bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Watching, creating, and archiving
Authors: De Kosnik Abigail , El Ghaoui Laurent , Cuntz-Leng Vera , Godbehere Andrew , Horbinski Andrea , Hutz Adam , Pastel Renée , Pham Vu
Published: January 2015

In the Fan Data project, we collected data from online databases that archive media fan production (specifically, fictional fan texts). We developed software and visualization tools to analyze these archives. Digital analysis focused on counting and graphing the rate of the fan fiction production over time in three Hollywood blockbuster movie fandoms: The Avengers, the Batman trilogy, and Inception. We found that audiences grant a great deal of ‘mindshare’ to media texts and create fan works in response to those texts immediately after viewing a film but that what sustains fan productivity are the attractiveness of specific online archiving platforms and the liveliness of activity in a given fandom. Internet archives have a decisive function in offering the creative and conserving infrarstructure for ‘unofficial’ communication, art, and knowledge. Today, they are trendsetting organs and their impact verifies the assumption that the Hollywood studios’ market strategies are not the sole, or most crucial, predictors or determinants of audience engagement.
Resilience as a mediator in emotional social support’s relationship with occupational psychology health in firefighters
Authors: Bernabé Miguel , Botia José Manuel
Published: January 2015

This study’s objective is to examine the relationship between emotional demands and emotional social support at work, and the impact of resilience on health. A cross-sectional study of 156 firefighters was conducted. Descriptive analyses of the study’s variables were performed, along with structural equation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis. The results suggest statistically significant relationships among the study’s variables. Social support from one’s boss and intense emotional demands were found to have an interaction effect on firefighters’ resilience. The findings confirm the mediating role of resilience and the relationship with emotional social support from the boss on firefighters’ occupational health.
Bullying, internalized hepatitis (Hepatitis C virus) stigma, and self-esteem: Does spirituality curtail the relationship in the workplace
Authors: Noor Ayesha , Bashir Sajid , Earnshaw Valerie A
Published: January 2015

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of workplace bullying on self-esteem, including the mediating effect of internalized stigma and the moderating effect of spirituality, among hepatitis C virus patients. Data were collected from 228 employed hepatitis C virus patients who had been admitted to Gastroenterology and Hepatology wards in Pakistani hospitals. We found support for the hypothesis that workplace bullying is associated with low self-esteem via internalized stigma. In addition, spirituality moderated the association such that participants with greater spirituality were buffered from the impact of stigma on self-esteem.
‘I’m still not sure what a task is’: Teachers designing language tasks
Authors: Erlam Rosemary
Published: January 2015

Ellis (2003) identifies four key criteria that distinguish a ‘task’ from the types of situational grammar exercises that are typically found in the more traditional language classroom. This study investigates how well teachers were able to design tasks that fulfilled these four criteria (Ellis, 2003) at the end of a year-long professional development programme in which TBLT figured prominently. Forty-three tasks designed by the teachers for use in their own foreign language classrooms are analysed against Ellis’s four criteria in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the professional development programme, on the premise that adequate understanding of the construct of task underpins successful implementation of TBLT. The findings show that some aspects of task-design were difficult for teachers. Implications for professional development programmes that focus on TBLT, such as the one whose effectiveness is evaluated here, are discussed.
“I felt sad and did not enjoy life”: Cultural context and the associations between anhedonia, depressed mood, and momentary emotions
Authors: Chentsova-Dutton Yulia E. , Choi Eunsoo , Ryder Andrew G. , Reyes Jenny
Published: January 2015

The meanings of “anhedonia” and “depressed mood,” the cardinal emotional symptoms of major depression, may be shaped by cultural norms regarding pleasure and sadness. Thirty-two European Americans, 26 Hispanic Americans, 33 Asian Americans, and 20 Russian Americans provided reports of (a) depressive symptoms, (b) momentary emotions and pleasure, and (c) global subjective well-being. Momentary reports were collected over 10 days using handheld personal digital assistants. Reports of anhedonia were associated with heightened levels of momentary low arousal negative emotions (e.g., sadness), whereas reports of depressed mood were associated with dampened levels of momentary positive emotions (e.g., happiness). Symptoms of anhedonia and depressed mood interacted in their associations with momentary pleasure. In addition, the associations of anhedonia and depressed mood with positive emotions and life satisfaction differed across cultural groups. Specifically, these symptoms were associated with dampened positive emotions in the Asian American group only. Additionally, anhedonia was associated with dampened global life satisfaction in the European American group only. These results suggest that reports of anhedonia and depressed mood cannot be interpreted at face value as specific and culture-free indicators of emotional deficits. Instead, they appear to signal changes in the balance of positive and negative emotions, with the exact nature of these signals shaped at least in part by cultural context. This conclusion has important consequences for the clinical interpretation of depressive symptoms in multicultural societies.
The foundations of a critical social theory: Lessons from the Positivismusstreit
Authors: De Angelis Gabriele
Published: January 2015

Is the Positivismusstreit still worth our time? Fifty years after a controversy that contemporary observers have already marked as rather disappointing, the contemporary scholar might have a hard time trying to make sense of a debate that raised attention for its political implications more than for its contribution to social theory. And yet, some very important lessons can still be drawn from it. First, the ethical foundations of science – including social science –, inasmuch as any scientific enterprise, rest on an ethical ideal of knowledge and society; second, the fact that such a foundation is itself not subject to scientific ‘proof’, but must be instead argued for (or against) on the basis of a critical reflection on the historical traditions and the social practices that make science possible. The article aims to highlight that these assumptions are present both in Popper’s and in Adorno’s approach to science, how they have been further elaborated by Habermas in a close engagement with the tradition of philosophical hermeneutics and what is their importance for today’s scholar.
Criminal Careers of Juvenile Sex and Nonsex Offenders
Authors: McCuish Evan , Lussier Patrick , Corrado Raymond
Published: January 2015

Developmental criminologists have criticized typologies of juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) for assuming that JSOs involved in nonsexual offending are a homogenous group. However, this criticism has remained largely conceptual. To help empirically address the validity of this criticism, offending trajectories from age 12 to 23 were measured for a sample of male JSOs ( n = 52) and juvenile nonsex offenders (JNSOs; n = 231) interviewed as part of the Incarcerated Serious and Violent Young Offender study. Within this predominantly Caucasian sample, whether offender status (JSO/JNSO) or risk factors were better indicators of trajectory group membership was examined. Four unique offending trajectories emerged, namely, a low-rate offending trajectory, a bell-shaped offending trajectory, a slow-rising chronic trajectory, and a high-rate chronic trajectory. The relatively equal distribution of JSOs in each trajectory indicated that the criminal behavior committed by this group was not expressed by just one pattern. Further, the prevalence of JSOs in each trajectory mirrored the prevalence of JNSOs in the same trajectory, suggesting that having a sex offense in adolescence was not informative of general offending patterns. Individual and familial-level risk/needs factors were better indicators of trajectory membership. Implications for existing typologies of JSOs are discussed.
After-School Programs for Delinquency Prevention
Authors: Taheri Sema A. , Welsh Brandon C.
Published: January 2015

This article reports on the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of after-school programs (ASPs) on delinquency. Mixed results from some well-known evaluations, a wide range of modalities, and continued interest in and demand for this social intervention motivated this review. A rigorous criteria for inclusion of studies was developed, comprehensive search strategies were employed to identify eligible studies (published and unpublished), and a protocol was followed for coding of key study features. Meta-analytic techniques were used to assess the impact of ASPs on delinquency and investigate study features associated with variation in effects. Seventeen studies—based on 17 independent samples—met the inclusion criteria. All but two of the studies were multimodal, involving primary and secondary interventions. Studies could be grouped into one of the three primary intervention types: academic, recreation, and skills training/mentoring. There was evidence that ASPs had a small but nonsignificant effect on delinquency, with a weighted mean d = 0.062 (95% confidence interval: –0.098, 0.223). Moderator analyses indicated that not one of the intervention types was associated with a significant effect on delinquency. Nothing in the present review suggests that ASPs—of any type—should be discontinued. But business as usual does not seem in order for ASPs with a focus on delinquency prevention. Several research priorities could go some way toward addressing this, including further high-quality evaluations targeted on the three main types of ASPs and a special focus on program fidelity.
Muscle Fatigability During a Sustained Index Finger Abduction and Depression Scores Are Associated With Perceived Fatigue in Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Wolkorte Ria , Heersema Dorothea J. , Zijdewind Inge
Published: January 2015

Introduction. Fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Self-reported levels of perceived fatigue are associated with both patient characteristics and clinical measures. Pilot analysis indicated that muscle fatigability combined with depression scores was highly associated with perceived fatigue in patients with MS. Studies that combine physiological and psychological constructs to explain MS-related fatigue are scarce. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the robustness of the association between perceived fatigue, muscle fatigability, and depression scores in MS. Methods. Eighty-six patients with relapsing-remitting MS completed 2 fatigue questionnaires (Fatigue Severity Scale [FSS] and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale [MFIS]) and a depression questionnaire (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]). Maximal index finger abduction force (maximum voluntary contraction [MVC]) was measured, as well as muscle fatigability during a 2-minutes sustained maximal contraction. Multivariable regression analyses were used to analyze the association between perceived fatigue, and muscle fatigability and depression scores. Results. Perceived fatigue was associated with depression, muscle fatigability, and, depending on the questionnaire, to sex or to MVC. The model explained 40% and 48% of the variation in perception of fatigue as indexed with FSS questionnaire ( rpartial: HADS 0.45, muscle fatigability 0.45, MVC −0.14, sex 0.32), and MFIS physical questionnaire ( rpartial: HADS 0.59, muscle fatigability 0.49, MVC −0.38), respectively. Conclusions. The found association accentuates the importance of including both physiological fatigability-related and psychological mood–related constructs in models to explain perceived fatigue in patients with MS. The model also directs future research toward applying effortful conditions and emphasizes the importance of assessing different constructs when evaluating rehabilitation strategies to reduce MS-related fatigue.
Using “Clinical Trial Diaries” to Track Patterns of Participation for Serial Healthy Volunteers in U.S. Phase I Studies
Authors: Edelblute Heather B. , Fisher Jill A.
Published: January 2015

Phase I testing of investigational drugs relies on healthy volunteers as research participants. Many U.S. healthy volunteers enroll repeatedly in clinical trials for the financial compensation. Serial participants are incentivized to ignore restrictions on their participation, and no centralized clinical trial registry prevents dual enrollment. Little is currently known about how healthy volunteers participate in studies over time, hampering the development of policies to protect this group. We detail a methodology developed as part of a longitudinal study to track in real-time healthy volunteers’ Phase I participation. Illustrating these data through three case studies, we document how healthy volunteers use strategies, such as qualifying for studies at more than one clinic and traveling significant distances, to maximize their participation. Our findings suggest that “clinical trial diaries” can generate critical information about serial research participation and point to ethical issues unique to healthy volunteers’ involvement in Phase I clinical trials.
Olecranon Stress Injury in an Adolescent Overhand Pitcher
Authors: Brucker Jason , Sahu Novneet , Sandella Bradley
Published: January 2015

Upper extremity stress fractures, which are relatively rare, have become increasingly common, with olecranon stress injuries representing a subset primarily affecting throwing athletes. Olecranon stress fractures have been classified to fit specific radiographic patterns, with most of these injuries typified by a fracture line. Only a handful of olecranon stress injury cases report magnetic resonance imaging findings of osseous edema within the olecranon, as in our case of a 17-year-old competitive overhand baseball pitcher with elbow pain. The patient was treated conservatively and had resolution of pain after 6 weeks of rest, followed by a 6-week throwing progression with full return to pitching.
Language learning strategies of language e-learners in Turkey
Authors: Solak Ekrem , Cakir Recep
Published: January 2015

The purpose of this study was to determine the use of language learning strategies of e-learners and to understand whether there were any correlations between language learning strategies and academic achievement. Participants of the study were 274 e-learners, 132 males and 142 females, enrolled in an e-learning program from various majors and taking an English course through e-learning in Turkey. The Turkish version of Strategy Inventory of Language Learning (SILL) was used as the data collection instrument. The results of the study revealed that while participants used cognitive and affective strategies least, they preferred to take advantage of metacognitive and memory strategies the most. In addition, a significant difference was found for females in cognitive strategies and for males in metacognitive strategies. Finally, this study suggested that using language learning strategies had an effect on academic achievement.
Isolated fibrous dysplasia of the ethmoid sinus
Authors: Yenigun Alper , Akyuz Servet
Published: January 2015

Fibrous dysplasia is a benign fibro-osseous lesion progressing with one or more bone involvements in the skeleton. Even though it is a benign tumor, it may potentially transform into a malignant one. While the most frequently involved zones in the head–neck zone include the maxilla, mandible, parietal, occipital, and temporal zones, the involvement of the ethmoid bone is rather rare. This article presents the case of a female patient who was diagnosed with fibrous dysplasia in the right ethmoid sinus based on the paranasal computerized tomography scan that was taken due to the symptoms of pain around the right eye, pressure, and a feeling of being pushed.
Narratives of the past for Future Earth: The historiography of global environmental change research
Authors: Uhrqvist Ola , Linnér Björn-Ola
Published: January 2015

This paper analyses the auto-historiography of global environmental change research. It traces how participating researchers make sense of and rationalise research strategies through narratives of the history of global change and Earth System science. Our study draws on personal and programme accounts of Earth System science’s background related to the international global environmental change research programmes International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP), the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), and Future Earth, from 1983 to 2013. The study finds three core narratives: the science history narrative motivates the future development of the programme by building on the successes of earlier international projects. The Earth System departs from an enhanced understanding of environmental change over time. Finally, the Anthropocene narrative underpins arguments for a science-based management of human–environment systems. We argue that including reflexive analytical perspectives in the history writing of Future Earth contributes to making environmental change research relevant and useful for democratic decision-making.
Wetting of steel by Al 4043 alloys in cold metal transfer process
Authors: Lin Q. , Zhou Y. , Cao R. , Chen J. H.
Published: January 2015

The sessile drop method was used for the study of the wetting of steel by Al 4043 alloys in cold metal transfer process. The moving of triple line was determined by the reaction at interface rather than the wettability of reaction product. The evaporation of Zn coating for galvanised steel induced instability of wetting for small wire feed speeds and reduced the heat input in the interface. Wire feed speed dependent interfacial structures were observed, which are due to the heat input dependent interfacial reactivity. The calculation of adsorption energy can be used for the explanation of interfacial structures and Zn rich zone in Al galvanised steel system.
Deposition of AlN on Nimonic 75 by PFD device
Authors: Laktarashi A. , Habibi M. , Bordbar S.
Published: January 2015

In this study, thin films of aluminium nitride (AlN) are deposited on Nimonic 75 substrates using a 4 kJ Mather type plasma focus device (PFD) for 5, 10 and 15 focus shots. For the deposition of AlN films, a solid aluminium fitted anode was used instead of a copper anode. The PFD was operated with nitrogen gas at a pressure of 2 torr. X-ray diffraction results reveal the formation of a nanocrystalline AlN coating on the surface of the substrate. The crystallite size is dependent on the number of focus shots. The density of grains increased with an increase in the number of focus deposition shots, as illustrated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The FESEM images confirm the distribution of spherical grains for 15 focus shots. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy spectra indicate the presence of expected constituent elements such as N and Al.
CD24hiCD27+ and plasmablast-like regulatory B cells in human chronic graft-versus-host disease
Authors: de Masson Adèle , Bouaziz Jean-David , Le Buanec Hélène , Robin Marie , O’Meara Alix , Parquet Nathalie , Rybojad Michel , Hau Estelle , Monfort Jean-Benoît , Branchtein Mylène , Michonneau David , Dessirier Valérie , Sicre de Fontbrune Flore , Bergeron Anne , Itzykson Raphaël , Dhédin Nathalie , Bengoufa Djaouida , Peffault de Latour Régis , Xhaard Aliénor , Bagot Martine , Bensussan Armand , Socié Gérard
Published: January 2015

Key Points

Chronic graft-versus-host disease is associated with a global Breg defect. This defect is particularly accentuated in the CD24hiCD27+ Breg compartment.
IRF8 acts in lineage-committed rather than oligopotent progenitors to control neutrophil vs monocyte production
Authors: Yáñez Alberto , Ng Madelena Y. , Hassanzadeh-Kiabi Nargess , Goodridge Helen S.
Published: January 2015

Key Points

IRF8 does not instruct monocytic lineage specification in oligopotent granulocyte-monocyte progenitors. IRF8 regulates the survival and differentiation of lineage-committed progenitors to promote monocyte and suppress neutrophil production.
How I treat mixed-phenotype acute leukemia
Authors: Wolach Ofir , Stone Richard M.
Published: January 2015

Mixed-phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) encompasses a heterogeneous group of rare leukemias in which assigning a single lineage of origin is not possible. A variety of different terms and classification systems have been used historically to describe this entity. MPAL is currently defined by a limited set of lineage-specific markers proposed in the 2008 World Health Organization monograph on classification of tumors of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. In adult patients, MPAL is characterized by relative therapeutic resistance that may be attributed in part to the high proportion of patients with adverse cytogenetic abnormalities. No prospective, controlled trials exist to guide therapy. The limited available data suggest that an “acute lymphoblastic leukemia–like” regimen followed by allogeneic stem-cell transplant may be advisable; addition of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor in patients with t(9;22) translocation is recommended. The role of immunophenotypic and genetic markers in guiding chemotherapy choice and postremission strategy, as well as the utility of targeted therapies in non–Ph-positive MPALs is unknown.
Identification of novel fusion genes in lung cancer using breakpoint assembly of transcriptome sequencing data
Authors: Fernandez-Cuesta Lynnette , Sun Ruping , Menon Roopika , George Julie , Lorenz Susanne , Meza-Zepeda Leonardo A , Peifer Martin , Plenker Dennis , Heuckmann Johannes M , Leenders Frauke , Zander Thomas , Dahmen Ilona , Koker Mirjam , Schöttle Jakob , Ullrich Roland T , Altmüller Janine , Becker Christian , Nürnberg Peter , Seidel Henrik , Böhm Diana , Göke Friederike , Ansén Sascha , Russell Prudence A , Wright Gavin M , Wainer Zoe , Solomon Benjamin , Petersen Iver , Clement Joachim H , Sänger Jörg , Brustugun Odd-Terje , Helland Åslaug , Solberg Steinar , Lund-Iversen Marius , Buettner Reinhard , Wolf Jürgen , Brambilla Elisabeth , Vingron Martin , Perner Sven , Haas Stefan A , Thomas Roman K
Published: January 2015

Genomic translocation events frequently underlie cancer development through generation of gene fusions with oncogenic properties. Identification of such fusion transcripts by transcriptome sequencing might help to discover new potential therapeutic targets. We developed TRUP (Tumor-specimen suited RNA-seq Unified Pipeline) (https://github.com/ruping/TRUP), a computational approach that combines split-read and read-pair analysis with de novo assembly for the identification of chimeric transcripts in cancer specimens. We apply TRUP to RNA-seq data of different tumor types, and find it to be more sensitive than alternative tools in detecting chimeric transcripts, such as secondary rearrangements in EML4-ALK-positive lung tumors, or recurrent inactivating rearrangements affecting RASSF8.
Quantification of cell identity from single-cell gene expression profiles
Authors: Efroni Idan , Ip Pui-Leng , Nawy Tal , Mello Alison , Birnbaum Kenneth D
Published: January 2015

The definition of cell identity is a central problem in biology. While single-cell RNA-seq provides a wealth of information regarding cell states, better methods are needed to map their identity, especially during developmental transitions. Here, we use repositories of cell type-specific transcriptomes to quantify identities from single-cell RNA-seq profiles, accurately classifying cells from Arabidopsis root tips and human glioblastoma tumors. We apply our approach to single cells captured from regenerating roots following tip excision. Our technique exposes a previously uncharacterized transient collapse of identity distant from the injury site, demonstrating the biological relevance of a quantitative cell identity index.
Epidemiology and management of gout in Taiwan: a nationwide population study
Authors: Kuo Chang-Fu , Grainge Matthew J , See Lai-Chu , Yu Kuang-Hui , Luo Shue-Fen , Zhang Weiya , Doherty Michael
Published: January 2015

Introduction

Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis worldwide and is the only type of chronic arthritis that potentially can be ‘cured’. However, data on gout incidence, prevalence and management, assessed at multiple time points in the same population, are sparse, particularly in Asian populations. The aim of this study was to describe trends in the epidemiology of gout in the general population of Taiwan.

Methods

The National Health Insurance Research Database was used to identify patients with gout and to estimate the prevalence and incidence of gout for each calendar year from 2005 to 2010. The pattern of gout management was also examined.

Results

Of 23,371,362 beneficiaries in 2010, there were 1,458,569 prevalent and 56,595 incident cases of gout, giving a prevalence of 6.24% (95% confidence interval (CI), 6.23% to 6.25%) and an incidence of 2.74 (95% CI, 2.72 to 2.76) per 1,000 person-years. The annual percentage change (APC) of the standardised prevalence was −0.7% (95% CI, −1.7% to 0.3%; P = 0.14), suggesting that the prevalence of gout was essentially the same throughout the study period. However, The APC of incidence was −13.4 (95% CI, −16.1 to −10.6) between 2005 and 2007 and −2.1 (95% CI, −10.4 to 7.1) between 2007 and 2010. Regions with the highest prevalence and incidence were eastern coastal counties and offshore islets, where indigenous people are clustered. Among prevalent gout cases in 2010, only 22.93% (95% CI, 22.87% to 23.00%) were prescribed urate-lowering treatment (ULT), which remained unchanged between 2005 and 2010 at an APC of 0.0 (95% CI, −3.8 to 4.0). Uricosuric agents were more commonly prescribed than xanthine oxidase inhibitors in Taiwan.

Conclusions

In Taiwan, 1 in 16 people have gout. Whereas the incidence has decreased recently, the prevalence remains unchanged. Management of gout in Taiwan is poor, with only one in five affected people being treated with ULT.
Syk is involved in NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated caspase-1 activation through adaptor ASC phosphorylation and enhanced oligomerization
Authors: Lin Ying-Cing , Huang Duen-Yi , Wang Jang-Shiun , Lin Yi-Ling , Hsieh Shie-Liang , Huang Kuo-Chin , Lin Wan-Wan
Published: January 2015

NLRP3 is the most crucial member of the NLR family, as it detects the existence of pathogen invasion and self-derived molecules associated with cellular damage. Several studies have reported that excessive NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated caspase-1 activation is a key factor in the development of diseases. Recent studies have reported that Syk is involved in pathogen-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation; however, the detailed mechanism linking Syk to NLRP3 inflammasome remains unclear. In this study, we showed that Syk mediates NLRP3 stimuli-induced processing of procaspase-1 and the consequent activation of caspase-1. Moreover, the kinase activity of Syk is required to potentiate caspase-1 activation in a reconstituted NLRP3 inflammasome system in HEK293T cells. The adaptor protein ASC bridges NLRP3 with the effector protein caspase-1. Herein, we find that Syk can associate directly with ASC and NLRP3 by its kinase domain but interact indirectly with procaspase-1. Syk can phosphorylate ASC at Y146 and Y187 residues, and the phosphorylation of both residues is critical to enhance ASC oligomerization and the recruitment of procaspase-1. Together, our results reveal a new molecular pathway through which Syk promotes NLRP3 inflammasome formation, resulting from the phosphorylation of ASC. Thus, the control of Syk activity might be effective to modulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation and treat NLRP3-related immune diseases.
Eustatic controls on stratigraphy, chemostratigraphy, and water mass evolution preserved in a Lower Permian mudrock succession, Delaware Basin, west Texas, USA
Authors: Nance Hardie S. , Rowe Harry
Published: January 2015

Bone Spring (Leonardian) mudrock successions in Delaware Basin vary between silica- and carbonate-rich facies marking depositional responses to sea-level changes. Increased Mo, [Formula: see text], and total organic carbon (TOC) record reduced oxygenation during sea-level lowstands. In a 91.4-m (300 ft) core from Sun No. 1 Houssels well and a 39.6-m (130 ft) core from Shell No. 1 Marsden well (Reeves Co., Texas), lower Bone Spring cycles comprised siliceous-calcareous mudrock couplets. The Marsden core was correlative to the upper part of the Houssels core. Cyclicity was interpreted from mineralogical calculations at numerous core horizons using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) measurements of elemental content. Elemental abundances enabled predicting mineralogy based on the stoichiometric relationships between elements and dominant minerals (calcite and quartz), and from average values of Si and K in published illite analyses. The average sample spacing for ED-XRF measurements was 0.24 m (0.8 ft) for the Houssels core and 0.15 m (0.5 ft) for the Marsden core. The measurements and interpretations provided: (1) information regarding comparisons in stratigraphic and geographic development of facies over the 10-km (6.2-mi) distance between wells and (2) guidance for petrographic, scanning electron micrograph, and organic matter analyses that address processes that produced different facies. Greater carbonate abundance in the Houssels core reflected the proximity to carbonate shelves on the Central Basin Platform (CBP); the greater siliciclastic abundance in the Marsden core was thought to reflect the greater distance from the CBP. Redox element (S and Mo) and TOC concentrations were greater, and [Formula: see text] values were higher in some siliciclastic-dominated intervals, suggesting that anoxia characterized sea-level lowstands when normal marine water flowing from the Panthalassa Ocean was inhibited through narrow interbasin channels or over sills. Carbon isotope ([Formula: see text]) variations suggested changes in organic matter characteristics, whereby greater [Formula: see text]-depleted organic matter was deposited during sea-level lowstands, marking: (1) reduction of shallow-marine sources or (2) increased terrigenous organic carbon contributions.
Phase III Open-Label Randomized Study of Eribulin Mesylate Versus Capecitabine in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer Previously Treated With an Anthracycline and a Taxane
Authors: Kaufman Peter A. , Awada Ahmad , Twelves Chris , Yelle Louise , Perez Edith A. , Velikova Galina , Olivo Martin S. , He Yi , Dutcus Corina E. , Cortes Javier
Published: January 2015

Purpose

This phase III randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00337103) compared eribulin with capecitabine in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Patients and Methods

Women with MBC who had received prior anthracycline- and taxane-based therapy were randomly assigned to receive eribulin or capecitabine as their first-, second-, or third-line chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic disease. Stratification factors were human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) status and geographic region. Coprimary end points were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

Median OS times for eribulin (n = 554) and capecitabine (n = 548) were 15.9 and 14.5 months, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.88; 95% CI, 0.77 to 1.00; P = .056). Median PFS times for eribulin and capecitabine were 4.1 and 4.2 months, respectively (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.25; P = .30). Objective response rates were 11.0% for eribulin and 11.5% for capecitabine. Global health status and overall quality-of-life scores over time were similar in the treatment arms. Both treatments had manageable safety profiles consistent with their known adverse effects; most adverse events were grade 1 or 2.

Conclusion

In this phase III study, eribulin was not shown to be superior to capecitabine with regard to OS or PFS.
CEREBEL (EGF111438): A Phase III, Randomized, Open-Label Study of Lapatinib Plus Capecitabine Versus Trastuzumab Plus Capecitabine in Patients With Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Pivot Xavier , Manikhas Alexey , Żurawski Bogdan , Chmielowska Ewa , Karaszewska Boguslawa , Allerton Rozenn , Chan Stephen , Fabi Alessandra , Bidoli Paolo , Gori Stefania , Ciruelos Eva , Dank Magdolna , Hornyak Lajos , Margolin Sara , Nusch Arnd , Parikh Roma , Nagi Fareha , DeSilvio Michelle , Santillana Sergio , Swaby Ramona F. , Semiglazov Vladimir
Published: January 2015

Purpose

CEREBEL compared the incidence of CNS metastases as first site of relapse in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive metastatic breast cancer receiving lapatinib-capecitabine or trastuzumab-capecitabine.

Patients and Methods

Patients without baseline CNS metastases were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive lapatinib-capecitabine (lapatinib 1,250 mg per day; capecitabine 2,000 mg/m2 per day on days 1 to 14 every 21 days) or trastuzumab-capecitabine (trastuzumab loading dose of 8 mg/kg followed by an infusion of 6 mg/kg every 3 weeks; capecitabine 2,500 mg/m2 per day on days 1 to 14 every 21 days). The primary end point was incidence of CNS metastases as first site of relapse. Secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

The study was terminated early with 540 enrolled patients (271 received lapatinib-capecitabine, and 269 received trastuzumab-capecitabine). Incidence of CNS metastases as first site of relapse was 3% (eight of 251 patients) for lapatinib-capecitabine and 5% (12 of 250 patients) for trastuzumab-capecitabine (treatment differences, −1.6%; 95% CI, −2% to 5%; P = .360). PFS and OS were longer with trastuzumab-capecitabine versus lapatinib-capecitabine (hazard ratio [HR] for PFS, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.64; HR for OS, 1.34; 95% CI, 0.95 to 1.64). Serious adverse events were reported in 13% (34 of 269 patients) and 17% (45 of 267 patients) of patients in the lapatinib-capecitabine and trastuzumab-capecitabine arms, respectively.

Conclusion

CEREBEL is inconclusive for the primary end point, and no difference was detected between lapatinb-capecitabine and trastuzumab-capecitabine for the incidence of CNS metastases. A better outcome was observed with trastuzumab-capecitabine in the overall population. However, lapatinib-capecitabine efficacy may have been affected by previous exposure to a trastuzumab regimen and/or when treatment was given as first- or second-line therapy in the metastatic setting.
Phase I Dose-Escalation Trial of Checkpoint Kinase 1 Inhibitor MK-8776 As Monotherapy and in Combination With Gemcitabine in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors
Authors: Daud Adil I. , Ashworth Michelle T. , Strosberg Jonathan , Goldman Jonathan W. , Mendelson David , Springett Gregory , Venook Alan P. , Loechner Sabine , Rosen Lee S. , Shanahan Frances , Parry David , Shumway Stuart , Grabowsky Jennifer A. , Freshwater Tomoko , Sorge Christopher , Kang Soonmo Peter , Isaacs Randi , Munster Pamela N.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

We determined the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and recommended phase II dose of MK-8776 (SCH 900776), a potent, selective checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibitor, as monotherapy and in combination with gemcitabine in a first-in-human phase I clinical trial in patients with advanced solid tumor malignancies.

Patients and Methods

Forty-three patients were treated by intravenous infusion with MK-8776 at seven dose levels ranging from 10 to 150 mg/m2 as monotherapy and then in combination with gemcitabine 800 mg/m2 (part A, n = 26) or gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 (part B, n = 17). Forty percent of patients had three or more prior treatment regimens, and one third of patients had previously received gemcitabine.

Results

As monotherapy, MK-8776 was well tolerated, with QTc prolongation (19%), nausea (16%), fatigue (14%), and constipation (14%) as the most frequent adverse effects. Combination therapy demonstrated a higher frequency of adverse effects, predominantly fatigue (63%), nausea (44%), decreased appetite (37%), thrombocytopenia (32%), and neutropenia (24%), as well as dose-related, transient QTc prolongation (17%). The median number of doses of MK-8776 administered was five doses, with relative dose-intensity of 0.96. Bioactivity was assessed by γ-H2AX ex vivo assay. Of 30 patients evaluable for response, two showed partial response, and 13 exhibited stable disease.

Conclusion

MK-8776 was well tolerated as monotherapy and in combination with gemcitabine. Early evidence of clinical efficacy was observed. The recommended phase II dose is MK-8776 200 mg plus gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle.
Anxiety and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients With Low–Tumor Burden Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Randomly Assigned to Two Different Rituximab Dosing Regimens: Results From ECOG Trial E4402 (RESORT)
Authors: Wagner Lynne I. , Zhao Fengmin , Hong Fangxin , Williams Michael E. , Gascoyne Randy D. , Krauss John C. , Advani Ranjana H. , Go Ronald S. , Habermann Thomas M. , Leach Joseph W. , O'Connor Brian , Schuster Stephen J. , Cella David , Horning Sandra J. , Kahl Brad S.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare illness-related anxiety among participants in the Rituximab Extended Schedule or Retreatment Trial (RESORT) randomly assigned to maintenance rituximab (MR) versus rituximab re-treatment (RR). A secondary objective was to examine whether the superiority of MR versus RR on anxiety depended on illness-related coping style.

Patients and Methods

Patients (N = 253) completed patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures at random assignment to MR or RR (baseline); at 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 months after random assignment; and at rituximab failure. PRO measures assessed illness-related anxiety and coping style, and secondary end points including general anxiety, worry and interference with emotional well-being, depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Patients were classified as using an active or avoidant illness-related coping style. Independent sample t tests and linear mixed-effects models were used to identify treatment arm differences on PRO end points and differences based on coping style.

Results

Illness-related anxiety was comparable between treatment arms at all time points (P > .05), regardless of coping style (active or avoidant). Illness-related anxiety and general anxiety significantly decreased over time on both arms. HRQoL scores were relatively stable and did not change significantly from baseline for both arms. An avoidant coping style was associated with significantly higher anxiety (18% and 13% exceeded clinical cutoff points at baseline and 6 months, respectively) and poorer HRQoL compared with an active coping style (P < .001), regardless of treatment arm assignment.

Conclusion

Surveillance until RR at progression was not associated with increased anxiety compared with MR, regardless of coping style. Avoidant coping was associated with higher anxiety and poorer HRQoL.
atBRX1-1 and atBRX1-2 are involved in an alternative rRNA processing pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Weis Benjamin L. , Palm Denise , Missbach Sandra , Bohnsack Markus T. , Schleiff Enrico
Published: January 2015

Ribosome biogenesis is an essential process in all organisms. In eukaryotes, multiple ribosome biogenesis factors (RBFs) act in the processing of ribosomal (r)RNAs, assembly of ribosomal subunits and their export to the cytoplasm. We characterized two genes in Arabidopsis thaliana coding for orthologs of yeast BRX1, a protein involved in maturation of the large ribosomal subunit. Both atBRX1 proteins, encoded by AT3G15460 and AT1G52930, respectively, are mainly localized in the nucleolus and are ubiquitously expressed throughout plant development and in various tissues. Mutant plant lines for both factors show a delay in development and pointed leaves can be observed in the brx1-2 mutant, implying a link between ribosome biogenesis and plant development. In addition, the pre-rRNA processing is affected in both mutants. Analysis of the pre-rRNA intermediates revealed that early processing steps can occur either in the 5′ external transcribed spacer (ETS) or internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1). Interestingly, we also find that in xrn2 mutants, early processing events can be bypassed and removal of the 5′ ETS is initiated by cleavage at the P′ processing site. While the pathways of pre-rRNA processing are comparable to those of yeast and mammalian cells, the balance between the two processing pathways is different in plants. Furthermore, plant-specific steps such as an additional processing site in the 5′ ETS, likely post-transcriptional processing of the early cleavage sites and accumulation of a 5′ extended 5.8S rRNA not observed in other eukaryotes can be detected.
Using droplet-based microfluidics to improve the catalytic properties of RNA under multiple-turnover conditions
Authors: Ryckelynck Michael , Baudrey Stéphanie , Rick Christian , Marin Annick , Coldren Faith , Westhof Eric , Griffiths Andrew D.
Published: January 2015

In vitro evolution methodologies are powerful approaches to identify RNA with new functionalities. While Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX) is an efficient approach to generate new RNA aptamers, it is less suited for the isolation of efficient ribozymes as it does not select directly for the catalysis. In vitro compartmentalization (IVC) in aqueous droplets in emulsions allows catalytic RNAs to be selected under multiple-turnover conditions but suffers severe limitations that can be overcome using the droplet-based microfluidics workflow described in this paper. Using microfluidics, millions of genes in a library can be individually compartmentalized in highly monodisperse aqueous droplets and serial operations performed on them. This allows the different steps of the evolution process (gene amplification, transcription, and phenotypic assay) to be uncoupled, making the method highly flexible, applicable to the selection and evolution of a variety of RNAs, and easily adaptable for evolution of DNA or proteins. To demonstrate the method, we performed cycles of random mutagenesis and selection to evolve the X-motif, a ribozyme which, like many ribozymes selected using SELEX, has limited multiple-turnover activity. This led to the selection of variants, likely to be the optimal ribozymes that can be generated using point mutagenesis alone, with a turnover number under multiple-turnover conditions, ksscat, ∼28-fold higher than the original X-motif, primarily due to an increase in the rate of product release, the rate-limiting step in the multiple-turnover reaction.
Long read nanopore sequencing for detection of HLA and CYP2D6 variants and haplotypes
Authors: Ammar Ron , Paton Tara A. , Torti Dax , Shlien Adam , Bader Gary D.
Published: January 2015

Haplotypes are often critical for the interpretation of genetic laboratory observations into medically actionable findings. Current massively parallel DNA sequencing technologies produce short sequence reads that are often unable to resolve haplotype information. Phasing short read data typically requires supplemental statistical phasing based on known haplotype structure in the population or parental genotypic data. Here we demonstrate that the MinION nanopore sequencer is capable of producing very long reads to resolve both variants and haplotypes of HLA-A, HLA-B and CYP2D6 genes important in determining patient drug response in sample NA12878 of CEPH/UTAH pedigree 1463, without the need for statistical phasing. Long read data from a single 24-hour nanopore sequencing run was used to reconstruct haplotypes, which were confirmed by HapMap data and statistically phased Complete Genomics and Sequenom genotypes. Our results demonstrate that nanopore sequencing is an emerging standalone technology with potential utility in a clinical environment to aid in medical decision-making.
“I Don’t Have a Problem With It, But Other Guys Do”: An Exploration of Condom Negotiation among Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the South
Authors: Ricks JaNelle M. , Geter Angelica , McGladrey Margaret , Crosby Richard A. , Mena Leandro A. , Ottmar Jessica M.
Published: January 2015

Condom negotiation among young Black men who have sex with men in the Southern United States was explored using the theory of reasoned action. Fifty-four (18-to 29-year-old) males participated in nine focus group interviews. Discussions elicited condom use and negotiation attitudes, beliefs and social norms. Positive personal attitudes (respect of self, personal health concerns) and high negotiation self-efficacy was emphasized. Conversely, social norms revealed non-prioritized condom use behavior. Divergence between individual and community indicates theoretical models targeting sexual communication must address external factors (social, economic, political context), which intersects with individual intentions, attitudes to influence hiv prevalence in this community.
In the Context of Concurrency and Monogamy: Ideal Partner Matching in Predicting Coital Behaviors among African American Adolescents
Authors: Best Candace , Hensel Devon J. , Fortenberry J. Dennis
Published: January 2015

We examined if ideal physical and personality matching predicts coital behavior among African American young women ( aayw ) and young men ( aaym ) and how these associations vary by gender and relationship type (i.e., monogamous, concurrent). In all, 268 aayw (aged 14–17 years) and 173 aaym completed partner-specific assessments of ideal/actual partners and coital behaviors (i.e., total condom use, condom use at last coitus, coital frequency). gee models were run separately for gender and relationship type. Personality matching increased total condom use by 83% for aayw in monogamous relationships (odds ratio [ or ] = 4.95; 95% confidence interval [ ci ] 1.35, 18.17) and reduced total condom use by 13% for aaym in concurrent relationships ( or = 0.15; ci 0.03, 0.81). Physical matching increased coital frequency by 56% for aaym in concurrent relationships ( or = 1.25; ci 1.07, 1.46). Overall, ideal partner matching selectively predicts coital behaviors across relationship types among aayw and aaym .
“Work What You Got”: Political Participation and hiv -Positive Black Women’s Work to Restore Themselves and Their Communities
Authors: Melton Monica L.
Published: January 2015

hiv -positive Black women’s activism has been understudied, and input from the community in crisis has infrequently been deemed as valuable to public health officials in hiv/aids prevention and interventions. Through the narratives of thirty hiv -positive Floridian Black women, there were three emergent themes of political participation: 1) face-to-face activism 2) activist mothering, and 3) publically coming out as women living with hiv/aids . Results indicate that publically coming out as women living with hiv/aids may be a new activist strategy that can be added to the literature on Black women’s community-based political participation.