bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Personal Genome Project UK (PGP-UK): a research and citizen science hybrid project in support of personalized medicine
Authors:   PGP-UK Consortium, Beck Stephan , Berner Alison M. , Bignell Graham , Bond Maggie , Callanan Martin J. , Chervova Olga , Conde Lucia , Corpas Manuel , Ecker Simone , Elliott Hannah R. , Fioramonti Silvana A. , Flanagan Adrienne M. , Gaentzsch Ricarda , Graham David , Gribbin Deirdre , Guerra-Assunção José Afonso , Hamoudi Rifat , Harding Vincent , Harrison Paul L. , Herrero Javier , Hofmann Jana , Jones Erica , Khan Saif , Kaye Jane , Kerr Polly , Libertini Emanuele , Marks Lauren , McCormack Laura , Moghul Ismail , Pontikos Nikolas , Rajanayagam Sharmini , Rana Kirti , Semega-Janneh Momodou , Smith Colin P. , Strom Louise , Umur Sevgi , Webster Amy P. , Williams Elizabeth H. , Wint Karen , Wood John N.
Published: November 2018

Background

Molecular analyses such as whole-genome sequencing have become routine and are expected to be transformational for future healthcare and lifestyle decisions. Population-wide implementation of such analyses is, however, not without challenges, and multiple studies are ongoing to identify what these are and explore how they can be addressed.

Methods

Defined as a research project, the Personal Genome Project UK (PGP-UK) is part of the global PGP network and focuses on open data sharing and citizen science to advance and accelerate personalized genomics and medicine.

Results

Here we report our findings on using an open consent recruitment protocol, active participant involvement, open access release of personal genome, methylome and transcriptome data and associated analyses, including 47 new variants predicted to affect gene function and innovative reports based on the analysis of genetic and epigenetic variants. For this pilot study, we recruited 10 participants willing to actively engage as citizen scientists with the project. In addition, we introduce Genome Donation as a novel mechanism for openly sharing previously restricted data and discuss the first three donations received. Lastly, we present GenoME, a free, open-source educational app suitable for the lay public to allow exploration of personal genomes.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that citizen science-based approaches like PGP-UK have an important role to play in the public awareness, acceptance and implementation of genomics and personalized medicine.
Associations of adverse childhood experiences and social support with self-injurious behaviour and suicidality in adolescents
Authors: Wan Yuhui , Chen Ruoling , Ma Shuangshuang , McFeeters Danielle , Sun Ying , Hao Jiahu , Tao Fangbiao
Published: November 2018

Background

There is little investigation on the interaction effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and social support on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in community adolescent populations, or gender differences in these effects.

Aims

To examine the individual and interaction effects of ACEs and social support on NSSI, suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in adolescents, and explore gender differences.

Method

A school-based health survey was conducted in three provinces in China between 2013–2014. A total of 14 820 students aged 10–20 years completed standard questionnaires, to record details of ACEs, social support, NSSI, suicidal ideation and suicide attempt.

Results

Of included participants, 89.4% reported one or more category of ACEs. The 12-month prevalence of NSSI, suicidal ideation and suicide attempt was 26.1%, 17.5% and 4.4%, respectively; all were significantly associated with increased ACEs and lower social support. The multiple adjusted odds ratio of NSSI in low versus high social support was 2.27 (95% CI 1.85–2.67) for girls and 1.81 (95% CI 1.53–2.14) for boys, and their ratio (Ratio of two odds ratios, ROR) was 1.25 (P = 0.037). Girls with high ACEs scores (5–6) and moderate or low social support also had a higher risk of suicide attempt than boys (RORs: 2.34, 1.84 and 2.02, respectively; all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

ACEs and low social support are associated with increased risk of NSSI and suicidality in Chinese adolescents. Strategies to improve social support, particularly among female adolescents with a high number of ACEs, should be an integral component of targeted mental health interventions.

Declaration of interest

None.
Validating Comprehensive Next-Generation Sequencing Results for Precision Oncology: The NCT/DKTK Molecularly Aided Stratification for Tumor Eradication Research Experience
Authors: Lier Amelie , Penzel Roland , Heining Christoph , Horak Peter , Fröhlich Martina , Uhrig Sebastian , Budczies Jan , Kirchner Martina , Volckmar Anna-Lena , Hutter Barbara , Kreutzfeldt Simon , Endris Volker , Richter Daniela , Wolf Stephan , Pfütze Katrin , Neumann Olaf , Buchhalter Ivo , Morais de Oliveira Cristiano M. , Singer Stephan , Leichsenring Jonas , Herpel Esther , Klauschen Frederick , Jost Philipp J. , Metzeler Klaus H. , Schulze-Osthoff Klaus , Kopp Hans-Georg , Kindler Thomas , Rieke Damian T. , Lamping Mario , Brandts Christian , Falkenhorst Johanna , Bauer Sebastian , Schröck Evelin , Folprecht Gunnar , Boerries Melanie , von Bubnoff Nikolas , Weichert Wilko , Brors Benedikt , Lichter Peter , von Kalle Christof , Schirmacher Peter , Glimm Hanno , Fröhling Stefan , Stenzinger Albrecht
Published: November 2018

Purpose

Rapidly evolving genomics technologies, in particular comprehensive next-generation sequencing (NGS), have led to exponential growth in the understanding of cancer biology, shifting oncology toward personalized treatment strategies. However, comprehensive NGS approaches, such as whole-exome sequencing, have limitations that are related to the technology itself as well as to the input source. Hence, clinical implementation of comprehensive NGS in a quality-controlled diagnostic workflow requires both the standardization of sequencing procedures and continuous validation of sequencing results by orthogonal methods in an ongoing program to enable the determination of key test parameters and continuous improvement of NGS and bioinformatics pipelines.

Patients and Methods

We present validation data on 220 patients who were enrolled between 2013 and 2016 in a multi-institutional, genomics-guided precision oncology program (Molecularly Aided Stratification for Tumor Eradication Research) of the National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg and the German Cancer Consortium.

Results

More than 90% of clinically actionable genomic alterations identified by combined whole-exome sequencing and transcriptome sequencing were successfully validated, with varying frequencies of discordant results across different types of alterations (fusions, 3.7%; single-nucleotide variants, 2.6%; amplifications, 1.1%; overexpression, 0.9%; deletions, 0.6%). The implementation of new computational methods for NGS data analysis led to a substantial improvement of gene fusion calling over time.

Conclusion

Collectively, these data demonstrate the value of a rigorous validation program that partners with comprehensive NGS to successfully implement and continuously improve cancer precision medicine in a clinical setting.
Mouse Idh3a mutations cause retinal degeneration and reduced mitochondrial function
Authors: Findlay Amy S. , Carter Roderick N. , Starbuck Becky , McKie Lisa , Nováková Klára , Budd Peter S. , Keighren Margaret A. , Marsh Joseph A. , Cross Sally H. , Simon Michelle M. , Potter Paul K. , Morton Nicholas M. , Jackson Ian J.
Published: November 2018

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an enzyme required for the production of α-ketoglutarate from isocitrate. IDH3 generates the NADH used in the mitochondria for ATP production, and is a tetramer made up of two α, a β and a γ subunit. Loss of function and missense mutations in both IDH3A andIDH3B have previously been implicated in families exhibiting retinal degeneration. Using mouse models we have investigated the role of IDH3 in retinal disease and mitochondrial function.

We identified mice with late-onset retinal degeneration in a screen of ageing mice carrying an ENU-induced mutation, E229K, in Idh3a. Mice homozygous for this mutation exhibit signs of retinal stress, indicated by GFAP staining, as early as 3 months, but no other tissues appear to be affected. We produced a knockout of Idh3a and found that homozygous mice do not survive past early embryogenesis. Idh3a−/E229K compound heterozygous mutants exhibit a more severe retinal degeneration when compared to Idh3aE229K/E229K. Analysis of mitochondrial function in mutant cell lines highlighted a reduction in mitochondrial maximal respiration and reserve capacity levels in both Idh3aE229K/E229K and Idh3a−/E229K cells. Loss-of function Idh3b mutants do not exhibit the same retinal degeneration phenotype, with no signs of retinal stress or reduction in mitochondrial respiration.

It has been previously reported that the retina operates with a limited mitochondrial reserve capacity and we suggest that this, in combination with the reduced reserve capacity in mutants, explains the degenerative phenotype observed in Idh3a mutant mice.
SHP-2 is activated in response to force on E-cadherin and dephosphorylates vinculin Y822
Authors: Campbell Hannah , Heidema Christy , Pilarczyk Daisy G. , DeMali Kris A.
Published: November 2018

The response of cells to mechanical inputs is a key determinant of cell behavior. In response to external forces, E-cadherin initiates signal transduction cascades that allow the cell to modulate its contractility to withstand the force. Much attention has focused on identifying the E-cadherin signaling pathways that promote contractility, but the negative regulators remain undefined. In this study, we identify SHP-2 as a force-activated phosphatase that negatively regulates E-cadherin force transmission by dephosphorylating vinculin Y822. To specifically probe a role for SHP-2 in E-cadherin mechanotransduction, we mutated vinculin so that it retains its phosphorylation but cannot be dephosphorylated. Cells expressing the mutant vinculin have increased contractility. This work provides a mechanism for inactivating E-cadherin mechanotransduction and provides a new method for specifically targeting the action of phosphatases in cells.
Dolphin echolocation behaviour during active long-range target approaches
Authors: Ladegaard Michael , Mulsow Jason , Houser Dorian S. , Jensen Frants Havmand , Johnson Mark , Madsen Peter Teglberg , Finneran James J.
Published: November 2018

Echolocating toothed whales generally adjust click intensities and rates according to target range to ensure that echoes from targets of interest arrive before a subsequent click is produced, presumably facilitating range estimation from the delay between clicks and returning echoes. However, this click-echo-click paradigm for dolphin biosonar is mostly based on experiments with stationary animals echolocating fixed targets at ranges below ∼120 m. Therefore, we trained two bottlenose dolphins instrumented with a sound recording tag to approach a target from ranges up to 400 m and either touch the target (subject TRO) or detect a target orientation change (subject SAY). We show that free-swimming dolphins dynamically increase interclick interval (ICI) out to target ranges of ∼100 m. TRO consistently kept ICIs above the two-way travel-time (TWTT) for target ranges shorter than ∼100 m, whereas SAY switched between clicking at ICIs above and below the TWTT for target ranges down to ∼25 m. Source levels changed on average by 17log10(target range), but with considerable variation for individual slopes (4.1 standard deviations for by-trial random effects), demonstrating that dolphins do not adopt a fixed automatic-gain-control matched to target range. At target ranges exceeding ∼100 m, both dolphins frequently switched to click packet production in which interpacket intervals exceeded the TWTT, but ICIs were shorter than the TWTT. This study shows that echolocation following the click-echo-click paradigm is not a fixed echolocation strategy in dolphins, and we demonstrate the first use of click packets for free-swimming dolphins when solving an echolocation task.
Novel Wolbachia strains in Anopheles malaria vectors from Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Jeffries Claire L. , Lawrence Gena G. , Golovko George , Kristan Mojca , Orsborne James , Spence Kirstin , Hurn Eliot , Bandibabone Janvier , Tantely Luciano M. , Raharimalala Fara N. , Keita Kalil , Camara Denka , Barry Yaya , Wat’senga Francis , Manzambi Emile Z. , Afrane Yaw A. , Mohammed Abdul R. , Abeku Tarekegn A. , Hedge Shivanand , Khanipov Kamil , Pimenova Maria , Fofanov Yuriy , Boyer Sebastien , Irish Seth R. , Hughes Grant L. , Walker Thomas
Published: November 2018

Background: Wolbachia, a common insect endosymbiotic bacterium that can influence pathogen transmission and manipulate host reproduction, has historically been considered absent from the Anopheles (An.) genera, but has recently been found in An. gambiae s.l. populations in West Africa.  As there are numerous Anopheles species that have the capacity to transmit malaria, we analysed a range of species across five malaria endemic countries to determine Wolbachia prevalence rates, characterise novel Wolbachia strains and determine any correlation between the presence of Plasmodium, Wolbachia and the competing bacterium Asaia.

Methods: Anopheles adult mosquitoes were collected from five malaria-endemic countries: Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Uganda and Madagascar, between 2013 and 2017.  Molecular analysis was undertaken using quantitative PCR, Sanger sequencing, Wolbachia multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and high-throughput amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. 

Results: Novel Wolbachia strains were discovered in five species: An. coluzzii, An. gambiae s.s., An. arabiensis, An. moucheti and An. species A, increasing the number of Anopheles species known to be naturally infected. Variable prevalence rates in different locations were observed and novel strains were phylogenetically diverse, clustering with Wolbachia supergroup B strains.  We also provide evidence for resident strain variants within An. species A. Wolbachia is the dominant member of the microbiome in An. moucheti and An. species A but present at lower densities in An. coluzzii.  Interestingly, no evidence of Wolbachia/Asaia co-infections was seen and Asaia infection densities were shown to be variable and location dependent. 

Conclusions: The important discovery of novel Wolbachia strains in Anopheles provides greater insight into the prevalence of resident Wolbachia strains in diverse malaria vectors.  Novel Wolbachia strains (particularly high-density strains) are ideal candidate strains for transinfection to create stable infections in other Anopheles mosquito species, which could be used for population replacement or suppression control strategies.
Sex and Rosaceae apomicts
Authors: Dickinson Timothy A.
Published: November 2018

This paper updates earlier reviews of polyploidy and reproductive biology in the Rosaceae, and does so with a focus on hybridization in relation to polyploidy and (facultative) gametophytic apomixis. Taking data mainly from tribe Maleae, it also seeks to point out evidence for a potential role for fertilization of infrequent unreduced gametes in diploid‐diploid crosses in producing autopolyploids. Apomixis may originate in these autopolyploids, and spread as they cross with diploids and other polyploids.
ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ ТУРИЗМ КАК ФАКТОР ВОССТАНОВЛЕНИЯ ЛИЧНОСТНОЙ ИДЕНТИЧНОСТИ И СПОСОБ РАЗРЕШЕНИЯ ВНУТРЕННИХ КОНФЛИКТОВ
Authors: Paigunova Yulia Victorovna , Lopukhova Olga Gennadevna
Published: November 2018

Цель. В статье ставится вопрос о месте психологического туризма в системе восстановления личностной идентичности и разрешения внутриличностных конфликтов.Метод и методология. Рассматриваются психологические подходы, способные раскрыть методологию психологического туризма как средства психотерапии личностных рассогласований по аксиологическим и этнокультурным основаниям.Результаты. Приводятся результаты пилотажного исследования возможностей применения психологических диагностических методик при подборе психологической туристской практики в условиях имеющихся этнофункциональных рассогласований и внутренних конфликтов личности, связанных с ее ценностными ориентациями.Область применения результатов. Полученные результаты открывают новые возможности для стратегии и тактики психотерапевтической работы в психологическом туризме. В частности, методика диагностики внутренних конфликтов «Уровень соотношения ценности и доступности в различных жизненных сферах» Е.Б. Фанталовой и методика диагностики степени этнофункциональной согласованности субьекта «Выраженность эмоционального отношения к группам этнических признаков» А.В. Сухарева, имеют существенный практический потенциал для реализации программ психологического туризма.
ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ МЕХАНИЗМЫ ПЕРЕЖИВАНИЯ ПЕДАГОГАМИ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО КРИЗИСА ЛИЧНОСТИ
Authors: Sadovnikova Nadezhda Olegovna
Published: November 2018

Целью исследования явилось теоретическое обоснование содержания категории «психологический механизм переживания профессионального кризиса личности» и эмпирическое обоснование существования ценностно-смыслового, рефлексивного механизмов, а также механизма опережающего отражения, которые актуализируются в ситуации переживания педагогами профессионального кризиса личности.Метод и методология проведения работы. Методологической основой работы явились контекстный, системный историко-эволюционный и феноменологический подходы. В качестве организационных методов применялись метод поперечных срезов и лонгитюдный метод. Сбор эмпирических данных осуществлялся посредством опросных методов: методика биографической рефлексии М.В. Клементьевой, дифференциальный тест рефлексивности Д.А. Леонтьева, Е.Н. Осина, тест смысложизненных ориентаций Д. А. Леонтьева, феноменологическая анкета «Переживание профессионального кризиса личности».Результаты. Теоретико-методологический анализ позволил сформулировать определение категории «психологический механизм переживания профессионального кризиса личности», а также обосновать предположение о том, какие психологические механизмы переживания педагогами профессионального кризиса личности актуализируются в ситуации кризиса. Результаты эмпирического исследования позволили достоверно доказать существование ценностно-смыслового, рефлексивного и антиципационного механизмов переживания профессионального кризиса личности. Было установлено изменение смыслов выполняемой деятельности и переоценка ценностей, проявление у педагогов потребности в рефлексии собственных переживаний и состояний. Также отмечено, что в ситуации переживания профессионального кризиса личности у педагога происходит поиск новых смысловых ориентиров, процесс осознания собственного профессионального потенциала.Область применения. Результаты исследования могут стать эмпирической основой для разработки программ психолого-педагогического сопровождения педагогов, переживающих профессиональный кризис личности.
Production and Distribution Planning in Danone Waters China Division
Authors: Zhang Simin , Song Haiqing
Published: November 2018

This work addresses the development of a decision support system (DSS) and its mathematical model to solve problems related to production and distribution planning at Danone Waters China Division.
Does Change in the Information Environment Affect Financing Choices?
Authors: Li Xu , Lin Chen , Zhan Xintong
Published: November 2018

Using brokerage mergers and closures as natural experiments, we examine how exogenous changes in the information environment affect a firm’s financing choice. Our difference-in-differences approach shows that exogenous increases in information asymmetry lead firms to substitute away from equity and public debt toward bank debt. Firms with higher risk tend to substitute equity for bank debt, and firms with lower risk tend to substitute bonds for bank debt. The effect of the change in the information environment on a firm’s financing choice is more pronounced for firms with worse information environments, such as those with few initial analysts and younger firms. We demonstrate that the mechanism of the change is through a reduction of the issuance of equity and bonds but with an increase of the issuance of bank loans. Further analysis reveals that such firms tend to reduce long-term borrowing, reduce their issuance of subordinated debt, and increase their revolving credit lines.

This paper was accepted by Tomasz Piskorski, finance.
Deterministic and Stochastic Wireless Network Games: Equilibrium, Dynamics, and Price of Anarchy
Authors: Zhou Zhengyuan , Bambos Nicholas , Glynn Peter
Published: November 2018

Power control over wireless networks has been an active area of research with significant applied impact. A well-motivated line of this research, which has received increasing attention, is applying game-theoretic tools for both gaining insight and design of algorithms. In this paper, we build on the existing work and present a simple game-theoretic formulation of power control on wireless networks that incorporates two novel features. First, we do not impose exogenous power bounds on the feasible transmission power. Second, we allow the channel environment to be stochastic and time varying. Within this model, we first examine the deterministic game under a fixed environment, in which we develop a novel fixed-point theorem of independent interest that operates in general and unbounded partially ordered sets. We then leverage this customized fixed-point theorem to establish various equilibrium-related results: existence, uniqueness, and convergence, followed by a novel Price-of-Anarchy bound characterization. Finally, we study the stochastic behavior of the best response dynamics and establish a number of desirable properties in the presence of a stochastic and time-varying channel.
Throughput Scalability Analysis of Fork-Join Queueing Networks
Authors: Zeng Yun , Chaintreau Augustin , Towsley Don , Xia Cathy H.
Published: November 2018

Parallel and distributed processing systems have expanded in size as technology advances in cloud computing and big data analytics. A critical issue concerns throughput scalability: whether throughput decreases to zero as the systems scale in size and capabilities. We model parallel and distributed processing systems as fork and join queueing networks with blocking (FJQN/Bs). Such networks can have arbitrary topology, arbitrary initial state, and generally distributed service times. We propose a key topological concept, called the “minimum level,” that determines the throughput scalability of FJQN/Bs. We construct throughput bounds as functions of minimum level, network degree, buffer sizes, and processing speed, and we present necessary and/or sufficient conditions to guarantee throughput scalability of arbitrary size and topology FJQN/Bs.

The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.2018.1748 .
Securing The Future: Clay-Based Solutions For a Comprehensive and Sustainable Potable-Water Supply System
Authors: Rytwo Giora
Published: November 2018

Today’s water-treatment plants combine practices designed to cope individually with various types of purification challenges. In some cases, the solution to one has detrimental effects on others, e.g. disinfection by chlorination forming hazardous organic contaminants. Water-treatment plants have large ecological footprints and operational costs, making the availability of high-quality water in developing areas almost impossible, due to lack of resources and infrastructure. Indeed, >2 billion people are exposed to diseases caused by contaminated water. Clearly, bringing safe, clean drinking water to people’s homes is essential to a good quality of life. Clay minerals may offer technologies and innovative practices which would help to develop a reliable, low-maintenance device with a small environmental footprint that processes stream, lake, or pond water into high-quality potable water. The basis for such technologies has already been established and improved approaches are being introduced on an ongoing basis by clay scientists: nanocomposite pre-treatment and disinfection, photodegradation of organic pollutants using clay-based catalysts, polishing of inorganic contaminants, and removal of biological pathogens by adsorption or deactivation onto specifically designed clay-based filters, etc. This short review presents a vision for combining those technologies in a tandem system for the delivery of high-quality water that is low-maintenance, affordable, and environmentally sustainable for the benefit of mankind.
La burocracia en el arte. El discurso judicial en la obra de E. A. Vigo
Authors: Bugnone Ana Liza
Published: November 2018

Este artículo se centra en el estudio de la obra del artista vanguardista argentino Edgardo Antonio Vigo, especialmente en la forma en que combinó arte y burocracia a través de la adopción y distorsión del lenguaje judicial. Se analizan algunas obras donde aparecen las formas lingüísticas, los géneros, la materialidad y la visualidad del discurso judicial, cuyo uso es irónico y crítico, desubicando el lenguaje judicial de su lugar original y natural. Vigo emplea la firma, los hilos y los términos específicos de dicho lenguaje como parte de una utilización excéntrica de las formas de un espacio al que pertenece por su trabajo diario, pero de modo impropio por no ser un sujeto autorizado en términos de los límites que ese discurso impone. Asimismo, se examinan los trabajos artísticos donde aparece una crítica al sistema judicial por injusto y desigual. Estos elementos llevan a verificar la politicidad de estos trabajo, en términos de una configuración interna de la obra que se vincula con un medio al que no pertenece, que hace público y al que permite circular por fuera de sus espacios normales y reglados.
Poligrafías. Revista de literatura comparada y Poligrafías. Revista de teoría literaria y literatura comparada. Nueva época
Authors: Lucotti Alexander Claudia , Artigas Albarelli Irene
Published: November 2018

Poligrafías. Revista de literatura comparada fue fundada en 1996 en la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras de la UNAM
Геометрические решения задачи Римана для скалярного закона сохранения
Authors: Палин Владимир Владимирович , Palin Vladimir Vladimirovich
Published: November 2018

Для задачи Римана для скалярного закона сохранения предлагается новое определение решения, связанное с действием фазового потока ассоциированной гамильтоновой системы на начальную кривую. В первой части статьи выполняются подготовительные преобразования и дается основное определение. После этого предложенная схема определения решения обобщается на случай скалярного закона сохранения с функцией потока, зависящей от $x$. Во второй части статьи строится процедура выравнивания, позволяющая связать предлагаемое определение решения с решениями в смысле $D'$. Доказывается корректность процедуры выравнивания (существование и единственность выравнивания для геометрического решения). Также в конце второй части статьи доказывается, что для случая закона сохранения с функцией потока, не зависящей от $x$, результат выравнивания геометрического решения в точности совпадает с единственным энтропийным решением.
A caution about causation
Authors: Henderson Michael , Redmond Petrea , Heinrich Eva
Published: November 2018

Educational technology research, like all education research, is dominated by explicit or implicit claims of causation.  The dominance of cause-effect models in research is not surprising, and for many it is unnoticed and unquestioned. However, regardless of the cause-effect model being applied or the methodology in measuring it, we are unable to detect cause-effect directly. It is in this context that we need to be cautious in our interpretations of educational technology interventions and their implications for the future. Claims of causation are unlikely to decrease in the face of the increasing calls for “evidence-based” policy and practice. With this in mind it is even more important to consider how we can resist deterministic or mechanical claims of cause and effect. This dilemma should not stop our drive for evidence based approaches, but it is a reminder that we need to take care in the rigour of our research, and equally, in the way we describe it.
Significance of bacteriophages in fermented soybeans: A review
Authors: Chukeatirote Ekachai , Phongtang Wallapat , Kim Jeongjin , Jo Ara , Jung Lae-Seung , Ahn Juhee
Published: November 2018

Bacteriophages are ubiquitous and have been reported to have been found in many food products. Their presence is important as they have the ability to interact with their bacterial host in food matrices. Fermented soybean products, one of the most widely consumed ethnic foods among Asian people, are prepared naturally and include Japanese Natto, Indian Kinema, Korean Chongkukjang and Thai Thua Nao. This review highlights bacteriophages which have been isolated from fermented soybean products and also includes an overview of their diversity, occurrence as well as their significance.
Profiling L2 writing development: The case of CFL learners in intermediate classes
Authors: Yang Li , Zhao Zenan
Published: November 2018

This exploratory study examined the writings of a small group of learners enrolled in intermediate CFL classes at two U.S. universities and attempted to profile these learners’ writing development over five months. It collected data through both in-class timed essays and out-of-class writing assignments and analyzed them in terms of overall rating and a variety of writing measures (i.e., fluency, accuracy, complexity, content, and organization). The results showed negligible improvement in these learners’ overall writing proficiency at the end of the observation period and revealed a non-linear trend of development of their writing competence over time. In addition, the analysis of the learners’ writing profile as well as the errors committed in their writings provided new insights into the promotion of L2 writing skills in CFL classrooms.
会话分析路向的课堂研究
Authors: 刘 运同
Published: November 2018

提要：

会话分析（Conversation Analysis）的研究对象是人们的交际活动，包括日常的会话和机构性交谈。课堂教学是机构性交谈的一种，因此从会话分析创立之初，就有研究者按照会话分析的理论和方法来对课堂交流进行研究。本文从课堂交互研究和课堂学习研究两个方面概述了会话分析路向的课堂教学研究，包括主要的课题及其成果。在课堂交互活动研究方面，研究者从话轮转换、序列结构、会话补救三个方面深入挖掘课堂交互活动的特点。早期的一些研究较多关注于教师主导的课堂活动，描述教师在话轮分配上的主导地位；新近的研究开始关注其他类型的课堂活动或教师主导的课堂中其他类型的活动中的话轮替换形式。在课堂教学活动序列结构方面，会话分析路向的课堂研究显示了它微观分析的优势，细致而深入地描述 IRE 在课堂教学中的具体实现过程，准确地描写了后续话轮的作用。纠正学生的错误是课堂教学中的重要一环，会话分析路向的课堂研究表明，把课堂教学中的补救或纠错与日常会话的补救做简单的对比是不恰当的。课堂的补救行为跟 IRE 序列有密切的关联，并且研究还发现课堂上的补救行为与课堂教学环境有很大关联，跟课堂教学中不同阶段的特定教学目标密切相关。此外，会话分析路向的习得研究在很多方面丰富和补充了已有的第二语言习得研究。它最大的优势在于利用真实的语料来揭示学习者的理解和学习是否、何时、怎样、为什么产生。同时由于会话分析导向的习得研究把学习看作是一种社会交流活动，突破了大多数 SLA 研究把学习当作是个体认知活动的局限。我们认为，会话分析注重真实语料以及交互者视角的特点给汉语作为第二语言的课堂研究提供了有益的借鉴。
Risk model in women with ovarian cancer without mutations
Authors: Cymbaluk-Płoska Aneta , Chudecka-Głaz Anita , Sompolska-Rzechuła Agnieszka , Rasinska Kamila , Dubiel Paulina , Menkiszak Janusz
Published: November 2018

Ovarian cancer is characterised by the greatest mortality among all tumors of the reproductive tract.

This study included 246 patients which consisted of 136 women with ovarian cancer without genetic mutation and 110 women with benign ovarian cysts.

We created two mathematical logic models containing positive and negative risk factors of ovarian cancer such as: age at last menstruation cycle, patient age, OC, HRT, smoking, education status, and alcohol consumption. The calculated cut-off point for the first model was 0.5117. Classification determined on the basis of that cut-off point yielded 87.19% of correctly classified cases, of which 91.38% are “case” and 81.61% - „noncase”. For the second model the designated cut-off point was set at 0.5149 and the percentage of correctly classified patients was 88.12%, with 92.24% correctly rated as cancer patients and 82.56% of the cases rightly recognised as having no ovarian cancer.

Logit is a simple mathematical model that can be a useful tool for identification of patients with increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Financing for Development in the MENA Region
Authors: Awdeh Ali
Published: November 2018

Financing for Development was addressed by the international community since more than 25 years, when the Monterrey Consensus of the International Conference on Financing for Development (Monterrey, Mexico, March 2002) urged mobilising and increasing the effective use of financial resources to fulfil the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals. In 2015, a new Development Agenda was designed and was based on the Development Finance. Consequently, the efficient exploitation of traditional and innovative finance resources in economic, social and human development has become a global top priority. This study analyses the impact of 7 resources of financial flows on 6 socio-economic variables in a sample of 19 MENA countries over the period 1991–2015 to test the efficient exploitation of these resources in development. The results show that government spending and official development assistance are the most important factor in boosting development in the MENA region. International trade plays a limited role in financing development, whereas foreign direct investment has the least effect on MENA development.
Absolute Pitch and Relative Pitch in Music Students in the East and the West
Authors: Miyazaki Ken'ichi , Rakowski Andrzej , Makomaska Sylwia , Jiang Cong , Tsuzaki Minoru , Oxenham Andrew J. , Ellis Gregory , Lipscomb Scott D.
Published: November 2018

Absolute pitch (AP)—an ability to identify an isolated pitch without musical context—is commonly believed to be a valuable ability for musicians. However, relative pitch (RP)—an ability to perceive pitch relations—is more important in most musical contexts. In this study, music students in East Asian and Western countries (Japan, China, Poland, Germany, and USA) were tested on AP and RP abilities. In the AP test, 60 single tones were presented in a quasirandom order over a five-octave range. In the RP test, ascending musical intervals from 1 to 11 semitones were presented in four different keys. Participants wrote down note names in the AP test and scale-degree names or musical interval names in the RP test. The conservatory-level Japanese students showed the highest AP performance and more than half of them were classified as accurate AP possessors, but only 10% were classified as accurate RP possessors. In contrast, only a small percentage of participants from Poland, Germany, and the USA were identified as accurate AP possessors, whereas many more were accurate RP possessors. Participants from China were typically intermediate on both measures. These noticeable contrasts between AP and RP performance in different countries suggest influences of the underlying socio-cultural conditions, presumably relating to music education. Given the importance of RP in music, the results suggest that more emphasis should be place on RP training, particularly in East Asian countries.
Challenges and Opportunities of Predicting Musical Emotions with Perceptual and Automatized Features
Authors: Lange Elke B. , Frieler Klaus
Published: November 2018

Music information retrieval (MIR) is a fast-growing research area. One of its aims is to extract musical characteristics from audio. In this study, we assumed the roles of researchers without further technical MIR experience and set out to test in an exploratory way its opportunities and challenges in the specific context of musical emotion perception. Twenty sound engineers rated 60 musical excerpts from a broad range of styles with respect to 22 spectral, musical, and cross-modal features (perceptual features) and perceived emotional expression. In addition, we extracted 86 features (acoustic features) of the excerpts with the MIRtoolbox (Lartillot & Toiviainen, 2007). First, we evaluated the perceptual and extracted acoustic features. Both perceptual and acoustic features posed statistical challenges (e.g., perceptual features were often bimodally distributed, and acoustic features highly correlated). Second, we tested the suitability of the acoustic features for modeling perceived emotional content. Four nearly disjunctive feature sets provided similar results, implying a certain arbitrariness of feature selection. We compared the predictive power of perceptual and acoustic features using linear mixed effects models, but the results were inconclusive. We discuss critical points and make suggestions to further evaluate MIR tools for modeling music perception and processing.
Utilisation of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue to differentiate ovarian from adrenal hyperandrogenism in postmenopausal women
Authors: Bahaeldein E , Brassill M J
Published: November 2018

Postmenopausal hyperandrogenism is a relatively rare diagnosis resulting from excess androgen production from the adrenals or ovaries. The exclusion of malignant causes is a priority. Laboratory tests and imaging are utilised to help differentiate the source of excess androgens. We report two cases of postmenopausal hyperandrogenism in women aged 75 and 67 years. Both cases presented with clinical features suggestive of hyperandrogenism which had developed gradually over the previous 2 years. Laboratory investigations confirmed a significant elevation in their serum testosterone levels. In both cases, imaging did not reveal any abnormality of the adrenals or ovaries. To help differentiate an adrenal vs ovarian source a single-dose GnRH analogue was given with measurement of testosterone and gonadotrophin levels pre and post. The reduction in gonadotrophins achieved by the GnRH analogue resulted in suppression of testosterone levels which suggested an ovarian source. Both patients proceeded to bilateral oophorectomy. Histology revealed a benign hilus cell tumour in one case and a benign Leydig cell tumour in the other.

Learning points:

A key part of the work-up of postmenopausal hyperandrogenism is to differentiate between an adrenal or an ovarian source of excess androgens;

Imaging may not identify small ovarian tumours or hyperthecosis and may also identify incidental adrenal masses which are non-functioning;

Current guidelines suggest ovarian and adrenal venous sampling when imaging is inconclusive but this requires technical expertise and has a high failure rate;

GnRH analogue use can successfully confirm ovarian source and should be considered as a diagnostic tool in this setting.
Bone microarchitecture and volumetric bone density impairment in young male adults with childhood-onset growth hormone deficiency
Authors: Yang Hongbo , Yan Kemin , Yuping Xu , Zhang Qi , Wang Linjie , Gong Fengying , Zhu Huijuan , Xia Weibo , Pan Hui
Published: November 2018

Context

Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is characterized by low bone density and increased risk of fracture. Bone microarchitecture is insufficiently evaluated in patients with childhood-onset AGHD (CO AGHD).

Objective

To assess volumetric bone density (vBMD) and bone microarchitecture in CO AGHD in early adulthood after cessation of recombinant growth hormone (rhGH) treatment.

Design and subjects

Case–control study in a major academic medical center in Beijing, including 20 young male adults with CO AGHD and 30 age- and weight-matched non-athletic healthy men. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (HR-pQCT) of distal radius and tibia was performed.

Outcomes

The main outcomes were vBMD and morphometry parameters from HR-pQCT.

Results

Compared with healthy controls, CO AGHD group had significantly decreased insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) level and IGF-1 SDS (P < 0.001). β-CTX and alkaline phosphatase levels in CO AGHD group were significantly increased (P < 0.001). CO AGHD group had significantly decreased total vBMD, cortical vBMD, trabecular vBMD, cortical area, cortical thickness as well as trabecular thickness and trabecular bone volume fraction of both tibia and radius (P < 0.001). CO AGHD patients had an 8.4 kg decrease in grip strength and a significant decrease in creatinine levels (P = 0.001). At both tibia and radius, by finite element analysis, bone stiffness and failure load of the CO AGHD patients were significantly decreased (P < 0.001). After adjusting for age, BMI and serum levels of testosterone and free thyroxin, serum IGF-1 level was a positive predictor for total vBMD, cortical vBMD, cortical area, trabecular vBMD, bone stiffness and failure load of both tibia and distal radius in all subjects.

Conclusions

Young adult male patients with childhood-onset adult growth hormone deficiency who are no longer receiving growth hormone replacement have prominently impaired volumetric bone density and bone microarchitecture and lower estimated bone strength.
Plasma steroid metabolome profiling for the diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma
Authors: Schweitzer Sophie , Kunz Meik , Kurlbaum Max , Vey Johannes , Kendl Sabine , Deutschbein Timo , Hahner Stefanie , Fassnacht Martin , Dandekar Thomas , Kroiss Matthias
Published: November 2018

Objective

Current workup for the pre-operative distinction between frequent adrenocortical adenomas (ACAs) and rare but aggressive adrenocortical carcinomas (ACCs) combines imaging and biochemical testing. We here investigated the potential of plasma steroid hormone profiling by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the diagnosis of malignancy in adrenocortical tumors.

Design

Retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected EDTA-plasma samples in a single tertiary reference center.

Methods

Steroid hormone profiling by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in random plasma samples and logistic regression modeling.

Results

Fifteen steroid hormones were quantified in 66 ACAs (29 males; M) and 42 ACC (15 M) plasma samples. Significantly higher abundances in ACC vs ACA were observed for 11-deoxycorticosterone, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, 11-deoxycortisol, DHEA, DHEAS and estradiol (all P < 0.05). Maximal areas under the curve (AUC) for discrimination between ACA and ACC for single analytes were only 0.76 (estradiol) and 0.77 (progesterone), respectively. Logistic regression modeling enabled the discovery of diagnostic signatures composed of six specific steroids for male and female patients with AUC of 0.95 and 0.94, respectively. Positive predictive values in males and females were 92 and 96%, negative predictive values 90 and 86%, respectively.

Conclusion

This study in a large adrenal tumor patient cohort demonstrates the value of plasma steroid hormone profiling for diagnosis of ACC. Application of LC-MS/MS analysis and of our model may facilitate diagnosis of malignancy in non-expert centers. We propose to continuously evaluate and improve diagnostic accuracy of LC-MS/MS profiling by applying machine-learning algorithms to prospectively obtained steroid hormone profiles.
MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Does circadian and ultradian glucocorticoid exposure affect the brain?
Authors: Kalafatakis Konstantinos , Russell Georgina M , Lightman Stafford L
Published: November 2018

Glucocorticoids are a class of systematically secreted hormones, vital for mammalian life, which are intensively investigated for more than 80 years. They regulate multiple body processes like metabolism, fluid homeostasis, immune and stress system responsivity, as well as brain function. Glucocorticoids have a complex rhythm by which they are released to circulation from the adrenal cortex. The hormone exhibits a circadian variation, with high hormonal levels being secreted just prior and during the active part of the day, and progressively lower and lower amounts being released during the inactive part of it. Underlying this diurnal variation there is a more dynamic, ultradian rhythm composed of frequent episodes of glucocorticoid secretion (hormonal pulses). Accumulating evidence from observational, in silico, in vitro and in vivo, preclinical and clinical studies suggest that both aspects of glucocorticoid rhythmicity are preserved among mammalian species and are important for brain function. The central nervous system is exposed to both aspects of the hormonal rhythm and has developed mechanisms able to perceive them and translate them to differential cellular events, genomic and non-genomic. Thus, glucocorticoid rhythmicity regulates various physiological neural and glial processes, under baseline and stressful conditions, and hormonal dysrhythmicity has been associated with cognitive and behavioural defects. This raises a number of clinical implications concerning (i) glucocorticoid involvement in neuropsychiatric disease and (ii) improving the therapeutic efficacy or expanding the role of glucocorticoid-based treatments in such conditions.
Do Different Service Types Require Changes in NSD Processes at Industrial Manufacturers - An Empirical Examination of Personal and Digital Services
Authors: Graf Yvonne , Helm Roland
Published: November 2018

New service development (NSD) at industrial manufacturers and the corresponding process are topics of growing interest in research. However, it has not been clarified yet if the latter should be customised according to different service types. The scarce attention paid to classifying services in this context is surprising considering the increasing importance of personal next to digital services in the course of the emergence of the latter. We take a step towards closing this gap by empirically examining a potential moderating effect of these two service types on a capability-based NSD process. Since it has been established conceptually so far, its investigation in an abbreviated version constitutes a further element of our study. Based on an analysis of 197 NSD projects, we can support the sequence of that process, however, we cannot, contrary to our assumptions, find a moderating effect of the service types. This result implies that managers should focus on possessing the basic capabilities to successfully pass through the NSD process independent of the services developed.
The Effectiveness of Dialogue Journals in Improving the Skill in Writing Narrative Texts
Authors: Mukti Ali
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of dialogue journals technique in improving students’ skill in writing narrative texts. The subjects were the year-12 of IPA students of MAN 3 Malang in the academic year 2008-2009. This study involved two intact groups of students. The experimental group was given weekly journal writing, while the control group followed the regular writing. At the end of the treatment, a writing test on narrative was assigned and the students’ works were scored using ESL Composition Profile. The result of analysis using ANCOVA indicated that not all of the mean score of writing components of the two groups were significantly different. However, the mean score of holistic aspects was significantly different. Besides, students’ responses showed a positive evaluation on the implementation of dialogue journals technique. ABSTRAK Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk meneliti keefektifan teknik dialogue journal dalam meningkatkan keterampilan siswa menulis teks naratif. Subyek penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas XII IPA MAN 3 Malang tahun pelajaran 2008-2009. Penelitian ini melibatkan dua kelompok siswa. Kelompok eksperimen diminta untuk menulis dan mengumpulkan  jurnal tiap pekan sementara kelompok control tetap mengikuti pelajaran menulis seperti biasa. Pada akhir perlakuan, kedua kelompok siswa diminta menulis teks naratif yang kemudian dinilai menggunakan ESL Composition Profile. Setelah dianalisa menggunakan ANCOVA,  hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa tidak semua nilai rerata dari tiap komponen menulis kedua kelompok berbeda secara signifikan. Akan tetapi, nilai rerata aspek secara keseluruhan berbeda secara signifikan. Disamping itu, siswa menanggapi positif terhadap penggunaan teknik dialogue journal. How to Cite: Mukti, A. (2016). The Effectiveness of Dialogue Journals in Improving  the Skill in Writing Narrative Texts. IJEE (Indonesian Journal of English Education), 3(1), 1-14 doi:10.15408/ijee.v3i1.4064 Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15408/ijee.v3i1.4064