bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Occupational Therapy Task‐oriented Approach in Upper Extremity Post‐stroke Rehabilitation
Authors: Almhdawi Khader A. , Mathiowetz Virgil G. , White Matthew , delMas Robert C
Published: October 2016

There is a need for more effective rehabilitation methods for individuals post‐stroke. Occupational Therapy Task‐Oriented (TO) approach has not been evaluated in a randomized clinical trial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate functional and impairment efficacies of TO approach on the more‐affected Upper Extremity (UE) of persons post‐stroke. A randomized single‐blinded cross‐over trial recruited 20 participants post‐stroke (mean chronicity = 62 months) who demonstrated at least 10° active more‐affected shoulder flexion and abduction and elbow flexion‐extension. Participants were randomized into immediate (n = 10) and delayed intervention (n = 10) groups. Immediate group had 6 weeks of 3 hr/week TO intervention followed by 6 weeks of no‐intervention control. Delayed intervention group underwent the reversed order. Functional measures included Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Motor Activity Log (MAL), and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT). Impairment measures included UE Active Range of Motion (AROM) and handheld dynamometry strength. Measurements were obtained at baseline, cross over, and end of the study. TO intervention showed statistically higher functional change scores. COPM performance and satisfaction scores were 2.83 and 3.46 units greater respectively (p < .001), MAL amount of use and quality of use scores were 1.1 and 0.87 units greater, respectively (p < .001), WMFT time was 8.35 seconds faster (p = .009). TO impairment outcomes were not significantly larger than control ones. TO approach appears to be an effective UE post‐stroke rehabilitation approach inducing clinically meaningful functional improvements. More studies are needed with larger samples and specific stroke chronicity and severity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pairwise contact energy statistical potentials can help to find probability of point mutations
Authors: Saravanan K. M. , Suvaithenamudhan S. , Parthasarathy S. , Selvaraj S.
Published: October 2016

To adopt a particular fold, a protein requires several interactions between its amino acid residues. The energetic contribution of these residue–residue interactions can be approximated by extracting statistical potentials from known high resolution structures. Several methods based on statistical potentials extracted from unrelated proteins are found to make a better prediction of probability of point mutations. We postulate that the statistical potentials extracted from known structures of similar folds with varying sequence identity can be a powerful tool to examine probability of point mutation. By keeping this in mind, we have derived pairwise residue and atomic contact energy potentials for the different functional families that adopt the (α/β)8 TIM‐Barrel fold. We carried out computational point mutations at various conserved residue positions in yeast Triose phosphate isomerase enzyme for which experimental results are already reported. We have also performed molecular dynamics simulations on a subset of point mutants to make a comparative study. The difference in pairwise residue and atomic contact energy of wildtype and various point mutations reveals probability of mutations at a particular position. Interestingly, we found that our computational prediction agrees with the experimental studies of Silverman et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci 2001;98:3092–3097) and perform better prediction than iMutant and Cologne University Protein Stability Analysis Tool. The present work thus suggests deriving pairwise contact energy potentials and molecular dynamics simulations of functionally important folds could help us to predict probability of point mutations which may ultimately reduce the time and cost of mutation experiments. Proteins 2016; 85:54–64. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ion‐beam synthesis and thermal behaviour of luminescent Zn2SiO4 nanoparticles in silica glasses and films
Authors: Zatsepin Anatoly , Buntov Evgeny , Gavrilov Nikolai , Fitting Hans‐Joachim
Published: October 2016

In the present study, the temperature‐dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Zn2SiO4 nano‐crystalline phases formed in glassy and thin‐film SiO2 matrices by means of ion implantation and annealing are studied. Pure willemite ceramics were used as a reference. The green and yellow light emission observed is associated with point defects inside α‐ and β‐Zn2SiO4 nanoparticles. Different PL excitation mechanisms were distinguished for implanted silica. The electronic states of point defects are localised to dimensions much smaller than the nanocrystal size, so the PL band positions are similar to those of bulk material. Conversely, the vibrational states are extended and therefore subjected to the effects of confinement, surface defects and disorder of the host matrix. Hence, the PL intensity quenching (different laws for α‐phase and β‐phase) and line broadening shed light to the PL emission mechanism and reveal the influence of the amorphous silica matrix. The results obtained may be used to tailor the optical properties of the nanocomposite over a wide temperature range.
A reassessment of temperature variations and trends from global reanalyses and monthly surface climatological datasets
Authors: Simmons A. J. , Berrisford P. , Dee D. P. , Hersbach H. , Hirahara S. , Thépaut J.‐N.
Published: October 2016

The ERA‐Interim and JRA‐55 reanalyses of synoptic data and several conventional analyses of monthly climatological data provide similar estimates of global‐mean surface warming since 1979. They broadly agree on the character of interannual variability and the extremity of the 2015/2016 warm spell to which a strong El Niño and low Arctic sea‐ice cover contribute. Nevertheless global and regional averages differ on various time‐scales due to differences in data coverage and sea‐surface temperature analyses; averages from those conventional datasets that infill where they lack direct observations agree better with the averages from the reanalyses. The latest warm event is less extreme when viewed in terms of atmospheric energy, which gives more weight to variability in the Tropics, where the thermal signal has greater vertical penetration and latent energy is a larger factor.

Surface warming from 1998 to 2012 is larger than indicated by earlier versions of the conventional datasets used to characterize what the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change termed a hiatus in global warming. None of the datasets exhibit net warming over the Antarctic since 1979.

Centennial trends from the conventional datasets, HadCRUT4 on the one hand and GISTEMP and NOAAGlobalTemp on the other, differ mainly because sea‐surface temperatures differ. Infilling of values where direct observations are lacking is more questionable for the data‐sparse earlier decades. Change since the eighteenth century is inevitably more uncertain than change over and after a modern baseline period. The latter is arguably best estimated separately for taking stock of actions to limit climate change, exploiting reanalyses and using satellite data to refine the conventional approach. Nevertheless, early in 2016 the global temperature appears to have first touched or briefly breached a level 1.5 °C above that early in the Industrial Revolution, having touched the 1.0 °C level in 1998 during a previous El Niño.
Research Prices
Authors: Bowman Jo
Published: October 2016

Automation is driving down the cost of research around the world

Simple work gets cheaper, analysis comes at a premium
Curvilinear relationships between resource allocation and life domain‐specific interference
Authors: Waldrop Jessica S. , Erb Kaitlyn R. , Grawitch Matthew J.
Published: October 2016

This study investigated the inherent complexities of the work‐life interface (WLI) by examining the relationship between resource allocation (i.e., time and energy dedicated to a particular domain) and perceived interference of individual life domains. Much of the research on the WLI is based on the assumption that a linear pattern best describes the relationship between resource allocation and the interference caused by various life domains; however, this study examined the possibility that curvilinear relationships may be a more appropriate representation. Results indicated that resource allocation is a meaningful predictor of interference, and for many life domains a curvilinear relationship accounts for more variance than a linear one; a breakdown of the sample also revealed this relationship varies by gender. Overall, findings suggest that the nature of the WLI is more individualized and complex than is currently conceptualized in the field.
Which boundaries? How mobility networks across countries and status groups affect the creative performance of organizations
Authors: Shipilov Andrew , Godart Frédéric C. , Clement Julien
Published: October 2016

Research summary: Losing key employees to competitors allows an organization to engage in external boundary‐spanning activities. It may benefit the organization through access to external knowledge, but may also increase the risks of leaking knowledge to competitors. We propose that the destination of departed employees is a crucial contingency: benefits or risks only materialize when employees leave for competitors that differ from the focal organization along significant dimensions, such as country or status group. In the context of the global fashion industry, we find that key employees' moves to foreign competitors may increase (albeit at a diminishing rate) their former employers' creative performance. Furthermore, firms may suffer from losing key employees to higher‐ or same‐status competitors, but may benefit from losing them to lower‐status competitors.

Managerial summary: Losing key employees to competitors can provide organizations with access to external knowledge, but increase risks of leaking knowledge to competitors. We find that an organization's access to external knowledge and its risks of knowledge leakage through employee mobility may be affected by whether its employees leave for competitors in a foreign country or in a different status group. In the context of the global fashion industry, we show that key employees' moves to foreign competitors increase (up to a point) their former employers' creative performance. Furthermore, firms may suffer from losing key employees to higher‐ or same‐status competitors, but benefit from losing them to lower‐status competitors. Hence, executives in creative industries and possibly beyond could welcome losing employees to competitors in foreign countries or to lower‐status competitors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Error leakage and wasted time: sensitivity and effort analysis of a requirements consistency checking process
Authors: Li Wenbin , Hayes Jane Huffman , Antoniol Giulio , Guéhéneuc Yann‐Gaël , Adams Bram
Published: October 2016

Several techniques are used by requirements engineering practitioners to address difficult problems such as specifying precise requirements while using inherently ambiguous natural language text and ensuring the consistency of requirements. Often, these problems are addressed by building processes/tools that combine multiple techniques where the output from 1 technique becomes the input to the next. While powerful, these techniques are not without problems. Inherent errors in each technique may leak into the subsequent step of the process. We model and study 1 such process, for checking the consistency of temporal requirements, and assess error leakage and wasted time. We perform an analysis of the input factors of our model to determine the effect that sources of uncertainty may have on the final accuracy of the consistency checking process. Convinced that error leakage exists and negatively impacts the results of the overall consistency checking process, we perform a second simulation to assess its impact on the analysts' efforts to check requirements consistency. We show that analyst's effort varies depending on the precision and recall of the subprocesses and that the number and capability of analysts affect their effort. We share insights gained and discuss applicability to other processes built of piped techniques.
Ultrasound‐Guided Vascular Access Simulator for Medical Training: Proposal of a Simple, Economic and Effective Model
Authors: Fürst Rafael Vilhena de Carvalho , Polimanti Afonso César , Galego Sidnei José , Bicudo Maria Claudia , Montagna Erik , Corrêa João Antônio
Published: October 2016

Objective

To present a simple and affordable model able to properly simulate an ultrasound‐guided venous access.

Design

The simulation was made using a latex balloon tube filled with water and dye solution implanted in a thawed chicken breast with bones.

Results

The presented model allows the simulation of all implant stages of a central catheter. The obtained echogenicity is similar to that observed in human tissue, and the ultrasound identification of the tissues, balloon, needle, wire guide and catheter is feasible and reproducible.

Conclusion

The proposed model is simple, economical, easy to manufacture and capable of realistically and effectively simulating an ultrasound‐guided venous access.
The Correlation Between Poverty and Access to Essential Surgical Care in Ghana: A Geospatial Analysis
Authors: Tansley Gavin , Stewart Barclay T. , Gyedu Adam , Boakye Godfred , Lewis Daniel , Hoogerboord Marius , Mock Charles
Published: October 2016

Background

Surgical disease burden falls disproportionately on individuals in low‐ and middle‐income countries. These populations are also the least likely to have access to surgical care. Understanding the barriers to access in these populations is therefore necessary to meet the global surgical need.

Methods

Using geospatial methods, this study explores the district‐level variation of two access barriers in Ghana: poverty and spatial access to care. National survey data were used to estimate the average total household expenditure (THE) in each district. Estimates of the spatial access to essential surgical care were generated from a cost‐distance model based on a recent surgical capacity assessment. Correlations were analyzed using regression and displayed cartographically.

Results

Both THE and spatial access to surgical care were found to have statistically significant regional variation in Ghana (p < 0.001). An inverse relationship was identified between THE and spatial access to essential surgical care (β −5.15 USD, p < 0.001). Poverty and poor spatial access to surgical care were found to co‐localize in the northwest of the country.

Conclusions

Multiple barriers to accessing surgical care can coexist within populations. A careful understanding of all access barriers is necessary to identify and target strategies to address unmet surgical need within a given population.
Diagnostic value of sepsis biomarkers in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients in a condition of high prevalence of gram-negative pathogens
Authors: Stoma Igor , Karpov Igor , Uss Anatoly , Rummo Oleg , Milanovich Natalia , Iskrov Igor
Published: October 2016

Objective/background:

A decision about the need for antimicrobial therapy in a patient with febrile neutropenia after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is often complicated because of the low frequency of culture isolation and reduced clinical manifestation of infection. Usefulness and choice of sepsis biomarkers to distinguish bloodstream infection (BSI) from other causes of febrile episode is still argued in HSCT recipients in modern epidemiological situations characterized by the emergence of highly resistant gram-negative microorganisms. In this study a comparative analysis of diagnostic values of presepsin, procalcitonin (PCT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) was performed as sepsis biomarkers in adult patients after HSCT in a condition of high prevalence of gram-negative pathogens.

Methods:

A prospective observational clinical study was performed at the Center of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation in Minsk, Republic of Belarus. The biomarkers (presepsin, PCT, and CRP) were assessed in a 4-hour period after the onset of febrile neutropenia episode in adult patients after HSCT. Microbiologically-confirmed BSI caused by a gram-negative pathogen was set as a primary outcome.

Results:

Clinical and laboratory data were analyzed in 52 neutropenic patients after HSCT aged 18–79 years. Out of the biomarkers assessed, the best diagnostic value was shown in presepsin (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.889, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.644–0.987, p < .0001) with 75% sensitivity and 100% specificity, then in PCT (AUC: 0.741, 95% CI: 0.573–0.869, p = .0037) with 62% sensitivity and 88% specificity. The optimal cut-off value for CRP was set as 165 mg/L, while it had an average diagnostic value (AUC: 0.707, 95% CI: 0.564–0.825, p = .0049) with low sensitivity (40%) and should not be routinely recommended as a biomarker in adult patients with suspected BSI after HSCT.

Conclusion:

Presepsin may be recommended in adult patients with suspected gram-negative BSI after HSCT as a possible additional supplementary test with a cut-off value of 218 pg/ mL. PCT is inferior to presepsin in terms of sensitivity and specificity, but still shows a good quality of diagnostic value with an optimal cut-off value of 1.5 ng/mL. CRP showed an average diagnostic value with low sensitivity (40%) and should not be routinely recommended as a biomarker in adult patients with suspected BSI after HSCT in a condition of high prevalence of gram-negative pathogens.
Longitudinal and Horizontal Load Testing of Inflatable Penile Implant Cylinders of Two Manufacturers: An Ex Vivo Demonstration of Inflated Rigidity
Authors: Scovell Jason M. , Ge Liehui , Barrera Enrique V. , Wilson Steven K. , Carrion Rafael E. , Hakky Tariq S.
Published: October 2016

Introduction

Since the inception of the inflatable penile prosthesis, a new era has been ushered in for the management of erectile dysfunction. Despite multiple innovations to improve function and reliability, there are no current data comparing the biomechanical properties of these devices.

Aim

To compare the resistance of the Coloplast Titan (Minneapolis, MN, USA) with that of the AMS 700 LGX (Minnetonka, MN, USA) penile prosthesis cylinders to longitudinal (penetration) and horizontal (gravity) forces.

Methods

We compared two cylinder sizes from each company: the Coloplast Titan (18 and 22 cm) and the AMS 700 LGX (18 and 21 cm). To evaluate axial rigidity, which simulates forces during penetration, we performed a longitudinal load compression test to determine the load required to cause the cylinder to kink. To test horizontal rigidity, which simulates the horizontal forces exerted by gravity, we performed a modified cantilever test and measured the degrees of bend for each device. All devices were tested at 10, 15, and 20 PSI to simulate in vivo pressures.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measurement for the longitudinal load test (penetration) was the force required for the inflated cylinder to bend, thereby affecting its rigidity. The main outcome for the horizontal rigidity test (gravity) was the angle of displacement, in which a smaller angle represents a more horizontally rigid device.

Results

Longitudinal column testing (penetration) demonstrated that less force was required for the AMS device to kink compared with the Coloplast implant across all three fill pressures tested. The Coloplast Titan also had a smaller angle of displacement at the modified cantilever test (gravity) compared with the AMS implant across all fill pressures.

Conclusion

The Coloplast Titan demonstrated greater resistance to longitudinal (penetration) and horizontal (gravity) forces in this study. The AMS device was very sensitive to fill pressures. In contrast, the Coloplast Titan's ability to resist these forces was less dependent on the device fill pressure.
The Carolina Sandhills: Quaternary eolian sand sheets and dunes along the updip margin of the Atlantic Coastal Plain province, southeastern United States
Authors: Swezey Christopher S. , Fitzwater Bradley A. , Whittecar G. Richard , Mahan Shannon A. , Garrity Christopher P. , Gonzalez Wilma B. Alemán , Dobbs Kerby M.
Published: October 2016

The Carolina Sandhills is a physiographic region of the Atlantic Coastal Plain province in the southeastern United States. In Chesterfield County (South Carolina), the surficial sand of this region is the Pinehurst Formation, which is interpreted as eolian sand derived from the underlying Cretaceous Middendorf Formation. This sand has yielded three clusters of optically stimulated luminescence ages: (1) 75 to 37 thousand years ago (ka), coincident with growth of the Laurentide Ice Sheet; (2) 28 to 18 ka, coincident with the last glacial maximum (LGM); and (3) 12 to 6 ka, mostly coincident with the Younger Dryas through final collapse of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Relict dune morphologies are consistent with winds from the west or northwest, coincident with modern and inferred LGM January wind directions. Sand sheets are more common than dunes because of effects of coarse grain size (mean range: 0.35-0.59 mm) and vegetation. The coarse grain size would have required LGM wind velocities of at least 4-6 m/sec, accounting for effects of colder air temperatures on eolian sand transport. The eolian interpretation of the Carolina Sandhills is consistent with other evidence for eolian activity in the southeastern United States during the last glaciation.
On the influence of Sommerfeld’s radiation boundary condition on the propagation direction of oblique modes in streamwise corner flow
Authors: Staudenmeyer Jennifer , Schmidt Oliver T. , Rist Ulrich
Published: October 2016

Linear stability of a laminar boundary-layer flow in a streamwise corner can only be treated with an ansatz that considers two-dimensional eigenfunctions with inhomogeneous boundary conditions in cross-flow directions. It is common practice to use Sommerfeld’s radiation condition with a certain wavenumber $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ at the lateral domains of the integration domain which are at the same time the far-field domains for each wall. So far, this radiation condition has been exclusively used in a ‘symmetrical’ way, i.e. with the same $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ on either far-field boundary plane. This has led to wave patterns that either enter or leave the corner region from the lateral sides for $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}<0$ or $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}>0$ respectively. Here, an ‘asymmetric’ use of Sommerfeld’s radiation condition is suggested, i.e. $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}<0$ on one far side of the corner and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}>0$ on the other. With this modification, waves enter the corner area from one side and leave it through the other, i.e. they travel obliquely through the corner. In contrast to before, their amplification rate is always symmetric with respect to $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}=0$ and there is no amplification-rate increase or decrease due to information that either continuously enters the corner from both sides or continuously leaves it through the far sides. The present analysis also shows that the inviscid corner modes are unaffected by the parameters of the far-field radiation boundary conditions. Nevertheless, superposition of two oppositely running single waves obtained by the modified application of the radiation condition leads to a similar wave pattern to that in the case with $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}<0$ on both sides; however, with a slightly smaller amplification rate and a strictly streamwise propagation direction.
CANONICAL AND -CANONICAL MODULES OF A NOETHERIAN ALGEBRA
Authors: HASHIMOTO MITSUYASU
Published: October 2016

We define canonical and $n$-canonical modules of a module-finite algebra over a Noether commutative ring and study their basic properties. Using $n$-canonical modules, we generalize a theorem on $(n,C)$-syzygy by Araya and Iima which generalize a well-known theorem on syzygies by Evans and Griffith. Among others, we prove a noncommutative version of Aoyama’s theorem which states that a canonical module descends with respect to a flat local homomorphism.
Spheromaks and how plasmas may explain the ultra high energy cosmic ray mystery
Authors: Fowler T. Kenneth , Li Hui
Published: October 2016

In recent papers, we show how accretion disks around massive black holes could act as dynamos producing magnetic jets similar to the jets that create spheromaks in the laboratory. In this paper, we discuss how these magnetic astrophysical jets might naturally produce runaway ion beams accelerated to $10^{20}$  eV or more, finally ejected as ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) long regarded as one of the mysteries of astrophysics. The acceleration is mainly due to the drift cyclotron loss cone kinetic instability known from plasma research. Experiments and simulations are suggested to verify the acceleration process.
Smoking in young adulthood among African Americans: Interconnected effects of supportive parenting in early adolescence, proinflammatory epitype, and young adult stress
Authors: Beach Steven R. H. , Lei Man Kit , Brody Gene H. , Miller Gregory E. , Chen Edith , Mandara Jelani , Philibert Robert A.
Published: October 2016

We examined two potentially interacting, connected pathways by which parental supportiveness during early adolescence (ages 1–13) may come to be associated with later African American young adult smoking. The first pathway is between parental supportiveness and young adult stress (age 19), with stress, in turn, predicting increased smoking at age 20. The second pathway is between supportive parenting and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene methylation (i.e., TNFm), a proinflammatory epitype, with low levels indicating greater inflammatory potential and forecasting increased risk for smoking in response to young adult stress. In a sample of 382 African American youth residing in rural Georgia, followed from early adolescence (age 10–11) to young adulthood (age 20), supportive parenting indirectly predicted smoking via associations with young adult stress, IE = –0.071, 95% confidence interval [–0.132, –0.010]. In addition, supportive parenting was associated with TNFm measured at age 20 (r = .177, p = .001). Further, lower TNFm was associated with a significantly steeper slope (b = 0.583, p = .003) of increased smoking in response to young adult stress compared to those with higher TNFm (b = 0.155, p = .291), indicating an indirect, amplifying role for supportive parenting via TNFm. The results suggest that supportive parenting in early adolescence may play a role in understanding the emergence of smoking in young adulthood.
Attachment representations and autonomic regulation in maltreating and nonmaltreating mothers
Authors: Reijman Sophie , Alink Lenneke R. A. , Compier-De Block Laura H. C. G. , Werner Claudia D. , Maras Athanasios , Rijnberk Corine , Van Ijzendoorn Marinus H. , Bakermans-Kranenburg Marian J.
Published: October 2016

This study assessed attachment representation and attachment-related autonomic regulation in a sample of 38 maltreating and 35 nonmaltreating mothers. Mothers’ state of mind regarding attachment was measured using the Adult Attachment Interview. They further watched an attachment-based comfort paradigm, during which we measured skin conductance and vagal tone. More maltreating mothers (42%) than nonmaltreating mothers (17%) had an unresolved/disoriented attachment classification. Attachment representation was related to physiology during the comfort paradigm: an unresolved state of mind and a nonautonomous classification were associated with a decrease in skin conductance during the comfort paradigm, specifically during the responsive caregiver scenario. However, physiology did not differ between maltreating and nonmaltreating mothers. The decrease in skin conductance of unresolved mothers during the comfort paradigm might be indicative of a deactivating response, which is congruent with the dissociative nature of the unresolved state of mind. The results point to the potential utility of interventions focused on attachment representations for maltreating mothers.
Factors associated with use of psychiatric intensive care and seclusion in adult inpatient mental health services
Authors: Cullen A. E. , Bowers L. , Khondoker M. , Pettit S. , Achilla E. , Koeser L. , Moylan L. , Baker J. , Quirk A. , Sethi F. , Stewart D. , McCrone P. , Tulloch A. D.
Published: October 2016

Aims.

Within acute psychiatric inpatient services, patients exhibiting severely disturbed behaviour can be transferred to a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) and/or secluded in order to manage the risks posed to the patient and others. However, whether specific patient groups are more likely to be subjected to these coercive measures is unclear. Using robust methodological and statistical techniques, we aimed to determine the demographic, clinical and behavioural predictors of both PICU and seclusion.

Methods.

Data were extracted from an anonymised database comprising the electronic medical records of patients within a large South London mental health trust. Two cohorts were derived, (1) a PICU cohort comprising all patients transferred from general adult acute wards to a non-forensic PICU ward between April 2008 and April 2013 (N = 986) and a randomly selected group of patients admitted to general adult wards within this period who were not transferred to PICU (N = 994), and (2) a seclusion cohort comprising all seclusion episodes occurring in non-forensic PICU wards within the study period (N = 990) and a randomly selected group of patients treated in these wards who were not secluded (N = 1032). Demographic and clinical factors (age, sex, ethnicity, diagnosis, admission status and time since admission) and behavioural precursors (potentially relevant behaviours occurring in the 3 days preceding PICU transfer/seclusion or random sample date) were extracted from electronic medical records. Mixed effects, multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed with all variables included as predictors.

Results.

PICU cases were significantly more likely to be younger in age, have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and to be held on a formal section compared with patients who were not transferred to PICU; female sex and longer time since admission were associated with lower odds of transfer. With regard to behavioural precursors, the strongest predictors of PICU transfer were incidents of physical aggression towards others or objects and absconding or attempts to abscond. Secluded patients were also more likely to be younger and legally detained relative to non-secluded patients; however, female sex increased the odds of seclusion. Likelihood of seclusion also decreased with time since admission. Seclusion was significantly associated with a range of behavioural precursors with the strongest associations observed for incidents involving restraint or shouting.

Conclusions.

Whilst recent behaviour is an important determinant, patient age, sex, admission status and time since admission also contribute to risk of PICU transfer and seclusion. Alternative, less coercive strategies must meet the needs of patients with these characteristics.
Future Achievements, Passion and Motivation in the Transition from Junior-to-Senior Sport in Spanish Young Elite Soccer Players
Authors: Chamorro José L. , Torregrosa Miquel , Sánchez Oliva David , García Calvo Tomás , León Benito
Published: October 2016

Within the context of the transition from junior-to-senior sport, this study aims in first place to explore differences in young Spanish elite soccer players based on the importance given to getting different achievements in their future (including sport, studies and private life) and, in second place, to explore differences among those players in levels of passion, motivation and basic psychological need. 478 elite youth soccer filled out a questionnaire based on the presented theoretical models. A cluster analysis shows a sport oriented group (N= 98) only interested in becoming a professional, a life spheres balance group (N= 288) characterized by balancing the importance of achievements in the sport sphere, as well as in education and a private life and a group (N= 91) only interested in private life achievements. The life spheres balance group shows higher levels of harmonious passion (η2= .06,F(2, 475) = 9.990,p< .001) than the players of the other groups. The life spheres balance group shows higher levels of autonomous motivation (η2= .10,F(2, 475) = 13.597,p< .001), autonomy (η2= .07,F(2, 475) = 6.592,p< .01) and relatedness satisfaction (η2= .07,F(2, 475) = 5.603,p< .01) than the sport oriented group as well as lower levels of amotivation (η2= .04,F(2, 475) = 6.665,p< .01) than the private life oriented group. This study suggests players who perceive equal future importance in their life spheres appear to be more resourceful than the other two groups regarding athletes’ internal resources, such as passion and motivation, to cope with the transition to professional soccer.
Savage Receives 2016 Mineral and Rock Physics Early Career Award
Authors:   AGU
Published: October 2016

Heather M. Savage will receive the 2016 Mineral and Rock Physics Early Career Award at the 2016 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 12–16 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award is for promising young scientists in recognition of outstanding contributions achieved during their Ph.D. research.
Pluto Observers Find Possible Clouds, Remarkably Bright Surface
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: October 2016

Smudges on images could be clouds that form at dawn and dusk, scientists report, and measurements of high reflectivity of Pluto’s “heart” add new evidence of a geologically young surface.
Risky Behaviors: Integrating Adolescent Egocentrism with the Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Lin Phoebe
Published: October 2016

Of all age groups, adolescents are at the highest risk for experiencing negative health outcomes associated with risky behaviors. Persuasive messages targeting adolescents that urge them to refrain from tobacco use and alcohol consumption have not been met with great success, perhaps in part due to adolescent egocentrism. The utility of the theory of planned behavior applied to health outcomes has been supported across multiple health behaviors for adults. Perhaps integrating the two constructs of adolescent egocentrism with the three components of the theory of planned behavior will better enable researchers to persuade adolescents to refrain from risky behaviors, leading to improved health outcomes.
PKN2 and Cdo interact to activate AKT and promote myoblast differentiation
Authors: Lee Sang-Jin , Hwang Jeongmi , Jeong Hyeon-Ju , Yoo Miran , Go Ga-Yeon , Lee Jae-Rin , Leem Young-Eun , Park Jong Woo , Seo Dong-Wan , Kim Yong Kee , Hahn Myong-Joon , Han Jeung-Whan , Kang Jong-Sun , Bae Gyu-Un
Published: October 2016

Skeletal myogenesis is coordinated by multiple signaling pathways that control cell adhesion/migration, survival and differentiation accompanied by muscle-specific gene expression. A cell surface protein Cdo is involved in cell contact-mediated promyogenic signals through activation of p38MAPK and AKT. Protein kinase C-related kinase 2 (PKN2/PRK2) is implicated in regulation of various biological processes, including cell migration, adhesion and death. It has been shown to interact with and inhibit AKT thereby inducing cell death. This led us to investigate the role of PKN2 in skeletal myogenesis and the crosstalk between PKN2 and Cdo. Like Cdo, PKN2 was upregulated in C2C12 myoblasts during differentiation and decreased in cells with Cdo depletion caused by shRNA or cultured on integrin-independent substratum. This decline of PKN2 levels resulted in diminished AKT activation during myoblast differentiation. Consistently, PKN2 overexpression-enhanced C2C12 myoblast differentiation, whereas PKN2-depletion impaired it, without affecting cell survival. PKN2 formed complexes with Cdo, APPL1 and AKT via its C-terminal region and this interaction appeared to be important for induction of AKT activity as well as myoblast differentiation. Furthermore, PKN2-enhanced MyoD-responsive reporter activities by mediating the recruitment of BAF60c and MyoD to the myogenin promoter. Taken together, PKN2 has a critical role in cell adhesion-mediated AKT activation during myoblast differentiation.
ZNF32 contributes to the induction of multidrug resistance by regulating TGF-β receptor 2 signaling in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Li Jun , Ao Jie , Li Kai , Zhang Jie , Li Yanyan , Zhang Le , Wei Yuyan , Gong Di , Gao Junping , Tan Weiwei , Huang Lugang , Liu Lunxu , Lin Ping , Wei Yuquan
Published: October 2016

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the most important contributors to the high mortality of cancer and remains a major concern. We previously found that zinc finger protein 32 (ZNF32), an important transcription factor associated with cancer in Homo sapiens, protects tumor cells against cell death induced by oxidative stress and other stimuli. We thus hypothesized that ZNF32 might enable the tolerance of cancer cells to anti-tumor drugs because higher ZNF32 expression has been found in cancer tissues and in drug-resistant lung adenocarcinoma (AC) cells. In this study, we found that ZNF32 is upregulated by Sp1 (specificity protein 1) in response to drug treatment and that ZNF32 promotes drug resistance and protects AC cells against cisplatin or gefitinib treatment. ZNF32 overexpression in AC cells conferred resistance to EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) inhibitors by enhancing MEK/ERK activation. Moreover, ZNF32 was found to directly bind to the TGF-βR2 (transforming growth factor-beta receptor 2) promoter to promote its expression, and ZNF32-induced resistance was mediated by enhancing TGF-βR2 expression and activating the TGF-βR2/SMAD2 pathway. In both a mouse model and ex vivo cultured patient samples, a high level of ZNF32 expression was closely associated with worse overall survival and cisplatin resistance. ZNF32 appears to be a potential inducer of drug resistance that could increase the expression of the drug resistance-associated gene TGF-βR2 and subsequently facilitate the induction of drug resistance during both conventional chemotherapy and novel target therapy. Thus, ZNF32-associated target therapy is a potential novel adjuvant therapy that might effectively prevent the occurrence of multidrug resistance (MDR) during chemotherapy and improve the survival of patients with AC.
Semi-automated closed system manufacturing of lentivirus gene-modified haematopoietic stem cells for gene therapy
Authors: Adair Jennifer E. , Waters Timothy , Haworth Kevin G. , Kubek Sara P. , Trobridge Grant D. , Hocum Jonah D. , Heimfeld Shelly , Kiem Hans-Peter
Published: October 2016

Haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy has demonstrated potential to treat many diseases. However, current state of the art requires sophisticated ex vivo gene transfer in a dedicated Good Manufacturing Practices facility, limiting availability. An automated process would improve the availability and standardized manufacture of HSC gene therapy. Here, we develop a novel program for semi-automated cell isolation and culture equipment to permit complete benchtop generation of gene-modified CD34+ blood cell products for transplantation. These cell products meet current manufacturing quality standards for both mobilized leukapheresis and bone marrow, and reconstitute human haematopoiesis in immunocompromised mice. Importantly, nonhuman primate autologous gene-modified CD34+ cell products are capable of stable, polyclonal multilineage reconstitution with follow-up of more than 1 year. These data demonstrate proof of concept for point-of-care delivery of HSC gene therapy. Given the many target diseases for gene therapy, there is enormous potential for this approach to treat patients on a global scale.
Effect of cannabis smoking on lung function and respiratory symptoms: a structured literature review
Authors: Ribeiro Luis IG , Ind Philip W
Published: October 2016

As cannabis use increases, physicians need to be familiar with the effects of both cannabis and tobacco on the lungs. However, there have been very few long-term studies of cannabis smoking, mostly due to legality issues and the confounding effects of tobacco. It was previously thought that cannabis and tobacco had similar long-term effects as both cause chronic bronchitis. However, recent large studies have shown that, instead of reducing forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity (FVC), marijuana smoking is associated with increased FVC. The cause of this is unclear, but acute bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory effects of cannabis may be relevant. Bullous lung disease, barotrauma and cannabis smoking have been recognised in case reports and small series. More work is needed to address the effects of cannabis on lung function, imaging and histological changes.
Chromatin accessibility contributes to simultaneous mutations of cancer genes
Authors: Shi Yi , Su Xian-Bin , He Kun-Yan , Wu Bing-Hao , Zhang Bo-Yu , Han Ze-Guang
Published: October 2016

Somatic mutations of many cancer genes tend to co-occur (termed co-mutations) in certain patterns during tumor initiation and progression. However, the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that contribute to the co-mutations of these cancer genes have yet to be explored. Here, we systematically investigated the association between the somatic co-mutations of cancer genes and high-order chromatin conformation. Significantly, somatic point co-mutations in protein-coding genes were closely associated with high-order spatial chromatin folding. We propose that these regions be termed Spatial Co-mutation Hotspots (SCHs) and report their occurrence in different cancer types. The conserved mutational signatures and DNA sequences flanking these point co-mutations, as well as CTCF-binding sites, are also enriched within the SCH regions. The genetic alterations that are harboured in the same SCHs tend to disrupt cancer driver genes involved in multiple signalling pathways. The present work demonstrates that high-order spatial chromatin organisation may contribute to the somatic co-mutations of certain cancer genes during tumor development.
Differential protein structural disturbances and suppression of assembly partners produced by nonsense GABRG2 epilepsy mutations: implications for disease phenotypic heterogeneity
Authors: Wang Juexin , Shen Dingding , Xia Geqing , Shen Wangzhen , Macdonald Robert L. , Xu Dong , Kang Jing-Qiong
Published: October 2016

Mutations in GABAA receptor subunit genes are frequently associated with epilepsy, and nonsense mutations in GABRG2 are associated with several epilepsy syndromes including childhood absence epilepsy, generalized tonic clonic seizures and the epileptic encephalopathy, Dravet syndrome. The molecular basis for the phenotypic heterogeneity of mutations is unclear. Here we focused on three nonsense mutations in GABRG2 (GABRG2(R136*), GABRG2(Q390*) and GABRG2(W429*)) associated with epilepsies of different severities. Structural modeling and structure-based analysis indicated that the surface of the wild-type γ2 subunit was naturally hydrophobic, which is suitable to be buried in the cell membrane. Different mutant γ2 subunits had different stabilities and different interactions with their wild-type subunit binding partners because they adopted different conformations and had different surface hydrophobicities and different tendency to dimerize. We utilized flow cytometry and biochemical approaches in combination with lifted whole cell patch-clamp recordings. We demonstrated that the truncated subunits had no to minimal surface expression and unchanged or reduced surface expression of wild-type partnering subunits. The amplitudes of GABA-evoked currents from the mutant α1β2γ2(R136*), α1β2γ2(Q390*) and α1β2γ2(W429*) receptors were reduced compared to the currents from α1β2γ2 receptors but with differentially reduced levels. This thus suggests differential protein structure disturbances are correlated with disease severity.
Gold Nanoparticle Monolayers from Sequential Interfacial Ligand Exchange and Migration in a Three-Phase System
Authors: Yang Guang , Hallinan Daniel T.
Published: October 2016

Using a three-phase system, centimeter-scale monolayer gold nanoparticle (Au NP) films have been prepared that have long-range order and hydrophobic ligands. The system contains an interface between an aqueous phase containing Au NPs and an oil phase containing one of various types of amine ligands, and a water/air interface. As the Au NPs diffuse to the water/oil interface, ligand exchange takes place which temporarily traps them at the water/oil interface. The ligand-exchanged particles then spontaneously migrate to the air/water interface, where they self-assemble, forming a monolayer under certain conditions. The spontaneous formation of the NP film at the air/water interface was due to the minimization of the system Helmholtz free energy. However, the extent of surface functionalization was dictated by kinetics. This decouples interfacial ligand exchange from interfacial self-assembly, while maintaining the simplicity of a single system. The interparticle center-to-center distance was dictated by the amine ligand length. The Au NP monolayers exhibit tunable surface plasma resonance and excellent spatial homogeneity, which is useful for surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The “air/water/oil” self-assembly method developed here not only benefits the fundamental understanding of NP ligand conformations, but is also applicable to the manufacture of plasmonic nanoparticle devices with precisely designed optical properties.
PD-L1 is a critical mediator of regulatory B cells and T cells in invasive breast cancer
Authors: Guan Honggeng , Wan Yuqiu , Lan Jing , Wang Qin , Wang Zhangyu , Li Yecheng , Zheng Jiqing , Zhang Xueguang , Wang Zemin , Shen Yueping , Xie Fang
Published: October 2016

Regulatory T cells (Tregs), a key mediator in regulating anti-tumor immune suppression, tumor immune escape, metastasis and relapse, are considered an important therapeutic target in immunotherapy of human cancers. In the present investigation, elevated CD19+ CD24+ CD38+ regulatory B cells (Bregs) were observed in PBMCs of invasive carcinoma of breast (IBCa) patients compared with that in patients with fibroadenoma (FIBma) or healthy individuals, and the positive correlation existed between Bregs and CD4+ CD25+ CD127− Tregs (r = 0.316, P = 0.001). We found that PD-L1 expression was higher on Bregs in IBCa patients compared with patients with FIBma or healthy individuals (P < 0.05, respectively), and that a tight correlation exists between CD19+ CD24+ CD38+ PD-L1+ Bregs and CD19+ CD24+ CD38+ Bregs (r = 0.267, P = 0.007), poor TNM phases and up-regulated expression of PD-L1 on Bregs. The pattern of PD-1 expression on CD4+ T cells indicated that high level of PD-1hi expressed on CD4+ CD25+ CD127+ effector T cells (P < 0.001). More importantly, the presence of PD-L1 on Bregs was positively correlated with Tregs (r = 0.299, P = 0.003), but negatively correlated with PD-1hi effector T cells (r = −0.22, P = 0.031). Together, results of the present study indicated that PD-L1 is an important molecule on Bregs, mediated the generation of Tregs in IBCa.