bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of innate immune viral sensors in patients following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Caddy Sarah L , Wang Meng , Krishnamurthy Pramila , Uttenthal Benjamin , Chandra Anita , Crawley Charles , James Leo C
Published: February 2018

Viral infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), with up to one in four deaths directly linked to viral disease. Whilst awaiting lymphocyte reconstitution post-HSCT, the innate antiviral immune response is the first line of defense against invading viruses. Several novel innate viral-sensing pathways have recently been characterized, but their physiological importance in humans is poorly understood. We analyzed a panel of innate viral-sensor genes in HSCT patients, and assessed whether differences in innate antiviral responses could account for variation in susceptibility to viral infections. Expression levels of innate viral sensors in HSCT patients with active viral infections, HSCT patients without active infections and healthy volunteers were highly homogenous. Although IFN-α expression was up-regulated in actively infected patients relative to controls, a corresponding up-regulation of innate viral sensor expression was not observed. IFN-α stimulation of patient PBMCs in vitro showed intact IFN-α signaling, but actively infected patients' PBMCs had reduced up-regulation of innate viral sensors. We show that the aberrant IFN-α responses in HSCT patients were not due to calcineurin inhibition. Our data therefore raises the possibility of an intrinsic defect in innate viral sensor up-regulation in HSCT patients following viral infection.
Improvement of Metabolic Control and Diabetes Management in Insulin-Treated Patients Results in Substantial Cost Savings for the German Health System
Authors: Fritzen Katharina , Gutschek Bettina , Coucke Benedikte , Zakrzewska Katerina , Hummel Michael , Schnell Oliver
Published: February 2018

Background:

Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) using the ColourSure™ Technology to visualize target range showed improvement of metabolic control and overall diabetes self-management in insulin-treated patients. This economic analysis aimed to identify cost savings for the German health system resulting from an HbA1c reduction due to the utilization of user-friendly glucose meters.

Methods:

Patient data from a recently published observational study on SMBG were used for risk evaluations using the UKPDS risk engine. These values were integrated in an economic analysis regarding costs of myocardial infarctions (MIs) related to diabetes for the German health system. Based on an earlier assessment these calculations were combined with a 10% reduction of severe hypoglycemic episodes. In the current study, 0% severe hypoglycemic episodes were observed.

Results:

An HbA1c reduction of 0.69% over 6 months was associated with a 3% decreased risk of MI in 10 years. In this model the decrease led to cost savings of €4.90 per patient-year. Considering 2.3 million insulin-treated patients in Germany, this 3% reduction of MI could result in annual savings of €11.27 million. Combining this with a 10% reduction in severe hypoglycemic events, the cost savings would increase to €30.61 per patient-year or €70.4 million for 2.3 million insulin-treated patients in Germany.

Conclusion:

The improvement of metabolic control and diabetes self-management that was achieved with the ColourSure™ Technology has the potential to generate substantial cost savings for the German health system underlining the importance of user-friendly methods for SMBG.
Relationship between the prognostic value of ventilatory efficiency and age in patients with heart failure
Authors: Kato Yuko , Suzuki Shinya , Uejima Tokuhisa , Semba Hiroaki , Nagayama Osamu , Hayama Etsuko , Arita Takuto , Yagi Naoharu , Kano Hiroto , Matsuno Shunsuke , Otsuka Takayuki , Oikawa Yuji , Kunihara Takashi , Yajima Junji , Yamashita Takeshi
Published: February 2018

Background

Ventilatory efficiency decreases with age. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance and cut-off value of the minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2) slope according to age in patients with heart failure.

Methods and results

We analysed 1501 patients with heart failure from our observational cohort who performed maximal symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing and separated them into three age groups (≤55 years, 56–70 years and ≥71 years) in total and according to the three ejection fraction categories defined by European Society of Cardiology guidelines. The endpoint was set as heart failure events, hospitalisation for heart failure or death from heart failure. The VE/VCO2 slope increased with age. During the median follow-up period of 4 years, 141 heart failure (9%) events occurred. In total, univariate Cox analyses showed that the VE/VCO2 slope (cont.) was significantly related to heart failure events, while on multivariate analysis, the prognostic significance of the VE/VCO2 slope (cont.) was poor, accompanied by a significant interaction with age ( P < 0.0001). The cut-off value of the VE/VCO2 slope increased with the increase in age in not only the total but also the sub-ejection fraction categories. Multivariate analyses with a stepwise method adjusted for estimated glomerular filtration rate, peak oxygen consumption, atrial fibrillation and brain natriuretic peptide, showed that the predictive value of the binary VE/VCO2 slope separated by the cut-off value varied according to age. There was a tendency for the prognostic significance to increase with age irrespective of ejection fraction.

Conclusion

The prognostic significance and cut-off value of the VE/VCO2 slope may increase with advancing age.
A case report of thrombosed varicosities of pubic collateral veins: Ideal treatment strategy and contribution of era imaging technologies in diagnosis
Authors: Paramythiotis Daniel , Goulas Patroklos , Bangeas Petros , Giannopoulos Argiris , Kapoulas Kostantinos , Rafailidis Vasileios , Papadopoulos Georgios , Ktenidis Kiriakos , Kalogera-Fountzila Anna , Michalopoulos Antonis
Published: February 2018

Collateral circulation is an alternative path occurring in case of venous or artery obstruction. This path may usually develop after primary recanalization. In our case, a 62-year-old woman presented to our Emergency Department complaining about a suprapubic swelling with a cyanotic discoloration of the overlying skin for the past 10 days for which she had been previously prescribed antibiotics. Investigation with ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography was performed. An imaging study revealed thrombosed pubic varicose collateral veins due to deep vein obstruction and occlusion of the left external iliac vein. The patient was treated with low-molecular-weight heparin, and swelling subsided gradually. Collateral veins of the abdominal wall and over the pubic tubercle are highly predictive of deep venous obstructive disease proximal to the groin level. These collaterals should never be removed, and the patient should be subjected to a diligent laboratory and imaging investigation.
Psychological Risk Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Workers After Toxic Chemical Spill in Gumi, South Korea
Authors: Song Ji Young , Jeong Kyoung-Sook , Choi Kyeong-sook , Kim Min-gi , Ahn Yeon-Soon
Published: February 2018

The extent and severity of the psychological effects following chemical release disasters have not been widely reported. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of hydrogen fluoride (HF)–related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to identify associated psychological risk factors. On September 2012, an estimated 8 to 12 tons of HF gas, which dissolves in air moisture to form droplets of corrosive hydrofluoric acid, escaped from an industrial complex in Gumi, South Korea. Ten months later, structured questionnaires that included items from the Impacts of Event Scale (revised Korean version) as well as questions about demographic and psychological risk factors related to PTSD were distributed to workers in the affected area. The prevalence rate of PTSD was 5.7%. The odds of PTSD in non-alcohol-dependent workers (odds ratio [OR] = 3.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.27, 7.60]) was significantly higher than in alcohol-independent workers. The OR for PTSD in workers with anxiety (OR = 7.63, 95% CI = [2.10, 27.71) was significantly higher than the OR workers without anxiety. The odds of PTSD in workers with high perceived stress scale (PSS) scores (OR = 8.72, 95 % CI = [2.29, 33.16]) was significantly higher than for workers with low PSS. Alcohol dependence, psychiatric symptoms at the time of the event, anxiety, and high PSS were associated with HF-related PTSD. Long-term employee assistance programs are needed to assist occupational health nurses and clinicians to reduce PTSD after industrial disasters.
Missions from Korea 2018: Mission Education
Authors: Moon Steve Sang-Cheol
Published: February 2018

The Korean missionary movement keeps growing, but its rate of growth has declined. Korean missionaries are working in 159 countries through 159 mission agencies. At the end of 2017 the total number of Korean missionaries was 21,220, a yearly increase of only 145. There are more concerns, however, about qualitative maturation than about quantitative growth in the Korean missions circle. To facilitate maturation, efforts are needed to apply and integrate educational expertise. Domestic ministerial needs point to the strategic integration of missiology and education, and also to that of formal, nonformal, and informal educational aspects in mission education.
The everyday politics of waste collection practice in Addis Ababa (2003–2009)
Authors: Alene Nebiyu Baye
Published: February 2018

This article examines the unique approach the Addis Ababa City Administration put in place to address the city’s municipal solid waste collection problems between 2003 and 2009. During this period, the city administration introduced a variety of governmental technologies to discipline waste as a material and to institute government-initiated cooperative micro-enterprises as a major actor in waste collection. In this article, I examine how the variety of measures the city administration introduced during the waste management reform disciplined waste collectors. I unpack this issue through examining the specific spaces of engagement between waste collectors (formal and informal) and city administration’s representatives by paying close attention to the everyday practices of waste collection. I also examined how the emphasis on reducing unemployment over the idea of creating a clean city can be better explained as a political exercise. Primary data collected included interviews of purposely-selected experts (n=28) and waste collectors (n=42). Secondary data were also consulted. I use the concept of the everyday state and the notion of governmentality for the purpose of examining the intricate social relations that materialized between waste collectors and city administration and how this shaped waste collection spaces and practices. The findings reveal that the city administration was more focused on assisting cooperative micro-enterprises with the aim of reducing unemployment over the idea of creating a clean city. It is also shown that the different governing technologies the city administration employed to discipline waste as a material were in fact aimed at assisting cooperative micro-enterprises and reconfiguring the power relationship between waste governing institutions and waste collectors.
g(HbF): a genetic model of fetal hemoglobin in sickle cell disease
Authors: Gardner Kate , Fulford Tony , Silver Nicholas , Rooks Helen , Angelis Nikolaos , Allman Marlene , Nkya Siana , Makani Julie , Howard Jo , Kesse-Adu Rachel , Rees David C. , Stuart-Smith Sara , Yeghen Tullie , Awogbade Moji , Sangeda Raphael Z. , Mgaya Josephine , Patel Hamel , Newhouse Stephen , Menzel Stephan , Thein Swee Lay
Published: February 2018

Key Points

The 3 established HbF genetic loci can be summarized into 1 quantitative variable, g(HbF), in SCD and influence markers of SCD severity. g(HbF) provides a quantitative marker for the genetic component of HbF% variability, potentially useful in genetic and clinical studies in SCD.
Laryngeal recurrence sites in patients previously treated with transoral laser microsurgery for squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Horwich P. , Rigby M. H. , MacKay C. , Melong J. , Williams B. , Bullock M. , Hart R. , Trites J. , Taylor S. M.
Published: February 2018

Background

The laryngeal framework provides a natural barrier preventing tumour spread to extralaryngeal structures. Transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) may violate these boundaries, altering the pathways of tumor spread for potential recurrences. Our project objective is to describe laryngeal SCC recurrence patterns and overall survival in patients requiring total laryngectomy (TL) after TLM.

Methods

Patients undergoing TLM for laryngeal SCC requiring salvage TL were identified from a prospective CO2 laser database containing all patients undergoing TLM for head and neck malignancies at the QEII Health Sciences Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia between March 2002 – May 2014. Surgical pathology reports were analyzed for tumor characteristics, extent of recurrence and invasion of local structures. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to evaluate overall survival, disease specific survival (DSS) and locoregional control.

Results

Fifteen patients were identified from the database as receiving salvage TL for recurrent disease after initial TLM resection for laryngeal SCC. Final pathology reports demonstrated that 67% (10/15) of patients had thyroid cartilage involvement while 53% (9/15) of patients had cricoid cartilage involvement on salvage TL pathology. 33% (5/15) of patients had perineural invasion and 27% (4/15) had lymphovascular invasion. Mean and median follow-up times were 36.7 months and 26.8 months respectively (range 3.9–112.6). The Kaplan-Meier estimate for overall survival at 36 months was 40% post TL with a standard error (SE) of 13.6%. DSS was 47% (SE 14.2%), and locoregional control was 55% (SE 14.5%) post TL.

Conclusions

Laryngeal recurrence sites following TLM seem to be consistent with historical data at known laryngeal sites of vulnerability. Treatment with TLM does not predispose patients to a lower rate of locoregional control and overall survival after total laryngectomy and salvage outcomes are consistent with literature values.
Thematic interpretation of heliborne magnetic data for delineation of concealed regional structural fabric in the Narnaul-Palsana tract, North Delhi Fold Belt, India
Authors: Pathak Amit Kumar , Giridhar G. V. , Chaturvedi Anand Kumar
Published: February 2018

The North Delhi Fold Belt (NDFB) exposure of the Delhi Supergroup of rocks is significant for its structurally controlled uranium mineralization. The Narnaul-Palsana tract within the Khetri subbasin of the NDFB comprises the arenaceous Alwar and argillaceous Ajabgarh Groups of the Delhi Supergroup. The metasedimentary sequence has been subjected to polyphase deformation and igneous intrusion. We used heliborne magnetic data to enhance our geologic understanding of the area. Total magnetic intensity data are gridded and enhanced to resolve the magnetic anomalies. The regional magnetic signature reveals a deep-seated fracture. Varying concentrations of magnetic minerals in different lithologies are reflected in the magnetic response and provide clues to the formational trends. Trend lines and breaks are extracted from the magnetic signature. Thematic analysis of trend lines reveals formational trends that indicate an antiformal and synformal fold pattern in different sectors of the study area. The spatial correlation of the fold patterns is used to decipher the tectonic sequence. Superimposition of antiformal folding over earlier antiform-synform structure and displacement due to later faulting is inferred. Magnetic data analysis is used as a tool to unravel the regional structural fabric of the area that is widely concealed below soil cover.
Epidemiological, Clinical, and Histopathological Features of Breast Cancer in Haiti
Authors: DeGennaro Vincent , Jiwani Faiz , Patberg Elizabeth , Gibbs Martin , Libby Rachel , Gabriel Dieudina , Heldermon Coy D. , Daily Karen , Bernard Joseph
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Little is known about the epidemiology of breast cancer in developing countries, and Haiti has perhaps the least data of any country in the Western Hemisphere.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of all patients enrolled in an ongoing breast cancer treatment program in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2017. Data were drawn from each patient's electronic medical record, paper chart, and biopsy results.

Results

The records of 525 women with breast cancer were reviewed for this study. The median age at presentation was 49 years (n = 507). The risk factors observed were as follows: postmenopausal, 50.8% (n = 354); nulliparity, 15.7% (n = 338); hormonal contraception use, 35.0% (n = 309); never breastfed, 20.6% (n = 316); family history of any cancer, 22.0% (n = 295); overweight, 51.5% (n = 332); and smoking, 5.0% (n = 338). Of all those staged, 83.9% (n = 447) of the patients presented with stage III/IV disease and more than half delayed care for > 12 months after first noticing a breast mass. For the subset of tumors for which estrogen receptor (ER; n = 245) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2; n = 179) status was available, the prevalence of ER-positive tumors was 51.8%, of HER2-positive tumors was 19.6%, and of triple-negative tumors was 38.5%. The 12-month mortality rate (n = 425) was 18.4% overall and 27.5% for those who presented with stage IV disease. Median survival was not reached.

Conclusion

Breast cancer in Haiti presents at an early age and advanced stage. Triple-negative, ER-negative, and high-grade tumors are common. Delays in seeking care and incomplete treatment likely contribute to the high mortality rate; however, as in black women in the United States, the distribution of tumor types may contribute to disparate outcomes.
Electronic Medical Record–Based Radiation Oncology Toxicity Recording Instrument Aids Benchmarking and Quality Improvement in the Clinic
Authors: Albuquerque Kevin , Rodgers Kellie , Spangler Ann , Rahimi Asal , Willett DuWayne
Published: February 2018

Purpose:

The on-treatment visit (OTV) for radiation oncology is essential for patient management. Radiation toxicities recorded during the OTV may be inconsistent because of the use of free text and the lack of treatment site–specific templates. We developed a radiation oncology toxicity recording instrument (ROTOX) in a health system electronic medical record (EMR). Our aims were to assess improvement in documentation of toxicities and to develop clinic toxicity benchmarks.

Methods:

A ROTOX that was based on National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.0) with flow-sheet functionality was developed in the EMR. Improvement in documentation was assessed at various time intervals. High-grade toxicities (ie, grade ≥ 3 by CTCAE) by site were audited to develop benchmarks and to track nursing and physician actions taken in response to these.

Results:

A random sample of OTV notes from each clinic physician before ROTOX implementation was reviewed and assigned a numerical document quality score (DQS) that was based on completeness and comprehensiveness of toxicity grading. The mean DQS improved from an initial level of 41% to 99% (of the maximum possible DQS) when resampled at 6 months post-ROTOX. This high-level DQS was maintained 3 years after ROTOX implementation at 96% of the maximum. For months 7 to 9 after implementation (during a 3-month period), toxicity grading was recorded in 4,443 OTVs for 698 unique patients; 107 episodes of high-grade toxicity were identified during this period, and toxicity-specific intervention was documented in 95%.

Conclusion:

An EMR-based ROTOX enables consistent recording of treatment toxicity. In a uniform sample of patients, local population toxicity benchmarks can be developed, and clinic response can be tracked.
Use of Charity Financial Assistance for Novel Oral Anticancer Agents
Authors: Olszewski Adam J. , Zullo Andrew R. , Nering Christopher R. , Huynh Justin P.
Published: February 2018

Novel oral targeted drugs are increasingly used for cancer therapy, but their extreme cost, often exceeding $10,000 per month, poses a significant barrier for patients and insurers alike, leading to the potential breakdown of traditional cost-sharing strategies. Insured patients’ routine use of charity assistance to supplement their coverage would indicate a major deficiency in the current health care policies. By using data from a specialty pharmacy affiliated with an academic center (1,557 prescriptions dispensed between January 2014 and March 2017), we examined sources of payment for novel oral anticancer agents, distinguishing contributions from health insurance, patients, and from charitable assistance organizations. Thirty-six percent of 211 patients received charity assistance, including 47% of patients who were 65 years old or older. Charity sources covered 4% of total drug costs and 64% of out-of-pocket expenditures. The proportion of patients receiving financial assistance ranged from 7% when the upfront out-of-pocket requirement was less than $100 to 67% when it exceeded $1,000. When patients’ out-of-pocket requirement exceeded $1,000, the median direct cash contribution paradoxically fell to $0 because of extensive use of charity support. Receipt of upfront charity assistance was associated with a longer time to filling the first prescription (median 9 v 7 days; P = .011) and with longer overall duration of therapy (median, 261 v 134 days; P = .014). These findings indicate that high out-of-pocket burden for expensive novel oral anticancer drugs leads to widespread use of charity support in the United States and that a significant financial barrier disparately affects older Medicare beneficiaries.
Open Oncology Notes: A Qualitative Study of Oncology Patients’ Experiences Reading Their Cancer Care Notes
Authors: Kayastha Neha , Pollak Kathryn I. , LeBlanc Thomas W.
Published: February 2018

Purpose:

Electronic medical records increasingly allow patients access to clinician notes. Although most believe that open notes benefits patients, some suggest negative consequences. Little is known about the experiences of patients with cancer reading their medical notes; thus we aimed to describe this qualitatively.

Methods:

We interviewed 20 adults with metastatic or incurable cancer receiving cancer treatment. The semistructured qualitative interviews included four segments: assessing their overall experience reading notes, discussing how notes affected their cancer care experiences, reading a real note with the interviewer, and making suggestions for improvement. We used a constant comparison approach to analyze these qualitative data.

Results:

We found four themes. Patients reported that notes resulted in the following: (1) increased comprehension; (2) ameliorated uncertainty, relieved anxiety, and facilitated control; (3) increased trust; and (4) for a subset of patients, increased anxiety. Patients described increased comprehension because notes refreshed their memory and clarified their understanding of visits. This helped mitigate the unfamiliarity of cancer, addressing uncertainty and relieving anxiety. Notes facilitated control, empowering patients to ask clinicians more questions. The transparency of notes also increased trust in clinicians. For a subset of patients, however, notes were emotionally difficult to read and raised concerns. Patients identified medical jargon and repetition in notes as areas for improvement.

Conclusion:

Most patients thought that reading notes improved their care experiences. A small subset of patients experienced increased distress. As reading notes becomes a routine part of the patient experience, physicians might want to elicit and address concerns that arise from notes, thereby further engaging patients in their care.
Genetic Diagnostics for Neurologists
Authors: Silveira-Moriyama Laura , Paciorkowski Alex R.
Published: February 2018

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article puts advances in the field of neurogenetics into context and provides a quick review of the broad concepts necessary for current practice in neurology.

RECENT FINDINGS

The exponential growth of genetic testing is due to its increased speed and decreasing cost, and it is now a routine part of the clinical care for a number of neurologic patients. In addition, phenotypic pleiotropy (mutations in the same gene causing very disparate phenotypes) and genetic heterogeneity (the same clinical phenotype resulting from mutations in different genes) are now known to exist in a number of conditions, adding an additional layer of complexity for genetic testing in these disorders.

Although the growing complexity of technical knowledge in the ordering and interpretation of genetic tests makes it necessary for neurologists to consult medical geneticists, limitations in the availability of such professionals often means neurologists will be on the front line dealing with suspected or confirmed neurogenetic conditions. The growing availability of broad genetic testing through chromosomal microarray and next-generation sequencing and the expanded phenotypic spectrum of many conditions has implications for genetic counseling and medical management. This article discusses the various forms of genetic variability and how to test for each of them. It also provides an update on the most common forms of neurologic presentations of genetic disease and a review of testing strategies.
Evaluation and Acute Management of Ischemic Stroke in Infants and Children
Authors: Amlie-Lefond Catherine
Published: February 2018

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article provides an overview of stroke in neonates, infants, and children.

RECENT FINDINGS

Arterial ischemic stroke and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis are increasingly recognized in childhood as important causes of lifelong morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of arterial ischemic stroke is frequently delayed, as acute neurologic deficits can be challenging to detect in the young child, and stroke is often not considered in the differential diagnosis. Neurologic sequelae following stroke are common, and strategies to minimize stroke size and optimize recovery are being developed. Recurrent arterial ischemic stroke is not uncommon, particularly in children with cerebral arteriopathy. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis causes obstruction of venous outflow leading to venous infarcts. Complications include hemorrhagic conversion of infarcts and increased intracranial pressure. Without treatment, thrombus extension with increased symptoms is common. Robust guidelines of care that exist for adults do not exist for children, particularly for children with arterial ischemic stroke.

The approach to stroke in infants and children can be informed by clinical experience in pediatric stroke and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, the extensive literature on pediatric thrombosis, and extrapolation from data from adult patients.
Neurologic Complications in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Wainwright Mark S.
Published: February 2018

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

All critical care is directed at maintaining brain health, but recognizing neurologic complications of critical illness in children is difficult, and limited data exist to guide practice. This article discusses an approach to the recognition and management of seizures, stroke, and cardiac arrest as complications of other critical illnesses in the pediatric intensive care unit.

RECENT FINDINGS

Convulsive and nonconvulsive seizures occur frequently in children after cardiac arrest or traumatic brain injury and during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Seizures may add to neurologic morbidity, and continuous EEG monitoring is needed for up to 24 hours for detection. Hypothermia has not been shown to improve outcome after cardiac arrest in children, but targeted temperature management with controlled normothermia and prevention of fever is a mainstay of neuroprotection.

Much of brain-directed pediatric critical care is empiric. Recognition of neurologic complications of critical illness requires multidisciplinary care, serial neurologic examinations, and an appreciation for the multiple risk factors for neurologic injury present in most patients in the pediatric intensive care unit. Through attention to the fundamentals of neuroprotection, including maintaining or restoring cerebral perfusion matched to the metabolic needs of the brain, combined with anticipatory planning, these complications can be prevented or the neurologic injury mitigated.
Determination of the small RNA GcvB regulon in the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen Pasteurella multocida and identification of the GcvB seed binding region
Authors: Gulliver Emily L. , Wright Amy , Lucas Deanna Deveson , Mégroz Marianne , Kleifeld Oded , Schittenhelm Ralf B. , Powell David R. , Seemann Torsten , Bulitta Jürgen B. , Harper Marina , Boyce John D.
Published: February 2018

Pasteurella multocida is a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for many important animal diseases. While a number of P. multocida virulence factors have been identified, very little is known about how gene expression and protein production is regulated in this organism. Small RNA (sRNA) molecules are critical regulators that act by binding to specific mRNA targets, often in association with the RNA chaperone protein Hfq. In this study, transcriptomic analysis of the P. multocida strain VP161 revealed a putative sRNA with high identity to GcvB from Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. High-throughput quantitative liquid proteomics was used to compare the proteomes of the P. multocida VP161 wild-type strain, a gcvB mutant, and a GcvB overexpression strain. These analyses identified 46 proteins that displayed significant differential production after inactivation of gcvB, 36 of which showed increased production. Of the 36 proteins that were repressed by GcvB, 27 were predicted to be involved in amino acid biosynthesis or transport. Bioinformatic analyses of putative P. multocida GcvB target mRNAs identified a strongly conserved 10 nucleotide consensus sequence, 5′-AACACAACAT-3′, with the central eight nucleotides identical to the seed binding region present within GcvB mRNA targets in E. coli and S. Typhimurium. Using a defined set of seed region mutants, together with a two-plasmid reporter system that allowed for quantification of sRNA–mRNA interactions, this sequence was confirmed to be critical for the binding of the P. multocida GcvB to the target mRNA, gltA.
The delimitation and evolutionary history of the Australasian Lautusoid group of Senecio (Asteraceae: Senecioneae)
Authors: Liew Chia-Sin , Memory Andrew E. , Ortiz-Barrientos Daniel , Lange Peter J. de , Pelser Pieter B.
Published: February 2018

Senecio (Asteraceae: Senecioneae) is one of the largest genera of flowering plants and its infrageneric delimitation has been impeded by its large size (> 1000 species), large morphological variation and widespread incongruence between phylogenies derived from different datasets. As part of efforts to improve our understanding of the evolutionary relationships among infrageneric Senecio groups, nuclear (nrITS, ETS) and plastid (psbA–trnH, trnL and trnL–F) DNA sequence data were used to study the delimitation of the Australasian Lautusoid group of Senecio. These data were also used to understand the evolutionary origins of polyploid species that have been placed in this informally recognized group. The results of our phylogenetic analyses indicate that Australasian Senecio compose four separate and distantly related lineages, which are here informally named the Disciform s.str., Lautusoid, Odoratus s.l., and Quadridentatus groups. A new delimitation of the Lautusoid group is presented that includes species previously placed in this group based on morphological similarities, as well as some that were previously assigned to other informally recognized Senecio groups. This brings the total number of confirmed members of the Lautusoid group to 15 species. Six allopolyploid species were identified that resulted from hybridization between members of the Lautusoid group and species of the three other Australasian Senecio lineages. Our findings indicate that hybridization has played an important role in the evolutionary diversification of Australasian Senecio and provide a framework for further studies into their evolutionary history.
Effects of Recommendation Neutrality and Sponsorship Disclosure on Trust vs. Distrust in Online Recommendation Agents: Moderating Role of Explanations for Organic Recommendations
Authors: Wang Weiquan , Xu Jingjun (David) , Wang May
Published: February 2018

We extend the extant research on neutral recommendation agents (RAs) to those that lack recommendation neutrality and are biased toward sponsors. We first investigate the effects of recommendation neutrality on users’ trust and distrust in RAs by comparing a biased RA with sponsorship disclosure with a neutral RA. We then apply a contingency approach to examine the effects of sponsorship disclosure on users’ trust and distrust in biased RAs, with explanations for organic recommendations as a contingent factor. A laboratory experiment was conducted in the United States. We determine that users’ trust in the biased RA with sponsorship disclosure is lower and that their distrust is higher than that in the neutral RA. Results also show that user trust in a biased RA increases only when explanations for organic recommendations and sponsorship disclosure are both provided. Users’ perceived psychological contract violations of an RA have been verified as a key mediator of the examined effects. However, explanations for organic recommendations, sponsorship disclosure, or their combination fail to significantly lower users’ distrust in a biased RA. A second experiment conducted in Hong Kong confirms the major findings of the experiment conducted in the United States. Theoretical contributions and practical implications for e-commerce RAs are discussed.

This paper was accepted by Anandhi Bharadwaj, information systems.
On the External Validity of Social Preference Games: A Systematic Lab-Field Study
Authors: Galizzi Matteo M. , Navarro-Martinez Daniel
Published: February 2018

We present a lab-field experiment designed to systematically assess the external validity of social preferences elicited in a variety of experimental games. We do this by comparing behavior in the different games with several behaviors elicited in the field and with self-reported behaviors exhibited in the past, using the same sample of participants. Our results show that the experimental social preference games do a poor job explaining both social behaviors in the field and social behaviors from the past. We also include a systematic review and meta-analysis of previous literature on the external validity of social preference games.

Data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2017.2908 .

This paper was accepted by John List, behavioral economics.
The preventive effect of Mangifera foetida L. leaf extract administered simultaneously to excess iron on markers of iron overload in Spraque-Dawley rats
Authors: Fajri Purnama , Estuningtyas Ari , Louisa Melva , Freisleben Hans-Joachim
Published: February 2018

Background: Recently, there is no agent available for the prevention of iron overload (IO) in thalassemia patients. Previous studies showed that Mangifera foetida L. leaf extracts reduced the levels of iron in IO in vitro and in vivo models. The present study aimed to determine the efficacy of Mangifera foetida L. leaf extract in the prevention of IO induced in rats.Methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: control (untreated), IO, 3 treatment groups with leaf extract equivalent to 50, 100, and 200 mg of mangiferin per kg BW. Fe-dextran (15 mg) was administered intraperitoneally twice a week for 4 weeks to all groups except control (IO, DSM50, DSM100, and DSM200). Urine and blood samples were taken before and after treatments. After 4 weeks of treatment, rats were terminated, and samples of spleen, liver, and heart were taken. Ferritin and mangiferin levels and SOD activities were determined in plasma. Iron levels were measured in plasma, urine, and spleen.Results: Experimental IO increased plasma Fe content 4.23 times and plasma ferritin levels 6.9 times vs normal. Mangifera foetida L. leaf extract DSM50 resulted in the highest blood levels of 212 ng mangiferin per mL and moderately, although not significant, prevented increased plasma ferritin levels and IO in organs and protected against oxidative stress.Conclusion: Aqueous Mangifera foetida L. leaf extract may be useful to prevent IO and oxidative stress in thalassemia patients.
The Right to Be Handsome: The Queer Sartorial Objects of “Masculine of Center” Fashion
Authors: Rand Erin J.
Published: February 2018

In the past several years, a flurry of queer fashion blogs and websites, new brands, and small retailers have emerged that feature clothing and accessories described as “masculine of center.” Targeted toward butch women, trans men, tomboys, genderqueers, and others who desire masculine fashions for bodies not traditionally recognized as male, this new movement in style and design affirms nonconforming gender presentations that are typically excluded from the bi-gendered fashion world. In this article I focus specifically on the sartorial objects of masculine of center style, arguing that they exert an affective pull on viewers, consumers, and wearers, acting as nodal points through which communities and desires cohere. I approach masculine of center fashion as embodied “queer affectation,” highlighting the everyday affective practices of dressing and the entanglements of flesh and fabric in the performative materialization of the gendered, raced, and classed body. While fashion’s revolutionary impact is certainly circumscribed by the neoliberal commodification of identities, I suggest that the queer lines of attachment enabled by masculine of center fashion are never fully predicted by capitalism’s agenda, and thus allow a glimpse of a queerer world organized around the embodied pleasures of and for the aesthetic.
A Culture of Extrinsically Motivated Students: Chemistry
Authors: Orvis Jessica , Sturges Diana , Tysinger P. Dawn , Riggins Keenya , Landge Shainaz
Published: February 2018

Recent research indicates that students are adopting a consumerist approach to education, while data shows that the best academic outcomes are associated with intrinisc motivation. The goal of the study was to explore student academic motivation in an undergraduate Principles of Chemistry I class. The pilot study targeted approximately 432 students at a large, public four year university enrolled in 9 sections of the class over two semesters. Student academic motivation was measured using the adapted Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). A total of 311 students returned the survey (response rate = 72 %). The results indicated that students enrolled in Chemistry I classes were extrinsically motivated more than intrinsically motivated. The types of extrinsic motivation identified by students were the least autonomous ones, such as external and introjected regulation.
A Simple Classroom Experiment on Money Demand
Authors: Chen Xiaofen
Published: February 2018

This simple classroom experiment is designed to help students to better understand the concept and the theory of money demand. By simulating what households face in real life, the experiment allows students to reflect on the cost and benefit of holding money and understand how money demand is affected by various factors. The experiment is suitable for an undergraduate macroeconomics course at the introductory or intermediate level. The paper also presents evidence of student learning resulting from the experiment, controlling for student characteristics.
Making Time and Creating Space for Undergraduate Research
Authors: Myers Joy , Sawyer Amanda G. , Dredger Katie , Barnes Susan , Wilson Reece
Published: February 2018

Working at a teaching intensive university, it is often challenging to balance the demands of teaching and research. It is even more difficult to incorporate undergraduate research into the mix, despite knowing the benefits of this practice, when that culture is not present in your particular program. This article offers insight into how one group of teacher educators embedded undergraduate research into an existing research project and the lessons the faculty and students learned along the way.
La teoría de los conjuntos-T y la prueba PISA
Authors: De Armas Costa Ricardo J. , Macías M. David , Bernal B. Ricardo A.
Published: February 2018

En este artículo de reflexión documentada se presentan algunos elementos de una nueva teoría que estudia cómo los distintos agentes (maestros, investigadores, pedagogos, etc.) e instituciones que forman parte del sistema educativo, configuran ambientes para el desarrollo de las habilidades cognitivas de los sujetos. Se trata de la teoría de los conjuntos-T propuesta por los autores del artículo a mediados del año 2012, para desarrollar habilidades matemáticas en los estudiantes; teoría que puede generalizarse al desarrollo de habilidades en otras áreas de conocimiento. Se ilustra, además, por medio de un ejemplo, cómo puede ser usada para desarrollar habilidades contemporáneas básicas demandadas por las economías modernas en los sujetos y que son monitoreadas en varios países por programas como PISA de la OCDE.
A Herdança do Programa MEDIA
Authors: Villarmea Álvarez Iván
Published: February 2018

Recensão crítica do livro Euro-Visions. Europe in Contemporary Cinema, escrito pela investigadora Mariana Liz e publicado pela editora Bloomsbury Academics em 2016.
Outra Certa Tendência do Cinema Português
Authors: Rosário Filipa
Published: February 2018

O mais recente livro de Nelson Araújo examina obras maiores do cinema português dos anos 60, 70 e 80, com o objectivo de reconhecer nelas tendências formais estéticas, de certa forma ancoradas no Cinema Novo e consolidadas, por diversas vias, na chamada Escola Portuguesa.
"That's Entertainment! SERCIA's 23rd Annual Meeting Overview (7-9 September 2017).
Authors: Chinita Fátima
Published: February 2018

This text is an overview of the international conference That's Entertainment": Spectacle, Amusement, Audience and the Culture of Recreation in the Audiovisual Context of English-Speaking Countries, which took place in September 2017 at the Università di Bologna, Italy. The event was SERCIA's (Société d'Études et de Recherches sur le Cinéma Anglophone) 23rd annual meeting.
Música, som e imagens em movimento: Por uma perspectiva “indisciplinada” da experiência cinematográfica
Authors: Deniz Silva Manuel
Published: February 2018

Introdução do dossier temático
The Role of the Partner Brand's Social Media Power in Brand Alliances
Authors: Kupfer Ann-Kristin , Pähler vor der Holte Nora , Kübler Raoul V. , Hennig-Thurau Thorsten
Published: February 2018

Managers frequently seek strategies to profit systematically from social media to increase product sales. By forming a brand alliance, they can acquire an installed social media base from a partner brand in an attempt to boost the sales of their composite products. Drawing from power theory, this article develops a conceptual model of the influence of the social media power of partner brands on brand alliance success. The proposed framework details the partner brand's social media power potential (size and activity of the social media network), social media power exertion (different posting behaviors and comments), and their interaction. The authors test this framework with an extensive data set from the film industry, in which films function as composite products and actors represent partner brands. The data set features 442 movies, including 1,318 actor–movie combinations and weekly social media data (including 41,547 coded Facebook posts). The authors apply a linear mixed-effects model, in which they account for endogeneity concerns. The partner brand's social media power potential, power exertion, and their interaction can all lead to higher composite product sales. By coding different types of product-related posts, this article provides estimates of their varying monetary value.
Probabilistic p-cyclic contractions using different types of t-norms
Authors: Choudhury Binayak S. , Bhandari Samir Kumar , Saha Parbati
Published: February 2018

Cyclic mappings have appeared prominently in fixed point theory during the last decade. They have also their applications in global optimization problems. Note that p-cyclic mappings are extensions of cyclic mappings over p number of sets. In this paper we introduce two p-cyclic contractions in probabilistic spaces. We have two corresponding fixed point theorems using third-order Hadzic-type t-norm and minimum t-norm, respectively. One of the probabilistic contractions is of Ciric type while
the other is a general contraction. One illustrative example is given. The space we consider here is a 2-Menger space which is an extension of a probabilistic metric space in the same vein as the 2-metric spaces are extensions of metric spaces.
Preliminary Investigation of Predicting Permanent Deformations of Unbound Granular Materials Using Miniaturized Pressuremeter Cyclic Data
Authors: Shaban Alaa M. , Cosentino Paul J.
Published: February 2018

The permanent deformations of unbound pavement layers are typically caused by the movement and densification of aggregate particles under the influence of repeated wheel loads. This type of distress, which represents one of the major failure modes in flexible pavements, has been investigated by many researchers. In this research, a miniaturized pressuremeter (MPMT) device was used to predict rutting of unbound granular materials by performing cyclic field testing. The permanent deformations measured using cyclic triaxial (CT) testing were compared with those predicted from the MPMT testing. Four unbound pavement materials used as a pavement base and subgrade were tested and evaluated. The Tseng-Lytton model, also known as the sigmoidal model, was used to analyze and interpret permanent strain data obtained from both tests. The data showed that the permanent strains predicted from in situ MPMT tests are larger than those measured from laboratory CT tests. However, it is demonstrated that the best results are obtained when MPMT permanent strains are adjusted by using the slope of the strain level model as a reduction factor. The results indicated that the average ratio of predicted to measured permanent strain was 0.66 and 0.89 for subgrade and base course materials, respectively. In addition, it was concluded that the MPMT stress-strain data from ten MPMT loading cycles provide a reasonable estimation for soil strain parameters of the sigmoidal model.