bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Illness Perception and Depressive Symptoms among Persons with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study in Clinical Settings in Nepal
Authors: Joshi Suira , Dhungana Raja Ram , Subba Usha Kiran
Published: July 2015

Background.This study aimed to assess the relationship between illness perception and depressive symptoms among persons with diabetes.Method.This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted among 379 type 2 diabetic patients from three major clinical settings of Kathmandu, Nepal.Results.The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 44.1% (95% CI: 39.1, 49.1). Females (p<0.01), homemakers (p<0.01), 61–70 age group (p=0.01), those without formal education (p<0.01), and people with lower social status (p<0.01) had significantly higher proportion of depressive symptoms than the others. Multivariable analysis identified age (β=0.036,p=0.016), mode of treatment (β=0.9,p=0.047), no formal educational level (β=1.959,p=0.01), emotional representation (β=0.214,p<0.001), identity (β=0.196,p<0.001), illness coherence (β=-0.109,p=0.007), and consequences (β=0.093,p=0.049) as significant predictors of depressive symptoms.Conclusion.Our study demonstrated a strong relationship between illness perception and depressive symptoms among diabetic patients. Study finding indicated that persons living with diabetes in Nepal need comprehensive diabetes education program for changing poor illness perception, which ultimately helps to prevent development of depressive symptoms.
Development and Validation of a GC-MS Method for the Detection and Quantification of Clotiapine in Blood and Urine Specimens and Application to a Postmortem Case
Authors: Mannocchi Giulio , Pantano Flaminia , Tittarelli Roberta , Catanese Miriam , Umani Ronchi Federica , Busardò Francesco Paolo
Published: July 2015

Introduction. Clotiapine is an atypical antipsychotic of the dibenzothiazepine class introduced in a few European countries since 1970, efficient in treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients. There is little published data on the therapeutic and toxic concentrations of this drug.Aims. The aim of the present study is the development and validation of a method that allows the detection and quantification of clotiapine in blood and urine specimens by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).Methods. Validation was performed working on spiked postmortem blood and urine samples. Samples were extracted with liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) technique at pH 8.5 with n-hexane/dichloromethane (85/15 v/v) and analysis was followed by GC-MS. Methadone-d9 was used as internal standard.Results. The limit of detection (LOD) was 1.2 and 1.3 ng/mL for urine and blood, respectively, while the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 3.9 and 4.3 ng/mL, respectively. Linearity, precision, selectivity, accuracy, and recovery were also determined. The method was applied to a postmortem case. The blood and urine clotiapine concentrations were 1.32 and 0.49 μg/mL, respectively.Conclusions. A reliable GC-MS method for the detection and quantification of clotiapine in blood and urine samples has been developed and fully validated and then applied to a postmortem case.
INPP4B Is a Tumor Suppressor in the Context of PTEN Deficiency
Authors: Vo Thanh-Trang T. , Fruman David A.
Published: July 2015

Summary: Enzymes (PI3K and PTEN) controlling cellular levels of 3-phosphorylated phosphoinositides are known as important drivers or suppressors of tumorigenesis in various cancers. In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Kofuji and colleagues and Chew and colleagues identify the lipid phosphatase INPP4B as a context-specific tumor suppressor that controls phosphoinositide levels and AKT2 activation in PTEN-deficient cells. Cancer Discov; 5(7); 697–700. ©2015 AACR.

See related article by Kofuji et al., p. 730.

See related article by Chew et al., p. 740.
Targeting MYC Translation in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Castell Alina , Larsson Lars-Gunnar
Published: July 2015

Summary: There is a great interest in finding ways to inhibit the expression or activity of the “undruggable” MYC, a master regulator of transcription and one of the most deadly oncoproteins in human cancer. In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Wiegering and colleagues find a way of inhibiting translation of MYC in colorectal cancer cells by directly targeting the translation initiation factor eIF4A, resulting in inhibition of MYC-dependent proliferation of colorectal tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Discov; 5(7); 701–3. ©2015 AACR.

See related article by Wiegering et al., p. 768.
MiR-323 Inhibits Prostate Cancer Vascularization Through Adiponectin Receptor
Authors: Gao Qiruo , Yao Xudong , Zheng Junhua
Published: July 2015

Background/Aims: The current treatments fail to provide satisfactory cure for aggressive prostate cancers (PCs). Hence, further comprehension of PC metastasis is highly appreciated for improving the levels of therapy. We have previously shown that Adiponectin reduces the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in PCs to suppress tumor-associated neovascularization, possibly through AMPK/mTor signaling. Here, we studied the regulation of Adiponectin signaling in PCs. Methods: We analyzed the levels and correlation of Adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) and microRNA-323 (miR-323) in the PC specimen, compared to the paired normal prostate tissue. We analyzed the binding of miR-323 to the 3'UTR of AdipoR1 mRNA and its effects on AdipoR1 translation by bioinformatics analysis and by luciferase-reporter assay, respectively. We modified miR-323 levels in PC cells, and examined the effects on the expression of AdipoR1 and VEGF-A, as well as on vessel formation in a human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) transwell collagen gel assay. Results: We detected significantly lower levels of AdipoR1 and significantly higher levels of miR-323 in PC specimen. Moreover, the levels of AdipoR1 and miR-323 are inversely correlated. Moreover, miR-323 was found to bind to the 3'UTR of AdipoR1 mRNA to inhibit its translation. Overexpression of miR-323 in PC cells decreased AdipoR1 protein levels, whereas inhibition of miR-323 increased AdipoR1 protein levels, without affecting AdipoR1 transcripts. Moreover, overexpression of miR-323 increased the levels of VEGF-A and the vessel formation by HUVECs, while inhibition of miR-323 decreased the levels of VEGF-A and the vessel formation by HUVECs. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that miR-323 may increase VEGF-A-mediated cancer vascularization in PC cells through AdipoR1 suppression.
Hydrogen Sulfide Inhalation Improves Neurological Outcome via NF-κB-Mediated Inflammatory Pathway in a Rat Model of Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation
Authors: Wei Xia , Zhang Bing , Zhang Yu , Li Hangbing , Cheng Long , Zhao Xiajie , Yin Jinling , Wang Guonian
Published: July 2015

Background/Aims: The effects of H2S on cerebral inflammatory reaction after cardiac arrest (CA) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of exogenous 40 ppm and 80 ppm H2S gas on inflammatory reaction and neurological outcome after CA/CPR. Methods: CA was induced by ventricular fibrillation and followed by CPR. Forty or 80 ppm H2S was inhaled for 1 h immediately following CPR. The levels of IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-a, the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, the expression of iNOS and ICAM-1, and the phosphorylation and translocation of NF-κB were evaluated at 24 h after CA/CPR. The tape removal test, survival rate and hippocampal neuronal counts were investigated at 14 d after CA/CPR. Results: CA/CPR induced significant increases in IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-a and MPO activity. The phosphorylation and translocation of NF-κB, and the expression of iNOS and ICAM-1 were increased significantly. Inhalation of 40 or 80 ppm H2S gas decreased these inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, 40 or 80 ppm H2S inhibited the activation of NF-κB and the downstream proinflammatory mediators iNOS and ICAM-1. H2S inhalation also improved neurological function, 14-d survival rate, and reduced hippocampal neuronal loss. Conclusion: These results indicated that inhalation of H2S protected against brain injury after CA/CPR. The mechanisms underlying protective effects of H2S were associated with the inhibition of CA/CPR-induced inflammation reactions by reducing IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-a, and concomitantly inhibiting the activation and infiltration of neutrophils. The beneficial effects of H2S might be mediated by downregulation of NF-κB and the downstream proinflammatory signaling pathway.
Early versus Delayed Therapy of Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients - Does It Make a Difference?
Authors: Elimova Elena , Shiozaki Hironori , Slack Rebecca S. , Chen Hsiang-Chun , Wadhwa Roopma , Sudo Kazuki , Charalampakis Nikolaos , Hiremath Adarsh , Estrella Jeannelyn S. , Matamoros Aurelio , Sagebiel Tara , Das Prajnan , Rogers Jane E. , Garris Jeana L. , Blum Mariela A. , Badgwell Brian , Ajani Jaffer A.
Published: July 2015

Background: Nearly 50% of gastric cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Therapy is palliative but results in ill effects. The median overall survival (OS) of AGC patients is often <12 months. It is unclear if the early initiation of therapy in all AGC patients is beneficial. Methods: A retrospective analysis of AGC patients in our database was carried out. The patients were divided into two groups: asymptomatic or symptomatic. We sought to assess whether the delay of systemic therapy was harmful in asymptomatic patients. Results: A total of 135 patients were analyzed. Most patients were symptomatic (68%), males (67%), and had low ECOG scores (0-1; 85%). In univariate analyses, ECOG performance status 0 (p = 0.005), delayed initiation of therapy (p = 0.03), and lack of symptoms (p = 0.03) were associated with a longer OS. The multivariate model for OS identified only ECOG performance status as an independent prognosticator of longer OS (p = 0.02). Asymptomatic patients who had delayed (≥4 weeks) systemic therapy had an OS rate of 77% at 1 year compared to 58% for patients treated within 4 weeks (p = 0.47). Conclusion: Symptomatic AGC patients had a poor outcome compared to asymptomatic AGC patients. Treatment delay in asymptomatic patients had no detrimental effect on OS, suggesting that the timing of therapy can be based on patient selection.
The Specificity of the WINROP Algorithm Can Be Significantly Increased by Reassessment of the WINROP Alarm
Authors: Lundgren Pia , Stoltz Sjöström Elisabeth , Domellöf Magnus , Smith Lois , Wu Carolyn , VanderVeen Deborah , Hellström Ann , Löfqvist Chatarina
Published: July 2015

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a sight-threatening disease affecting extremely preterm infants. The introduction of new ROP screening surveillance systems, with higher sensitivity and specificity than established ROP screening guidelines, has the potential to reduce the number of stressful eye examinations in these infants. Objectives: To improve the specificity of the WINROP (Weight, Insulin-like growth factor-I, Neonatal, ROP) surveillance system, identifying extremely preterm infants requiring treatment for ROP. Methods: Two cohorts that had previously been subjected to WINROP analyses were included and reevaluated in this study. The weight at WINROP alarm for extremely preterm infants, born at gestational age <27 weeks, was reevaluated and by establishing ‘safe' WINROP alarm weight limits, an intersample reassessment of WINROP alarm was performed. The two cohorts were as follows: (1) the Extremely Preterm Infants in Sweden Study (EXPRESS) cohort, infants born in Sweden during 2004-2007 (n = 407), and (2) extremely preterm infants in a North American cohort, born during 2006-2009 (n = 566). Results: In the EXPRESS cohort, 12.5% (40/319) of the infants who previously received a WINROP alarm were now reassessed as having no alarm; the specificity of WINROP in EXPRESS increased from 23.9% (86/360) to 35.0% (126/360). In the North American cohort, 15.4% (81/526) were reassessed as having no alarm; the specificity increased from 8.5% (38/447) to 26.6% (119/447). The sensitivity persisted as 97.5% in EXPRESS (45/47) and 98.3% (117/119) in the North American cohort. Conclusions: The specificity of the WINROP surveillance system for extremely preterm infants can be significantly improved by reassessment using the weight at WINROP alarm.
Outcome of Isolated Premature Menarche: A Retrospective and Follow-Up Study
Authors: Ejaz Sehar , Lane Andrew , Wilson Thomas
Published: July 2015

Background and Aims: Isolated premature menarche is isolated or recurrent vaginal bleeding in a female in the absence of appropriate secondary sexual characters. Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients with premature menarche, followed by a telephone questionnaire. Charts of patients evaluated in the Pediatric Endocrine Clinic for premature vaginal bleeding from 1982-2013 were reviewed. Results: Of 21 patients identified, 17 could be contacted. Five newly diagnosed patients were recruited during the course of the study. The median age at initial presentation was 7 years. Most patients presented with Tanner I sexual development. Some had more advanced breast staging, which regressed later. All had prepubertal baseline and stimulated gonadotropins. Most of the patients reported a single or few episodes of menses. Two reported continuation of irregular bleeding into adulthood. All reported an adult height within the midparental target height. Conclusion: Premature menarche in the absence of other appropriate secondary sexual characteristics is a benign entity. Most patients have a few isolated episodes of menses that stop spontaneously; some may continue to have periods into adulthood. Unlike true puberty, these patients do not demonstrate advanced skeletal maturation, and the adult height is normal. Fertility appears to be normal.
Traditional Risk Factors Versus Biomarkers for Prediction of Secondary Events in Patients With Stable Coronary Heart Disease: From the Heart and Soul Study
Authors: Beatty Alexis L. , Ku Ivy A. , Bibbins‐Domingo Kirsten , Christenson Robert H. , DeFilippi Christopher R. , Ganz Peter , Ix Joachim H. , Lloyd‐Jones Donald , Omland Torbjørn , Sabatine Marc S. , Schiller Nelson B. , Shlipak Michael G. , Skali Hicham , Takeuchi Madoka , Vittinghoff Eric , Whooley Mary A.
Published: July 2015

Background

Patients with stable coronary heart disease (
CHD
) have widely varying prognoses and treatment options. Validated models for risk stratification of patients with
CHD
are needed. We sought to evaluate traditional and novel risk factors as predictors of secondary cardiovascular (
CV
) events, and to develop a prediction model that could be used to risk stratify patients with stable
CHD
.

Methods and Results

We used independent derivation (912 participants in the Heart and Soul Study) and validation (2876 participants in the
PEACE
trial) cohorts of patients with stable
CHD
to develop a risk prediction model using Cox proportional hazards models. The outcome was
CV
events, defined as myocardial infarction, stroke, or
CV
death. The annual rate of
CV
events was 3.4% in the derivation cohort and 2.2% in the validation cohort. With the exception of smoking, traditional risk factors (including age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes) did not emerge as the top predictors of secondary
CV
events. The top 4 predictors of secondary events were the following: N‐terminal pro‐type brain natriuretic peptide, high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T, urinary albumin:creatinine ratio, and current smoking. The 5‐year C‐index for this 4‐predictor model was 0.73 in the derivation cohort and 0.65 in the validation cohort. As compared with variables in the Framingham secondary events model, the Heart and Soul risk model resulted in net reclassification improvement of 0.47 (95%
CI
0.25 to 0.73) in the derivation cohort and 0.18 (95%
CI
0.01 to 0.40) in the validation cohort.

Conclusions

Novel risk factors are superior to traditional risk factors for predicting 5‐year risk of secondary events in patients with stable
CHD
.
How Attention Changes in Response to Incentives
Authors: Sawaki Risa , Luck Steven J. , Raymond Jane E.
Published: July 2015

Although the performance of simple cognitive tasks can be enhanced if an incentive is provided, the mechanisms enabling such motivational control are not known. This study sought to uncover how mechanisms of attention and readiness are altered by reward-associated incentive stimuli. We measured EEG/ERP activity as human adults viewed a high- or low-incentive cue, experienced a short preparation interval, and then performed a simple visual search task to gain the predicted reward. Search performance was faster with high versus low incentives, and this was accompanied by distinct incentive-related EEG/ERP patterns at each phase of the task (incentive, preparation, and search). First, and most surprisingly, attention to high but not low incentive cues was actively suppressed, as indexed by a PD component in response to the incentive display. During the subsequent preparation interval, neural oscillations in the alpha frequency range were reduced after high-incentive cues, indicating heightened visual readiness. Finally, attentional orienting to the target in the search array was deployed with relatively little effort on high-incentive trials, as indexed by a reduced N2pc component. These results reveal the chain of events by which the brain's executive control mechanisms respond to incentives by altering the operation of multiple processing systems to produce optimal performance.
Intersecting Identities and Persuasive Speech
Authors: Schmidt Goering Greg
Published: July 2015

The similarities between Judah’s speech before Joseph in Genesis 44 and Esther’s series of requests before Ahasuerus in the book of Esther provide an unusual opportunity for an intersectional exploration of multiple identities as reflected in persuasive discourse. The speeches of the two figures not only contain verbal similarities but also occur at decisive moments in the narratives, when hidden identities are revealed, and they even share a set of rhetorical tactics. Each speech unfolds in a setting where the speaker’s identity is shaped by a combination of intersecting factors involving class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and relatedness. Judah and Esther both model ways in which Jews who inhabited these intersecting categories could shape social realities in their diasporic communities despite structural constraints on their status. Subtle differences between the rhetorical strategies of the two figures provide further clues to the ways in which persuasive discourse and intersecting identities mutually influenced one another.
Embodiment, Folk Dualism, and the Convergence of Cosmology and Anthropology in Paul’s Resurrection Ideals
Authors: Tappenden Frederick S.
Published: July 2015

While scholarly treatments of Paul rightly understand his cosmology and anthropology as interconnected, two disjunctive tendencies are seldom reconciled. On the one hand, there is a general trend toward viewing Paul’s cosmology through the lens of a Jewish apocalypticism that is dualistically configured; on the other, Paul’s anthropology is usually seen as essentially monistic. This paper redresses this dualism/monism incongruence. By locating Paul within an overlapping matrix of Jewish and Greek traditions of antiquity, we can see the apostle as working within a dualistic framework that is characterized by partitive interrelation rather than opposition. This argument is conceptualized and articulated with an eye toward notions of folk dualism, which cognitive scientists suggest is a natural by-product of human embodiment. Attention is specifically given to 1 Cor. 15:30–50, where Paul envisions a risen existence that is cosmologically and somatically fashioned vis-à-vis such integrative tension.
Honor and Humiliation in Apuleius’ Apologia
Authors: Kehoe Thomas J. , Vervaet Frederik Juliaan
Published: July 2015

Apuleius’Apologiahas consistently drawn scholarly attention as an example of soaring rhetoric from the Second Sophistic and for being the only remaining account of a trial for illegal magic from the early Empire. This study opts for a different approach. It uses theApologiaas a window into the culture of Roman provincial high society by examining Apuleius’ motivations for demanding his accusers bring formal charges against him, as well as the social factors that pushed the preceding conflict to such a dramatic climax. The main contention of this inquiry is that the actions of both Apuleius and his enemies reveal the paramount importance of honor as a cultural driver of conflict, and particularly its vocalization in the parry and riposte of insults and humiliation that ultimately resulted in a theatrical courtroom confrontation. The results of this micro-study in Roman provincial life should thus provide a useful complement to both Ifie & Thompson’s excellent paper onRank, Social Status and Esteem in Apuleius(1977-1978) as well as J.E. Lendon’s magisterialEmpire of Honour. The Art of Government in the Roman World(1997). It also adds a practical dimension to Lateiner’s detailed analysis of Apuleius’ literary strategies of humiliation and embarrassment in hisMetamorphoses(2001).
Revisiting Papal Letters of the Fourteenth Century
Authors: Delacroix-Besnier Claudine
Published: July 2015

The fourteenth century is a key moment for papal diplomacy. The popes, then based in Avignon, implemented a very active policy toward the Eastern Christian Churches, the purpose of which was to bring the Greek Schism to an end. In achieving this aim, the popes were helped by the particular historical conjuncture resulting from the Turks’ pressure upon the Greek Empire. Revisiting papal correspondence issued during that period shows numerous groups of letters that were addressed to the West as well as to Constantinople, specifically to the emperor or to the Greek authorities. A study of the letters enables us to detect an evolution, albeit a small one, of the papal position on the schism, and the causes of this evolution, which related to the fact that the new actors involved were more and more often Greek or Greek-speaking.
Staurosirella rhombus (Ehrenberg), Ognjanova-Rumenova, Buczkó, Wojtal & R. Jahn, comb. nov.—Typification, morphology and biostratigraphic significance
Authors: Ognjanova-Rumenova Nadja Georgieva , BUCZKÓ KRISZTINA , WOJTAL AGATA Z. , JAHN REGINE
Published: July 2015

A new combination Staurosirella rhombus (Ehrenberg), comb. nov., is based of Fragilaria rhombus. Using light and scanning electron microscopy, the type material from Jastrabá, Slovak Republic was studied. The taxonomic description and typification was done on the basis of the original line drawings, mica preparations and on raw materials, which are housed in the Ehrenberg Collection, Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (BHUPM). Comments are presented regarding possible synonyms, described for the Neogene sediments in the realm of Central Slovakia.
On the taxonomic state of water mite taxa (Acari: Hydrachnidia) described from the Palaearctic, part 3, Hygrobatoidea and Arrenuroidea with new faunistic data
Authors: SMIT HARRY , GERECKE REINHARD , PEŠIĆ VLADIMIR , GLEDHILL TERENCE
Published: July 2015

Following revision of material from museum collections and recent field work, new taxonomic and faunistic data are given for several representatives of the water mite superfamilies Hygrobatoidea and Arrenuroidea.
Review of the genus Qinshuiacris (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from China with proposal of Caryanda viridis-species group and description of a new species
Authors: MAO BEN-YONG , NIU YAO , ZHENG ZHE-MIN , SCOTT MATTHEW B.
Published: July 2015

Based on an examination of type and additional material, Qinshuiacris viridis Zheng & Mao, 1996 and some allied species in the genus Caryanda are reviewed. Q. viridis Zheng & Mao, 1996 is transferred to Caryanda as a new combination: C. viridis (Zheng & Mao, 1996) comb. nov.. The female of C. viridis is described for the first time and sixty-two topotypes are designated. The genus Qinshuiacris Zheng & Mao, 1996 is synonymized with Caryanda Stål, 1878 because of the transfer of the type species. C. yini Mao & Ren, 2006 is proposed as a new junior synonym of C. dehongensis Mao, Xu & Yang, 2003. A new species, C. eshana Mao sp. nov., is also described and illustrated. Additionally, the conception of the Caryanda viridis-species group is proposed to contain the four allied species with falciform cerci: C. albomaculata Mao, Ren & Ou, 2007, C. dehongensis Mao, Xu & Yang, 2003, C. eshana Mao sp. nov., and C. viridis (Zheng & Mao, 1996) comb. nov.. A key to the species of C. viridis-species group is provided. Type specimens are deposited in the Biological Science Museum, Dali University (BMDU), Yunnan Province, China, in the Institute of Zoology, Shaanxi Normal University (IZSNU), Shaanxi Province, China and in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (IZCAS).
Description of immatures of Berosus decolor Knisch, 1924 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Berosini), with emphasis on chaetotaxy and morphometry
Authors: RODRIGUEZ GEORGINA , ARCHANGELSKY MIGUEL , TORRES PATRICIA L. M.
Published: July 2015

The preimaginal stages of Berosus decolor Knisch, 1924 are described for the first time, including illustrations of the egg case and all larval instars. Larval morphology of this species is studied emphasizing chaetotaxic and morphometric analyses. The egg case lacks a mast and contains 2‒3 eggs; all larval instars are characterized by the following features: presence of 6 teeth on anterior margin of nasale; left epistomal lobe carrying 14‒16 strong and curved setae (gFR2); seta FR1 elongate, inserted posteriorly to seta PA7; pore FR14 absent; parietale with spinulae in the area between setae PA5 and PA12; mandibles asymmetrical; seta MN1 minute; first antenommere with a digitiform projection on distal inner margin; antennal sensilla AN8 and AN9 absent; maxillary sensilla MX10 hair-like, MX11 and MX16 with an intermediate shape between hair-like and spine-like; labial sensilla LA4 and LA15 absent; seta LA2 present, minute; abdomen with 7 pairs of tracheal gills. The morphology of the egg cases and larvae within the genus Berosus are compared and discussed.
A new fossil species of the genus Coptodera Dejean, 1825 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lebiinae) from Baltic amber
Authors: GAMBOA SARA , ORTUÑO VICENTE M.
Published: July 2015

In this paper a new species of fossil ground-beetle, Coptodera elektra n. sp. (Coleoptera: Carabidae) preserved in a piece of Baltic amber (Eocene) is described and the paleobiology of the species is studied. This new species represents the first known fossil record for the genus, as well as the first record of its presence in Europe.
Beyond Price
Authors: Velleman J. David
Published: July 2015

In nine lively essays, bioethicist J. David Velleman challenges the prevailing consensus about assisted suicide and reproductive technology, articulating an original approach to the ethics of creating and ending human lives. He argues that assistance in dying is appropriate only at the point where talk of suicide is not, and he raises moral objections to anonymous donor conception. In their place, Velleman champions a morality of valuing personhood over happiness in making end-of-life decisions, and respecting the personhood of future children in making decisions about procreation. These controversial views are defended with philosophical rigor while remaining accessible to the general reader. Written over Velleman's 30 years of undergraduate teaching in bioethics, the essays have never before been collected and made available to a non-academic audience. They will open new lines of debate on issues of intense public interest.
The Observed State of the Water Cycle in the Early Twenty-First Century
Authors: Rodell M. , Beaudoing H. K. , L’Ecuyer T. S. , Olson W. S. , Famiglietti J. S. , Houser P. R. , Adler R. , Bosilovich M. G. , Clayson C. A. , Chambers D. , Clark E. , Fetzer E. J. , Gao X. , Gu G. , Hilburn K. , Huffman G. J. , Lettenmaier D. P. , Liu W. T. , Robertson F. R. , Schlosser C. A. , Sheffield J. , Wood E. F.
Published: July 2015

This study quantifies mean annual and monthly fluxes of Earth’s water cycle over continents and ocean basins during the first decade of the millennium. To the extent possible, the flux estimates are based on satellite measurements first and data-integrating models second. A careful accounting of uncertainty in the estimates is included. It is applied within a routine that enforces multiple water and energy budget constraints simultaneously in a variational framework in order to produce objectively determined optimized flux estimates. In the majority of cases, the observed annual surface and atmospheric water budgets over the continents and oceans close with much less than 10% residual. Observed residuals and optimized uncertainty estimates are considerably larger for monthly surface and atmospheric water budget closure, often nearing or exceeding 20% in North America, Eurasia, Australia and neighboring islands, and the Arctic and South Atlantic Oceans. The residuals in South America and Africa tend to be smaller, possibly because cold land processes are negligible. Fluxes were poorly observed over the Arctic Ocean, certain seas, Antarctica, and the Australasian and Indonesian islands, leading to reliance on atmospheric analysis estimates. Many of the satellite systems that contributed data have been or will soon be lost or replaced. Models that integrate ground-based and remote observations will be critical for ameliorating gaps and discontinuities in the data records caused by these transitions. Continued development of such models is essential for maximizing the value of the observations. Next-generation observing systems are the best hope for significantly improving global water budget accounting.
The Observed State of the Energy Budget in the Early Twenty-First Century
Authors: L’Ecuyer Tristan S. , Beaudoing H. K. , Rodell M. , Olson W. , Lin B. , Kato S. , Clayson C. A. , Wood E. , Sheffield J. , Adler R. , Huffman G. , Bosilovich M. , Gu G. , Robertson F. , Houser P. R. , Chambers D. , Famiglietti J. S. , Fetzer E. , Liu W. T. , Gao X. , Schlosser C. A. , Clark E. , Lettenmaier D. P. , Hilburn K.
Published: July 2015

New objectively balanced observation-based reconstructions of global and continental energy budgets and their seasonal variability are presented that span the golden decade of Earth-observing satellites at the start of the twenty-first century. In the absence of balance constraints, various combinations of modern flux datasets reveal that current estimates of net radiation into Earth’s surface exceed corresponding turbulent heat fluxes by 13–24 W m−2. The largest imbalances occur over oceanic regions where the component algorithms operate independent of closure constraints. Recent uncertainty assessments suggest that these imbalances fall within anticipated error bounds for each dataset, but the systematic nature of required adjustments across different regions confirm the existence of biases in the component fluxes. To reintroduce energy and water cycle closure information lost in the development of independent flux datasets, a variational method is introduced that explicitly accounts for the relative accuracies in all component fluxes. Applying the technique to a 10-yr record of satellite observations yields new energy budget estimates that simultaneously satisfy all energy and water cycle balance constraints. Globally, 180 W m−2 of atmospheric longwave cooling is balanced by 74 W m−2 of shortwave absorption and 106 W m−2 of latent and sensible heat release. At the surface, 106 W m−2 of downwelling radiation is balanced by turbulent heat transfer to within a residual heat flux into the oceans of 0.45 W m−2, consistent with recent observations of changes in ocean heat content. Annual mean energy budgets and their seasonal cycles for each of seven continents and nine ocean basins are also presented.
A Republican Egalitarian Approach to Bioethics
Authors: Filc Dani , Davidovich Nadav , Gottlieb Nora
Published: July 2015

This article argues that current, mainstream, liberal approaches to the right to health and to bioethics are not adequately aware of the structural and political character of health and illness. We propose a radical egalitarian definition of the right to health as the basis for the discussion of a republican egalitarian perspective on bioethics that redefines autonomy and stresses the importance of equality, political participation, and the common good. The violations of the right to health in unrecognized Bedouin villages in Israel are analyzed to exemplify the possibilities opened by the republican egalitarian approach.
Social relationships, depressive symptoms and suicidality in Korea: Examining mediating and moderating effects in men and women
Authors: Lee Min-Ah
Published: July 2015

Background:

It has been widely recognized that social relationships and depressive symptoms predict suicidality. However, there are few empirical studies examining relationships among these three factors using an integrative approach.

Aims:

This study aimed to examine the effects of perceived quality of social relationships and depressive symptoms on suicidality and to analyze whether the effect of perceived quality of social relationships on suicidality is mediated by depressive symptoms or whether the perceived quality of social relationships has a moderating effect on the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidality in men and women.

Methods:

The data were drawn from the 2012 Korean General Social Survey, a nationally representative survey. Multiple regression models and subsample analyses were conducted according to gender.

Results:

A higher perceived quality of social relationships decreased suicidality while depressive symptoms increased suicidality. The effect of perceived quality of social relationships was partially mediated by depressive symptoms. Perceived quality of social relationships also significantly interacted with depressive symptoms, suggesting that the harmful effect of depressive symptoms was ameliorated as perceived quality of social relationships increased. A subsample analysis according to gender, however, indicated a significant gender difference in that the perceived quality of social relationships moderated the effect of depressive symptoms only in women.

Conclusion:

The findings suggest that enhanced quality of social relationships can protect people from suicidal risk and are more effective for women with depressive symptoms than for men with the same symptoms.
Axonal Degeneration in Dental Pulp Precedes Human Primary Teeth Exfoliation
Authors: Suzuki K. , Lovera M. , Schmachtenberg O. , Couve E.
Published: July 2015

The dental pulp in human primary teeth is densely innervated by a plethora of nerve endings at the coronal pulp-dentin interface. This study analyzed how the physiological root resorption (PRR) process affects dental pulp innervation before exfoliation of primary teeth. Forty-four primary canine teeth, classified into 3 defined PRR stages (early, middle, and advanced) were fixed and demineralized. Longitudinal cryosections of each tooth were stained for immunohistochemical and quantitative analysis of dental pulp nerve fibers and associated components with confocal and electron microscopy. During PRR, axonal degeneration was prominent and progressive in a Wallerian-like scheme, comprising nerve fiber bundles and nerve endings within the coronal and root pulp. Neurofilament fragmentation increased significantly during PRR progression and was accompanied by myelin degradation and a progressive loss of myelinated axons. Myelin sheath degradation involved activation of autophagic activity by Schwann cells to remove myelin debris. These cells expressed a sequence of responses comprising dedifferentiation, proliferative activity, GAP-43 overexpression, and Büngner band formation. During the advanced PRR stage, increased immune cell recruitment within the dental pulp and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II upregulation by Schwann cells characterized an inflammatory condition associated with the denervation process in preexfoliative primary teeth. The ensuing loss of dental pulp axons is likely to be responsible for the progressive reduction of sensory function of the dental pulp during preexfoliative stages.
Contribution of surface energy and roughness to the wettability of polyamide 6 and polypropylene film in the plasma-induced process
Authors: Kim Jooyoun , Kim Hey-sang , Park Chung Hee
Published: July 2015

Plasma-induced etching and chemical vapor coating processes are well-known technologies that modify the wetting properties of polymeric surfaces by engineering the surface roughness and surface energy. The contributing effect of plasma treatment for O2 etching and hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) vapor coating on the wetting properties was investigated for polyamide 6 (PA6) and polypropylene (PP) substrates. The surface energy components of PA6 and PP were analyzed by the Owens–Wendt model, and were associated with the wettability of water and diiodomethane. With the introduction of roughness by the O2 etching process without HMDSO coating, the wettability of PA6 substrate was enhanced while that of PP was deteriorated when they were observed after 20 days aging. When the surface was etched for 7 min or longer with the subsequent coating with HMDSO, both PA6 and PP lost hydrophilic property, giving water contact angle of 180°. The wettability was examined for the varied treatment conditions and as a function of average nano-pillar length. This study helps better understand the interactions between the surface energy and roughness of polymeric materials, and their influence on surface wettability.
Pyrolysis kinetics of polysulfonamide fiber used for fire protective clothing
Authors: Zhu Fanglong , Feng Qianqian , Liu Rangtong , Xin Qun , Li Kejing , Xu Yanfang
Published: July 2015

Polysulfonamide (PSA) fibers, which belong to the series of phenylene terephthalamide fibers, exhibit excellent thermal stability, flame retardancy, and heat resistance. In this work, the thermal behavior of PSA fibers was investigated under nitrogen atmosphere in a thermogravimetric analyzer at heating rates of 5, 10, 15, and 20℃/min from room temperature to 900℃. The activation energy and the kinetics model for PSA fiber pyrolysis have been estimated by using the Friedman method, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method, and Coats–Redfern method. The appropriate thermal degradation kinetics model for PSA fiber followed a mechanism of one-dimensional diffusion and was determined by the Coats–Redfern method. Kinetic constants and a pyrolysis mechanism model for PSA degradation in a nitrogen atmosphere, which were obtained by model-fitting and model-free methods and were not available in the literature, provide useful information for flame-retardant clothing researchers.
Bismuth oxide-coated fabrics for X-ray shielding
Authors: Maghrabi Huda Ahmed , Vijayan Arun , Deb Pradip , Wang Lijing
Published: July 2015

Lead aprons are widely used in medical imaging to protect radiographers and patients from harmful radiation. However, lead is not a desirable material for use in wearable radiation protection due to its heavy weight, inflexibility, poor durability, and toxicity. In this study, we explored the suitability of bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) coating for textiles as an alternative to lead. The intention was to demonstrate the concept and technology that will achieve a lead-equivalent lightweight X-ray protective textile material with improved wearability. The primary objective was to evaluate the X-ray shielding efficiency of two textile materials coated with Bi2O3. To do so, X-ray exposures were made at the system setting of 80 kVp, 12 mAs, and 80 SID (the distance from the X-ray beam source to the specimen). It is evident from this study that Bi2O3 in a suitable resin matrix can be coated on fabrics and is an effective method to produce flexible, wearable, and lead-free aprons. Coated polyester fabrics with over 50% Bi2O3 showed enhanced shielding ability for transmitted X-rays. This research has shown that microparticle size Bi2O3 can be effective for X-ray attenuation.
Composition of ramie hemicelluloses and effect of polysaccharides on fiber properties
Authors: Li Zhengfan , Li Zhaoling , Ding Ruoyao , Yu Chongwen
Published: July 2015

Ramie, which is one of the most important natural fibers, possesses distinctive characteristics and excellent properties. In this study, the chemical compositions of hemicelluloses in ramie fibers were thoroughly investigated. The effect of NaOH treatment on polysaccharides in hemicelluloses and the effect of polysaccharides on fiber properties were systematically explored. It was found that the components of galactoglucomannan, glucomannan, and xylan accounted for about 79.0% of total weight in ramie hemicelluloses. Galactoglucomannan was more easily soluble than glucomannan in 1% (w/w) NaOH solution. Xylan possessed the lowest solubility in the same concentration of NaOH solution compared to the other two. Furthermore, with an increase of galactoglucomannan, glucomannan, and xylan contents, the fiber linear density and unseparated fiber percentage showed an increasing trend, while the fiber tenacity exhibited a decreasing trend under the same conditions. In addition, it was demonstrated that the contents of these three components have an insignificant effect on friction coefficient, breaking elongation, modulus, and resilience of ramie fibers. This study could provide useful information in understanding the nature of hemicelluloses and polysaccharides within natural fibers, as well as theoretically guiding the degumming process of ramie fibers.
Travel as Relationship Therapy
Authors: Durko Angela M. , Petrick James F.
Published: July 2015

As adults continue to work longer and take less vacation days, relationship dynamics are changing to accommodate individuals’ responsibilities to career, family life, and self. Thus, the current study sought to understand how vacation satisfaction may enhance relationship commitment and possibly build stronger relationships and lessen the chance of relationship termination for adult couples. To do so, the current research applied the concept of vacation satisfaction to the Investment Model with the goal of better understanding the antecedents to relationship satisfaction and commitment. Results revealed that relationship satisfaction and quality of alternatives are good predictors of relationship commitment and that satisfaction with vacations assists the investment model in explaining couples’ relationship commitment. From a practical standpoint, results revealed that tourism suppliers could use this information to promote travel as a means for strengthening relationships.
Joint Sequence Analysis
Authors: Piccarreta Raffaella
Published: July 2015

In its standard formulation, sequence analysis aims at finding typical patterns in a set of life courses represented as sequences. Recently, some proposals have been introduced to jointly analyze sequences defined on different domains (e.g., work career, partnership, and parental histories). We introduce measures to evaluate whether a set of domains are interrelated and their joint analysis justified. Also, we discuss about the quality of the results obtained using joint sequence analysis. In particular, we focus on cluster analysis and propose criteria to assess whether clusters obtained using a joint approach satisfactorily describe each domain.
Probability and Visual Aids for Assessing Intervention Effectiveness in Single-Case Designs
Authors: Manolov Rumen , Jamieson Matthew , Evans Jonathan J. , Sierra Vicenta
Published: July 2015

Single-case data analysis still relies heavily on visual inspection, and, at the same time, it is not clear to what extent the results of different quantitative procedures converge in identifying an intervention effect and its magnitude when applied to the same data; this is the type of evidence provided here for two procedures. One of the procedures, included due to the importance of providing objective criteria to visual analysts, is a visual aid fitting and projecting split-middle trend while taking into account data variability. The other procedure converts several different metrics into probabilities making their results comparable. In the present study, we expore to what extend these two procedures coincide in the magnitude of intervention effect taking place in a set of studies stemming from a recent meta-analysis. The procedures concur to a greater extent with the values of the indices computed and with each other and, to a lesser extent, with our own visual analysis. For distinguishing smaller from larger effects, the probability-based approach seems somewhat better suited. Moreover, the results of the field test suggest that the latter is a reasonably good mechanism for translating different metrics into similar labels. User friendly R code is provided for promoting the use of the visual aid, together with a quantification based on nonoverlap and the label provided by the probability approach.
Malassezia Pneumonia
Authors: Baker Richelle M. , Stegink Ryan J. , Manaloor John J. , Schmitt Bryan H. , Stevens John C. , Christenson John C.
Published: July 2015

Malassezia species (formerly known as Pityrosporum) are part of normal human skin flora and have been associated with benign dermatologic conditions, such as seborrheic dermatitis and tinea versicolor. In rare cases, however, Malassezia has been associated with systemic disease in immunocompromised patients and infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Malassezia species require long‐chain fatty acids for growth and therefore have a known predilection for individuals receiving lipid containing intravenous parenteral nutrition (PN). Systemic infections are characterized by prolonged fevers and illness but can include nonspecific signs and symptoms. We present the diagnosis and management of a rare case of an immunocompetent, nonneonatal, PN‐dependent child with Malassezia furfur pneumonia.
Organized Labor and the Unionization of Hispanic, Chinese, and Filipino Americans
Authors: Schneider Daniel
Published: July 2015

This work adds a systematic understanding of the diverse relationships of immigrants and minorities to organized labor in the United States. Using Current Population Survey data from 1994 to 2013, I interrogate the unionization of Hispanic, Chinese, and Filipino Americans. In comparison to whites, native-born and established immigrant Hispanics have higher rates of unionization, Filipinos (both immigrant and native born) are much likelier to join unions, and Chinese immigrants are less likely to be unionized and more likely to leave unions. Labor market position continues to have a profound effect on unionization; however, solidaristic characteristics also shape patterns of unionization.