bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A computational approach to estimating nondisjunction frequency inSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Chu Daniel B. , Burgess Sean M.
Published: August 2015

Errors segregating homologous chromosomes during meiosis result in the formation of aneuploid gametes and are the largest contributing factor to birth defects and spontaneous abortions in humans.Saccharomyces cerevisiaehas long served as a model organism for studying the gene network supporting normal chromosome segregation. Current methods of measuring homolog nondisjunction frequencies are laborious and involve dissecting thousands of tetrads to detect missegregation of individually marked chromosomes. Here we describe a holistic computational approach to determine the relative contributions of meiosis I nondisjunction and random spore death in mutants with reduced spore viability. These values are based on best-fit distributions of 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0 viable-spore tetrads to observed distributions in mutant and wild-type strains. We show proof-of-principle using published data sets that the calculated average meiosis I nondisjunction frequency closely matches empirically determined values. This analysis also points to meiosis I nondisjunction as an intrinsic component of spore inviability in wild-type strains. We uncover two classes of mutants that show distinct relationships between nondisjunction death and random spore death. Class I mutants, including those with known defects in establishing and maintaining the physical engagement of homologous chromosomes display a 4-fold greater ratio of nondisjunction death to random spore death compared to Class II mutants, which include those with defects in sister chromatid cohesion. Low numbers of required tetrads facilitates epistasis analysis to probe genetic interactions. Finally the application of the R-Scripts does not require any special strain construction and can be applied to previously observed tetrad distributions.
Genomic analysis of allele-specific expression in the mouse liver
Authors: Pandey Ashutosh K. , Williams Robert W.
Published: August 2015

Genetic differences in gene expression contribute significantly to phenotypic diversity and differences in disease susceptibility. In fact, the great majority of causal variants highlighted by genome-wide association are in non-coding regions that modulate expression. In order to quantify the extent of allelic differences in expression, we analyzed liver transcriptomes of isogenic F1 hybrid mice. Allele-specific expression (ASE) effects are pervasive and are detected in over 50% of assayed genes. Genes with strong ASE do not differ from those with no ASE with respect to their length or promoter complexity. However, they have a higher density of sequence variants, higher functional redundancy, and lower evolutionary conservation compared to genes with no ASE. Fifty percent of genes with no ASE are categorized as house-keeping genes. In contrast, the high ASE set may be critical in phenotype canalization. There is significant overlap between genes that exhibit ASE and those that exhibit strongcisexpression quantitative trait loci (ciseQTLs) identified using large genetic expression data sets. Eighty percent of genes withciseQTLs also have strong ASE effects. Conversely, 40% of genes with ASE effects are associated with strongciseQTLs.Cis-acting variation detected at the protein level is also detected at the transcript level, but the converse is not true. ASE is a highly sensitive and direct method to quantifycis-acting variation in gene expression and complements and extends classicciseQTL analysis. ASE differences can be combined with coding variants to produce a key resource of functional variants for precision medicine and genome-to-phenome mapping.
GreA and GreB enhanceEscherichia coliRNA polymerase transcription rate in a reconstituted transcription-translation system
Authors: De Maddalena Lea L. , Niederholtmeyer Henrike , Turtola Matti , Swank Zoe , Belogurov Georgiy A. , Maerkl Sebastian J.
Published: August 2015

Cell-free environments are becoming viable alternatives for implementing biological networks in synthetic biology. The reconstituted cell-free expression system (PURE) allows characterization of genetic networks under defined conditions but its applicability to native bacterial promoters and endogenous genetic networks is limited due to the poor transcription rate ofEscherichia coliRNA polymerase in this minimal system. We found that addition of transcription elongation factors GreA and GreB to the PURE system increased transcription rates ofE. coliRNA polymerase from sigma factor 70 promoters up to 6-fold and enhanced the performance of a genetic network. Furthermore, we reconstituted activation of naturalE. colipromoters controlling flagella biosynthesis by the transcriptional activator FlhDC and sigma factor 28. Addition of GreA/GreB to the PURE system allows efficient expression from natural and syntheticE. colipromoters and characterization of their regulation in minimal and defined reaction conditions making the PURE system more broadly applicable to study genetic networks and bottom-up synthetic biology.
Quantitative analysis of intermolecular interactions in orthorhombic rubrene
Authors: Hathwar Venkatesha R. , Sist Mattia , Jørgensen Mads R. V. , Mamakhel Aref H. , Wang Xiaoping , Hoffmann Christina M. , Sugimoto Kunihisa , Overgaard Jacob , Iversen Bo Brummerstedt
Published: August 2015

Rubrene is one of the most studied organic semiconductors to date due to its high charge carrier mobility which makes it a potentially applicable compound in modern electronic devices. Previous electronic device characterizations and first principles theoretical calculations assigned the semiconducting properties of rubrene to the presence of a large overlap of the extended π-conjugated core between molecules. We present here the electron density distribution in rubrene at 20 K and at 100 K obtained using a combination of high-resolution X-ray and neutron diffraction data. The topology of the electron density and energies of intermolecular interactions are studied quantitatively. Specifically, the presence of Cπ...Cπinteractions between neighbouring tetracene backbones of the rubrene molecules is experimentally confirmed from a topological analysis of the electron density, Non-Covalent Interaction (NCI) analysis and the calculated interaction energy of molecular dimers. A significant contribution to the lattice energy of the crystal is provided by H—H interactions. The electron density features of H—H bonding, and the interaction energy of molecular dimers connected by H—H interaction clearly demonstrate an importance of these weak interactions in the stabilization of the crystal structure. The quantitative nature of the intermolecular interactions is virtually unchanged between 20 K and 100 K suggesting that any changes in carrier transport at these low temperatures would have a different origin. The obtained experimental results are further supported by theoretical calculations.
Synthesis and crystal structures of theracemicandmesoforms of [1-{1′-4′-cyclopentadienyl-4′-cobalta-1′,12′-dicarba-closo-dodecaboranyl(10)}-4-cyclopentadienyl-4-cobalta-1,12-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane(10)], the former as its tetrahydrofuran disolvate
Authors: Mandal Dipendu , Man Wing Y. , Rosair Georgina M. , Welch Alan J.
Published: August 2015

Bothrac-[1-(1′-4′-Cp-4′,1′,12′-closo-CoC2B10H11)-4-Cp-4,1,12-closo-CoC2B10H11]·2THF (Cp is cyclopentadienyl and THF is tetrahydrofuran) or [Co2(C5H5)2(C4H22B20)]·2C4H8O, (1), andmeso-[1-(1′-4′-Cp-4′,1′,12′-closo-CoC2B10H11)-4-Cp-4,1,12-closo-CoC2B10H11] or [Co2(C5H5)2(C4H22B20)], (2), were prepared by thermolysis of arac/mesomixture of the precursor species [1-(1′-4′-Cp-4′,1′,6′-closo-CoC2B10H11)-4-Cp-4,1,6-closo-CoC2B10H11] and were separated, spectroscopically characterized and studied crystallographically. Cage C-atom identification was accomplished by both thevertex-to-centroid distanceandboron–hydrogen distancemethods, and, in both cases, the structure established crystallographically is fully consistent with the spectroscopic data. Both therac-(1) andmeso-(2) forms share the same overall conformation (Co—C—C′—Co′ca136°) and show clear evidence of intramolecular steric crowding resulting in tilted cyclopentadienyl ligands.
Crystal structure of 4-(3,4-dicyanophenoxy)-N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]benzamide monohydrate: a phenoxyphthalonitrile derivative
Authors: Çolak Senem , Yıldız Salih Zeki , Çaylak Delibaş Nagihan , Pişkin Hasan , Hökelek Tuncer
Published: August 2015

In the title compound, C20H20N4O2·H2O, the planes of the phenoxy and phthalonitrile rings are oriented at a dihedral angle of 60.39 (5)°. The 3-(dimethylamino)propyl chain has an extended conformation and isciswith respect to the phthalonitrile ring. In the crystal, O—H...O, O—H...N and N—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules to form slabs parallel to (100). There are also C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds and C—H...π interactions present within the slabs. The slabs are linked by a pair of inversion-related C—H...N hydrogen bonds, involving phthalonitrile rings, forming a three-dimensional structure.
Immunogenicity and safety of an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine in healthy adults: a phase II, open‐label, uncontrolled trial in Japan
Authors: Tsurudome Yukari , Kimachi Kazuhiko , Okada Yusuke , Matsuura Kenta , Ooyama Yusuke , Ibaragi Kayo , Kino Yoichiro , Ueda Kohji
Published: August 2015

Two antigenically distinct B strain lineages of influenza virus have co‐circulated since the mid‐1980s; however, inactivated trivalent influenza vaccines contain only one B lineage. The mismatch between the circulating and vaccine lineages has been a worldwide issue. In this study, an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) candidate containing two B lineages was manufactured and its immunogenicity and safety evaluated in an open‐label, uncontrolled trial. In this phase II trial, 50 subjects aged 20–64 years received two doses of QIV s.c. 1 to 4 weeks apart. Sera were collected pre‐ and post‐vaccination and safety assessed from the first vaccination to 21 ± 7 days after the second vaccination. After the first vaccination, hemagglutination inhibition titers against each strain increased markedly; the seroconversion rate, geometric mean titer ratio and seroprotection rate being 94.0%, 24.93, and 100.0%, respectively, for the A/H1N1pdm09 strain; 94.0%, 12.47, and 98.0%, respectively, for the A/H3N2 strain; 54.0%, 4.99, and 66.0%, respectively, for B/Yamagata strain, and 72.0%, 6.23 and 80.0%, respectively, for the B/Victoria strain, thus fulfilling the criteria of the European Medical Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use. Also, the QIV induced sufficient single radial hemolysis and neutralizing antibodies against all four vaccine strains. No noteworthy adverse events were noted. The results of this trial demonstrate that QIV is well tolerated and immunogenic for each strain, suggesting that QIV potentially improves protection against influenza B by resolving the issue of B lineage mismatch.
Examination of a plasmid‐based reverse genetics system for human astrovirus
Authors: Chapellier Benoit , Tange Shoichiro , Tasaki Hidetaka , Yoshida Kazuhiro , Zhou Yan , Sakon Naomi , Katayama Kazuhiko , Nakanishi Akira
Published: August 2015

A plasmid‐based reverse genetics system for human astrovirus type 1 (HAstV1) is examined. Upon transfection into 293T cells, the plasmid vector, which harbors a HAstV1 expression cassette, expressed astroviral RNA that appeared to be capable of viral RNA replication, as indicated by the production of subgenomic RNA and capsid protein expression irrespective of the heterologous 5′ ends of the transcribed RNA. Particles infectious to Caco‐2 cells were made in this system; however, their infectivity was much lower than would be expected from the amount of particles apparently produced. Using Huh‐7 cells as the transfection host with the aim of improving viral capsid processing for virion maturation partially restored the efficiency of infectious particle formation. Our results support the possibility that the DNA transfection process induces a cellular response that targets late, but not early, stages of HAstV1 infection.
Ample germination ability under wide‐ranging environmental conditions in a common understory tropical palm
Authors: Braz Maria Isabel Guedes , Ferreira Raquel de Moura , Portela Rita de Cássia Quitete , Mattos Eduardo Arcoverde de
Published: August 2015

Although palms play an important ecological role in tropical forests, characteristics related to their germinative niche remain largely unknown. We evaluated the seed germination characteristics of Geonoma schottiana, an abundant palm in the understory of different ecosystems of the Atlantic Rain Forest biome and the gallery forests of the Cerrado biome. We conducted experiments under light and dark conditions at Ψ = 0 MPa, and under two low‐water‐potential conditions and a flooded condition. Seed germination was highest at Ψ = 0 MPa under light (72%) and dark (67%) conditions. We observed moderate (51%) and low (18%) seed germination at Ψ = −0.4 and −0.8 MPa. About 20% of ungerminated seeds subjected to low water potentials for 300 days remained viable. No seeds germinated under flooded conditions; however, 23% of them maintained germinability. A delay in seed germination time was observed at low water potentials and an increase in synchrony occurred at Ψ = −0.8 MPa. G. schottiana seeds did not require specific light conditions to germinate, and the species possesses germinative characteristics to cope with deficit and excess of water. Probably, this wide germination niche allows for its seeds to germinate over a wide range of habitats in different types of ecosystems.
Diet specialization selects for an unusual and simplified gut microbiota in two‐ and three‐toed sloths
Authors: Dill‐McFarland Kimberly A. , Weimer Paul J. , Pauli Jonathan N. , Peery M. Zachariah , Suen Garret
Published: August 2015

Symbiotic microbial communities are critical to the function and survival of animals. This relationship is obligatory for herbivores that engage gut microorganisms for the conversion of dietary plant materials into nutrients such as short‐chain organic acids (SCOAs). The constraint on body size imposed by their arboreal lifestyle is thought to make this symbiosis especially important for sloths. Here, we use next‐generation sequencing to identify the bacteria present in the fore and distal guts of wild two‐ and three‐toed sloths, and correlate these communities with both diet and SCOAs. We show that, unlike other mammalian herbivores, sloth gut communities are dominated by the bacterial phyla Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Specifically, three‐toed sloths possess a highly conserved, low‐diversity foregut community with a highly abundant Neisseria species associated with foregut lactate. In contrast, two‐toed sloths have a more variable and diverse foregut microbiota correlated with a variety of SCOAs. These differences support the hypothesis that feeding behaviour selects for specific gut bacterial communities, as three‐toed sloths subsist primarily on Cecropia tree leaves while two‐toed sloths have a more generalist diet. The less diverse diet and gut microbiota of three‐toed sloths may render them more susceptible to habitat loss and other diet‐altering conditions.
Interface Methods: Renegotiating Relations between Digital Social Research, STS and Sociology
Authors: Marres Noortje , Gerlitz Carolin
Published: August 2015

This paper introduces a distinctive approach to methods development in digital social research called ‘interface methods’. We begin by discussing various methodological confluences between digital media, social studies of science and technology (STS) and sociology. Some authors have posited significant overlap between, on the one hand, sociological and STS concepts, and on the other hand, the ontologies of digital media. Others have emphasized the significant differences between prominent methods built into digital media and those of STS and sociology. This paper advocates a third approach, one that (a) highlights the dynamism and relative under-determinacy of digital methods, and (b) affirms that multiple methodological traditions intersect in digital devices and research. We argue that these two circumstances enable a distinctive approach to methodology in digital social research – thinking methods as ‘interface methods’ – and the paper contextualizes this approach in two different ways. First, we show how the proliferation of online data tools or ‘digital analytics’ opens up distinctive opportunities for critical and creative engagement with methods development at the intersection of sociology, STS and digital research. Second, we discuss a digital research project in which we investigated a specific ‘interface method’, namely co-occurrence analysis. In this digital pilot study we implemented this method in a critical and creative way to analyse and visualize ‘issue dynamics’ in the area of climate change on Twitter. We evaluate this project in the light of our principal objective, which was to test the possibilities for the modification of methods through experimental implementation and interfacing of various methodological traditions. To conclude, we discuss a major obstacle to the development of ‘interface methods’: digital media are marked by particular quantitative dynamics that seem adverse to some of the methodological commitments of sociology and STS. To address this, we argue in favour of a methodological approach in digital social research that affirms its maladjustment to the research methods that are prevalent in the medium.
The analytic setting today: using the couch or the chair?
Authors: Wiener Jan
Published: August 2015

This paper re‐visits Murray Jackson's 1961 paper in the Journal of Analytical Psychology, ‘Chair, couch and countertransference’, with the aim of exploring the role of the couch for Jungian analysts in clinical practice today. Within the Society of Analytical Psychology (SAP) and some other London‐based societies, there has been an evolution of practice from face‐to‐face sessions with the patient in the chair, as was Jung's preference, to a mode of practice where patients use the couch with the analyst sitting to the side rather than behind, as has been the tradition in psychoanalysis. Fordham was the founding member of the SAP and it was because of his liaison with psychoanalysis and psychoanalysts that this cultural shift came about. Using clinical examples, the author explores the couch/chair question in terms of her own practice and the internal setting as a structure in her mind. With reference to Bleger's (2013) paper ‘Psychoanalysis of the psychoanalytic setting’, the author discusses how the analytic setting, including use of the couch or the chair, can act as a silent container for the most primitive aspects of the patient's psyche which will only emerge in analysis when the setting changes or is breached.
Revisioning Fordham's ‘Defences of the self’ in light of modern relational theory and contemporary neuroscience
Authors: Kalsched Donald E.
Published: August 2015

This paper explores the evolution of Michael Fordham's ideas concerning ‘defences of the self’, including his application of this concept to a group of ‘difficult’ adult patients in his famous 1974 paper by the same name. After tracing the relevance of Fordham's ideas to my own discovery of a ‘self‐care system’ in the psychological material of early trauma patients (Kalsched ), I describe how Fordham's seminal notions might be revisioned in light of contemporary relational theory as well as early attachment theory and affective neuroscience. These revisionings involve an awareness that the severe woundings of early unremembered trauma are not transformable through interpretation but will inevitably be repeated in the transference, leading to mutual ‘enactments’ between the analytic partners and, hopefully, to a new outcome. A clinical example of one such mutual enactment between the author and his patient is provided. The paper concludes with reflections on the clinical implications of this difficult case and what it means to become a ‘real person’ to our patients. Finally, Jung's alchemical views on transference are shown to be useful analogies in our understanding of the necessary mutuality in the healing process with these patients.
Michael Fordham and the Journal of Analytical Psychology: the view from Hangman's Hill
Authors: Urban Elizabeth
Published: August 2015

This short paper was presented to a conference in honour of the 60th year of the JAP and was one of others that acknowledged the contribution of Michael Fordham. The subtitle refers to the paper's overview of Fordham's published oeuvre and the particular place of the Journal of Analytical Psychology, for which he was the founding editor. Fordham's contribution to a Jungian‐based model of development is discussed, with reference to his papers in the British Journal of Medical Psychology. The paper notes miscellaneous pieces from Fordham's commentaries, obituaries, papers and reviews which capture not only the development of Fordham as a thinker but also his character. There is discussion of his reviews of Melanie Klein's Envy and Gratitude and manuscripts by Erich Neumann. A reminiscence of Fordham as supervisor is recounted.
A revolution of the mind: some implications of George Hogenson's ‘The Baldwin Effect: a neglected influence on C.G. Jung's evolutionary thinking’ (2001)
Authors: Colman Warren
Published: August 2015

George Hogenson's 2001 paper ‘The Baldwin Effect: a neglected influence on C.G. Jung's evolutionary thinking’ developed the radical argument that, if archetypes are emergent, they ‘do not exist in the sense that there is no place that the archetypes can be said to be’. In this paper, I show how Hogenson's thinking has been seminal to my own: it is not just archetypes but the mind itself that has no ‘place’. The mind is a dynamic system, emergent from the cultural environment of symbolic meanings to which humans are evolutionarily adapted. Drawing on the work of philosopher John Searle, I argue that symbols constitute the realities that they bring forth, including the imaginal realities of the psyche. The implications for clinical work include a rejection of structural models of the psyche in favour of the emergence of symbolic realities in the context of psychoanalysis as a distributed system of cognition.
Morphoscopic Trait Expression in “Hispanic” Populations
Authors: Hefner Joseph T. , Pilloud Marin A. , Black Cullen J. , Anderson Bruce E.
Published: August 2015

This study evaluates population variation of eight cranial morphoscopic traits using samples of known southwest Hispanics (n = 72), Guatemalans (n = 106), American Blacks (n = 146), and American Whites (n = 218). We applied the support vector machine (SVM) method to build a prediction model based on a subsample (20%) of the data; the remainder of the data was used as a test sample. The SVM approach effectively differentiated between the four groups with correct classification rates between 72% (Guatemalan group) and 94% (American Black group). However, when the Guatemalan and southwest Hispanic samples were pooled, the same model correctly classified all groups with a higher degree of accuracy (American Black = 96%; American White = 77%; and the pooled Hispanic sample = 91%). This study also identified significant differences between the two Hispanic groups in six of the eight traits using univariate statistical tests. These results speak to the unique population histories of these samples and the current use of the term “Hispanic” within forensic anthropology. Finally, we argue that the SVM can be used as a classification model for ancestry estimation in a forensic context and as a diagnostic tool may broaden the application of morphoscopic trait data for the assessment of ancestry.
FORENSIC Autopsy of People Having Committed Suicide in 2002 and in 2012: Comparison of Epidemiological and Sociological Data
Authors: Franchi Angélique , Bagur Jacques , Lemoine Patrick , Maucort‐Boulch Delphine , Malicier Daniel , Maujean Géraldine
Published: August 2015

This work compares epidemiological and sociological data on persons having committed suicide in 2002 and in 2012 through a retrospective study of every suicide case having led to an autopsy at the Institute for Forensic Medicine of Lyon in 2002 and in 2012. The study included sociodemographic data, medical data, and toxicological data. A total of 486 cases were included (242 cases in 2002 and 244 cases in 2012). People committing suicide were on average older in 2012 than in 2002 with a larger proportion of over 55. There was also an increase in the proportion of psychiatric antecedents (p < 0.001). Whatever the date of death by suicide, the most affected age range is the 45–54. The results highlight the necessity of bolstering the prevention plans, in particular for people over 45.
The Influence of New Technologies on the Visual Attention of CSIs Performing a Crime Scene Investigation
Authors: de Gruijter Madeleine , de Poot Christianne J. , Elffers Henk
Published: August 2015

Currently, a series of promising new tools are under development that will enable crime scene investigators (CSIs) to analyze traces in situ during the crime scene investigation or enable them to detect blood and provide information on the age of blood. An experiment is conducted with thirty CSIs investigating a violent robbery at a mock crime scene to study the influence of such technologies on the perception and interpretation of traces during the first phase of the investigation. Results show that in their search for traces, CSIs are not directed by the availability of technologies, which is a reassuring finding. Qualitative findings suggest that CSIs are generally more focused on analyzing perpetrator traces than on reconstructing the event. A focus on perpetrator traces might become a risk when other crime‐related traces are overlooked, and when analyzed traces are in fact not crime‐related and in consequence lead to the identification of innocent suspects.
Validation of the New Interpretation of Gerasimov's Nasal Projection Method for Forensic Facial Approximation Using CT Data,
Authors: Maltais Lapointe Genevieve , Lynnerup Niels , Hoppa Robert D.
Published: August 2015

The most common method to predict nasal projection for forensic facial approximation is Gerasimov's two‐tangent method. Ullrich H, Stephan CN (J Forensic Sci, 2011; 56: 470) argued that the method has not being properly implemented and a revised interpretation was proposed. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of both versions using a sample of 66 postmortem cranial CT data. The true nasal tip was defined using pronasale and nasal spine line, as it was not originally specified by Gerasimov. The original guidelines were found to be highly inaccurate with the position of the nasal tip being overestimated by c. 2 cm. Despite the revised interpretation consistently resulting in smaller distance from true nasal tip, the method was not statistically accurate (p > 0.05) in positioning the tip of the nose (absolute distance >5 mm). These results support that Gerasimov's method was not properly performed, and Ullrich H, Stephan CN (J Forensic Sci, 2011; 56: 470) interpretation should be used instead.
Long‐Term Trends of Nutrients and Sediment from the Nontidal Chesapeake Watershed: An Assessment of Progress by River and Season
Authors: Zhang Qian , Brady Damian C. , Boynton Walter R. , Ball William P.
Published: August 2015

To assess historical loads of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and suspended sediment (SS) from the nontidal Chesapeake Bay watershed (NTCBW), we analyzed decadal seasonal trends of flow‐normalized loads at the fall‐line of nine major rivers that account for >90% of NTCBW flow. Evaluations of loads by season revealed N, P, and SS load magnitudes have been highest in January‐March and lowest in July‐September, but the temporal trends have followed similar decadal‐scale patterns in all seasons, with notable exceptions. Generally, total N (TN) load has dropped since the late 1980s, but particulate nutrients and SS have risen since the mid‐1990s. The majority of these rises were from Susquehanna River and relate to diminished net trapping at the Conowingo Reservoir. Substantial rises in SS were also observed, however, in other rivers. Moreover, the summed rise in particulate P load from other rivers is of similar magnitude as from Susquehanna. Dissolved nutrient loads have dropped in the upland (Piedmont and above) rivers, but risen in two small rivers in the Coastal Plain affected by lagged groundwater input. In addition, analysis of fractional contributions revealed consistent N trends across the upland watersheds. Finally, total N:total P ratios have declined in most rivers, suggesting the potential for changes in nutrient limitation. Overall, this integrated study of historical data highlights the value of maintaining long‐term monitoring at multiple watershed locations.
Trust in Sources of Soil and Water Quality Information: Implications for Environmental Outreach and Education
Authors: Mase Amber Saylor , Babin Nicholas L. , Prokopy Linda Stalker , Genskow Kenneth D.
Published: August 2015

Public trust in organizations focused on improving environmental quality is important for increasing awareness and changing behaviors that have water quality implications. Few studies have addressed trust in soil and water quality information sources, particularly for both agricultural and nonagricultural respondents of the same watersheds. Surveys in 19 watersheds across five states in the Midwest assessed trust in, and familiarity with, soil and water quality information sources. Overall, respondents most trusted University Extension, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service, while lawn care companies, environmental groups, and land trusts were less trusted. Significant differences in trusted sources were found between watersheds, and between agricultural and nonagricultural respondents across and within watersheds. Among agricultural respondents, a clear relationship exists between familiarity and trust; as familiarity with an organization increases, so too does level of trust. This relationship is less clear‐cut for nonagricultural respondents in this region. We highlight implications of these findings for soil and water quality outreach efforts.
Risk, return and mean‐variance efficiency of Islamic and non‐Islamic stocks: evidence from a unique Malaysian data set
Authors: Akhtar Shumi , Jahromi Maria
Published: August 2015

We find that Islamic stocks are more mean–variance efficient than non‐Islamic stocks and the market because they reduce risk of the same level of returns. We combine a unique Malaysian data set of individual Islamic stocks (as opposed to aggregate stock indices) since 1997 with a new method where we apply Islamic business activity and financial ratio screens to the universe of Malaysian stocks. Both data sets show that Islamic stocks have an annualised standard deviation that is on average 3.43–3.78 percent points lower compared to non‐Islamic stocks. This lower variance of Islamic stocks is exclusively driven by financial ratio screens.
An Empirical Validation Study of Popular Survey Methodologies for Sensitive Questions
Authors: Rosenfeld Bryn , Imai Kosuke , Shapiro Jacob N.
Published: August 2015

When studying sensitive issues, including corruption, prejudice, and sexual behavior, researchers have increasingly relied upon indirect questioning techniques to mitigate such known problems of direct survey questions as underreporting and nonresponse. However, there have been surprisingly few empirical validation studies of these indirect techniques because the information required to verify the resulting estimates is often difficult to access. This article reports findings from the first comprehensive validation study of indirect methods. We estimate whether people voted for an anti‐abortion referendum held during the 2011 Mississippi General Election using direct questioning and three popular indirect methods: list experiment, endorsement experiment, and randomized response. We then validate these estimates against the official election outcome. While direct questioning leads to significant underestimation of sensitive votes against the referendum, indirect survey techniques yield estimates much closer to the actual vote count, with endorsement experiment and randomized response yielding the least bias.
Leukemia inhibitory factor promotes tumor growth and metastasis in human osteosarcoma via activating STAT3
Authors: Liu Bin , Lu Yi , Li Jinzhi , Liu Yanping , Liu Jian , Wang Weiguo
Published: August 2015

The leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has been demonstrated to be an oncogene and participated in multiple procedures during the initiation and progression of many human malignancies. However, the role of LIF in osteosarcoma is still largely unknown. Here, we performed a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments to investigate the expression and biological functions of LIF in osteosarcoma. Compared to that in the non‐cancerous tissues, LIF was significantly overexpressed in a panel of 68 osteosarcoma samples (p < 0.0001). Moreover, the overexpression of LIF was significantly correlated with advanced tumor stage, larger tumor size, and shorter overall survival. In addition, knockdown of LIF notably suppressed the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma via blocking the STAT3 signal pathway; in contrast, treatment with the recombinant LIF protein significantly promoted the growth and invasion of osteosarcoma through enhancing the phosphorylation of STAT3, which can be partially neutralized by the STAT3 inhibitor, HO‐3867. In conclusion, we demonstrated that LIF was frequently overexpressed in osteosarcoma, which could promote the growth and invasion through activating the STAT3 pathway. Our findings proposed that LIF might be a potent therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.
Pharmacokinetic interaction between the CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole and the hormone drospirenone in combination with ethinylestradiol or estradiol
Authors: Wiesinger Herbert , Berse Matthias , Klein Stefan , Gschwend Simone , Höchel Joachim , Zollmann Frank S. , Schütt Barbara
Published: August 2015

Aims

The present study was conducted to investigate the influence of the strong CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole (KTZ) on the pharmacokinetics of drospirenone (DRSP) administered in combination with ethinylestradiol (EE) or estradiol (E2).

Methods

This was a randomized, multicentre, open label, one way crossover, fixed sequence study with two parallel treatment arms. A group sequential design allowed terminating the study for futility after first study cohort. About 50 healthy young women were randomized 1 : 1 to 'DRSP/EE' or 'DRSP/E2'. Subjects in the 'DRSP/EE' group received DRSP 3 mg/EE 0.02 mg (YAZ®, Bayer) once daily for 21 to 28 days followed by DRSP 3 mg/EE 0.02 mg once daily plus KTZ 200 mg twice daily for 10 days. Subjects in the 'DRSP/E2' group received DRSP 3 mg/E2 1.5 mg (research combination) once daily for 21 to 28 days followed by DRSP 3 mg/E2 1.5 mg once daily plus KTZ 200 mg twice daily for 10 days.

Results

Oral co‐administration of DRSP/EE or DRSP/E2 and KTZ resulted in an increase in DRSP exposure (AUC(0,24 h)) in both treatment groups: DRSP/EE group: 2.68‐fold DRSP increase (90% CI 2.44, 2.95); DRSP/E2 group: 2.30‐fold DRSP increase (90% CI 2.08, 2.54). EE and estrone (metabolite of E2) exposures were increased ~1.4‐fold whereas E2 exposure was largely unaffected by KTZ co‐administration.

Conclusions

A moderate pharmacokinetic drug–drug interaction between DRSP and KTZ was demonstrated in this study. No relevant changes of medical concern were detected in the safety data collected in this study.
Similar Adiponectin Levels in Obese Normotensive and Obese Hypertensive Men and No Vasorelaxant Effect of Adiponectin on Human Arteries
Authors: Dreier Rasmus , Asferg Camilla , Berg Jais O. , Andersen Ulrik B. , Flyvbjerg Allan , Frystyk Jan , Linneberg Allan , Jeppesen Jørgen L. , Edvinsson Lars , Skovsted Gry F.
Published: August 2015

Obesity is a strong risk factor for hypertension, but the mechanism linking obesity to hypertension is not fully elucidated. In obesity, circulating concentrations of adiponectin are decreased and hypoadiponectinaemia has in some but not all studies been associated with increased risk of hypertension. Due to this inconsistency, we decided to study adiponectin from two aspects in a cross‐sectional in vivo study and in an experimental in vitro study. In the cross‐sectional study, 103 men with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30.0 kg/m2 were studied; 63 had 24‐hr ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) ≥ 130/80 mmHg (ObeseHT) and 40 had 24‐hr ABP < 130/80 mmHg (ObeseNT). As controls, we studied 27 men with BMI between 20.0 and 24.9 kg/m2 and 24‐hr ABP < 130/80 mmHg (LeanNT). Serum concentrations of adiponectin and body composition using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry scanning were determined. In vitro, the direct vasomotor response of adiponectin was tested on subcutaneous resistance arteries from human abdominal adipose tissue. The two obese groups had lower adiponectin concentrations compared with LeanNT (p < 0.01) [median (interquartile range)]: ObeseHT 6.5 (5.1–8.3) mg/L; ObeseNT 6.6 (5.2–7.8) mg/L; and LeanNT 9.4 (6.7–12.4) mg/L, with no significant difference in adiponectin concentrations (or body composition) between ObeseHT and ObeseNT (p = 0.67). In vitro, adiponectin did not have any direct vasodilatory effect and adiponectin did not affect angiotensin II‐stimulated vasoconstriction. In conclusion, obese hypertensive men have similar serum concentrations of adiponectin as obese normotensive men. In combination with the in vitro data, these findings question a pathogenic role of adiponectin in human hypertension.
3D face model dataset: Automatic detection of facial expressions and emotions for educational environments
Authors: Chickerur Satyadhyan , Joshi Kartik
Published: August 2015

Emotion detection using facial images is a technique that researchers have been using for the last two decades to try to analyze a person's emotional state given his/her image. Detection of various kinds of emotion using facial expressions of students in educational environment is useful in providing insight into the effectiveness of tutoring sessions. Robust recognition with conventional 2D cameras is still not possible under realistic conditions, ie, in the presence of variation in lighting and illumination and pose variations of the participants. This paper discusses in brief how facial expression recognition from 3D models could be achieved for applications under various educational environments. 3D Face Model dataset for various facial expressions of about 95 undergraduate students of the Department of Information Science and Engineering was collected. The new dataset produced comprise 3D models of emotions represented by five groups of facial expressions, namely: normal, happy, sad, surprised and angry, which are mainly seen among students during their college days. These data were collected using a Kinect camera, which also gives the depth map for the facial expressions. The dataset collected is a point cloud. The Kinect camera measures a large number of points on the face of the person and this output is stored as a point cloud data (PCD) file. The point cloud thus represents the sets of points that the camera has measured. The data are stored in the PCD file format, which supports the 3D point cloud data, and which can be viewed using any point cloud library (PCL) viewer.
Classification of word levels with usage frequency, expert opinions and machine learning
Authors: Sohsah Gihad N. , Ünal Muhammed Esad , Güzey Onur
Published: August 2015

Educational applications for language teaching can utilize the language levels of words to target proficiency levels of students. This paper and the accompanying data provide a methodology for making educational standard‐aligned language‐level predictions for all English words. The methodology involves expert opinions on language levels and extending these opinions to other words using machine learning and data from a large corpus. Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR) level predictions for about 50 000 words, which can be readily used in educational applications, are also provided. For applications where the cost of misclassification varies, machine learning model parameters and algorithm selection must be adjusted. A large number of expert opinions taken from a survey with 30 practicing language teachers that can be used for this adjustment are also released. The overall methodology can be applied to low‐resource languages, where CEFR‐level classifications may not exist, by adding a comparable survey and corpus. The data are released with a Creative Commons Attribution license to enable free mixing, sharing and even use in commercial applications.
Beghetto, Ronald Aet al (2015) Teaching for creativity in the Common Core classroomTeachers College Press (Columbia University, NY & Eurospan, London) isbn 978‐0‐8077‐5615‐7 128 pp £31.50 http://store.tcpress.com/0807756156.shtml
Authors: Salmani Nodoushan Mohammad Ali
Published: August 2015

Targeting classroom teachers working to the US Common Core standards, this book draws on cutting‐edge psychological research to show the intricate interface between that approach and teaching for creativity, perhaps an opposite. It presents remarkable practical advice on how restricted curriculum classroom teachers can foster creativity in the learners. If—but only if—you are a Common Core classroom teacher, I recommend that you buy a copy of this book for your own use.

Otherwise, if the content of this book is still likely to be relevant to you, you will probably find parts of it of interest or use.

Mohammad Ali Salmani Nodoushan
Ellison, Jane L & Hayes, Carolee ed (2014) Cognitive coachingRowman & Littlefield (Lanham MD & Plymouth UK) isbn 978‐0‐4422‐2413‐1 261 pp £18.95 https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442224148/Cognitive‐Coaching‐Weaving‐Threads‐of‐Learning‐and‐Change‐into‐the‐Culture‐of‐an‐Organization
Authors: Salmani Nodoushan Mohammad Ali
Published: August 2015

Presupposing that the principles of Cognitive CoachingSM have the potential to transform individuals' identities, this edited volume claims that the same principles can also transform the identities of organisations. However, if you already know the principles of Cognitive Coaching, you will probably find only parts of the text of some interest or use.

Mohammad Ali Salmani Nodoushan
HUMAN CAPITAL AND THE PROBABILITY OF DIVORCE
Authors: Zax Ori
Published: August 2015

Concern about the high poverty rates experienced by children in female‐headed households has led to policies aimed at increasing these households' income. In this paper we present a model that analyses decisions made before and during marriage to invest in the human capital of parents and children. These decisions result from a variety of anticipated post‐divorce monetary transfers between spouses.
Liver transplantation from living donors with Gilbert's syndrome is a safe procedure for both donors and recipients
Authors: Tanoglu Alpaslan , Artis Tarik , Donmez Ramazan , Kargi Ahmet , Sit Mustafa , Aslan Serdar , Yazar Serafettin , Beyazit Yavuz , Polat Kamil Yalcin
Published: August 2015

Liver transplantation (LT) has become a favorable therapeutic option for patients with end‐stage liver diseases. Gilbert's syndrome (GS) is a benign condition characterized by intermittent mild jaundice due to unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. It is not obvious whether living‐donor liver transplantation (LDLT) from a donor with GS could result in a normal outcome for both the recipient and the donor. We aimed to determine whether right lobe hepatectomy is a safe procedure for living donors with GS and LT recipients. Between September 2011 and March 2015, 305 LDLT procedures using right lobe grafts were performed at Atasehir Memorial Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Nineteen of 305 LT candidates who had been diagnosed with GS were included in the current study. After a 12‐h overnight fast, total and indirect bilirubin levels of donors and recipients were measured. The median follow‐up after transplant was 16 months (range 3–36 months). The median age of donors was 25 (range 20–55 yr). Four donors (21%) were female, and 15 donors (89%) were male. The median age of donors was 51 (range 23–68 yr). Eleven recipients (57%) were female, and 8 (43%) were male. The median preoperative total bilirubin level of donors was 1.69 mg/dL (range 1.26–2.43 mg/dL) (normal range <1.2 mg/dL). The median total bilirubin level of donors on postoperative day 7 was 1.04 mg/dL (range 0.71–3.23 mg/dL). As our study has included a large number of donors with GS, it produced reliable evidence that right lobe hepatectomy is a safe procedure for living donors with GS and LT recipients.
Association of Hepatitis C Virus Infection with Proteinuria and Glomerular Filtration Rate
Authors: Kurbanova Nargiza , Qayyum Rehan
Published: August 2015

Aim

Despite several studies, the extent to which hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains controversial. Thus, we examined the relationship between HCV and CKD using the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2012).

Methods

Specimens positive for anti‐HCV antibodies were retested and confirmed with recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). Proteinuria was defined as urine albumin creatinine ratio > 30 mg/g. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. We used linear and logistic regression models to examine the association between HCV and outcomes with and without adjustment for age, sex, race, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and body mass index and accounting for the complex survey design.

Results

Of the 33,729 eligible participants, HCV infection was present in 659 (1.73%). In unadjusted and adjusted analyses, HCV was associated with proteinuria (OR = 1.40, p = 0.01 and OR = 1.50, p = 0.02, respectively). In both unadjusted and adjusted analyses, individuals with HCV had significantly higher GFR than individuals without (1.4 mL/min, p = 0.04 and 2.7 mL/min, p < 0.001, respectively). We did not find an association of HCV with CKD in adjusted or unadjusted analyses.

Conclusion

HCV infection is associated with proteinuria and high GFR but not with CKD. The biological mechanism of the observed association needs further study.
Squamous cell carcinoma with osteoclast‐like giant cells: a morphologically heterologous group including carcinosarcoma and squamous cell carcinoma with stromal changes
Authors: Chung Hye Jin , Wolpowitz Deon , Scott Glynis , Gilmore Elaine , Bhawan Jag
Published: August 2015

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with osteoclast‐like giant cells (hereafter, osteoclastic cells) is very rare; eight cases have been reported since 2006. Whether the osteoclastic cells represents a reactive or neoplastic change remains a matter of debate. Osteoclastic cells are often observed in the sarcomatous component of cutaneous carcinosarcoma. SCC with osteoclastic cells is a heterogeneous condition that includes SCC with stromal changes containing osteoclastic cells (also known as osteoclast‐like giant cell reaction) and carcinosarcoma. In some cases, SCC with an associated osteoclast‐like giant cell reaction has been differentiated from carcinosarcoma based on the degree of cytologic atypia in non‐epithelial components. We summarized the clinical and histopathologic characteristics of 11 patients of SCC with osteoclastic cells, including our two cases of SCC with an osteoclast‐like giant cell reaction and one case of carcinosarcoma. The affected patients were old and more likely to be male (64%). Seven cases (64%) were in the head and neck. Moreover, multiple features of high risk SCC were observed, such as a tumor size greater than 2 cm (56%), moderate or poor differentiation (100%), recurrence (33%) and nodal metastasis (17%) after excision and immunosuppression (27%). Interestingly, half of the previously reported cases of SCC with osteoclastic giant cell reaction had histopathologic findings that were overlapping with those of carcinosarcoma.