bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Triage and the Lost Art of Decoding Vital Signs: Restoring Physiologically Based Triage Skills in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
Authors: Burkle Frederick M.
Published: April 2017

Triage management remains a major challenge, especially in resource-poor settings such as war, complex humanitarian emergencies, and public health emergencies in developing countries. In triage it is often the disruption of physiology, not anatomy, that is critical, supporting triage methodology based on clinician-assessed physiological parameters as well as anatomy and mechanism of injury. In recent times, too many clinicians from developed countries have deployed to humanitarian emergencies without the physical exam skills needed to assess patients without the benefit of remotely fed electronic monitoring, laboratory, and imaging studies. In triage, inclusion of the once-widely accepted and collectively taught “art of decoding vital signs” with attention to their character and meaning may provide clues to a patient’s physiological state, improving triage sensitivity. Attention to decoding vital signs is not a triage methodology of its own or a scoring system, but rather a skill set that supports existing triage methodologies. With unique triage management challenges being raised by an ever-changing variety of humanitarian crises, these once useful skill sets need to be revisited, understood, taught, and utilized by triage planners, triage officers, and teams as a necessary adjunct to physiologically based triage decision-making. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:76–85)
In pursuit of non-Western deep secularities: selfhood and the “Westphalia moment” in Turkish literary milieux
Authors: Büyükokutan Barış
Published: April 2017

This article traces Charles Taylor’s “secularity three” outside the West, finding that it was present among poets but not among novelists in twentieth-century Turkey. It explains this contrast between these two very similar groups by using network analysis, highlighting the greater availability, in poetry networks, of nonpious gatekeepers to aspiring pious actors, following an initial long period of religious conflict. In order to benefit from association with these gatekeepers, pious actors learned to split their selves into two, committing themselves simultaneously to their absolutist faith and to its practical impossibility in a secular age. If and when the prospect of cross-fertilization waned, however, they would effortlessly switch back to their earlier subjectivity. Pious novelists, by contrast, underwent no such learning process. Based on these findings, I argue, first, that the study of the secular must pay greater attention to religious conflict and the ways in which it is resolved, and second, that it must consider balancing itslongue-duréeapproach with an eventful focus.
The reemergence of İstanbul’s film industry: a path-dependence perspective
Authors: Öz Özlem , Özkaracalar Kaya
Published: April 2017

This article analyzes the reemergence of the film industry in İstanbul since the mid-1990s. In exploring the industrial and spatial dynamics of this process of reemergence, we employ the perspective of path dependence, conducted with the aid of historical analysis and in-depth interviews with the key actors of the sector. By zooming in on the details of this industry’s reemergence, we uncover the specifics of the process of revival in terms of both the industry itself and of location. Analysis of the industry reveals the impact on the revival of İstanbul’s film sector of system-wide developments, the key roles played by the advertising and television sectors, and entrepreneurial initiatives. Analysis of location, on the other hand, reveals that, following the collapse of Yeşilçam—the historical center of İstanbul’s film industry—two new clusters have emerged, one located in the vicinity of the old center (Beyoğlu) and the other in a rising commercial district (Levent).
The Ottoman institution of petitioning when the sultan no longer reigned: a view from post-1908 Ottoman Palestine
Authors: Ben-Bassat Yuval
Published: April 2017

The Young Turk Revolution of 1908 helped transform the time-honored Ottoman petitioning system. The reinstatement of parliamentary life, the reintroduction of the suspended constitution of 1876, and the lifting of the ban on the press and political action all generated profound political and social changes. Subjects’ petitions reflected these changes vividly and in often surprising detail. As the sultan became a figurehead with little actual power, petitions which hitherto had been addressed to the sultan either directly or through the grand vizier and had requested his benevolence and mercy, while also granting him much needed legitimacy, now began to be sent instead to the Council of State (Şura-yı Devlet), the parliament, and various government ministries. Their content changed as well, as will be shown in this article through an analysis of dozens of petitions from Ottoman Palestine. Petitions now sought to obtain political rights and ensure civil equity and constitutional rights. In focusing on rights, the rule of law, and the deficiencies of the former system, the petitions echoed changes in popular discourse and mirrored the transformation from justice as a sultanic prerogative to constitutional and civil law.
Resolve, Time, and Risk
Authors: Kertzer Joshua D.
Published: April 2017

Why do some actors in international politics display remarkable persistence in wartime, while others “cut and run” at the first sign of trouble? I offer a behavioral theory of resolve, suggesting that variation in time and risk preferences can help explain why some actors display more resolve than others. I test the theory experimentally in the context of public opinion about military interventions. The results not only help explain why certain types of costs of war loom larger for certain types of actors but also shed light on some of the behavioral revolution's contributions more broadly.
The Micro-Foundations of International Relations Theory: Psychology and Behavioral Economics
Authors: Stein Janice Gross
Published: April 2017

Almost forty years ago, a small group of scholars drew on cognitive psychology to explain anomalous patterns of behavior by leaders on issues of international security. Although it made significant contributions to theory and research, that scholarship did not diffuse broadly into the field. Drawing on concepts in psychology and behavioral economics, research that uses new methods is now producing a wave of scholarship in international relations exemplified by the work in this special issue. Analysis of the use of prospect theory over the last three decades identifies the scope conditions that enable the predictions of rational choice and psychological theories. These scope conditions motivate the focus on the heterogeneity of decision makers that is at the core of current contributions. Future research will move beyond the now-sterile debate between rational choice and psychology.
Emotions and the Micro-Foundations of Commitment Problems
Authors: Renshon Jonathan , Lee Julia J. , Tingley Dustin
Published: April 2017

While emotions are widely regarded as integral to the “behavioral approach” to International Relations (IR), a host of fundamental problems have delayed the integration of affective influences into traditional models of IR. We aim to integrate affect by focusing on commitment problems, a body of work that contains strong theoretical predictions about how individual decision makers will and should act. Across two lab experiments, we use a novel experimental protocol that includes a psychophysiological measure of emotional arousal (skin conductance reactivity) to study how individuals react to changes in bargaining power. While we find support for one key pillar of IR theory—individuals do reject offers when they expect the opponent's power to increase—we also find that physiological arousal tampers with individuals’ ability to think strategically in the manner predicted by canonical models. Our follow-up experiment mimics the elements of institutional solutions to commitment problems and finds support for their efficacy on the individual level. Our novel findings suggest that when individuals face large power shifts, emotional arousal short-circuits their ability to “think forward and induct backwards,” suggesting that emotionally aroused individuals are less prone to commitment problems.
ADMISSIBLE SIGNIFICANCE TESTS IN SIMULTANEOUS EQUATION MODELS
Authors: Anderson Theodore W.
Published: April 2017

Consider testing the null hypothesis that a single structural equation has specified coefficients. The alternative hypothesis is that the relevant part of the reduced form matrix has proper rank, that is, that the equation is identified. The usual linear model with normal disturbances is invariant with respect to linear transformations of the endogenous and of the exogenous variables. When the disturbance covariance matrix is known, it can be set to the identity, and the invariance of the endogenous variables is with respect to orthogonal transformations. The likelihood ratio test is invariant with respect to these transformations and is the best invariant test. Furthermore it is admissible in the class of all tests. Any other test has lower power and/or higher significance level. In particular, this likelihood ratio test dominates a test based on the Two-Stage Least Squares estimator.
Verhaltensauffälligkeiten von Kindern mit Down-Syndrom im Vorschulalter
Authors: Sarimski Klaus
Published: April 2017

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: Es sollten Häufigkeit und Zusammenhänge von Verhaltensauffälligkeiten bei Kindern mit Down-Syndrom untersucht werden. Methodik: Im Rahmen einer longitudinal angelegten Studie bearbeiteten 48 Mütter von Kindern mit Down-Syndrom den Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-D) und das Eltern-Belastungs-Inventar (EBI). Diese Elternangaben wurden erhoben, als die Kinder im Durchschnitt 5 Jahre alt waren. Sie wurden mit Elternangaben von Kindern mit unbeeinträchtigter Entwicklung verglichen. Ergebnisse: Etwa 30 % der Kinder wurden als grenzwertig oder auffällig im SDQ eingeschätzt. Dies betraf insbesondere Probleme mit Gleichaltrigen und hyperaktive Symptome. In einer Regressionsanalyse ließ sich die Ausprägung von Verhaltensauffälligkeiten im Alter von 5 Jahren vorhersagen durch das mütterliche Bildungsniveau, eine optimistische Grundhaltung der Mutter, ihre subjektive Belastung in der Eltern-Kind-Interaktion bereits im Alter von 1 Jahr sowie den Grad der Verhaltensauffälligkeit im Alter von 3 Jahren. Schlussfolgerungen: Eine frühe Stärkung der elterlichen Erziehungskompetenzen und Bewältigungskräfte ist zur Prävention von Verhaltensauffälligkeiten von Kindern mit Down-Syndrom angezeigt.
Zentrale Wirkmechanismen von Weiterbildungen zur Qualitätssteigerung in Kindertageseinrichtungen
Authors: Egert Franziska , Eckhardt Andrea G. , Fukkink Ruben G.
Published: April 2017

Zusammenfassung. In den letzten Jahren wurden eine Reihe von politischen Anstrengungen in der Aus- und Weiterbildung frühpädagogischer Fachkräfte unternommen, um die Qualität in Kindertageseinrichtungen zu erhöhen. Obwohl viele Weiterbildungen angeboten werden, sind nur wenige davon wissenschaftlich evaluiert. In diesem Beitrag wird der Frage nachgegangen, welche Aspekte besonders effektive Weiterbildungen kennzeichnen. Grundlage dafür ist ein systematischer Literaturüberblick. Von insgesamt 1195 relevanten Quellen waren es lediglich 36 Interventionsstudien mit 42 Weiterbildungen, die Daten zu externen Qualitätseinschätzungen (z.B. ECERS, CLASS) bereitstellten. Davon weisen nur 13 Weiterbildungen einen großen Effekt (ES > 0.8) auf. Im narrativen Review wurden durch thematisches Kodieren zentrale Mechanismen dieser 13 besonders effektiven Weiterbildungen identifiziert. So zeichneten sich diese Programme durch (1) Unterstützung vor Ort, (2) anwendungs- und performanzbezogene Weiterbildungsformate, (3) Weiterbildungsbedarfsermittlung über Qualitätsprofile, (4) Videoanalysen und Feedback und (5) Individualisierung der Maßnahme auf Fachkraft- oder Gruppenniveau aus. Weiter brachte eine finanzielle Unterstützung der Einrichtung oder einzelner Teilnehmer_innen über Stipendien einen zusätzlichen Weiterbildungseffekt. Obwohl die besonders effektiven Programme ausschließlich in Nordamerika durchgeführt wurden, liefern die Ergebnisse wichtige Hinweise für eine Optimierung von Weiterbildungsangeboten im Früherziehungssystem der Bundesrepublik.
What to Expect from Cassini's Final Views of Titan
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: April 2017

Cassini will fly close to Saturn's largest moon one last time. Here's a look back at what the spacecraft has revealed and ahead to scientists' final close glimpses of the moon.
Acquiring a Taste for Advocacy
Authors: Pincus Robert
Published: April 2017

A scientist rethinks his distrust of political engagement.
Carfilzomib–lenalidomide–dexamethasone vs lenalidomide–dexamethasone in relapsed multiple myeloma by previous treatment
Authors: Dimopoulos M A , Stewart A K , Masszi T , Špička I , Oriol A , Hájek R , Rosiñol L , Siegel D , Mihaylov G G , Goranova-Marinova V , Rajnics P , Suvorov A , Niesvizky R , Jakubowiak A , San-Miguel J , Ludwig H , Ro S , Aggarwal S , Moreau P , Palumbo A
Published: April 2017

Carfilzomib, a proteasome inhibitor, is approved as monotherapy and in combination with dexamethasone or lenalidomide–dexamethasone (Rd) for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The approval of carfilzomib–lenalidomide–dexamethasone (KRd) was based on results from the randomized, phase 3 study ASPIRE (NCT01080391), which showed KRd significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) vs Rd (median 26.3 vs 17.6 months; hazard ratio (HR)=0.690; P=0.0001). This subgroup analysis of ASPIRE evaluated KRd vs Rd by number of previous lines of therapy and previous exposure to bortezomib, thalidomide or lenalidomide. Treatment with KRd led to a 12-month improvement in median PFS vs Rd after first relapse (HR 0.713) and a 9-month improvement after ⩾2 previous lines of therapy (HR 0.720). Treatment with KRd led to an approximate 8-month improvement vs Rd in median PFS in bortezomib-exposed patients (HR 0.699), a 15-month improvement in thalidomide-exposed patients (HR 0.587) and a 5-month improvement in lenalidomide-exposed patients (HR 0.796). Objective response and complete response or better rates were higher with KRd vs Rd, irrespective of previous treatment. KRd had a favorable benefit–risk profile and should be considered an appropriate treatment option for patients with 1 or ⩾2 previous lines of therapy and those previously exposed to bortezomib, thalidomide or lenalidomide.
EZH2 alterations in follicular lymphoma: biological and clinical correlations
Authors: Huet S , Xerri L , Tesson B , Mareschal S , Taix S , Mescam-Mancini L , Sohier E , Carrère M , Lazarovici J , Casasnovas O , Tonon L , Boyault S , Hayette S , Haioun C , Fabiani B , Viari A , Jardin F , Salles G
Published: April 2017

The histone methyltransferase EZH2 has an essential role in the development of follicular lymphoma (FL). Recurrent gain-of-function mutations inEZH2have been described in 25% of FL patients and induce aberrant methylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27). We evaluated the role ofEZH2genomic gains in FL biology. Using RNA sequencing, Sanger sequencing and SNP-arrays, the mutation status, copy-number and gene-expression profiles ofEZH2were assessed in a cohort of 159 FL patients from the PRIMA trial. Immunohistochemical (IHC) EZH2 expression (n=55) and H3K27 methylation (n=63) profiles were also evaluated. In total, 37% of patients (59/159) harbored an alteration in theEZH2gene (mutationn=46, gainn=23). Both types of alterations were associated with highly similar transcriptional changes, with increased proliferation programs. An H3K27me3/me2 IHC score fully distinguished mutated from wild-type samples, showing its applicability as surrogate forEZH2mutation analysis. However, this score did not predict the presence of gains at theEZH2locus. The presence of anEZH2genetic alteration was an independent factor associated with a longer progression-free survival (hazard ratio 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.36–0.93,P=0.025). We propose that the copy-number status ofEZH2should also be considered when evaluating patient stratification and selecting patients for EZH2 inhibitor-targeted therapies.
Interactions between soil- and dead wood-inhabiting fungal communities during the decay of Norway spruce logs
Authors: Mäkipää Raisa , Rajala Tiina , Schigel Dmitry , Rinne Katja T , Pennanen Taina , Abrego Nerea , Ovaskainen Otso
Published: April 2017

We investigated the interaction between fungal communities of soil and dead wood substrates. For this, we applied molecular species identification and stable isotope tracking to both soil and decaying wood in an unmanaged boreal Norway spruce-dominated stand. Altogether, we recorded 1990 operational taxonomic units, out of which more than 600 were shared by both substrates and 589 were found to exclusively inhabit wood. On average the soil was more species-rich than the decaying wood, but the species richness in dead wood increased monotonically along the decay gradient, reaching the same species richness and community composition as soil in the late stages. Decaying logs at all decay stages locally influenced the fungal communities from soil, some fungal species occurring in soil only under decaying wood. Stable isotope analyses suggest that mycorrhizal species colonising dead wood in the late decay stages actively transfer nitrogen and carbon between soil and host plants. Most importantly, Piloderma sphaerosporum and Tylospora sp. mycorrhizal species were highly abundant in decayed wood. Soil- and wood-inhabiting fungal communities interact at all decay phases of wood that has important implications in fungal community dynamics and thus nutrient transportation.
Life cycle assessment needs predictive spatial modelling for biodiversity and ecosystem services
Authors: Chaplin-Kramer Rebecca , Sim Sarah , Hamel Perrine , Bryant Benjamin , Noe Ryan , Mueller Carina , Rigarlsford Giles , Kulak Michal , Kowal Virginia , Sharp Richard , Clavreul Julie , Price Edward , Polasky Stephen , Ruckelshaus Mary , Daily Gretchen
Published: April 2017

International corporations in an increasingly globalized economy exert a major influence on the planet’s land use and resources through their product design and material sourcing decisions. Many companies use life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate their sustainability, yet commonly-used LCA methodologies lack the spatial resolution and predictive ecological information to reveal key impacts on climate, water and biodiversity. We present advances for LCA that integrate spatially explicit modelling of land change and ecosystem services in a Land-Use Change Improved (LUCI)-LCA. Comparing increased demand for bioplastics derived from two alternative feedstock-location scenarios for maize and sugarcane, we find that the LUCI-LCA approach yields results opposite to those of standard LCA for greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption, and of different magnitudes for soil erosion and biodiversity. This approach highlights the importance of including information about where and how land-use change and related impacts will occur in supply chain and innovation decisions.
T follicular helper and T follicular regulatory cells have different TCR specificity
Authors: Maceiras Ana Raquel , Almeida Silvia Cristina Paiva , Mariotti-Ferrandiz Encarnita , Chaara Wahiba , Jebbawi Fadi , Six Adrien , Hori Shohei , Klatzmann David , Faro Jose , Graca Luis
Published: April 2017

Immunization leads to the formation of germinal centres (GCs) that contain both T follicular helper (Tfh) and T follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells. Whether T-cell receptor (TCR) specificity defines the differential functions of Tfh and Tfr cells is unclear. Here we show that antigen-specific T cells after immunization are preferentially recruited to the GC to become Tfh cells, but not Tfr cells. Tfh cells, but not Tfr cells, also proliferate efficiently on restimulation with the same immunizing antigenin vitro.Ex vivoTCR repertoire analysis shows that immunization induces oligoclonal expansion of Tfh cells. By contrast, the Tfr pool has a TCR repertoire that more closely resembles that of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Our data thus indicate that the GC Tfh and Tfr pools are generated from distinct TCR repertoires, with Tfh cells expressing antigen-responsive TCRs to promote antibody responses, and Tfr cells expressing potentially autoreactive TCRs to suppress autoimmunity.
Noumeavirus replication relies on a transient remote control of the host nucleus
Authors: Fabre Elisabeth , Jeudy Sandra , Santini Sébastien , Legendre Matthieu , Trauchessec Mathieu , Couté Yohann , Claverie Jean-Michel , Abergel Chantal
Published: April 2017

Acanthamoeba are infected by a remarkable diversity of large dsDNA viruses, the infectious cycles of which have been characterized using genomics, transcriptomics and electron microscopy. Given their gene content and the persistence of the host nucleus throughout their infectious cycle, the Marseilleviridae were initially assumed to fully replicate in the cytoplasm. Unexpectedly, we find that their virions do not incorporate the virus-encoded transcription machinery, making their replication nucleus-dependent. However, instead of delivering their DNA to the nucleus, the Marseilleviridae initiate their replication by transiently recruiting the nuclear transcription machinery to their cytoplasmic viral factory. The nucleus recovers its integrity after becoming leaky at an early stage. This work highlights the importance of virion proteomic analyses to complement genome sequencing in the elucidation of the replication scheme and evolution of large dsDNA viruses.
Electrochemical generation of sulfur vacancies in the basal plane of MoS2 for hydrogen evolution
Authors: Tsai Charlie , Li Hong , Park Sangwook , Park Joonsuk , Han Hyun Soo , Nørskov Jens K. , Zheng Xiaolin , Abild-Pedersen Frank
Published: April 2017

Recently, sulfur (S)-vacancies created on the basal plane of 2H-molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) using argon plasma exposure exhibited higher intrinsic activity for the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction than the edge sites and metallic 1T-phase of MoS2 catalysts. However, a more industrially viable alternative to the argon plasma desulfurization process is needed. In this work, we introduce a scalable route towards generating S-vacancies on the MoS2 basal plane using electrochemical desulfurization. Even though sulfur atoms on the basal plane are known to be stable and inert, we find that they can be electrochemically reduced under accessible applied potentials. This can be done on various 2H-MoS2 nanostructures. By changing the applied desulfurization potential, the extent of desulfurization and the resulting activity can be varied. The resulting active sites are stable under extended desulfurization durations and show consistent HER activity.
Targeted Exome Sequencing of Congenital Cataracts Related Genes: Broadening the Mutation Spectrum and Genotype–Phenotype Correlations in 27 Chinese Han Families
Authors: Zhai Yi , Li Jinyu , Yu Wangshu , Zhu Sha , Yu Yinhui , Wu Menghan , Sun Guizhen , Gong Xiaohua , Yao Ke
Published: April 2017

Congenital cataract is the most frequent inherited ocular disorder and the most leading cause of lifelong visual loss. The screening of pathogenic mutations can be very challenging in some cases, for congenital cataracts are clinically and genetically heterogeneous diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the mutation spectrum and frequency of 54 cartaract-associated genes in 27 Chinese families with congenital cataracts. Variants in 54 cataract-associated genes were screened by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) and then validated by Sanger sequencing. We identified pathogenic variants in 62.96% (17/27) of families, and over 52.94% (9/17) of these variants were novel. Among them, three are splicing site mutations, four are nonsense mutations, seven are missense mutations, two are frame shift mutations and one is intronic mutation. This included identification of: complex ocular phenotypes due to two novel PAX6 mutations; progressive cortical cataract and lamellar cataract with lens subluxation due to two novel CRYGS mutations. Mutations were also found in rarely reported genes including CRYBA4, CRYBA2, BFSP1, VIM, HSF4, and EZR. Our study expands the mutation spectrum and frequency of genes responsible for congenital cataracts. Targeted next-generation sequencing in inherited congenital cataract patients provided significant diagnostic information.
A Zika virus from America is more efficiently transmitted than an Asian virus by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from Asia
Authors: Pompon Julien , Morales-Vargas Ronald , Manuel Menchie , Huat Tan Cheong , Vial Thomas , Hao Tan Jun , Sessions October M. , Vasconcelos Pedro da Costa , Ng Lee Ching , Missé Dorothée
Published: April 2017

Zika is a mosquito-borne disease associated with neurological disorders that causes an on-going pandemic. The first outbreak was recorded in Micronesia in 2007, then in French Polynesia in 2014 from which it spread to South America in 2015 and ignited a widespread epidemic. Interestingly, Zika outbreaks in Asia remained of moderate intensity although the virus is circulating. To understand these epidemiological variations, we investigated the entomological determinants of ZIKV transmission in Asia. We used oral infection of mosquitoes collected in Singapore to identify the vector species, to quantify the blood infection threshold and to compare transmissibility between an Asian ZIKV strain (H/PF13) and an American strain collected in Brazil (BE H 815744). We have confirmed the vector status of Aedes aegypti and determined that 103 pfu/ml of blood is sufficient to infect mosquitoes. We showed that only the American strain was present in the saliva 3 days post-infection, and that this strain had a 30–40% higher rate of saliva infection in Ae. aegypti from 3 to 14 days post-infection than the Asian strain. Our data suggests that American strains are more efficiently transmitted than Asian strains, which raises concerns about the introduction of American strains in Asia.
Comparing mortality risk of patients with acute hip fractures admitted to a major trauma centre on a weekday or weekend
Authors: Nandra Rajpal , Pullan Jack , Bishop Jonathan , Baloch Khalid , Grover Liam , Porter Keith
Published: April 2017

Proximal femoral fractures are a major public health concern with estimated annual direct and social costs amounting to £2 billion and average 30-day mortality risk of 7.5%. In response to the recent debate over out-of-hours hospital provision we investigated the ‘weekend effect’ at a major trauma centre, caring for acute injuries. A single centre, multi-surgeon review of 2060 patients performed. The distribution of patient and treatment variables compared in patients admitted on a weekday or the weekend. Fewer patients met performance indicators during weekend admission, time to surgery (63 vs. 71%) and time to geriatric review (86 vs. 91%). Weekend admission 30-day mortality was marginally lower than weekday (9.7% vs. 10.2%, OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.32, p = 0.7383). Increasing age, female gender, co-morbidities and confusion increased mortality risk. Binary regression analysis including these variables found no significant ‘weekend effect’. Despite the unit observing an increasing workload in the last five years, with meticulous workforce planning, senior doctor provisions and careful use of resources, it is possible to provide a seven-day fracture neck of femur service with no variation in thirty-day mortality by the day of admission.
Accessible areas in ecological niche comparisons of invasive species: Recognized but still overlooked
Authors: Qiao Huijie , Escobar Luis E. , Peterson A. Townsend
Published: April 2017

Understanding biological invasions is crucial for their control and prevention. Specially, establishing whether invasive species operate within the constraint of conservative ecological niches, or if niche shifts occur at all commonly as part of the invasion process, is indispensable to identifying and anticipating potential areas of invasion. Ecological niche modeling (ENM) has been used to address such questions, but improvements and debate in study design, model evaluation, and methods are still needed to mature this field. We reanalyze data for Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), native to North America, but invasive in Europe. Our main finding was that, when the analysis extent is established carefully based on analogous sets of environmental conditions, all evidence of niche shifts disappears, suggesting that previous reports of niche shifts for this species are artifacts of methods and interpretation, rather than biological reality. Niche conservatism should be tested only within appropriate, similar, environmental spaces that are accessible to both species or populations being compared, thus avoiding model extrapolation related to model transfers. Testing for environmental similarity between native and invaded areas is critical to identifying niche shifts during species invasion robustly, but also in applications of ENM to understanding temporal dimensions of niche dynamics.
Neural Activity while Imitating Emotional Faces is Related to Both Lower and Higher-Level Social Cognitive Performance
Authors: Hawco Colin , Kovacevic Natasa , Malhotra Anil K. , Buchanan Robert W. , Viviano Joseph D. , Iacoboni Marco , McIntosh Anthony R. , Voineskos Aristotle N.
Published: April 2017

Imitation and observation of actions and facial emotional expressions activates the human fronto-parietal mirror network. There is skepticism regarding the role of this low-level network in more complex high-level social behaviour. We sought to test whether neural activation during an observation/imitation task was related to both lower and higher level social cognition. We employed an established observe/imitate task of emotional faces during functional MRI in 28 healthy adults, with final analyses based on 20 individuals following extensive quality control. Partial least squares (PLS) identified patterns of relationships between spatial activation and a battery of objective out-of-scanner assessments that index lower and higher-level social cognitive performance, including the Penn emotion recognition task, reading the mind in the eyes, the awareness of social inference test (TASIT) parts 1, 2, and 3, and the relationships across domains (RAD) test. Strikingly, activity in limbic, right inferior frontal, and inferior parietal areas during imitation of emotional faces correlated with performance on emotion evaluation (TASIT1), social inference - minimal (TASIT2), social inference - enriched (TASIT3), and the RAD tests. These results show a role for this network in both lower-level and higher-level social cognitive processes which are collectively critical for social functioning in everyday life.
Decreased body mass index in the preclinical stage of autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Müller Stephan , Preische Oliver , Sohrabi Hamid R. , Gräber Susanne , Jucker Mathias , Dietzsch Janko , Ringman John M. , Martins Ralph N. , McDade Eric , Schofield Peter R. , Ghetti Bernardino , Rossor Martin , Graff-Radford Neill R. , Levin Johannes , Galasko Douglas , Quaid Kimberly A. , Salloway Stephen , Xiong Chengjie , Benzinger Tammie , Buckles Virginia , Masters Colin L. , Sperling Reisa , Bateman Randall J. , Morris John C. , Laske Christoph
Published: April 2017

The relationship between body-mass index (BMI) and Alzheimer´s disease (AD) has been extensively investigated. However, BMI alterations in preclinical individuals with autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) have not yet been investigated. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 230 asymptomatic members of families with ADAD participating in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) study including 120 preclinical mutation carriers (MCs) and 110 asymptomatic non-carriers (NCs). Differences in BMI and their relation with cerebral amyloid load and episodic memory as a function of estimated years to symptom onset (EYO) were analyzed. Preclinical MCs showed significantly lower BMIs compared to NCs, starting 11.2 years before expected symptom onset. However, the BMI curves begun to diverge already at 17.8 years before expected symptom onset. Lower BMI in preclinical MCs was significantly associated with less years before estimated symptom onset, higher global Aβ brain burden, and with lower delayed total recall scores in the logical memory test. The study provides cross-sectional evidence that weight loss starts one to two decades before expected symptom onset of ADAD. Our findings point toward a link between the pathophysiology of ADAD and disturbance of weight control mechanisms. Longitudinal follow-up studies are warranted to investigate BMI changes over time.
Intracellular symbiosis of algae with possible involvement of mitochondrial dynamics
Authors: Song Chihong , Murata Kazuyoshi , Suzaki Toshinobu
Published: April 2017

Algal endosymbiosis is widely present among eukaryotes including many protists and metazoans. However, the mechanisms involved in their interactions between host and symbiont remain unclear. Here, we used electron microscopy and three-dimensional reconstruction analyses to examine the ultrastructural interactions between the symbiotic zoochlorella and the organelles in the host Paramecium bursaria, which is a model system of endosymbiosis. Although in chemically fixed samples the symbiotic algae show no direct structural interactions with the host organelles and the perialgal vacuole membrane (PVM), in cryofixed P. bursaria samples the intimate connections were identified between the host mitochondria and the symbiotic algae via the PVM. The PVM was closely apposed to the cell wall of the symbiotic algae and in some places it showed direct contacts to the host mitochondrial membrane and the cell wall of the symbiotic algae. Further, the PVM-associated mitochondria formed a mitochondrial network and were also connected to host ER. Our observations propose a new endosymbiotic systems between the host eukaryotes and the symbionts where the benefiting symbiosis is performed through intimate interactions and an active structural modification in the host organelles.
Elevated free triiodothyronine may lead to female sexual dysfunction in Chinese urban women: A hospital-based survey
Authors: Luo Han , Yang Hongliu , Zhao Wanjun , Han Qianqian , Zeng Li , Tang Huairong , Zhu Jingqiang
Published: April 2017

Research on female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is limited, especially in China, due to conservative culture and beliefs. There has been a dearth of FSD screening research in China since the optimal cutoff value of the Chinese version of the Female Sexual Function Index (CVFSFI) was determined in 2014. At the same time, the relationship between thyroid hormones and FSD has seldom been explored in Chinese women. Therefore, hospital-based research was conducted to elucidate FSD frequency and risk factors. Women who underwent a check-up at the Health Promotion Center were approached to participate and, if consented, were enrolled in the study. Demographic and socioeconomic data was extracted. All participants completed the CVFSFI and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) self-report questionnaires and underwent thyroid hormone tests. A total of 1119 participants were included in the final analysis, with a mean age of 38.6 ± 7.6 years and average CVFSFI score of 25.7 ± 3.9. The frequency of FSD among the participants in this hospital-based cross-sectional study was 26.5%. In addition to age, menopause, parity and depression status as risk factor, and annual income (40,000–100,000 RMB/year) and educational background (≥university) as protective factor, elevated free triiodothyronine (fT3) was identified as an independent risk factor of FSD.
The CsHSP17.2 molecular chaperone is essential for thermotolerance in Camellia sinensis
Authors: Wang Mingle , Zou Zhongwei , Li Qinghui , Sun Kang , Chen Xuan , Li Xinghui
Published: April 2017

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) play important roles in responses to heat stress. However, the functions of sHSPs in tea plants (Camellia sinensis) remain uncharacterized. A novel sHSP gene, designated CsHSP17.2, was isolated from tea plants. Subcellular localization analyses indicated that the CsHSP17.2 protein was present in the cytosol and the nucleus. CsHSP17.2 expression was significantly up-regulated by heat stress but was unaffected by low temperature. The CsHSP17.2 transcript levels increased following salt and polyethylene glycol 6000 treatments but decreased in the presence of abscisic acid. The molecular chaperone activity of CsHSP17.2 was demonstrated in vitro. Transgenic Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris expressing CsHSP17.2 exhibited enhanced thermotolerance. The transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana exhibited higher maximum photochemical efficiencies, greater soluble protein proline contents, higher germination rates and higher hypocotyl elongation length than the wild-type controls. The expression levels of several HS-responsive genes increased in transgenic A. thaliana plants. Additionally, the CsHSP17.2 promoter is highly responsive to high-temperature stress in A. thaliana. Our results suggest that CsHSP17.2 may act as a molecular chaperone to mediate heat tolerance by maintaining maximum photochemical efficiency and protein synthesis, enhancing the scavenging of reactive oxygen species and inducing the expression of HS-responsive genes.
Geographic variation in floral traits and the capacity of autonomous selfing across allopatric and sympatric populations of two closely related Centaurium species
Authors: Schouppe Dorien , Brys Rein , Vallejo-Marin Mario , Jacquemyn Hans
Published: April 2017

Floral traits and the relative contribution of autonomous selfing to total seed set varies geographically and is often driven by the availability and abundance of suitable pollinators and/or the presence of co-flowering relatives. In the latter case, competition for pollinator services and costs of hybridization can select for floral traits that reduce interspecific gene flow and contribute to prezygotic isolation, potentially leading to geographic variation in floral divergence between allopatric and sympatric populations. In this study, we investigated variation in floral traits and its implications on the capacity of autonomous selfing in both allopatric and sympatric populations of two closely related Centaurium species(Gentianaceae) across two distinct geographic regions(UK and mainland Europe). Although the magnitude and direction of floral differentiation varied between regions, sympatric populations were always significantly more divergent in floral traits and the capacity to self autonomously than allopatric populations. These results indicate that mating systems can vary substantially within a species and that the joint occurrence of plant species can have a major impact on floral morphology and capacity of autonomous selfing, most likely as a way to reduce the probability of interspecific interference.
Sight and sound persistently out of synch: stable individual differences in audiovisual synchronisation revealed by implicit measures of lip-voice integration
Authors: Ipser Alberta , Agolli Vlera , Bajraktari Anisa , Al-Alawi Fatimah , Djaafara Nurfitriani , Freeman Elliot D.
Published: April 2017

Are sight and sound out of synch? Signs that they are have been dismissed for over two centuries as an artefact of attentional and response bias, to which traditional subjective methods are prone. To avoid such biases, we measured performance on objective tasks that depend implicitly on achieving good lip-synch. We measured the McGurk effect (in which incongruent lip-voice pairs evoke illusory phonemes), and also identification of degraded speech, while manipulating audiovisual asynchrony. Peak performance was found at an average auditory lag of ~100 ms, but this varied widely between individuals. Participants’ individual optimal asynchronies showed trait-like stability when the same task was re-tested one week later, but measures based on different tasks did not correlate. This discounts the possible influence of common biasing factors, suggesting instead that our different tasks probe different brain networks, each subject to their own intrinsic auditory and visual processing latencies. Our findings call for renewed interest in the biological causes and cognitive consequences of individual sensory asynchronies, leading potentially to fresh insights into the neural representation of sensory timing. A concrete implication is that speech comprehension might be enhanced, by first measuring each individual’s optimal asynchrony and then applying a compensatory auditory delay.
Neuroprotective pentapeptide CN-105 is associated with reduced sterile inflammation and improved functional outcomes in a traumatic brain injury murine model
Authors: Laskowitz Daniel T. , Wang Haichen , Chen Tony , Lubkin David T. , Cantillana Viviana , Tu Tian Ming , Kernagis Dawn , Zhou Guanen , Macy Gary , Kolls Bradley J. , Dawson Hana N.
Published: April 2017

At present, there are no proven pharmacological treatments demonstrated to improve long term functional outcomes following traumatic brain injury(TBI). In the setting of non-penetrating TBI, sterile brain inflammatory responses are associated with the development of cerebral edema, intracranial hypertension, and secondary neuronal injury. There is increasing evidence that endogenous apolipoprotein E(apoE) modifies the neuroinflammatory response through its role in downregulating glial activation, however, the intact apoE holoprotein does not cross the blood-brain barrier due to its size. To address this limitation, we developed a small 5 amino acid apoE mimetic peptide(CN-105) that mimics the polar face of the apoE helical domain involved in receptor interactions. The goal of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of CN-105 in a murine model of closed head injury. Treatment with CN-105 was associated with a durable improvement in functional outcomes as assessed by Rotarod and Morris Water Maze and a reduction in positive Fluoro-Jade B stained injured neurons and microglial activation. Administration of CN-105 was also associated with reduction in mRNA expression of a subset of inflammatory and immune-related genes.
Novel SUMO-Protease SENP7S Regulates β-catenin Signaling and Mammary Epithelial Cell Transformation
Authors: Karami Samaneh , Lin Feng-Ming , Kumar Santosh , Bahnassy Shaymaa , Thangavel Hariprasad , Quttina Maram , Li Yue , Ren Jing , Bawa-Khalfe Tasneem
Published: April 2017

SUMO post-translational modification of proteins or SUMOylation ensures normal cell function. Disruption of SUMO dynamics prompts various pathophysiological conditions, including cancer. The burden of deSUMOylating the large SUMO-proteome rests on 6 full-length mammalian SUMO-proteases or SENP. While multiple SENP isoforms exist, the function of these isoforms remains undefined. We now delineate the biological role of a novel SENP7 isoform SENP7S in mammary epithelial cells. SENP7S is the predominant SENP transcript in human mammary epithelia but is significantly reduced in precancerous ductal carcinoma in situ and all breast cancer subtypes. Like other SENP family members, SENP7S has SUMO isopeptidase activity but unlike full-length SENP7L, SENP7S is localized in the cytosol. In vivo, SUMOylated β-catenin and Axin1 are both SENP7S-substrates. With knockdown of SENP7S in mammary epithelial cells, Axin1-β-catenin interaction is lost and β-catenin escapes ubiquitylation-dependent proteasomal degradation. SUMOylated β-catenin accumulates at the chromatin and activates multiple oncogenes. Hence, non-tumorigenic MCF10-2A cells with reduced SENP7S exhibit greater cell proliferation and anchorage-dependent growth. SENP7S depletion directly potentiates tumorigenic properties of MCF10-2A cells with induction of anchorage-independent growth and self-renewal in 3D-spheroid conditions. Collectively, the results identify SENP7S as a novel mediator of β-catenin signaling and normal mammary epithelial cell physiology.
Selection of relatively exact reference genes for gene expression studies in goosegrass (Eleusine indica) under herbicide stress
Authors: Chen Jingchao , Huang Zhaofeng , Huang Hongjuan , Wei Shouhui , Liu Yan , Jiang Cuilan , Zhang Jie , Zhang Chaoxian
Published: April 2017

Goosegrass (Eleusine indica) is one of the most serious annual grassy weeds worldwide, and its evolved herbicide-resistant populations are more difficult to control. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is a common technique for investigating the resistance mechanism; however, there is as yet no report on the systematic selection of stable reference genes for goosegrass. This study proposed to test the expression stability of 9 candidate reference genes in goosegrass in different tissues and developmental stages and under stress from three types of herbicide. The results show that for different developmental stages and organs (control), eukaryotic initiation factor 4 A (eIF-4) is the most stable reference gene. Chloroplast acetolactate synthase (ALS) is the most stable reference gene under glyphosate stress. Under glufosinate stress, eIF-4 is the best reference gene. Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (UCE) is the most stable reference gene under quizalofop-p-ethyl stress. The gene eIF-4 is the recommended reference gene for goosegrass under the stress of all three herbicides. Moreover, pairwise analysis showed that seven reference genes were sufficient to normalize the gene expression data under three herbicides treatment. This study provides a list of reliable reference genes for transcript normalization in goosegrass, which will facilitate resistance mechanism studies in this weed species.
Real-Time Detection of Tsunami Ionospheric Disturbances with a Stand-Alone GNSS Receiver: A Preliminary Feasibility Demonstration
Authors: Savastano Giorgio , Komjathy Attila , Verkhoglyadova Olga , Mazzoni Augusto , Crespi Mattia , Wei Yong , Mannucci Anthony J.
Published: April 2017

It is well known that tsunamis can produce gravity waves that propagate up to the ionosphere generating disturbed electron densities in the E and F regions. These ionospheric disturbances can be studied in detail using ionospheric total electron content (TEC) measurements collected by continuously operating ground-based receivers from the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Here, we present results using a new approach, named VARION (Variometric Approach for Real-Time Ionosphere Observation), and estimate slant TEC (sTEC) variations in a real-time scenario. Using the VARION algorithm we compute TEC variations at 56 GPS receivers in Hawaii as induced by the 2012 Haida Gwaii tsunami event. We observe TEC perturbations with amplitudes of up to 0.25 TEC units and traveling ionospheric perturbations (TIDs) moving away from the earthquake epicenter at an approximate speed of 316 m/s. We perform a wavelet analysis to analyze localized variations of power in the TEC time series and we find perturbation periods consistent with a tsunami typical deep ocean period. Finally, we present comparisons with the real-time tsunami MOST (Method of Splitting Tsunami) model produced by the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research and we observe variations in TEC that correlate in time and space with the tsunami waves.