bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alasdair MacIntyre's Analysis of Tradition
Authors: Angier Tom 
Published: December 2011

AbstractI argue that, in analysing the structure and development of moral traditions, MacIntyre relies primarily on Kuhn's model of scientific tradition, rather than (as is held by at least two influential commentators) on Lakatos' model. I unpack three foci of Kuhn's conception of the sciences, namely: the ‘crisis’ conception of scientific development, what I call the ‘systematic conception’ of scientific paradigms, and the view that successive paradigms are incommensurable. I then show that these three foci are integrated into MacIntyre's account of the development of moral traditions with a surprising degree of faithfulness to Kuhn. And crucially, I argue against the overall cogency of his account, given the disparities I pinpoint between scientific and moral traditions. My overall critique is, however, fundamentally friendly, since nothing I have to say invalidates the very notion of a moral tradition, and all I am calling for are less problematic construals of that notion.
Estimating the influence of land management change on weed invasion potential using expert knowledge
Authors: Smith Carl , van Klinken Rieks D. , Seabrook Leonie , McAlpine Clive 
Published: December 2011

AbstractAim  To develop and test a general framework for estimating weed invasion potential (suitability and susceptibility) that utilized expert knowledge of dispersal, establishment and persistence and considered the influence of land management.Location  The semi‐arid Desert Channels Region of Queensland, Australia (476,000 km2).Methods  We developed a general framework that integrated knowledge and empirical data of the environmental and land management variables influencing the dispersal, establishment and persistence of the invasive shrub parkinsonia (Parkinsonia aculeata) using a Bayesian network linked to a Geographic Information System (GIS). We evaluated the influence of different land management scenarios on landscape suitability for parkinsonia. Model performance was assessed by comparing predicted landscape suitability with mapped parkinsonia locations and estimated parkinsonia density.Results  Our predictions of moderate to high suitability corresponded reasonably well with mapped parkinsonia locations (71% match) and areas of common to abundant estimated density (92% match). They also suggested that parkinsonia has not reached its potential distribution within the study region. Under current land management conditions, 77,000 km2 of land was found to be highly or moderately suitable for parkinsonia. Scenario analysis indicated that maintaining moderate herbaceous ground cover levels, and using sheep to browse juvenile parkinsonia, reduced the predicted moderate to high suitability area to 27,000 km2, offering a potential management strategy for limiting parkinsonia invasion.Main conclusions  Weed invasion potential can be reasonably estimated using expert knowledge of dispersal, establishment and persistence, integrated using a Bayesian network linked to a GIS. This modelling approach can be an alternative to process‐based and phenomenological modelling, which can be problematic for modelling new and emerging weed invasions, particularly where data are patchy. The modelling approach also allows the influence of land management change on invasion potential to be investigated through scenario analysis.
Relationships among soil fertility, native plant diversity and exotic plant abundance inform restoration of forb‐rich eucalypt woodlands
Authors: Prober Suzanne M. , Wiehl Georg 
Published: December 2011

AbstractAim  Water and nutrient availability are major limits to productivity in semi‐arid ecosystems; hence, ecological restoration often focuses on conserving or concentrating soil resources. By contrast, nutrient enrichment can promote invasion by exotic annuals, leading to restoration approaches that target reduction of soil nutrients. We aimed to explore potential biodiversity trade‐offs between these approaches by investigating relationships among soil nutrients, exotic annuals and native plant diversity and composition. In particular, we investigated the hypothesis that native plant diversity in semi‐arid to temperate woodlands reflects the productivity–diversity hypothesis, leading to hump‐backed relationships with soil nutrients such that (1) native plant diversity declines with increasing nutrient enrichment and (2) native diversity is limited at the lowest levels of soil fertility.Location  Fragmented, long‐ungrazed Eucalyptus loxophleba subsp. loxophleba (York gum)–Acacia acuminata (jam) woodlands in the wheatbelt of South‐Western Australia.Methods  We conducted stratified surveys of floristic composition and topsoil nutrient concentrations in 112 woodland patches. We used generalized linear models, structural equation models and ordinations to characterize relationships among soil nutrients, rainfall, exotic annuals and patch‐scale (100 m2) native plant composition and diversity.Results  Patch‐scale native plant diversity declined strongly with increasing exotic abundance. This was partly related to elevated soil nutrient concentrations, particularly total nitrogen and available phosphorus. By contrast, there was little evidence for positive correlations between soil nutrients and native diversity, even at very low soil nutrient concentrations.Main conclusions  Minimizing weed invasions is crucial for maximizing native plant diversity in E. loxophleba woodlands and could include nutrient‐depleting treatments without substantially compromising the functional capacity of soils to maintain native plant richness and composition. More broadly we emphasize that understanding relationships among ecosystem productivity, plant diversity and exotic invasions in the context of associated theoretical frameworks is fundamental for informing ecological restoration.
Photomixotrophic growth of Rhodobacter capsulatus SB1003 on ferrous iron
Authors: KOPF S. H. , NEWMAN D. K. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThis study investigates the role iron oxidation plays in the purple non‐sulfur bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus SB1003. This organism is unable to grow photoautotrophically on unchelated ferrous iron [Fe(II)] despite its ability to oxidize chelated Fe(II). This apparent paradox was partly resolved by the discovery that SB1003 can grow photoheterotrophically on the photochemical breakdown products of certain ferric iron–ligand complexes, yet whether it could concomitantly benefit from the oxidation of Fe(II) to fix CO2 was unknown. Here, we examine carbon fixation by stable isotope labeling of the inorganic carbon pool in cultures growing phototrophically on acetate with and without Fe(II). We show that R. capsulatus SB1003, an organism formally thought incapable of phototrophic growth on Fe(II), can actually harness the reducing power of this substrate and grow photomixotrophically, deriving carbon both from organic sources and from fixation of inorganic carbon. This suggests the possibility of a wider occurrence of photoferrotrophy than previously assumed.
A suggestion of reference data for flow distribution at ankle and foot level using quantitative 99Tc‐HDP three‐phase bone scintigraphy
Authors: Tøndevold Niklas , Reving Sofie , Møller Nette , Zerahn Bo 
Published: December 2011

SummaryAim:  To determine reference intervals for quantitative 99mTc‐hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (99mTc‐HDP) three‐phase bone scintigraphy regarding flow distribution at ankle and mid‐foot level.Materials and methods:  Fifty patients referred to bone scintigraphy without known or suspected pathology in the legs or hips were included. Quantitative three‐phase bone scintigraphy was performed in all patients. A processing protocol with standardized size regions of interests (ROIs) was used to quantify the distribution of flow and blood pool at ankle and level mid‐foot levels. Patients were divided into three groups: <60 years (n = 20), 60 years or older (n = 17) and finally a group (n = 13) with pedal foci (PF).Results:  Blood pool distribution varied between the two age groups, with younger having the narrowest confidence interval at mid‐foot level but the widest at ankle level. Blood flow distribution confidence intervals were wider in the presence of PF, whereas blood pool distribution intervals were independent of PF. Both blood flow distribution and blood pool at ankle and mid‐foot level were independent of gender and referral status being either cancer or skeletal complaints.Conclusion:  As there was no evident increase in blood flow distribution at ankle and mid‐foot level with age, we suggest the use of pooled data from both age groups. Subsequently, the confidence interval for the relative distribution of blood flow at ankle level is 37/63 and 33/67 at mid‐foot level. For blood pool, the corresponding intervals are 43/57 and 40/60, respectively. Blood flow distribution appears to be influenced by the presence of PF, whereas blood pool distribution is not.
Triple therapy with boceprevir for HCV genotype 1 infection: phase III results in relapsers and nonresponders
Authors: Bacon Bruce R. , Khalid Omer 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThis is an excellent time for patients with hepatitis C virus infection who have failed past treatment with standard of care (SOC) peginterferon (PEG‐IFN) and ribavirin (RBV). New treatments have been shown to increase sustained virological response (SVR) rates. Previous relapsers and those with some responsiveness to interferon will clearly benefit from protease inhibitor‐based therapy. Patients with little interferon response may not be suited for these regimens, but can be treated by careful selection on a case‐by‐case basis. Resistance needs to be carefully monitored as these newer and more potent drugs are added to IFN and RBV backbone drugs. Adverse events will be more frequent and will require special attention.
Future treatment of patients with HCV cirrhosis
Authors: Bourlière Marc , Khaloun Asma , Wartelle‐Bladou Claire , Oules Valérie , Portal Isabelle , Benali Souad , Adhoute Xavier , Castellani Paul 
Published: December 2011

AbstractOf all hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, those with cirrhosis are most in need of treatment because of increased morbidity and mortality. Treatment with pegylated‐interferon (PEG‐IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) (PR) has definitely shown the benefits of successful treatment by improving fibrosis, causing the regression of cirrhosis and reducing and preventing cirrhosis‐related complications. However, the sustained virological response (SVR) is lower in patients with cirrhosis. First generation protease inhibitors (boceprevir and telaprevir) in combination with PR are a major advancement in the treatment of both naïve and treatment‐experienced genotype 1 patients. In naïve patients, the SVR rate with the triple regimen with boceprevir was increased by 14% in patients with severe fibrosis or cirrhosis compared with PR. This benefit was lower than that observed in patients with mild or moderate fibrosis (30%). The SVR rate of the triple regimen with telaprevir was increased by 10–30% compared with PR in patients with severe fibrosis or cirrhosis compared with nearly 30% in patients with mild or moderate fibrosis. In treatment‐experienced patients, previous relapsers have the highest increase in SVR with the triple regimen compared with PR, whatever the status of fibrosis. Previous partial or non‐responder patients with cirrhosis had lower SVR rates than those without cirrhosis. However, the benefits of telaprevir and boceprevir vs PR was maintained. Previous non‐responder patients with cirrhosis benefited the least from treatment. The relapse rate was always higher and side effects were more frequent in patients with cirrhosis compared with those without. First generation protease inhibitors plus PR appear to be a new step forward in the management of HCV genotype 1 patients with cirrhosis.
Future treatment of chronic hepatitis C with direct acting antivirals: is resistance important?
Authors: Halfon Philippe , Sarrazin Christoph 
Published: December 2011

AbstractRecent advances in molecular biology have led to the development of novel small molecules that target specific viral proteins of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) life cycle. These drugs, collectively termed directly acting antivirals (DAA), include a range of non‐structural (NS) 3/NS4A protease, NS5B polymerase and NS5A inhibitors at various stages of clinical development. Some others drugs called ‘non DAA’or indirect inhibitors are not focused on one site of the life cycle target and are still in early pre‐clinical and clinical phase I, II and III trials. The rapid replication rate of HCV, along with the low fidelity of its polymerase, results in a generation of mutations throughout the viral genome and sequence variation in the HCV population known as a quasispecies. The efficacy of DAA is limited by the presence of these mutations, resulting in amino acid substitutions within the targeted proteins which affect viral sensitivity to these compounds. Thus, attributable to the high genetic variability of HCV, variants with reduced susceptibility to DAA can occur naturally even before treatment begins, but usually at low levels. Thus it is not surprising that these changes are selected in patients that either breakthrough or do not respond to potent DAA treatment. Six major position mutations in the NS3 HCV Protease (36, 54, 155, 156, 168 and 170), fifteen in the NS5B polymerase (96, 282, 316, 365, 414, 419, 423, 448, 482, 494, 495, 496, 499, 554, 559) and five in the NS5 A region (28, 30, 31, 58 and 93) have now been reported in vitro or in vivo associated with different levels of resistance. The amino acid composition at several of the drug resistance sites can vary between the HCV genotypes/subtypes, resulting in different consensus amino acids leading to a reduction in replicative fitness as well as reduced DAA and non‐ DAA sensitivity. Information on patterns of resistance to and cross resistance between antiviral agents is increasingly available and may be important for decisions on how to combine drugs to achieve an optimum antiviral effect. This review debates the clinical relevance of resistance to direct and indirect inhibitors taking into account the future potential therapeutic strategies to help patients who do develop resistance to HCV inhibitors. Finally, this chapter treats two points of view: ‘for’ and ‘against’ the question of the importance of resistance.
Phase III results of Boceprevir in treatment naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1
Authors: Manns Michael P. , Markova Antoaneta A. , Serrano Beatriz Calle , Cornberg Markus 
Published: December 2011

AbstractIntroductionChronic hepatitis C virus infection affects approximately 2% of the world population and can result in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Until 2011, the standard of care (SOC) has been therapy with pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin (PEG‐IFN/RBV). Sustained virologic response rates (SVR) after SOC in patients infected with genotype 1 have been 40–50%. The development of new direct antiviral agents (DAA) is vital. The first drugs that specifically target the HCV protease have been approved in 2011. This review summarizes the results of SPRINT‐2, a phase III double blind, placebo controlled study in which the efficacy and safety of Boceprevir, a new HCV protease inhibitor, was compared to SOC.DesignA total of 1097 treatment‐naïve, genotype 1, chronic hepatitis C patients were randomized into three different groups. All patients received a 4‐week lead in phase with peginterferon alfa‐2b and ribavirin. A total of 363 patients were randomized to the control group and received 44 additional weeks of PEG‐IFN/RBV; of the 368 patients randomized to group 2, the response‐guided treatment regimen (RGT), patients with undetectable HCV RNA through week 8 and 24 received 24 weeks of triple therapy (PEG‐IFN/RBV/Boceprevir); patients whose HCV‐RNA was detectable between weeks 8 and 24 but undetectable at week 24 received subsequently 20 weeks of (PEG‐IFN/RBV); 366 patients in group 3 were treated with lead‐in followed by triple therapy through week 48.ResultsTreatment with Boceprevir triple therapy increased SVR to 63–66% compared to 38% receiving PEG‐IFN/RBV therapy. Non‐Black patients achieved higher SVR rates compared to Black patients. Responsiveness to interferon in the lead‐in phase was predictive for SVR. SVR rates did not differ between patients randomized to RGT with Boceprevir and those treated with a fixed duration. Anaemia was the most important adverse event leading to dose reduction of RBV in 13% of controls and 21% of Boceprevir recipients.ConclusionTriple therapy of Boceprevir in combination with PEG‐IFN 2b/RBV is more effective than SOC alone. RGT is possible without reducing the SVR rates. Management of anaemia has to be considered.
Surgical protocols for early implant placement in post‐extraction sockets: a systematic review
Authors: Sanz Ignacio , Garcia‐Gargallo Maria , Herrera David , Martin Conchita , Figuero Elena , Sanz Mariano 
Published: December 2011

AbstractObjectivesThe aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the best timing for placing implants after tooth extraction, by comparing early vs. delayed implant placement and evaluating the hard and/or soft tissue ridge dimensional changes and the outcomes related with implant survival and prosthesis success.Material and methodsAn online search of the main databases including The National Library of Medicine (MEDLINE via Pubmed), Embase and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted up to February 2011. Randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs), prospective cohort studies and case–control retrospective studies, with a follow‐up of at least 1 month after loading of dental implants, comparing: (i) early vs. delayed implant placement, (ii) augmentation vs. no augmentation at implant placement in early placed implants and/or (iii) the comparison of various augmentation procedures at early implant placement, were conducted. A hand search of relevant journals was also performed. Screening of eligible studies, assessment of their methodological quality and data extraction were conducted in duplicate by two independent reviewers. Authors of studies were contacted for clarification or missing information.ResultsEight studies were included, although meta‐analysis could only be performed with the data from two studies comparing early vs. delayed implant. The percentage of bone height and bone width reduction favoured the early placement, with pooled mean difference between groups of 13.11% (95% CI: from 3.83 to 22.4; P = 0.057) and 19.85% (95% CI: from 13.85 to 25.81) respectively. Implant survival demonstrated a non‐significant higher implant survival rate for the early group (RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.96–1.1).With regard to patient satisfaction, statistically significant differences between the groups in favour of the early group for overall satisfaction and appearance with the restoration were demonstrated at 2 years, although these differences were lost at 5 years.ConclusionsPlacement of dental implants at an early timing after tooth extraction may offer advantages in terms of soft and hard tissue preservation, when compared with a delayed protocol. Nevertheless, well‐designed, high quality, randomized clinical trials, are needed, because the available evidence is today limited in terms of available studies and quality.
A systematic review on survival and success rates of implants placed immediately into fresh extraction sockets after at least 1 year
Authors: Lang Niklaus P. , Pun Lui , Lau Ka Yee , Li Ka Yan , Wong May CM 
Published: December 2011

AbstractBackgroundType I immediate implant placement has gained popularity because it may reduce treatment time, number of surgeries and post‐extraction bone loss. However, this is potentially challenged by inadequate keratinized mucosa for flap adaptation and difficulties in achieving primary stability. Moreover, it has been proven that post‐extraction bone loss is an inevitable biological process, which affects treatment outcomes.ObjectivesTo estimate survival and success rates of implants and the implant‐supported prostheses, the prevalence of biological, technical and aesthetic complications, and the magnitude of soft and hard tissue changes following implant placement immediately into fresh extraction sockets.Material and methodsAn electronic search in MEDLINE (PubMed) and the Cochrane Library from 1991 to July 2010 was performed to include prospective studies on immediate implants with a mean follow‐up time of at least 1 year. The survival rates were computed using the STATA statistical software. Weighted means of soft and hard tissue changes were obtained by the inverse variance method.ResultsA total of 46 prospective studies, with a mean follow‐up time of 2.08 years, were included. The annual failure rate of immediate implants was 0.82% (95% CI: 0.48–1.39%), translating into the 2‐year survival rate of 98.4% (97.3–99%). Among the five factors analysed (reasons for extraction, antibiotic use, position of implant [anterior vs. posterior, maxilla vs. mandible), type of loading], only the regimen of antibiotic use affected the survival rate significantly. Lower failure rates were found in groups that were provided with a course of post‐operative antibiotics. The success of implant therapy was difficult to assess due to scarce reporting on biological, technical and aesthetic complications. Soft tissue changes occurred mostly in the first 3 months after the provision of restoration, and then stabilized towards end of the first year. Marginal bone loss predominantly took place in the first year after implant placement, with a magnitude generally less than 1 mm. Controversy on hard tissue preservation with platform‐switching technique remained unsolved.ConclusionsDespite the high survival rate observed, more long‐term studies are necessary to determine the success of implant treatment provided immediately after tooth extraction. Special attention has to be given to aesthetic outcomes.