bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Seeds Germination and Seedling Growth of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc. (Fabaceae))
Authors: Koné Mongomaké , Koné Tchoa , Silué Nakpalo , Soumahoro André Brahima , Kouakou Tanoh Hilaire
Published: October 2015

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is an indigenous grain legume. It occupies a prominent place in the strategies to ensure food security in sub‐Saharan Africa. Development of an efficient in vitro regeneration system, a prerequisite for genetic transformation application, requires the establishment of optimal conditions for seeds germination and plantlets development. Three types of seeds were inoculated on different basal media devoid of growth regulators. Various strengths of the medium of choice and the type and concentration of carbon source were also investigated. Responses to germination varied with the type of seed. Embryonic axis (EA) followed by seeds without coat (SWtC) germinated rapidly and expressed a high rate of germination. The growth performances of plantlets varied with the basal medium composition and the seeds type. The optimal growth performances of plants were displayed on half strength MS basal medium with SWtC and EA as source of seeds. Addition of 3% sucrose in the culture medium was more suitable for a maximum growth of plantlets derived from EA.
Eating Behaviours of British University Students: A Cluster Analysis on a Neglected Issue
Authors: Tanton Jina , Dodd Lorna J. , Woodfield Lorayne , Mabhala Mzwandile
Published: October 2015

Unhealthy diet is a primary risk factor for noncommunicable diseases. University student populations are known to engage in health risking lifestyle behaviours including risky eating behaviours. The purpose of this study was to examine eating behaviour patterns in a population of British university students using a two-step cluster analysis. Consumption prevalence of snack, convenience, and fast foods in addition to fruit and vegetables was measured using a self-report “Student Eating Behaviours” questionnaire on 345 undergraduate university students. Four clusters were identified: “risky eating behaviours,” “mixed eating behaviours,” “moderate eating behaviours,” and “favourable eating behaviours.” Nineteen percent of students were categorised as having “favourable eating behaviours” whilst just under a third of students were categorised within the two most risky clusters. Riskier eating behaviour patterns were associated with living on campus and Christian faith. The findings of this study highlight the importance of university microenvironments on eating behaviours in university student populations. Religion as a mediator of eating behaviours is a novel finding.
Enhanced Z-LDA for Small Sample Size Training in Brain-Computer Interface Systems
Authors: Gao Dongrui , Zhang Rui , Liu Tiejun , Li Fali , Ma Teng , Lv Xulin , Li Peiyang , Yao Dezhong , Xu Peng
Published: October 2015

Background. Usually the training set of online brain-computer interface (BCI) experiment is small. For the small training set, it lacks enough information to deeply train the classifier, resulting in the poor classification performance during online testing.Methods. In this paper, on the basis of Z-LDA, we further calculate the classification probability of Z-LDA and then use it to select the reliable samples from the testing set to enlarge the training set, aiming to mine the additional information from testing set to adjust the biased classification boundary obtained from the small training set. The proposed approach is an extension of previous Z-LDA and is named enhanced Z-LDA (EZ-LDA).Results. We evaluated the classification performance of LDA, Z-LDA, and EZ-LDA on simulation and real BCI datasets with different sizes of training samples, and classification results showed EZ-LDA achieved the best classification performance.Conclusions. EZ-LDA is promising to deal with the small sample size training problem usually existing in online BCI system.
Exponentially Fitted Two-Derivative Runge-Kutta Methods for Simulation of Oscillatory Genetic Regulatory Systems
Authors: Chen Zhaoxia , Li Juan , Zhang Ruqiang , You Xiong
Published: October 2015

Oscillation is one of the most important phenomena in the chemical reaction systems in living cells. The general purpose simulation algorithms fail to take into account this special character and produce unsatisfying results. In order to enhance the accuracy of the integrator, the second-order derivative is incorporated in the scheme. The oscillatory feature of the solution is captured by the integrators with an exponential fitting property. Three practical exponentially fitted TDRK (EFTDRK) methods are derived. To test the effectiveness of the new EFTDRK methods, the two-gene system with cross-regulation and the circadian oscillation of the period protein inDrosophilaare simulated. Each EFTDRK method has the best fitting frequency which minimizes the global error. The numerical results show that the new EFTDRK methods are more accurate and more efficient than their prototype TDRK methods or RK methods of the same order and the traditional exponentially fitted RK method in the literature.
Glutamine May Repress the Weak LPS and Enhance the Strong Heat Shock Induction of Monocyte and Lymphocyte HSP72 Proteins but May Not Modulate the HSP72 mRNA in Patients with Sepsis or Trauma
Authors: Briassouli Efrossini , Tzanoudaki Marianna , Goukos Dimitris , Routsi Christina , Nanas Serafim , Vardas Kostas , Apostolou Kleovoulos , Kanariou Maria , Daikos George , Briassoulis George
Published: October 2015

Objective. We assessed the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or heat shock (HS) induction of heat shock protein-72 (HSP72) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with severe sepsis (SS) or trauma-related systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), compared to healthy individuals (H); we also investigated any pre- or posttreatment modulating glutamine (Gln) effect.Methods. SS (11), SIRS (10), and H (19) PBMCs were incubated with 1 μg/mL LPS or 43°HS. Gln 10 mM was either added 1 h before or 1 h after induction or was not added at all. We measured monocyte (m), lymphocyte (l), mRNA HSP72, HSP72 polymorphisms, interleukins (ILs), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and cortisol levels.Results. Baseline lHSP72 was higher in SSp<0.03, and mHSP72 in SIRSp<0.02, compared to H. Only HS induced l/mHSP72/mRNA HSP72; LPS induced IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and MCP-1. Induced mRNA was related to l/mHSP72, and was related negatively to cytokines. Intracellular l/mHSP72/HSP72 mRNA was related to serum ILs, not being influenced by cortisol, illness severity, and HSP72 polymorphisms. Gln did not induce mRNA in any group but modified l/mHSP72 after LPS/HS induction unpredictably.Conclusions. HSP72 mRNA and l/mHSP72 are higher among critically ill patients, further induced by HS, not by LPS. HSP72 proteins and HSP72 mRNA are related to serum ILs and are negatively related to supernatant cytokines, not being influenced by HSP72 polymorphisms, cortisol, or illness severity. Gln may depress l/mHSP72 after LPS exposure and enhance them after HS induction, but it may not affect early induced HSP72 mRNA.
Strong Tracking Filtering Algorithm of Randomly Delayed Measurements for Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Yang Hongtao , Gao Huibin , Liu Xin
Published: October 2015

This paper focuses on the filtering problems of nonlinear discrete-time stochastic dynamic systems, such as the model simplification, noise characteristics uncertainty, initial conditions uncertainty, or system parametric variation. Under these circumstances, the measurements of system have one sampling time random delay. A new method, that is, strong tracking filtering algorithm of randomly delayed measurements (STF/RDM) for nonlinear systems based on recursive operating by analytical computation and first-order linear approximations, is proposed; a principle of extended orthogonality is presented as a criterion of designing the STF/RDM, and through the residuals between available and predicted measurements, the formula of fading factor is obtained. Under the premise of using the extended orthogonality principle, STF/RDM proposed in this paper can adjust the fading factor online via calculating the covariance of residuals, and then the gain matrices of the STF/RDM adjust in real time to enhance the performance of the proposed method. Lastly, in order to prove that the performance of STF/RDM precedes existing EKF method, the experiment of tracking maneuvering aircraft is carried out.
Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment by Hormone Receptor and HER2 Status
Authors: Chen Lu , Li Christopher I.
Published: October 2015

Background: African American and Hispanic women are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive forms of breast cancer. Disparities within each subtype of breast cancer have not been well documented.

Methods: Using data from 18 SEER cancer registries, we identified 102,064 women aged 20 years or older, diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2010–2011, and with known stage, hormone receptor (HR), and HER2 status. Associations between race/ethnicity and cancer stage and receipt of guideline-concordant treatment were evaluated according to HR/HER2 status.

Results: Overall, African American and Hispanic women were 30% to 60% more likely to be diagnosed with stage II–IV breast cancer compared with non-Hispanic whites. African American women had 40% to 70% higher risks of stage IV breast cancer across all four subtypes. American Indian/Alaska Native women had a 3.9-fold higher risk of stage IV triple-negative breast cancer. African American and Hispanic whites were 30% to 40% more likely to receive non–guideline-concordant treatment for breast cancer overall and across subtypes.

Conclusions: Women in several racial/ethnic groups are more likely to be diagnosed with more advanced stage breast cancer. African American and American Indian/Alaska Native women in particular had the highest risk of being diagnosed with stage IV triple-negative breast cancer. African American and Hispanic women were also consistently at higher risk of not receiving guideline-concordant treatment across subtypes.

Impact: These findings provide important characterization of which subtypes of breast cancer racial/ethnic disparities in stage and treatment persist. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(11); 1666–72. ©2015 AACR.
Molecular Pathways: New Signaling Considerations When Targeting Cytoskeletal Balance to Reduce Tumor Growth
Authors: Chakrabarti Kristi R. , Hessler Lindsay , Bhandary Lekhana , Martin Stuart S.
Published: October 2015

The dynamic balance between microtubule extension and actin contraction regulates mammalian cell shape, division, and motility, which has made the cytoskeleton an attractive and very successful target for cancer drugs. Numerous compounds in clinical use to reduce tumor growth cause microtubule breakdown (vinca alkaloids, colchicine-site, and halichondrins) or hyperstabilization of microtubules (taxanes and epothilones). However, both of these strategies indiscriminately alter the assembly and dynamics of all microtubules, which causes significant dose-limiting toxicities on normal tissues. Emerging data are revealing that posttranslational modifications of tubulin (detyrosination, acetylation) or microtubule-associated proteins (Tau, Aurora kinase) may allow for more specific targeting of microtubule subsets, thereby avoiding the broad disruption of all microtubule polymerization. Developing approaches to reduce tumor cell migration and invasion focus on disrupting actin regulation by the kinases SRC and ROCK. Because the dynamic balance between microtubule extension and actin contraction also regulates cell fate decisions and stem cell characteristics, disrupting this cytoskeletal balance could yield unexpected effects beyond tumor growth. This review will examine recent data demonstrating that cytoskeletal cancer drugs affect wound-healing responses, microtentacle-dependent reattachment efficiency, and stem cell characteristics in ways that could affect the metastatic potential of tumor cells, both beneficially and detrimentally. Clin Cancer Res; 21(23); 5209–14. ©2015 AACR.
Association of Variants in Candidate Genes with Lipid Profiles in Women with Early Breast Cancer on Adjuvant Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy
Authors: Santa-Maria Cesar A. , Blackford Amanda , Nguyen Anne T. , Skaar Todd C. , Philips Santosh , Oesterreich Steffi , Rae James M. , Desta Zeruesenay , Robarge Jason , Henry Norah Lynn , Storniolo Anna M. , Hayes Daniel F. , Blumenthal Roger S. , Ouyang Pamela , Post Wendy S. , Flockhart David A. , Stearns Vered
Published: October 2015

Purpose: Aromatase inhibitors can exert unfavorable effects on lipid profiles; however, previous studies have reported inconsistent results. We describe the association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in candidate genes with lipid profiles in women treated with adjuvant aromatase inhibitors.

Experimental Design: We conducted a prospective observational study to test the associations between SNPs in candidate genes in estrogen signaling and aromatase inhibitor metabolism pathways with fasting lipid profiles during the first 3 months of aromatase inhibitor therapy in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer randomized to adjuvant letrozole or exemestane. We performed genetic association analysis and multivariable linear regressions using dominant, recessive, and additive models.

Results: A total of 303 women had complete genetic and lipid data and were evaluable for analysis. In letrozole-treated patients, SNPs in CYP19A1, including rs4646, rs10046, rs700518, rs749292, rs2289106, rs3759811, and rs4775936 were significantly associated with decreases in triglycerides by 20.2 mg/dL and 39.3 mg/dL (P < 0.00053), respectively, and with variable changes in high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) from decreases by 4.2 mg/dL to increases by 9.8 mg/dL (P < 0.00053).

Conclusions: Variants in CYP19A1 are associated with decreases in triglycerides and variable changes in HDL-C in postmenopausal women on adjuvant aromatase inhibitors. Future studies are needed to validate these findings, and to identify breast cancer survivors who are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease with aromatase inhibitor therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 22(6); 1395–402. ©2015 AACR.
Homologous Recombination Deficiency: Exploiting the Fundamental Vulnerability of Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Konstantinopoulos Panagiotis A. , Ceccaldi Raphael , Shapiro Geoffrey I. , D'Andrea Alan D.
Published: October 2015

Approximately 50% of epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC) exhibit defective DNA repair via homologous recombination (HR) due to genetic and epigenetic alterations of HR pathway genes. Defective HR is an important therapeutic target in EOC as exemplified by the efficacy of platinum analogues in this disease, as well as the advent of PARP inhibitors, which exhibit synthetic lethality when applied to HR-deficient cells. Here, we describe the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of HR-deficient EOCs, discuss current and emerging approaches for targeting these tumors, and present challenges associated with these approaches, focusing on development and overcoming resistance.

Significance: Defective DNA repair via HR is a pivotal vulnerability of EOC, particularly of the high-grade serous histologic subtype. Targeting defective HR offers the unique opportunity of exploiting molecular differences between tumor and normal cells, thereby inducing cancer-specific synthetic lethality; the promise and challenges of these approaches in ovarian cancer are discussed in this review. Cancer Discov; 5(11); 1137–54. ©2015 AACR.
Lumbar Spinal Immature Ganglioneuroma with Conus Medullaris Invasion: Case Report
Authors: Yılmaz Baran , Toktaş Zafer Orkun , Akakın Akın , Demir Mustafa Kemal , Yapıcıer Ozlem , Konya Deniz
Published: October 2015

Ganglioneuroma (GN) is a benign rare tumor that originates from neural crest cells. It shares a common histogenic family with ganglioneuroblastoma and neuroblastoma and represents the most benign and differentiated form of the group. The most common locations of the GNs are the mediastinum and retroperitoneum. We report an extremely rare case of lumbar spinal GN with conus medullaris invasion and extradural paraspinal extension. A 10-year-old girl presented with a history of worsening lower-back pain and an intermittent tingling sensation in the left leg. Neurological examination revealed reduced sensation in the left L2-L5 dermatomes. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intra- and extradural mass extending from the D11 to L5 vertebral body level. There was conus medullaris invasion by the tumor. After L1-L5 laminotomies, the patient underwent tumor resection. Histopathological diagnosis was immature GN. GNs occurring within the spinal column are rare and may grow to a large size. Despite the size and the common involvement of both intra- and extraspinal compartments, the prognosis is usually excellent after complete excision using microsurgical techniques.
New Insights in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Authors: Barcellini Wilma
Published: October 2015

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is caused by the increased destruction of red blood cells (RBCs) by anti-RBC autoantibodies with or without complement activation. RBC destruction may occur both by a direct lysis through the sequential activation of the final components of the complement cascade (membrane attack complex), or by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). The pathogenic role of autoantibodies depends on their class (the most frequent are IgG and IgM), subclass, thermal amplitude (warm and cold forms),as well as affinity and efficiency in activating complement. Several cytokines and cytotoxic mechanisms (CD8+ T and natural killer cells) are further involved in RBC destruction. Moreover, activated macrophages carrying Fc receptors may recognize and phagocyte erythrocytes opsonized by autoantibodies and complement. Direct complement-mediated lysis takes place mainly in the circulations and liver, whereas ADCC, cytotoxicity, and phagocytosis occur preferentially in the spleen and lymphoid organs. The degree of intravascular hemolysis is 10-fold greater than extravascular one. Finally, the efficacy of the erythroblastic compensatory response can greatly influence the clinical picture of AIHA. The interplay and relative burden of all these pathogenic mechanisms give reason for the great clinical heterogeneity of AIHAs, from fully compensated to rapidly evolving fatal cases.
High-Concentration Liquid Prednisolone Formula: Filling a Therapeutic Niche in Severe Acute Attacks of Urticaria and Angioedema
Authors: Peveling-Oberhag Adriane , Reimann Holger , Weyer Veronika , Goloborodko Evgeny , Staubach Petra
Published: October 2015

Background/Aims: According to current guidelines, the emergency kit for patients with severe urticaria and/or angioedema should include a corticosteroid with a prednisolone-equivalent of 50-100 mg. Since severe dysphagia may occur in anaphylaxis, liquid corticosteroids are advantageous. Presently, only liquid preparations with less than 100 mg prednisolone equivalent are available worldwide. Methods: We prepared a highly concentrated liquid prednisolone formula for oral administration (1 or 5 mg prednisolone per ml). We observed efficacy and safety of 100 mg or >250 mg liquid oral prednisolone in comparison to intravenous administration (250 mg prednisolone) in 53 patients with urticaria and/or angioedema. Results: The symptom control achieved with oral administration was comparable to that obtained with intravenous therapy, with remission of at least 50% of the symptoms in less than 30 min. No side effects occurred during the treatment period. Conclusion: The liquid prednisolone formula is an additional therapeutic rescue medication in dermatological emergency medicine, filling a therapeutic niche for patients who need high-concentration liquid prednisolone. It is suitable for self-administration emergency kits in children and adults, in accordance with current guidelines.
Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroup R Confers a Genetic Risk Factor for Intrauterine Adhesion in Han Women Population
Authors: Zhang Jing , Zhu Libo , Huang Xiufeng , Xu Ping , Chen Zhengyun , Huang Qiongshi , Zhang Xinmei
Published: October 2015

Background: To determine whether a specific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroup is implicated in the pathogenesis of intrauterine adhesion (IUA). Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 486 women with (case group, n = 154) and without IUA (control group, n = 332) at the Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood, and the mtDNA haplogroups of Han women M, N and R were determined by sequencing hypervariable mtDNA segments and testing diagnostic polymorphisms in the mtDNA coding region. Results: Women with mtDNA haplogroup R had an independently increased genetic risk factor for IUA with an OR 1.77 (95% CI 1.16-2.70, p = 0.009) compared with women without. Moreover, repeated intrauterine surgery within 1 month and number of intrauterine operations were both significantly associated with IUA (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These results suggest that mtDNA haplogroup R, one of the main mtDNA haplogroups in Han population, is a strong independent genetic risk factor for women with IUA.
Predictors of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Chinese Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Zhang Ya-jie , Jin Hua , Qin Zhen-li , Ma Jin-long , Zhao Han , Zhang Ling , Chen Zi-jiang
Published: October 2015

Aims: This study aims to explore the independent predictors of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed primigravid women with PCOS and classified them as those with and without GDM. Independent risk factors and model performance were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression and the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC), respectively. Results: Maternal body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), fasting glucose, insulin, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) before pregnancy, gestation weight gain before 24 weeks and the incidence of family history of diabetes were different in the 2 groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that pre-pregnancy WHR, SHBG, HOMA-IR and gestation weight gain before 24 weeks were the independent predictors of GDM. ROC curve analysis confirmed that gestation weight gain before 24 weeks (AUC 0.767, 95% CI 0.688-0.841), pre-pregnant WHR (AUC 0.725, 95% CI 0.649-0.802), HOMA-IR (AUC 0.711, 95% CI 0.632-0.790) and SHBG levels (AUC 0.709, 95% CI 0.625-0.793) were the strong risk factors. Conclusions: In Chinese women with PCOS, factors of gestation weight gain before 24 weeks, pre-pregnant WHR, HOMA-IR and SHBG levels are strongly associated with subsequent development of GDM.
Harmless Pregnancy-Induced Warm Autoantibodies to Red Blood Cells
Authors: Sürücü Gülüstan , Mayer Beate , Märzacker Anneliese , Yürek Salih , Salama Abdulgabar
Published: October 2015

Background: There is little information concerning the development and significance of autoantibodies (aab) to red blood cells (RBCs) during pregnancy. Methods: Unselected pregnant women were routinely screened for the presence of unexpected antibodies to RBCs using standard techniques. Results: Between 2009 and 2013, 153,612 pregnant women were tested. The antibody screening test was positive in 1,721 women (1.12%). In 1,602 (1.04%) cases, immune and/or non-immune alloantibodies and cold-reactive aab were detected, whereas warm-reactive aab were found in 119 women (0.08%). In almost all cases, warm-reactive aab belonged to the IgG class. No evidence of the presence of significant haemolysis in affected women was observed. Conclusion: Pregnant women may rarely develop aab to RBCs, which do not appear to cause haemolytic anaemia. Further clarification is required on the reasons behind the development of these aab and their clinical insignificance.
Delayed Correction of Hypotony Maculopathy in a Patient with Glaucoma and Thyroid-Related Orbitopathy
Authors: Gupta Divakar , Slabaugh Mark , Francis Courtney E.
Published: October 2015

Hypotony maculopathy is a condition that may result in visual deterioration from choroidal folds or optic disc edema. Optic disc edema can result from altered translaminar pressure gradients (lowered intraocular pressure, increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure, or increased orbital pressure). We report a case of bilateral optic disc edema in a patient with glaucoma and thyroid-related orbitopathy. The patient's disc edema was initially presumed to be secondary to her orbitopathy, but persisted after bilateral orbital decompression. Ultimately, disc edema and choroidal folds in the right eye resolved after trabeculectomy revision and an increase in intraocular pressure. This case serves as a reminder of the causes of optic disc edema and demonstrates delayed reversal of hypotony maculopathy.
Validation of the 9-Point and 24-Point Hematoma Expansion Prediction Scores and Derivation of the PREDICT A/B Scores
Authors: Huynh Thien J. , Aviv Richard I. , Dowlatshahi Dar , Gladstone David J. , Laupacis Andreas , Kiss Alex , Hill Michael D. , Molina Carlos A. , Rodriguez-Luna David , Dzialowski Imanuel , Silva Yolanda , Kobayashi Adam , Lum Cheemun , Boulanger Jean-Martin , Gubitz Gord , Bhatia Rohit , Padma Vasantha , Roy Jayanta , Kase Carlos S. , Symons Sean P. , Demchuk Andrew M.
Published: October 2015

Background and Purpose—

Nine- and 24-point prediction scores have recently been published to predict hematoma expansion (HE) in acute intracerebral hemorrhage. We sought to validate these scores and perform an independent analysis of HE predictors.

Methods—

We retrospectively studied 301 primary or anticoagulation-associated intracerebral hemorrhage patients presenting <6 hours post ictus prospectively enrolled in the Predicting Hematoma Growth and Outcome in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Using Contrast Bolus Computed Tomography (PREDICT) study. Patients underwent baseline computed tomography angiography and 24-hour noncontrast computed tomography follow-up for HE analysis. Discrimination and calibration of the 9- and 24-point scores was assessed. Independent predictors of HE were identified using multivariable regression and incorporated into the PREDICT A/B scores, which were then compared with existing scores.

Results—

The 9- and 24-point HE scores demonstrated acceptable discrimination for HE>6 mL or 33% and >6 mL, respectively (area under the curve of 0.706 and 0.755, respectively). The 24-point score demonstrated appropriate calibration in the PREDICT cohort (χ
2
statistic, 11.5;
P
=0.175), whereas the 9-point score demonstrated poor calibration (χ
2
statistic, 34.3;
P
<0.001). Independent HE predictors included spot sign number, time from onset, warfarin use or international normalized ratio >1.5, Glasgow Coma Scale, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and were included in PREDICT A/B scores. PREDICT A showed improved discrimination compared with both existing scores, whereas performance of PREDICT B varied by definition of expansion.

Conclusions—

The 9- and 24-point expansion scores demonstrate acceptable discrimination in an independent multicenter cohort; however, calibration was suboptimal for the 9-point score. The PREDICT A score showed improved discrimination for HE prediction but requires independent validation.
Methodological Factors in Determining Risk of Dementia After Transient Ischemic Attack and Stroke
Authors: Pendlebury Sarah T. , Klaus Stephen P. , Thomson Ross J. , Mehta Ziyah , Wharton Rose M. , Rothwell Peter M. ,   for the Oxford Vascular Study
Published: October 2015

Background and Purpose—

Cognitive assessment is recommended after stroke but there are few data on the applicability of short cognitive tests to the full spectrum of patients. We therefore determined the rates, causes, and associates of untestability in a population-based study of all transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke.

Methods—

Patients with TIA or stroke prospectively recruited (2002–2007) into the Oxford Vascular Study had ≥1 short cognitive test (mini-mental state examination, telephone interview of cognitive status, Montreal cognitive assessment, and abbreviated mental test score) at baseline and on follow-up to 5 years.

Results—

Among 1097 consecutive assessed survivors (mean: age/SD, 74.8/12.1 years; 378 TIA), numbers testable with a short cognitive test at baseline, 1, 6, 12, and 60 months were 835/1097 (76%), 778/947 (82%), 756/857 (88%), 692/792 (87%), and 472/567 (83%). Eighty-eight percent (331/378) of assessed patients with TIA were testable at baseline compared with only 46% (133/290) of major stroke (
P
<0.001). Untestability was also associated with older age, premorbid dependency, death on follow-up, and with both pre- and postevent dementia (all
P
<0.01). Untestability (and problems with testing) were commonly caused by acute stroke effects at baseline (153/262 [58%]: dysphasia/anarthria/hemiparesis=84 [32%], drowsiness=58 [22%], and acute confusion=11 [4%]), whereas sensory deficits caused relatively more problems with testing at later time points (24/63 [38%] at 5 years).

Conclusions—

Substantial numbers of patients with TIA and stroke are untestable with short cognitive tests. Future studies should report data on untestable patients and those with problems with testing in whom the likelihood of dementia is high.
Early Magnesium Treatment After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Dorhout Mees Sanne M. , Algra Ale , Wong George K.C. , Poon Wai S. , Bradford Celia M. , Saver Jeffrey L. , Starkman Sidney , Rinkel Gabriel J.E. , van den Bergh Walter M. ,   Collaborators, van Kooten F. , Dirven C.M. , van Gijn J. , Vermeulen M. , Boet R. , Chan M.T.V. , Gin T. , Ng S.C.P. , Zee B.C.Y. , Al-Shahi Salman R. , Boiten J. , Kuijsten H. , Lavados P.M. , van Oostenbrugge R.J. , Vandertop W.P. , Finfer S. , O’Connor A. , Yarad E. , Firth R. , McCallister R. , Harrington T. , Steinfort B. , Faulder K. , Assaad N. , Morgan M. , Eckstein M. , Stratton S.J. , Pratt F.D. , Hamilton S. , Conwit R. , Liebeskind D.S. , Sung G , Kramer I. , Moreau G. , Goldweber R. , Sanossian N.
Published: October 2015

Background and Purpose—

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is an important cause of poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Trials of magnesium treatment starting <4 days after symptom onset found no effect on poor outcome or DCI in SAH. Earlier installment of treatment might be more effective, but individual trials had not enough power for such a subanalysis. We performed an individual patient data meta-analysis to study whether magnesium is effective when given within different time frames within 24 hours after the SAH.

Methods—

Patients were divided into categories according to the delay between symptom onset and start of the study medication: <6, 6 to 12, 12 to 24, and >24 hours. We calculated adjusted risk ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals for magnesium versus placebo treatment for poor outcome and DCI.

Results—

We included 5 trials totaling 1981 patients; 83 patients started treatment <6 hours. For poor outcome, the adjusted risk ratios of magnesium treatment for start <6 hours were 1.44 (95% confidence interval, 0.83–2.51); for 6 to 12 hours 1.03 (0.65–1.63), for 12 to 24 hours 0.84 (0.65–1.09), and for >24 hours 1.06 (0.87–1.31), and for DCI, <6 hours 1.76 (0.68–4.58), for 6 to 12 hours 2.09 (0.99–4.39), for 12 to 24 hours 0.80 (0.56–1.16), and for >24 hours 1.08 (0.88–1.32).

Conclusions—

This meta-analysis suggests no beneficial effect of magnesium treatment on poor outcome or DCI when started early after SAH onset. Although the number of patients was small and a beneficial effect cannot be definitively excluded, we found no justification for a new trial with early magnesium treatment after SAH.
Fundamental Feedback: Öyvind Fahlström's Kisses Sweeter than Wine
Authors: Borgen Maibritt
Published: October 2015

The article analyzes Öyvind Fahlström's (1928–1976) performance Kisses Sweeter Than Wine, which took place as part of the festival 9 Evenings: art&engineering in New York (1966). It situates the performance's use of multimedia material as continuations of earlier investigations into manipulating language that played a central part in the artist's practice of both visual art and concrete poetry. It further argues that in Kisses Sweeter Than Wine such manipulations form a series of ruptures into the wider circulation of mass-media images, ruptures that locate Fahlström's use of media images in relation to both Pop Art and the beginning media activism under the Vietnam War.
Introduction to Special Issue
Authors: Faris Jaimey Hamilton
Published: October 2015

This introduction charts the emergence of the term Capitalist Realism at the intersection of the international postwar art movements of Pop, Fluxus, Nouveau Réalisme, happenings, and Anti-Art. It relates the independent coinage of Capitalist Realism by artists Gerhard Richter, Konrad Lueg, Sigmar Polke, and Manfred Kuttner in Germany in May 1963 with that of artist Akasegawa Genpei Japan in February 1964 and argues that they were both part of a broader interest in developing new strategies of artistic realism during the Cold War. The artists' sly and ironic appropriations of consumer objects and advertisements sought to capture the operations of capitalism, not only as an economy, but as an ideology that materially and systemically reproduces itself within everyday life. Relating the Cold War moment to the development of capitalism after the fall of the communist bloc, the introduction ends by addressing the strategic applicability of Capitalist Realist modes to contemporary art in the neoliberal era.
Elite Co-Occurrence in the Media
Authors: Traag Vincent A. , Reinanda Ridho , van Klinken Gerry
Published: October 2015

We present a new computational methodology to identify national political elites, and demonstrate it for Indonesia. On the basis that elites have an “organised capacity to make real and continuing political trouble”, we identify them as those individuals who occur most frequently in a large corpus of politically-oriented newspaper articles. Doing this requires mainly well-established named entity recognition techniques and appears to work well. More ambitiously, we also experiment with a new technique to map the relational networks among them. To establish these networks, we assume that individuals co-occurring in one sentence are related. The co-occurrence technique has rarely been applied to identify elite networks. The resulting network has a core-periphery structure. Although this in line with our sociological expectations of an elite network, we find that this structure does not differ significantly from that of a randomly generated co-occurrence network. We explain that this unexpected result arises as an artefact of the data. Finally, we assess the future potential of our elite network mapping technique. We conclude it remains promising, but only if we are able to add more sociological meaning to relations between elites.
Aspects of the life span and phenology of the invasive freshwater shrimp Atyaephyra desmarestii (Millet, 1831) at the northeastern edge of its range (Upper Rhine)
Authors: Schoolmann Gerhard , Nitsche Frank , Arndt Hartmut
Published: October 2015

Quantitative aspects of the life cycle of the freshwater shrimpAtyaephyra desmarestiiwere used to investigate its life span at the edge of its distribution area in Central Europe (Upper Rhine) for a period of three years. We estimated the proportion of the population surviving a second hibernation period. The appearance of ovigerous females in late spring was followed by a strong decline in the number of adults, the appearance of a high percentage of juveniles in late summer (0.58 ind./m2), and their subsequent disappearance from the shore in winter. A small semivoltine cohort survived a second winter. The average life span was 12-15 (max. 29) months under laboratory conditions. In molecular studies (COX I), the Upper Rhine and Southern France populations clustered within the North Africa/West-Central Europe species clade. Due to its low productivity, this invasive species is unlikely to cause management problems.
Apparent sympatry of Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus Schmidt & Angehr, 2008 and S. xanthogaster Sharpe, 1903 (Passeriformes: Muscicapidae) in Gabon, and taxonomic implications
Authors: BOANO GIOVANNI , VINALS NESTOR , DURANTE ANTONIO , PAVIA MARCO
Published: October 2015

We report the occurrence of the recently-described Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus in the Makokou area, northeastern Gabon, more than 600 kilometers NE from its type locality, in areas covered by dense primary to secondary forest. The previous records of Stiphrornis from the same area were referred to S. xanthogaster. We confirm this attribution on the basis of museum specimens. Although several recent sources treat all Stiphrornis as a single species, our findings strongly suggest the sympatric coexistence of two Stiphrornis species and thus that they should be treated as separate species under the Biological Species Concept.
Two new species of the genus Eotmethis (Orthoptera, Acridoidea, Pamphagidae) from China
Authors: YE BAO-HUA , SHI JIAN-PING , ZHI YONG-CHAO
Published: October 2015

Two new species of the genus Eotmethis Bey-Bienko, 1948, namely Eotmethis xiai sp. nov., and Eotmethis platyverticus sp. nov. from the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Gansu province are described in this paper. The new species Eotmethis xiai sp. nov. is allied to E. recipennis Xi & Zheng, 1986, but differs from latter by the vertical diameter of eye about 1.2 times as long as horizontal diameter, prozona of pronotum equal to metazona, tegmina of female shorter, reaching 2nd abdominal tergite only. The new species Eotmethis platyverticus sp. nov. is allied to E. holanennis Zheng & Gow, 1981, but differs from latter by width of vertex between eyes 2 times diameter of eye and prozona of pronotum longer than metazoan in female. The type specimens are deposited in College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, China.
The Role of Standing Waves in Driving Persistent Anomalies of Upward Wave Activity Flux
Authors: Watt-Meyer Oliver , Kushner Paul J.
Published: October 2015

Northern Hemisphere stratospheric polar vortex strength variability is known to be largely driven by persistent anomalies in upward wave activity flux. It has also been shown that attenuation and amplification of the stationary wave is the primary way in which wave activity flux varies. This study determines the structure of the wave anomalies that interfere with the climatological wave and drive this variability. Using a recently developed spectral decomposition it is shown that fixed-node standing waves are the primary drivers of the “linear interference” phenomenon. This is particularly true for the low-frequency component of the upward wave activity flux. The linear part of the flux is shown to be more persistent than the total flux and has significant tropospheric standing wave precursors that lead changes in the strength of the stratospheric polar vortex. Evidence is presented that current-generation high-top climate models are able to credibly simulate this variability in wave activity fluxes and the connection to polar vortex strength. Finally, the precursors to displacement and split sudden stratospheric warmings are examined. Displacement events are found to be preceded by about 25 days of anomalously high upward wave activity flux forced by standing waves amplifying the climatology. Split events have more short-lived wave activity flux precursors, which are dominated by the nonlinear part of the flux.
The Role of the Selection Problem and Non-Gaussianity in Attribution of Single Events to Climate Change
Authors: Christiansen Bo
Published: October 2015

In attempts to attribute a single event—such as an observed heat wave or flooding—to climate change, the probability distributions of the quantity under consideration for current and preindustrial conditions are compared to determine a possible changed occurrence rate. These distributions are typically calculated from large ensembles produced by climate models and require large computational resources. In this study, a simple alternative surrogate method together with analytical considerations will be used as a test bed to inform about methodological issues connected to the selection problem and deviations from Gaussianity that should be considered before comprehensive climate models are invoked.

The author will mainly study the influence of the selection problem, which in this context means that when an event has been observed it is not obvious how the probability distributions should be defined. Should similar events be looked for in the immediate neighborhood of the observation or in an extended area? It is shown that this choice will have serious consequences for the distributions of the events and the attribution to climate change.

The author also demonstrates that deviations from Gaussianity can have a large influence on the conclusions and that it is important that the ensembles adequately represent the features that contribute to the extreme events under consideration. In particular, it is shown that the fractional attributable risk has very different behavior for heavy-tailed distributions than for Gaussian distributions. In the example considered with the surrogate method—European heat waves—important features also include the seasonal variation in skewness.
Different Approaches to Covariate Inclusion in the Mixture Rasch Model
Authors: Li Tongyun , Jiao Hong , Macready George B.
Published: October 2015

The present study investigates different approaches to adding covariates and the impact in fitting mixture item response theory models. Mixture item response theory models serve as an important methodology for tackling several psychometric issues in test development, including the detection of latent differential item functioning. A Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted in which data generated according to a two-class mixture Rasch model with both dichotomous and continuous covariates are fitted to several mixture Rasch models with misspecified covariates to examine the effects of covariate inclusion on model parameter estimation. In addition, both complete response data and incomplete response data with different types of missingness are considered in the present study in order to simulate practical assessment settings. Parameter estimation is carried out within a Bayesian framework vis-à-vis Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms.
Mouse reproductive fitness is maintained up to an ambient temperature of 28℃ when housed in individually-ventilated cages
Authors: Helppi J , Schreier D , Naumann R , Zierau O
Published: October 2015

Production of genetically-modified mice is strongly dependent on environmental conditions. Mice are commonly housed at 22℃, which is significantly lower than their thermoneutral zone. But, when given a choice, mice often seem to prefer higher ambient temperatures. In the current study we investigated the effect of higher ambient temperature on the production of transgenic mice, with emphasis on embryo and sperm yield and quality. Mice (C57BL/6JOlaHsd) were housed under four different ambient temperatures (22, 25, 28 and 30℃). Female mice were superovulated, and mated with males. As indicators for reproductive fitness, the success of the mating was observed, including embryo yield and quality, as well as sperm count, motility and progressivity. Female mice were found to produce high amounts of high quality embryos from 22 to 28℃. Sperm count dropped continuously from 22 to 30℃, but sperm motility and progressivity remained high from 22 to 28℃. We conclude that mice can be housed at significantly higher temperatures than is commonly recommended without compromising embryo production and quality, or sperm quality. These results could lead to fundamental changes in how mouse facilities are built and operated – especially in warmer climates whereby energy consumption and therefore costs could be significantly reduced.
Managing Boundaries: The Role of Non-Profit Organisations in Russia’s Managed Democracy
Authors: Ljubownikow Sergej , Crotty Jo
Published: October 2015

This article examines Russian human service non-profit organisations (NPOs) to investigate the nature of civil society in a managed democracy. Specifically the focus is on emerging vertical ties between NPOs and ruling and governing elites. Drawing on qualitative data collected from health and education NPOs in three industrial regions, we find that in establishing such vertical ties the role of organisations and individuals within is changing – they have moved away from ignored outsiders towards accessing the circles of power and being tasked with managing the boundary between the state and civil society. In exploring these arrangements this article highlights that in the post-Soviet space, NPOs and the state are closely intertwined resembling co-optation. As a result the democratisation potential of human service NPOs is constrained. In discussing these insights we also draw parallels to contexts in which the state has outsourced welfare service to human service NPOs.
Feedback control strategies for quadrotor-type aerial robots: a survey
Authors: Özbek Necdet Sinan , Önkol Mert , Efe Mehmet Önder
Published: October 2015

Control of aerial robots is a popular research field as applications with different payloads lead to a variety of flight missions. Quadrotor-type unmanned systems are one such example considered in this paper. The performance in any flight experiment depends strictly on the chosen feedback control scheme, which is the core issue addressed in the paper. A number of approaches have been reported in the literature and this paper presents a survey of these schemes with an in-depth discussion of recent research outcomes. A detailed performance evaluation of the controllers, namely proportional-integral-derivative control, sliding mode control, backstepping control, feedback linearization-based control and fuzzy control schemes, are presented. Due to the popularity of the quadrotor-type aerial vehicles, the contribution of the current work is to provide an in-depth guide to the autopilot designers of quadrotor-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
Anatomy of women’s participation in small professional unions
Authors: Kirton Gill
Published: October 2015

This article brings the neglected topic of small professional unions into the women and unions literature. In addition to an overview of women’s representation and gender equality strategies in small professional UK unions, it offers a contextually grounded analysis of barriers and enablers of women’s participation in Napo – the union representing professional workers in the probation service. The article identifies several enablers: healthy levels of women’s representation over a long period of time; presence and longevity of gender equality strategies; a strong occupational identity; occupational values that complement those of unionism. However, a highly pressured work environment and hostile industrial relations climate create lived insecurities, work–life imbalance and time poverty, which have constrained women professionals’ union participation.