bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lung field segmentation using weighted sparse shape composition with robust initialization
Authors: Xiong Junfeng , Shao Yeqin , Ma Jingchen , Ren Yacheng , Wang Qian , Zhao Jun
Published: September 2017

Purpose

Lung field segmentation for chest radiography is critical to pulmonary disease diagnosis. In this paper, we propose a new deformable model using weighted sparse shape composition with robust initialization to achieve robust and accurate lung field segmentation.

Methods

Our method consists of three steps: initialization, deformation and regularization. The steps of deformation and regularization are iteratively employed until convergence. First, since a deformable model is sensitive to the initial shape, a robust initialization is obtained by using a novel voting strategy, which allows the reliable patches on the image to vote for each landmark of the initial shape. Then, each point of the initial shape independently deforms to the lung boundary under the guidance of the appearance model, which can distinguish lung tissues from nonlung tissues near the boundary. Finally, the deformed shape is regularized by weighted sparse shape composition (SSC) model, which is constrained by both boundary information and the correlations between each point of the deformed shape.

Results

Our method has been evaluated on 247 chest radiographs from well‐known dataset Japanese Society of Radiological Technology (JSRT) and achieved high overlap scores (0.955 ± 0.021).

Conclusions

The experimental results show that the proposed deformable segmentation model is more robust and accurate than the traditional appearance and shape model on the JSRT database. Our method also shows higher accuracy than most state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Structure elucidation of new fusarielins from Fusarium sp. and their antimicrobial activity
Authors: Tchoukoua Abdou , Hasegawa Ryosuke , Hendracipta Kurniawan Andreas , Sato Satoru , Koseki Takuya , Shiono Yoshihito
Published: September 2017

Three new fusarielins, 3‐epi‐fusarielin H (1), 3‐O‐methyl‐fusarielin H (2), and 3‐O‐methyl‐epi‐fusarielin H (3), were isolated from the fungus Fusarium sp. together with the known analogues, fusarielins F (4) and G (5). The structures of these compounds were elucidated by analysis of their ESI‐HRTOFMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. The new compounds exhibited weak antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus.
Cutaneous silent period in myofascial pain syndrome
Authors: Kilinc Ozden , Sencan Savas , Ercalik Tulay , Koytak Pinar Kahraman , Alibas Hande , Gunduz Osman Hakan , Tanridag Tulin , Uluc Kayihan
Published: September 2017

Introduction: An increased response to painful stimuli without spontaneous pain suggests a role of central hyperexcitability of pain pathways in the pathogenesis of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). In this study we aimed to test the hypothesis that spinal pain pathways are affected in MPS. We used cutaneous silent period (CSP) parameters to demonstrate the hyperexcitability of spinal pain pathways in MPS. Methods: Twenty‐nine patients diagnosed with MPS and 30 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The CSP recordings were performed in the right upper and left lower extremities. Results: In both upper and lower extremities, patients had prolonged CSP latencies (P = 0.034 and P = 0.049 respectively) and shortened CSP durations (P = 0.009 and P = 0.008, respectively). Discussion: Delayed and shortened CSP in MPS patients implies dysfunction in the inhibitory mechanism of the spinal/supraspinal pain pathways, suggesting central sensitization in the pathogenesis of MPS and supporting our research hypothesis. Muscle Nerve 57: E24–E28, 2018
Transformational Leadership and Volunteer Firefighter Engagement
Authors: Mayr Marcel Lee
Published: September 2017

This study explores the relationship between transformational leadership and volunteer firefighter engagement. Using responses from 213 volunteer firefighters, structural equation modeling reveals a positive relationship between transformational leadership and volunteer engagement, which is mediated by both group identification and perceived social impact. In addition, higher volunteer engagement is positively related to a firefighter's intention to continue volunteering and to recruit others. Taken together, the results indicate that transformational leaders achieve positive volunteer outcomes by strengthening the organizational ties of volunteers and by connecting volunteers with the prosocial impact of their work. Theoretical implications for transformational leadership research in volunteer settings as well as practical recommendations for a sustainable volunteer management are provided.
Treatment with liraglutide may improve markers of CVD reflected by reduced levels of apoB
Authors: Engelbrechtsen L. , Lundgren J. , Wewer Albrechtsen N. J. , Mahendran Y. , Iepsen E. W. , Finocchietto P. , Jonsson A. E. , Madsbad S. , Holst J. J. , Vestergaard H. , Hansen T. , Torekov S. S.
Published: September 2017

Background

Dislipidaemia and increased levels of apolipoprotein B (apoB) in individuals with obesity are risk factors for development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of weight loss and weight maintenance with and without liraglutide treatment on plasma lipid profiles and apoB.

Methods

Fifty‐eight individuals with obesity (body mass index 34.5 ± 3.0 kg/m2 [mean ± SD]) were included in this study. After 8 weeks on a very low‐calorie diet (800 kcal/day), participants were randomized to weight maintenance with meal replacements with or without liraglutide (1.2 mg daily) for 1 year. Plasma samples from before and after weight loss and after 1 year of weight maintenance were subjected to nuclear magnetic resonance‐based lipidomics analysis.

Results

After an 8‐week low‐calorie diet, study participants lost 12.0 ± 2.9 kg (mean ± SD) of their body weight, which was reflected in their lipid profiles (80 out of 124 lipids changed significantly), including reduced levels of apoB, total cholesterol, free cholesterol, remnant cholesterol, triglycerides, low‐density lipoprotein and very low‐density lipoprotein subclasses. After 1 year of maintained weight loss, the majority of the lipids had returned to pre‐weight loss levels even though weight loss was successfully maintained in both groups. Interestingly, apoB levels remained low in the liraglutide treated group (apoB change: 0.03 ± 0.02 mmol/L, p = 0.4) in contrast to an increase in the control group (apoB change: 0.06 ± 0.07 mmol/L, p = 0.02).

Conclusion

An 8‐week low‐calorie diet, in individuals with obesity, reduced plasma levels of lipids and the atherogenic marker apoB. After 1 year of weight maintenance, only study participants treated with liraglutide maintained reduced levels of apoB, despite similar body weight maintenance. Treatment with liraglutide may therefore reduce apoB levels and thus reflect lower CVD risk. Including apoB measurements in clinical practice when monitoring patients with dislipidemia or CVD might prove to be useful.
POSS‐based poly(aryl ether sulfone)s random terpolymer linked POSS to the main chain: effect of chemical structure and POSS content on properties
Authors: Wei Yanfeng , Jiang Qiyang , Hao Jinmeng , Mu Jianxin
Published: September 2017

The article from this special issue was previously published in Polymers for Advanced Technologies, Volume 28, Issue 4, 2017. For completeness we are including the title page of the article below. The full text of the article can be read in Issue 28:4 on Wiley Online Library: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pat.3949/full
Association of clinical trial enrollment and survival using contemporary therapy for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Moke Diana J. , Oberley Matthew J. , Bhojwani Deepa , Parekh Chintan , Orgel Etan
Published: September 2017

While early studies reported superior survival for cancer patients enrolled on clinical trials, recent findings are inconclusive. We investigated the association between enrollment on contemporary trials and event‐free survival (EFS) in pediatric B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‐ALL). In a retrospective cohort of 274 children (1–21 years) treated for B‐ALL from 2008 to 2015, 55.5% enrolled with no disparity in enrollment by age, sex, or ethnicity. Three‐year EFS was similar for enrolled and not enrolled patients (90.1% [95% CI, 82.5–94.5] versus 86.5% [95% CI, 77.7–92.0]). Clinical trial enrollment did not affect pediatric B‐ALL survival, albeit in a limited‐size cohort treated at a single academic institution.
Synthesis, characterization and optimization of N‐TiO2/PANI nanocomposite for photodegradation of acid dye under visible light
Authors: Vaez Mohammad , Alijani Somayeh , Omidkhah Mohammadreza , Zarringhalam Moghaddam Abdolsamad
Published: September 2017

Polyaniline (PANI) as an excellent conducting polymer was used to prepare an organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposite based on nitrogen (N)‐doped titanium dioxide (TiO2) under different synthesis conditions. Based on the DRS, XRD, FESEM, BET, XPS, and FT‐IR results, the optical and structural properties of the as‐prepared composites were found to be affected by N‐TiO2 to aniline (ANI) molar ratio, reaction time, and initial pH of solution, which in turn influence the photocatalytic performance of nanocomposites. The experimental design methodology was used to study the simultaneous effect of these synthesis parameters on the Vis activity performance of N‐TiO2/PANI nanocomposites for degradation of Acid Red 73. The degradation efficiency was significantly affected by the reaction time of polymerization, initial pH of solution, and interaction between the reaction time and N‐TiO2/ANI molar ratio. The optimal synthesis conditions for maximum Acid Red 73 degradation efficiency (58.25%) were found to be a molar ratio of N‐TiO2/ANI of 106.13 M, the reaction time of 487.42 min, and pH of 3.37. TEM images, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms and BET analysis of the as‐prepared nanocomposites show the increase in surface area and porosity and decrease in agglomeration formation by adding nitrogen and PANI. The N‐TiO2/PANI nanocomposites prepared at optimal synthesis conditions show higher visible activity compared to those modified with nitrogen or PANI only due to the synergistic effect between PANI and N doping. The mineralization studies of Acid Red 73 using the as‐prepared nanocomposites show their ability to decompose approximately all organic compounds present in the solution. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:4605–4616, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Pleistocene Involutions and Patterned Ground in France: Examples and Analysis Using a GIS Database
Authors: Bertran Pascal , Andrieux Eric , Antoine Pierre , Deschodt Laurent , Font Marianne , Sicilia Deborah
Published: September 2017

A georeferenced database is used to analyse the distribution of Quaternary soft‐sediment deformation structures across France. They include features visible in aerial photographs (soil stripes and cells) and features described in cross‐section (involutions). Overall, there is no clear relation between the distribution of features and the locations of known faults and earthquakes in available databases. In contrast, the distribution agrees with that of Pleistocene periglacial structures. Most of the soil stripes and cells are located north of 47.5°N, i.e. in the zone of ice‐wedge pseudomorphs, and can be interpreted as deformation structures of an active layer in permafrost terrain. The height of the involutions is influenced by the nature of the filling, the substrate and latitude. Deformation structures are larger in coarse material, reflecting the role of drainage and thermal conductivity. Their height increases northward to ca. 2 m at 48°N. This is thought to reflect the increase in thickness of the layer subjected to freeze–thaw cycles. Bowl‐shaped structures separated by coarse pillars, which correspond to soil stripes seen in section, have formed on slopes in settings unfavourable to the generation of high pore‐water pressure. Their genesis is probably related to differential frost heave. Ball‐and‐pillow structures and diapirs are common in flat and poorly drained terrain, and formed by liquefaction and sometimes fluidisation in a periglacial setting. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Room for Manoeuvre: Rethinking the Intersections Between Migration and the Informal Economy in Post‐Industrial Economies
Authors: Anne Visser M. , Guarnizo Luis E.
Published: September 2017

Dominant scholarly and policy discourse implicitly connect growth in immigration to growth in the informal economy and negative socio‐economic outcomes in post‐industrial societies. In this introduction, we highlight some of the broader questions and implications raised by the multidisciplinary work of our contributors that challenge this immigration‐informality hypothesis. We argue that existing studies of the informal economy in post‐industrial societies underscore the multiscalar economic, social, and political facets and dimensions that shape the intersection between migration and the spread of informal economic practices in the global north. However, this body of work does not adequately connect the ways in which these processes influence immigrants' economic and labour market integration. The contributions to this special issue focus on these dimensions seeking to identify how they are constructed and the opportunities, challenges, and possibilities they present for migrant workers and migrant‐receiving societies. Collectively, the contributions challenge dominant narratives surrounding the relationship between migration and the informal economy and contribute to theorise them as co‐constituted at multiscalar relational processes. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Bayesian analysis of reliability improvement experiments
Authors: Yu I‐Tang
Published: September 2017

The number of effects can be studied in a log‐location‐scale regression model used in analyzing a reliability improvement experiment is restricted to the number of runs, which is usually small. In many real examples, only the main effects and a few 2‐factor interactions are considered. In this work, we propose using a Bayesian approach to analyze reliability improvement experiments. By specifying a prior on the effects, the number of effects can be studied is no longer restricted to the number of runs, and aliased effects can all be identified and estimated simultaneously. We analyze 2 real data sets to demonstrate the proposed approach. The results show that when complex interactions are present, the proposed approach can provide a more reliable result.
One SVR modeling method based on kernel space feature
Authors: Xie Minghua , Wang Decheng , Xie Lili
Published: September 2017

Support vector regression (SVR) has unique advantages in system modeling because of the structural risk minimization principle. However, its model generalization ability is subject to excitation signals and kernel parameters. An SVR modeling method excited by sinusoidal signals based on kernel space features is proposed to improve the generalization ability. First, the effect of amplitude of the sinusoidal excitation signals on the generalization ability of SVR model is analyzed. The following conclusions are drawn. The amplitude of the best excitation signal should be in the same order of magnitude as that of actual input signal and not smaller than the amplitude of the actual input signal. Second, based on the considered SVR modeling problem in the classification problem, the kernel space feature named inter‐cluster distance (ICD) is employed to determine a more effective searching range of the kernel parameter. Simulation experiments results show less training time and the superior generalization ability of the proposed method. Thus, the proposed method can be used as a guide to select the sinusoidal excitation signals and kernels parameters of SVR models. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
In‐Hospital Mortality for Hepatic Portal Venous Gas: Analysis of 1590 Patients Using a Japanese National Inpatient Database
Authors: Koizumi Chie , Michihata Nobuaki , Matsui Hiroki , Fushimi Kiyohide , Yasunaga Hideo
Published: September 2017

Background

Hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) is rare but potentially serious condition. Main cause of HPVG is bowel ischemia, while detection of HPVG without bowel ischemia may have been increasing possibly due to widespread use of computed tomography. However, little is known about variation in etiologies of HPVG and mortality of HPVG with each etiology. We examined patient backgrounds, underlying diseases, and in‐hospital mortality of HPVG patients using a national inpatient database.

Methods

Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in Japan, we identified inpatients diagnosed with HPVG from July 1, 2010 to March 31, 2015. Patients’ data included age, sex, comorbidities at admission, complications after admission, body mass index, surgical procedures, medications, and discharge status. In‐hospital mortality was compared between the subgroups divided by the patient backgrounds and underlying diseases.

Results

A total of 1590 patients were identified during the study period. The mean age was 79.3 years old and the proportion of bowel ischemia was 53%. The overall in‐hospital mortality was 27.3%. In‐hospital mortality of HPVG with bowel ischemia, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) obstruction or dilation, GIT perforation, GIT infection, or sepsis was 26.8, 31.1, 33.3, 13.6, or 56.4%, respectively. Among patients with bowel ischemia, 32.2% patients received operation and their in‐hospital mortality was 16.5%.

Conclusions

HPVG patients in the present study were relatively older but less likely to die than those in previous studies. Attention should be paid to the fact that mortality of HPVG without bowel ischemia was not always lower compared to that with bowel ischemia.
Determination of Fecal Sterols Following a Diet with and without Plant Sterols
Authors: Cuevas‐Tena María , Alegría Amparo , Lagarda María Jesús
Published: September 2017

The aim of this study was to develop a method for neutral fecal sterols determination in subjects receiving a normal diet with or without a plant sterols‐enriched beverage using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Sample preparation conditions (homogenization of lyophilized feces with water) were evaluated. Sterol determination required direct hot saponification, unsaponifiable extraction with hexane, and the formation of trimethylsilyl (TMS) ether derivatives. The method allows the quantification of cholesterol, plant sterols and their metabolites (coprostanol, coprostanone, cholestanol, cholestanone, methylcoprostanol, methylcoprostanone, ethylcoprostenol, stigmastenol, ethylcoprostanol and ethylcoprostanone). Good linearity was obtained (r > 0.96) and interference was only observed for coprostanone, where the standard addition method proved necessary for quantification. The limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.10 to 3.88 µg/g dry feces and the limits of quantitation (LOQ) from 0.34 to 12.94 µg/g dry feces. Intra‐ and inter‐assay precision (RSD %) were 0.9–9.2 and 2.1–11.3, respectively. Accuracy, expressed as percentage recovery (80–119%) was obtained for all determined sterols.
Children and Careers: How Family Size Affects Parents’ Labor Market Outcomes in the Long Run
Authors: Cools Sara , Markussen Simen , Strøm Marte
Published: September 2017

We estimate the effect of family size on various measures of labor market outcomes over the whole career until retirement, using instrumental variables estimation in data from Norwegian administrative registers. Parents’ number of children is instrumented with the sex mix of their first two children. We find that having additional children causes sizable reductions in labor supply for women, which fade as children mature and even turn positive for women without a college degree. Among women with a college degree, there is evidence of persistent and even increasing career penalties of family size. Having additional children reduces these women’s probability of being employed by higher-paying firms, their earnings rank within the employing firm, and their probability of being the top earner at the workplace. Some of the career effects persist long after labor supply is restored. We find no effect of family size on any of men’s labor market outcomes in either the short or long run.
Guarding the Periphery
Authors: Moss Tristan
Published: September 2017

Based around the Pacific Islands Regiment, the Australian Army's units in Papua New Guinea had a dual identity: integral to Australia's defence, but also part of its largest colony, and viewed as a foreign people. The Australian Army in PNG defended Australia from threats to its north and west, while also managing the force's place within Australian colonial rule in PNG, occasionally resulting in a tense relationship with the Australian colonial government during a period of significant change. In Guarding the Periphery: The Australian Army in Papua New Guinea, 1951–75, Tristan Moss explores the operational, social and racial aspects of this unique force during the height of the colonial era in PNG and during the progression to independence. Combining the rich detail of both archival material and oral histories, Guarding the Periphery recounts a part of Australian military history that is often overlooked by studies of Australia's military past.
The Biafran War and Postcolonial Humanitarianism
Authors: Heerten Lasse
Published: September 2017

In the summer of 1968, audiences around the globe were shocked when newspapers and television stations confronted them with photographs of starving children in the secessionist Republic of Biafra. This global concern fundamentally changed how the Nigerian Civil War was perceived: an African civil war that had been fought for one year without fostering any substantial interest from international publics became 'Biafra' - the epitome of humanitarian crisis. Based on archival research from North America, Western Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, this book is the first comprehensive study of the global history of the conflict. A major addition to the flourishing history of human rights and humanitarianism, it argues that the global moment 'Biafra' is closely linked to the ascendance of human rights, humanitarianism, and Holocaust memory in a postcolonial world. The conflict was a key episode for the re-structuring of the relations between the West and the Third World.
Developing the science and methods of community engagement for genomic research and biobanking in Africa
Authors: Tindana P. , Campbell M. , Marshall P. , Littler K. , Vincent R. , Seeley J. , de Vries J. , Kamuya D. ,   the H3Africa Community Engagement Working Group
Published: September 2017

Historically, community engagement (CE) in research has been implemented in the fields of public health, education and agricultural development. In recent years, international discussions on the ethical and practical goals of CE have been extended to human genomic research and biobanking, particularly in the African context. While there is some consensus on the goals and value of CE generally, questions remain about the effectiveness of CE practices and how to evaluate this. Under the auspices of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa Initiative (H3Africa), the H3Africa CE working group organized a workshop in Stellenbosch, South Africa in March 2016 to explore the extent to which communities should be involved in genomic research and biobanking and to examine various methods of evaluating the effectiveness of CE. In this paper, we present the key themes that emerged from the workshop and make a case for the development of a rigorous application, evaluation and learning around approaches for CE that promote a more systematic process of engaging relevant communities. We highlight the key ways in which CE should be embedded into genomic research and biobanking projects.
Costs Associated with Ebola Preparedness at a Freestanding Pediatric Assessment Center
Authors: Simonsen Kari A. , Phipps Amber R. , Hall Mel , Heybrock Brenda , Hegemann Lindsay , Arnow Debra
Published: September 2017

The 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak led US hospitals to prepare to treat Ebola patients, with significant attributable costs. A nationwide preparedness transition to a tiered approach allowed regional allocation of preparedness resources for Ebola frontline, assessment, and treatment hospitals. Preparedness costs for assessment centers were significant and largely uncompensated.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1367–1369
The hourglass effect in hierarchical dependency networks
Authors: SABRIN KAESER M. , DOVROLIS CONSTANTINE
Published: September 2017

Many hierarchically modular systems are structured in a way that resembles an hourglass. This “hourglass effect” means that the system generates many outputs from many inputs through a relatively small number of intermediate modules that are critical for the operation of the entire system, referred to as the waist of the hourglass. We investigate the hourglass effect in general, not necessarily layered, hierarchical dependency networks. Our analysis focuses on the number of source-to-target dependency paths that traverse each vertex, and it identifies the core of a dependency network as the smallest set of vertices that collectively cover almost all dependency paths. We then examine if a given network exhibits the hourglass property or not, comparing its core size with a “flat” (i.e., non-hierarchical) network that preserves the source dependencies of each target in the original network. As a possible explanation for the hourglass effect, we propose theReuse Preferencemodel that captures the bias of new modules to reuse intermediate modules of similar complexity instead of connecting directly to sources or low complexity modules. We have applied the proposed framework in a diverse set of dependency networks from technological, natural, and information systems, showing that all these networks exhibit the general hourglass property but to a varying degree and with different waist characteristics.
Wheat germ supplementation alleviates insulin resistance and cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction in an animal model of diet-induced obesity
Authors: Ojo Babajide , Simenson Ashley J. , O’Hara Crystal , Wu Lei , Gou Xin , Peterson Sandra K. , Lin Daniel , Smith Brenda J. , Lucas Edralin A.
Published: September 2017

Obesity is strongly associated with insulin resistance (IR), along with mitochondrial dysfunction to metabolically active tissues and increased production of reactive O2 species (ROS). Foods rich in antioxidants such as wheat germ (WG), protect tissues from damage due to ROS and modulate some negative effects of obesity. This study examined the effects of WG supplementation on markers of IR, mitochondrial substrate metabolism and innate antioxidant markers in two metabolically active tissues (i.e. liver and heart) of C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat–high-sucrose (HFS) diet. Male C57BL/6 mice, 6-week-old, were randomised into four dietary treatment groups (n 12 mice/group): control (C, 10 % fat kcal), C+10 % WG, HFS (60 % fat kcal) or HFS+10 % WG (HFS+WG). After 12 weeks of treatment, HFS+WG mice had significantly less visceral fat (−16 %, P=0·006) compared with the HFS group. WG significantly reduced serum insulin (P=0·009), the insulinotropic hormone, gastric inhibitory peptide (P=0·0003), and the surrogate measure of IR, homoeostatic model assessment of IR (P=0·006). HFS diet significantly elevated (45 %, P=0·02) cardiac complex 2 mitochondrial VO2, suggesting increased metabolic stress, whereas WG stabilised this effect to the level of control. Consequently, genes which mediate antioxidant defense and mitochondrial biogenesis (superoxide dismutase 2 (Sod2) and PPARγ coactivator 1-α (Pgc1a), respectively) were significantly reduced (P<0·05) in the heart of the HFS group, whereas WG supplementation tended to up-regulate both genes. WG significantly increased hepatic gene expression of Sod2 (P=0·048) but not Pgc1a. Together, these results showed that WG supplementation in HFS diet, reduced IR and improved cardiac mitochondrial metabolic functions.
Flights of fancy: The bird of paradise and its cultural impact
Authors: Andaya Leonard Y.
Published: September 2017

The aim of this essay is to show through just one greatly valued trade item — in this case, the bird of paradise — how even the most distant and apparently isolated areas of the world could be linked to the major metropoles through trade. Yet this trade was anything but a simple bilateral exchange. It involved a complex series of networks that extended from the collectors to various levels of intermediaries and secondary ports, and then to foreign shippers bringing the desired product to its ultimate destination in various world markets. There is, however, another aspect of this essay which focuses not on the economic but the cultural value of trade. Most studies of the bird of paradise have commented on the cultural impact of its feathers on Western fashion, yet few have examined other cultural interpretations of the feathers that are closely associated with authority, fertility, and even invulnerability. These attitudes found in eastern Indonesia and New Guinea continue a tradition that has its roots in Southeast Asia in the early centuries of the Common Era.
Familiar strangers and stranger-kings: Mobility, diasporas, and the foreign in the eighteenth-century Malay world
Authors: Koh Keng We
Published: September 2017

Early modern Malay historiography has been dominated by the history of European trading, colonial empires and local port-polities, often framed along indigenous-versus-foreign lines. Yet, mobility has long been a central feature of this region shaped by commerce, as evidenced by the historical phenomenon of the ‘stranger-king’. This study examines the cultural, political and economic impacts of intra-regional migration and diasporic communities in this region, specifically comparing the interconnected histories of the Chinese, Bugis, Arab, and Minangkabau communities in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Locating this history within that of maritime Asia, this study provides a nuanced understanding of the historical Malay world beyond essentialism and communalism. This article highlights why scholars of the Malay world should take into account the important roles of mobility and ‘strangers’. It concludes that the Malay world was not a timeless or natural construct, but one whose contours and identity were continually shaped by significant diasporic communities and historical encounters.
Suicide risk assessment among psychiatric inpatients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-risk categories
Authors: Large M. , Myles N. , Myles H. , Corderoy A. , Weiser M. , Davidson M. , Ryan C. J.
Published: September 2017

Background

The clinical care of psychiatric patients is often guided by perceptions of suicide risk. The aim of this study was to examine the methods and results of studies reporting high-risk models for inpatient suicide.

Methods

We conducted a registered meta-analysis according to PRISMA guidelines. We searched for relevant peer-reviewed cohort and controlled studies indexed in Medline, EMBASE and PsychINFO.

Results

The pooled odds ratio (OR) among 18 studies reporting high-risk models for inpatient suicide was 7.1 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.2–12.2]. Between-study heterogeneity in ORs was very high (range 0–94.8, first quartile 3.4, median 8.8, third quartile 26.1, prediction interval 0.80–63.1,I2= 88.1%). The meta-analytically derived sensitivity was 53.1% (95% CI 38.2–67.5%,I2= 95.9%) and specificity was 84.2% (95% CI 71.6–91.9%,I2= 99.9%) with an associated meta-analytic area under the curve of 0.83. The positive predictive value of risk categorization among six cohort studies was 0.43% (95% CI 0.014–1.3%,I2= 95.9%). A history of suicidal behavior and depressive symptoms or affective disorder was included in the majority of high-risk models.

Conclusions

Despite the strength of the pooled association between high-risk categorization and suicide, the very high degree of observed heterogeneity indicates uncertainty about our ability to meaningfully distinguish inpatients according to suicide risk. The limited sensitivity and low positive predictive value of risk categorization suggest that suicide risk models are not a suitable basis for clinical decisions in inpatient settings.
Visual Cultures in the Upper Palaeolithic
Authors: Nowell April
Published: September 2017

Using examples drawn from the European Upper Palaeolithic, this article advocates a visual cultures approach to studying the art of this period. Visual culture is defined as the biological, cognitive and social underpinnings of how we see, while the term art refers to what we see. A visual cultures approach to these images allows the archaeologist to explore how they were experienced, decoded and innovated upon within historically situated, overlapping and entangled communities of practice and further affords archaeologists the tools and the vocabulary they need to explore apprenticeship, active teaching, embodied cognition, situated learning, scaffolding, enskillment, the existence of chaînes opératoires and the impact of these materials on the human brain. European Upper Palaeolithic finger flutings are presented as a case study of the visual cultures approach.
LONGEVITY AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
Authors: Gehringer Agnieszka , Prettner Klaus
Published: September 2017

We analyze the impact of increasing longevity on technological progress within an overlapping generations research and development (R&D)-based growth framework and test the model's implication on Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data from 1960 to 2011. The central hypothesis is that—by raising the incentives of households to invest in physical capital and in R&D—decreasing mortality positively affects technological progress and productivity growth. The empirical results confirm the theoretical prediction. This implies that the demographic changes we observed in industrialized economies over the last decades were not detrimental to economic prosperity, at least as far as technological progress and productivity growth are concerned.
Tolerance of Interseeded Annual Ryegrass and Red Clover Cover Crops to Residual Herbicides in Mid-Atlantic Corn Cropping Systems
Authors: Wallace John M. , Curran William S. , Mirsky Steven B. , Ryan Matthew R.
Published: September 2017

In the mid-Atlantic region, there is increasing interest in the use of intercropping strategies to establish cover crops in corn cropping systems. However, intercropping may be limited by potential injury to cover crops from residual herbicide programs. Field experiments were conducted from 2013 to 2015 at Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York locations (n=8) to evaluate the effect of common residual corn herbicides on interseeded red clover and annual ryegrass. Cover crop establishment and response to herbicide treatments varied across sites and years.S-metolachlor, pyroxasulfone, pendimethalin, and dimethenamid-Preduced annual ryegrass biomass relative to the nontreated check, whereas annual ryegrass biomass in acetochlor treatments was no different compared with the nontreated check. The rank order of observed annual ryegrass biomass reduction among chloroacetamide herbicides wasS-metolachlor>pyroxasulfone>dimethenamid-P>acetochlor. Annual ryegrass biomass was not reduced by any of the broadleaf control herbicides. Mesotrione reduced red clover biomass 80% compared to the nontreated check. No differences in red clover biomass were observed between saflufenacil, rimsulfuron and atrazine treatments compared to the nontreated check. Red clover was not reduced by any of the grass control herbicides. This research suggests that annual ryegrass and red clover can be successfully interseeded in silt loam soils of Pennsylvania following use of several shorter-lived residual corn herbicides, but further research is needed in areas with soil types other than silt loam or outside of the mid-Atlantic cropping region.
GCN5L1 modulates cross-talk between mitochondria and cell signaling to regulate FoxO1 stability and gluconeogenesis
Authors: Wang Lingdi , Scott Iain , Zhu Lu , Wu Kaiyuan , Han Kim , Chen Yong , Gucek Marjan , Sack Michael N.
Published: September 2017

The mitochondrial enriched GCN5-like 1 (GCN5L1) protein has been shown to modulate mitochondrial protein acetylation, mitochondrial content and mitochondrial retrograde signaling. Here we show that hepatic GCN5L1 ablation reduces fasting glucose levels and blunts hepatic gluconeogenesis without affecting systemic glucose tolerance. PEPCK and G6Pase transcript levels are downregulated in hepatocytes from GCN5L1 liver specific knockout mice and their upstream regulator, FoxO1 protein levels are decreased via proteasome-dependent degradation and via reactive oxygen species mediated ERK-1/2 phosphorylation. ERK inhibition restores FoxO1, gluconeogenic enzyme expression and glucose production. Reconstitution of mitochondrial-targeted GCN5L1 blunts mitochondrial ROS, ERK activation and increases FoxO1, gluconeogenic enzyme expression and hepatocyte glucose production. We suggest that mitochondrial GCN5L1 modulates post-translational control of FoxO1, regulates gluconeogenesis and controls metabolic pathways via mitochondrial ROS mediated ERK activation. Exploring mechanisms underpinning GCN5L1 mediated ROS signaling may expand our understanding of the role of mitochondria in gluconeogenesis control.
Practical passive decoy state measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with unstable sources
Authors: Liu Li , Guo Fen-Zhuo , Wen Qiao-Yan
Published: September 2017

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) with the active decoy state method can remove all detector loopholes, and resist the imperfections of sources. But it may lead to side channel attacks and break the security of QKD system. In this paper, we apply the passive decoy state method to the MDI-QKD based on polarization encoding mode. Not only all attacks on detectors can be removed, but also the side channel attacks on sources can be overcome. We get that the MDI-QKD with our passive decoy state method can have a performance comparable to the protocol with the active decoy state method. To fit for the demand of practical application, we discuss intensity fluctuation in the security analysis of MDI-QKD protocol using passive decoy state method, and derive the key generation rate for our protocol with intensity fluctuation. It shows that intensity fluctuation has an adverse effect on the key generation rate which is non-negligible, especially in the case of small data size of total transmitting signals and long distance transmission. We give specific simulations on the relationship between intensity fluctuation and the key generation rate. Furthermore, the statistical fluctuation due to the finite length of data is also taken into account.
Low level activity thresholds for changes in NMR biomarkers and genes in high risk subjects for Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Herzig Karl-Heinz , Leppäluoto Juhani , Jokelainen Jari , Meugnier Emmanuelle , Pesenti Sandra , Selänne Harri , Mäkelä Kari A. , Ahola Riikka , Jämsä Timo , Vidal Hubert , Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi Sirkka
Published: September 2017

Our objectives were to determine if there are quantitative associations between amounts and intensities of physical activities (PA) on NMR biomarkers and changes in skeletal muscle gene expressions in subjects with high risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) performing a 3-month PA intervention. We found that PA was associated with beneficial biomarker changes in a factor containing several VLDL and HDL subclasses and lipids in principal component analysis (P = <0.01). Division of PA into quartiles demonstrated significant changes in NMR biomarkers in the 2nd - 4th quartiles compared to the 1st quartile representing PA of less than 2850 daily steps (P = 0.0036). Mediation analysis of PA-related reductions in lipoproteins showed that the effects of PA was 4–15 times greater than those of body weight or fat mass reductions. In a subset study in highly active subjects’ gene expressions of oxidative fiber markers, Apo D, and G0/G1 Switch Gene 2, controlling insulin signaling and glucose metabolism were significantly increased. Slow walking at speeds of 2–3 km/h exceeding 2895 steps/day attenuated several circulating lipoprotein lipids. The effects were mediated rather by PA than body weight or fat loss. Thus, lower thresholds for PA may exist for long term prevention of cardio-metabolic diseases in sedentary overweight subjects.
Enhancement of Environmental Hazard Degradation in the Presence of Lignin: a Proteomics Study
Authors: Sun Su , Xie Shangxian , Cheng Yanbing , Yu Hongbo , Zhao Honglu , Li Muzi , Li Xiaotong , Zhang Xiaoyu , Yuan Joshua S. , Dai Susie Y.
Published: September 2017

Proteomics studies of fungal systems have progressed dramatically based on the availability of more fungal genome sequences in recent years. Different proteomics strategies have been applied toward characterization of fungal proteome and revealed important gene functions and proteome dynamics. Presented here is the application of shot-gun proteomic technology to study the bio-remediation of environmental hazards by white-rot fungus. Lignin, a naturally abundant component of the plant biomass, is discovered to promote the degradation of Azo dye by white-rot fungus Irpex lacteus CD2 in the lignin/dye/fungus system. Shotgun proteomics technique was used to understand degradation mechanism at the protein level for the lignin/dye/fungus system. Our proteomics study can identify about two thousand proteins (one third of the predicted white-rot fungal proteome) in a single experiment, as one of the most powerful proteomics platforms to study the fungal system to date. The study shows a significant enrichment of oxidoreduction functional category under the dye/lignin combined treatment. An in vitro validation is performed and supports our hypothesis that the synergy of Fenton reaction and manganese peroxidase might play an important role in DR5B dye degradation. The results could guide the development of effective bioremediation strategies and efficient lignocellulosic biomass conversion.
Depletion of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by heat dried biomass of a newly isolated fungus Arthrinium malaysianum: A mechanistic approach
Authors: Majumder Rajib , Sheikh Lubna , Naskar Animesh , Vineeta  , Mukherjee Manabendra , Tripathy Sucheta
Published: September 2017

For the first time, the heat dried biomass of a newly isolated fungus Arthrinium malaysianum was studied for the toxic Cr(VI) adsorption, involving more than one mechanism like physisorption, chemisorption, oxidation-reduction and chelation. The process was best explained by the pseudo-second order kinetic model and Redlich-Peterson isotherm with maximum predicted biosorption capacity (Q
m
) of 100.69 mg g−1. Film-diffusion was the rate-controlling step and the adsorption was spontaneous, endothermic and entropy-driven. The mode of interactions between Cr(VI) ions and fungal biomass were investigated by several methods [Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX)]. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) studies confirmed significant reduction of Cr(VI) into non-toxic Cr(III) species. Further, a modified methodology of Atomic Force Microscopy was successfully attempted to visualize the mycelial ultra-structure change after chromium adsorption. The influence of pH, biomass dose and contact time on Cr(VI) depletion were evaluated by Response Surface Model (RSM). FESEM-EDX analysis also exhibited arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) peaks on fungus surface upon treating with synthetic solutions of NaAsO2 and Pb(NO3)2 respectively. Additionally, the biomass could also remove chromium from industrial effluents, suggesting the fungal biomass as a promising adsorbent for toxic metals removal.
Minimally Invasive Micro-Indentation: mapping tissue mechanics at the tip of an 18G needle
Authors: Beekmans Steven V. , Emanuel Kaj S. , Smit Theodoor H. , Iannuzzi Davide
Published: September 2017

Experiments regarding the mechanical properties of soft tissues mostly rely on data collected on specimens that are extracted from their native environment. During the extraction and in the time period between the extraction and the completion of the measurements, however, the specimen may undergo structural changes which could generate unwanted artifacts. To further investigate the role of mechanics in physiology and possibly use it in clinical practices, it is thus of paramount importance to develop instruments that could measure the viscoelastic response of a tissue without necessarily excising it. Tantalized by this opportunity, we have designed a minimally invasive micro-indenter that is able to probe the mechanical response of soft tissues, in situ, via an 18G needle. Here, we discuss its working principle and validate its usability by mapping the viscoelastic properties of a complex, confined sample, namely, the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc. Our findings show that the mechanical properties of a biological tissue in its local environment may be indeed different than those that one would measure after excision, and thus confirm that, to better understand the role of mechanics in life sciences, one should always perform minimally invasive measurements like those that we have here introduced.
Hedgehog signalling is required for cell survival in Drosophila wing pouch cells
Authors: Lu Juan , Wang Dan , Shen Jie
Published: September 2017

An appropriate balance between cell survival and cell death is essential for correct pattern formation in the animal tissues and organs. Previous studies have shown that the short-range signalling molecule Hedgehog (Hh) is required for cell proliferation and pattern formation in the Drosophila central wing discs. Signal transduction by one of the Hh targets, the morphogen Decapentaplegic (Dpp), is required for not only cell proliferation, but also cell survival in the pouch cells. However, Hh function in cell survival and cell death has not been revealed. Here, we found that loss of Hh signal activity induces considerable Caspase-dependent cell death in the wing pouch cells, and this process was independent of both Dpp signalling and Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) signalling. Loss of Hh induced activation of the pro-apoptotic gene hid and inhibition of diap1. Therefore, we identified an important role of Hh signalling in cell survival during Drosophila wing development.
The L-type Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel co-localizes with Syntaxin 1A in nano-clusters at the plasma membrane
Authors: Sajman Julia , Trus Michael , Atlas Daphne , Sherman Eilon
Published: September 2017

The secretory signal elicited by membrane depolarization traverses from the Ca2+-bound α11.2 pore-forming subunit of the L-type Ca2+-channel (Cav1.2) to syntaxin 1 A (Sx1A) via an intra-membrane signaling mechanism. Here, we report the use of two-color Photo-Activated-Localization-Microscopy (PALM) to determine the relation between Cav1.2 and Sx1A in single-molecule detail. We observed nanoscale co-clusters of PAmCherry-tagged Sx1A and Dronpa-tagged α11.2 at a ~1:1 ratio. PAmCherry-tagged Sx1AC145A, or PAmCherry-tagged Sx2, an inactive Cav1.2 modulator, in which Cys145 is a Ser residue, showed no co-clustering. These results are  consistent with the crucial role of the single cytosolic Sx1ACys145 in clustering with Cav1.2. Cav1.2 and the functionally inactive transmembrane-domain double mutant Sx1AC271V/C272V engendered clusters with a ~2:1 ratio. A higher extent of co-clustering, which coincides with compromised depolarization-evoked transmitter-release, was observed also by oxidation of Sx1ACys271 and Cys272. Our super-resolution-imaging results set the stage for studying co-clustering of the channel with other exocytotic proteins at a single-molecule level.