bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outbreaks of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in Hospital Settings: A Systematic Review and Calculation of the Basic Reproductive Number
Authors: Satilmis Laetitia , Vanhems Philippe , Bénet Thomas
Published: December 2015

BACKGROUND

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have spread worldwide.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review VRE outbreaks and estimate the pooled basic reproductive rate (R0) of VRE.

METHODS

Eligible studies criteria were (1) published within 10 years, (2) report outbreak details, (3) involve 1 center, (4) estimate epidemic duration, and (5) concern adults. Descriptive analysis included number of index cases, secondary cases, and screened patients; infection control measures; and definition of contact patients. R0 was estimated by the equation R0=(ln2) D/td+1, with D as the generation time and td as the doubling time.

RESULTS

Thirteen VRE outbreaks were retained from 180 articles and, among them, 10 were kept for R0 calculation. The mean (range) number of index cases was 2.3 (1–8) and the mean (range) number of secondary cases was 15 (3–56). The mean (range) number of screened patients was 174 (32–509), with pooled VRE prevalence of 5.4% (95% CI, 4.5%–6.3%). Contact precautions were reported in 12 studies (92%), wards were closed in 7 (54%), with cohorting in 6 (46%). Two major screening policies were implemented: (1) a surveillance program in the unit or hospital (7 studies [54%]) and (2) screening of selected contact patients (6 studies [46%]). The pooled R0 of VRE was 1.32 (interquartile range, 1.03–1.46).

CONCLUSION

We discerned considerable heterogeneity in screening policies during VRE outbreaks. Pooled R0 was higher than 1, confirming the epidemic nature of VRE.

Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2016;37(3):289–394
Exhibition: Cheryl Creed and Nickeema Williams, 'A thousand words', State Library of Queensland, 6 December 2014 to 17 May 2015
Authors: Butler Sally
Published: December 2015

Cheryl Creed and Nickeema Williams, A thousand words, State Library of Queensland, 6 December 2014 to 17 May 2015
Unsettling sight
Authors: Cooke Stuart
Published: December 2015

Mt Tamborine is a crucial location for Judith Wright’s poetry, and for the development of her thought. She wrote the majority of her poetry collections while living on the mountain from 1948–75; it was there that she came face to face with the complexities of Australian ecologies and colonial histories. While her earlier poems from this period reflect a concerted, anti-colonial desire to separate the world of Tamborine from her European inheritance and perspective, by the early 1970s her work becomes preoccupied with symbiotic relationships between her body, her house and garden, and the surrounding landscape. This turn reflects broader shifts in thought in the mid-twentieth century, where notions of separation and precision were being problematised by the emerging field of quantum mechanics.
G.A. Mawer, 'Incognita: The invention and discovery of Terra Australis', Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2013, ISBN 978 1 925003 59 8, 279 pp., A$34.95
Authors: Emmerson Mark
Published: December 2015

G.A. Mawer, Incognita: The invention and discovery of Terra Australis, Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2013, ISBN 978 1 925003 59 8, 279 pp., A$34.95
Regional identity and digital space
Authors: Anderson Esther
Published: December 2015

Victoria Cooper and Doug Spowart’s 2014 photographic exhibition Speaking About Place: The Nocturne Project sought to capture a sense of place in regional towns throughout Queensland. Incorporating both the physical landscape and the virtual space of social media, the project spoke to themes of regional art, identity and digital connectedness, in order to understand how a sense of place is developed and continually renegotiated through individual experience. Within the context of understanding regional identity and place promotion, this article considers whether regional-based art is able to highlight a shifting sense of place, facilitate social cohesion and contribute to the development and enrichment of local cultural spaces.
John Charalambous, 'An Accidental Soldier', Brisbane: University of Queensland Press, 2013, ISBN: 9780 7022 5011 8, 320 pp., A$24.95
Authors: Featherstone Nigel
Published: December 2015

John Charalambous, An Accidental Soldier, Brisbane: University of Queensland Press, 2013, ISBN: 9780 7022 5011 8, 320 pp., A$24.95
'Rock'n'roll was everywhere'
Authors: Feldman-Barrett Christine
Published: December 2015

Historically, the Gold Coast is a ‘young’ city and urban area inextricably tied to tourism, and a reputation for sun and surf. While this is undeniably true, another lesser known narrative bound to music-driven youth culture from the 1960s to the 1980s is also part of the Gold Coast’s history. With ‘heritage tourism’ linked to popular music in recent years, this article examines how the Gold Coast’s youth culture history may potentially inform new tourist practices in the country’s sixth largest city. Regardless of whether such heritage tourism is ever adopted by the Gold Coast’s governing bodies, mapping this relationship between music, youth and place offers a new perspective on an active Australian city — one often stereotyped as a place with a penchant for erasing its past and only looking to the future.
Queensland man of letters
Authors: Hatherell William
Published: December 2015

This article offers the fullest discussion to date of the career, achievements and writing of Associate Professor Frederick Walter Robinson, one of the founders of the English program at the University of Queensland and a major figure in Brisbane and Queensland cultural life from the 1920s to the 1960s. Robinson’s career is considered in the context of the development of English as a university and school discipline, the intellectual and cultural life of Brisbane and the University of Queensland, and national cultural developments during the middle decades of the twentieth century. Through his university teaching and vigorous participation in many cultural and educational groups within and outside the university, Robinson was a highly influential figure — particularly in his pioneering work in teaching, documenting and researching Australian literature, developing the Queensland school curriculum in English and championing the importance of Aboriginal anthropology. The article makes use of unpublished material in Robinson’s extensive papers in the Fryer Library, and suggests that a true estimation of Robinson’s achievements has been hindered by the fact that so much of his work remains unpublished.
Iain McCalman, 'The reef: A passionate history', Melbourne: Viking, 2013, ISBN 9 7806 7007 5775, 398 pp., $45.00
Authors: Lloyd Rohan
Published: December 2015

Iain McCalman, The reef: A passionate history, Melbourne: Viking, 2013, ISBN 9 7806 7007 5775, 398 pp., $45.00
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND USE OF HYPERTENSIVE MEDICATION AMONG ADULTS IN CHINA
Authors: Trinh Ha Ngoc , Wen Ming
Published: December 2015

This study’s objectives were, first, to examine the association between social engagement and the odds of taking hypertensive medications and treatment among adults in China; and second, to explore the lifestyle and psychological mechanisms underlying this association. Data were from the WHO Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (WHO-SAGE), a national survey of 11,046 participants aged 18 to 69 conducted in China in 2010. The key outcome was a dichotomous indicator of whether the respondent was taking hypertensive medication or other treatment. A series of logistic regression models were fitted to examine the research questions. Higher levels of social engagement were found to be associated with a lower odds of taking hypertensive medication or treatment, and the association was stronger for women than for men. Lifestyle factors (i.e. smoking and BMI) and perceived overall life satisfaction were significant covariates. Life satisfaction helped explain some of the social engagement benefit for both men and women and BMI only appeared to be a mediator for men. Being married was not significantly associated with lower odds of taking hypertensive medication or treatment in either men or women. Social engagement seems to be protective against hypertension for adult men and women in China, although causation could not be determined in this cross-sectional study. Psychosocial mechanisms are probably at work, but these vary by gender.
Economic Inequality in Northwestern Italy: A Long-Term View (Fourteenth to Eighteenth Centuries)
Authors: Alfani Guido
Published: December 2015

This article provides a picture of economic inequality in northwestern Italy (Piedmont), 1300–1800. Regional studies of this kind are rare, and none has as long a timescale. The new data proposed illuminate little-known aspects of wealth distribution and general economic inequality in preindustrial times, supporting the idea that during the Early Modern period, inequality grew everywhere, independently from whether the economy was growing or stagnating. This challenges earlier views that explained inequality growth as the consequence of economic development. The importance of demographic processes is underlined, and the impact of the Black Death and other mortality crises is analyzed.
Government versus Bankers: Sovereign Debt Negotiations in Porfirian Mexico, 1888–1910
Authors: Weller Leonardo
Published: December 2015

This article assesses how the government of Porfirio Díaz (1876–1910) negotiated sovereign loans. Mexico was a serial defaulter that established a good reputation and issued bonds abroad at progressively better conditions. Based on new archival material, the article demonstrates that borrowing terms improved not only because of sounder fundamentals, but also due to the efforts of high officials to negotiate with debt underwriters. The Mexicans never accepted a patron bank and used the offers from American banks to bargain with European competitors. They acted according to the government's reputation, the underwriters' status, and the ideology of the Porfirian state.
Incentives That (Could Have) Saved Lives: Government Regulation of Accident Insurance Associations in Germany, 1884–1914
Authors: Guinnane Timothy W. , Streb Jochen
Published: December 2015

Germany introduced compulsory industrial accident insurance in 1884. The accident-insurance system compensated injured workers and survivors for losses, but initially failed to limit the growth of accident rates. We trace this failure to the 1884 law's faulty incentives and to an initial unwillingness to use the tools built into the law. The government regulator increasingly stressed rules that forced firms to adopt specific safety-enhancing innovations and practices. Econometric analysis shows that more consistent use of the rules and the limited incentives available under the law would have reduced industrial accidents earlier and more extensively.
Faecal analysis of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) in Península Valdés calving ground, Argentina:Calanus australis, a key prey species
Authors: D'Agostino Valeria C. , Hoffmeyer Mónica S. , Degrati Mariana
Published: December 2015

Península Valdés (PV) is the most austral calving ground for the SW Atlantic population ofEubalaena australis. Recent studies indicate thatE. australisoften feeds in PV mainly in late September and October. A microscopic analysis of food chitin remains found in five whale faeces was performed in the present study in an attempt to obtain baseline knowledge about trophic ecology and degree of use of plankton food available for whales in PV during spring (September–December). The remains in faeces from stranded and live individuals included copepods, other zooplankton and centric diatoms, all of which were characterized. Copepod remains were found to be dominant. Scanning electron and confocal laser scanning microscopes were used for comparative analyses between the mandibular gnathobases found in whale faeces and those obtained from preserved specimens. Mandibular gnathobases were the same in structure and morphometry as those obtained from preservedCalanus australis(copepodites 4–6). The positive relationship observed between the total length and width of the mandibular gnathobases edge ofC. australisand those found in faeces allowed us to infer the developmental stages of the copepods ingested byE. australis. Our results indicate – for the first time – the relevant role ofC. australiscopepodite 5 as main prey forE. australisin PV during the calving season. Copepodite 5 ofC. australisaccumulates energy-rich lipids. This is energetically attractive for whales and it is the potential reason whyE. australisfeeds mainly on dense patches dominated by this developmental stage ofC. australis.
Albert L. Operti: chronicler of Arctic exploration
Authors: Wamsley Douglas W.
Published: December 2015

The great wave of immigrants to the United States during the late 1800s brought many talented individuals who enriched American culture and society. Notable among them stands the Italian-born artist, Albert L. Operti (1852–1927), a versatile painter, illustrator and sculptor. For much of his professional career, Operti served as a scenic artist for the Metropolitan Opera House and later as an exhibit artist for the American Museum of Natural History. However, he maintained an avid personal interest in polar explorers and the history of polar exploration, ultimately turning his artistic skills to the subject. Operti served as official artist for Robert E. Peary during his Arctic expeditions of 1896 and 1897, producing paintings, drawings and even plaster casts of the Inuit from the expedition. Over the course of his lifetime he painted a number of ‘great’ pictures depicting, in a factually accurate manner, important incidents in Arctic history along with numerous smaller paintings, sketches, illustrations and studies. The quality of his work never rivaled his more talented contemporaries in the field of ‘great’ paintings, such as the prominent artists William Bradford and Frederic Church. Nonetheless, Operti achieved some recognition in his time as a painter of historical Arctic scenes, but the full extent of his contributions are little known and have been largely unexamined. Unlike the explorers themselves whose legacy rests upon geographic or scientific accomplishments and written narratives, Operti's legacy stands upon the body of distinctive artwork that served to convey, in realistic and graphic terms, the hardships and accomplishments of those explorers. This article recounts the life of Operti and his role as an historian in disseminating knowledge of the polar regions and its explorers to the public.
Schizotypal traits in adolescents with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: validity, reliability and risk for psychosis
Authors: Fonseca-Pedrero E. , Debbané M. , Schneider M. , Badoud D. , Eliez S.
Published: December 2015

Background

Very little is known about the phenotypic expression of schizotypal traits in individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). The main purpose was to analyse the factorial structure, internal consistency and temporal stability of schizotypal traits, as well as their associations with prodromal states and clinical psychotic symptoms in adolescents with 22q11DS.

Method

The sample comprised 61 adolescents with 22q11DS (mean = 14.95 years, s.d. = 2.13; n = 24 at follow-up). An age-matched comparison group (n = 61, mean = 15.44 years, s.d. = 1.76) was also included. The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale were used.

Results

Adolescents with 22q11DS scored higher than the control group on the interpersonal dimension and suspiciousness subscale of the SPQ. The analysis of the internal structure of the SPQ in the sample of 22q11DS participants yielded a three-component solution (cognitive–perceptual, interpersonal, and disorganized). In addition, internal consistency coefficients ranged between 0.63 and 0.91. The schizotypal traits were highly stable across a 3.6-year interval, and ranged from 0.50 to 0.63. Self-reported schizotypal traits correlated with interview-based ratings of prodromal states and psychotic symptoms.

Conclusions

These results indicate that the SPQ may be a valid tool to assess schizotypal traits in adolescents with 22q11DS. The identification of a reliable self-report instrument for use in individuals with learning disabilities and at genetic high risk for psychosis could be useful in clinical and research settings. Assessment of schizotypal traits may be used as a distal risk marker and in a close-in strategy in high-risk genetic samples to enhance the possibility of early detection of psychosis.
State capture from below? The contradictory effects of decentralisation on public spending
Authors: Mueller Sean , Vatter Adrian , Arnold Tobias
Published: December 2015

This study analyses the contradictory effects of decentralisation on public spending. We distinguish three dimensions of decentralisation and analyse their joint and separate effects on public spending in the Swiss cantons over 20 years. We find that overall decentralisation has a strong, significant and negative effect on the size of the public sector, thus confirming the Leviathan hypothesis. The same holds for fiscal and institutional decentralisation. However, the extent to which political processes and actors are organised locally rather than centrally actually increases central and decreases local spending. This suggests that actors behave strategically when dealing with the centre by offloading the more costly policies. The wider implication of our study is that the balance between self-rule and shared rule has implications also for the size of the overall political system.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA AND EUROPE: RECIPROCAL COMPARISONS
Authors: Broadberry Stephen , Gardner Leigh
Published: December 2015

Recent advances in historical national accounting have allowed for global comparisons of GDPper capitaacross space and time. Critics have argued that GDPper capitafails to capture adequately the multi-dimensional nature of welfare, and have developed alternative measures such as the human development index. Whilst recognising that these wider indicators provide an appropriate way of assessing levels of welfare, we argue that GDPper capitaremains a more appropriate measure for assessing development potential, focussing on production possibilities and the sustainability of consumption. Twentieth-century Africa and pre-industrial Europe are used to show how such data can guide reciprocal comparisons to provide insights into the process of development on both continents.
The anatomy and development of normal and abnormal coronary arteries
Authors: Spicer Diane E. , Henderson Deborah J. , Chaudhry Bill , Mohun Timothy J. , Anderson Robert H.
Published: December 2015

At present, there is significant interest in the morphology of the coronary arteries, not least due to the increasingly well-recognised association between anomalous origin of the arteries and sudden cardiac death. Much has also been learnt over the last decade regarding the embryology of the arteries. In this review, therefore, we provide a brief introduction into the recent findings regarding their development. In particular, we emphasise that new evidence, derived using the developing murine heart, points to the arterial stems growing out from the adjacent sinuses of the aortic root, rather than the arteries growing in, as is currently assumed. As we show, the concept of outgrowth provides an excellent explanation for several of the abnormal arrangements encountered in the clinical setting. Before summarising these abnormal features, we draw attention to the need to describe the heart in an attitudinally appropriate manner, following the basic rule of human anatomy, rather than describing the cardiac components with the heart in the “Valentine” orientation. We then show how the major abnormalities involving the coronary arteries in humans can be summarised in terms of abnormal origin from the pulmonary circulation, abnormal aortic origin, or fistulous communications between the coronary arteries and the cardiac cavities. In the case of abnormal aortic origin, we highlight those malformations known to be associated with sudden cardiac death.
The Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society Registry of Anomalous Aortic Origin of a Coronary Artery: an update
Authors: Brothers Julie A. , Gaynor J. William , Jacobs Jeffrey P. , Poynter Jeffrey A. , Jacobs Marshall L.
Published: December 2015

The anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery from the wrong sinus of Valsalva with an interarterial, intramural, and/or intraconal course is a relatively rare congenital defect of the heart that may be associated with an increased risk of ischaemia of the myocardium and sudden death, notably in children and young adults. Data are limited regarding stratification of risk and long-term outcomes of these patients. In 2009, the Anomalous Coronary Artery Working Group formed the Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society Registry of Anomalous Aortic Origin of a Coronary Artery to obtain information on large numbers of young patients with anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery with the goal to better understand the natural and surgical history of this anomaly as well as to develop evidence-based treatment and management guidelines. In this report, we describe the data we have collected from the registry and the current state of the registry.
The elephant in the room: ethical issues associated with rare and expensive medical conditions
Authors: Mavroudis Constantine D. , Mavroudis Constantine , Jacobs Jeffrey P.
Published: December 2015

The treatment of rare and expensive medical conditions is one of the defining qualities of paediatric cardiology and congenital heart surgery. Increasing concerns over healthcare resource allocation are challenging the merits of treating more expensive forms of congenital heart disease, and this trend will almost certainly continue. In this manuscript, the problems of resource allocation for rare and expensive medical conditions are described from philosophical and economic perspectives. The argument is made that current economic models are limited in the ability to assess the value of treating expensive and rare forms of congenital heart disease. Further, multi-disciplinary approaches are necessary to best determine the merits of treating a patient population such as those with significant congenital heart disease that sometimes requires enormous healthcare resources.
The MAVID heart holder: a demonstration device to anchor cadaver hearts for surgical simulation and practical education
Authors: Mavroudis Constantine , Idriss Rachid , Klaus Kristen E.
Published: December 2015

Performing open heart surgery involves learning challenging techniques and a need for realistic training models to achieve and maintain a high level of surgical skills. The MAVID heart holder is an organ holder primarily designed to hold the heart in its anatomic position for the purpose of surgical simulation and education, thereby closing the gap between surgical performance in the laboratory and in the operating room. The device is simple to use, can be adjusted to organ size, and has the necessary instrumentation to be used with any solid organ. The MAVID heart holder also provides a platform for presentation and assists in advancing the research sphere. The advantage over other existing models is that the MAVID heart holder uses real tissue and does not distort the organ at the attachment sites. Further, it offers superior stability as well as the ability to manipulate the organ during presentation and dissection. Training with the MAVID heart holder has the potential to shorten training time to acquire surgical skills and proficiency before performing these techniques in the operating room and in so doing enhance patient safety.
Epidemiology and cost of heart failure in children
Authors: Nandi Deipanjan , Rossano Joseph W.
Published: December 2015

Heart failure in children is a complex disease process, which can occur secondary to a variety of aetiologies, including CHD, cardiomyopathy, or acquired conditions as well. Although the overall incidence of disease is low, the associated morbidity and mortality are high. Mortality may have decreased slightly over the last decade, and this is likely due to our ability to shepherd patients through longer periods of significant morbidity, with lasting effects. Costs of heart failure are significant – on the order of $1 billion annually as hospital charges for inpatient admissions alone. The value, or benefit to patient life and quality of life at this cost, is not well delineated. Further research is needed to optimise not only outcomes for these patients but also the high costs associated with them.
Birth registration and child undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Comandini Ornella , Cabras Stefano , Marini Elisabetta
Published: December 2015

Objective

In many countries of the world millions of people are not registered at birth. However, in order to assess children’s nutritional status it is necessary to have an exact knowledge of their age. In the present paper we discuss the effects of insufficient or imprecise age data on estimates of undernutrition prevalence.

Design

Birth registration rates and levels of stunting, underweight and wasting were retrieved from Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and Demographic and Health Surveys of thirty-seven sub-Saharan African countries, considering the subdivision in wealth quintiles. The composition of the cross-sectional sample used for nutritional evaluation was analysed using a permutation test. Logistic regression was applied to analyse the relationship between birth registration and undernutrition. The 95 % probability intervals and Student’sttest were used to evaluate the effect of age bias and error.

Results

Heterogeneous sampling designs were detected among countries, with different percentages of children selected for anthropometry. Further, registered children were slightly more represented within samples used for nutritional analysis than in the total sample. A negative relationship between birth registration and undernutrition was recognized, with registered children showing a better nutritional status than unregistered ones, even within each wealth quintile. The over- or underestimation of undernutrition in the case of systematic over- or underestimation of age, respectively, the latter being more probable, was quantified up to 28 %. Age imprecision was shown to slightly overestimate undernutrition.

Conclusions

Selection bias towards registered children and underestimation of children’s age can lead to an underestimation of the prevalence of undernutrition.
Sorting Out Mixed Messages under the WTO National Treatment Principle: A Proposed Approach
Authors: LYDGATE EMILY
Published: December 2015

When establishing whether a disputed regulation is protectionist under the WTO National Treatment Principle, there are two key elements: its effect on the market for competitive products, and its intent or policy rationale. Yet the Appellate Body has formally rejected both elements, and in the surprising 2014 outcome ofEC–Seal Products, under the key provision GATT Article III(4), the latter was simply denied. This obfuscation leads to implicit and explicit conflation of these elements. In some disputes, qualitative findings about the existence and nature of competitive relationships are presented using the language of quantitative market analysis. In others, compelling policy objectives shape the outcome of a supposedly market-based analysis. This article proposes an approach that synthesizes two strands of scholarship, advocating more rigorous use of market-based evidence and stronger analysis of policy rationale. Separating these elements will achieve the appropriate balance between them and lead to greater transparency in dispute outcomes.
Insect and legume-based protein sources to replace soybean cake in an organic broiler diet: Effects on growth performance and physical meat quality
Authors: Leiber F. , Gelencsér T. , Stamer A. , Amsler Z. , Wohlfahrt J. , Früh B. , Maurer V.
Published: December 2015

Protein sources other than soybean for the diets of poultry are needed for agricultural systems in temperate regions to help avoid some negative social and ecological impacts of large-scale soybean imports from overseas. The aim of the present study was to test the suitability of alternative protein sources in diets for slow-growing organic broiler chicken. Four experimental broiler diets were tested against a commercial feed for organic broiler chicken fattening (control), containing 255 g kg−1 soybean cake. Each experimental diet was based on the control diet, but 130 g kg−1 of soybean cake was replaced with alternative feeds. The diet ‘HermAlf’ contained 78 g kg−1 Hermetia meal (dried larvae of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens) and 52 g kg−1 alfalfa (Medicago sativa) meal. Diet ‘HermPea’ contained 78 g kg−1 Hermetia meal and 52 g kg−1 pea (Pisum sativum) groats. Diet ‘AlfPea’ contained 78 g kg−1 alfalfa meal and 52 g kg−1 pea groats. Diet ‘PeaAlf’ contained 78 g kg−1 pea groats and 52 g kg−1 alfalfa meal. Both diets containing Hermetia meal had the same amount of crude protein (CP) concentration as the control, while CP concentration was lower in diet AlfPea (by 2.7%) and in diet PeaAlf (by 3.5%) compared with the control. Over the course of the experiment, 15 broilers each (slow-growing Hubbard S757) were fattened with one of the five diets ad libitum from days 7 to 82. Additionally, all broilers received water and wheat grains (Triticum aestivum) ad libitum. Feed intake was measured by group. Daily gains, live weights, carcass weights and meat quality were analyzed individually. Compared with the control, feed intake, daily weight gain, carcass weights and feed efficiency were equivalent for all experimental diets. Regarding quality parameters, only cooking loss was increased with the HermPea diet compared with the control. The results indicate that the alternative feeds tested could replace part of the soybean products in broiler diets while achieving equivalent feed efficiency and product quality.
Intersectional Puzzles: Understanding Inclusion and Equality in Political Recruitment
Authors: Celis Karen , Erzeel Silvia , Mügge Liza
Published: December 2015

Feminist scholars have developed a solid research agenda on gender equality in politics. This scholarship is built on the conviction that equitable representation of men and women is fundamental to the functioning of representative democracies (Mansbridge 1999; Norris and Lovenduski 1995). In order to comply with the intersectional research paradigm, gender and politics scholars have increasingly focused on other discriminatory mechanisms and how these relate to gender. Marginalized or privileged positions based on gender, ethnicity, race, class, or age are conceived not as “swinging free” from each other, but as interacting (Hancock 2007). Consequently, a group can be privileged in one context but disadvantaged in another depending on historical structures and contexts. Such an intersectional approach raises new questions about the meaning of political equality (Mügge 2013; Mügge and De Jong 2013). For instance, to what extent is women's sheer numerical presence an indicator for political equality if that presence is a marker of inclusion as well as exclusion? This contribution focuses on political recruitment and the question of whether inclusion fosters equality. Drawing on our ongoing research on Belgium and the Netherlands, we argue that an intersectional analysis of recruitment is indispensable to capture the nature of inclusion and exclusion and therefore to the understanding of political equality.
What Makes a Good Politician? Reassessing the Criteria Used for Political Recruitment
Authors: Murray Rainbow
Published: December 2015

Certain societal groups are significantly overrepresented within politics, including men, ethnic majority groups, and socioeconomic elites. This has fueled debates regarding meritocracy within political recruitment. While meritocracy is desirable, its definition and measurement are contested. The criteria used in theoretical and empirical academic studies differ from those of political parties and voters, as discussed below. Furthermore, there is bias in favor of the male status quo, with all groups preferring the qualities of existing elites. The definition of a “good” politician is therefore highly subjective. Nonetheless, political traditionalists claim that the “best” candidate should be selected even if this leads to significant gender imbalance in parliaments. Yet, if political recruitment is biased in favor of social elites, the overrecruitment of men may not derive solely from merit (Murray 2014). Without definitive criteria for evaluating prospective candidates and judging those already elected, we cannot determine whether political recruitment is meritocratic.
Three worlds of health technology assessment: explaining patterns of diffusion of HTA agencies in Europe
Authors: Löblová Olga
Published: December 2015

In the past two decades, setting up independent health technology assessment (HTA) agencies has become a popular tool to inform reimbursement decision-making in health care, spreading from Northern European countries across Western Europe but much less so to post-communist countries. Structural political science explanations leave gaps in clarifying this diffusion pattern. This paper proposes a theoretical model focusing on the influence of domestic epistemic communities mitigating policy diffusion. Based on a review of HTA institutions in the EU, it proposes a chronological taxonomy of HTA agencies in Europe (the forerunners, the mainstreamers and the non-adopters) and asks why there is such an important East-West divide. The paper discusses theoretical explanations from different literatures, finding unsatisfactory many traditional political science answers such as the degree of centralization of a country’s health system, its financial organization (Bismarckian or Beveridgian), the attitude toward independent regulatory bodies in general, the influence of international actors, or lack of resources. Finally, it suggests cases for empirical testing of the domestic epistemic communities model.
An intercultural theory of international relations: how self-worth underlies politics among nations
Authors: Friedrichs Jörg
Published: December 2015

This article introduces an intercultural theory of international relations based on three distinctive ways of establishing self-worth: honor, face, and dignity. In each culture of self-worth, concerns with status and humiliation intervene differently in producing political outcomes. The theory explains important variation in the way states and nations relate to members of their own culture of self-worth, as well as members of other such cultures.
Indigenous cattle breeds and factors enhancing their variation, potential challenges of intensification and threats to genetic diversity in Uganda
Authors: Kabi Fredrick , Muwanika Vincent , Masembe Charles
Published: December 2015

Indigenous cattle support approximately 26.1 percent of Ugandan families through provision of food and income in addition to the supply of socio-cultural wealth and security. Cattle keepers have developed and maintained variations of indigenous cattle phenotypes and genotypes suited to their agro-ecological zones through traditional management practices and socio-cultural aspects. The Ankole (Bos taurus indicus), East African shorthorn Zebu (Bos indicus) and their crossbred cattle constitute the main indigenous breeds, adding up to 93.3 percent of the Ugandan herd. With intensions to increase productivity, state policies encourage livestock farmers to upgrade local genotypes towards high yielding exotic dairy cattle. This if not appropriately planned is likely to result into loss of local genetic diversity, well endowed with resilience to local climatic conditions, endemic diseases and feed resource constraints. Here in, we review literature related to indigenous cattle in Uganda including how diverse landscapes, local management practices and socio-cultural aspects have enriched patterns of indigenous cattle variations. Then we highlight potential challenges of intensive management, increased selection for higher productivity and threats to genetic diversity of indigenous cattle populations. Since indigenous cattle vary with landscapes and socio-cultural values, have taken decades to establish, efforts to save them through genetic diversity studies, conservation and farmers sensitization should be undertaken immediately.
The impact of disturbed peatlands on river outgassing in Southeast Asia
Authors: Wit Francisca , Müller Denise , Baum Antje , Warneke Thorsten , Pranowo Widodo Setiyo , Müller Moritz , Rixen Tim
Published: December 2015

River outgassing has proven to be an integral part of the carbon cycle. In Southeast Asia, river outgassing quantities are uncertain due to lack of measured data. Here we investigate six rivers in Indonesia and Malaysia, during five expeditions. CO2 fluxes from Southeast Asian rivers amount to 66.9±15.7 Tg C per year, of which Indonesia releases 53.9±12.4 Tg C per year. Malaysian rivers emit 6.2±1.6 Tg C per year. These moderate values show that Southeast Asia is not the river outgassing hotspot as would be expected from the carbon-enriched peat soils. This is due to the relatively short residence time of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the river, as the peatlands, being the primary source of DOC, are located near the coast. Limitation of bacterial production, due to low pH, oxygen depletion or the refractory nature of DOC, potentially also contributes to moderate CO2 fluxes as this decelerates decomposition.
Micromanagement in the gut: microenvironmental factors govern colon mucosal biofilm structure and functionality
Authors: De Weirdt Rosemarie , Van de Wiele Tom
Published: December 2015

The human gut microbiome provides us with functional features that we did not have to evolve ourselves and can be viewed as a structured microbial community that operates like a microbial organ within the human host. A minor but important part of this microbiome is the ability to colonise and thrive within the mucous layer that covers the colon epithelium. These mucosal microbes intimately interact with the intestinal tissue and seem to be important modulators of human health. Embedded in the host-secreted mucous matrix, they form a ‘mucosal biofilm’ with a distinct composition and functionality. In this review, we provide evidence that six specific (micro)environmental factors near the colon mucosa shape and determine mucosal biofilm formation and stability, that is, (1) mucous rigidity, (2) gradients of fluid shear, (3) radial oxygen gradients, (4) secretions of host defense molecules, (5) the presence of a rich but challenging nutrient platform and (6) the presence of niches at the colon epithelial surface. In addition, it appears that microbes actively participate in shaping their mucosal environment. Current insights into the interaction between mucosal microbes and their environment are rather limited, and many questions regarding the contribution of mucosal biofilm functionality and stability to human health remain to be answered. Yet, given the higher potency of mucosal microbes than their luminal counterparts to interact with the host, new insights can accelerate the development of novel disease-preventive or therapeutic strategies.
Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 is a new predictor of radiosensitivity on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Luo Li-Ling , Zhao Lei , Wang Ying-Xue , Tian Xiao-Peng , Xi Mian , Shen Jing-Xian , He Li-Ru , Li Qiao-Qiao , Liu Shi-Liang , Zhang Peng , Xie Dan , Liu Meng-Zhong
Published: December 2015

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) plays an essential role in radiosensitivity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the underlying mechanism is not completely understood. Here, we observed that IGFBP-3 had favorable impact on the tumorigenicity of ESCC cells in nude mice by using an in vivo imaging system (IVIS) to monitor tumor growth treated with ionizing radiation (IR). Downregulation of IGFBP-3 expression enhanced tumor growth, inhibited anti-proliferative and apoptotic activity and result in IR resistance in vivo. Cell cycle antibody array suggested that silencing IGFBP-3 promoted transition from G0/G1 to S phase, perhaps though influencing Smad3 dephosphorylation and retinoblastoma protein (Rb) phosphorylation. Downregulation of P21 and P27 and upregulation of p-P27 (phospho-Thr187), cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and cyclin E1 might contribute to the G0/G1 to S phase transition promoted by IGFBP-3. Our results suggest that Smad3-P27/P21-cyclin E1/CDK2-phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein pathways might be involved in this IGFBP-3 mediated radiosensitivity transition in ESCC.
Porous three-dimensional graphene foam/Prussian blue composite for efficient removal of radioactive 137Cs
Authors: Jang Sung-Chan , Haldorai Yuvaraj , Lee Go-Woon , Hwang Seung-Kyu , Han Young-Kyu , Roh Changhyun , Huh Yun Suk
Published: December 2015

In this study, a simple one-step hydrothermal reaction is developed to prepare composite based on Prussian blue (PB)/reduced graphene oxide foam (RGOF) for efficient removal of radioactive cesium (137Cs) from contaminated water. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show that cubic PB nanoparticles are decorated on the RGO surface. Owing to the combined benefits of RGOF and PB, the composite shows excellent removal efficiency (99.5%) of 137Cs from the contaminated water. The maximum adsorption capacity is calculated to be 18.67 mg/g. An adsorption isotherm fit-well the Langmuir model with a linear regression correlation value of 0.97. This type of composite is believed to hold great promise for the clean-up of 137Cs from contaminated water around nuclear plants and/or after nuclear accidents.
A Novel Inhibitor Prevents the Peripheral Neuroparalysis of Botulinum Neurotoxins
Authors: Azarnia Tehran Domenico , Zanetti Giulia , Leka Oneda , Lista Florigio , Fillo Silvia , Binz Thomas , Shone Clifford C. , Rossetto Ornella , Montecucco Cesare , Paradisi Cristina , Mattarei Andrea , Pirazzini Marco
Published: December 2015

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) form a large class of potent and deadly neurotoxins. Given their growing number, it is of paramount importance to discover novel inhibitors targeting common steps of their intoxication process. Recently, EGA was shown to inhibit the action of bacterial toxins and viruses exhibiting a pH-dependent translocation step in mammalian cells, by interfering with their entry route. As BoNTs act in the cytosol of nerve terminals, the entry into an appropriate compartment wherefrom they translocate the catalytic moiety is essential for toxicity. Herein we propose an optimized procedure to synthesize EGA and we show that, in vitro, it prevents the neurotoxicity of different BoNT serotypes by interfering with their trafficking. Furthermore, in mice, EGA mitigates botulism symptoms induced by BoNT/A and significantly decreases the lethality of BoNT/B and BoNT/D. This opens the possibility of using EGA as a lead compound to develop novel inhibitors of botulinum neurotoxins.
Proteome Analysis of Ground State Pluripotency
Authors: Taleahmad Sara , Mirzaei Mehdi , Parker Lindsay M. , Hassani Seyedeh-Nafiseh , Mollamohammadi Sepideh , Sharifi-Zarchi Ali , Haynes Paul A. , Baharvand Hossein , Salekdeh Ghasem Hosseini
Published: December 2015

The differentiation potential of pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can be manipulated via serum and medium conditions for direct cellular development or to maintain a naïve ground state. The self-renewal state of ESCs can thus be induced by adding inhibitors of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (Gsk3), known as 2 inhibitors (2i) treatment. We have used a shotgun proteomics approach to investigate differences in protein expressions between 2i- and serum-grown mESCs. The results indicated that 164 proteins were significantly upregulated and 107 proteins downregulated in 2i-grown cells compared to serum. Protein pathways in 2i-grown cells with the highest enrichment were associated with glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. Protein pathways related to organ development were downregulated in 2i-grown cells. In serum-grown ESCs, protein pathways involved in integrin and focal adhesion and signaling proteins involved in the actin cytoskeleton regulation were enriched. We observed a number of nuclear proteins which were mostly involved in self-renewal maintenance and were expressed at higher levels in 2i compared to serum - Dnmt1, Map2k1, Parp1, Xpo4, Eif3g, Smarca4/Brg1 and Smarcc1/Baf155. Collectively, the results provided an insight into the key protein pathways used by ESCs in the ground state or metastable conditions through 2i or serum culture medium, respectively.
Melatonin Has An Ergogenic Effect But Does Not Prevent Inflammation and Damage In Exhaustive Exercise
Authors: Beck Wladimir Rafael , Botezelli José Diego , Pauli José Rodrigo , Ropelle Eduardo Rochete , Gobatto Claudio Alexandre
Published: December 2015

It is well documented that exhaustive physical exercise leads to inflammation and skeletal muscle tissue damage. With this in mind, melatonin has been acutely administered before physical exercise; nevertheless, the use of melatonin as an ergogenic agent to prevent tissue inflammation and damage remains uncertain. We evaluated the effects of melatonin on swimming performance, muscle inflammation and damage and several physiological parameters after exhaustive exercise at anaerobic threshold intensity (iLAn) performed during light or dark circadian periods. The iLAn was individually determined and two days later, the animals performed an exhaustive exercise bout at iLAn 30 minutes after melatonin administration. The exercise promoted muscle inflammation and damage, mainly during the dark period and the exogenous melatonin promoted a high ergogenic effect. The expressive ergogenic effect of melatonin leads to longer periods of muscle contraction, which superimposes a possible melatonin protective effect on the tissue damage and inflammation.
High performance polymer tandem solar cell
Authors: da Silva Wilson Jose , Schneider Fabio Kurt , Mohd Yusoff Abd. Rashid bin , Jang Jin
Published: December 2015

A power conversion efficiency of 9.02% is obtained for a fully solution-processed polymer tandem solar cell, based on the diketopyrrolopyrrole unit polymer as a low bandgap photoactive material in the rear subcell, in conjunction with a new robust interconnecting layer. This interconnecting layer is optically transparent, electrically conductive and physically strong, thus, the charges can be collected and recombined in the interconnecting layer under illumination, while the charge is generated and extracted under dark conditions. This indicates that careful interface engineering of the charge-carrier transport layer is a useful approach to further improve the performance of polymer tandem solar cells.