bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IL-37 Causes Excessive Inflammation and Tissue Damage in Murine Pneumococcal Pneumonia
Authors: Schauer Anja E. , Klassert Tilman E. , von Lachner Carolin , Riebold Diana , Schneeweiß Anne , Stock Magdalena , Müller Mario M. , Hammerschmidt Sven , Bufler Philip , Seifert Ulrike , Dietert Kristina , Dinarello Charles A. , Nold Marcel F. , Gruber Achim D. , Nold-Petry Claudia A. , Slevogt Hortense
Published: June 2017

Streptococcus pneumoniae infections can lead to severe complications with excessive immune activation and tissue damage. Interleukin-37 (IL-37) has gained importance as a suppressor of innate and acquired immunity, and its effects have been therapeutic as they prevent tissue damage in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. By using RAW macrophages, stably transfected with human IL-37, we showed a 70% decrease in the cytokine levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, and a 2.2-fold reduction of the intracellular killing capacity of internalized pneumococci in response to pneumococcal infection. In a murine model of infection with S. pneumoniae, using mice transgenic for human IL-37b (IL-37tg), we observed an initial decrease in cytokine expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in the lungs, followed by a late-phase enhancement of pneumococcal burden and subsequent increase of proinflammatory cytokine levels. Additionally, a marked increase in recruitment of alveolar macrophages and neutrophils was noted, while TRAIL mRNA was reduced 3-fold in lungs of IL-37tg mice, resulting in necrotizing pneumonia with augmented death of infiltrating neutrophils, enhanced bacteremic spread, and increased mortality. In conclusion, we have identified that IL-37 modulates several core components of a successful inflammatory response to pneumococcal pneumonia, which lead to increased inflammation, tissue damage, and mortality.
Effect of a High-Protein Diet versus Standard-Protein Diet on Weight Loss and Biomarkers of Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Campos-Nonato Ismael , Hernandez Lucia , Barquera Simon
Published: June 2017

Background: Some studies have shown that protein-enriched diets can lead to greater weight loss and improvements in biomarkers of metabolic syndrome (MeS) than standard protein diets. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of increased protein intake on weight loss in Mexican adults with MeS. Methods: Randomized controlled trial in 118 adults aged 47.4 ± 11.5 years and meeting the established criteria for MeS were randomized to prescribed hypocaloric diets (500 kcal less than resting metabolic rate) providing either 0.8 g/kg body weight (standard protein diet (SPD)) or 1.34 g/kg body weight (higher protein diet (HPD)) for 6 months. Body weight, waist circumference, percent body fat by bioimpedance analysis, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase were measured at baseline, 3 months and at 6 months. Results: There were 105 subjects (51 for SPD and 54 for HPD) who completed the trial. Overall weight loss was 5.1 ± 3.6 kg in the SPD group compared to 7.0 ± 3.7 kg in the in HPD group. Both groups lost a significant percent of centimeters of waist circumference (SPD -6.5 ± 2.6 cm and HPD -8.8 ± 2.6 cm). There was no statistical difference Except for the varying weight losses the two groups did not show any further differences overall. However in the subgroup judged to be adherent more than 75% of the time with the prescribed diets, there was a significant difference in mean weight loss (SPD -5.8% vs. HPD -9.5%) after adjusting for baseline BMI. Both groups demonstrated significant decreases in waist circumference, glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and VLDL cholesterol, but there were no differences between the groups. There were no changes in blood tests for liver or renal function. Conclusions: There were no significant differences in weight loss and biomarkers of MeS when the overall group was examined, but the participants with more adherence rate in the HPD group lost significantly more weight than adherent participants in the SPD group.
Neonatal Vitamin D Levels in Relation to Risk of Overweight at 7 Years in the Danish D-Tect Case-Cohort Study
Authors: Jensen Camilla B. , Lundqvist Marika , Sørensen Thorkild I.A. , Heitmann Berit L.
Published: June 2017

Background: Vitamin D level in pregnancy may be associated with risk of overweight in the offspring later in life. Methods: In a case-cohort study based on Danish biobanks and registers we examined the association between 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) level at birth and overweight at 7 years. Cases of overweight (n = 871) were randomly selected among 7-year-old children from the Copenhagen School Health Records Register (CSHRR) with a BMI above the 90th percentile. The cohort (n = 1,311) was a random sample selected among all Danish children born during the same period. Neonatal 25(OH)D was measured in dried blood spots. Results: 25(OH)D3 exhibited the expected seasonal variation. Median level of 25(OH)D3 was 20.6 (11.9-33.3) nmol/l in the overweight group and 23.4 (13.5-34.3) nmol/l in the cohort. We found no association between neonatal 25(OH)D3 level and risk of overweight at age 7 years, neither in the crude model (OR (CI) 1.00 (0.99; 1.00)) nor in a model adjusted for maternal ethnicity, educational level, civil status, parity, season and year of birth, and offspring ponderal index (OR (CI) 1.00 (0.99; 1.01)). Conclusion: Risk of overweight at 7 years of age was not associated with vitamin D level at birth.
Electrical Grounding Improves Vagal Tone in Preterm Infants
Authors: Passi Rohit , Doheny Kim K. , Gordin Yuri , Hinssen Hans , Palmer Charles
Published: June 2017

Background: Low vagal tone (VT) is a marker of vulnerability to stress and the risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Electric fields produced by equipment in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) induce an electric potential measurable on the skin in reference to ground. An electrical connection to ground reduces the skin potential and improves VT in adults. Objectives: We aimed to measure the electric field strengths in the NICU environment and to determine if connecting an infant to electrical ground would reduce the skin potential and improve VT. We also wished to determine if the skin potential correlated with VT. Methods: Environmental magnetic flux density (MFD) was measured in and around incubators. Electrical grounding (EG) was achieved with a patch electrode and wire that extended to a ground outlet. We measured the skin potential in 26 infants and heart rate variability in 20 infants before, during, and after grounding. VT was represented by the high-frequency power of heart rate variability. Results: The background MFD in the NICU was below 0.5 mG, but it ranged between 1.5 and 12.7 mG in the closed incubator. A 60-Hz oscillating potential was recorded on the skin of all infants. With EG, the skin voltage dropped by about 95%. Pre-grounding VT was inversely correlated with the skin potential. VT increased by 67% with EG. After grounding, the VT fell to the pre-grounding level. Conclusion: The electrical environment affects autonomic balance. EG improves VT and may improve resilience to stress and lower the risk of neonatal morbidity in preterm infants.
Cost-Utility Analysis of Bariatric Surgery in Italy: Results of Decision-Analytic Modelling
Authors: Lucchese Marcello , Borisenko Oleg , Mantovani Lorenzo Giovanni , Cortesi Paolo Angelo , Cesana Giancarlo , Adam Daniel , Burdukova Elisabeth , Lukyanov Vasily , Di Lorenzo Nicola
Published: June 2017

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery in Italy from a third-party payer perspective over a medium-term (10 years) and a long-term (lifetime) horizon. Methods: A state-transition Markov model was developed, in which patients may experience surgery, post-surgery complications, diabetes mellitus type 2, cardiovascular diseases or die. Transition probabilities, costs, and utilities were obtained from the Italian and international literature. Three types of surgeries were considered: gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and adjustable gastric banding. A base-case analysis was performed for the population, the characteristics of which were obtained from surgery candidates in Italy. Results: In the base-case analysis, over 10 years, bariatric surgery led to cost increment of EUR 2,661 and generated additional 1.1 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Over a lifetime, surgery led to savings of EUR 8,649, additional 0.5 life years and 3.2 QALYs. Bariatric surgery was cost-effective at 10 years with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of EUR 2,412/QALY and dominant over conservative management over a lifetime. Conclusion: In a comprehensive decision analytic model, a current mix of surgical methods for bariatric surgery was cost-effective at 10 years and cost-saving over the lifetime of the Italian patient cohort considered in this analysis.
Novel Insights into the Direct Removal of Endotoxin by Polymyxin B Hemoperfusion
Authors: Romaschin Alexander D. , Obiezu-Forster Christina V. , Shoji Hisataka , Klein David J.
Published: June 2017

Aim: To demonstrate the capacity of polymyxin B-direct hemoperfusion (PMX-DHP) column Toraymyxin® 20R (PMX-20R) in removing endotoxin (LPS) from perfused blood, serum and plasma. Methods: Endotoxin-spiked bovine serum or plasma was perfused in PMX-20R as per the recommended performance testing protocol. Samples were taken at various time points to assess the amount of endotoxin removed during a 4-h session. In another set of experiments, FITC-labelled LPS (FITC-LPS) was spiked into a pool of human whole blood, followed by perfusion with the spiked blood for 2 h in order to allow FITC-LPS to bind PMX-20R. The amount of LPS was extracted from the columns and the amount of specifically bound LPS was determined by fluorometry. Results: PMX-20R columns perfused with bovine serum or plasma had an average binding rate of 88%, equivalent to approximately 12 µg of LPS. When PMX-20R was perfused with human whole blood, the columns bound an average of 20 µg of FITC-LPS. Conclusion: PMX-20R can bind LPS in all the biological fluids tested. The calculated binding capacity of 12-20 µg LPS suggests that in septic cases where endotoxin is present in the circulation, PMX-20R is able to adsorb clinically significant levels of endotoxin.
Role of Immune Cells in Acute Kidney Injury and Repair
Authors: Lee Sul A , Noel Sanjeev , Sadasivam Mohanraj , Hamad Abdel R.A. , Rabb Hamid
Published: June 2017

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant problem in both native and transplant kidneys. There have been significant advances in understanding the role of immune cells in the early injury and repair from AKI. In this brief review, we aim to update information on the pathophysiologic impact of various immune cells in AKI, with special emphasis on repair. An improved understanding of the AKI immunopathology will lead to new therapies that prevent AKI, accelerate repair, and prevent the progression of AKI to chronic kidney disease.
Characteristics and Long-Term Outcome of Neurosarcoidosis: A Population-Based Study from 1976-2013
Authors: Ungprasert Patompong , Crowson Cynthia S. , Matteson Eric L.
Published: June 2017

Background/Aims: Neurosarcoidosis is a rare condition with serious health consequences. However, little is known about clinical characteristics and outcome of neurosarcoidosis in the community setting. Methods: Patients with neurosarcoidosis were identified from a previously described cohort of patients with incident sarcoidosis from Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States from 1976 to 2013 using individual medical record review. Data on clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcome were collected. Results: Neurological involvement by sarcoidosis occurred in 11 patients (3% of all patients with sarcoidosis). Cranial neuropathy was the most common type of neurological disease (5 patients; 45%) followed by peripheral neuropathy (3 patients; 27%), and meningitis (3 patients; 27%). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis and elevated CSF protein levels were observed in patients with meningitis, intramedullary spinal cord sarcoidosis, intracranial mass lesion and some patients with cranial neuropathy but were normal in patients with peripheral neuropathy. All patients received high-dose glucocorticoids as initial treatment and almost all responded to this therapy. Relapse after glucocorticoid dose reduction necessitated subsequent treatment with steroid-sparing agents in 4 patients. Conclusion: Neurosarcoidosis is an uncommon manifestation of sarcoidosis. Neurosarcoidosis manifestations generally responded well to high-dose glucocorticoids in the majority of patients, but relapse was common.
A Case Report Demonstrating the Potential Clinical Benefit of Exhaustive Molecular Profiling in an Aggressive Muscle-Invasive High-Grade Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Ramírez de Olano Amaya , Bellmunt Joaquim , Rodrigo Ana , Álvarez Luis , Terrádez Adriana , García-Foncillas Jesús , Laes Jean-François
Published: June 2017

We present a muscle-invasive high-grade metastatic urothelial carcinoma patient, aged 71 years, with rapid progression from the diagnosis and a poor prognosis after 3 lines of treatment. A clinical exhaustive genomic profile was performed with the goal of finding potential actionable molecular alterations. The patient showed significant symptomatic and laboratory improvement with a nonstandard chemotherapy combination treatment identified by the molecular profiling, which would otherwise not have been considered. This approach illustrates the clinical benefit of a comprehensive genomic analysis in an aggressive and refractory urothelial carcinoma.
Prática centrada no cliente na reabilitação: definição, instrumentos e desafios
Authors: Vaz Daniela Virgínia , Jubilini Luísa Graziella , Queiroz Letícia Costa
Published: June 2017

Introdução: Na reabilitação, a habilidade do paciente em lidar com a sua condição de saúde e tomar decisões, sua motivação e sua adesão, são determinantes para os desfechos terapêuticos. A prática centrada no cliente (PCC) reconhece e promove a centralidade dos interesses de pacientes e por isso seu conhecimento é fundamental para o avanço da reabilitação. Objetivos: i) identificar os fundamentos da PCC, ii) descrever instrumentos para sua implementação, iii) registrar resultados da PCC, e iv) analisar as principais dificuldades e benefícios da PCC. Método: Revisão narrativa a partir de bancos de dados e cruzamento de referências. Resultados: segundo estudos revisados, a PCC é uma abordagem clínica colaborativa e empoderadora do paciente, que reconhece-o no centro do processo decisório, aumentando a adequação do cuidado. Diferentes instrumentos simples podem ser imediatamente adotados na clínica. Ainda poucos estudos documentam resultados da PCC na reabilitação. Para implantação da PCC é necessário vencer desafios no nível individual de terapeutas e pacientes e no nível institucional de serviços de saúde.
Levantamento dos problemas do dia a dia de um grupo de amputados e dos dispositivos de auxílio que utilizam
Authors: Biffi Rubiani Ferracin , Aramaki Alberto Luiz , Silva e Dutra Fabiana Caetano Martins , Garavello Ivania , Cavalcanti Alessandra
Published: June 2017

A amputação conduz a uma mudança no estilo de vida, limitando o envolvimento em atividades, restringindo a participação social e gerando dificuldades no desempenho funcional; implicando em perda de autonomia e independência para a mobilidade. A inclusão de tecnologia assistiva pode apoiar o envolvimento em atividades e favorecer a manutenção do desempenho ocupacional, oportunizando interação e envolvimento ativo da pessoa amputada em seu contexto. O presente estudo objetiva investigar quais os problemas que um grupo de amputados de membro inferior apresenta no seu cotidiano, e qual tecnologia assistiva eles possuem. Buscou-se também analisar se essa tecnologia auxilia no desempenho funcional dos membros inferiores dos indivíduos participantes da pesquisa. É um estudo de abordagem quantitativa, do tipo observacional transversal. Participaram do estudo 14 sujeitos que apontaram dificuldades de desempenho no cuidado pessoal, na mobilidade pessoal e na independência fora de casa; e relataram ter alguns recursos de tecnologia assistiva (cadeira de rodas, banco ou cadeira de banho, tapete de borracha). Concluiu-se que, na percepção dos usuários, os equipamentos de tecnologia assistiva em uso não suprem as demandas de atividades que desejam ou necessitam se envolver no dia a dia, não auxiliando no desempenho ocupacional.
Tecnologia assistiva e suas relações com a qualidade de vida de pessoas com deficiência
Authors: Santos Renata Ferreira dos , Sampaio Priscila Yukari Sewo , Sampaio Ricardo Aurélio Carvalho , Gutierrez Gustavo Luis , Almeida Marco Antonio Bettine de
Published: June 2017

Introdução: A tecnologia assistiva apresenta produtos, recursos, métodos, estratégias, práticas e serviços que promovem a funcionalidade de pessoas com deficiência, visando sua autonomia, independência, qualidade de vida e inclusão social. Seu desenvolvimento e disponibilização podem ser considerados uma tentativa de neutralizar as barreiras causadas pela deficiência. Objetivo: Compreender e apontar as relações existentes entre tecnologia assistiva e qualidade de vida de pessoas com deficiência. Método: Utilizou-se a história de vida tópica. Foram entrevistadas três pessoas com deficiência física/motora, três com deficiência visual, e três com deficiência auditiva. Identificou-se individualmente a relação entre tecnologia assistiva e qualidade de vida, e os traços em comum nas respostas considerando o “grupo” da deficiência. Resultado: As aplicações da tecnologia assistiva englobam atividades da vida diária, atividades instrumentais de vida diária, educação, trabalho e lazer, que implicam diferentes relações com a qualidade de vida. Conclusão: A tecnologia assistiva está relacionada à qualidade de vida de pessoas com deficiência ao facilitar e possibilitar a realização das atividades, promovendo autonomia e independência, gerando efeitos positivos individuais e sociais.
Problemas de coordenação motora e de atenção em crianças em idade escolar
Authors: Franca Annyelle Santos , Cardoso Ana Amélia , Araújo Clarice Ribeiro Soares
Published: June 2017

Objetivos: Investigar a prevalência de dificuldades de coordenação motora em crianças de 7 e 8 anos, em escolas municipais de João Pessoa/PB; e verificar se há associação entre dificuldades motoras e déficit de atenção e hiperatividade e nível socioeconômico. Método: Foram avaliadas 535 crianças com o Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ-Brasil), o Questionário Classificação Econômica Brasil e o Swanson, Nolan and Pelham IV Scale (SNAP-IV). Estatística descritiva foi utilizada para caracterizar amostra e teste qui-quadrado foi utilizado para verificar associação entre as variáveis. Resultados: Respostas dos pais ao DCDQ-Brasil apontam que 253 crianças (47,2%) apresentam dificuldades de coordenação motora. Foi observada associação das dificuldades de coordenação motora com déficit de atenção e hiperatividade, e com o nível socioeconômico. Conclusões: Resultados apontam prevalência considerável de problemas de coordenação motora em crianças de 7 e 8 anos, e associação desses problemas com TDAH e com nível socioeconômico.
Associations of Age and Sex With Marfan Phenotype
Authors: Roman Mary J. , Devereux Richard B. , Preiss Liliana R. , Asch Federico M. , Eagle Kim A. , Holmes Kathryn W. , LeMaire Scott A. , Maslen Cheryl L. , Milewicz Dianna M. , Morris Shaine A. , Prakash Siddharth K. , Pyeritz Reed E. , Ravekes William J. , Shohet Ralph V. , Song Howard K. , Weinsaft Jonathan W. , Dietz Harry C. , Habashi Jennifer , Silberbach G. Michael , Bavaria Joseph E. , Milewski Karianna , McDonnell Nazli , Tolunay H. Eser , Desvigne-Nickens Patrice , Tseng Hung , Kroner Barbara L.
Published: June 2017

Background—

The associations of age and sex with phenotypic features of Marfan syndrome have not been systematically examined in a large cohort of both children and adults.

Methods and Results—

We evaluated 789 Marfan patients enrolled in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute GenTAC (Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions) Registry (53% male; mean age 31 [range: 1–86 years]). Females aged ≥15 and males aged ≥16 years were considered adults based on average age of skeletal maturity. Adults (n=606) were more likely than children (n=183) likely to have spontaneous pneumothorax, scoliosis, and striae but were comparable in revised Ghent systemic score, ectopia lentis, and most phenotypic features, including prevalence of aortic root dilatation. Prophylactic aortic root replacement and mitral valve surgery were rare during childhood versus adulthood (2% versus 35% and 1% versus 9%, respectively, both
P
<0.0001). Adult males were more likely than females to have aortic root dilatation (92% versus 84%), aortic regurgitation (55% versus 36%), and to have undergone prophylactic aortic root replacement (47% versus 24%), all
P
<0.001. Prevalence of previous aortic dissection tended to be higher in males than females (25% versus 18%,
P
=0.06); 44% of dissections were type B. Type B dissection was strongly associated with previous prophylactic aortic root replacement.

Conclusions—

Pulmonary, skeletal, and aortic complications, but not other phenotypic features, are more prevalent in adults than children in Marfan syndrome. Aortic aneurysms and prophylactic aortic surgery are more common in men. Aortic dissection, commonly type B, occurs in an appreciable proportion of Marfan patients, especially in men and after previous prophylactic aortic root replacement.
Cortical Spike Synchrony as a Measure of Input Familiarity
Authors: Korndörfer Clemens , Ullner Ekkehard , García-Ojalvo Jordi , Pipa Gordon
Published: June 2017

Spike synchrony, which occurs in various cortical areas in response to specific perception, action, and memory tasks, has sparked a long-standing debate on the nature of temporal organization in cortex. One prominent view is that this type of synchrony facilitates the binding or grouping of separate stimulus components. We argue instead for a more general function: a measure of the prior probability of incoming stimuli, implemented by long-range, horizontal, intracortical connections. We show that networks of this kind—pulse-coupled excitatory spiking networks in a noisy environment—can provide a sufficient substrate for stimulus-dependent spike synchrony. This allows for a quick (few spikes) estimate of the match between inputs and the input history as encoded in the network structure. Given the ubiquity of small, strongly excitatory subnetworks in cortex, we thus propose that many experimental observations of spike synchrony can be viewed as signs of input patterns that resemble long-term experience—that is, of patterns with high prior probability.
Sensory Metrics of Neuromechanical Trust
Authors: Softky William , Benford Criscillia
Published: June 2017

Today digital sources supply a historically unprecedented component of human sensorimotor data, the consumption of which is correlated with poorly understood maladies such as Internet addiction disorder and Internet gaming disorder. Because both natural and digital sensorimotor data share common mathematical descriptions, one can quantify our informational sensorimotor needs using the signal processing metrics of entropy, noise, dimensionality, continuity, latency, and bandwidth. Such metrics describe in neutral terms the informational diet human brains require to self-calibrate, allowing individuals to maintain trusting relationships. With these metrics, we define the trust humans experience using the mathematical language of computational models, that is, as a primitive statistical algorithm processing finely grained sensorimotor data from neuromechanical interaction. This definition of neuromechanical trust implies that artificial sensorimotor inputs and interactions that attract low-level attention through frequent discontinuities and enhanced coherence will decalibrate a brain's representation of its world over the long term by violating the implicit statistical contract for which self-calibration evolved. Our hypersimplified mathematical understanding of human sensorimotor processing as multiscale, continuous-time vibratory interaction allows equally broad-brush descriptions of failure modes and solutions. For example, we model addiction in general as the result of homeostatic regulation gone awry in novel environments (sign reversal) and digital dependency as a sub-case in which the decalibration caused by digital sensorimotor data spurs yet more consumption of them. We predict that institutions can use these sensorimotor metrics to quantify media richness to improve employee well-being; that dyads and family-size groups will bond and heal best through low-latency, high-resolution multisensory interaction such as shared meals and reciprocated touch; and that individuals can improve sensory and sociosensory resolution through deliberate sensory reintegration practices. We conclude that we humans are the victims of our own success, our hands so skilled they fill the world with captivating things, our eyes so innocent they follow eagerly.
Spatiotemporal ecology of the striped hog-nosed skunk Conepatus semistriatus (Carnivora, Mephitidae) in a seasonally dry forest of northeastern Brazil
Authors: Dias Douglas de Matos
Published: June 2017

Many carnivorous mammals have been forced to contract their distribution due to anthropogenic activities that cause fragmentation and loss of their natural habitat. The striped hog-nosed skunk,Conepatus semistriatus, has a marked population disjunction in the Neotropics and one of the largest geographic ranges in the genus. However, there is a huge lack of biological information about this species. The present study aimed at assessing habitat use and activity pattern ofC. semistriatusand at identifying abiotic factors that influence them. The study was carried out in Serra das Almas Natural Reserve in Brazil with camera traps distributed over 40 sampling stations during 26 months, from 2013 to 2015. Environmental seasonality significantly influenced the detectability ofC. semistriatus, as most records were obtained in the dry season. AlthoughC. semistriatuswas more frequently seen in open habitats, this difference in habitat use was not significant. The species was found to be predominantly nocturnal with higher activity in bright nights. In general,C. semistriatusoccupied all habitats of Serra das Almas, with a preference for open areas. In the dry season, habitat use by the species was more restricted, and was influenced mainly by proximity to water sources. The predominantly nocturnal activity is consistent with the literature, and can be influenced by a behavioral response to avoid high diurnal temperatures.
Effects of hypoxia and dietary vitamin E on growth performance and oxidative status of Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham., 1822)
Authors: Varghese Tincy , Pal Asim Kumar , Sahu Narottam Prasad , Mishal Puthiyottil , Dasgupta Subrata
Published: June 2017

Vitamin E is of importance for several physiological processes, some of which also apply to fish. Here, we conducted an experiment to assess the effect of environmental hypoxia and dietary vitamin E on oxidative status and tissue injury in a bottom dwelling carp,Cirrhinus mrigala(Ham., 1822). The four treatments combined oxygen availability (Normoxia/Hypoxua) and Vitamin E presence/absence. Lipid peroxidation parameters such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBAR), peroxide value (PV), polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acid (PUFA/SFA) ratio, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and erythrocyte fragility were assessed. The results indicate that exposure to hypoxia elevates these parameters. However, the supplementation of vitamin E via the diet effectively reduced erythrocyte membrane damage (EF) and myeloperoxidase activity (MPO), which were enhanced by the exposure to hypoxia. Dietary vitamin E also improved antioxidant enzyme status in the hypoxia exposed fish, as indicated by the decreased catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Vitamin E supplementation also compensated for increased levels of peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and an increased polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acid ratio resulting from the exposure to hypoxia. Overall, it can be concluded that fortification of vitamin E in the diet of this carp species, and possibly other fish that live under hypoxic conditions, can restore the antioxidant status and well-being to some extent.
Building the Socialist Balkans
Authors: Kulić Vladimir
Published: June 2017

This article introduces the special issue of Southeastern Europe dedicated to architecture in the Balkans produced in the networks of socialist internationalism. The built heritage of socialism has suffered several waves of erasure, most spectacularly exemplified by the current remake of Skopje, but it is also undergoing a surge in popular and scholarly interest. Focusing on Bucharest, Skopje, Sofia, and the activities of the Belgrade company Energoprojekt in Nigeria, the issue contributes to the growing scholarship on socialist and postsocialist space by analyzing architecture’s global entanglements during the Cold War. “Architecture” is understood here not only as the built environment in its various scales, but also as a regulated, organized profession, a field of cultural production, an art, and a technical discipline. It thus opens up a broad range of phenomena that cut across the fabric of society: from the representations of specific global imaginaries, to the transnational exchanges of expertise, services, and material goods.
New Governance Models for Managing Coastal Fisheries
Authors: Telesetsky Anastasia
Published: June 2017

After the disastrous collapse of the groundfish fisheries in California, fishermen from a number of California coastal communities were prepared to try something different to secure their livelihoods. With the support of a multinational non-governmental organization (ngo), these fishermen committed to sharing previously proprietary information, implementing conservation practices, and pooling quota. This article queries what lessons there might be for Asia-Pacific coastal community fisheries from the “California coastal model.” The article proposes three lessons: (1) ngo investments can change the long-term viability of a fishery (2) local fishery management by a group that identifies itself as a community may be effective for fisheries recovery; and (3) community or group quotas and rights can support sustainability objectives.
Review of the enigmatic genus Boalda with transfer of pulcherrima Köhler from Nephelistis and description of two new species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Authors: GOLDSTEIN PAUL Z.
Published: June 2017

Schaus (1929: 49) described Boalda gyona in a monobasic genus known only from the holotype taken in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Biezanko et al. (1957) reported the species from Uruguay. A number of specimens of Boalda similar to gyona were collected recently in Paraguay, at least two of which match the anomalous Argentinian taxon Nephelistis pulcherrima Köhler (1947: 77–78). Herein the genus Boalda is reviewed, with one new species described from the Paraguayan samples, and with N. pulcherrima transferred Boalda. A singleton specimen from Parque Nacional Cerro Corá, Dpto. Amambay, Paraguay, is figured but not described as a distinct species because of a lack of additional specimens.
Anagrus nedotepae sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), an egg parasitoid of Nedotepa curta (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), a pest of coconut palm in West Africa
Authors: TRIAPITSYN SERGUEI V. , KWADJO K. ERIC , ROSETE YAIMA AROCHA
Published: June 2017

A new Afrotropical species of Anagrus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), A. nedotepae Triapitsyn sp. n., is described and illustrated. The type series was reared from parasitized eggs of the leafhopper Nedotepa curta Dmitriev (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) during a survey for its natural enemies in Côte d’Ivoire. This peculiar leafhopper, recently described from Ghana (Dmitriev 2016), lays its eggs on leaflets of coconut palm, and could be an economically important pest of this crop in West Africa, particularly because it is a suspected vector of the phytoplasma associated with the Côte d’Ivoire Lethal Yellowing disease of coconut, as characterized by Arocha-Rosete et al. (2014). Coconut lethal yellowing diseases cause severe economic losses to the very important coconut growing industry in several West African countries and elsewhere, being considered a threat of global economic and social significance (Gurr et al. 2016). Thus, the parasitoid may be of potential importance for natural biological control of this pest and urgently needs a scientific name to be used in further publications on its biology and ecology. Such studies are currently underway by the second author, who collected the type series of the new species.
El Campo: Educational Attainment and Educational Well-Being for Farmworker Children
Authors: Delgado Daniela , Becker Herbst Rachel
Published: June 2017

Farmworkers comprise a marginalized population who experience various threats to their well-being. This study presents a community-based participatory research project that explored the educational attainment and well-being of Latino/a youth in farmworker families. Children of farmworkers ( n = 18), farmworker parents ( n = 12), and educational service providers ( n = 8) in South Florida participated in focus groups. Two follow-up interviews deepened our understanding of focus group data. Using conventional content analysis, six themes emerged. Applying a public health ecological framework to the analysis and conceptualization of these findings, we shift the focus from merely describing facets associated with educational attainment to an examination of the optimal conditions required to produce educational well-being. Future research should include perspectives from educators, policy leaders, and activists.
Equity, Equality, and Standardization: Expanding the Conversations
Authors: Cramer Elizabeth , Little Mary E. , McHatton Patricia Alvarez
Published: June 2017

In the more than 60 years since the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, the United States has been struggling to assure educational equality for all learners. This article will review how attempts at equality such as accountability and standardization movements have failed to close opportunity gaps for vulnerable and marginalized groups, particularly for students with disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Critical issues are raised about current reforms, in order to broaden educational conversations for a deeper analysis, recognizing the implications for sustained, comprehensive solutions.
From the Beginning: Creating a Diversity and Multicultural Education Course at Jacksonville State University
Authors: Rubin Daniel Ian
Published: June 2017

In the fall of 2015, a new secondary education class, Diversity and Multicultural Education, was introduced at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Although many multicultural theorists emphasize the importance of students taking diversity/multicultural education courses in college, there is no real model for creating such a class. This article creates a framework for how to conceptualize and teach a diversity and multicultural education course at the university level. It discusses the creation of the class through a critical pedagogy framework, the units which comprise the course, and the connection to current events. The article also includes student reflections about personal growth due to taking the new course, as well as personal reflections from the author.
Forced-air pre-warming prevents peri-anaesthetic hypothermia and shortens recovery in adult rats
Authors: Schuster C J , Pang D S J
Published: June 2017

General anaesthesia disrupts thermoregulation in mammals, which can cause hypothermia. Decreases in core body temperature of 1℃ cause significant postoperative complications in humans, and peri-anaesthetic hypothermia in mice increases data variability, which can potentially increase animal use. In rats, the impact of different temperature management strategies on the incidence and severity of hypothermia, and the accuracy of different temperature measurement methods, is unknown. Eighteen adult male and female SD rats were block-randomized to one of three treatment groups: no-warming (NW), limited-warming (LW, heat pad during anaesthesia), and pre-warming (PW, warm air exposure before anaesthesia, followed by heat pad). Anaesthesia (isoflurane) duration was for 40 min. Core body temperature (intra-abdominal telemetric temperature capsule) was recorded during anaesthesia and recovery. During anaesthesia, rectal, skin, and tail temperatures were also recorded. In the PW group, core temperature was maintained during anaesthesia and recovery. By contrast, the NW group was hypothermic (11% temperature decrease) during anaesthesia. The LW group showed a decrease in temperature during recovery. Recovery to sternal recumbency was significantly faster in the PW (125 [70–186] s, P = 0.0003) and the LW (188 [169–420] s, P = 0.04) groups than in the NW group (525 [229–652] s). Rectal temperature underestimated core temperature (bias −0.90℃, 95% limits of agreement −0.1 to 1.9℃). Skin and tail temperatures showed wide 95% limits of agreement, spanning 6 to 15℃, respectively. The novel strategy of PW was effective at maintaining core temperature during and after anaesthesia. Rectal temperature provided an acceptable proxy for core body temperature.
Rationalization and Student/School Personhood in U.S. College Admissions: The Rise of Test-optional Policies, 1987 to 2015
Authors: Furuta Jared
Published: June 2017

This article examines the rise of ‘‘test-optional’’ college admissions policies since the 1990s. I argue that the rationalization of college admissions policies after World War II contributed to the rise of ‘‘meritocratic’’ stratification (in policy) and standardized tests, like the SAT, but it also led to the expansion and legitimation of the roles of student and school personhood in the admissions process. Schools more committed to enlarged conceptions of student personhood are more likely to adopt a test-optional policy, in order to recruit students who fit the distinctive characteristics of their school identity. To test the argument, I use a comprehensive data set of 1,640 colleges and universities in the United States and discrete-time event history models from 1987 to 2015. I also assess alternative arguments that emphasize economic or prestige-driven motives. Liberal arts colleges and schools committed to several dimensions of student personhood are more likely to adopt test-optional policies, net of other factors.
Corporal punishment and adult antisocial behavior
Authors: Rebellon Cesar J. , Straus Murray
Published: June 2017

A wealth of research suggests that youth whose parents use corporal punishment are more likely to engage in antisocial behavior during childhood and adolescence. Questions remain, however, about: (a) whether this relationship extends reliably to samples outside the US and Canada; (b) whether corporal punishment is associated with antisocial behavior in adulthood rather than just childhood and adolescence; (c) whether the association depends on which parents use corporal punishment; and (d) what theoretical mechanisms account for the link between corporal punishment and antisocial behavior. The present study uses data collected from young adults in Asia, Europe, and North America to address each of these issues. Net of statistical controls, including retrospective measures of childhood misbehavior and abusive parenting, findings reveal that antisocial behavior in all three regions is higher among young adults who report experiencing corporal punishment in childhood. Overall, this relationship is least likely to emerge when corporal punishment comes only from fathers and most likely to emerge when it comes from both parents. Further, results suggest that self-control and social concern, but not conventional attitudes, mediate a portion of the association between retrospective reports of childhood corporal punishment and antisocial behavior in early adulthood.
When extremes meet: Redistribution in a multiparty model with differentiated parties
Authors: Matakos Konstantinos , Xefteris Dimitrios
Published: June 2017

In this paper we consider a multi-party electoral competition model in which parties, which care both about implemented policy and their electoral performance, strategically promise a redistribution scheme while their social ideologies are considered to be known and fixed (differentiated parties). Voters, who differ both in income and in social ideologies, vote sincerely for the party that they cumulatively like the most (that is, taking into account both the redistribution scheme proposals and parties’ social ideologies). Formal analysis of this game uncovers a moderates-vs-extremists equilibrium: parties with moderate social ideologies tend to favor generous redistribution in order to capture the votes of the poor majority, while parties with extremist social ideologies are more likely to be non-competitive in the economic dimension by proposing policies that do not reflect the interests of the poor. An implication of this result is that, ceteris paribus, an increase in income inequality should lead to an increase in the cumulative vote share of moderate parties and, hence, in a decrease in party-system fragmentation.
Strain measurement and error analysis in thermo-mechanical tensile tests of sheet metals for hot stamping applications
Authors: Shao Zhutao , Li Nan , Lin Jianguo , Dean Trevor A
Published: June 2017

In order to conduct uniaxial tensile tests for hot stamping applications, tests are normally performed by using a Gleeble thermo-mechanical materials simulator so that rapid heating and cooling processes can be obtained. However, temperature gradients in a specimen tested on Gleeble are inevitable due to resistance heating principles and heat loss to grips and water-cooled jaws. In this research, a pair of purpose-built grips made of stainless steel with low thermal conductivity and significantly reduced contacting area for clamping, as well as a flat dog-bone specimen with maximised parallel length (80 mm) were designed, for the purpose of improving the temperature uniformity within the concerned gauge section area of the specimen. Uniaxial tensile tests on AA6082 were performed, after controlled heating and cooling processes, at constant deformation temperatures in the range of 400 ℃–500 ℃ and at constant strain rate in the range of 0.1–4/s, to simulate its hot stamping conditions. The digital image correlation system was adopted to enable strain distributions in specimens to be measured. The temperature distributions in specimens were investigated and an effective gauge length of 14 mm was specified accordingly to ensure temperature gradients less than 10 ℃ within it at all tested temperatures. True stress–true strain curves of AA6082 were obtained based on results of strain measurements along the defined effective gauge length and used to calibrate a set of advanced material model. Error analysis was carried out by using thermo-electrical and thermo-mechanical FE models on ABAQUS, in which the calibrated material constitutive equations were implemented via subroutines. The error of stress–strain curves of AA6082 measured based on the specified gauge length was investigated and quantified by analysing the distribution of axial strain and axial stress.
High-speed cryogenic machining of the carbon nanotube reinforced nanocomposites: Finite element analysis and simulation
Authors: Vahidi Pashaki Pooyan , Pouya Milad , Maleki Vahid A
Published: June 2017

In this paper, a new approach for evaluating the cryogenic machining process of the carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum matrix composites is developed based on finite element method. Finite element modeling in commercial code ABAQUS/Explicit was used to simulate high-speed machining of carbon nanotube reinforced composites under dry and cryogenic conditions, where different parameters (carbon nanotubes loading and the cutting speed) were investigated. The matrix phases are given a Johnson–Cook failure criterion. For considering more realistic assumptions, mechanical and thermal properties of the materials are assumed as a function of temperature. Results shown that at the cutting velocity of 60 m/s, cryogenic cooling has caused decrease of workpiece plastic strain by 12% in comparison with the dry cooling. The model can be used to study the effect of weight fraction, orientation, and length of the carbon nanotubes on the manufacturing of the nanocomposites.
A combined experimental and finite element approach to analyse the fretting mechanism of the head–stem taper junction in total hip replacement
Authors: Bitter Thom , Khan Imran , Marriott Tim , Lovelady Elaine , Verdonschot Nico , Janssen Dennis
Published: June 2017

Fretting corrosion at the taper interface of modular hip implants has been implicated as a possible cause of implant failure. This study was set up to gain more insight in the taper mechanics that lead to fretting corrosion. The objectives of this study therefore were (1) to select experimental loading conditions to reproduce clinically relevant fretting corrosion features observed in retrieved components, (2) to develop a finite element model consistent with the fretting experiments and (3) to apply more complicated loading conditions of activities of daily living to the finite element model to study the taper mechanics. The experiments showed similar wear patterns on the taper surface as observed in retrievals. The finite element wear score based on Archard’s law did not correlate well with the amount of material loss measured in the experiments. However, similar patterns were observed between the simulated micromotions and the experimental wear measurements. Although the finite element model could not be validated, the loading conditions based on activities of daily living demonstrate the importance of assembly load on the wear potential. These findings suggest that finite element models that do not incorporate geometry updates to account for wear loss may not be appropriate to predict wear volumes of taper connections.
Effects of storage temperature and repeated freeze–thaw cycles on stability of bovine plasma concentrations of haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin
Authors: A. Martins Paulo G. M. , Moriel Philipe , Arthington John D.
Published: June 2017

We evaluated the effects of storage temperature (−20 or −80°C) and handling procedure on plasma concentrations of bovine haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin. Within each temperature, whole blood samples were: centrifuged within 2 h of collection and plasma kept frozen until analysis (control); refrigerated at 4°C for 24 h before plasma harvest and freezing (24H); or plasma harvested and frozen within 2 h after collection, but then plasma samples were thawed and refrozen 1 wk (1X), 1 and 2 wk (2X), or 1, 2 and 3 wk (3X) before analyses. Haptoglobin concentrations were greatest at 24H, but similar among remaining treatments. Ceruloplasmin concentrations were not affected by the handling procedures. Storage temperature did not affect haptoglobin concentrations, but ceruloplasmin concentrations decreased when stored at −20 versus −80°C. Except for greater concentrations after 24 h storage at 4°C, haptoglobin concentrations remained stable at either freezing temperature and through freeze–thaw cycles. Ceruloplasmin concentrations decreased after 3 freeze–thaw cycles and required lower freezing temperatures to remain stable.