bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The safety and efficacy of adding once‐daily insulin detemir to oral hypoglycaemic agents in patients with type 2 diabetes in a clinical practice setting in 10 countries
Authors: Khunti K. , Caputo S. , Damci T. , Dzida G. J. , Ji Q. , Kaiser M. , Karnieli E. , Liebl A. , Ligthelm R. J. , Nazeri A. , Orozco‐Beltran D. , Pan C. , Ross S. A. , Svendsen A. L. , Vora J. , Yale J.‐F. , Meneghini L. F. ,   on behalf of the SOLVE Study Group
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimsEvaluate the safety and efficacy of once‐daily insulin detemir initiated in routine clinical practice in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled with oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHAs).MethodsThis large observational study was conducted in 10 countries. Adverse event data (including hypoglycaemia) and glycaemic control were recorded before and 24 weeks following insulin initiation while patients continued routine clinical management.ResultsIn this study, 17 374 patients (53% male) were included. Mean pre‐insulin values (±s.d.) were: age 62 ± 12 years; body mass index (BMI) 29.3 ± 5.4 kg/m2; diabetes duration 10 ± 7 years; haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 8.9 ± 1.6%. During the study, 27 patients experienced serious adverse drug reaction, severe hypoglycaemic events or both; and there were 31 episodes of severe hypoglycaemia in 21 patients. After 24 weeks, HbA1c was 7.5 ± 1.2% (change of −1.3%; p < 0.001) and mean weight change was −0.6 kg (confidence interval −0.7, −0.5 kg, p < 0.001). Daily insulin dose increased from 13 ± 6 U (0.16 ± 0.09 U/kg) to 22 ± 16 U (0.27 ± 0.17U/kg) by 24 weeks. Multivariate regression analysis identified several independent demographic and treatment predictors of end of study HbA1c.ConclusionsAddition of once‐daily insulin detemir to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on OHA therapy resulted in few adverse events, significant improvements in glycaemic control, small reductions in weight and low rates of hypoglycaemia. On the basis of this study, concerns about hypoglycaemia or weight gain should not preclude initiation of basal insulin analogues in patients with poor glycaemic control on OHAs.
Recording of the full‐field electroretinogram in minipigs
Authors: Augsburger Anne‐Sandrine , Haag Valérie , Leuillet Sébastien , Legrand Jean‐Jacques , Forster Roy 
Published: July 2012

AbstractPurpose  To test a simple electroretinographic protocol on a representative sample of minipigs.Animal studied  Minipig.Procedures  Electroretinogram recordings were conducted on 162 healthy minipigs (81 males and 81 females) aged 4–6 months. After a 1.5‐h light‐adaptation period, the animals were anesthetized with general anesthesia. First, binocular full‐field photopic electroretinogram recordings were conducted under photopic conditions. Subsequently, scotopic electroretinogram recordings were conducted during dark‐adaptation periods every 4 min for a 20‐min period. At the end of this period, the maximal combined rod‐cone response was recorded by measuring the retinal response to a single high‐intensity flash. We used sclerocorneal clip electrodes as active electrodes and needle electrodes as reference and ground electrodes.Results  The a‐wave and b‐wave peak times and amplitudes have been measured and statistically analyzed. For each of the statistical comparisons, normality and homogeneity of variances were evaluated. No significant gender differences were observed, with the exception of a higher b‐wave amplitude for the photopic ERG recordings observed in females when compared to males (48.14 ± 12.909 μV vs. 42.88 ± 10.666 μV; P = 0.005). The process of dark adaptation was evaluated, and the maximal combined rod‐cone response was measured (a‐ and b‐waves amplitude and peak time).Conclusions We conducted photopic and scotopic electroretinogram recordings from a protocol based on light adaptation followed by dark adaptation using sclerocorneal clip electrodes, which allows quick assembly and examination.
Impact of elevated UVB radiation on marine biota: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Llabrés Moira , Agustí Susana , Fernández Miriam , Canepa Antonio , Maurin Felipe , Vidal Francisco , Duarte Carlos M. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimThe emission of chlorofluorocarbon compounds eroded the ozone layer, raising incident ultraviolet B radiation to levels that affect biota. However, the role of UVB radiation (280–315 nm), which remains elevated to date, as a possible driver of the widespread global deterioration of marine ecosystems has not yet been fully quantified. In this paper we assess the magnitude of the impacts of elevated UVB radiation and evaluate the relative sensitivity to UVB across marine taxa and processes.LocationThe analyses presented are based on 1784 experimental assessments of the impacts of UVB performed with natural radiation and organisms from different geographical areas, as well as with artificial radiation and cultured organisms at many laboratories around the world.MethodsFirst we compiled the published literature concerning experimental evaluation of the impacts of UVB on marine biota. Then a meta‐analysis was conducted with the data set obtained to evaluate the responses of marine organisms and processes to enhanced and reduced UVB levels.ResultsIncreased UVB radiation leads to a sharp increase in mortality rates across marine taxa, with protists, corals, crustaceans and fish eggs and larvae being most sensitive. A general relationship between relative changes in UVB doses and mortality rates was developed. This relationship can help assess the effects of changes in incident UVB radiation (past, present or future) on marine organisms.Main conclusionsThis meta‐analysis demonstrates that mortality rates of marine biota increase rapidly in response to elevated UVB radiation. The enhanced mortality rates associated with currently elevated UVB levels may represent a major threat to marine biota, possibly underlying recent widespread declines in the abundance of marine organisms ranging from corals to fish and krill.
The Politics of the Evicted: Redevelopment, Subjectivity, and Difference in Mumbai's Slum Frontier
Authors: Doshi Sapana 
Published: July 2012

AbstractIn recent years cities around the world have undergone mass slum clearances for redevelopment. This study of Mumbai offers an alternative interpretation of urban capital accumulation by investigating the differentiated political subjectivities of displaced slum residents. I argue that Mumbai's redevelopment entails not uniform class‐based dispossessions but a process of accumulation by differentiated displacement whereby uneven displacement politics are central to the social production of land markets. Two ethnographic cases reveal that groups negotiate redevelopment in contradictory ways, supporting or contesting projects in varying moments. Redevelopmental subjectivities are influenced at key conjunctures by market‐oriented resettlement, ideologies of belonging, desires for improved housing, and participation in non‐governmental groups. This articulated assemblage of power‐laden practices reflects and reworks class, gender, and ethno‐religious relations, profoundly shaping evictees' experience and political engagement. The paper concludes that focusing on differentiated subjectivities may usefully guide both analysis and social justice practice aimed at countering dispossession.
Facilitation prompts and rubrics on higher‐order thinking skill performance found in undergraduate asynchronous discussion boards
Authors: Giacumo Lisa A. , Savenye Wilhelmina , Smith Nichole 
Published: July 2012

AbstractOver the past 20 years, researchers have begun to examine data from asynchronous computer‐mediated student discussions in courses. Some results have shown students to demonstrate lower or mid‐level thinking skills, while others suggest students routinely demonstrate higher‐order thinking skills. The authors investigated the relationship between scaffold types and the level of students' thinking skill performance, learning achievement and attitudes, in a two‐by‐two factorial, quasi‐experimental study. Participants included 216 undergraduate preservice K‐12 teachers who were presented with one of four versions of an asynchronous discussion board assignment. Resulting discussion interactions were evaluated for demonstration of low‐, mid‐ and higher‐order thinking skills. Findings revealed students who were given a scaffold demonstrated higher‐level thinking skills more frequently than did students who received no scaffold. No significant differences in learning achievement associated with test performance were found in test results. The treatment variables did significantly affect effect survey ratings associated with students' attitudes.
A framework for sustainable mobile learning in schools
Authors: Ng Wan , Nicholas Howard 
Published: July 2012

AbstractWhile there are studies that have looked at the implementation of mobile learning in educational institutions, particularly the identification of issues encountered, few studies have explored holistically the elements that sustain mobile learning. This study dissects the findings of a longitudinal study of a secondary school adopting a personal digital assistant programme and proposes a person‐centred sustainable model for mobile learning.
Recursive adjustment, unit root tests and structural breaks
Authors: Rodrigues Paulo M. M. 
Published: July 2012

In this paper, we introduce unit root tests for time series with a potential structural break computed from test regressions in which the deterministic components have been recursively adjusted. We present finite sample critical values as well as Monte Carlo results on the size and power performance of the new procedures, and compare these with other available tests in the literature, such as OLS and quasi‐differenced based tests (see, for instance, Perron, (1997)Perron and Rodriguez, (2003) and Carrion‐i‐Silvestre et al. (2009)). The small sample behaviour of the tests is evaluated in a known and an unknown break date context allowing for negligible and non‐negligible initial conditions. In the unknown break date case, two break date estimation procedures are considered, one based on the minimum unit root t‐statistic and the other based on the minimum sum of squared residuals obtained from a regression on a set of deterministic variables. The size and power performance of the recursive adjustment based procedure in the unknown break date case is encouraging. A further result of this paper relates to the aditional finite sample evidence on the performance of quasi‐differenced unit root tests, complementing the results in Perron and Rodriguez (2003).
Exploring the relationship between system development life cycle and knowledge accumulation in Taiwan's IT industry
Authors: Lai Wen‐Hsiang , Tsen Hsin‐Cheng 
Published: July 2012

AbstractMany projects fail because the knowledge learned from them is obtained too late or insufficient (Koenig & Srikantaiah, 2004); ‘knowledge in projects', ‘knowledge about projects', and ‘knowledge from projects' are three types of knowledge that result from project‐based work (Love et al., 2005). This study explores the relationships between the system development life cycle (SDLC) of project management, firm‐level explicit knowledge of organizational knowledge accumulation (OKA), and implicit knowledge of employee knowledge accumulation (EKA) with respect to knowledge accumulation (KA) and knowledge integration (KI). First, it analyzes the competence of SDLC in Taiwan's IT enterprises by adapting expert interviews, analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and fuzzy rule‐based theory. This reveals that system planning (SP) and system analysis (SA) are the most important SDLC phases. Second, based on the above result, this study investigates how the effectiveness of SDLC (ESDLC) correlates with KI, OKA, and EKA. Results indicate that EKA and OKA have obvious mutual influences, and that both show significant impact on ESDLC. Furthermore, KI has positive influence on EKA, but negative influence on OKA.
Impaired verbal fluency under topiramate – evidence for synergistic negative effects of epilepsy, topiramate, and polytherapy
Authors: Witt J.‐A. , Elger C. E. , Helmstaedter C. 
Published: July 2012

Background and purposeTreatment with topiramate (TPM) is known to negatively affect executive functions and verbal fluency in particular. However, judgments of cognitive side effects under TPM rarely consider clinical conditions and possible effects of epilepsy, treatment, and drug load.MethodsThis retrospective cross‐sectional study in large cohorts of patients with epilepsy evaluated the impact of TPM mono‐ and polytherapy on verbal fluency. To isolate TPM‐induced effects from those of epilepsy and antiepileptic medication in general, verbal fluency under TPM (N = 421) was compared to the performance of a matched sample of patients with an antiepileptic medication other than TPM (N = 351), untreated patients (N = 108), and healthy controls (N = 100).ResultsImpaired verbal fluency performance was seen in 77% of the patients treated with TPM. Compared to healthy controls, verbal fluency in untreated patients was reduced by 22%, under monotherapy without TPM by 31% and under TPM monotherapy by 45%. With and without TPM, verbal fluency performance linearly decreased with each additional drug in polytherapy. On each level, performance under TPM was 21–28% worse than in the respective condition without TPM. Unimpaired performance under TPM was primarily associated with lower dose, higher education, and a later onset of epilepsy.ConclusionsThe majority of patients under TPM shows reduced verbal fluency. However, when taking the cumulative negative effects of epilepsy, and the concomitant drug regimen into account, TPM is associated with a 21–28% poorer performance as compared with other drugs. Additionally, the data indicate an impact of dose and reserve capacity on the occurrence of impairments.
Systemic steroids in the treatment of psoriasis: what is fact, what is fiction?
Authors: Mrowietz U. , Domm S. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground  The use of systemic steroids in the treatment of psoriasis is not recommended by dermatological textbooks and guidelines because of the risk of disease deterioration after dose reduction or withdrawal. In contrast to these recommendations, a recent analysis using data from a German nationwide healthcare insurance revealed that systemic steroids were the most frequently prescribed drugs for psoriasis by general practitioners, internal medicine physicians and dermatologists.Objective  As there is an obvious discrepancy between the use of systemic steroids for psoriasis and the reported adverse effects, a non‐systematic literature search starting 1950 until today was performed to address beneficial and adverse effect of systemic steroids in psoriasis.Methods  Non‐systematic literature search.Results  Regarding the widespread use of systemic steroids in psoriasis and other medical conditions taking the high prevalence of psoriasis of 2–3% at least in Caucasians into consideration, there is a remarkable lack of literature addressing adverse effects such as rebound, pustular or erythrodermic flares or even new occurrence of psoriasis in patients with a negative disease history.Conclusion  A re‐evaluation of the treatment of psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis with systemic steroids is necessary.
Effect of skin pH for wrinkle formation on Asian: Korean, Vietnamese and Singaporean
Authors: Jung Y.C. , Kim E.J. , Cho J.C. , Suh K.D. , Nam G.W. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground  Skin pH may be influenced by various factors, such as hydration of stratum corneum, rate of sebum excretion rate, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and sweating in relation to skin ageing.Objective  The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between skin pH and wrinkle formation that is directly related to ageing. In addition, we investigated the factors related to skin ageing by comparing the association between skin pH and other skin properties.Methods  Three hundred volunteers were selected from three countries: Korea, Vietnam and Singapore. Hydration on the stratum corneum, the rate of sebum excretion rate, melanin index, TEWL and skin temperature on the cheek were measured in a controlled room, and wrinkle length and depth using replicas were compared with skin pH variation.Results  The mean and standard deviation of skin surface pH among the three countries were 5.510 ± 0.625. The greatest gap of skin pH that revealed significant differences for skin properties was represented between the Koreans and the Vietnamese. For all three countries, skin hydration, melanin contents, wrinkle length, wrinkle depth and skin temperature were significantly correlated with skin pH. Factors related to skin moisturizing, such as skin hydration, sebum excretion rate and skin temperature, were negatively correlated with skin pH. Wrinkle length and depth decreased as skin pH became more acidic.Conclusions  Skin properties displayed various values depending on skin pH. In particular, wrinkle formation significantly decreased as skin pH becomes more acidic. We conclude that skin pH is determined by skin properties, such as skin hydration, sebum excretion rate, melanin concentration, TEWL and skin temperature that affects wrinkle formation.
A qualitative exploration of the views and experiences of family court magistrates making decisions in care proceedings involving parents with learning disabilities
Authors: Kollinsky Laura , Simonds Laura M. , Nixon Julie 
Published: July 2012

Accessible summary
Some research shows that parents with learning disabilities often have their children removed from their care. When someone is worried about a person with learning disabilities caring for a child, magistrates in family courts sometimes decide who will look after the child.
Researchers interviewed four family court magistrates. They were interested in what it has been like for the magistrates making decisions in court when the parent had a learning disability.
This article talks about three parts of their stories:

○their knowledge about learning disabilities and what they think others know,
○important things when deciding whether a parent can look after their child, and
○whether knowing a person with a learning disability changes what they do as a magistrate.

The findings could be used to help people with learning disabilities think about what things might be important if someone is worried about them looking after their children.
SummaryA small evidence base suggests that parents with learning disabilities are likely to have their children permanently removed from their care. There is no known research involving magistrates in England, despite their role in care proceedings. This study aimed to explore the experience of magistrates making decisions in care proceedings involving parents with learning disabilities. Four family court magistrates took part in a semi‐structured interview. The findings suggest that the magistrates in this sample perceive a distinction between themselves and others in terms of their ability to accommodate complexity in conceptualising learning disabilities. The ability to appreciate such complexity was considered important by magistrates in them adopting a more proactive role when presented with expert opinion. Four main influences were spoken of when determining the best interests of the child: timescale and age of the child, expert opinion, parenting abilities and support. Participants indicated how their experiences with people with learning disabilities outside of the court system have impacted on their role within care proceedings and have shaped their awareness of the limits of their own knowledge. Magistrates indicated a general need for more training about learning disabilities. Limitations and implications for practice are discussed.
Professional Discretion and Accountability in the Welfare State
Authors: Molander Anders , Grimen Harald , Eriksen Erik Oddvar 
Published: July 2012

abstractThe discretionary powers of welfare state professionals are in tension with the requirements of the democratic Rechtsstaat. Extensive use of discretion can threaten the principles of the rule of law and relinquish democratic control over the implementation of laws and policies. These two tensions are in principle ineradicable. But does this also mean that they are impossible to come to grips with? Are there measures that may ease these tensions? We introduce an understanding of discretion that adds an epistemic dimension (discretion as a mode of reasoning) to the common structural understanding of discretion (an area of judgment and decision). Accordingly we distinguish between structural and epistemic measures of accountability. The aim of the former is to constrain discretionary spaces or the behaviour within them while the aim of the latter is to improve the quality of discretionary reasoning. The focus in this article is on epistemic measures that are internally related to the main characteristic of accountability, namely justified use of discretionary power.
The prevalence of urinary incontinence in pregnancy among a multi‐ethnic population resident in Norway
Authors: Bø K , Pauck Øglund G , Sletner L , Mørkrid K , Jenum AK 
Published: July 2012

Please cite this paper as: Bø K, Pauck Øglund G, Sletner L, Mørkrid K, Jenum A. The prevalence of urinary incontinence in pregnancy among a multi‐ethnic population resident in Norway. BJOG 2012;119:1354–1360.Objectives  To investigate prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in a multi‐ethnic population of pregnant women, and to analyse for possible associations of the known risk factors for UI in such a population.Design  Population‐based cross‐sectional study.Setting  All pregnant women in three administrative city districts attending the Child Health Clinics.Population and sample  Out of 823 women identified in first trimester, 722 (74%) agreed to participate in the study at 28 weeks of gestation. Inclusion criteria were: healthy women at 20 weeks of gestation or less and able to communicate in Norwegian, Arabic, English, Sorani, Somali, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu or Vietnamese.Methods  Differences between ethnic groups were tested by simple descriptive statistics. Associations were estimated by logistic regression analysis and presented as crude (cOR) and adjusted (aOR) odds ratios.Main outcome measures  Prevalence of UI as ascertained using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire—urinary incontinence—short form.Results  Prevalence rates of UI at 28 weeks of gestation were 26% for women of African origin, 36% for women of Middle Eastern origin, 40% for women of East Asian origin, 43% for women of South Asian origin and 45% for women of European/North American origin. The difference was significant between women of African and European/North American origins (P = 0.011) and between women of African and South Asian origins (P = 0.035). Age (aOR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01–1.09) and parity (aOR 2.34; 95% CI 1.66–3.28) were positively associated with the prevalence of UI in pregnancy. Women of African origin had significantly reduced odds for UI (aOR 0.42; 95% CI 0.20–0.87). East Asian and African women reported the highest perceived impact of UI in pregnancy.Conclusions  A high prevalence of UI was found in a multi‐ethnic pregnant population.