Fragmented Catholicity and Social Cohesion: Faith Schools in a Plural Society

Review of Fragmented Catholicity and Social Cohesion: Faith Schools in a Plural Society, by Ann Casson

Over-utilization of Advanced Imaging in the Hospital Setting: An Educational Approach to Reduce Unnecessary Inpatient Studies

By several measures, health care spending continues to rise, forcing businesses and families to cut back on operations and household expenses. In 2008, health care spending in the United States reached $2.4 trillion dollars, and is projected to reach$3.1 trillion in 2012.During the past decades, there has been a steady increase in the utilization of expensive inpatient imaging studies, with an overall increase in health care costs. In particular, advanced imaging includes CT, MRI and Nuclear Medicine, used for the diagnosis and management of hospitalized patients. The reasons for unnecessary imaging examinations include indirect financial benefit to physicians, medico-legal considerations, lack of accepted guidelines or failure to follow established ones. In the United States alone, it is estimated that CT testing accounts for around 6,000 additional cancers per year, with about half of those proving fatal. Each radiologic study using gadolinium presented a 2.4% risk of developing nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, with significant morbidity and mortality. We have shown that education of the ordering physicians is a feasible and cost effective means to decrease the over-otilization of advanced imaging in the inpatient setting

Alcohol-Based Adsorption Heat Pumps using Hydrophobic Metal-Organic Frameworks

The building climate industry and its influence on energy consumption have consequences on the environment due to the emission of greenhouse gasses. Improving the efficiency of this sector is essential to reduce the effect on climate change. In recent years, the interest in porous materials in applications such as heat pumps has increased for their promising potential. To assess the performance of adsorption heat pumps and cooling systems, here we discuss a multistep approach based on the processing of adsorption data combined with a thermodynamic model. The process provides properties of interest, such as the coefficient of performance, the working capacity, the specific heat or cooling effect, or the released heat upon adsorption and desorption cycles, and it also has the advantage of identifying the optimal conditions for each adsorbent-fluid pair. To test this method, we select several metal-organic frameworks that differ in topology, chemical composition, and pore size, which we validate with available experiments. Adsorption equilibrium curves were calculated using molecular simulations to describe the adsorption mechanisms of methanol and ethanol as working fluids in the selected adsorbents. Then, using a thermodynamic model we calculate the energetic properties combined with iterative algorithms that simultaneously vary all the required working conditions. We discuss the strong influence of operating temperatures on the performance of heat pump devices. Our findings point to the highly hydrophobic metal azolate framework MAF-6 as a very good candidate for heating and cooling applications for its high working capacity and excellent energy efficiency

Efecto del tratamiento J-Synch sobre el porcentaje de preñez en vaquillonas para cría inseminadas a tiempo fijo

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effect of J-Synch protocol used in heifers on pregnancy rate submitted to fixed time artificial insemination (FTAI). Six hundred and thirteen Angus heifers were used (age range: 13.5 to 15 months; body condition: 3 to 3.5 -scale 1 to 5 (1: emaciated and 5: obese) and weight: ≥ 260 kg. The animals were randomly assigned to the experimental units (heifers) according to a completely randomized design, to the following group: 1) J-Synch (n=205): on day 0 an intravaginal device was inserted with 0.6 g of progesterone (IVD) plus 2 mg of estradiol benzoate. On day 6 the device was removal and 0.15 mg of d-cloprostenol was administered. On day 9 (70-72 h after device removal), 0.10 mg of buserelin was injected and FTAI was performed. 2) Conventional 7D (n=206): on day 0 an intravaginal device (IVD) was inserted plus 2 mg of estradiol benzoate. On day 7 the device was removed and 0.15 mg of d-cloprostenol and 0.5 mg of estradiol cypionate were administered. On day 9 (50-52 h after device removal), FTAI was performed. 3) Conventional 8D (n=202): similar to Conventional group 7D, with the exception that the device remained in the vagina for a period of 8 days. For FTAI, frozen / thawed semen from a bull of proven fertility was used. Gestation diagnosis were performed at 30 days after FTAI. The statistical analysis was made by SAS. A 95% confidence level was established (α=0.05). Animals that lost the device (3.4%) were excluded from the statistical analysis. The pregnancy rate was not different between treatments (J-synch: 50.8%, Conventional 7D: 43.4% and Conventional 8D: 47.7%, p>0.05). In conclusion, J-Synch treatment used in beef heifers (13.5-15 months of age) generates pregnancy rate after FTAI similar to conventional treatment.El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar el efecto del J-Synch en vaquillonas para cría sobre el porcentaje de preñez post inseminación artificial a tiempo fijo (IATF). Se utilizaron 613 vaquillonas Angus (edad: 13,5 a 15 meses; condición corporal: 3 a 3,5 - escala 1 a 5 (1: emaciada, 5: obesa) y peso: ≥ 260 kg). Los animales fueron asignados aleatoriamente a 3 grupos de unidades experimentales (diseño completamente aleatorizado): 1) J-Synch (n=205): el día 0 se colocó un dispositivo intravaginal con 0,6 g de progesterona (DISP) más 2 mg de benzoato de estradiol (BE). El día 6 se retiró el DISP y se administró 0,15 mg de d-cloprostenol. El día 9 (70-72 h post retiro del DISP), se inyectó 0,10 mg de buserelina y se realizó IATF. 2) Convencional 7D (n=206): el día 0 se colocó un DISP más 2 mg de BE. El día 7 se retiró el DISP y se administraron 0,15 mg de d-cloprostenol y 0,5 mg de cipionato de estradiol. El día 9 (50-52 h post DISP) se realizó IATF. 3) Convencional 8D (n=202): ídem grupo Convencional 7D, con la salvedad que el DISP permaneció colocado durante 8 días. Para la IATF se utilizó semen congelado/descongelado proveniente de un toro de probada fertilidad. El diagnóstico de gestación se realizó a los 30 días post IATF. El análisis estadístico se realizó por SAS (nivel de confianza: 95%). Los animales que perdieron el dispositivo fueron excluidos del análisis. El 3,4% de las vaquillonas perdieron el DISP. El porcentaje de preñez no difirió entre tratamientos (J-Synch: 50,8%; Convencional 7D: 43,4% y Convencional 8D: 47,7%, p>0,05). Se concluye que el tratamiento J-Synch utilizado en vaquillonas para cría (13,5-15 meses de edad) genera porcentajes de preñez post IATF similares al tratamiento convencional

RAB8, RAB10 and RILPL1 contribute to both LRRK2 kinase-mediated centrosomal cohesion and ciliogenesis deficits

Mutations in the LRRK2 kinase are the most common cause of familial Parkinson's disease, and variants increase risk for the sporadic form of the disease. LRRK2 phosphorylates multiple RAB GTPases including RAB8A and RAB10. Phosphorylated RAB10 is recruited to centrosome-localized RILPL1, which may interfere with ciliogenesis in a disease-relevant context. Our previous studies indicate that the centrosomal accumulation of phosphorylated RAB8A causes centrosomal cohesion deficits in dividing cells, including in peripheral patient-derived cells. Here, we show that both RAB8 and RAB10 contribute to the centrosomal cohesion deficits. Pathogenic LRRK2 causes the centrosomal accumulation not only of phosho-RAB8 but also of phospho-RAB10, and the effects on centrosomal cohesion are dependent on RAB8, RAB10 and RILPL1. Conversely, the pathogenic LRRK2-mediated ciliogenesis defects correlate with the centrosomal accumulation of both phospho-RAB8 and phospho-RAB10. LRRK2-mediated centrosomal cohesion and ciliogenesis alterations are observed in patient-derived peripheral cells, as well as in primary astrocytes from mutant LRRK2 mice, and are reverted upon LRRK2 kinase inhibition. These data suggest that the LRRK2-mediated centrosomal cohesion and ciliogenesis defects are distinct cellular readouts of the same underlying phospho-RAB8/RAB10/RILPL1 nexus and highlight the possibility that either centrosomal cohesion and/or ciliogenesis alterations may serve as cellular biomarkers for LRRK2-related PD

Phase II study of irinotecan in combination with temozolomide (TEMIRI) in children with recurrent or refractory medulloblastoma: a joint ITCC and SIOPE brain tumor study

BackgroundThis multicenter phase II study investigated temozolomide + irinotecan (TEMIRI) treatment in children with relapsed or refractory medulloblastoma.MethodsPatients received temozolomide 100–125 mg/m2/day (days 1–5) and irinotecan 10 mg/m2/day (days 1–5 and 8–12) every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was tumor response within the first 4 cycles confirmed ≥4 weeks and assessed by an external response review committee (ERRC). In a 2-stage Optimum Simon design, ≥6 responses in the first 15 evaluable patients were required within the first 4 cycles for continued enrollment; a total of 19 responses from the first 46 evaluable patients was considered successful.ResultsSixty-six patients were treated. Seven responses were recorded during stage 1 and 15 in the first 46 ERRC evaluated patients (2 complete responses and 13 partial responses). The objective response rate during the first 4 cycles was 32.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 19.5%–48.0%). Median duration of response was 27.0 weeks (7.7–44.1 wk). In 63 patients evaluated by local investigators, the objective response rate was 33.3% (95% CI, 22.0%–46.3%), and 68.3% (95% CI, 55.3%–79.4%) experienced clinical benefit. Median survival was 16.7 months (95% CI, 13.3–19.8). The most common grade 3 treatment-related nonhematologic adverse event was diarrhea (7.6%). Grade 3/4 treatment-related hematologic adverse events included neutropenia (16.7%), thrombocytopenia (12.1%), anemia (9.1%), and lymphopenia (9%).ConclusionsThe planned study primary endpoint was not met. However, its tolerability makes TEMIRI a suitable candidate chemotherapy backbone for molecularly targeted agents in future trials in this setting

Differences in response to antiretroviral therapy in HIV-positive patients being treated for tuberculosis in Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Latin America

BACKGROUND: Efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens are preferred for treatment of adult HIV-positive patients co-infected with tuberculosis (HIV/TB). Few studies have compared outcomes among HIV/TB patients treated with efavirenz or non-efavirenz containing regimens. METHODS: HIV-positive patients aged ≥16 years with a diagnosis of tuberculosis recruited to the TB:HIV study between Jan 1, 2011, and Dec 31, 2013 in 19 countries in Eastern Europe (EE), Western Europe (WE), and Latin America (LA) who received ART concomitantly with TB treatment were included. Patients either received efavirenz-containing ART starting between 15 days prior to, during, or within 90 days after starting tuberculosis treatment, (efavirenz group), or other ART regimens (non-efavirenz group). Patients who started ART more than 90 days after initiation of TB treatment, or who experienced ART interruption of more than 15 days during TB treatment were excluded. We describe rates and factors associated with death, virological suppression, and loss to follow up at 12 months using univariate, multivariate Cox, and marginal structural models to compare the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Of 965 patients (647 receiving efavirenz-containing ART, and 318 a non-efavirenz regimen) 50% were from EE, 28% from WE, and 22% from LA. Among those not receiving efavirenz-containing ART, regimens mainly contained a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (57%), or raltegravir (22%). At 12 months 1.4% of patients in WE had died, compared to 20% in EE: rates of virological suppression ranged from 21% in EE to 61% in WE. After adjusting for potential confounders, rates of death (adjusted Hazard Ratio; aHR, 95%CI: 1.13, 0.72–1.78), virological suppression (aHR, 95%CI: 0.97, 0.76–1.22), and loss to follow up (aHR, 95%CI: 1.17, 0.81–1.67), were similar in patients treated with efavirenz and non-efavirenz containing ART regimens. CONCLUSION: In this large, prospective cohort, the response to ART varied significantly across geographical regions, whereas the ART regimen (efavirenz or non-efavirenz containing) did not impact on the proportion of patients who were virologically-suppressed, lost to follow up or dead at 12 months

Careers in context: An international study of career goals as mesostructure between societies' career-related human potential and proactive career behaviour

Careers exist in a societal context that offers both constraints and opportunities for career actors. Whereas most studies focus on proximal individual and/or organisational-level variables, we provide insights into how career goals and behaviours are understood and embedded in the more distal societal context. More specifically, we operationalise societal context using the career-related human potential composite and aim to understand if and why career goals and behaviours vary between countries. Drawing on a model of career structuration and using multilevel mediation modelling, we draw on a survey of 17,986 employees from 27 countries, covering nine of GLOBE's 10 cultural clusters, and national statistical data to examine the relationship between societal context (macrostructure building the career-opportunity structure) and actors' career goals (career mesostructure) and career behaviour (actions). We show that societal context in terms of societies' career-related human potential composite is negatively associated with the importance given to financial achievements as a specific career mesostructure in a society that is positively related to individuals' proactive career behaviour. Our career mesostructure fully mediates the relationship between societal context and individuals' proactive career behaviour. In this way, we expand career theory's scope beyond occupation- and organisation-related factors