bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preclinical transgenic and patient‐derived xenograft models recapitulate the radiological features of human adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma
Authors: Boult Jessica K. R. , Apps John R. , Hölsken Annett , Hutchinson J. Ciaran , Carreno Gabriela , Danielson Laura S. , Smith Laura M. , Bäuerle Tobias , Buslei Rolf , Buchfelder Michael , Virasami Alex K. , Koers Alexander , Arthurs Owen J. , Jacques Thomas S. , Chesler Louis , Martinez‐Barbera Juan Pedro , Robinson Simon P.
Published: May 2017

To assess the clinical relevance of transgenic and patient‐derived xenograft models of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) using serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and high resolution post‐mortem microcomputed tomography (μ‐CT), with correlation with histology and human ACP imaging. The growth patterns and radiological features of tumors arising in Hesx1Cre/+;Ctnnb1lox(ex3)/+ transgenic mice, and of patient‐derived ACP xenografts implanted in the cerebral cortex, were monitored longitudinally in vivo with anatomical and functional MRI, and by ex vivo μ‐CT at study end. Pathological correlates with hematoxylin and eosin stained sections were investigated. Early enlargement and heterogeneity of Hesx1Cre/+;Ctnnb1lox(ex3)/+ mouse pituitaries was evident at initial imaging at 8 weeks, which was followed by enlargement of a solid tumor, and development of cysts and hemorrhage. Tumors demonstrated MRI features that recapitulated those of human ACP, specifically, T1‐weighted signal enhancement in the solid tumor component following Gd‐DTPA administration, and in some animals, hyperintense cysts on FLAIR and T1‐weighted images. Ex vivo μ‐CT correlated with MRI findings and identified smaller cysts, which were confirmed by histology. Characteristic histological features, including wet keratin and calcification, were visible on μ‐CT and verified by histological sections of patient‐derived ACP xenografts. The Hesx1Cre/+;Ctnnb1lox(ex3)/+ transgenic mouse model and cerebral patient‐derived ACP xenografts recapitulate a number of the key radiological features of the human disease and provide promising foundations for in vivo trials of novel therapeutics for the treatment of these tumors.
Blind Speakers Show Language‐Specific Patterns in Co‐Speech Gesture but Not Silent Gesture
Authors: Özçalışkan Şeyda , Lucero Ché , Goldin‐Meadow Susan
Published: May 2017

Sighted speakers of different languages vary systematically in how they package and order components of a motion event in speech. These differences influence how semantic elements are organized in gesture, but only when those gestures are produced with speech (co‐speech gesture), not without speech (silent gesture). We ask whether the cross‐linguistic similarity in silent gesture is driven by the visuospatial structure of the event. We compared 40 congenitally blind adult native speakers of English or Turkish (20/language) to 80 sighted adult speakers (40/language; half with, half without blindfolds) as they described three‐dimensional motion scenes. We found an effect of language on co‐speech gesture, not on silent gesture—blind speakers of both languages organized their silent gestures as sighted speakers do. Humans may have a natural semantic organization that they impose on events when conveying them in gesture without language—an organization that relies on neither visuospatial cues nor language structure.
The Impossible Trinity: Inflation Targeting, Exchange Rate Management and Open Capital Accounts in Emerging Economies
Authors: Kaltenbrunner Annina , Painceira Juan Pablo
Published: May 2017

This article contributes to the debate on macroeconomic management and capital account regulations in developing and emerging countries (DECs). It argues that the recommendation by neoclassical economists and international financial institutions (IFIs) to combine an inflation‐targeting regime with exchange rate management, whilst maintaining open capital accounts, is not only impossible but also potentially counterproductive. The article draws on extensive semi‐structured interviews with currency traders in Brazil and London to show that this is due to the particular way such a regime shapes central bank interventions in the money and foreign exchange markets and the destabilizing way these interventions interact with financial market expectations. The interview results also demonstrate that the guidelines issued by IFIs actually undermine, rather than aid, DEC central banks’ initial attempts to manage excessive exchange rate movements. These results support the long‐standing argument by heterodox economists and critical international political economists that DECs need to make the exchange rate an explicit instrument and goal of their macroeconomic policy and complement it with comprehensive capital account regulations to reduce the destabilizing impact of international capital flows. The interview results also give some concrete suggestions on how to achieve this.
Enforcing ‘Progress’: A Story of an MDG 5 Indicator and Maternal Health in Malawi
Authors: Danielsen Lotte
Published: May 2017

Considering the importance of metrics in current systems of global health accountability, this article analyses the dynamics behind a maternal health indicator. To achieve the target of Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG 5) and increase the proportion of births attended by ‘skilled health personnel’, some districts in Malawi in 2010 introduced information campaigns to promote births in hospitals and a fine to punish mothers who delivered outside of biomedical health institutions. The study is based on ethnographic research in one Malawian village. While many mothers described the ill treatment and bad conditions in maternity wards, most women still started to publicly sanction institutional births. This apparent contradiction can be understood by looking at the positions and motivations of the various actors who participated in the performance of MDG 5 in the village and how their projects became tied to the focus on improving the indicator. Rather than expressing a demand for the existing maternal health services as such, the ethnography suggests that the actors’ practices expressed hopes and claims to wider material improvements in a context of inequality. The article highlights dynamics that are concealed if we restrict the analysis to one of biopower, and expands the purview of the study of metrics into the spaces which indicators are intended to represent.
Biology, ecology and demography of the tropical treehopper Ennya maculicornis (Hemiptera: Membracidae): relationships between female fitness, maternal care and oviposition sites
Authors: CACERES‐SANCHEZ LILIANA , TORRICO‐BAZOBERRY DANIEL , COSSIO ROMINA , REQUE KENIA , AGUILAR SANDRA , NIEMEYER HERMANN M. , PINTO CARLOS F.
Published: May 2017

1. Treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae) exhibit a wide range of social behaviours related to maternal care and nymphal aggregation. Maternal care represents an investment in terms of time and energy leading to trade‐offs which bear a strong relationship with parity and can thus affect population dynamics. These trade‐offs can be modulated by biotic and abiotic features of the oviposition site.

2. Preliminary observations on Ennya maculicornis (Membracidae: Similinae: Polyglyptini) show that females generally lay a single egg mass, and occasionally two or three egg masses, and that maternal care is a plastic trait because some females abandoned their egg mass before it hatched while other females remained with their offspring after egg hatching. These features make this species an interesting model to study the relationship between female fitness, maternal care and ecological factors such as oviposition site.

3. The biology and natural history of E. maculicornis are described and the relationships in question analysed using demographic parameters estimated by matrix models. Ennya maculicornis showed sexual dimorphism and a longer developmental period than other species of the same tribe. Females exhibited maternal care that increased offspring survival, and preferred mature over young host leaves for oviposition. Finite rate of increase (λ) values were lower than 1, suggesting a tendency towards population decrease.

4. The results represent the first detailed description of the life history and ecology for a species of this genus. Additionally, new hypotheses for treehopper sexual dimorphism, oviposition site choice and the ecological effects on population dynamics are proposed.
An ontology to document a quality scheme specification of a software product
Authors: Blas María Julia , Gonnet Silvio , Leone Horacio
Published: May 2017

Pressman's (2010) definition of software quality is the conformance to explicitly stated functional and performance requirements, explicitly documented development standards, and implicit characteristics that are expected of all professionally developed software. The achievement of quality is a complex activity that is related with the process quality and product quality. However, still, it is not clear how product quality should apply in the development process. Frequently, the development team does not know what characteristics influence a specific entity and how these characteristics compose the quality of the product. This lack of knowledge reflects the need to define some document that serve as a valid quality specification that should be evaluated along the development process. This contribution addresses this need by introducing an ontology for document a quality scheme based on the product quality model of ISO/IEC 25010. The proposal follows this model with aims to clarify the properties that are normally present in a product and its meaning. The ontology incorporates the metric concept to represent the way in which quality should be measure. The ontology was implemented using Protégé, and it was evaluated using a set of metrics that estimate the required structural characteristics.
Phytate dephosphorylation by Lactobacillus pentosus CFR3
Authors: Amritha Girish K. , Halami Prakash M. , Venkateswaran G.
Published: May 2017

Studies on phytate‐degrading enzymes from lactobacilli are scarce, despite its potential in improving the nutritional quality of plant‐based foods. Therefore, the current investigation deals with the phytate‐degrading enzyme produced by a native Lactobacillus pentosus strain. Phytase activity was highest towards the end of the exponential phase. Activity increased in the presence of maltose (381.1%) compared with glucose. The presence of phytate in the media stimulated the enzyme production. The enzyme of interest was a 70 kDa protein with a pH and temperature optima of 5.0 and 55–60 °C, respectively. It retained 46% of activity after exposure to 70 °C for 20 min and also showed broad substrate specificity. It was completely inhibited by Hg2+, Fe2+ and PMSF while being activated by Co2+. This report is the first to show dephytinisation of autoclaved finger millet flour either by fermentation with L. pentosus or by treatment with the corresponding cell‐free extract.
Engagement, procedural fairness, and perceived fit as predictors of applicant withdrawal intentions: A longitudinal field study
Authors: Giumetti Gary W. , Raymark Patrick H.
Published: May 2017

The current study draws upon image theory to identify predictors of applicant withdrawal intentions and behavior. Applicants from a U.S. manufacturing organization completed measures of engagement, procedural justice, perceived fit, offer expectancy, perceived alternatives, and withdrawal intentions. Results indicate that withdrawal intentions were lower when candidates were more engaged in the selection process, perceived a higher level of procedural justice in the application process, perceived a greater degree of fit, and had higher offer expectancies. Additionally, the person–job fit–withdrawal intentions relationship was moderated by perceived alternatives such that this relationship was strongest when candidates reported having more alternatives. Withdrawal behavior was significantly predicted by person–organization fit, engagement, and withdrawal intentions. These results suggest that withdrawal intentions may be reduced via the development of engaging and procedurally fair selection procedures that help candidates determine their fit with the job and the organization.
Relationships of analytical, practical, and emotional intelligence with behavioral dimensions of performance of top managers
Authors: Baczyńska Anna , Thornton George C.
Published: May 2017

This study examined the relationships among analytical, practical, and emotional intelligence (EI) and five dimensions of managerial behavior. Two sets of hypotheses were tested: one set examined the relationship of each of the three types of intelligence with each of the behavioral dimensions; the second set examined the unique contribution of each type of intelligence to the prediction of each dimension. Twenty‐three one‐day assessment center sessions, including tests and simulation exercises, were administered to 163 top managers in Poland. The behavioral dimensions of leadership, initiative, goal orientation, change orientation, and employee development were related to analytical intelligence and practical intelligence, but not to EI. These findings make unique contributions to understanding the relationships of types of intelligence and managerial behavioral dimensions.
A Method for Assessing Shoreline Stability of Alpine Lake, West Virginia
Authors: Rando Carolina , Hopkinson Leslie , O'Neal Melissa , Fillhart Jason
Published: May 2017

Rapid stability assessments are tools commonly applied to stream reaches to evaluate potential for instability and are often used to prioritize management strategies. In this work, a rapid stability assessment was created to evaluate the stability of the shoreline of Alpine Lake in West Virginia, USA. First, the assessment tool was created considering the metrics of bank height, bank angle, erosion, armoring, wind and wave action, unconsolidated materials, protection measures, vegetation, and accretion. The resulting tool was applied to 83 reaches (20–100 m in length) of the lake shoreline. The reaches were rated in terms of potential instability: very low (14%), low (42%), moderate (33%), high (10%), and very high (1%). Second, erosion rates were monitored at eight locations using erosion pins. Average erosion rates up to 0.22 mm/d were observed. Measured erosion rates generally supported the rapid assessment results, but there were some exceptions. Additional categories that consider human activity along the lakeshore for recreation should be added. If used without continued erosion monitoring, the rapid assessment should be completed multiple times because the stability of the banks with little vegetation buffer varied by season. Lastly, reclamation strategies are discussed.
2D‐Fe3O4 Nanosheets for Effective Arsenic Removal
Authors: Luo Hongxi , Cheng Fangwei , Hu Weiming , Wang Jinpeng , Xiang Shuting , Fidalgo de Cortalezzi Maria
Published: May 2017

Fe3O4 adsorbent with 2D structures was synthesized via solvothermal method and its application in arsenic removal was investigated. Isotherms were generated at pH=4.7 and 7.6 and the results were best fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model; good As(V) adsorption capacity was achieved for the Fe3O4 adsorbent at both pH values. Furthermore, pH effects were evaluated; the optimal pH value for adsorption was 8.27 with the adsorption capacity and the removal efficiency being 18.55 mg/g and 93.69%, respectively. Based on the measurements of the zeta potential and particle size of the adsorbent, we proposed that the overall pH dependence was a result of the combined effects of the zeta potential, particle size of the adsorbent, and existing form of As(V). From kinetics studies, the As(V) adsorption by Fe3O4 adsorbent followed the pseudo‐second‐order model and could be described by a two stage mechanism. When initial As(V) concentration was 1 ppm, 73% of the As(V) was adsorbed within the first 2.5 minutes and an overall removal efficiency of 82.5% was achieved in 2 hours. Increased removal efficiency is expected at higher adsorbent loading, thus allowing the post‐treatment water to meet drinking water quality standards.
Improvement in health‐related quality of life after renal sympathetic denervation in real‐world hypertensive patients: 12‐month outcomes in the Global SYMPLICITY Registry
Authors: Kindermann Ingrid , Wedegärtner Sonja Maria , Mahfoud Felix , Weil Joachim , Brilakis Nicole , Ukena Julia , Ewen Sebastian , Linz Dominik , Fahy Martin , Mancia Giuseppe , Böhm Michael ,   the Global SYMPLICITY Registry Investigators
Published: May 2017

Renal denervation has been shown to reduce blood pressure in patients with uncontrolled hypertension, but less is known about its impact on quality of life. This analysis evaluated 12‐month blood pressure and quality of life outcomes in 934 patients from the Global SYMPLICITY Registry who completed the EuroQoL five‐dimensions three‐level questionnaire (EQ‐5D‐3L). At baseline, 32% of patients reported anxiety/depression and 48% reported pain/discomfort. At 12 months (n=496), office and 24‐hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure were reduced by 13.9±26.6 and 7.7±19.3 mm Hg, respectively, and 8% (P<.001) more patients reported no problems in anxiety/depression. Furthermore, numerically more patients reported no problems in pain/discomfort (4%, P=.08). Perceived health‐related quality of life (visual analog scale) improved from baseline to 12 months (68±18 vs 73±17, P<.001), and the improvement was largest among patients with severe anxiety/depression at baseline (50±24 vs 64±22, P=.005 [n=32]). In this analysis, renal denervation was associated with a significant improvement in health‐related quality of life, particularly anxiety/depression.
Small larvae in large rivers: observations on downstream movement of European grayling Thymallus thymallus during early life stages
Authors: Van Leeuwen C. H. A. , Dokk T. , Haugen T. O. , Kiffney P. M. , Museth J.
Published: May 2017

Behaviour of early life stages of the salmonid European grayling Thymallus thymallus was investigated by assessing the timing of larval downstream movement from spawning areas, the depth at which larvae moved and the distribution of juvenile fish during summer in two large connected river systems in Norway. Trapping of larvae moving downstream and electrofishing surveys revealed that T. thymallus larvae emerging from the spawning gravel moved downstream predominantly during the night, despite light levels sufficient for orientation in the high‐latitude study area. Larvae moved in the water mostly at the bottom layer close to the substratum, while drifting debris was caught in all layers of the water column. Few young‐of‐the‐year still resided close to the spawning areas in autumn, suggesting large‐scale movement (several km). Together, these observations show that there may be a deliberate, active component to downstream movement of T. thymallus during early life stages. This research signifies the importance of longitudinal connectivity for T. thymallus in Nordic large river systems. Human alterations of flow regimes and the construction of reservoirs for hydropower may not only affect the movement of adult fish, but may already interfere with active movement behaviour of fish during early life stages.
Spontaneously Reported Symptoms by Informants Are Associated with Clinical Severity in Dementia Help‐Seekers
Authors: Xu Jia‐Qi , Choy Jacky C. P. , Tang Jennifer Y. M. , Liu Tian‐Yin , Luo Hao , Lou Vivian W. Q. , Lum Terry Y. S. , Wong Gloria H. Y.
Published: May 2017

Objectives

To investigate the predictive value of symptoms of dementia that the person or an informant noticed spontaneously in determining the clinical severity of dementia.

Design

Cross‐sectional.

Setting

Community‐based open‐referral dementia assessment service in Hong Kong between 2005 and 2013.

Participants

Help‐seekers for dementia assessment service and their informants (N = 965 dyads).

Measurements

Participants underwent a clinical dementia interview based on the Clinical Dementia Rating. Spontaneous complaints that the person and the informant made that had prompted their help‐seeking of groups with interview results suggestive of no impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia were compared. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the predictive value of spontaneous complaints for clinical severity. Independent raters blinded to clinical results coded spontaneously reported symptoms into theoretical themes: memory, executive function, language, time and place orientation, neuropsychiatric, mood, and avolition.

Results

Memory problems were the most frequently reported complaints for participants (87.7%) and their informants (95.5%), followed by self‐reported language (33.0%) and informant‐reported orientation (33.0%) difficulties. Informant‐reported but not self‐reported symptoms predicted clinical severity. Compared with the persons themselves, informants reported more pervasive symptoms corresponding to clinical severity. Persons with dementia self‐reported fewer types of symptoms than their healthy or mildly impaired counterparts. Spontaneously reported language and orientation symptoms by the informant distinguished persons with mild or worse dementia (P < .001, Nagelkerke coefficient of determination = 29.7%, percentage correct 85.6%).

Conclusion

The type and pervasiveness of symptoms spontaneously that informants reported predicted clinical severity. This may provide a quick reference for triage.
Documenting an Endangered Language: The Inclusive First‐Person Plural Pronoun Kākou as a Resource for Claiming Ownership in Hawaiian
Authors: Saft Scott
Published: May 2017

This study employs tape‐recorded data from interviews with elder speakers of Hawaiian conducted in the year 1970 to describe how a specific feature of the Hawaiian language, the first‐person inclusive plural pronoun kākou, may be used in discourse as a resource for making claims of ownership on behalf of Hawaiians. To do so, the analysis first invokes Hanks's (2005) notions of deixis and deictic field to show how kākou can create a sense of community among speakers of Hawaiian. Insights from membership category analysis (Sacks 1992; Sacks and Schegloff 1979; Schegloff 2007) are then drawn on to demonstrate how kākou can be interpreted in interaction as a reference to the category of “Native Hawaiian” and how that category can be used to construe specific natural resources, activities, and forms of language as part of a Hawaiian identity. Discussion of the analysis centers on the status of Hawaiian as an endangered language in the midst of a revitalization movement where language and culture have been points of contestation. Usage of kākou to claim ownership is seen as a resource that can allow speakers of Hawaiian to work through the language itself to negotiate what it means to be “Native Hawaiian.”
Democracy Is a Blessing: Phatic Ritual and the Public Sphere in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Ansell Aaron
Published: May 2017

This paper analyzes the political importance of a rural Brazilian blessing ritual performed by transgenerational kin in order to question the assumption that a democratic public sphere presupposes the exclusion of familial obligations from civil talk and impartial governance. By analyzing several folk models of blessing behavior that inhabitants of the rural northeastern backlands (sertão) use to interpret blessings, I argue that hierarchical genres of family communication can serve as models for civility and impartiality among non‐kin. This analysis illuminates the discursive processes by which sertanejos dismantle illiberal features of their political culture, including clientelist forms of resource distribution.
Black Mothers' Perceptions of the Role of Race in Children's Education
Authors: Williams Amber D. , Banerjee Meeta , Lozada‐Smith Fantasy , Lambouths Danny , Rowley Stephanie J.
Published: May 2017

Many Black parents consider racial climate and academic quality when thinking and making decisions about their children's schooling experiences. However, few studies have directly asked Black parents about the role they believe race will play in their children's schooling, if any. The authors interviewed 76 Black mothers (Mage = 34; SDage = 6.67) of children entering first grade (Mage = 6.13; SDage = 0.36), asking what role they believed race would play in their children's schooling. The authors found that mothers considered the racial composition of the school and the perspectives and behaviors of teachers and the administration to be important factors when assessing the role of race in their children's education. Mothers were also particularly concerned about the discrimination their sons may face because of their position as Black boys. Given these contextual factors, mothers considered themselves to be protective agents through their involvement in their children's academic lives.
Market size, occupational self‐selection, sorting, and income inequality
Authors: Behrens Kristian , Pokrovsky Dmitry , Zhelobodko Evgeny
Published: May 2017

We develop a monopolistic competition model with heterogeneous agents who self‐select into occupations (entrepreneurs and workers) depending on innate ability. The effect of market size on the equilibrium occupational structure crucially hinges on properties of the lower tier utility function—its scale elasticity and relative love‐for‐variety. When combined with the underlying ability distribution, the share of entrepreneurs and income inequality can increase or decrease with market size. When extended to allow for the endogenous sorting of mobile agents between cities, numerical examples suggest that sorting may increase inequality within and between cities.
Prices versus quantities in the presence of a second, unpriced, externality
Authors: Meunier Guy
Published: May 2017

This paper analyzes whether the presence of a second unregulated externality influences the choice between a price and a quantity instrument to address an externality. The author studies a situation in which two goods jointly generate an externality but only one of them is regulated. The two instruments differ because of the presence of uncertainty regarding the private value of the two goods. To ignore the unregulated good and apply Weitzman's classical result on the comparison of the slopes of marginal benefit and cost could be misleading because of the randomness of the unregulated good's quantity. Beside the relative slope of the marginal damage, the substitutability and the distribution of shocks play a role in the comparison. If there is a “cocktail effect” and the regulated and unregulated goods' quantities are negatively correlated, which occurs if they are substitutes, this reinforces the appeal of a price instrument. Furthermore, if the two goods are weak substitutes with correlated demands, the variance of the quantity of the unregulated good is larger under a quota than a tax, which further reinforces the appeal of the tax instrument.
Cryptosphaeria Canker of Populus nigra Caused by Cryptosphaeria pullmanensis, a New Threat to Poplar Industry in Iran
Authors: Rashid Aghdam Abdulrahman , Babai‐Ahari Asadollah , Karimi Kaivan , Arzanlou Mahdi
Published: May 2017

Trunk diseases are potential threats to the poplar industry worldwide, including Iran. A survey on trunk diseases of Populus nigra in north‐western Iran revealed a new canker disease associated with dieback and decline of this host in West Azarbaijan Province of Iran. Wood samples were collected from poplar trees showing canker, dieback and decline symptoms and taken to the laboratory. A total of 173 fungal isolates were recovered from symptomatic tissues, of those 147 isolates had similar cultural and morphological features on potato dextrose agar. Based on a combination of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic inferences including DNA sequence data from the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1, 5.8S rDNA, and ITS2), all 147 isolates were identified as Cryptosphaeria pullmanensis. The remaining 26 isolates were identified as Cytospora chrysosperma. Pathogenicity of Cr. pullmanensis on two‐year‐old P. nigra and Populus alba saplings under glasshouse conditions confirmed that Cr. pullmanensis is pathogenic on P. nigra and P. alba. Cryptosphaeria pullmanensis is here reported from Iran causing Cryptosphaeria canker on poplar trees for the first time. However, its host range, the extent of geographical distribution and management strategies remain to be examined.
Extinction debt in plant communities: where are we now?
Authors: Halley John M. , Monokrousos Nikolaos , Mazaris Antonios D. , Vokou Despoina
Published: May 2017

In many ecological communities, extinctions following habitat loss do not happen immediately. Understanding this delay is a major challenge, with conservation implications. In this issue, Otsu et al. show how landscape and management features affect the time lag. With this research as a starting point, we highlight the gaps and challenges still remaining in the study of extinction debt, especially in plant communities.
Marginal employment for welfare recipients: stepping stone or obstacle?
Authors: Lietzmann Torsten , Schmelzer Paul , Wiemers Jürgen
Published: May 2017

Marginal employment (ME) is one of the largest forms of atypical employment in Germany. We analyse whether ME has a ‘stepping stone’ function for unemployed individuals, i.e., whether ME increases the subsequent probability of regular employment. We find differing treatment effects by unemployment duration. According to our results, ME increases the likelihood of regular employment within a 3‐year observation period only for those who take up ME several months after beginning to receive benefits. In contrast, for those starting ME within the first months of receiving benefits, there is no effect on the probability of regular employment. Although we took several measures to minimize the impact of unobserved heterogeneity, our results can only be interpreted as causal if the conditional independence assumption holds.
Evaluating hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines for tumour samples using within‐sample relative expression orderings of genes
Authors: Ao Lu , Guo You , Song Xuekun , Guan Qingzhou , Zheng Weicheng , Zhang Jiahui , Huang Haiyan , Zou Yi , Guo Zheng , Wang Xianlong
Published: May 2017

Background & Aims

Concerns are raised about the representativeness of cell lines for tumours due to the culture environment and misidentification. Liver is a major metastatic destination of many cancers, which might further confuse the origin of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Therefore, it is of crucial importance to understand how well they can represent hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods

The HCC‐specific gene pairs with highly stable relative expression orderings in more than 99% of hepatocellular carcinoma but with reversed relative expression orderings in at least 99% of one of the six types of cancer, colorectal carcinoma, breast carcinoma, non‐small‐cell lung cancer, gastric carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma and ovarian carcinoma, were identified.

Results

With the simple majority rule, the HCC‐specific relative expression orderings from comparisons with colorectal carcinoma and breast carcinoma could exactly discriminate primary hepatocellular carcinoma samples from both primary colorectal carcinoma and breast carcinoma samples. Especially, they correctly classified more than 90% of liver metastatic samples from colorectal carcinoma and breast carcinoma to their original tumours. Finally, using these HCC‐specific relative expression orderings from comparisons with six cancer types, we identified eight of 24 hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines in the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (Huh‐7, Huh‐1, HepG2, Hep3B, JHH‐5, JHH‐7, C3A and Alexander cells) that are highly representative of hepatocellular carcinoma. Evaluated with a REOs‐based prognostic signature for hepatocellular carcinoma, all these eight cell lines showed the same metastatic properties of the high‐risk metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.

Conclusions

Caution should be taken for using hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Our results should be helpful to select proper hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines for biological experiments.
Incidence of acute hepatitis A among HIV‐positive patients during an outbreak among MSM in Taiwan: Impact of HAV vaccination
Authors: Chen Guan‐Jhou , Lin Kuan‐Yin , Sun Hsin‐Yun , Sheng Wang‐Huei , Hsieh Szu‐Min , Huang Yi‐Chia , Cheng Aristine , Liu Wen‐Chun , Hung Chien‐Ching , Chang Shan‐Chwen
Published: May 2017

Background

An unprecedented outbreak of acute hepatitis A has occurred among MSM in Taiwan since June 2015. We aimed to describe the seroepidemiology of HAV infection and to investigate the relationship between HAV vaccination and the incidence of acute hepatitis A among HIV‐positive patients at the largest designated hospital for HIV care during the outbreak.

Methods

Between 2012 and 2016, the HAV serostatus, vaccination history and clinical characteristics of HIV‐positive patients were retrospectively reviewed. A case‐control study was performed to identify the factors associated with acute hepatitis A. The trends of HAV vaccination rate and incidence of acute hepatitis A among HAV‐seronegative patients were examined during the outbreak.

Results

During the 4.5‐year period, 2088 HIV‐positive patients with a mean age of 37.7 years and 90.2% being MSM were included. The overall HAV seroprevalence was 34.3%, which was significantly higher in older and non‐MSM patients. The estimated incidence rate of acute hepatitis A was 52.6 cases per 1000 person‐years of follow‐up during the outbreak. The associated factors with acquiring acute hepatitis A were recent syphilis and having not received HAV vaccines. The HAV vaccination rate during the outbreak increased from 4.7% to 70.6% and the incidence rate of acute hepatitis A declined when up to 65% of the patients were immunized or tested positive for HAV.

Conclusions

The seroprevalence of HAV infection was low in the younger HIV‐positive individuals. Prevention of acute hepatitis A was achieved among HIV‐positive, HAV‐seronegative patients through HAV vaccination and increased herd immunity during the ongoing outbreak.
High efficacy of Sofosbuvir plus Simeprevir in a large cohort of Spanish cirrhotic patients infected with genotypes 1 and 4
Authors: Mariño Zoe , Pascasio‐Acevedo Juan M. , Gallego Adolfo , Diago Moisés , Baliellas Carme , Morillas Rosa , Prieto Martín , Moreno José M. , Sánchez‐Antolín Gloria , Vergara Mercedes , Forné Montserrat , Fernández Inmaculada , Castro María A. , Pascual Sonia , Gómez Alexandra , Castells Lluis , Montero José L. , Crespo Javier , Calleja José L. , García‐Samaniego Javier , Carrión Jose A. , Arencibia Ana C. , Blasco Alejandro , López‐Núñez Carmen , Sánchez‐Ruano Juan J. , Gea‐Rodríguez Francisco , Giráldez Álvaro , Cabezas Joaquín , Hontangas Vanessa , Torras Xavier , Castellote Jose , Romero‐Gómez Manuel , Turnes Juan , de Artaza Tomás , Narváez Isidoro , Cuervas‐Mons Valentín , Forns Xavier
Published: May 2017

Background and Aims

Hepatitis C (HCV) therapy with Sofosbuvir (SOF)/Simeprevir (SMV) in clinical trials and real‐world clinical practice, showed high rates of sustained virological response (SVR) in non‐cirrhotic genotype (GT)‐1 and GT‐4 patients. These results were slightly lower in cirrhotic patients. We investigated real‐life effectiveness and safety of SOF/SMV with or without ribavirin (RBV) in a large cohort of cirrhotic patients.

Methods

This collaborative multicentre study included data from 968 patients with cirrhosis infected with HCV‐GT1 or 4, treated with SOF/SMV±RBV in 30 centres across Spain between January‐2014 and December‐2015. Demographic, clinical, virological and safety data were analysed.

Results

Overall SVR was 92.3%; the majority of patients were treated with RBV (62%) for 12 weeks (92.4%). No significant differences in SVR were observed between genotypes (GT1a:94.3%; GT1b:91.7%; GT4:91.1%). Those patients with more advanced liver disease (Child B/C, MELD≥10) or portal hypertension (platelet count≤100×109/L, transient elastography≥21 Kpa) showed significantly lower SVR rates (84.4%‐91.9%) than patients with less advanced liver disease (93.8%‐95.9%, P<.01 in all cases). In the multivariate analysis, the use of RBV, female gender, baseline albumin≥35 g/L, MELD<10 and lack of exposure to a triple therapy regimen were independent predictors of SVR (P<.05). Serious adverse events (SAEs) and SAE‐associated discontinuation events occurred in 5.9% and 2.6%.

Conclusions

In this large cohort of cirrhotic patients managed in the real‐world setting in Spain, SOF/SMV±RBV yielded to excellent SVR rates, especially in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis. In addition, this combination showed to be safe, with low rates of SAEs and early discontinuations.
Beyond Political Theology and its Liquidation: From Theopolitical Monotheism to Trinitarianism
Authors: Mrówczyński‐Van Allen Artur
Published: May 2017

One of the central theological challenges facing Erik Peterson was to help the mid‐twentieth century Catholic Church define its relationship with the wider world. He responded by advancing a distinctive understanding of the ‘polis.’ In this essay, I critically analyze Peterson's central and perhaps best known proposal about how the Church ought to negotiate the modern world — encapsulated in his expression, the ‘liquidation of political theology.’ I contend that Peterson's proposal is not congruent with a right understanding of patristic trinitarian monarchy, although a view that stands in sharp contrast to that of Carl Schmitt. Notwithstanding the effectiveness of Peterson's critique of Schmitt's political theology, I argue that Peterson nonetheless fails in his exposition of the thought of Gregory of Nazianzus and therefore in his interpretation of the role of the Church in what we have learned to call the ‘political’ and the ‘social.’ I conclude by outlining several ways that the Church today might take up the challenge of regaining a truly political thought, a new ekklesioteia, nourished by the monarchy of the triune God.
Sleep patterns in relation to dietary patterns and cardio‐metabolic risk: An update from Drummond Pump Priming Award recipients
Authors: Darzi J. , Al Khatib H. , Pot G. K.
Published: May 2017

This article provides an update on the project ‘Sleep patterns in relation to dietary patterns and cardio‐metabolic risk’, which received funding from the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) Drummond Pump Priming Award. Studying the relationship between sleep, the biological clock, timing of eating and nutrition is part of a new research area termed chrono‐nutrition. With the help of the BNF award, a PhD project was set up to investigate the effects of sleep duration and quality on energy balance, dietary intake and quality, and cardio‐metabolic risk factors. The project included three studies: (1) a systematic review and meta‐analysis investigating whether partial sleep deprivation results in positive energy balance; (2) a cross‐sectional study exploring associations between energy balance, dietary intake and quality, chrono‐nutrition and cardio‐metabolic risk factors; and (3) a randomised controlled intervention feasibility study investigating whether sleep extension in participants with chronic mild sleep deprivation can improve energy balance, diet quality, body composition and cardio‐metabolic risk profile. The systematic review showed that partial sleep deprivation results in a net positive energy balance arising from a significantly higher energy intake of 385 kcal/day, with no compensatory effect on energy expenditure. Results from the cross‐sectional and randomised controlled feasibility studies are expected later this year. Overall, the project will help to establish whether sleep extension can be used in combination with existing weight management strategies to reduce the burden of obesity and metabolic dysregulation, which are major public health threats.
Sympathetic ANS modulation of pupil diameter in emotional scene perception: Effects of hedonic content, brightness, and contrast
Authors: Bradley Margaret M. , Sapigao Rosemarie G. , Lang Peter J.
Published: May 2017

A series of studies investigated the effects of hedonic content, brightness, and contrast on pupil diameter during free viewing of natural scenes, assessing the amplitude of the initial light reflex and subsequent sustained pupil diameter change. Hedonic picture content varied from highly arousing scenes of erotica and violence to scenes depicting nature, babies, loss, contamination, food, and more. Despite equivalent overall picture brightness and contrast, pupil diameter still varied as a function of the local brightness of central vision at fixation. Statistical (Experiment 1) and methodological (Experiment 2, 3) solutions produced complementary data indicating that scenes of erotica and violence reliably attenuate the amplitude of the initial light reflex and prompt enhanced late diameter pupil changes, compared to other scene contents. A principal components analysis supported the hypothesis that a single sympathetically mediated process enhances pupil dilation during picture viewing, modulating both initial constriction and late diameter changes. Rather than being a subtle index of “liking,” pupil diameter is primarily sensitive to events that reliably elicit measurable sympathetic nervous system activity.
Integrative taxonomy improves understanding of native beneficial fauna: revision of the Nearctic Peristenus pallipes complex (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and implications for release of exotic biocontrol agents
Authors: ZHANG Y. MILES , RIDENBAUGH RYAN D. , SHARANOWSKI BARBARA J.
Published: May 2017

The Nearctic Peristenus pallipes complex (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) consists of two species groups that are further divided into nine species, separated largely using ecological rather than morphological differences. The species are re‐examined with an integrative approach using morphometric multivariate ratios, molecular (COI and CytB), and ecological data to test the validity of the nine species. The data support only three valid species [P. dayi Goulet, P. mellipes (Cresson) and P. howardi Shaw] rather than nine. New synonymies include: P. braunae Goulet under P. dayi Goulet 2006 syn.n.; P. carcamoi Goulet, P. otaniae Goulet and P. pseudopallipes (Loan) under P. mellipes (Cresson) syn.n., and finally P. broadbenti Goulet 2006 and P. gillespiei Goulet 2006 under P. howardi Shaw 1999 syn.n. In light of these taxonomic revisions, the biology and distributions of the Nearctic P. pallipes complex are updated, resulting in three morphologically variable, widespread, multivoltine species rather than nine largely univoltine species with patchy distributions. The integrative taxonomic approach used here allowed for a more accurate delineation of native fauna and their potential to be competitively displaced by foreign biocontrol agents.
Treatment of ibuprofen intoxication in a dog via therapeutic plasma exchange
Authors: Walton Stuart , Ryan Kirk A. , Davis Jennifer L. , Acierno Mark
Published: May 2017

Objective

To describe the treatment of ibuprofen intoxication with therapeutic plasma exchange in a dog (TPE).

A 13‐year‐old male neutered mixed breed dog presented after ingesting approximately 200 mg/kg of ibuprofen. Treatment consisted of supportive medical therapy with IV fluids, gastrointestinal protectants, antiemetics and prostaglandin analogs, and TPE. A cycle of TPE was performed over 180 minutes, achieving 1.5 plasma volume exchanges. During therapy, heparinized blood and effluent samples were collected. Ibuprofen concentrations were determined in the samples by high‐pressure liquid chromatography. Post TPE, the dog was continued on supportive medical therapy and was discharged 96 hours after the overdose.

New or Unique Information

This report describes the use of TPE as an adjunct for ibuprofen intoxication. An 85% reduction in plasma ibuprofen concentration occurred and recovery from a potentially lethal ingestion of ibuprofen was achieved with TPE and supportive care. TPE should be considered when presented with acute ibuprofen intoxication due to the rapid and efficacious nature of therapy.
Determination of Customer Satisfaction by Staff Demographic Properties: A Research In Recreation Sports Business
Authors: Korkutata Abdulmenaf
Published: May 2017

Sport managements supply consumers with services in a number of sport branches. In the same breath sport managements (facilities) should provide customer satisfaction due to the intuition of ‘client centered and service providing corporations’. In this regard, the purpose of the researcher is to analyze whether the pleasure of clients that prefer studios make them special to individual exercise training are satisfied or not according to demographic features. The research has been conducted in Private Training Studio as a case study. In this research, the questionnaire technique has been employed and applied to 100 clients that came to Private Training Studio within the scope of the research technique. This research concludes that; a difference is not observed in clients based on gender, membership period and the frequency of making benefit of the management, however the significant determinants proved to be the age of clients and the pleasure level of the management (see Table 4).
Qualitative effects of introducing nonlinear birth and death rates for the predator in a predator-prey type model
Authors: Ivanov Tihomir B. , Dimitrova Neli S.
Published: May 2017

In this paper, we study how introducing nonlinear birth and death rates for the predator might affect the qualitative behavior of a mathematical model, describing predator-prey systems. We base our investigations on a known model, exhibiting anti-predator behavior. We propose a generalization of the latter by introducing generic birth and death rates for the predator and study the dynamics of the resulting system. We establish existence and uniqueness of positive model solutions, their uniform boundedness, existence, local stability and bifurcations of equilibrium points as well as global stability properties of the solutions. Most of the solution properties are demonstrated numerically and graphically by various numerical examples. Based on the obtained results, we show that the model with nonlinear birth and death rates can describe a much more complex behavior of the predator-prey system than the classical model (i.e., with linear rates) does.
Microstructural characterization of trabecular bone using ultrasonic backscattering and diffusion parameters
Authors: Du Hualong , Mohanty Kaustav , Muller Marie
Published: May 2017

Finite differences time domain methods were utilized to simulate ultrasound propagation and scattering in anisotropic trabecular bone structures obtained from high resolution Computed Tomography (CT). The backscattered signals were collected and the incoherent contribution was extracted. The diffusion constant was calculated for propagations along and across the main direction of anisotropy, and was used to characterize the anisotropy of the trabecular microstructures. In anisotropic structures, the diffusion constant was significantly different in both directions, and the anisotropy of the diffusion constant was strongly correlated to the structural anisotropy measured on the CT images. These results indicate that metrics based on diffusion can be used to quantify the anisotropy of complex structures such as trabecular bone.