bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Response‐adaptive clinical trials: case studies in the medical literature
Authors: Grieve Andrew P.
Published: October 2016

The past 15 years has seen many pharmaceutical sponsors consider and implement adaptive designs (AD) across all phases of drug development. Given their arrival at the turn of the millennium, we might think that they are a recent invention. That is not the case. The earliest idea of an AD predates Bradford Hill's MRC tuberculosis study, appearing in Biometrika in 1933. In this paper, we trace the development of response‐ADs, designs in which the allocation to intervention arms depends on the responses of subjects already treated. We describe some statistical details underlying the designs, but our main focus is to describe and comment on ADs from the medical research literature. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Interaction of Andrographolide and Standardized Extract of Andrographis paniculata (Nees) with Nabumetone in Wistar Rats
Authors: Balap Aishwarya , Lohidasan Sathiyanarayanan , Sinnathambi Arulmozhi , Mahadik Kakasaheb
Published: October 2016

The aim of the study was to investigate the herb–drug interaction of Andrographis paniculata Nees (Acanthaceae) and Andrographolide (AN) with nabumetone (NAB) in wistar rats. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions were studied after co‐administration of APE and AN with NAB in Wistar rats. In pharmacokinetic studies, significant decrease in Cmax, AUC0–t and AUC0–∞ of 6‐MNA after co‐administration with pure AN and APE has been observed. Tmax of 6‐MNA has been increased to 2 h from 1.5 h in AN + NAB treated group. Changes in mean residential time, clearance and volume of distribution of 6‐MNA in APE + NAB treated group and AN + NAB treated group indicated interference of other components of APE other than AN. In pharmacodynamic study, significant decrease in antiarthritic activity of NAB on concomitant administration with APE and AN has been observed. The study concludes that NAB exhibits pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions with APE and AN in rats thus alarms the concomitant use of herbal preparations containing APE and AN with NAB. Further study is needed to understand the mechanism and predict the herb–drug interaction in humans. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Morphology of breeze circulations induced by surface flux heterogeneities and their impact on convection initiation
Authors: Rochetin Nicolas , Couvreux Fleur , Guichard Françoise
Published: October 2016

This study analyses the role of breeze circulations induced by a surface sensible heat flux heterogeneity on deep convection initiation. Large‐eddy simulations are used to disentangle the processes at play in a typical case of daytime triggering of deep convection over a semi‐arid land. We show that the presence of a realistic surface sensible heat flux heterogeneity leads to an earlier triggering of convection and induces a strong determinism in the triggering location at the beta‐mesoscale (i.e. ∼50 km). The transition to deep convection consists of three consecutive stages, each one corresponding to a specific mode of interaction between (i) the boundary‐layer thermals (small‐scale), (ii) the breeze circulation (mesoscale) and (iii) the background wind (synoptic scale). These stages are both interpreted thermodynamically and morphologically. All along the transition phase, the boundary‐layer growth acts to slow down the background wind, which strengthens the breeze circulation. The breeze evolves towards a circular shape which optimizes moisture convergence and cloud formation just prior to triggering. The presence of wind shear leads with a more asymmetric shape of the breeze in the afternoon, associated with a preferential triggering on the down‐shear side of the breeze circulation.
Using FIR to Improve CUSUM Charts for Monitoring Process Dispersion
Authors: Sanusi Ridwan A. , Riaz Muhammad , Abbas Nasir , Abujiya Mu'azu Ramat
Published: October 2016

Statistical process control deals with monitoring process to detect disturbances in the process. These disturbances may be from the process mean or variance. In this study, we propose some charts that are efficient for detecting early shifts in dispersion parameter, by applying the Fast Initial Response feature. Performance measures such as average run length, standard deviation of the run length, extra quadratic loss, relative average run length, and performance comparison index are used to compare the proposed charts with their existing counterparts, including the Shewhart R chart and the Shewhart S chart with and without warning lines. Others include the CUSUM R chart, the CUSUM S chart, the EWMA of ln S2, the CUSUM of ln S2, the Pσ CUSUM, the χ CUSUM, and the Change Point (CP) CUSUM charts. The proposed charts do not only detect early shifts in the process dispersion faster, but also have better overall performance than their existing counterparts. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Objective Method to Prioritize Socio‐Environmental Water Management Tradeoffs Using Multi‐Criteria Decision Analysis
Authors: Martin D. M. , Powell S. J. , Webb J. A. , Nichols S. J. , Poff N. L.
Published: October 2016

Rivers provide many social and environmental services that benefit humanity. A critical role of water mangers is to prioritize water allocation options that trade off socio‐economic and hydro‐ecological benefits in rivers. Methods for multi‐criteria decision analysis (MCDA) provide a structured and systematic manner for researchers to aid in this process. In this paper, we describe a new MCDA method that prioritizes large multi‐dimensional sets of tradeoffs to support well‐informed water management in rivers. The method was developed based on an environmental flows planning study in the Goulburn‐Broken River catchment, Victoria, Australia. A combined simulation and heuristic optimization procedure was previously integrated into a hydrological catchment network model. That process resulted in a large set of viable daily water allocation schedules that traded off long‐term irrigation and hydro‐ecological benefits at the catchment outlet. We provided new guidance procedures to identify priority tradeoffs that can be used in stakeholder deliberations and catchment decision‐making. Our MCDA method included combined multi‐dimensional ordination and cluster analysis to spread the water allocation alternatives onto a two‐dimensional plane to discover alternatives with similar criteria tradeoffs. A geometric distance‐based method was performed on the full set of alternatives and on the identified clusters to rank the alternatives in accordance with minimizing the distance of the alternatives to an ideal but non‐feasible reference point in multi‐dimensional space. This method complements the use of elicitation procedures when water manager or other stakeholder interaction is not an option or when objectivity is desired. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photosensitizing Electron Transfer Processes of Fullerenes, Carbon Nanotubes, and Carbon Nanohorns
Authors: Ito Osamu
Published: October 2016

In this account, studies on the photosensitizing electron transfer of nanocarbons, such as fullerenes, single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), and carbon nanohorns (CNH), performed in our laboratory for about 15 years in the early 21st century have been briefly reviewed. These novel nanocarbons act as excellent electron acceptors, when they are linked to light‐absorbing electron donors, such as porphyrins or phthalocyanines. For such molecule–nanocarbon hybrids, the direct confirmation of fast, transient, electron‐transfer phenomena must be performed with time‐resolved spectroscopic methods, such as transient absorption spectral measurements, in addition to fluorescence time‐profile measurements in the wide‐wavelength regions. Careful use of these methods affords useful information to understand photoinduced electron‐transfer mechanisms. In addition, kinetic data obtained by these methods can assist in the construction of light‐active devices, such as photovoltaic cells and solar H2‐generation systems.
Blastocyst vs cleavage‐stage embryo transfer: systematic review and meta‐analysis of reproductive outcomes
Authors: Martins W. P. , Nastri C. O. , Rienzi L. , van der Poel S. Z. , Gracia C. , Racowsky C.
Published: October 2016

Objectives

Blastocyst transfer in assisted reproduction techniques could be advantageous because the timing of exposure of the embryo to the uterine environment is more analogous to a natural cycle and permits embryo self‐selection after activation of the embryonic genome on day 3. Conversely, the in-vitro environment is likely to be inferior to that in vivo, and in-vitro culture beyond embryonic genomic activation could potentially harm the embryo. Our objective was to identify, appraise and summarize the available evidence comparing the effectiveness of blastocyst vs cleavage‐stage embryo transfer.

Methods

This was a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the transfer of blastocysts (days 5–6) with the transfer of cleavage‐stage embryos (days 2–3) in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The last electronic searches were run on 1 August 2016. Abstracts and studies with a mean difference between the two study groups of > 0.5 for the number of embryos transferred were excluded.

Results

We screened 1187 records and assessed 33 potentially eligible studies. Twelve studies were included, comprising a total of 1200 women undergoing blastocyst transfer and 1218 undergoing cleavage‐stage embryo transfer. We observed low‐quality evidence of no significant difference of blastocyst transfer on live birth/ongoing pregnancy (relative risk (RR), 1.11 (95% CI, 0.92–1.35), 10 RCTs, 1940 women, I2 = 54%), clinical pregnancy (RR, 1.10 (95% CI, 0.93–1.31), 12 RCTs, 2418 women, I2 = 64%), cumulative pregnancy (RR, 0.89 (95% CI, 0.67–1.16), four RCTs, 524 women, I2 = 63%) and miscarriage (RR, 1.08 (95% CI, 0.74–1.56), 10 RCTs, 763 pregnancies, I2 = 0%). There was moderate‐quality evidence of a decrease in the number of women with surplus embryos after the blastocyst‐stage embryo transfer (RR, 0.78 (95% CI, 0.66–0.91)). Overall, the quality of the evidence was limited by the quality of the included studies and by unexplained inconsistency across studies.

Conclusions

Current evidence shows no superiority of blastocyst compared with cleavage‐stage embryo transfer in clinical practice. As the quality of the evidence for the primary outcomes is low, additional well‐designed RCTs are still needed before robust conclusions can be drawn. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Rotor‐tower interactions of DTU 10MW reference wind turbine with a non‐linear harmonic method
Authors: Horcas Sergio González , Debrabandere François , Tartinville Benoît , Hirsch Charles , Coussement Grégory
Published: October 2016

In this paper, a computational study of the DTU 10MW reference wind turbine unsteady aerodynamics is presented. The whole wind turbine assembly was considered, including the complete rotor and the tower. The FINE/Turbo flow solver developed by NUMECA International was employed for the simulations. In particular, the Non‐Linear Harmonic (NLH) method was applied in order to accurately model flow unsteadiness at reduced computational cost. Important vortex shedding structures were identified at low blade span range and all along the tower height. A strong interaction between rotor and tower flows was also observed. Lastly, the performance of the NLH approach was compared against a standard Unsteady Reynolds‐Averaged Navier Stokes simulation. The same complex unsteady flow phenomena were captured by both technologies. Nevertheless, the NLH approach was found to be 10 times faster than the Unsteady Reynolds‐Averaged Navier Stokes method for this particular application. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Kirchhoff type equation in a nonlinear model of shell vibration
Authors: Peradze Jemal
Published: October 2016

The paper deals with the study of the initial boundary value problem for the Donnell‐Mushtari‐Vlasov nonlinear system of differential equations, which describes large deflections of a rectangular shallow shell. The sought functions and are respectively longitudinal and transverse displacements of points of the shell midsurface. It is assumed that Dirichlet and Neumann type homogeneous conditions are fulfilled for functions u1 and u2. After expressing u1 and u2 through w, i.e. after constructing the relations with a help of Fourier series method, we come to a nonlinear integro‐differential hyperbolic equation for the transverse displacement function w, which by its structure is analogous to Kirchhoff string, Woinowsky‐Krieger beam and Berger plate equations. These equations are united under the common name – Kirchhoff type equations. The advantage of the described technique consists in splitting the initial boundary value problem at the end into two subproblems. From the integro‐differential equation we first find w and using the explicit relations we construct u1 and u2. The issue of the use of this approach in the general case not restricted by the rectangular domain and Dirichlet and Neumann conditions on the boundary is discussed. It is shown that in order to obtain formulas we have to solve a linear plane problem of elasticity with respect to the functions u1 and u2.
Use of Calcium and Parathyroid Hormone Nomogram to Distinguish Between Atypical Primary Hyperparathyroidism and Normal Patients
Authors: Lavryk Olga A. , Siperstein Allan E.
Published: October 2016

Background

The diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism (1°HP) has become more complex, as fewer patients present with classic phenotype of concomitant elevation of calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH). In addition, the distinction between normal versus abnormal patients is challenging, with an increasing number of patients with 1°HP, who have calcium and/or PTH values within the “reference” range. Patients with “inappropriately” elevated PTH values relative to their serum calcium are considered to have 1°HP.

Methods

The study population consisted of 1753 patients with pathologically proven 1°HP and 74 healthy control patients. Nomograms were created by plotting PTH versus calcium of the two groups. The 95 % confidence zone of calcium and PTH for normal individuals was plotted and compared to patients with 1°HP.

Results

The comparison of control and disease groups showed a clear demarcation zone on the plots of calcium versus PTH. In the group of 1°HP, 70 % had classic 1°HP presentation with the concomitant elevation of both calcium (≥10.5 mg/dL) and PTH (≥65 pg/dL). 21 % had “normocalcemic” HP with calcium ≤10.5 mg/dL and PTH ≥65 pg/dL. 6 % had “normohormonal” HP with calcium ≥10.5 mg/dL and PTH ≤65 pg/dL. 3 % had both calcium and PTH within the reference range. 68.5 % of patients had single adenoma, 16 % double adenoma, and 15.5 % hyperplasia.

Conclusion

This nomogram serves as a diagnostic tool to distinguish normal patients from those with 1°HP, particularly those with atypical presentations. This recognition would permit previously observed patients to benefit from curative surgery.
Remote Access Robotic Facelift Thyroidectomy: A Multi‐institutional Experience
Authors: Duke William S. , Holsinger F. Christopher , Kandil Emad , Richmon Jeremy D. , Singer Michael C. , Terris David J.
Published: October 2016

Background

Robotic facelift thyroidectomy (RFT) was developed as a new surgical approach to the thyroid gland using a remote incision site. Early favorable results led to this confirmatory multi‐institutional experience.

Methods

Prospectively collected data on consecutive patients undergoing RFT in five North American academic endocrine surgical practices were compiled. Surgical indications, operative times, final pathology, nodule size, complications, and postoperative management (drain use and length of hospital stay) were evaluated.

Results

A total of 102 RFT procedures were undertaken in 90 patients. All but one of the patients (98.9 %) were female, and the mean age was 41.9 ± 13.1 years (range 12–69 years). The indication for surgery was nodular disease in 91.2 % of cases; 8.8 % were completion procedures performed for a diagnosis of cancer. The mean size of the largest nodule was 1.9 cm (range 0–5.6 cm). The mean total operative time for a thyroid lobectomy was 162 min (range 82–265 min). No permanent complications occurred. There were 4 cases (3.9 %) of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve weakness, no cases of hypocalcemia, and 3 (2.9 %) hematomas. There were no conversions to an anterior cervical approach. The majority of patients were managed on an outpatient basis (61.8 %) and without a drain (65.7 %).

Conclusions

RFT is technically feasible and safe in selected patients. RFT can continue to be offered to carefully selected patients as a way to avoid a visible cervical scar. Future prospective studies to compare this novel approach to other remote access approaches are warranted.
The Impact of Healthcare Privatization on Access to Surgical Care: Cholecystectomy as a Model
Authors: Al‐Jazaeri Ayman , Ghomraoui Firas , Al‐Muhanna Wejdan , Saleem Ahmed , Jokhadar Hazem , Aljurf Tareq
Published: October 2016

Background

Privatization is widely perceived as a tool to improve healthcare access; however, its impact on the access of surgical care has not been quantified. We used cholecystectomy as a model to assess the variation in access between coexisting public (PB) and private providers (PVs).

Methods

We performed cross‐sectional analysis of patients who underwent cholecystectomy at two major PB and PV groups serving Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Representative sample sizes were estimated based on 95 % confidence level and ±5 confidence interval (CI). Exclusion criteria were major comorbidities, emergency cholecystectomies, age ≥60 and concurrent non‐minor procedures. Data collected were patients’ demographics, payer status, and durations of symptoms, diagnosis and hospitalization.

Results

Between 2012 and 2104, samples of 330 and 297 were randomly selected from the total of 2164 and 1315 cases performed at PV and PB, respectively. Seventy‐eight PV and 73 PB cases were excluded. The distribution of publically funded/insured/self‐paid was (3/179/70 PV) and (209/0/4 PB), respectively. Median durations between symptoms and surgery for PV and PB cases were 90 and 365 days (P < 0.001), respectively, while the wait times after ultrasound‐based diagnosis were 125 and 11 days (P < 0.001), respectively. Median hospitalization time was significantly shorter in PV compared to PB (1 vs. 2 days, P = 0.001), and same‐day admissions were more frequent in PV 94 % than PB 41 % (RR 2.3, CI 1.9–2.7).

Conclusions

When coexist in a competitive environment, PV offers a remarkably better access to cholecystectomies compared to PB. Facilitating access to PV can be an effective strategy to improve patient’s access to surgical care.
Extending Multivariate Distance Matrix Regression with an Effect Size Measure and the Asymptotic Null Distribution of the Test Statistic
Authors: McArtor Daniel B. , Lubke Gitta H. , Bergeman C. S.
Published: October 2016

Person-centered methods are useful for studying individual differences in terms of (dis)similarities between response profiles on multivariate outcomes. Multivariate distance matrix regression (MDMR) tests the significance of associations of response profile (dis)similarities and a set of predictors using permutation tests. This paper extends MDMR by deriving and empirically validating the asymptotic null distribution of its test statistic, and by proposing an effect size for individual outcome variables, which is shown to recover true associations. These extensions alleviate the computational burden of permutation tests currently used in MDMR and render more informative results, thus making MDMR accessible to new research domains.
Bayesian Approach for Addressing Differential Covariate Measurement Error in Propensity Score Methods
Authors: Hong Hwanhee , Rudolph Kara E. , Stuart Elizabeth A.
Published: October 2016

Propensity score methods are an important tool to help reduce confounding in non-experimental studies and produce more accurate causal effect estimates. Most propensity score methods assume that covariates are measured without error. However, covariates are often measured with error. Recent work has shown that ignoring such error could lead to bias in treatment effect estimates. In this paper, we consider an additional complication: that of differential measurement error across treatment groups, such as can occur if a covariate is measured differently in the treatment and control groups. We propose two flexible Bayesian approaches for handling differential measurement error when estimating average causal effects using propensity score methods. We consider three scenarios: systematic (i.e., a location shift), heteroscedastic (i.e., different variances), and mixed (both systematic and heteroscedastic) measurement errors. We also explore various prior choices (i.e., weakly informative or point mass) on the sensitivity parameters related to the differential measurement error. We present results from simulation studies evaluating the performance of the proposed methods and apply these approaches to an example estimating the effect of neighborhood disadvantage on adolescent drug use disorders.
Suicide in Ireland in the 19th century
Authors: Walsh D.
Published: October 2016

Introduction

This paper is an attempt to determine the extent and characteristics of suicide in 19th-century Ireland and the proportion of these that occurred in asylums.

Methods

The procedures used in this presentation involve analysis of data from the 1841 and 1851 Censuses of Ireland and the Reports of the Registrar-General of Ireland from 1864 to 1899 and the Annual Reports of the Inspectors of Lunacy, 1850 to 1899.

Results

Reported suicides had relatively low rates in the 19th century, ranging from 0.9 to 3.3 per 100 000 per year. The proportion of these suicides that occurred in asylums was low at ~4%.

Conclusions

The reporting of suicide as a cause of death was relatively rare in the first-half of the 19th century in Ireland, but increased in frequency progressively throughout the second-half of that century. The reported numbers are likely to have minimised the real rates because of under-reporting.
A Seeming Problem for Higher-Order Theories of Consciousness
Authors: MULDER JESSE M.
Published: October 2016

Higher-order theories account for intransitive consciousness by using the transitive notion ‘awareness-of.’ I argue that this notion implies a form of ‘seeming’ that the higher-order approach requires, yet cannot account for. I show that, if the relevant kind of seeming is declared to be present in all representational states, the seeming in question is objectionably trivialized; while using the higher-order strategy to capture not only intransitive consciousness but also the relevant kind of seeming results in an infinite regress. Finally, highlighting distinctive features of representations that explain why they display seeming amounts to abandoning the higher-order approach altogether.
Visual salience effects on speaker choices: Direct or indirect influences on linguistic processing?
Authors: ANTÓN-MÉNDEZ INÉS
Published: October 2016

The effect of visual salience on speakers’ choices is investigated by contrasting the effects of both visual and linguistic manipulations on picture descriptions and eye movements. Two-character pictures were used, which can be described in one of two complementary ways (e.g., a cop chasing a robber can be described either from a chasing or from a fleeing perspective), and using simple actives or other alternative syntactic structures (e.g., “a robber is being chased by a cop”). The pictures were preceded by a verb priming one of the two perspectives and/or a preview of one of the two characters. The results show that the visual manipulation affects looks to the characters regardless of which perspective had been linguistically primed, but it only affects verbal descriptions in the absence of a linguistic prime. Linguistically priming one of the perspectives, in contrast, has a reliable effect on both looks to the characters and verbal descriptions. These results suggest that visual salience does not influence linguistic choices directly.
DEFINING RAPID REVIEWS: A MODIFIED DELPHI CONSENSUS APPROACH
Authors: Kelly Shannon E. , Moher David , Clifford Tammy J.
Published: October 2016

Objectives:Rapid reviews are characterized as an accelerated evidence synthesis approach with no universally accepted methodology or definition. This modified Delphi consensus study aimed to develop a comprehensive set of defining characteristics for rapid reviews that may be used as a functional definition.

Methods:Expert panelists with knowledge in rapid reviews and evidence synthesis were identified. In the first round, panelists were asked to answer a seventeen-item survey addressing a variety of rapid review topics. Results led to the development of statements describing the characteristics of rapid reviews that were circulated to experts for agreement in a second survey round and further revised in a third round. Consensus was reached if ≥70 percent of experts agreed and there was stability in free-text comments.

Results:A panel of sixty-six experts participated. Consensus was reached on ten of eleven statements describing the characteristics of rapid reviews. According to the panel, rapid reviews aim to meet the requirements and timelines of a decision maker and should be conducted in less time than a systematic review. They use a variety of approaches to accelerate the evidence synthesis process, tailor the methods conventionally used to carry out systematic reviews, and use the most rigorous methods that the delivery time frame will allow.

Conclusions:This study achieved consensus on ten statements describing the defining characteristics of rapid reviews based on the opinion of a panel of knowledgeable experts. Areas of disagreement were also highlighted. Findings emphasize the role of the decision maker and stress the importance of transparent reporting.
‘Born in America, in Europe bred, in Africa travell’d and in Asia wed’: Elihu Yale, material culture, and actor networks from the seventeenth century to the twenty-first
Authors: Kuebler-Wolf Elizabeth
Published: October 2016

Objects can serve as non-living actors in a Latourian actor network which spans not only geography but time. Over this spatial–temporal network, what I call ‘object-actors’ acquire meanings that motivate living actors to use these objects as connecting points between past and present. Object-actors form networks in original exchanges between individuals and institutions, connect the past and present, and generate new and shifting meanings in this global–temporal network. Object-actors work and generate meaning in four dimensions – distance, location, relation, and time. Globally, object-actors can accrue conflicting meanings bound by locality. This article uses the collections of Elihu Yale as a case study in how object-actors constitute an important aspect of networks, and how those networks are not bound to the original transactions between historical parties or to their original geographies.
Scholarly identities in war and peace: the Paris Peace Conference and the mobilization of intellect
Authors: Irish Tomás
Published: October 2016

This article analyses international scholarship of the early twentieth century by focusing on scholarly networks and the uncomfortable interplay between their claims to universalism and the realities of an international war with global dimensions. Academics, books, and ideas had traversed the world with relative ease and regularity from the mid nineteenth century. The consequences were the creation of a hierarchical and Euro-American dominated ‘academic world’ where mobility and the transnational transmission of knowledge were key features. The rupture of the First World War tested the durability of these connections but the Paris Peace Conference showed that scholarly connections – through shared disciplinary interests, alumni groupings, or mutual acquaintance – were not only durable but sometimes crucial to the recasting of the world envisaged by the peacemakers. While the scholars present at the Paris Peace Conference were there as representatives of their respective nations, they also demonstrated strong allegiance to disciplines and institutions.
Bifactor Structure for the Categorical Chinese Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
Authors: Xu Menglin , Leung Shing-On
Published: October 2016

Recently, the bifactor model was suggested for the latent structure of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The present paper investigates (i) the differences among bifactor, bifactor negative and other models; (ii) the effects of treating data as both categorical vs continuous; (iii) whether a problematic item in the Chinese RSES should be removed; and (iv) whether the final scoring would be affected. With a sample of 1.734 grade 4–6 school pupils in Hong Kong, we used BIC differences in addition to the usual model fit indices, and found that there was strong evidence for using the bifactor model (RMSEA = .052, 90% CI [.043, .062], CFI = .992, TLI = .984 for 9-item RSES categorical). Little difference is found between treating data as categorical or continuous for fit indices, but the factor loading patterns are better in categorical case. Keeping a problematic item has little effect on fit indices, but would lead to unexpected negative loading. The ranking of loadings within positive and negative items across different conditions are the same, which has important effects on scoring. Loadings in the method effects in the bifactor models are all positive (p < .001), which is different from previous research. All models show similar results on scoring, and support the usual simple sum score in most practice.
Temperament and Character Profiles of Group-Based Suicide Cases
Authors: Séguin Monique , Robert Marie , Beauchamp Guy
Published: October 2016

Abstract. Background: Personality and character traits may be a key predisposing factor to consider in the life course of people who are vulnerable to suicide. Aims: The aim of this study is first to explore the possible presence of different subgroups of suicide decedents based on developmental profiles of adversity, and secondly to examine the association of personality and character dimensions (covariates) with the trajectory outcome. Method: A total of 90 cases of suicide decedents were analyzed using growth mixture modeling (GMM). Results: Results generated two different life trajectories and identified specific temperament profiles. Subjects assigned to the trajectory of high burden of adversity demonstrated a greater predisposition for harm avoidance and those in the trajectory characterized by low burden of adversity displayed greater predisposition for self-directedness. Conclusion: Our results add to the literature by suggesting that different subgroups of suicide completers show a predisposition for either harm avoidance or self-directedness.
Marín-Spiotta Receives 2016 Sulzman Award for Excellence in Education and Mentoring
Authors:   AGU
Published: October 2016

Erika Marín-Spiotta will receive the 2016 Sulzman Award for Excellence in Education and Mentoring at the 2016 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 12–16 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award is given for "significant contributions by a mid-career female scientist as a role model and mentor for the next generation of biogeoscientists."
Online Tracking of Ships Fights Illegal Fishing Worldwide
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2016

The system currently follows and records the movements of more than 35,000 large fishing vessels worldwide to bring transparency to commercial fishing activities.
Community-based management induces rapid recovery of a high-value tropical freshwater fishery
Authors: Campos-Silva João Vitor , Peres Carlos A.
Published: October 2016

Tropical wetlands are highly threatened socio-ecological systems, where local communities rely heavily on aquatic animal protein, such as fish, to meet food security. Here, we quantify how a ‘win-win’ community-based resource management program induced stock recovery of the world’s largest scaled freshwater fish (Arapaima gigas), providing both food and income. We analyzed stock assessment data over eight years and examined the effects of protected areas, community-based management, and landscape and limnological variables across 83 oxbow lakes monitored along a ~500-km section of the Juruá River of Western Brazilian Amazonia. Patterns of community management explained 71.8% of the variation in arapaima population sizes. Annual population counts showed that protected lakes on average contained 304.8 (±332.5) arapaimas, compared to only 9.2 (±9.8) in open-access lakes. Protected lakes have become analogous to a high-interest savings account, ensuring an average annual revenue of US$10,601 per community and US$1046.6 per household, greatly improving socioeconomic welfare. Arapaima management is a superb window of opportunity in harmonizing the co-delivery of sustainable resource management and poverty alleviation. We show that arapaima management deserves greater attention from policy makers across Amazonian countries, and highlight the need to include local stakeholders in conservation planning of Amazonian floodplains.
The thalamo-cortical complex network correlates of chronic pain
Authors: Zippo Antonio G. , Valente Maurizio , Caramenti Gian Carlo , Biella Gabriele E. M.
Published: October 2016

Chronic pain (CP) is a condition with a large repertory of clinical signs and symptoms with diverse expressions. Though widely analyzed, an appraisal at the level of single neuron and neuronal networks in CP is however missing. The present research proposes an empirical and theoretic framework which identifies a complex network correlate nested in the somatosensory thalamocortical (TC) circuit in diverse CP models. In vivo simultaneous extracellular neuronal electrophysiological high-density recordings have been performed from the TC circuit in rats. Wide functional network statistics neatly discriminated CP from control animals identifying collective dynamical traits. In particular, a collapsed functional connectivity and an altered modular architecture of the thalamocortical circuit have been evidenced. These results envisage CP as a functional connectivity disorder and give the clue for unveiling innovative therapeutic strategies.
Early Miocene amber inclusions from Mexico reveal antiquity of mangrove-associated copepods
Authors: Huys Rony , Suárez-Morales Eduardo , Serrano-Sánchez María de Lourdes , Centeno-García Elena , Vega Francisco J.
Published: October 2016

Copepods are aquatic microcrustaceans and represent the most abundant metazoans on Earth, outnumbering insects and nematode worms. Their position of numerical world predominance can be attributed to three principal radiation events, i.e. their major habitat shift into the marine plankton, the colonization of freshwater and semiterrestrial environments, and the evolution of parasitism. Their variety of life strategies has generated an incredible morphological plasticity and disparity in body form and shape that are arguably unrivalled among the Crustacea. Although their chitinous exoskeleton is largely resistant to chemical degradation copepods are exceedingly scarce in the geological record with limited body fossil evidence being available for only three of the eight currently recognized orders. The preservation of aquatic arthropods in amber is unusual but offers a unique insight into ancient subtropical and tropical ecosystems. Here we report the first discovery of amber-preserved harpacticoid copepods, represented by ten putative species belonging to five families, based on Early Miocene (22.8 million years ago) samples from Chiapas, southeast Mexico. Their close resemblance to Recent mangrove-associated copepods highlights the antiquity of the specialized harpacticoid fauna living in this habitat. With the taxa reported herein, the Mexican amber holds the greatest diversity of fossil copepods worldwide.
Head mounted DMD based projection system for natural and prosthetic visual stimulation in freely moving rats
Authors: Arens-Arad Tamar , Farah Nairouz , Ben-Yaish Shai , Zlotnik Alex , Zalevsky Zeev , Mandel Yossi
Published: October 2016

Novel technologies are constantly under development for vision restoration in blind patients. Many of these emerging technologies are based on the projection of high intensity light patterns at specific wavelengths, raising the need for the development of specialized projection systems. Here we present and characterize a novel projection system that meets the requirements for artificial retinal stimulation in rats and enables the recording of cortical responses. The system is based on a customized miniature Digital Mirror Device (DMD) for pattern projection, in both visible (525 nm) and NIR (915 nm) wavelengths, and a lens periscope for relaying the pattern directly onto the animal’s retina. Thorough system characterization and the investigation of the effect of various parameters on obtained image quality were performed using ZEMAX. Simulation results revealed that images with an MTF higher than 0.8 were obtained with little effect of the vertex distance. Increased image quality was obtained at an optimal pupil diameter and smaller field of view. Visual cortex activity data was recorded simultaneously with pattern projection, further highlighting the importance of the system for prosthetic vision studies. This novel head mounted projection system may prove to be a vital tool in studying natural and artificial vision in behaving animals.
Ultrastructure of compacted DNA in cyanobacteria by high-voltage cryo-electron tomography
Authors: Murata Kazuyoshi , Hagiwara Sayuri , Kimori Yoshitaka , Kaneko Yasuko
Published: October 2016

Some cyanobacteria exhibit compaction of DNA in synchrony with their circadian rhythms accompanying cell division. Since the structure is transient, it has not yet been described in detail. Here, we successfully visualize the ultrastructure of compacted DNA in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 under rigorous synchronized cultivation by means of high-voltage cryo-electron tomography. In 3D reconstructions of rapidly frozen cells, the compacted DNA appears as an undulating rod resembling a eukaryotic condensed chromosome. The compacted DNA also includes many small and paired polyphosphate bodies (PPBs), some of which seem to maintain contact with DNA that appears to twist away from them, indicating that they may act as interactive suppliers and regulators of phosphate for DNA synthesis. These observations throw light on the duplication and segregation mechanisms of cyanobacterial DNA and point to an important role for PPBs.
Efficacy of PIVKA-II in prediction and early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma: a nested case-control study in Chinese patients
Authors: Yu Rentao , Xiang Xiaomei , Tan Zhaoxia , Zhou Yi , Wang Haoliang , Deng Guohong
Published: October 2016

Prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unsatisfying due to a lack of early detecting methods. Protein Induced by Vitamin K Absence or Antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) has been proved to be an efficient biomarker for HCC. However, the predicting efficacy of PIVKA-II has barely been reported. In the Hepatitis Biobank of Southwest Hospital (HBS) cohort at Southwest Hospital, we did a two-stage nested case-control study. Totally, 45 HCC cases versus 138 matched controls were enrolled to compare levels of α-fetoprotein (AFP) and PIVKA-II in sequential sera at −12, −9, −6, −3 and 0 months before imaging diagnosis. Levels of both PIVKA-II and AFP in HCC cases elevated significantly at all time points compared with controls. In validation stage, the sensitivity and specificity of PIVKA-II at baseline were 58.3% and 92.6%, and AFP were 75.0% and 91.7%. AFP-/PIVKA-II+ patients covered 27.4%, 29.4% and 19.6% at M-12, M-6 and M-0, respectively, while AFP+/PIVKA-II- patients covered 25.5%, 19.6% and 17.7%, respectively. Both PIVKA-II and AFP have the potential for HCC prediction, while PIVKA-II has a better positive rate than AFP before diagnosis.
Dark-field X-ray ptychography: Towards high-resolution imaging of thick and unstained biological specimens
Authors: Suzuki Akihiro , Shimomura Kei , Hirose Makoto , Burdet Nicolas , Takahashi Yukio
Published: October 2016

The phase shift of light or electrons in objects is now necessary for probing weak-phase objects such as unstained biological specimens. Optical microscopy (OM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have been used to observe weak-phase objects. However, conventional OM has low spatial resolution and TEM is limited to thin specimens. Here, we report on the development of dark-field X-ray ptychography, which combines X-ray ptychography and X-ray in-line holography, to observe weak-phase objects with a phase resolution better than 0.01 rad, a spatial resolution better than 15 nm, and a field of view larger than 5 μm. We apply this method to the observation of both the outline and magnetosomes of the magnetotactic bacteria MO-1. Observation of thick samples with high resolution is expected to find broad applications in not only biology but also materials science.
Control of ADAM17 activity by regulation of its cellular localisation
Authors: Lorenzen Inken , Lokau Juliane , Korpys Yvonne , Oldefest Mirja , Flynn Charlotte M. , Künzel Ulrike , Garbers Christoph , Freeman Matthew , Grötzinger Joachim , Düsterhöft Stefan
Published: October 2016

An important, irreversible step in many signalling pathways is the shedding of membrane-anchored proteins. A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase (ADAM) 17 is one of the major sheddases involved in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes including regeneration, differentiation, and cancer progression. This central role in signalling implies that ADAM17 activity has to be tightly regulated, including at the level of localisation. Most mature ADAM17 is localised intracellularly, with only a small amount at the cell surface. We found that ADAM17 is constitutively internalised by clathrin-coated pits and that physiological stimulators such as GPCR ligands induce ADAM17-mediated shedding, but do not alter the cell-surface abundance of the protease. In contrast, the PKC-activating phorbol ester PMA, often used as a strong inducer of ADAM17, causes not only proteolysis by ADAM17 but also a rapid increase of the mature protease at the cell surface. This is followed by internalisation and subsequent degradation of the protease. Eventually, this leads to a substantial downregulation of mature ADAM17. Our results therefore imply that physiological activation of ADAM17 does not rely on its relocalisation, but that PMA-induced PKC activity drastically dysregulates the localisation of ADAM17.
A long-acting GH receptor antagonist through fusion to GH binding protein
Authors: Wilkinson Ian R. , Pradhananga Sarbendra L. , Speak Rowena , Artymiuk Peter J. , Sayers Jon R. , Ross Richard J.
Published: October 2016

Acromegaly is a human disease of growth hormone (GH) excess with considerable morbidity and increased mortality. Somatostatin analogues are first line medical treatment but the disease remains uncontrolled in up to 40% of patients. GH receptor (GHR) antagonist therapy is more effective but requires frequent high-dose injections. We have developed an alternative technology for generating a long acting potent GHR antagonist through translational fusion of a mutated GH linked to GH binding protein and tested three candidate molecules. All molecules had the amino acid change (G120R), creating a competitive GHR antagonist and we tested the hypothesis that an amino acid change in the GH binding domain (W104A) would increase biological activity. All were antagonists in bioassays. In rats all antagonists had terminal half-lives >20 hours. After subcutaneous administration in rabbits one variant displayed a terminal half-life of 40.5 hours. A single subcutaneous injection of the same variant in rabbits resulted in a 14% fall in IGF-I over 7 days. In conclusion: we provide proof of concept that a fusion of GHR antagonist to its binding protein generates a long acting GHR antagonist and we confirmed that introducing the W104A amino acid change in the GH binding domain enhances antagonist activity.
Time-resolved HAXPES using a microfocused XFEL beam: From vacuum space-charge effects to intrinsic charge-carrier recombination dynamics
Authors: Oloff Lars-Philip , Chainani Ashish , Matsunami Masaharu , Takahashi Kazutoshi , Togashi Tadashi , Osawa Hitoshi , Hanff Kerstin , Quer Arndt , Matsushita Ryuki , Shiraishi Ryutaro , Nagashima Maki , Kimura Ayato , Matsuishi Kotaro , Yabashi Makina , Tanaka Yoshihito , Rossi Giorgio , Ishikawa Tetsuya , Rossnagel Kai , Oura Masaki
Published: October 2016

Time-resolved hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (trHAXPES) using microfocused X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL, hν = 8 keV) pulses as a probe and infrared laser pulses (hν = 1.55 eV) as a pump is employed to determine intrinsic charge-carrier recombination dynamics in La:SrTiO3. By means of a combination of experiments and numerical N-body simulations, we first develop a simple approach to characterize and decrease XFEL-induced vacuum space-charge effects, which otherwise pose a serious limitation to spectroscopy experiments. We then show that, using an analytical mean-field model, vacuum space-charge effects can be counteracted by pump laser-induced photoholes at high excitation densities. This provides us a method to separate vacuum space-charge effects from the intrinsic charge-carrier recombination dynamics in the time domain. Our trHAXPES results thus open a route to studies of intrinsic charge-carrier dynamics on picosecond time scales with lateral spatial resolution on the micrometer scale.
The influence of the carrier molecule on amoxicillin recognition by specific IgE in patients with immediate hypersensitivity reactions to betalactams
Authors: Ariza Adriana , Mayorga Cristobalina , Salas María , Doña Inmaculada , Martín-Serrano Ángela , Pérez-Inestrosa Ezequiel , Pérez-Sala Dolores , Guzmán Antonio E. , Montañez María I. , Torres María J.
Published: October 2016

The optimal recognition of penicillin determinants, including amoxicillin (AX), by specific IgE antibodies is widely believed to require covalent binding to a carrier molecule. The nature of the carrier and its contribution to the antigenic determinant is not well known. Here we aimed to evaluate the specific-IgE recognition of different AX-derived structures. We studied patients with immediate hypersensitivity reactions to AX, classified as selective or cross-reactors to penicillins. Competitive immunoassays were performed using AX itself, amoxicilloic acid, AX bound to butylamine (AXO-BA) or to human serum albumin (AXO-HSA) in the fluid phase, as inhibitors, and amoxicilloyl-poli-L-lysine (AXO-PLL) in the solid-phase. Two distinct patterns of AX recognition by IgE were found: Group A showed a higher recognition of AX itself and AX-modified components of low molecular weights, whilst Group B showed similar recognition of both unconjugated and conjugated AX. Amoxicilloic acid was poorly recognized in both groups, which reinforces the need for AX conjugation to a carrier for optimal recognition. Remarkably, IgE recognition in Group A (selective responders to AX) is influenced by the mode of binding and/or the nature of the carrier; whereas IgE in Group B (cross-responders to penicillins) recognizes AX independently of the nature of the carrier.