A Cultural History of Animals (6 Volumes)

ABSTRACT

Handling and training methods of horses, which specially emphasize the importance of understanding horse body language and the use of reinforcements, are often used in practice, yet their effects are not completely known. This study investigated whether the use of a sympathetic approach during the preparation for public auctions influenced the reactivity of young horses towards humans. Sixteen thoroughbred yearlings were prepared for the public auctions during one month: eight horses (“Control”) were handled according to conventional practices, while the others (“Treated”) were handled with two sessions of basic training based on body language. The reactivity of horses was assessed in the presence of an “unfamiliar person” and a “familiar person” inside the horse's box. The experimenter recorded the presence/absence of selected behaviors during seven observational moments: “approaching the box,” “opening the box door,” “entering the box,” and four consecutive observations every thirty seconds. Reactivity of horses was ranked during the first experience of “bit,” “grooming,” “shower,” and application of the “surcingle.” Heart rate was telemetrically recorded during this final test. At the end of the auction preparation, “Treated” horses exhibited more “contact” (p = 0.08) and “lick” (p < 0.05) behaviors in the presence of a person. “Control” horses showed higher (non-significant) percentages of negative (more nervous) rankings during “bit,” “grooming,” and “surcingle” tests. Two “Control” horses showed aggressive behavior during the application of the surcingle and the test was interrupted to guarantee person and animal safety. In this pilot study, horses handled with a sympathetic approach showed less reactive behaviors compared with “Control” horses. It would be interesting to enlarge the sample size and assess if the use of non-coercive handling during the whole training period influences their welfare positively and for a long time.     

Association of ABO and Rh blood groups with breast cancer

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the association of “ABO” and “Rhesus” blood groups with incidence of breast cancer.MethodsIn this study, we identified 70 research documents from data based search engines including “PubMed”, “ISI-Web of Knowledge”, “Embase” and “Google Scholar”. The research papers were selected by using the primary key-terms including “ABO blood type”, “Rhesus” blood type and “breast cancer”. The research documents in which “ABO” and “Rhesus” blood types and breast cancer was debated were included. After screening, we reviewed 32 papers and finally we selected 25 research papers which met the inclusion criteria and remaining documents were excluded.ResultsBlood group “A” has high incidence of breast cancer (45.88%), blood group “O” has (31.69%); “B” (16.16%) and blood group “AB” has (6.27%) incidence of breast cancer. Blood group “A” has highest and blood group “AB” has least association with breast cancer. Furthermore, “Rhesus +ve” blood group has high incidence of breast cancer (88.31%) and “Rhesus –ve” blood group has least association with breast cancer (11.68%).ConclusionBlood group “A” and “Rhesus +ve” have high risk of breast cancer, while blood type “AB” and “Rhesus –ve” are at low peril of breast cancer. Physicians should carefully monitor the females with blood group “A” and “Rh +ve” as these females are more prone to develop breast cancer. To reduce breast cancer incidence and its burden, preventive and screening programs for breast cancer especially in young women are highly recommended.     

Does hospital at home for palliative care facilitate death at home? Randomised controlled trial

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact on place of death of a hospital at home service for palliative care.DesignPragmatic randomised controlled trial.SettingFormer Cambridge health district.Participants229 patients referred to the hospital at home service; 43 randomised to control group (standard care), 186 randomised to hospital at home.InterventionHospital at home versus standard care.ResultsTwenty five (58%) control patients died at home compared with 124 (67%) patients allocated to hospital at home. This difference was not significant; intention to treat analysis did not show that hospital at home increased the number of deaths at home. Seventy three patients randomised to hospital at home were not admitted to the service. Patients admitted to hospital at home were significantly more likely to die at home (88/113; 78%) than control patients. It is not possible to determine whether this was due to hospital at home itself or other characteristics of the patients admitted to the service. The study attained less statistical power than initially planned.ConclusionIn a locality with good provision of standard community care we could not show that hospital at home allowed more patients to die at home, although neither does the study refute this. Problems relating to recruitment, attrition, and the vulnerability of the patient group make randomised controlled trials in palliative care difficult. While these difficulties have to be recognised they are not insurmountable with the appropriate resourcing and setting.

Key messages

• Terminally ill patients allocated to hospital at home were no more likely to die at home than patients receiving standard care
• Although the subsample of patients actually admitted to hospital at home did show a significant increase in likelihood of dying at home, whether this was due to the service itself or the characteristics of patients admitted to hospital at home could not be determined
• The need to balance ideal research design against the realities of evaluation of palliative care had the effect that the trial achieved less statistical power than originally planned
• Particular problems were that many patients failed to receive the allocated intervention because of the unpredictable nature of terminal illness, inclusion of other service input alongside hospital at home, and the wide range of standard care available
• The trial illustrated problems associated with randomised controlled trials in palliative care, none of which are insurmountable but which require careful consideration and resourcing before future trials are planned

     

Electron cryo-microscopy for elucidating the dynamic nature of live-protein complexes

BackgroundRecent innovations in the field of electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) have achieved structure determination of target macromolecules at “near-atomic resolution”. In addition, cryo-EM has the potential to deal with proteins in multiple conformations in close to physiological conditions.Scope of reviewThis is an overview of the latest technical and methodological developments in cryo-EM, especially key features for elucidating the dynamic nature of specimens.Major conclusionsIt is now possible to elucidate “near-atomic resolution” structures by selecting “well-behaved” particles in Single Particle Analysis (SPA) of cryo-EM images.General significanceCurrently, cryo-EM is utilized actively as an alternative to X-ray crystallography to obtain high-resolution structures of macromolecules, especially those which are hard to crystalize. One possible reason for difficulty in crystallization could be the dynamic nature of the specimen. New developments in the field of cryo-EM will make it possible to deal with specimen heterogeneity and reveal the dynamic nature of specimens.     

Use Of Incretin-Based Therapy in Hospitalized Patients with Hyperglycemia

ObjectiveHyperglycemia is common in hospitalized patients with and without prior history of diabetes and is an independent marker of morbidity and mortality in critically and noncritically ill patients. Tight glycemic control using insulin has been shown to reduce cardiac morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients, but it also results in hypoglycemic episodes, which have been linked to poor outcomes. Thus, alternative treatment options that can normalize blood glucose levels without undue hypoglycemia are being sought. Incretin-based therapies, such as glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 receptor agonists (RAs) and dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors, may have this potential.MethodsA PubMed database was searched to find literature describing the use of incretins in hospital settings. Title searches included the terms “diabetes” (care, management, treatment), “hospital,” “inpatient,” “hypoglycemia,” “hyperglycemia,” “glycemic,” “incretin,” “dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor,” “glucagon-like peptide-1,” and “glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist.”ResultsThe preliminary research experience with native GLP-1 therapy has shown promise, achieving improved glycemic control with a low risk of hypoglycemia, counteracting the hyperglycemic effects of stress hormones, and improving cardiac function in patients with heart failure and acute ischemia. Large, randomized controlled clinical trials are necessary to determine whether these favorable results will extend to the use of GLP-1 RAs and DPP-4 inhibitors.ConclusionsThis review offers hospitalist physicians and healthcare providers involved in inpatient diabetes care a pathophysiologic-based approach for the use of incretin agents in patients with hyperglycemia and diabetes, as well as a summary of benefits and concerns of insulin and incretin-based therapy in the hospital setting. (Endocr Pract. 2014;20:933-944)     

The alternative futures of naval force

Abstract

The paper discusses a series of new technologies and new strategic factors entering into naval power and their analytical consequences. The argument is made that (1) traditional ways of identifying “naval power”; no longer have any utility or carry real meaning; (2) current high‐value surface naval forces of declining utility are extremely vulnerable to attack, which will force a radical revaluation in the West of “sea control”; and the costs of such control; and (3) the Soviet Union, by virtue of its geography and its capacity to innovate in “sea denial”; naval force, may be better positioned that the West to take advantage of new antinaval technologies. Western countermeasures may be expensive, involve a radical restructuring of naval force, and mean the acceptance of permanent strategic vulnerability at sea. The “new era”; of naval politics cannot be divorced, analytically and operationally, from emergent space systems and from the strategic nuclear balance.     

Effectiveness and economic evaluation of a nurse delivered home exercise programme to prevent falls. 1: Randomised controlled trial

ObjectivesTo assess the effectiveness of a trained district nurse individually prescribing a home based exercise programme to reduce falls and injuries in elderly people and to estimate the cost effectiveness of the programme.DesignRandomised controlled trial with one year''s follow up.SettingCommunity health service at a New Zealand hospital.Participants240 women and men aged 75 years and older.Intervention121 participants received the exercise programme (exercise group) and 119 received usual care (control group); 90% (211 of 233) completed the trial.ResultsFalls were reduced by 46% (incidence rate ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval 0.32 to 0.90). Five hospital admissions were due to injuries caused by falls in the control group and none in the exercise group. The programme cost $NZ1803 (£523) (at 1998 prices) per fall prevented for delivering the programme and $NZ155 per fall prevented when hospital costs averted were considered.ConclusionA home exercise programme, previously shown to be successful when delivered by a physiotherapist, was also effective in reducing falls when delivered by a trained nurse from within a home health service. Serious injuries and hospital admissions due to falls were also reduced. The programme was cost effective in participants aged 80 years and older compared with younger participants.

What is already known on this topic

Falls are the costliest type of injury among elderly people, and the healthcare costs increase with frequency of falls and severity of injuriesAn exercise programme delivered by a physiotherapist was successful in reducing falls and moderate injuries in elderly people

What this study adds

An exercise programme to prevent falls in elderly people worked well when delivered by a district nurse from a home health service in the suburbs of a large cityResearchers, public health administrators, and health practitioners can work together to benefit elderly people in the community     

Diseño y validación de dos escalas sobre actitudes y conocimientos ante la terapia con muñecas en demencias

IntroductionNon-pharmacological interventions are often the subject of debate in the scientific field. Therefore, it is essential to know the attitudes that health professionals have towards the novel Doll Therapy in Dementia (DTD). The objective of this study was to design and validate two questionnaires to find out the attitudes and knowledge on DTD in health professionals.Material and methodsA total of 120 Spanish-speaking Geriatrics and Gerontology professionals, with a mean age of 38.3 years (DT = 10.99), participated, mostly women (88.3%). A questionnaire (TCM_DEMCO) on knowledge about the DTD and a questionnaire (TCM_DEMAC) on attitudes towards the DTD were designed and applied. The construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis, and reliability was calculated using Cronbach's α.ResultsThe exploratory factor analysis of the TCM_DEMCO questionnaire retained 10 items in 5 factors (“environment and dementia”, “therapeutic application”, “activities”, “methodology” and “benefits and implications”) that explained 70.1% of the total variability, giving a Cronbach α coefficient value > 0.50. The exploratory factor analysis of the TCM_DEMAC questionnaire retained 10 items in two factors (“positive attitudes” and “negative attitudes”) that explained 61.2% of the total variability, giving a Cronbach α value > 0.85.ConclusionsBoth questionnaires are a brief tool to learn about the attitudes and knowledge of Spanish-speaking Geriatrics and Gerontology professionals in matters of DTD. The reliability and validity analyses performed showed good psychometric properties of these tools.     

ClinMine: Optimizing the Management of Patients in Hospital

Context

A better understanding of “patient pathway” thanks to data analysis can lead to better treatments for patients. The ClinMine project, supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR), aims at proposing, from various case studies, algorithmic and statistical models able to handle this type of pathway data, focusing primarily on hospital data.

The Strange Animal Situation Test

ABSTRACT

Many tools assess the reactions of humans encountering familiar or unfamiliar partners or environments. Companion animals belong to our everyday environment and influence our lives. Whereas many standardized tools test companion animals' reactions to humans, few evaluate humans' reactions to companion animals. We present here a test with a guinea pig that can be applied to a wide range of people in the home environment. This standardized test and simple coding system enabled us to characterize individual behavioral profiles of children and compare them in relation to different factors (e.g., gender, age, pet ownership). We observed 59 children (32 girls, 27 boys), aged between 6 and 12 years old. Our results show that most children first looked at the guinea pig (72%), smiled when they saw it (49%), and then went directly towards it without looking at their parent (79%). Many children touched the animal without hesitation (86%). Moreover, this test reveals more than the mere interest of children in guinea pigs. Indeed, a cluster analysis differentiated four behavioral profiles that reflected aspects of the children's experience, gender, and lifestyles. When encountering the unfamiliar guinea pig, children could be “confident” (go straight to the animal and touch it; 64%), “anxious” (look at parent; 12%), “indirect” (hesitate and touch; 14%), or “careful” (emit vocal and/or verbal behaviors; 10%). The potential future application of this research is to compare behavioral profiles quantitatively over the long term, taking into account the development and experiences of people with typical development and those with atypical development (e.g., autistic disorders).     

Intervención domiciliaria por terapia ocupacional postalta para prevenir la rehospitalización de personas mayores: protocolo de estudio de un ensayo clínico aleatorizado

Background and objective

Re-admission to hospital by the elderly is a frequent event that is associated with complications. The aim of this article is to describe a randomised clinical trial protocol which has the aim of describing and comparing the impact of a home-based intervention by Occupational Therapists (OT) in the likelihood of re-admission at 6 months.

PROGRESS REPORT: BIRD RINGING

Craig, A.J.F.K. &; Hulley, P.E. 1994. Sunbird movements: a review, with possible models. Ostrich 65: 106–110.

Based on current fieldwork, we propose four possible models to explain the winter influx of sunbirds which we have observed: the birds may be (1) “winter residents”, which move annually to a wintering area and remain there; (2) “shoppers”, which periodically investigate feeding areas within their home range and feed opportunistically where nectar is most abundant; (3) “tourists”, which successively visit a series of sites on a regular itinerary; (4) “nomads”, which move unpredictably to new areas whenever food supplies decline. and have no home base. Current data on sunbird movements are reviewed, and in a few cases the winter resident model is unlikely, but generally it is not yet possible to eliminate any of the hypotheses. Moult cycles based on both field and museum studies may provide additional information, as movements are unlikely while active wing-moult is in progress; some species show interrupted wing-moult, which may be associated with long-distance flights.     

Interobserver And Intraobserver Agreement In Parathyroid Scintigraphy: How Can Parathyroid Scintigraphy Be Made More Reliable?

ObjectiveTo determine the intraobserver and interobserver agreement levels in the evaluation of technetium Tc 99m sestamibi parathyroid scintigraphic images.MethodsNinety-eight patients with hyperparathyroidism were included in the study, and their parathyroid images were evaluated by 4 experienced nuclear medicine observers. The 98 cases were evaluated twice by each observer within an interval of 2 weeks. The evaluations were performed directly on workstations with use of digital images. A questionnaire was completed by each observer. The presence of a lesion, the number and the localizations of the lesions, and whether the lesion was clear or doubtful were all evaluated. Cohen kappa statistics and total agreement percentages were calculated by using SPSS version 11.0 software.ResultsThe 4 observers performed 8 different evaluations and identified a minimum of 38 and a maximum of 43 cases with a parathyroid lesion (or lesions). Both the intraobserver and the interobserver agreements were “very good” for the presence of a parathyroid lesion. The intraobserver agreement was also “very good” and the interobserver agreement was “good” (for only 1 pair of observers) or “very good” for the evaluation of the number of parathyroid lesions. The intraobserver agreement was “very good” or “good” and the interobserver agreement was “good” for the lesion localization and for the presence of a doubtful lesion.ConclusionParathyroid scintigraphy seems to be an observer independent method in the detection of a parathyroid lesion, in the determination of the number of lesions, and in the localizations of the lesions. The measured high agreement between observers increases the reliability of parathyroid scintigraphy. (Endocr Pract. 2012;18: 538-548)     

An integrated environment and cost assessment method based on LCA and LCC for mechanical product manufacturing

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide an integrated method to identify the resource consumption, environmental emission, and economic cost for mechanical product manufacturing from economic and ecological dimensions and ultimately to provide theoretical and data support of energy conservation and emission reduction for mechanical product manufacturing.

Methods

The applied research methods include environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC). In life cycle environmental assessment, the inventory data are referred from Chinese Life Cycle Database and midpoint approach and EDIP2003 and CML2001 models of life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) are selected. In life cycle cost assessment, three cost categories are considered. The proposed environment and cost assessment method is based on the theory of social willingness to pay for potential environmental impacts. With the WD615 Steyr engine as a case, life cycle environment and cost are analyzed and evaluated.

Results and discussion

The case study indicates that, in different life cycle phases, the trend of cost result is generally similar to the environmental impacts; the largest proportion of cost and environmental impact happened in the two phases of “material production” and “component manufacturing” and the smallest proportion in “material transport” and “product assembly.” The environmental impact category of Chinese resource depletion potential (CRDP) accounted for the largest proportion, followed by global warming potential (GWP) and photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), whereas the impacts of eutrophication potential (EP) and acidification potential (AP) are the smallest. The life cycle “conventional cost” accounted for almost all the highest percentage in each phase (except “material transport” phase), which is more than 80% of the total cost. The “environmental cost” and “possible cost” in each phase are relatively close, and the proportion of which is far below the “conventional cost.”

Conclusions

The proposed method enhanced the conventional LCA. The case results indicate that, in a life cycle framework, the environment and cost analysis results could support each other, and focusing on the environment and cost analysis for mechanical product manufacturing will contribute to a more comprehensive eco-efficiency assessment. Further research on the life cycle can be extended to phases of “early design,” “product use,” and “final disposal.” Other LCIA models and endpoint indicators are advocated for this environmental assessment. Environmental cost can also be further investigated, and the relevant social willingness to pay for more environmental emissions is advocated to be increased.

     

Individualization Through Standardization: Electronic Orders for Subcutaneous Insulin in the Hospital

ObjectiveThe objective was to design electronic order sets that would promote safe, effective, and individualized order entry for subcutaneous insulin in the hospital, based on a review of best practices.MethodsSaint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois, a community teaching hospital, was selected as the pilot site for 6 hospitals in the Health Care System to introduce an electronic medical record. Articles dealing with man agement of hospital hyperglycemia, medical order entry systems, and patient safety were reviewed selectively.ResultsIn the published literature on institutional glycemic management programs and insulin order sets, features were identified that improve safety and effectiveness of subcutaneous insulin therapy. Subcutaneous electronic insulin order sets were created, designated in short: “patients eating”, “patients not eating”, and “patients receiving overnight enteral feedings.” Together with an option for free text entry, menus of administra tion instructions were designed within each order set that were applicable to specific insulin orders and expressed in standardized language, such as “hold if tube feeds stop” or “do not withhold.”ConclusionTwo design features are advocated for electronic order sets for subcutaneous insulin that will both standardize care and protect individualization. First, within the order sets, the glycemic management plan should be matched to the carbohydrate exposure of the patients, with juxtaposition of appropriate orders for both glucose monitoring and insulin. Second, in order to convey precautions of insulin use to pharmacy and nursing staff, the prescriber must be able to attach administration instructions to specific insulin orders. (Endocr Pract. 2012;18:976-987)     

Participation of women medical Physicists in European scientific events: The European experience

PurposeThough the number of women scientists is increasing over the years, studies show that they are still under-represented in leadership roles. The purpose of this work is to establish the percentage of women Medical Physicists (wMPs) that have participated in European scientific events and evaluate it as an indication of the current position of women in the field of Medical Physics in Europe and to propose possible ways to encourage their participation.Materials and MethodsData regarding the participants in European scientific events of Medical Physics were collected. The participants were divided into categories according to the program of the events and their gender was identified. The percentage of wMPs in each category was evaluated.ResultsThe participation of wMPs attending courses is greater than 50%. The categories with the greatest participation are “Organizing Committees”, “Chairpersons-Moderators” and “Oral Presentations”. The categories with the lower participation of wMPs are “Scientific Committee”, “Symposiums” and “Invited Speakers”. None of wMPs were represented as “Course Directors”.ConclusionsThe attendance of wMPs in courses is slightly greater than average. However, wMPs do not have an equally important recognition in special invited roles in conferences. They are still under-represented in “Scientific Committees”, “Invited Speakers”, “Symposiums” and “Course directors”. wMPs should be encouraged to participate even more actively in European conferences and the organizing committees should invite more wMPs in special roles. More studies concerning the status of female MPs in each country separately should be encouraged as they will help in understanding the position of wMPS in Europe.     

L’intersubjectif et l’intrasubjectif dans l’expérience de souffrance. Un regard psychanalytique

Psychoanalysis characterises subjectivity as a notion based on the “plurality of psychologically troubled persons”, revealed, for instance, in dreams. The author takes a closer look at a number of Freud’s dream analyses and argues that, in working with the dream, subjects often eject one of their psychologically troubled persons (often the “suffering child”) out of themselves, projecting the person into the Other. As a result, an intersubjective space is created, which is required to receive the divisions originating from the intrasubjective space. Freud’s 1895 Project, however, goes farther: the evacuation of the “disparate part” of the child to the Other grants access to logical and rational judgement, guaranteeing a child’s psychological life a fictional stability (the “Thing” or the “ego”). Freud adds that this process is possible if a Nebenmensch — or “fellow creature” — is present and has the quality of a “helping person” capable of receiving the child’s suffering cry. These two lines of thought, together, help clarify the intersubjective position underlying the analytical work: a tentative encounter between the patient’s distress and the analyst’s presence. Free-floating attention will enable the analyst to receive and hear this distress and ease the patient’s recovery of his or her intrasubjective space.     

C-2 phenyl replacements to obtain potent quinoline-based Staphylococcus aureus NorA inhibitors

Abstract

NorA is the most studied efflux pump of Staphylococcus aureus and is responsible for high level resistance towards fluoroquinolone drugs. Although along the years many NorA efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) have been reported, poor information is available about structure-activity relationship (SAR) around their nuclei and reliability of data supported by robust assays proving NorA inhibition. In this regard, we focussed efforts on the 2-phenylquinoline as a promising chemotype to develop potent NorA EPIs. Herein, we report SAR studies about the introduction of different aryl moieties on the quinoline C-2 position. The new derivative 37a showed an improved EPI activity (16-fold) with respect to the starting hit 1. Moreover, compound 37a exhibited a high potential in time-kill curves when combined with ciprofloxacin against SA-1199B (norA+). Also, 37a exhibited poor non-specific effect on bacterial membrane polarisation and showed an improvement in terms of “selectivity index” in comparison to 1.     

CHARACTERISTICS OF TERRITORIAL AND MATING CALLS IN WILLOW PTARMIGAN LAGOPUS L. LAGOPUS

ABSTRACT

During territorial behaviour and pair formation willow ptarmigan cocks and hens use several different calls. Cocks use mainly a “flight call”, a “ground call” and three different “threat calls”. Hens give similar calls to cocks. It is suggested that the structure of the calls is well adapted to (1) transmit their possible information content over long distances, and (2) make localization easier for birds during the territorial display periods, which take place mainly in poor light at dusk and dawn. We also suggest that the cock and hen calls express different degrees of aggressiveness, and that hen calls, in addition to attracting cocks, function as territorial “keep out” signals to other hens.