bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety and pharmacokinetics of bapineuzumab in a single ascending‐dose study in Japanese patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Arai Heii , Umemura Kazuo , Ichimiya Yosuke , Iseki Eizo , Eto Ko , Miyakawa Koichi , Kirino Eiji , Shibata Nobuto , Baba Hajime , Tsuchiwata Shinichi
Published: June 2015

Aim

To evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile of bapineuzumab after a single intravenous injection in Japanese patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Methods

Participants received either a placebo (n = 8), or bapineuzumab 0.15 (n = 6), 0.5 (n = 6), 1.0 (n = 6) or 2.0 (n = 6) mg/kg. Serum concentrations of bapineuzumab, antibapineuzumab antibody and total plasma β‐amyloidx‐40 were assayed.

Results

Adverse events for bapineuzumab and placebo groups were 71% and 88%, respectively. Treatment‐emergent adverse events (cataract, injection site hemorrhage, nasopharyngitis, pneumonia and muscle twitching) reported for ≥2 participants were mild or moderate in severity and unrelated to bapineuzumab dose. No deaths, serious adverse events or withdrawals were reported. Mean peak concentration for bapineuzumab increased with dose, from 3.3 ± 0.9 μg/mL with the 0.15 mg/kg dose to 61.0 ± 32.8 μg/mL with 2.0 mg/kg. Mean bapineuzumab exposure (area under the curve from time 0 to last measurable concentration; μg·h/mL) increased in a linear manner with increasing dose (mean 1260 for 0.15 mg/kg, 4264 for 0.5 mg/kg, 7818 for 1.0 mg/kg, 15 313 for 2.0 mg/kg). Mean half‐life ranged from 15 to 28 days, and clearance was similar across dose groups (range 0.12–0.17 mL/h/kg).

Conclusions

Plasma β‐amyloidx‐40 levels increased with increasing doses of bapineuzumab. Bapineuzumab was safe and well tolerated at all doses in Japanese patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 644–650.
Democratic Order, Autonomy, and Accountability
Authors: Olsen Johan P.
Published: June 2015

Accountability is a principle for organizing relations between rulers and ruled, and making public officials accountable is a democratic achievement. There are, however, competing claims about what is involved in demanding, rendering, assessing, and responding to accounts; what are effective accountability institutions; and how accountability regimes emerge and change. This article provides a frame for thinking about institutional aspects of accountability regimes and their cognitive, normative, and power foundations. A distinction is made between accountabilitywithinan established regime with stable power relations and role expectations and accountability as(re)structuring processesin less institutionalized contexts and in transformation periods. A huge literature is concerned with the first issue. There is less attention to accountability as (re)structuring processes. The article, therefore, calls attention to how democracies search for, and struggle over, what are legitimate accountability regimes and political orders.
A salutogenic patient‐centred perspective of improved oral health behaviour – a descriptive phenomenological interview study
Authors: Östergård G‐B , Englander M , Axtelius B
Published: June 2015

A salutogenic perspective was applied in the study when investigating the patient's perspective of what it means to move in the direction towards health in the treatment of periodontitis.

Objectives

The study aimed at describing the lived experience of improved oral health‐related behaviour.

Method

The descriptive phenomenological method was chosen for collection and analysis of data. Patients were selected from a private general dental clinic.

Results

The results described the patient‐centred perspective in the general structure held together by eight constituents: (i) change is increased successively, (ii) a changed view on self‐care at the start of change, (iii) improved self‐care includes understanding and automatic routine, (iv) motivating challenges and feedback are perceived as strengthening, (v) having good thoughts and being satisfied with one's own capacity, (vi) experiencing trust and participation along with an expert, (vii) negative experiences and limitations precedes the change and (viii) relating yourself to past time, present time, future and other people.

Conclusion

The complex pattern of interconnected external and internal components in the results calls for the need of a holistic perspective of the change process and for the clinician to practise flexibility.
The Association between Lesion Location and Functional Outcome after Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Yassi Nawaf , Churilov Leonid , Campbell Bruce C.V. , Sharma Gagan , Bammer Roland , Desmond Patricia M. , Parsons Mark W. , Albers Gregory W. , Donnan Geoffrey A. , Davis Stephen M.
Published: June 2015

Background

Infarct location has a critical effect on patient outcome after ischemic stroke, but the study of its role independent of overall lesion volume is challenging. We performed a retrospective, hypothesis-generating study of the effect of infarct location on three-month functional outcome in a pooled analysis of the EPITHET and DEFUSE studies.

Methods

Posttreatment MRI diffusion lesions were manually segmented and transformed into standard-space. A novel composite brain atlas derived from three standard brain atlases and encompassing 132 cortical and sub-cortical structures was used to segment the transformed lesion into different brain regions, and calculate the percentage of each region infarcted. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis was performed to determine the important regions in each hemisphere associated with nonfavorable outcome at day 90 (modified Rankin score [mRS] > 1).

Results

Overall, 152 patients (82 left hemisphere) were included. Median diffusion lesion volume was 37·0 ml, and median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Score was 13. In the left hemisphere, the strongest determinants of nonfavorable outcome were infarction of the uncinate fasciculus, followed by precuneus, angular gyrus and total diffusion lesion volume. In the right hemisphere, the strongest determinants of nonfavorable outcome were infarction of the parietal lobe followed by the putamen.

Conclusions

Assessment of infarct location using CART demonstrates regional characteristics associated with poor outcome. Prognostically important locations include limbic, default-mode and language areas in the left hemisphere, and visuospatial and motor regions in the right hemisphere.
Small cortical infarcts: prevalence, determinants, and cognitive correlates in the general population
Authors: Riba-Llena Iolanda , Koek Marcel , Verhaaren Benjamin F. J. , Vrooman Henri A. , van der Lugt Aad , Hofman Albert , Ikram M. Arfan , Vernooij Meike W.
Published: June 2015

Background

Cortical brain infarcts are defined as infarcts involving cortical gray matter, but may differ considerably in size. It is unknown whether small cortical infarcts have a similar clinical phenotype as larger counterparts. We investigated prevalence, determinants, and cognitive correlates of small cortical infarcts in the general population and compared these with large cortical infarcts and lacunar infarcts.

Methods

Four thousand nine hundred five nondemented individuals (age 63.95 ± 10.99) from a population-based study were included. Infarcts were rated on magnetic resonance imaging and participants were classified according to mean infarct diameter into small (≤15 mm in largest diameter) or large (>15 mm) cortical infarcts, lacunar infarcts, or a combination of subtypes. Spatial distribution maps were created for manually labeled small and large infarcts. Participants underwent cognitive testing. Analyses were performed using multinomial regression and analysis of covariance.

Results

Three hundred eighty-one (7.8%) persons had any infarct on magnetic resonance imaging, among whom 54 with small (1.1%) and 77 (1.6%) with large cortical infarcts. Small cortical infarcts were mainly localized in external watershed areas, whereas large cortical infarcts were localized primarily in large arterial territories. Age (odds ratio = 1.06; 95% confidence interval = 1.02, 1.09), male gender (1.98; 1.01, 3.92), and smoking (2.55; 1.06, 6.14) were determinants of small cortical infarcts. Participants with these infarcts had worse scores in delayed memory, processing speed, and attention tests than persons without infarcts, even after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors.

Conclusions

In the elderly, small cortical infarcts appear as frequent as large infarcts but in different localization. Our results suggest that small cortical infarcts share cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive correlates with large cortical, but also with lacunar infarcts.
Unionization and Productivity: Evidence from Charter Schools
Authors: Hart Cassandra M.D. , Sojourner Aaron J.
Published: June 2015

This paper studies the relationship between teacher unionization and student achievement. Generally stable patterns of teacher unionization since the 1970s have historically presented challenges in measuring the effects of unionization on educational production. However, the blossoming of the charter school sector in recent decades provides fertile ground for study because while most charters are nonunion, teachers at some charters have unionized. Using a generalized difference‐in‐difference approach combining California union certification data with student achievement data from 2003–2012, we find that, aside from a one‐year dip in achievement associated with the unionization process itself, unionization does not affect student achievement.
Understanding buyers' loyalty to a C2C platform: the roles of social capital, satisfaction and perceived effectiveness of e‐commerce institutional mechanisms
Authors: Huang Qian , Chen Xiayu , Ou Carol Xiaojuan , Davison Robert M. , Hua Zhongsheng
Published: June 2015

Drawing upon social capital theory, this study aims to investigate how different dimensions of social capital affect online buyers' satisfaction and ultimately boost their loyalty to a Consumer‐to‐Consumer (C2C) platform. Specifically, we propose that three dimensions of social capital (i.e., cognitive, structural and relational capital) contribute positively to the two types of online buyers' satisfaction (i.e., economic and social satisfaction). In addition, we posit that perceived effectiveness of e‐commerce institutional mechanisms (PEEIM) moderates the relationships between economic and social satisfaction and buyers' loyalty to the platform. Three hundred buyers on the Consumer‐to‐Consumer platform, TaoBao, were surveyed to test the proposed model. The results suggest that buyers' evaluation of social capital with the community of sellers can enhance their satisfaction with the sellers, which subsequently affect their loyalty to the platform. Furthermore, perceived effectiveness of e‐commerce institutional mechanisms negatively moderates the effect of economic satisfaction and positively moderates the effect of social satisfaction on buyers' loyalty to the platform. The theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.
British nurses' attitudes to electroconvulsive therapy, 1945–2000
Authors: Adams John
Published: June 2015

Aim

The aim of the study was to collect and analyse historical material on nurses' attitudes to electroconvulsive therapy in Britain between 1945–2000.

Background

Electroconvulsive therapy became widely used in Britain from the late 1940s onwards and remains in current use, but became one of the main targets of the ‘antipsychiatry’ movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

Design

A cultural history design was used to recreate the perspectives of mental health nurses in the period under review.

Method

A range of primary sources including journal articles, textbooks and oral history sources were combined to create a coherent historical account.

Findings

The controversy surrounding electroconvulsive therapy created a deep‐seated ambivalence towards it among mental health nurses. While a sizeable minority were critical of its use and may have taken steps to avoid involvement with it, most acquiesced in providing the treatment. Recorded incidents of outright refusal to participate are few.

Conclusion

Mental health nurses' views on electroconvulsive therapy are reflective of the profession's growing knowledge of the use of evidence in debating whether particular therapies should be used.
Social presence in online discussions as a process predictor of academic performance
Authors: Joksimović S. , Gašević D. , Kovanović V. , Riecke B. E. , Hatala M.
Published: June 2015

With the steady development of online education and online learning environments, possibilities to support social interactions between students have advanced significantly. This study examined the relationship between indicators of social presence and academic performance. Social presence is defined as students' ability to engage socially with an online learning community. The results of a multiple regression analysis showed that certain indicators of social presence were significant predictors of final grades in a master's level computer science online course. Moreover, the study also revealed that teaching presence moderated the association between social presence and academic performance, indicating that a course design that increased the level of meaningful interactions between students had a significant impact on the development of social presence, and thus could positively affect students' academic performance. This is especially important in situations when discussions are introduced to promote the development of learning outcomes assessed in courses. Another implication of our results is that indicators of social presence can be used for early detection of students at risk of failing a course. Findings inform research and practice in the emerging field of learning analytics by prompting the opportunities to offer actionable insights into the reasons why certain students are lagging behind.
Genetic and Physiological Diversity in the Diatom Nitzschia inconspicua
Authors: Rovira Laia , Trobajo Rosa , Sato Shinya , Ibáñez Carles , Mann David G.
Published: June 2015

Nitzschia inconspicua is an ecologically important diatom species, which is believed to have a widespread distribution and to be tolerant to salinity and to organic or nutrient pollution. However, its identification is not straightforward and there is no information on genetic and ecophysiological diversity within the species. We used morphological, molecular (rbcL and LSU D1–D3), ecophysiological and reproductive data to investigate whether N. inconspicua constitutes a single species with a broad ecological tolerance or two or more cryptic species with shared or different ecological preferences. Molecular genetic data for clones from upstream and deltaic sites in the Ebro River basin (Catalonia, Spain) revealed seven N. inconspicua rbcL + LSU genotypes grouped into three major clades. Two of the clades were related to other Nitzschia and Denticula species, making N. inconspicua paraphyletic and suggesting the need for taxonomic revision. Most clones were observed to be automictic, exhibiting paedogamy, and so the biological species concept cannot be used to establish species boundaries. Although there were morphological differences among clones, we found no consistent differences among genotypes belonging to different clades, which are definable only through sequence data. Nevertheless, separating the genotypes could be important for ecological purposes because two different ecophysiological responses were encountered among them.
Validation of Polytomella piriformis nomen nudum (Chlamydomonadaceae): a Distinct Lineage Within a Genus of Nonphotosynthetic Green Algae
Authors: MacDonald Shelley M. , Lee Robert W.
Published: June 2015

Polytomella strain SAG 63‐10 was first described by Pringsheim (1963) as Polytomella piriformis nomen nudum. The current study validates the name Polytomella piriformis following the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN). We present 18S rRNA sequences of SAG 63‐10 and several other Polytomella strains, which, along with existing mitochondrial DNA sequences, clearly distinguishes P. piriformis n. sp. from other available Polytomella species. The first type material of the species is presented, as well as an illustration and micrographs. Our own observations of P. piriformis SAG 63‐10 are compared to Pringsheim's description and to descriptions of other valid Polytomella spp.
Comparative life histories of fishes in the subgenus Limia (Pisces: Poeciliidae)
Authors: Cohen S. N. , Regus J. U. , Reynoso Y. , Mastro T. , Reznick D. N.
Published: June 2015

This study presents life‐history descriptions for 12 species in the subgenus Limia, which are endemic to the Greater Antilles. All species in this study lack evidence of superfoetation, producing a single brood of offspring before developing subsequent broods. Interbrood intervals (number of days between parturition events) are also consistent with intervals of species that lack superfoetation. Maternal provisioning, characterized by matrotrophy index, is <1.0 for all species of Limia. This is consistent with species that provide little or no maternal provisioning to developing embryos after ovum fertilization (lecithotrophic). Four species exhibit potentially bi‐modal size distributions of mature males. Work on other poeciliids suggests that such bimodal distributions can be caused by genetic polymorphisms in some species. Principle component analyses revealed an axis of interspecific variation in life histories that separated species with small size at maturity and the production of many, small offspring from those with large size at maturity and that produce few, large offspring. This pattern of life‐history diversity occurs in many other groups of organisms.
Values of the Minimal Clinically Important Difference for the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire in Individuals with Dementia
Authors: Mao Hui‐Fen , Kuo Chun‐An , Huang Wen‐Ni , Cummings Jeffrey L. , Hwang Tzung‐Jeng
Published: June 2015

Objectives

To estimate the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI‐Q), a widely used measure of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSDs) and associated caregiver stress.

Design

Ten registered nurses rated the severity of BPSDs and caregiver distress using the NPI‐Q during six monthly assessments and an external reference, a 7‐point Likert‐type global rating of BPSDs change during five monthly assessments from the second to the sixth month. An anchor‐based (global ratings of change) approach and a distribution‐based (standard error of measurement) approach were used to determine the MCID for the NPI‐Q severity and distress subscales.

Setting

Long‐term care facility.

Participants

Nonbedridden residents with dementia (n = 45) and registered nurses (n = 10).

Measurements

NPI‐Q (severity and caregiver distress subscales) and global ratings of changes in BPSDs on a 7‐point Likert‐type scale.

Results

The NPI‐Q MCID ranges were 2.77 to 3.18 for severity and 3.10 to 3.95 for distress. Residents in the highest NPI‐Q tertile at baseline had higher MCID severity (3.62) and distress (5.08) scores than those in the lowest tertile (severity (2.40), distress (3.10)).

Conclusion

This study provides an estimate of the MCID for severity and distress subscales of the NPI‐Q, which can help clinicians and researchers determine whether NPI‐Q change scores within a group of individuals with dementia are beyond measurement error and are clinically important.
Computational microscopic imaging for malaria parasite detection: a systematic review
Authors: DAS D.K. , MUKHERJEE R. , CHAKRABORTY C.
Published: June 2015

Malaria, being an epidemic disease, demands its rapid and accurate diagnosis for proper intervention. Microscopic image‐based characterization of erythrocytes plays an integral role in screening of malaria parasites. In practice, microscopic evaluation of blood smear image is the gold standard for malaria diagnosis; where the pathologist visually examines the stained slide under the light microscope. This visual inspection is subjective, error‐prone and time consuming. In order to address such issues, computational microscopic imaging methods have been given importance in recent times in the field of digital pathology. Recently, such quantitative microscopic techniques have rapidly evolved for abnormal erythrocyte detection, segmentation and semi/fully automated classification by minimizing such diagnostic errors for computerized malaria detection. The aim of this paper is to present a review on enhancement, segmentation, microscopic feature extraction and computer‐aided classification for malaria parasite detection.
Comparative brain morphology of Neotropical parrots (Aves, Psittaciformes) inferred from virtual 3D endocasts
Authors: Carril Julieta , Tambussi Claudia Patricia , Degrange Federico Javier , Benitez Saldivar María Juliana , Picasso Mariana Beatriz Julieta
Published: June 2015

Psittaciformes are a very diverse group of non‐passerine birds, with advanced cognitive abilities and highly developed locomotor and feeding behaviours. Using computed tomography and three‐dimensional (3D) visualization software, the endocasts of 14 extant Neotropical parrots were reconstructed, with the aim of analysing, comparing and exploring the morphology of the brain within the clade. A 3D geomorphometric analysis was performed, and the encephalization quotient (EQ) was calculated. Brain morphology character states were traced onto a Psittaciformes tree in order to facilitate interpretation of morphological traits in a phylogenetic context. Our results indicate that: (i) there are two conspicuously distinct brain morphologies, one considered walnut type (quadrangular and wider than long) and the other rounded (narrower and rostrally tapered); (ii) Psittaciformes possess a noticeable notch between hemisphaeria that divides the bulbus olfactorius; (iii) the plesiomorphic and most frequently observed characteristics of Neotropical parrots are a rostrally tapered telencephalon in dorsal view, distinctly enlarged dorsal expansion of the eminentia sagittalis and conspicuous fissura mediana; (iv) there is a positive correlation between body mass and brain volume; (v) psittacids are characterized by high EQ values that suggest high brain volumes in relation to their body masses; and (vi) the endocranial morphology of the Psittaciformes as a whole is distinctive relative to other birds. This new knowledge of brain morphology offers much potential for further insight in paleoneurological, phylogenetic and evolutionary studies.
Comparing the Developmental Genetics of Cognition and Personality over the Life Span
Authors: Briley Daniel A. , Tucker‐Drob Elliot M.
Published: June 2015

Empirical studies of cognitive ability and personality have tended to operate in isolation of one another. We suggest that returning to a unified approach to considering the development of individual differences in both cognition and personality can enrich our understanding of human development. We draw on previous meta‐analyses of longitudinal, behavior genetic studies of cognition and personality across the life span, focusing particular attention on age trends in heritability and differential stability. Both cognition and personality are moderately heritable and exhibit large increases in stability with age; however, marked differences are evident. First, the heritability of cognition increases substantially with child age, while the heritability of personality decreases modestly with age. Second, increasing stability of cognition with age is overwhelmingly mediated by genetic factors, whereas increasing stability of personality with age is entirely mediated by environmental factors. Third, the maturational time‐course of stability differs: Stability of cognition nears its asymptote by the end of the first decade of life, whereas stability of personality takes three decades to near its asymptote. We discuss how proximal gene–environment dynamics, developmental processes, broad social contexts, and evolutionary pressures may intersect to give rise to these divergent patterns.
Straelensiosis in two cats and ten dogs from Israel
Authors: Kaufmann R. , Bourdeau P. , Waldman L. , Amiel S. , Zur G.
Published: June 2015

Straelensiosis is uncommonly described outside Europe. This report describes straelensiosis in two cats and in ten dogs diagnosed with the disease outside Europe. Both cats displayed erythematous macules or nodules on the abdominal skin. One cat was extremely pruritic, while in the other the lesions were incidental findings when the cat was presented for neutering. The mites were noted in skin scrapings in both cats and histopathologically in one cat. All dogs showed a general distribution of papules, and intense pruritus was noted in six dogs. The diagnosis in all dogs was based on histopathology. Treatment of the animals in this study varied, and among the various administrated treatments, amitraz showed promising results.
Mechanical comparison of monofilament nylon leader and orthopaedic wire for median sternotomy closure
Authors: McCready D. J. , Bell J. C. , Ness M. G. , Tarlton J. F.
Published: June 2015

OBJECTIVES

To compare the mechanical properties of monofilament nylon leader and orthopaedic wire for median sternotomy closure in the dog.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Median sternotomy was performed in 14 canine cadaver sternums with the manubrium intact. The sternotomy was closed with either 80 lb monofilament nylon leader or 20G orthopaedic stainless steel wire in a peristernal figure of 8 pattern. Constructs were loaded in a servohydraulic material testing machine. Load at yield, maximum load, stiffness, displacement and mode of failure were compared between constructs subjected to a single cycle load to failure.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found in load at yield, maximum load, stiffness or displacement between the monofilament nylon leader and the stainless steel wire constructs. No implant failure was evident in the stainless steel wire constructs. Four of the monofilament nylon leader constructs failed by pulling of the nylon through the crimp.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Monofilament nylon leader is mechanically comparable to stainless steel wire and potentially a suitable alternative for closure of median sternotomy in the dog.
Sexual Dysfunctions in Men and Women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The Influence of IBD-Related Clinical Factors and Depression on Sexual Function
Authors: Bel Linda G.J. , Vollebregt Anna M. , Van der Meulen-de Jong Andrea E. , Fidder Herma H. , Ten Hove Willem R. , Vliet-Vlieland Cornelia W. , ter Kuile Moniek M. , de Groot Helena E. , Both Stephanie
Published: June 2015

Introduction

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is likely to have an impact on sexual function because of its symptoms, like diarrhea, fatigue, and abdominal pain. Depression is commonly reported in IBD and is also related to impaired sexual function. This study aimed to evaluate sexual function and its association with depression among patients with IBD compared with controls.

Methods

IBD patients registered at two hospitals participated. The control group consisted of a general practitioner practice population. The web-based questionnaire included the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) for women and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) for men. Other variables evaluated were depression, disease activity, IBD-related quality of life, body image, and fatigue.

Results

In total, 168 female and 119 male patients were available for analysis (response rate 24%). Overall, patients with IBD did not significantly differ in prevalence of sexual dysfunctions from controls: female patients 52%, female controls 44%, male patients and male controls both 25%. However, men and women with an active disease scored significantly lower than patients in remission and controls, indicating impaired sexual functioning during disease activity. Significant associations were found between active disease, fatigue, depressive mood, quality of life, and sexual function for both male and female patients. The association between disease activity and sexual function was totally mediated by depression.

Conclusion

Male and female IBD patients with an active disease show impaired sexual function relative to patients in remission and controls. Depression is the most important determinant for impaired sexual function in IBD.
The Culture System Affects Organoleptic Properties and Lipid Composition of Common Carp (Cyprinus Carpio L.) Meat
Authors: Másílko Jan , Zajíc Tomáš , Hlaváč David
Published: June 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the main quality parameters in relation to two different carp culture systems. The quality of common carp fillet, such fat content, fatty acid composition, textural properties and sensory parameters, was evaluated. Carps were harvested from semi‐intensive (SIS) and extensive (ES) systems, respectively. The results show no significant differences between the groups in organoleptic tests. However, significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in the textual parameters (especially hardness). A difference in the fat content and fatty acid profile (P < 0.05) between two different carp culture systems was also observed. This study shows that the quality of common carp fillets particularly depends on the culture system used. Feeding strategies as well as general pond management are therefore of critical importance to enhance the overall quality of common carp fillets and meet the consumer demands.

Practical Applications

The present study gives insight into the effects of different rearing systems and feeding strategies on important quality properties such as fat content and texture of carp fillets. We showed that feeding strategies as well as general pond management are of critical importance to enhance the quality of common carp fillets and meet the consumer demands. Fish farmers can use the obtained knowledge to produce carp according to the customers demand. As consumer preferences with respect to fat content and softness have shown a regional variability, the used culture system and the resulting quality should be indicated at the market.
Jacques Maritain's Definition of Art
Authors: Haynes Anthony Richard
Published: June 2015

I examine Jacques Maritain's definition of art and what it contributes to debates on definitions of art in contemporary aesthetics. Of particular concern are the so-called ‘fine arts’. I make three claims; first, that Maritain's definition of art is superior to other traditional and contemporary theories in avoiding their pitfalls and accommodating key data to be met by definitions of art, such as the existence of avant-garde art. Second, I claim that in accommodating avant-garde art, in particular ‘conceptual art’, Maritain's definition of art refutes the Wittgensteinian argument that art is an ‘open concept’ which cannot be defined. My final, resulting claim is that Maritain's definition deserves to be the pre-eminent definition of art today. This article consists of four sections. Section one provides some context of definitions of art and the data and conditions that have to be met by a viable definition. Section two provides the foundation and first pillar of Maritain's definition of art, what I identify as a cumulative ‘descriptive’ definition. Section three provides the second pillar of Maritain's definition of art, applicable specifically to the fine arts. Section four applies Maritain's full descriptive definition to the problem of conceptual art.
The potassium transporter OsHAK21 functions in the maintenance of ion homeostasis and tolerance to salt stress in rice
Authors: Shen Yue , Shen Like , Shen Zhenxing , Jing Wen , Ge Hongliang , Zhao Jiangzhe , Zhang Wenhua
Published: June 2015

The intracellular potassium (K+) homeostasis, which is crucial for plant survival in saline environments, is modulated by K+ channels and transporters. Some members of the high‐affinity K+ transporter (HAK) family are believed to function in the regulation of plant salt tolerance, but the physiological mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report a significant inducement of OsHAK21 expression by high‐salinity treatment and provide genetic evidence of the involvement of OsHAK21 in rice salt tolerance. Disruption of OsHAK21 rendered plants sensitive to salt stress. Compared with the wild type, oshak21 accumulated less K+ and considerably more Na+ in both shoots and roots, and had a significantly lower K+ net uptake rate but higher Na+ uptake rate. Our analyses of subcellular localizations and expression patterns showed that OsHAK21 was localized in the plasma membrane and expressed in xylem parenchyma and individual endodermal cells (putative passage cells). Further functional characterizations of OsHAK21 in K+ uptake‐deficient yeast and Arabidopsis revealed that OsHAK21 possesses K+ transporter activity. These results demonstrate that OsHAK21 may mediate K+ absorption by the plasma membrane and play crucial roles in the maintenance of the Na+/K+ homeostasis in rice under salt stress.
Interleukin‐8‐producing primary cardiac undifferentiated sarcoma in a child with sustained fever
Authors: Yanagisawa Ryu , Nakamura Tomohiko , Ogiso Yoshifumi , Hachiya Akira , Fujihara Ikuko , Morita Daisuke , Sakashita Kazuo , Kitamura Masatomo , Matsui Hikoro , Nishijima Fumie , Hayashi Hidetaka , Hidaka Eiko , Sano Kenji , Shiohara Masaaki , Yasukochi Satoshi
Published: June 2015

We report the case of a 12‐year‐old boy with primary undifferentiated sarcoma of the left atrium. He had sustained fever during the clinical course and multiple lung and brain metastases. Chemotherapy and irradiation were ineffective; he died 41 days after hospitalization. On retrospective analysis, interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) was elevated; this was supported by immunohistochemistry and gene expression analysis of tumor samples. IL‐8 continued to increase with tumor progression accompanied by elevated neutrophil count and C‐reactive protein. IL‐8 is involved in malignant tumor proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis and may have been related to the clinical condition and prognosis in the present case.
Idiopathic disseminated bacillus Calmette–Guerin infection in three infants
Authors: Kido Jun , Mizukami Tomoyuki , Ohara Osamu , Takada Hidetoshi , Yanai Masaaki
Published: June 2015

We describe the cases of three infants between 4 and 9 months of age with disseminated bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) infection who developed persistent fever, skin rash, and multiple chest nodules visible on computed tomography 22–34 days after BCG vaccination. These infants were healthy before inoculation, and their detailed immunological profiles, including T cell and neutrophil levels, were within normal range. Most reported BCG cases involve impaired immunity, such as children with chronic granulomatous disease, severe combined immunodeficiency, or human immunodeficiency virus infections. Because of their immature immune systems, BCG vaccination can be hazardous even in early infants without immune abnormalities. Hence, we advise caution when administering BCG vaccines to early infants.
Mass‐forming primary angiitis of central nervous system with Rosai‐Dorfmann disease‐like massive histiocytosis with emperipolesis
Authors: Kim Seong‐Ik , Kim Soo Hee , Cho Hwa Jin , Kim Hannah , Chung Chun‐Kee , Choi Seung Hong , Park Sung‐Hye
Published: June 2015

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a vasculitis restricted to the CNS without systemic involvement. We report a case of PACNS that was radiologically tumor‐mimicking, and pathologically similar to the Rosai–Dorfmann disease. A 20‐year‐old woman presented with a focal facial motor seizure. Magnetic resonance image revealed heterogeneously enhanced well‐demarcated solitary cerebral mass in the posterior frontal lobe. Histopathologically, the lesion showed lymphoplasmacytic vasculitis with massive parenchymal infiltration of large histiocytes with emperipolesis. Diffuse ischemic change, necrosis, hemorrhage of the brain parenchyma with neuronophagia, and extensive reactive gliosis by gemistocytic astrocytes were accompanying microscopic features. The patient was doing well for 3 years after complete resection of the lesion, except for occasional occurrence of alcohol‐ or sleep deprivation‐associated seizure. We describe this unique case to provide evidence that mass formation can be developed in PACNS by accompanying parenchymal lymphohistiocytic infiltration, necrosis, and marked reactive gliosis.
Policy Learning and the Diffusion of Stand‐Your‐Ground Laws
Authors: Butz Adam M. , Fix Michael P. , Mitchell Joshua L.
Published: June 2015

Stand‐Your‐Ground (SYG) laws have recently received increased attention due to the controversial verdict in the 2013 George Zimmerman trial. At the time of the trial, 22 states had adopted SYG laws, with Florida adopting the first SYG law only a few years earlier. This article explores how policy learning contributed to the diffusion of these laws among U.S. states. It is found that learning exhibits atypical and complex patterns of diffusion not observed in previous studies. We posit that this dynamic is likely attributed to the fact that SYG is a controversial version of a morality policy, and these types of policies may exhibit multiple properties of policy learning theory. In addition, we find that multiple internal determinants including racial context, gun purchase rates, and poverty influence the likelihood of SYG adoption.

Related Articles

Tucker, Justin A.,
James W. Stoutenborough, and
Mathew R. Beverlin. 2012. “.” Politics & Policy 40: 1081–1105. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00399.x/abstract

Shanahan, Elizabeth A.,
Mark K. McBeth, and
Paul L. Hathaway. 2011. “.” Politics & Policy 39: 373–400. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2011.00295.x/abstract

Propheter, Geoffrey. 2012. “.” Politics & Policy 40: 657–679. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00369.x/abstract

Related Media

. 2013. “.” http://video.pbs.org/video/2365046883/

. 2012. “.” http://www.c-span.org/video/?c3548463/guns-stand-ground-law
Are Meteorological Conditions within the First Trimester of Pregnancy Associated with the Risk of Severe Pre‐Eclampsia?
Authors: Tran Thi‐Chien , Boumendil Ariane , Bussieres Laurence , Lebreton Elodie , Ropers Jacques , Rozenberg Patrick , Aegerter Philippe
Published: June 2015

Background

Severe pre‐eclampsia (SPE) is the second cause of maternal death in developed countries. The literature suggests different risk factors for early‐ and late‐onset pre‐eclampsia. SPE is usually related to the early‐onset type. Pre‐eclampsia rate exhibits seasonal variation. However, the weather–SPE association is still unknown. We examined the associations between maternal exposure to meteorological parameters after conception and SPE.

Methods

From 2008 to 2011, all deliveries of women living in the Yvelines area, France, have been prospectively registered. Meteorological measurements from weather stations scattered inside Yvelines were averaged on two exposure windows: early‐pregnancy (30 days after conception) and first‐trimester (90 days after conception). The relationship between SPE and season of conception was also examined. Hierarchical complementary log–log regression models were used to estimate the weather–SPE association.

Results

SPE was diagnosed in 526 (0.8%) out of 63 633 singleton pregnancies. Increasing temperature or sunshine across both windows was associated with increased SPE risk. Early‐pregnancy minimum temperature showed the strongest effect with adjusted odds ratio (OR) per 1 degree Celsius: 1.03 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01, 1.04]. The risk of SPE was higher when conception was in summer as compared to winter (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.27, 1.85). Effect estimates showed only small variations in sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

Our findings of a weather impact during early pregnancy on SPE may provide a new clue for understanding the causes of pre‐eclampsia. Further investigation into the biologic mechanisms for this finding is required.
The Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Following Bereavement: A Cohort Study fromDenmark andSweden
Authors: László Krisztina D. , Olsen Jørn , Li Jiong , Persson Martina , Vestergaard Mogens , Svensson Tobias , Obel Carsten , Cnattingius Sven
Published: June 2015

Background

We investigated whether bereavement of a close family member – a source of severe psychological stress exposure – the year before pregnancy is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods

We studied pregnant women with livebirths inDenmark during 1994–2008 and with births inSweden during 1987–2006 (n = 2 569 446). We obtained data on death of women's parents, siblings, and older children, and on demographic and health‐ and pregnancy‐related factors through linkage between nationwide registers.

Results

In multivariable models, death of a close relative the year before pregnancy was associated with a 14% increased odds ofGDM[95% confidence intervals (CIs) 1.03, 1.26]. The odds ratios corresponding to the loss of a child, parent, and sibling were 1.51 (95%CI: 1.17, 1.95), 1.12 (95%CI: 1.00, 1.25), and 0.68 (95%CI: 0.40, 1.25), respectively. Deaths due to cardiovascular diseases or diabetes were more closely related to the risk ofGDMthan other types of deaths. We found no association between unnatural deaths and the risk ofGDM.

Conclusions

Death of a close relative the year before pregnancy was associated with a modestly increasedGDMrisk. Our findings according to the relative's cause of death suggest that differences in screening forGDMamong exposure groups and residual confounding by familial factors related to metabolic and cardiovascular diseases may have contributed to this association. If there is a causal stress effect onGDMin this predominantly Nordic population, it is most likely small.
ABA‐stimulated SoDOG1 expression is after‐ripening inhibited during early imbibition of germinating Sisymbrium officinale seeds
Authors: Carrillo‐Barral Néstor , Matilla Angel J. , García‐Ramas Cristina , Rodríguez‐Gacio María del Carmen
Published: June 2015

DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (AtDOG1) was the first gene identified as dormancy‐associated, but its physiological role in germination is far from being understood. Here, an orthologue of AtDOG1 in Sisymbrium officinale (SoDOG1; KM009050) is being reported. Phylogenetically, the SoDOG1 gene is included into the dicotyledonous group together with DOG1 from Arabidopsis thaliana (EF028470), Brassica rapa (AC189537), Lepidium papillosum (JX512183, JX512185) and Lepidium sativum (GQ411192). The SoDOG1 expression peaked at the onset of the silique maturation stage and there was presence of SoDOG1‐mRNA in the freshly collected viable dry seed (i.e. AR0). The SoDOG1 transcripts were also found in other organs, such as open and closed flowers and to a lesser degree in roots and stems. We have previously reported in S. officinale seeds in which sensu stricto germination is positively affected by nitrate and both testa and micropylar endosperm ruptures are temporally separated. In dry viable seeds, the SoDOG1‐mRNA level in three different after‐ripening (AR) status was AR0 ≈ AR7 (optimal AR) < AR27 (optimal AR was almost lost). The presence of nitrate in the AR0 seed imbibition medium markedly decreased the SoDOG1 expression during sensu stricto germination. However, the nitrate stimulated the SoDOG1 expression during imbibition of AR7 compared to AR0. At the early AR0 seed imbibition (3–6 h), exogenous ABA provoked a very strong stimulation of the SoDOG1 expression. AR inhibits ABA‐induced SoDOG1 expression during early germination and gibberellins (GA) can partially mimic this AR effect. A view on the integration of all found results in the sensu stricto germination of S. officinale was conducted.
Glucose‐ and mannose‐induced stomatal closure is mediated by ROS production, Ca2+ and water channel in Vicia faba
Authors: Li Yan , Xu ShanShan , Gao Jing , Pan Sha , Wang GenXuan
Published: June 2015

Sugars act as vital signaling molecules that regulate plant growth, development and stress responses. However, the effects of sugars on stomatal movement have been unclear. In our study, we explored the effects of monosaccharides such as glucose and mannose on stomatal aperture. Here, we demonstrate that glucose and mannose trigger stomatal closure in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner in epidermal peels of broad bean (Vicia faba). Pharmacological studies revealed that glucose‐ and mannose‐induced stomatal closure was almost completely inhibited by two reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers, catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH), was significantly abolished by an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, diphenylene iodonium chloride (DPI), whereas they were hardly affected by a peroxidase inhibitor, salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM). Furthermore, glucose‐ and mannose‐induced stomatal closure was strongly inhibited by a Ca2+ channel blocker, LaCl3, a Ca2+ chelator, ethyleneglycol‐bis(beta‐aminoethylether)‐N,N'‐tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and two water channel blockers, HgCl2 and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); whereas the inhibitory effects of the water channel blockers were essentially abolished by the reversing agent β‐mercaptoethanol (β‐ME). These results suggest that ROS production mainly via NADPH oxidases, Ca2+ and water channels are involved in glucose‐ and mannose‐induced stomatal closure.
Plant community response following the removal of the invasive Lupinus arboreus in a coastal dune system
Authors: Konlechner Teresa M. , Hilton Michael J. , Lord Janice M.
Published: June 2015

The removal of invasive species is common in restoration projects, yet the long‐term effects of pest management programs are seldom assessed. We present results of a long‐term program to remove the invasive species Lupinus arboreus (lupin) from sand dunes in New Zealand. We evaluate the response of plant communities to lupin removal, by comparing total plant cover, the cover of non‐native and native plant species, and species richness between sand dune sites where lupin removal has occurred, not occurred, and where lupin has never been present. Neither lupin presence nor removal had a significant impact on the foredune environment. Following removal, total and other non‐native plant cover remained higher, and the cover of several native sand dune species remained lower compared with uninvaded sites in the deflation and backdune environments. These changes can be attributed to persistent effects associated with the invasion of lupin, but have also developed in response to lupin removal. The results of this study have implications for restoration projects in sand dunes. Pest management alone is unlikely to be sufficient to restore plant communities. Given the difficulties in restoring plant communities once an invasive species has established, managers should prioritize actions to prevent the spread of invasive species into uninvaded areas of sand dunes. Finally, the response to lupin invasion and removal differed between dune habitats. This highlights the importance of tailoring a pest management program to restoration goals by, for example, prioritizing areas in which the impacts of the invading species are greatest.
Operationalizing Sustainable Development: Ecological Integrity as a Grundnorm of International Law
Authors: Kim Rakhyun E. , Bosselmann Klaus
Published: June 2015

The current process of designing a set of post‐2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offers an opportunity to clarify the underlying idea of sustainable development. At its core is ecological sustainability, defined as the integrity of Earth's life‐support systems, or ecological integrity in short. This definition is reflective of the science and ethics of planetary boundaries that are referred to in international environmental agreements, and can be formulated as a priority goal in the context of the SDGs. The article argues for developing ecological integrity as a fundamental principle or grundnorm of international law, which is similar to the grundnorm character that human rights or the rule of law have in domestic and international law.