bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conceptualizing and Managing Medical Emergencies Where No Formal Paramedical System Exists: Perspectives from a Remote Indigenous Community in Canada
Authors: Curran Jeffrey , Ritchie Stephen , Beardy Jackson , VanderBurgh David , Born Karen , Lewko John , Orkin Aaron
Published: February 2018

(1) Background: Remote communities in Canada lack an equitable emergency medical response capacity compared to other communities. Community-based emergency care (CBEC) training for laypeople is a model that has the potential to enhance the medical emergency response capacity in isolated and resource-limited contexts. The purpose of this study was to understand the characteristics of medical emergencies and to conceptualize and present a framework for what a medical emergency is for one remote Indigenous community in northwestern Ontario, in order to inform the development of CBEC training. (2) Methods: This study adhered to the principles of community-based participatory research and realist evaluation; it was an integrated component of the formative evaluation of the second Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative (SLWEREI) training course in 2012. Twelve members of Sachigo Lake First Nation participated in the training course, along with local nursing staff, police officers, community Elders, and course instructors (n = 24 total), who participated in interviews, focus groups, and a collaborative discussion of local health issues in the development of the SLWEREI. (3) Results: The qualitative results are organized into sections that describe the types of local health emergencies and the informal response system of community members in addressing these emergencies. Prominent themes of health adversity that emerged were an inability to manage chronic conditions and fears of exacerbations, the lack of capacity for addressing mental illness, and the high prevalence of injury for community members. (4) Discussion: A three-point framework of what constitutes local perceptions of an emergency emerged from the findings in this study: (1) a sense of isolation; (2) a condition with a potentially adverse outcome; and (3) a need for help.
A Novel Flavonoid Glucoside from the Fruits of Lycium ruthenicun
Authors: Qi Jing-Jing , Yan Yong-Ming , Cheng Li-Zhi , Liu Bao-Hua , Qin Fu-Ying , Cheng Yong-Xian
Published: February 2018

A novel flavonoid glucoside, ruthenicunoid A (1), together with eight known substances, were isolated from the fruits of Lycium ruthenicun Murr. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data and chemical methods. Especially, the absolute configuration of glucose residue in 1 was assigned by acid hydrolysis followed by derivatization and GC analysis. Biological evaluation towards Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) found that compounds 1 and 2 exhibit inhibitory activity against SIRT1 in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating its potential on SIRT1-associated disorders.
Prediction of Disordered Regions and Their Roles in the Anti-Pathogenic and Immunomodulatory Functions of Butyrophilins
Authors: Redwan Elrashdy , Al-Hejin Ahmed , Almehdar Hussein , Elsaway Abdelrahman , Uversky Vladimir
Published: February 2018

Butyrophilins (BTNs) are a group of the moonlighting proteins, some members of which are secreted in milk. They constitute a large family of structurally similar type 1 transmembrane proteins from the immunoglobulin superfamily. Although the founding member of this family is related to lactation, participating in the secretion, formation and stabilization of milk fat globules, it may also have a cell surface receptor function. Generally, the BTN family members are known to modulate co-stimulatory responses, T cell selection, differentiation, and cell fate determination. Polymorphism of these genes was shown to be associated with the pathology of several human diseases. Despite their biological significance, structural information on human butyrophilins is rather limited. Based on their remarkable multifunctionality, butyrophilins seem to belong to the category of moonlighting proteins, which are known to contain intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDPRs). However, the disorder status of human BTNs was not systematically investigated as of yet. The goal of this study is to fill this gap and to evaluate peculiarities of intrinsic disorder predisposition of the members of human BTN family, and to find if they have IDPRs that can be attributed to the multifunctionality of these important proteins.
Using Psychophysiological Sensors to Assess Mental Workload During Web Browsing
Authors: Jimenez-Molina Angel , Retamal Cristian , Lira Hernan
Published: February 2018

Knowledge of the mental workload induced by a Web page is essential for improving users’ browsing experience. However, continuously assessing the mental workload during a browsing task is challenging. To address this issue, this paper leverages the correlation between stimuli and physiological responses, which are measured with high-frequency, non-invasive psychophysiological sensors during very short span windows. An experiment was conducted to identify levels of mental workload through the analysis of pupil dilation measured by an eye-tracking sensor. In addition, a method was developed to classify mental workload by appropriately combining different signals (electrodermal activity (EDA), electrocardiogram, photoplethysmo-graphy (PPG), electroencephalogram (EEG), temperature and pupil dilation) obtained with non-invasive psychophysiological sensors. The results show that the Web browsing task involves four levels of mental workload. Also, by combining all the sensors, the efficiency of the classification reaches 93.7%.
Lie Symmetry of the Diffusive Lotka–Volterra System with Time-Dependent Coefficients
Authors: Davydovych Vasyl’
Published: February 2018

Lie symmetry classification of the diffusive Lotka–Volterra system with time-dependent coefficients in the case of a single space variable is studied. A set of such symmetries in an explicit form is constructed. A nontrivial ansatz reducing the Lotka–Volterra system with correctly-specified coefficients to the system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and an example of the exact solution with a biological interpretation are found.
One-pot preparation of 4-aryl-3-bromocoumarins from 4-aryl-2-propynoic acids with diaryliodonium salts, TBAB, and Na2S2O8
Authors: Sasaki Teppei , Moriyama Katsuhiko , Togo Hideo
Published: February 2018

Various 4-aryl-3-bromocoumarins were smoothly obtained in moderate yields in one pot by treating 3-aryl-2-propynoic acids with diaryliodonium triflates and K2CO3 in the presence of CuCl, followed by the reaction with tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) and Na2S2O8. The obtained 3-bromo-4-phenylcoumarin was transformed into 4-phenylcoumarin derivatives bearing C–H, C–S, C–N, and C–C bonds at 3-position.
Response of Solar Irradiance to Sunspot-area Variations
Authors: Dudok de Wit T. , Kopp G. , Shapiro A. , Witzke V. , Kretzschmar M.
Published: February 2018

One of the important open questions in solar irradiance studies is whether long-term variability (i.e., on timescales of years and beyond) can be reconstructed by means of models that describe short-term variability (i.e., days) using solar proxies as inputs. Preminger & Walton showed that the relationship between spectral solar irradiance and proxies of magnetic-flux emergence, such as the daily sunspot area, can be described in the framework of linear system theory by means of the impulse response. We significantly refine that empirical model by removing spurious solar-rotational effects and by including an additional term that captures long-term variations. Our results show that long-term variability cannot be reconstructed from the short-term response of the spectral irradiance, which questions the extension of solar proxy models to these timescales. In addition, we find that the solar response is nonlinear in a way that cannot be corrected simply by applying a rescaling to a sunspot area.
Galaxy Zoo: Morphological Classification of Galaxy Images from the Illustris Simulation
Authors: Dickinson Hugh , Fortson Lucy , Lintott Chris , Scarlata Claudia , Willett Kyle , Bamford Steven , Beck Melanie , Cardamone Carolin , Galloway Melanie , Simmons Brooke , Keel William , Kruk Sandor , Masters Karen , Vogelsberger Mark , Torrey Paul , Snyder Gregory F.
Published: February 2018

Modern large-scale cosmological simulations model the universe with increasing sophistication and at higher spatial and temporal resolutions. These ongoing enhancements permit increasingly detailed comparisons between the simulation outputs and real observational data. Recent projects such as Illustris are capable of producing simulated images that are designed to be comparable to those obtained from local surveys. This paper tests the degree to which Illustris achieves this goal across a diverse population of galaxies using visual morphologies derived from Galaxy Zoo citizen scientists. Morphological classifications provided by these volunteers for simulated galaxies are compared with similar data for a compatible sample of images drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Legacy Survey. This paper investigates how simple morphological characterization by human volunteers asked to distinguish smooth from featured systems differs between simulated and real galaxy images. Significant differences are identified, which are most likely due to the limited resolution of the simulation, but which could be revealing real differences in the dynamical evolution of populations of galaxies in the real and model universes. Specifically, for stellar masses

, a substantially larger proportion of Illustris galaxies that exhibit disk-like morphology or visible substructure, relative to their SDSS counterparts. Toward higher masses, the visual morphologies for simulated and observed galaxies converge and exhibit similar distributions. The stellar mass threshold indicated by this divergent behavior confirms recent works using parametric measures of morphology from Illustris simulated images. When

, the Illustris data set contains substantially fewer galaxies that classifiers regard as unambiguously featured. In combination, these results suggest that comparison between the detailed properties of observed and simulated galaxies, even when limited to reasonably massive systems, may be misleading.
No Evidence of Chemical Abundance Variations in the Intermediate-age Cluster NGC 1783
Authors: Zhang Hao , de Grijs Richard , Li Chengyuan , Wu Xiaohan
Published: February 2018

We have analyzed multi-passband photometric observations, obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope, of the massive (1.8 × 105
M
⊙), intermediate-age (1.8 Gyr-old) Large Magellanic Cloud star cluster NGC 1783. The morphology of the cluster’s red giant branch does not exhibit a clear broadening beyond its intrinsic width; the observed width is consistent with that owing to photometric uncertainties alone and independent of the photometric selection boundaries we applied to obtain our sample of red giant stars. The color dispersion of the cluster’s red giant stars around the best-fitting ridgeline is 0.062 ± 0.009 mag, which is equivalent to the width of 0.080 ± 0.001 mag derived from artificial simple stellar population tests, that is, tests based on single-age, single-metallicity stellar populations. NGC 1783 is comparably as massive as other star clusters that show clear evidence of multiple stellar populations. After incorporating mass-loss recipes from its current age of 1.8 Gyr to an age of 6 Gyr, NGC 1783 is expected to remain as massive as some other clusters that host clear multiple populations at these intermediate ages. If we were to assume that mass is an important driver of multiple population formation, then NGC 1783 should have exhibited clear evidence of chemical abundance variations. However, our results support the absence of any chemical abundance variations in NGC 1783.
What Do the Hitomi Observations Tell Us About the Turbulent Velocities in the Perseus Cluster? Probing the Velocity Field with Mock Observations
Authors: ZuHone J. A. , Miller E. D. , Bulbul E. , Zhuravleva I.
Published: February 2018

Hitomi made the first direct measurements of galaxy cluster gas motions in the Perseus cluster, which implied that its core is fairly “quiescent,” with velocities less than ∼200 km s−1, despite the presence of an active galactic nucleus and sloshing cold fronts. Building on previous work, we use synthetic Hitomi/X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) observations of the hot plasma of a simulated cluster with sloshing gas motions and varying viscosity to analyze its velocity structure in a similar fashion. We find that sloshing motions can produce line shifts and widths similar to those measured by Hitomi. We find these measurements are unaffected by the value of the gas viscosity, since its effects are only manifested clearly on angular scales smaller than the SXS ∼1′ PSF. The PSF biases the line shift of regions near the core as much as ∼40–50 km s−1, so it is crucial to model this effect carefully. We also infer that if sloshing motions dominate the observed velocity gradient, Perseus must be observed from a line of sight that is somewhat inclined from the plane of these motions, but one that still allows the spiral pattern to be visible. Finally, we find that assuming isotropy of motions can underestimate the total velocity and kinetic energy of the core in our simulation by as much as ∼60%. However, the total kinetic energy in our simulated cluster core is still less than 10% of the thermal energy in the core, in agreement with the Hitomi observations.
The Origin of Molecular Clouds in Central Galaxies
Authors: Pulido F. A. , McNamara B. R. , Edge A. C. , Hogan M. T. , Vantyghem A. N. , Russell H. R. , Nulsen P. E. J. , Babyk I. , Salomé P.
Published: February 2018

We present an analysis of 55 central galaxies in clusters and groups with molecular gas masses and star formation rates lying between

10

8

and

10

11

M

⊙

and 0.5 and 270

M

⊙

yr

−
1

, respectively. Molecular gas mass is correlated with star formation rate, Hα line luminosity, and central atmospheric gas density. Molecular gas is detected only when the central cooling time or entropy index of the hot atmosphere falls below ∼1 Gyr or ∼35 keV cm2, respectively, at a (resolved) radius of 10 kpc. These correlations indicate that the molecular gas condensed from hot atmospheres surrounding the central galaxies. We explore the origins of thermally unstable cooling by evaluating whether molecular gas becomes prevalent when the minimum of the cooling to free-fall time ratio (

t

cool

/

t

ff

) falls below ∼10. We find that (1) molecular gas-rich systems instead lie between

10
<
min
(

t

cool

/

t

ff

)
<
25

, where

t

cool

/

t

ff

=
25

corresponds approximately to cooling time and entropy thresholds of 1 Gyr and

35

keV

cm

2

, respectively; (2)

min
(

t

cool

/

t

ff

) is uncorrelated with molecular gas mass and jet power; and (3) the narrow range

10
<
min
(

t

cool

/

t

ff

)
<
25

can be explained by an observational selection effect, although a real physical effect cannot be excluded. These results and the absence of isentropic cores in cluster atmospheres are in tension with models that assume thermal instability ensues from linear density perturbations in hot atmospheres when

t

cool

/

t

ff

≲
10

. Some of the molecular gas may instead have condensed from atmospheric gas lifted outward by buoyantly rising X-ray bubbles or by dynamically induced uplift (e.g., mergers, sloshing).
Proton Fluxes Measured by the PAMELA Experiment from the Minimum to the Maximum Solar Activity for Solar Cycle 24
Authors: Martucci M. , Munini R. , Boezio M. , Felice V. Di , Adriani O. , Barbarino G. C. , Bazilevskaya G. A. , Bellotti R. , Bongi M. , Bonvicini V. , Bottai S. , Bruno A. , Cafagna F. , Campana D. , Carlson P. , Casolino M. , Castellini G. , Santis C. De , Galper A. M. , Karelin A. V. , Koldashov S. V. , Koldobskiy S. , Krutkov S. Y. , Kvashnin A. N. , Leonov A. , Malakhov V. , Marcelli L. , Marcelli N. , Mayorov A. G. , Menn W. , Mergè M. , Mikhailov V. V. , Mocchiutti E. , Monaco A. , Mori N. , Osteria G. , Panico B. , Papini P. , Pearce M. , Picozza P. , Ricci M. , Ricciarini S. B. , Simon M. , Sparvoli R. , Spillantini P. , Stozhkov Y. I. , Vacchi A. , Vannuccini E. , Vasilyev G. , Voronov S. A. , Yurkin Y. T. , Zampa G. , Zampa N. , Potgieter M. S. , Raath J. L.
Published: February 2018

Precise measurements of the time-dependent intensity of the low-energy (<50 GeV) galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) are fundamental to test and improve the models that describe their propagation inside the heliosphere. In particular, data spanning different solar activity periods, i.e., from minimum to maximum, are needed to achieve comprehensive understanding of such physical phenomena. The minimum phase between solar cycles 23 and 24 was peculiarly long, extending up to the beginning of 2010 and followed by the maximum phase, reached during early 2014. In this Letter, we present proton differential spectra measured from 2010 January to 2014 February by the PAMELA experiment. For the first time the GCR proton intensity was studied over a wide energy range (0.08–50 GeV) by a single apparatus from a minimum to a maximum period of solar activity. The large statistics allowed the time variation to be investigated on a nearly monthly basis. Data were compared and interpreted in the context of a state-of-the-art three-dimensional model describing the GCRs propagation through the heliosphere.
L'invitation au voyage
Authors: Peyvel Emmanuelle
Published: February 2018

Comment devenons-nous touriste ? Peut-on repenser la mondialisation du tourisme au regard des arts de faire de celles et ceux qui l’inventent aujourd’hui ? Cet ouvrage se propose de répondre à partir du Việt Nam, pays encore pauvre qui enregistre une croissance significative du tourisme domestique depuis plus de vingt ans.
Les observations in situ et les matériaux biographiques construits depuis 2005 à travers le pays permettent de comprendre comment les Vietnamiens apprennent aujourd’hui à voyager dans leur pays, où les richesses comme les inégalités s’accroissent depuis le Đổi Mới. Une analyse critique de la gestion politique et normative du tourisme domestique, d’une part par l’État vietnamien et d’autre part par les institutions mondiales du tourisme, complète ce travail de terrain, afin de traduire les rapports complexes que ces touristes entretiennent avec les systèmes de contraintes au sein desquels ils se meuvent. La colonisation comme le socialisme sont ici compris non seulement comme des périodes historiques, mais aussi comme un ensemble d’organisations, de valeurs, d’acteurs et de pratiques qui sont aujourd’hui mobilisés comme ressources afin de construire des mobilités touristiques. L’étude géographique qui en est faite révèle l’inventivité de leurs apparitions, réappropriations et multiplications, selon des hybridations et des circulations, parfois conflictuelles, de pratiques et d’imaginaires.
Ce faisant, c’est une vision décentrée de la mondialisation touristique que propose cet ouvrage, permettant de mieux comprendre toute la complexité avec laquelle se reconfigurent les rapports de pouvoir au sein des sociétés postcoloniales.
A Hybrid GA-LDA Scheme for Feature Selection in Content-Based Image Retrieval
Authors: Belattar Khadidja , Mostefai Sihem , Draa Amer
Published: February 2018

Feature selection is an important pre-processing technique in the pattern recognition domain. This article proposes a hybridization between Genetic Algorithm (GA) and the Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) for solving the feature selection problem in Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) applied to dermatological images. In the first step, we preprocess and segment the input image, then we derive color and texture features characterizing healthy skin and the segmented skin lesion. At this stage, a binary GA is used to evolve chromosome subsets whose fitness is evaluated by a Logistic Regression classifier. The optimal identified features are then used to feed LDA for a CBIR system, based on a K-Nearest Neighbor classification. To assess the proposed approach, the authors have opted for a K-fold cross validation method on a database of 1097 images of melanomas and other skin lesions. As a result, the authors obtained a reduced number of features and an improved CBDIR system compared to PCA, LDA and ICA methods.
Comparison of different histological protocols for the preservation and quantification of the intestinal mucus layer in pigs
Authors: Röhe Ilen , Hüttner Friedrich Joseph , Plendl Johanna , Drewes Barbara , Zentek Jürgen
Published: February 2018

The histological characterization of the intestinal mucus layer is important for many scientific experiments investigating the interaction between intestinal microbiota, mucosal immune response and intestinal mucus production. The aim of this study was to examine and compare different fixation protocols for displaying and quantifying the intestinal mucus layer in piglets and to test which histomorphological parameters may correlate with the determined mucus layer thickness. Jejunal and colonal tissue samples of weaned piglets (n=10) were either frozen in liquid nitrogen or chemically fixed using methacarn solution. The frozen tissue samples were cryosectioned and subsequently postfixed using three different postfixatives: paraformaldehyde vapor, neutrally buffered formalin solution and ethanol solution. After dehydration, methacarn fixed tissues were embedded in paraffin wax. Both sections of cryopreserved and methacarn fixed tissue samples were stained with Alcian blue (AB)-PAS followed by the microscopically determination of the mucus layer thickness. Different pH values of the Alcian Blue staining solution and two mucus layer thickness measuring methods were compared. In addition, various histomorphological parameters of methacarn fixed tissue samples were evaluated including the number of goblet cells and the mucin staining area. Cryopreservation in combination with chemical postfixation led to mucus preservation in the colon of piglets allowing mucus thickness measurements. Mucus could be only partly preserved in cryosections of the jejunum impeding any quantitative description of the mucus layer thickness. The application of different postfixations, varying pH values of the AB solution and different mucus layer measuring methods led to comparable results regarding the mucus layer thickness. Methacarn fixation proved to be unsuitable for mucus depiction as only mucus patches were found in the jejunum or a detachment of the mucus layer from the epithelium was observed in the colon. Correlation analyses revealed that the proportion of the mucin staining area per crypt area (relative mucin staining) measured in methacarn fixed tissue samples corresponded to the colonal mucus layer thickness determined in cryopreserved tissue samples. In conclusion, the results showed that cryopreservation using liquid nitrogen followed by chemical postfixation and AB-PAS staining led to a reliable mucus preservation allowing a mucus thickness determination in the colon of pigs. Moreover, the detected relative mucin staining area may serve as a suitable histomorphological parameter for the assessment of the intestinal mucus layer thickness. The findings obtained in this study can be used for the implementation of an improved standard for the histological description of the mucus layer in the colon of pigs.
Integrity Plan: A Useful Measure for Curbing Corruption at National and Local Level
Authors: Fedran Jasna , Dobovšek Bojan , Ažman Branko , Bren Matevž
Published: February 2018

Corruption is a society disease necessitating a preventive approach. As it is both a national and a local issue, its treatment must be facilitated through national and local efforts. In view of the fact that the best remedy against it is integrity, this paper focuses on the concept of integrity plan, revealing the results of the thereto-related implementation efforts in the Slovenian public sector after the 2nd deadline for integrity plan submission. In general, integrity plan was acknowledged as a useful preventive anti-corruption measure well accepted by the state authorities but less by the local ones.
Factors that Influence County Government Expenditures and Revenues: A Study of Florida County Governments
Authors: Cho Ki Woong , Brower Ralph , Ahmad Muhammad Shakil
Published: February 2018

Following the political market framework, this panel analysis examines the effects of democratic institutions on government size in Florida’s 67 counties from 1998 to 2007. Regarding group demand, the study suggests that unemployment rate reduces county government expenditures and revenues. Regarding elites’ preferences, Democratic elites’ preferences reduce expenditures and revenues. With regard to mass support, citizen income has a positive influence on expenditures and revenues. On the other hand, Democratic ideology reduces both expenditures and revenues. Finally, we found that county government structure influences expenditures and revenues significantly, but home rule does not.
How concave are river channels?
Authors: Mudd Simon M. , Clubb Fiona J. , Gailleton Boris , Hurst Martin D.
Published: February 2018

Abstract. For over a century geomorphologists have attempted to unravel information about landscape evolution, and processes that drive it, using river profiles. Many studies have combined new topographic datasets with theoretical models of channel incision to infer erosion rates, identify rock types with different resistance to erosion, and detect potential regions of tectonic activity. The most common metric used to analyse river profile geometry is channel steepness, or ks. However, the calculation of channel steepness requires the normalisation of channel gradient by drainage area. This relationship between channel gradient and drainage area is referred to as channel concavity, and despite being crucial in determining channel steepness, is challenging to constrain. In this contribution we compare both slope–area methods for calculating concavity and methods based on integrating drainage area along the length of the channel, using so-called ``chi'' (χ) analysis. We present a new χ-based method which directly compares χ values of tributary nodes to those on the main stem: this method allows us to constrain channel concavity in transient landscapes without assuming a linear relationship between χ and elevation. Patterns of channel concavity have been linked to the ratio of the area and slope exponents of the stream power incision model (m/n): we therefore construct simple numerical models obeying detachment-limited stream power and test the different methods against simulations with imposed m and n. We find that χ-based methods are better than slope–area methods at reproducing imposed m/n ratios when our numerical landscapes are subject to either transient uplift or spatially varying uplift and fluvial erodibility. We also test our methods on several real landscapes, including sites with both lithological and structural heterogeneity, to provide examples of the methods' performance and limitations. These methods are made available in a new software package so that other workers can explore how concavity varies across diverse landscapes, with the aim to improve our understanding of the physics behind bedrock channel incision.
Aportaciones del marxismo analítico al análisis filosófico actual. Constataciones, autorevisiones y perspectivas
Authors: Cal Montoya José Edgardo
Published: February 2018

No abstract available.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 101, 2004: 573-592
La república de lectores y la rentabilidad de las bibliotecas
Authors: Miller Katherine
Published: February 2018

No abstract available.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 101, 2004: 635-639
La herencia del tsunami
Authors: Editor El
Published: February 2018

No abstract available.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 102, 2004: 653-656
Crítica y utopía en la filosofía de Franz Hinkelammert
Authors: Fernández Nadal Estela
Published: February 2018

No abstract available.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 102, 2004: 729-745
Moralejas en la oscuridad: la fábula en El Salvador del siglo XIX
Authors: Cañas-Dinarte Carlos
Published: February 2018

No abstract available.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 102, 2004: 747-768
La gestión urbana desde el enfoque de desarrollo económico
Authors: Hernández Xiomara
Published: February 2018

No abstract available.Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 99, 2004: 317-329
Routine histopathological examination of the foreskin after circumcision for clinically suspected lichen sclerosus in children: Is it a waste of resources?
Authors: Alyami Fahad A. , Heidari Bateni Zhoobin , Odeh Raken , Farhat Walid A. , Koyle Martin
Published: February 2018

Introduction: Circumcision is one of the most widely performed procedures in the world. One of the indications for circumcision is lichen sclerosis (LS). The natural history of LS in children is not as well-documented as in adult patients. Surgeons use the appearance of the foreskin or meatus to predict the diagnosis of LS.1 Indeed, if the diagnosis of LS is made in childhood, does it change management in the long-term? Pathological analysis of the excised foreskin is routinely done if there is suspicion of LS. Our aim is to assess the concordance between the clinical and pathological diagnosis of suspected LS and to assess the need for sending the foreskin for pathological examination.Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 64 of 420 boys who underwent circumcision in a tertiary children’s hospital from June 2005 to June 2014, and who had their foreskin sent for pathology due to the clinical suspicion of LS. Demographics, presenting symptoms, presumed clinical diagnosis, pathological findings, and followup data were collected and analyzed. Results: Over the review period, 64 patients underwent circumcision for presumed LS. The mean age of the children was 9.7 years (range 3‒16.5). All the children who had circumcision for presumed LS diagnosis were symptomatic. LS was confirmed in 47 of 64 foreskins (73.5%). Balanitis xerotica obliterans (BXO) was clinically suspected in 40 (85%) of the 47 patients. The mean followup was 10 months (range 1–15), with seven recurrences (15%) during that period. The recurrences required revision surgery in two patients and five were managed with steroids only. Conclusions: In our series, the clinical diagnosis correlated with the pathological diagnosis in most cases. A clinical suspicion of LS without routine foreskin pathological assessment will reduces the overall cost to the healthcare system. Appropriate counselling of the patient/parents and their primary caregiver is imperative, as recurrence is common.
Prostate cancer patients’ experience and preferences for acquiring information early in their care
Authors: Feldman-Stewart Deb , Tong Christine , Brundage Michael , Bender Jackie , Robinson John
Published: February 2018

Introduction: Prostate cancer patients’ information needs are welldescribed, but little is known about their preferred sources and media for obtaining information. We sought to determine prostate cancer patients’ experiences and preferences for acquiring information after diagnosis, a time of high information need.Methods: Population surveys were conducted in four Canadian provinces in 2014‒2015. Each provincial cancer registry surveyed a random sample of prostate cancer patients diagnosed in late 2012.Results: A total of 1366 patients responded across provinces. Respondents most frequently tried to obtain information from their urologist; 86% found that easy and 9% found it difficult. Seventynine percent of respondents who saw only a urologist felt wellinformed compared to 86% of those who saw both a urologist and a radiation oncologist. Eighty-five percent of respondents wanted printed information; 68% wanted it electronically. Respondents’ most frequent barriers to obtaining information from physicians were: not actually having enough time (31%), worrying about having enough time (23%), and worrying about asking too many questions (18%). Their most frequent barriers related to internet/ printed information, respectively, were uncertainty about quality (63%/49%) and unclear if personally applicable (56%/49%). Recommended facilitators were having a navigator (85%), providing printed information (85%), and someone to answer questions: in person (90%), by phone (66%), or via email (58%).Conclusions: Prostate cancer patients want urologists to provide them with information and are more likely to report being informed if they see both a urologist and a radiation oncologist. Optimal information provision requires that it be provided both on the internet and in print.
Spotlight — Management of pyelovesical bypass device stones
Authors: Almarzouq Ahmad , Andonian Sero
Published: February 2018

Pyelovesical bypass devices or artificial ureters have been described as a last resort in patients with long ureteral strictures that fail traditional endoscopic and open repair. Herein, we describe a 52-year-old female who had a Detour (Coloplast, Humlebaek, Denmark) pyelovesical bypass device inserted after an iatrogenic ischemic injury to the distal two-thirds of the left ureter during pelvic surgery for recurrent endometrial stromal sarcoma. Six months after placement of the device, she presented with gross hematuria and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and was found to have encrustation of the distal silicone tip of the Detour device within the bladder. This was managed with resection of the distal silicone tip and flexible ureteroscopy with holmium laser lithotripsy. Despite suppressive antibiotic therapy and medical therapy for hypercalciuria, she presented four years later with intraluminal encrustations in the proximal end of the device. This was successfully managed with flexible ureteroscopy with holmium laser lithotripsy. Therefore, this case illustrates the feasibility of flexible ureteroscopy and holmium laser lithotripsy of Detour device encrustations as long as the device is not kinked and it allows the passage of the flexible ureteroscope up to the calcifications. In addition, patients contemplating insertion of such devices should be counselled regarding the risk of recurrent infections and encrustations.
Supplementary data: Testosterone suppression in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic prostate cancer – A Canadian consensus statement
Authors: Klotz Laurence , Shayegan Bobby , Guillemette Chantal , Collins Loretta L. , Gotto Geoffrey , Guérette Dominique , Jammal Marie-Paule , Pickles Tom , Richard Patrick O. , Saad Fred
Published: February 2018

N/A
International Marketing Strategies in the Jewellery Industry: Are They Standardised, Adapted or Both?
Authors: Matricano Diego , Vitagliano Giorgio
Published: February 2018

According to analysts and practitioners, five main trends characterise the future of the jewellery industry: internalisation and consolidation; market growth; a new channel landscape; hybrid consumption; and fast fashion. Among these, the process of internalisation, which is started and managed by local jewellery brands, seems of great interest. These brands, generally small and medium enterprises (SMEs), have to plan their international marketing strategies in order to face the biggest jewellery groups and compete worldwide.In the present paper, through the methodology of a single case study of leBebè, an Italian brand, the standardisation and adaptation processes of international marketing strategies are rebuilt and investigated in reference to the jewellery industry. From the analysis, it emerges that the jewellery industry has specific dynamics that force companies to implement an international marketing strategy that falls halfway between standardisation and adaptation and is generally known as a contingency perspective. The achieved results strengthen the contingency perspective on the standardisation/adaptation debate and, above all, allow for speculating that international marketing strategies partly depend on the brand and mostly depend on the prominence of the brands and on factors characterising each industry.
The Association between Social Capital and Voting Participation in Three Developing Democracies in Africa
Authors: Bwalya Jack Chola , Sukumar Prasanth
Published: February 2018

Numerous empirical research studies posit that social capital has a positive influence on peoples’ political participation. Studies conducted in developed western democracies have revealed that social capital strengthens democratic institutions by impacting both the quantity and quality of citizens’ political participation. However, in the developing democracies of Africa, the effects of social capital on political participation remain under-researched. This paper aims to empirically examine whether the interrelation between social capital and political participation holds true in the developing democracies of Africa. By operationalising the concept of social capital as membership in civic associations, this paper examines the influence of social capital on peoples’ voting participation in three Southern African countries, viz. Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. Using data from the sixth round of the Afrobarometer Survey, this study found that social capital was strongly linked to voting participation in these countries.
Rechtsgeldigheid van het relocatiebesluit en de betekenis van het solidariteitsbeginsel in het EU-asielbeleid
Authors: Brouwer E.R.
Published: February 2018

Rechtsgeldigheid van het relocatiebesluit en de betekenis van het solidariteitsbeginsel in het EU-asielbeleid

Op 6 september 2017 verwierp het Hof van Justitie het beroep van Hongarije en Slowakije tot nietigverklaring van het Raadsbesluit van 22 september 2015. In dit besluit werd een door de Europese Commissie voorgesteld schema vastgesteld voor de relocatie of herplaatsing van asielzoekers vanuit Griekenland en Italië naar andere lidstaten van de Unie. Het Hof van Justitie verwerpt alle argumenten van de twee lidstaten waarmee de rechtsgeldigheid van het besluit werd betwist. In de uitspraak bevestigt het Hof van Justitie niet alleen de geldigheid van het relocatiebesluit met een beroep op het solidariteitsbeginsel, maar onderstreept ook het belang van een effectief rechtsmiddel tegen een herplaatsingsbesluit en de naleving van het non-discriminatiebeginsel.

HvJ 6 september 2017, gevoegde zaken C-643/15 en C-647/15, Slowaakse Republiek en Hongarije/Raad van de Europese Unie, ECLI:EU:C:2017:631
Palladium‐Catalyzed Triarylation of sp3 C−H Bonds in Heteroarylmethanes: Synthesis of Triaryl(heteroaryl)methanes
Authors: Zhang Shuguang , Hu Bowen , Zheng Zhipeng , Walsh Patrick J.
Published: February 2018

A straightforward method for the palladium‐catalyzed triarylation of heteroarylmethanes at the methyl group has been developed. The reaction works with a variety of aryl halides, enabling the rapid synthesis of triaryl(heteroaryl)methanes in moderate to excellent yields.

magnified image
Flai (fludarabine, cytarabine, idarubicin) plus low‐dose Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin as induction therapy in CD33‐positive AML: Final results and long term outcome of a phase II multicenter clinical trial
Authors: Candoni Anna , Papayannidis Cristina , Martinelli Giovanni , Simeone Erica , Gottardi Michele , Iacobucci Ilaria , Gherlinzoni Filippo , Visani Giuseppe , Baccarani Michele , Fanin Renato
Published: February 2018

The aim of this prospective clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination of Gemtuzumab‐Ozogamicin (GO) and FLAI scheme (fludarabine, cytarabine, idarubicin) as a first‐line therapy in CD33 positive AML. We treated 130 patients, aged <65, with a median age of 52 years. FLAI‐GO induction regimen included fludarabine (30 mg/sqm) and cytarabine (2 g/sqm) on days 1–5; idarubicin (10 mg/sqm) on days 1, 3, and 5; and GO (3 mg/sqm) on day 6. SCT was planned for all high‐risk AML patients, after consolidation with intermediate doses of cytarabine and idarubicin and a high dose of cytarabine. CD33 expression exceeded 20% in all cases. Primary endpoints of the study included feasibility, overall response rate (ORR) and toxicity. Secondary endpoints included the evaluation of MRD by WT1 expression, feasibility and outcome of consolidation with SCT, overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS).

After induction with FLAI‐GO, complete remission (CR) rate was 82%. Four patients achieved partial remission (PR) and 12% were resistant (ORR 85%); death during induction (DDI) was 3%. The hematological and extra hematological toxicity of FLAI‐GO was manageable; 45% of patients experienced transient and reversible GO infusion related adverse events. In the setting of patients who achieved a cytological CR after FLAI‐GO, the mean of WT1 copies dropped from 8337±9936 copies/104ABL (diagnosis) to 182 ± 436 copies after induction therapy (p = 0.0001) showing a very good disease debulking. After a median follow‐up of 54 months, 67/130 (52%) patients were alive. The probability of 1, 2, and 5‐year OS was 80%, 63%, and 52%, respectively. The probability of 1, 2, and 5‐year DFS was 77%, 58%, and 52%, respectively. Allogeneic and autologous SCT was performed in 60 (46%) and 23 (18%) patients, respectively.

In summary, the final results of this trial confirm that FLAI‐GO is an active and safe treatment strategy for CD33‐positive AML patients aged ≤ 65 years, allowing a high ORR, a good disease debulking, favorable safety profile, low DDI, and subsequent high SCT rate. The encouraging results of this trial, consolidated by a long follow‐up, support the reintroduction of GO in clinical practice.
Multi‐gene panel testing improves diagnosis and management of patients with hereditary anemias
Authors: Russo Roberta , Andolfo Immacolata , Manna Francesco , Gambale Antonella , Marra Roberta , Rosato Barbara Eleni , Caforio Paola , Pinto Valeria , Pignataro Piero , Radhakrishnan Kottayam , Unal Sule , Tomaiuolo Giovanna , Forni Gian Luca , Iolascon Achille
Published: February 2018

Mutations in more than 70 genes cause hereditary anemias (HA), a highly heterogeneous group of rare/low frequency disorders in which we included: hyporegenerative anemias, as congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA) and Diamond‐Blackfan anemia; hemolytic anemias due to erythrocyte membrane defects, as hereditary spherocytosis and stomatocytosis; hemolytic anemias due to enzymatic defects. The study describes the diagnostic workflow for HA, based on the development of two consecutive versions of a targeted‐NGS panel, including 34 and 71 genes, respectively. Seventy‐four probands from 62 unrelated families were investigated. Our study includes the most comprehensive gene set for these anemias and the largest cohort of patients described so far. We obtained an overall diagnostic yield of 64.9%. Despite 54.2% of cases showed conclusive diagnosis fitting well to the clinical suspicion, the multi‐gene analysis modified the original clinical diagnosis in 45.8% of patients (nonmatched phenotype‐genotype). Of note, 81.8% of nonmatched patients were clinically suspected to suffer from CDA. Particularly, 45.5% of the probands originally classified as CDA exhibited a conclusive diagnosis of chronic anemia due to enzymatic defects, mainly due to mutations in PKLR gene. Interestingly, we also identified a syndromic CDA patient with mild anemia and epilepsy, showing a homozygous mutation in CAD gene, recently associated to early infantile epileptic encephalopathy‐50 and CDA‐like anemia. Finally, we described a patient showing marked iron overload due to the coinheritance of PIEZO1 and SEC23B mutations, demonstrating that the multi‐gene approach is valuable not only for achieving a correct and definitive diagnosis, but also for guiding treatment.
Direct and Regioselective Amination of β‐Unsubstituted 5,15‐Diazaporphyrins with Amines: A Convenient Route to Near‐Infrared‐Responsive Diazaporphyrin Sensitizers
Authors: Omomo Satoshi , Sugai Takuma , Minoura Mao , Nakano Haruyuki , Matano Yoshihiro
Published: February 2018

We have established a convenient method for the base‐promoted direct amination of β‐unsubstituted 5,15‐diazaporphyrins (DAPs) with secondary and primary amines to produce 3,7,13,17‐tetraamino‐ and 3‐amino‐DAPs, respectively, regioselectively. The amino groups attached at the periphery cause significant red shifts of the absorption bands as a result of their perturbation of the HOMO and/or LUMO in the DAP π‐system. The palladium complex of a 3,7,13,17‐tetrakis(diphenylamino)‐DAP generated singlet oxygen in high yield under irradiation with near‐infrared light.
Progress of CRISPR‐Cas Based Genome Editing in Photosynthetic Microbes
Authors: Naduthodi Mihris Ibnu Saleem , Barbosa Maria J. , van der Oost John
Published: February 2018

The carbon footprint caused by unsustainable development and its environmental and economic impact has become a major concern in the past few decades. Photosynthetic microbes such as microalgae and cyanobacteria are capable of accumulating value‐added compounds from carbon dioxide, and have been regarded as environmentally friendly alternatives to reduce the usage of fossil fuels, thereby contributing to reducing the carbon footprint. This light‐driven generation of green chemicals and biofuels has triggered the research for metabolic engineering of these photosynthetic microbes. CRISPR‐Cas systems are successfully implemented across a wide range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic species for efficient genome editing. However, the inception of this genome editing tool in microalgal and cyanobacterial species took off rather slowly due to various complications. In this review, we elaborate on the established CRISPR‐Cas based genome editing in various microalgal and cyanobacterial species. The complications associated with CRISPR‐Cas based genome editing in these species are addressed along with possible strategies to overcome these issues. It is anticipated that in the near future this will result in improving and expanding the microalgal and cyanobacterial genome engineering toolbox.
Strategic Design and Fabrication of Nerve Guidance Conduits for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
Authors: Sarker Md , Naghieh Saman , McInnes Adam D. , Schreyer David J. , Chen Xiongbiao
Published: February 2018

Nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) have been drawing considerable attention as an aid to promote regeneration of injured axons across damaged peripheral nerves. Ideally, NGCs should include physical and topographic axon guidance cues embedded as part of their composition. Over the past decades, much progress has been made in the development of NGCs that promote directional axonal regrowth so as to repair severed nerves. This paper briefly reviews the recent designs and fabrication techniques of NGCs for peripheral nerve regeneration. Studies associated with versatile design and preparation of NGCs fabricated with either conventional or rapid prototyping (RP) techniques have been examined and reviewed. The effect of topographic features of the filler material as well as porous structure of NGCs on axonal regeneration has also been examined from the previous studies. While such strategies as macroscale channels, lumen size, groove geometry, use of hydrogel/matrix, and unidirectional freeze‐dried surface are seen to promote nerve regeneration, shortcomings such as axonal dispersion and wrong target reinnervation still remain unsolved. On this basis, future research directions are identified and discussed.