passive passage of inhaled allergens through the airway epithelium. On the other hand, epithelial cells are no longer considered to act only as a physical barrier toward inhaled allergens, but also to actively contribute to airway inflammation by detecting and responding to environmental factors. Epithelial cells can produce mediators, which may affect the recruitment and activation of more specialized immune cells to the local tissue and also create a microenvironment in which these activated immune cells may function and propagate the inflammatory processes. This review presents the dual role of epithelium acting as a passive and active barrier when encountering an inhaled allergen and how this double role contributes to the start of local immune responses.
Does “Good” Corporate Governance Help in a Crisis? The Impact of Country‐ and Firm‐Level Governance Mechanisms in the European Financial Crisis
Authors: van Essen Marc , Engelen Peter‐Jan , Carney Michael 
Published: December 2012

AbstractManuscript TypeEmpiricalResearch Question/IssueWe examine the effects of firm‐ and country‐level “good” corporate governance prescriptions on firm performance before and during the recent financial crisis, using a large sample of 1,197 firms across 26 European countries.Research Findings/InsightsWe propose a contextualized agency perspective suggesting that firm‐ and country‐level good governance prescriptions designed to assure managerial oversight may not hold in a financial crisis. This is because firms can benefit from broadening managerial discretion so as to facilitate the exercise of initiative and decisive leadership. Overall, our firm‐ and country‐level findings support this argument. In a crisis, CEO duality is associated with better performance. We also find that the use of incentive compensation and the existence of a wedge between ownership and control rights negatively impacts on firm performance in a crisis. Hierarchical linear modeling shows that 25 percent of the heterogeneity in firm performance is among countries, indicating the importance of including country‐level institutions in our analyses. In a crisis, we find that the general quality of the legal system and creditor rights protection are positively related to firm performance, but protection for equity investors is not.Theoretical/Academic ImplicationsThe findings challenge the universality of good governance prescriptions and contribute to the growing body of work proposing that the efficacy of governance mechanisms may be contingent upon organizational and environmental circumstances.Practitioner/Policy ImplicationsThe study offers insights relevant to policy and practitioner communities, showing that governance mechanisms operate differently in crisis and non‐crisis periods. The tendency to respond to a crisis with more stringent rules may be counterproductive since such measures may compromise executives' ability to respond appropriately to systemic shocks. Practitioners are encouraged to optimize rather than maximize their governance choices.
Higher incidence of injection site reactions after subcutaneous bortezomib administration on the thigh compared with the abdomen
Authors: Kamimura Tomohiko , Miyamoto Toshihiro , Yokota Noriko , Takashima Shuichiro , Chong Yong , Ito Yoshikiyo , Akashi Koichi 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSubcutaneous (sc) rather than intravenous administration of bortezomib (Bor) is becoming more common for treating multiple myeloma (MM) because scBor results in lower incidence and severity of peripheral neuropathy and has equivalent efficacy. Bor is an irritant cytotoxic agent when it leaks out; therefore, it is recommended that injections of scBor should be rotated among eight different sites on the abdomen and thigh. However, detailed information about injection site reaction (ISR) has not been sufficiently documented. We retrospectively analyzed the incidence and severity of ISR following scBor administration in 15 Japanese patients with MM. Grade 1 ISR occurred following 40 of 158 (25.3%) scBor injections in ten patients, whereas grade 2 ISRs occurred following seven injections (4.4%) in five patients. Five patients did not develop ISR. Of note, grade 2 ISR was documented in 6 of 65 (9.2%) thigh injections but only in 1 of 93 (1.1%) abdominal injections. These data show that grade 2 ISRs were more common in the thigh compared with the abdomen possibly because the thigh contains lesser adipose tissue than the abdomen. Grade 2 ISRs resolved without any sequela within a median of 7 d. scBor administration on the abdomen instead of the thigh should be considered, especially for emaciated patients, because ISR rapidly resolves within the interval before the next injection even if it occurs.
Predicting bait uptake by feral cats, Felis catus, in semi‐arid environments
Authors: Christensen Per E. S. , Ward Bruce G. , Sims Colleen 
Published: December 2012

SummaryFeral cat control using aerial broadcasting of toxic baits continues to be used in the rangelands of Western Australia. The effectiveness of these operations has sometimes been compromised by different environmental factors that affect prey and cat numbers. This study demonstrates that the ratio of cats to their preferred prey (small mammals) can be used to predict the most effective time to bait. The regular baiting of three conservation sites offered an opportunity to study the relationship between feral cat abundance, the abundance of their prey and ingestion of toxic baits. Peron Peninsula on the mid‐west coast, Lorna Glen station in the northern Goldfields and the central Gibson Desert of Western Australia are sites where cat control using toxic baits has been routinely applied over the last 15 years. We postulated that bait ingestion by cats was linked to the availability of live prey. Small mammal abundance (capture rates in pit‐fall traps) and relative cat abundance (based on daily track counts) were assessed at these sites and the data used to produce a predator‐prey ratio index (PPRI). We used generalised linear mixed models to test the effect of prey abundance, prebaiting cat abundance and PPRI on baiting efficacy (BE). The best model for predicting efficacy of baiting contained only PPRI. This simple model was able to predict baiting success over the entire range of outcomes, from highly successful ( >75% cat reduction) to unsuccessful (0% cat reduction). The ability to predict feral cat BE in advance of planned toxic baiting operations will provide a valuable tool for wildlife managers involved in cat control.
Facultative Sex Allocation and Sex‐Specific Offspring Survival in Barrow's Goldeneyes
Authors: Jaatinen Kim , Öst Markus , Gienapp Phillip , Merilä Juha 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSex allocation theory predicts that females should bias their reproductive investment towards the sex generating the greatest fitness returns. The fitness of male offspring is often more dependent upon maternal investment, and therefore, high‐quality mothers should invest in sons. However, the local resource competition hypothesis postulates that when offspring quality is determined by maternal quality or when nest site and maternal quality are related, high‐quality females should invest in the philopatric sex. Waterfowl – showing male‐biased size dimorphism but female‐biased philopatry – are ideal for differentiating between these alternatives. We utilized molecular sexing methods and high‐resolution maternity tests to study the occurrence and fitness consequences of facultative sex allocation in Barrow's goldeneyes (Bucephala islandica). We determined how female structural size, body condition, nest‐site safety and timing of reproduction affected sex allocation and offspring survival. We found that the overall sex ratio was unbiased, but in line with the local resource competition hypothesis, larger females produced female‐biased broods and their broods survived better than those of smaller females. This bias occurred despite male offspring being larger and tending to have lower post‐hatching survival. The species shows strong female breeding territoriality, so the benefit of inheriting maternal quality by philopatric daughters may exceed the potential mating benefit for sons of high‐quality females.
Dentistry students ageing anxiety levels in northern Iran
Authors: Poorsattar Bejeh Mir Arash , Poorsattar Bejeh Mir Morvarid 
Published: December 2012

ObjectiveAgeing anxiety as a specific subtype of anxiety disorder has been considered as a moderating factor on healthcare providers’ professional task dealing with the elders.MethodsA Persian translation of Ageing Anxiety Scale (AAS) (Int J Aging Hum Dev, 37, 1993, 247) was administered to the university students of a dentistry school located at northern Iran. The questionnaire consisted of twenty‐five‐point Likert‐scale questions.ResultsThe obtained mean score of ageing anxiety was 58.51 (±9.85), (out of a possible 100), and the questionnaire revealed a good level of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.76). The results did not differ by gender (p = 0.22), between undergraduate or postgraduate students (p = 0.81), various postgraduate disciplines (p = 0.69), residing with an elder at home (p = 0.18) and length of time living with an elder (p = 0.81).ConclusionThe Persian translation of AAS showed a good level of internal consistency. The selected population with educational attainment in this research revealed a moderate ageing anxiety level.
Modulation of dendritic cell function and immune response by cysteine protease inhibitor from murine nematode parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus
Authors: Sun Yanxia , Liu Guiyun , Li Zhaotao , Chen Yue , Liu Yunfeng , Liu Boyu , Su Zhong 
Published: December 2012

SummaryModulation and suppression of the immune response of the host by nematode parasites have been reported extensively and the cysteine protease inhibitor (CPI or cystatin) is identified as one of the major immunomodulators. In the present study, we cloned and produced recombinant CPI protein from the murine nematode parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus (rHp‐CPI) and investigated its immunomodulatory effects on dendritic cell (DC) function and immune responses in mice. Bone‐marrow‐derived CD11c+ DC (BMDC) that were exposed to rHp‐CPI during the differentiation stage showed reduced MHC‐II molecule expression compared with BMDC that were generated in normal culture conditions. The BMDC generated in the presence of rHp‐CPI also exhibited reduced expression of CD40, CD86 and MHC‐II molecules and reduced interleukin‐6 and tumour necrosis factor‐α cytokine production when stimulated with Toll‐like receptor ligand CpG. Activation of BMDC generated in normal conditions induced by lipopolysaccharide and CpG was also suppressed by rHp‐CPI, as shown by reduced co‐stimulatory molecule expression and cytokine production. Furthermore, BMDC treated with rHp‐CPI before ovalbumin (OVA) antigen pulsing induced a weaker proliferation response and less interferon‐γ production of OVA‐specific CD4+ T cells compared with BMDC without rHp‐CPI pre‐treatment. Adoptive transfer of rHp‐CPI‐treated and OVA‐loaded BMDC to mice induced significantly lower levels of antigen‐specific antibody response than the BMDC loaded with antigen alone. These results demonstrated that the CPI from nematode parasites is able to modulate differentiation and activation stages of BMDC. It also interferes with antigen and MHC‐II molecule processing and Toll‐like receptor signalling pathway, resulting in functionally deficient DC that induce a suboptimum immune response.
Variable Selection in Linear Mixed Models Using an Extended Class of Penalties
Authors: Taylor Julian D. , Verbyla Arūnas P. , Cavanagh Colin , Newberry Marcus 
Published: December 2012

SummaryThere is an emerging need to advance linear mixed model technology to include variable selection methods that can simultaneously choose and estimate important effects from a potentially large number of covariates. However, the complex nature of variable selection has made it difficult for it to be incorporated into mixed models. In this paper we extend the well known class of penalties and show that they can be integrated succinctly into a linear mixed model setting. Under mild conditions, the estimator obtained from this mixed model penalised likelihood is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normally distributed. A simulation study reveals that the extended family of penalties achieves varying degrees of estimator shrinkage depending on the value of one of its parameters. The simulation study also shows there is a link between the number of false positives detected and the number of true coefficients when using the same penalty. This new mixed model variable selection (MMVS) technology was applied to a complex wheat quality data set to determine significant quantitative trait loci (QTL).
Beyond Urban Subcultures: Urban Subversions as Rhizomatic Social Formations
Authors: Daskalaki Maria , Mould Oli 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThe article discusses what we term urban social formations and expands on prior work that predominantly examines urban ‘subcultures’ as opposed to the world city paradigm and homogeneous cityscapes. We describe the process of ‘subculturalization’ through which urban social formations, after they have been marginalized and illegalized, become formalized as subcultures and incorporated into the fabric of consumption and profit making. The article proposes that these ossified moments of crystallized practice are only part of wider rhizomatic territories that remain open fields for urban engagement, inviting fluid urban identities and creative states of becoming. The article concludes by exploring the challenges and opportunities of conceptualizing urban social formations as rhizomes.
Environmental protest in New Zealand (1997–2010)
Authors: O'Brien Thomas 
Published: December 2012

AbstractProtest actions are an important indicator of public concern, raising awareness and highlighting perceived failings in administrative practices. With increasing prominence of environmental challenges there has been a move for states to incorporate stakeholders, potentially reducing the need for such confrontational actions. This article uses protest event analysis and case comparison to examine the scale and character of environmental protest actions in New Zealand from 1997–2010. This period was one of relative socio‐economic stability, coupled with growing awareness of environmental challenges. The article considers the relative level of action of grassroots groups and more formalized NGOs, asking which issues generated protest actions and which factors contributed to environmental campaign outcomes. The findings suggest that, although protest actions can strengthen campaigns, the outcomes ultimately remain heavily dependent on the priorities of the state.