bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Social Security Systems, Human Capital, and Growth in a Small Open Economy
Authors: KAGANOVICH MICHAEL , MEIER VOLKER 
Published: July 2012

AbstractWe consider a small open economy in which the level of public education funding is determined by popular vote. We show that growth can be enhanced by the introduction of pay‐as‐you‐go pensions even if the growth rate of aggregate wages falls short of the interest rate. The reason is that the pay‐as‐you‐go (PAYG) system allows future retirees to partially internalize positive externalities of public education due to the positive effect of higher future labor productivity on their pension benefits. The majority support for education funding will be especially strong when the PAYG benefit formula is flat, i.e., progressively redistributive. If a flat benefit PAYG pension system is in place then the economy will achieve the highest growth rate relative to the alternative pension system designs. While such PAYG pension system may be opposed by the majority of working individuals due to inferior returns to their pension contributions relative to a funded scheme, it is likely to be politically sustained by a coalition of older individuals and lower income workers.
Should Educational Policies Be Regressive?
Authors: GOTTLIEB DANIEL , MOREIRA HUMBERTO 
Published: July 2012

AbstractIn this paper, we study optimal educational policies when the ability to benefit from education is private information. We extend the framework of De Fraja (2002) in two directions. First, we replace his specification of the government’s budget constraint, which prevents the government to use tax revenues from an older generation to subsidize the education of a younger generation, by the usual one. We show that the optimal educational policies achieve the first best, are not regressive, and can be decentralized through Pigouvian taxes and credit provision. Second, we consider utility functions that are not quasi‐linear. In this case, we show that the first best can no longer be reached, education may not be monotonic in ability, and progressivities of education are locally welfare‐improving.
In vitro and in vivo assessment of the effect of Laurus novocanariensis oil and essential oil in human skin
Authors: Viciolle E. , Castilho P. , Rosado C. 
Published: July 2012

SynopsisLaurus novocanariensis is an endemic plant from the Madeira Island forest that derives a fatty oil, with a strong spicy odour, from its berries that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat skin ailments. This work aimed to investigate the effect of the application of both the oil and its essential oil on normal skin, to assess their safety and potential benefits. Diffusion studies with Franz cells using human epidermal membranes were conducted. The steady‐state fluxes of two model molecules through untreated skin were compared with those obtained after a 2‐h pre‐treatment with either the oil or the essential oil. Additionally, eleven volunteers participated in the in vivo study that was conducted on the forearm and involved daily application of the oil for 5 days. Measurements were performed every day in the treated site with bioengineering methods that measure erythema, irritation and loss of barrier function. Slightly higher steady‐state fluxes were observed for both the lipophilic and the hydrophilic molecule when the epidermal membranes were pre‐treated. Nevertheless, such differences had no statistical significance, which seems to confirm that neither the oil nor the essential oil impaired the epidermal barrier. Results collected with the Chromameter, the Laser Doppler Flowmeter and the visual scoring are in agreement with those established in the in vitro study. They indicate that the repeated application of the oil did not cause erythema, because the results observed in the first day of the study were maintained throughout the week. Application of the oil did not affect the skin barrier function, because the transepidermal water loss remained constant throughout the study. The stratum corneum hydration was slightly reduced on days 4 and 5. This work shows that both the oil and the essential oil were well tolerated by the skin and did not cause significant barrier impairment or irritation.
Extra‐facial melasma: clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical case‐control study
Authors: Ritter C.G. , Fiss D.V.C. , Borges da Costa J.A.T. , de Carvalho R.R. , Bauermann G. , Cestari T.F. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground  Extra‐facial melasma is a prevalent dermatosis in some populations with special characteristics in relation to its clinical aspects and probable etiopathogenic factors. Few studies have attempted to address this alteration of pigmentation, which has become a challenge in clinical Dermatology.Objective  To assess the clinical histopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of extra‐facial melasma, comparing affected, and unaffected sites.Methods  Case‐control study with 45 patients in each group (melasma and disease‐free volunteers), assessing their clinical characteristics. In 36 patients, biopsies were performed on the lesion and the normal perilesional skin. Specimens were stained with HE and Fontana‐Masson, and melanocytes analysed by immunohistochemistry. Objective measurements were accomplished by a specifically designed image analysis software.Results  The melasma group had a mean age ± SD of 56.67 ± 8 years, the majority of them were women (86.7%) and 82.1% of the female cases had reached menopause. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of presence of comorbidities, use of medications or hormone therapies. For extra‐facial melasma patients, family history of this dermatose and of previous facial melasma was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.05). The HE staining showed increased rectification and basal hyperpigmentation, solar elastosis, and collagen degeneration in the pigmented area (P < 0.05). There was a significant increase in melanin density in melasma biopsies, but the immunohistochemical tests did not detect a difference between the groups in terms of number of melanocytes.Conclusion  Extra‐facial melasma appears to be related to menopause, family history, and personal history of facial melasma, in the studied population. Histopathology revealed a pattern similar to what has been described for facial melasma, with signs of solar degeneration, and a similar number of melanocytes, when comparing patients, and controls, suggesting that the hyperpigmentation is most likely the result of abnormal melanin production or distribution.
The Nominal Group Technique as an Evaluation Tool for Solution‐focused Coaching
Authors: Roeden John M. , Maaskant Marian A. , Curfs Leopold M. G. 
Published: July 2012

BackgroundSolution‐focused coaching (SFC) helps individuals or groups to achieve their preferred outcomes by evoking and co‐constructing solutions. SFC has been shown to be helpful for persons with ID as well as for teams coaching people with ID. Nominal Group Technique (NGT) helps to organize people's thoughts with regard to a single question. This study examines the perceived strengths of and recommendations for SFC for teams coaching people with ID via NGT, as well as the extent to which the NGT results reflect the results of an SFC questionnaire.MethodsIn total, 54 staff members participated in SFC. Of these, 18 participated in NGT, while 36 completed the SFC questionnaire. The strengths of and recommendations for SFC were obtained via NGT. Interrater agreement was calculated via Cohen's kappa.ResultsThe strengths of SFC include ‘exploring hidden successes’ and ‘focusing on solutions’. It was recommended that ‘the results be consolidated in follow‐up meetings’. The participants agreed on the content of the strengths and recommendations, but differed in terms of priorities (κ ≤ 0.1).Conclusions
NGT is a valuable tool in exploring people's opinions and priorities, but further research is needed to elucidate the perceived priorities of SFC for teams coaching persons with ID.
Evaluating forest refugial models using species distribution models, model filling and inclusion: a case study with 14Brazilian species
Authors: Porto Tiago Jordão , Carnaval Ana Carolina , da Rocha Pedro Luís Bernardo 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimWe aimed to assess the generality of existing models of lateQuaternary biodiversity refugia in the Brazilian Atlantic forest by testing whether taxonomic identity and range descriptors influence the extent by which previously proposed models of forest (habitat) refugia successfully predict species' inferred refugial areas.LocationBrazilian rain forest.MethodsWe compiled and filtered records of 14 animal species that belong to distantly related groups (spiders, harvestmen, scorpions, amphibians, birds, lizards and mammals) and show distinct distribution patterns within theAtlantic rain forest. UsingMAXENT, we generated three distribution models for each species under different climatic scenarios (current, 6000 and 21,000 years ago). Species‐specific historically stable areas (refugia) were identified through the intersection of the three models. We then measured the amount of ‘inclusion’ of species‐specific refugia within published forest refugia, and quantified ‘filling’ of the biome refugia by species‐specific refugia. The influence of taxonomic distance between species and range descriptors were analysed.ResultsCurrent distribution models generated for the 14 species had high accuracy (AUC> 0.9). Inclusion and filling, two uncorrelated metrics, varied among species and were not influenced by taxonomic identity. Species range characteristics influenced forest model filling only, with higher values found in widely distributed species (i.e. occurring from Northeastern to SoutheasternBrazil).Main conclusionsSpecies‐specific and forest refugial areas are not necessarily the same. The power of forest refugial models to predict species‐specific refugial area differs among species and may be influenced by range attributes. Species data suggests the existence of a large refugium in Southeast ofBrazil, a result at odds with the currently available forest‐wide models. The predictive power of forest refugial models is narrowed; we now better understand their applicability limits.
Pharmacological mechanisms involved in the antinociceptive effects of dexmedetomidine in mice
Authors: Rangel Rafael A. S. , Marinho Bruno G. , Fernandes Patrícia D. , de Moura Roberto S. , Lessa Marcos A. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractDexmedetomidine (DEX) is a α2‐adrenoceptor (α2‐AR) agonist used as an anesthetic adjuvant and as sedative in critical care settings. Typically, α2‐AR agonists release nitric oxide (NO) and subsequently activate NO‐GMPc pathway and have been implicated with antinociception. In this study, we investigate the pharmacological mechanisms involved in the antinociceptive effects of DEX, using an acetic acid‐induced writhing assay in mice. Saline or DEX (1, 2, 5, or 10 μg/kg) was intravenously injected 5 min before ip administration of acetic acid and the resulting abdominal constrictions were then counted for 10 min. To investigate the possible mechanisms related to antinociceptive effect of DEX (10 μg/kg), the animals were also pretreated with one of the following drugs: 7‐nitroindazole (7‐NI; 30 mg/kg ip); 1H‐[1,2,4] oxadiazole [4,3‐a] quinoxaline‐1‐one (ODQ; 2.5 mg/kg, ip); yohimbine (YOH; 1 mg/kg, ip); atropine (ATRO; 2 mg/kg, ip); glibenclamide (GLIB; 1 mg/kg, i.p.) and naloxone (NAL; 0.2 mg/kg, ip). A rotarod and open‐field performance test were performed with DEX at 10 μg/kg dose. DEX demonstrated its potent antinociceptive effect in a dose‐dependent manner. The pretreatment with 7‐NI, ODQ, GLIB, ATRO, and YOH significantly reduced the antinociceptive affects of DEX. However, NAL showed no effecting DEX‐induced antinociception. The rotarod and open‐field tests confirmed there is no detectable sedation or even significant motor impairment with DEX at 10 μg/kg dose. Our results suggest that the α2‐AR and NO‐GMPc pathways play important roles in the systemic antinociceptive effect of DEX in a murine model of inflammatory pain. Furthermore, the antinociceptive effect exerted by DEX appears to be dependent on KATP channels, independent of opioid receptor activity.
Comparison of two doses of ketoprofen to treat pain: a double‐blind, randomized, noninferiority trial
Authors: Riou Bruno , Plaisance Patrick , Lecomte François , Soulat Louis , Orcel Philippe , Mazoit Jean‐Xavier 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThe aim of our study was to compare the efficacy and safety of two doses of ketoprofen (200 mg vs. 300 mg/day) in ambulatory emergency patients with pain related to traumatic and nontraumatic bone and joint diseases. We tested the hypothesis that the efficacy of the lower dose was not lower than that of the higher dose in a double‐blind, randomized, noninferiority trial. Patients included in the study were aged 18–65 years with closed benign trauma of the motor system or acute noninfectious rheumatologic conditions, with a resting pain intensity ≥3/10 on a numeric pain scale (NPS), requiring ketoprofen for 5 days. The main end‐point was based on two efficacy co‐criteria: (i) mean change from baseline of resting pain intensity at the end of the day over 5 days and (ii) total intake of concomitant analgesics. We included 409 patients: 200 in the 200‐mg group and 209 in the 300‐mg group. The mean change in pain intensity at rest (difference between groups: 0.0, 95% CI −0.4 to 0.4; P = 1.00) and in analgesic consumption (difference between groups: −0.6, 95% CI −1.9 to 0.6; P = 0.33) was not significantly different between the two groups, and the differences were lower than the predefined inferiority margins (0.5 and 1.5, respectively), thus demonstrating noninferiority. No significant difference was noted in the incidence of adverse events (21% vs. 20%, P = 0.71). The efficacy of the 200‐mg daily dose of ketoprofen in relieving pain in emergency cases was not inferior to that of the 300‐mg dose.
Rooting for Rewilding: Quantifying Wild Boar's Sus scrofa Rooting Rate in the Scottish Highlands
Authors: Sandom Christopher J. , Hughes Joelene , Macdonald David W. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractRewilding is emerging as a promising framework within restoration ecology to help restore ecosystem function through species reintroduction. To manage effectively such projects it is necessary to predict and quantify the interactions between the reintroduced species and their environment. To date, this has not been a priority in restoration ecology. Here, we quantify wild boar's rooting rate at a range of stocking densities to explore their potential to aid the restoration of the Caledonian pine forest in the Scottish Highlands by reinvigorating the disturbance regime. Eleven enclosures of c. 0.5 ha within heather moorland, dominated by Caluna vulgaris, were used, situated on the Alladale Wilderness Reserve, 50 km north‐west of Inverness. Stocking densities varied between 4 and 15 boar/ha. The accumulation of rooted area was recorded weekly over a 13‐week period. A cost analysis was performed to compare the use of wild boar with other ground preparation techniques. The median per capita rooting rate was 42.4 m2/week (interquartile range [IQR] 45.5), but rooting rate varied temporally. Median rooting rates varied between 21.6 and 75.3 m2/week (IQR 5.6) in periods that varied in suitability for rooting. Rooting rates were consistent across stocking densities. The cost of using wild boar as a ground preparation tool ranged between £184 and £1,961 per hectare depending on stocking density and rate of rooting. This experiment has direct application for managing the impact of wild boar within free range farming conditions, managed woodland regeneration schemes, rewilding projects, and in the wild.
Plant Recruitment in Early Development Stages on Rehabilitated Quarries in Hong Kong
Authors: Zhang Hao , Zhuang Xueying , Chu L. M. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractTo understand vegetation development during the ecological succession of rehabilitated quarries, floristic composition and structure were evaluated at different restoration phases on three quarries in Hong Kong that were planted with exotic woody species over the course of 2–14 years. A total of 113 species, of which 82 were woody species, were recorded. Exotic species dominated the overstory, and species number, richness, and diversity increased with age. Some light‐demanding early successional species were becoming dominant in the overstory vegetation at the older phases of revegetation. These species could be potential candidates for early enrichment planting withAcaciaspp. Common secondary forest species occurred naturally in the understory vegetation, and were more abundant and dominant after 10 years of ecological development. The most successful restorations were on scree slopes using leguminousAcaciaspp. as nurse species.
Chronic and Intermittent Exposure to Alcohol Vapors: A New Model of Alcohol‐Induced Osteopenia in the Rat
Authors: Maurel Delphine B. , Jaffré Christelle , Simon O'Brien Emmanuelle , Tournier Carine C. , Houchi Hakim , Benhamou Claude‐Laurent , Naassila Mickael 
Published: July 2012

BackgroundDifferent models are used to study the effects of chronic alcohol consumption on bone tissue in the rat. However, the current models take several months to show indices of osteopenia as observed in chronic drinkers. Numerous studies have supported that chronic and intermittent exposure to ethanol vapors has predictive validity as a model of alcohol dependence in humans. However, this model has never been applied to bone research to study its effects on the parameters that define osteopenia. This was the goal of this study in the rat.MethodsMale Wistar rats were exposed to ethanol vapor inhalation (n = 6) or air (controls, n = 6). Animals were exposed to chronic (11 weeks) and intermittent (14 hours a day) ethanol vapor reaching stable blood alcohol levels (BALs; 150 to 250 mg/dl) at the end of the third week of inhalation. After the sacrifice, right and left femur and tibia were dissected free of fat and connective tissue and bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed by dual X‐ray absorptiometry. The microarchitecture of the femur was studied using microcomputed tomography.ResultsThe BMD of the left and right femurs and the left tibia was lower in the ethanol group compared with the control group. The bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and the bone surface density (BS/TV) were lower in the ethanol group compared with control animals. The trabecular number (Tb.N) was lower in the ethanol group while the trabecular spacing was higher.ConclusionsThe decrease in the BMD, BV/TV, and Tb.N is in the same range as what is observed in human drinkers and what is reported with other animal alcohol models (Lieber–DeCarli liquid diet, ethanol in the tap water). Therefore, this model could be useful to study the effects of chronic alcohol consumption in the bone research field and has the advantage of controlling easily targeted BALs.
Ethanol‐Induced Memory Impairment in a Discriminative Avoidance Task is State‐Dependent
Authors: Sanday Leandro , Patti Camilla L. , Zanin Karina A. , Fernandes‐Santos Luciano , Oliveira Larissa C. , Kameda Sonia R. , Tufik Sergio , Frussa‐Filho Roberto 
Published: July 2012

BackgroundA considerable amount of experimental evidence has demonstrated ethanol (EtOH) induced amnestic effects following EtOH administration during pretraining in a variety of tasks both in humans and in laboratory animals. Although the phenomenon of state‐dependency is known to play a critical role in memory deficits induced by both pharmacological and nonpharmacological pretraining perturbations, the involvement of this phenomenon in EtOH‐induced anterograde amnesia has been overlooked. This study aimed to investigate the role of state‐dependency in EtOH‐induced amnestic effects and its interactions with the well‐known anxiolysis and locomotor alterations.MethodsMice were treated with 1.2 or 2.4 g/kg EtOH before training and/or before testing in the plus‐maze discriminative avoidance task, an animal model that concomitantly evaluates learning, memory, anxiety‐like behavior, and general activity.ResultsWhereas both doses of EtOH induced anxiolysis, the 1.2 g/kg dose enhanced locomotion while the 2.4 g/kg dose decreased it. In addition, the administration of 1.2 g/kg of this drug during pretraining caused memory impairment, which was counteracted by the pretest administration of the same dose, revealing the participation of the state‐dependency. Conversely, the administration of 2.4 g/kg EtOH led to amnestic effects irrespective of the time of the administration (pretraining and/or pretest), eliminating the influence of state‐dependency.ConclusionsOur data demonstrate that EtOH‐induced memory deficits are critically related to state‐dependency, which can also be affected by the dose range. These results indicate the possible participation of EtOH‐induced modifications in anxiety and motor activity levels in relation to state‐dependent memory deficits.
Posttreatment Low‐Risk Drinking as a Predictor of Future Drinking and Problem Outcomes Among Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorders
Authors: Kline‐Simon Andrea H. , Falk Daniel E. , Litten Raye Z. , Mertens Jennifer R. , Fertig Joanne , Ryan Megan , Weisner Constance M. 
Published: July 2012

BackgroundTreatment for alcohol disorders has traditionally been abstinence‐oriented, but evaluating the merits of a low‐risk drinking outcome as part of a primary treatment endpoint is a timely issue given new pertinent regulatory guidelines. This study explores a posttreatment low‐risk drinking outcome as a predictor of future drinking and problem severity outcomes among individuals with alcohol use disorders in a large private, not for profit, integrated care health plan.MethodsStudy participants include adults with alcohol use disorders at 6 months (N = 995) from 2 large randomized studies. Logistic regression models were used to explore the relationship between past 30‐day drinker status at 6 months posttreatment (abstinent [66%], low‐risk drinking [14%] defined as nonabstinence and no days of 5+ drinking, and heavy drinking [20%] defined as 1 or more days of 5+ drinking) and 12‐month outcomes, including drinking status and Addiction Severity Index measures of medical, psychiatric, family/social, and employment severity, controlling for baseline covariates.ResultsCompared to heavy drinkers, abstinent individuals and low‐risk drinkers at 6 months were more likely to be abstinent or low‐risk drinkers at 12 months (adj. ORs = 16.7 and 3.4, respectively; p < 0.0001); though, the benefit of abstinence was much greater than that of low‐risk drinking. Compared to heavy drinkers, abstinent and low‐risk drinkers were similarly associated with lower 12‐month psychiatric severity (adj. ORs = 1.8 and 2.2, respectively, p < 0.01) and family/social problem severity (adj. OR = 2.2; p < 0.01). While abstinent individuals had lower 12‐month employment severity than heavy drinkers (adj. OR = 1.9; p < 0.01), low‐risk drinkers did not differ from heavy drinkers. The drinking groups did not differ on 12‐month medical problem severity.ConclusionsCompared to heavy drinkers, low‐risk drinkers did as well as abstinent individuals for many of the outcomes important to health and addiction policy. Thus, an endpoint that allows low‐risk drinking may be tenable for individuals undergoing alcohol specialty treatment.