bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treatment recommendations from the Eighth International Workshop on Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia
Authors: Leblond Véronique , Kastritis Efstathios , Advani Ranjana , Ansell Stephen M. , Buske Christian , Castillo Jorge J. , García-Sanz Ramón , Gertz Morie , Kimby Eva , Kyriakou Charalampia , Merlini Giampaolo , Minnema Monique C. , Morel Pierre , Morra Enrica , Rummel Mathias , Wechalekar Ashutosh , Patterson Christopher J. , Treon Steven P. , Dimopoulos Meletios A.
Published: July 2016

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a distinct B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder for which clearly defined criteria for the diagnosis, initiation of therapy, and treatment strategy have been proposed as part of the consensus panels of the International Workshop on Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia (IWWM). At IWWM-8, a task force for treatment recommendations was impanelled to review recently published and ongoing clinical trial data as well as the impact of new mutations (MYD88 and CXCR4) on treatment decisions, indications for B-cell receptor and proteasome inhibitors, and future clinical trial initiatives for WM patients. The panel concluded that therapeutic strategies in WM should be based on individual patient and disease characteristics. Chemoimmunotherapy combinations with rituximab and cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone, bendamustine, or bortezomib-dexamethasone provide durable responses and are still indicated in most patients. Approval of the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib in the United States and Europe represents a novel and effective treatment option for both treatment-naive and relapsing patients. Other B-cell receptor inhibitors, second-generation proteasome inhibitors (eg, carfilzomib), and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors are promising and may increase future treatment options. Active enrollment in clinical trials whenever possible was endorsed by the panel for most patients with WM.
Application of a library of near isogenic lines to understand context dependent expression of QTL for grain yield and adaptive traits in bread wheat
Authors: Farré Alba , Sayers Liz , Leverington-Waite Michelle , Goram Richard , Orford Simon , Wingen Luzie , Mumford Cathy , Griffiths Simon
Published: July 2016

Background

Previous quantitative trait loci (QTLs) studies using the Avalon × Cadenza doubled haploid (DH) population identified eleven QTLs determining plant height, heading date and grain yield. The objectives of this study were: (i) to provide insight into the effects of these QTLs using reciprocal multiple near isogenic lines (NILs) with each pair of alleles compared in both parental backgrounds (Avalon or Cadenza), (ii) quantifying epistasis by looking at the background effects and (iii) predict favourable allelic combinations to develop superior genotypes adapted to a target environment.

Results

To this aim, a library of 553 BC2NILs and their recurrent parents were tested over two growing seasons (2012/2013 and 2013/2014). The results obtained in the present study validated the plant height, heading date and grain yield QTLs previously identified. Epistatic interactions were detected for the 6B QTL for plant height and heading date, 3A QTL for heading date and grain yield and 2A QTL for grain yield.

Conclusion

The marker assisted backcrossing strategy used provided an efficient method of resolving QTL for key agronomic traits in wheat as Mendelian factors determining possible epistatic interactions. The study shows that these QTLs are amenable to marker assisted selection, fine mapping, future positional cloning, and physiological trait dissection.
Inversion of controlled-source electromagnetic reflection responses
Authors: Hunziker Jürg , Thorbecke Jan , Brackenhoff Joeri , Slob Evert
Published: July 2016

Marine controlled-source electromagnetic reflection responses can be retrieved by interferometry. These reflection responses are free of effects related to the water layer and the air above it and do not suffer from uncertainties related to the source position and orientation. Interferometry is a data-driven process requiring proper sampling of the electromagnetic field as well as knowledge of the material parameters at the receiver level, i.e., the sediment just below the receivers. We have inverted synthetic data sets using the reflection responses or the original electromagnetic fields with the goal of extracting the conductivity model of the subsurface. For the inversion, a genetic algorithm and a nonlinear conjugate-gradient algorithm were used. Our results show that an inversion of the reflection responses produces worse estimates of the vertical conductivity but superior estimates of the horizontal conductivity (especially for the reservoir) with respect to the original electromagnetic fields.
Textural control on the quadrature conductivity of porous media
Authors: Niu Qifei , Prasad Manika , Revil André , Saidian Milad
Published: July 2016

Induced polarization (IP) has been broadly used for environmental and hydrogeological applications and in civil engineering. The IP response of a porous medium without metallic particles (described by its quadrature conductivity or its normalized chargeability) is controlled by the interfacial electrochemistry of the electrical double layer and the pore-space geometry. We use the specific surface per unit pore volume normalized by the formation factor (i.e., [Formula: see text]) as the controlling textural parameter for the quadrature conductivity. This relationship is obtained by averaging the surface conductance over the pore volume. A database that contains 76 samples (including porous borosilicate glass, sandstones, and clayey sediments) is used to check the new scaling. In addition to these data, we have conducted new IP measurements on 13 samples from the Middle Bakken Formation corresponding to low-porosity clayey materials. Comparison between the experimental data and our model confirms that the ratio [Formula: see text] is the dominant textural parameter describing the quadrature conductivity [Formula: see text] of a broad range of porous media. The database was also used to test whether the quadrature conductivity depended either on [Formula: see text], or the specific surface area [Formula: see text], or the ratio [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] being the connected porosity). Although the quadrature conductivity scales with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] for high-porosity sandstones, these relationships are not appropriate for the low-porosity clayey materials presented in this study. However, experimental data support the dependence of the quadrature conductivity on [Formula: see text], a published relationship obtained through the volume averaging approach.
Seismic-petrophysical reservoir characterization in the northern part of the Chicontepec Basin, Mexico
Authors: Sarkar Supratik , Verma Sumit , Marfurt Kurt J.
Published: July 2016

The Chicontepec Formation in east-central Mexico is comprised of complex unconventional reservoirs consisting of low-permeability disconnected turbidite reservoir facies. Hydraulic fracturing increases permeability and joins these otherwise tight reservoirs. We use a recently acquired 3D seismic survey and well control to divide the Chicontepec reservoir interval in the northern part of the basin into five stratigraphic units, equivalent to global third-order seismic sequences. By combining well-log and core information with principles of seismic geomorphology, we are able to map deepwater facies within these stratigraphic units that resulted from the complex interaction of flows from different directions. Correlating these stratigraphic units to producing and nonproducing wells provides the link between rock properties and Chicontepec reservoirs that could be delineated from surface seismic data. The final product is a prestack inversion-driven map of stacked pay that correlates to currently producing wells and indicates potential untapped targets.
Lithologic and geomechanical facies classification for sweet spot identification in gas shale reservoir
Authors: Avanzini Alessandro , Balossino Piero , Brignoli Marco , Spelta Elisa , Tarchiani Cristiano
Published: July 2016

Unconventional reservoirs require advanced technologies such as horizontal well placement and hydraulic fracturing to be successfully exploited at economic rates. In this context, static and dynamic reservoir quality (RQ) concepts are introduced. Static RQ or standard RQ comprises a set of petrophysical parameters that describe formation tendency for development. Dynamic RQ or completion quality is defined by a set of geomechanical parameters that estimate formation tendency to be fractured. The convergence of static and dynamic RQs allows for evaluating the production potential of a field; particularly, productive sweet spots are located in those intervals in which good static and dynamic RQs are detected. We have developed a workflow to identify producible intervals in unconventional reservoirs by means of lithologic and geomechanical facies classification. Starting from core data, a clustering technique is used to create a set of lithologic facies that are then extended to the logged interval and characterized in terms of static RQ. The same approach is used to classify the logged interval with a set of geomechanical facies in which dynamic RQ is estimated. The integration of lithologic and geomechanical facies leads to sweet spot identification. Workflow application to available data from the Barnett Shale Formation allows us to classify the logged interval with four log facies (LF) and five geomechanical facies (GF) and to identify productive sweet spots in the upper and middle Lower Barnett. Eventually, LF and GF are linked to seismic facies probability volumes and Young’s modulus from elastic inversion of surface seismic. Seismic-driven geostatistical realization of LF and GF provides static and dynamic RQs volumes that are combined into volumes of productive and nonproductive facies.
Interpreting seismic velocity changes observed with ambient seismic noise correlations
Authors: Olivier Gerrit , Brenguier Florent
Published: July 2016

Recent results have shown that crosscorrelating ambient seismic noise recorded in underground mines can successfully extract the seismic Green’s function between sensors. We have revisited an earlier experiment that showed that these virtual seismic sources can be used to measure changes in seismic velocity accurately enough to monitor the short- and long-term influences of a blast in an underground mine. To use this method routinely, it is important to determine the cause of velocity variations in the absence of large dynamic stress perturbations (such as blasts). It also is important to calibrate the seismic velocity changes in terms of known stress changes so the effect of mining activities can be quantified in units that can be used by geotechnical engineers. To this end, we used coda-wave interferometry to measure relative velocity variations during times where no significant blasting or microseismic activity occurred and compared it to atmospheric air pressure changes, temperature variations, and modeled tidal strain. The results indicate that atmospheric air pressure changes have a measurable influence on the long-term seismic velocity variations at depth in the absence of large dynamic stress perturbations. This influence enabled us to determine the sensitivity of the relative velocity changes to stress, where a value of [Formula: see text] was found. This calibration essentially enables us to turn each sensor pair in an underground mine into a stress meter, paving the way for geotechnical engineers to use ambient seismic noise correlations to monitor the evolution of stress and to assess seismic hazard in conjunction with conventional microseismic methods.
DNA Mismatch Repair Deficiency in Rectal Cancer: Benchmarking Its Impact on Prognosis, Neoadjuvant Response Prediction, and Clinical Cancer Genetics
Authors: de Rosa Nicole , Rodriguez-Bigas Miguel A. , Chang George J. , Veerapong Jula , Borras Ester , Krishnan Sunil , Bednarski Brian , Messick Craig A. , Skibber John M. , Feig Barry W. , Lynch Patrick M. , Vilar Eduardo , You Y. Nancy
Published: July 2016

Purpose

DNA mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) hallmarks consensus molecular subtype 1 of colorectal cancer. It is being routinely tested, but little is known about dMMR rectal cancers. The efficacy of novel treatment strategies cannot be established without benchmarking the outcomes of dMMR rectal cancer with current therapy. We aimed to delineate the impact of dMMR on prognosis, the predicted response to fluoropyrimidine-based neoadjuvant therapy, and implications of germline alterations in the MMR genes in rectal cancer.

Methods

Between 1992 and 2012, 62 patients with dMMR rectal cancers underwent multimodality therapy. Oncologic treatment and outcomes as well as clinical genetics work-up were examined. Overall and rectal cancer–specific survival were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

The median age at diagnosis was 41 years. MMR deficiency was most commonly due to alterations in MSH2 (53%) or MSH6 (23%). After a median follow-up of 6.8 years, the 5-year rectal cancer–specific survival was 100% for stage I and II, 85.1% for stage III, and 60.0% for stage IV disease. Fluoropyrimidine-based neoadjuvant chemoradiation was associated with a complete pathologic response rate of 27.6%. The extent of surgical resection was influenced by synchronous colonic disease at presentation, tumor height, clinical stage, and pelvic radiation. An informed decision for a limited resection focusing on proctectomy did not compromise overall survival. Five of the 11 (45.5%) deaths during follow-up were due to extracolorectal malignancies.

Conclusion

dMMR rectal cancer had excellent prognosis and pathologic response with current multimodality therapy including an individualized surgical treatment plan. Identification of a dMMR rectal cancer should trigger germline testing, followed by lifelong surveillance for both colorectal and extracolorectal malignancies. We herein provide genotype-specific outcome benchmarks for comparison with novel interventions.
New Data on Kiowa Protohistoric Origins
Authors: Meadows William C.
Published: July 2016

The location and movements of the Kiowa prior to appearing in the historical record around 1700 in present-day southwestern Montana have long eluded scholars. This article presents new data from a family oral tradition relating to protohistoric (ca. pre-1700) Kiowa demography. A number of specific lexical items and their order in the account describe a south-to-north movement from the Colorado Plateau of present-day New Mexico/Colorado to the Yellowstone area by at least some of the people who became the historic Kiowa. An ethnohistorical comparison with ethnographic, linguistic, archaeological, and genetic data supports recent linguistic and archaeological inquiries into protohistoric Kiowa origins suggesting a presence, if not migration, of Kiowa speakers along the western Rocky Mountains from the Colorado Plateau to the northwestern plains. Scholars are beginning to converge on an idea about Kiowa origins. These new data correlate with a number of recent findings and underlie a working hypothesis that aims to stimulate new discussion and inquiry into possible protohistoric Kiowa origins, movements, and ethnogenesis.
2015 Presidential Address the Emotional Archive: The Formation of Social Memory of the Residential School Experience in British Columbia
Authors: Harkin Michael E.
Published: July 2016

The residential school was a primary tool in the settler colonial state’s efforts to force indigenous people to assimilate to Canadian society and culture. It was a Dickensian institution in which various forms of abuse were tolerated. This article examines the relative lack of negative narratives elicited during my fieldwork in British Columbia from the 1980s to the first decade of the 2000s. It explores various forms of social memory, proposing the notion of an “emotional archive” that contains nonnarrative memory traces. It also critiques the official discourse of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Exosomes in developmental signalling
Authors: McGough Ian John , Vincent Jean-Paul
Published: July 2016

In order to achieve coordinated growth and patterning during development, cells must communicate with one another, sending and receiving signals that regulate their activities. Such developmental signals can be soluble, bound to the extracellular matrix, or tethered to the surface of adjacent cells. Cells can also signal by releasing exosomes – extracellular vesicles containing bioactive molecules such as RNA, DNA and enzymes. Recent work has suggested that exosomes can also carry signalling proteins, including ligands of the Notch receptor and secreted proteins of the Hedgehog and WNT families. Here, we describe the various types of exosomes and their biogenesis. We then survey the experimental strategies used so far to interfere with exosome formation and critically assess the role of exosomes in developmental signalling.
Gestational stress induces the unfolded protein response, resulting in heart defects
Authors: Shi Hongjun , O'Reilly Victoria C. , Moreau Julie L. M. , Bewes Therese R. , Yam Michelle X. , Chapman Bogdan E. , Grieve Stuart M. , Stocker Roland , Graham Robert M. , Chapman Gavin , Sparrow Duncan B. , Dunwoodie Sally L.
Published: July 2016

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is an enigma. It is the most common human birth defect and yet, even with the application of modern genetic and genomic technologies, only a minority of cases can be explained genetically. This is because environmental stressors also cause CHD. Here we propose a plausible non-genetic mechanism for induction of CHD by environmental stressors. We show that exposure of mouse embryos to short-term gestational hypoxia induces the most common types of heart defect. This is mediated by the rapid induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR), which profoundly reduces FGF signaling in cardiac progenitor cells of the second heart field. Thus, UPR activation during human pregnancy might be a common cause of CHD. Our findings have far-reaching consequences because the UPR is activated by a myriad of environmental or pathophysiological conditions. Ultimately, our discovery could lead to preventative strategies to reduce the incidence of human CHD.
Sar1 localizes at the rims of COPII-coated membranes in vivo
Authors: Kurokawa Kazuo , Suda Yasuyuki , Nakano Akihiko
Published: July 2016

The Sar1 GTPase controls coat assembly on coat protein complex II (COPII)-coated vesicles, which mediate protein transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi. The GTP-bound form of Sar1, activated by the ER-localized guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Sec12, associates with the ER membrane. GTP hydrolysis by Sar1, stimulated by the COPII-vesicle-localized GTPase-activating protein (GAP) Sec23, in turn causes Sar1 to dissociate from the membrane. Thus, Sar1 is cycled between active and inactive states, and on and off vesicle membranes, but its precise spatiotemporal regulation remains unknown. Here, we examined Sar1 localization on COPII-coated membranes in living Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. Two-dimensional (2D) observation demonstrated that Sar1 showed modest accumulation around the ER exit sites (ERES) in a manner that was dependent on Sec16 function. Detailed three-dimensional (3D) observation further demonstrated that Sar1 localized at the rims of the COPII-coated membranes, but was excluded from the rest of the COPII membranes. Additionally, a GTP-locked form of Sar1 induced abnormally enlarged COPII-coated structures and covered the entirety of these structures. These results suggested that the reversible membrane association of Sar1 GTPase leads to its localization being restricted to the rims of COPII-coated membranes in vivo.
Structures of Vanadium Oxide Cluster Ions up to Nanometer Diameter Investigated by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Moriyama Ryoichi , Wu Jenna W J , Ohshimo Keijiro , Misaizu Fuminori
Published: July 2016

Collision cross sections of mass-selected even-sized vanadium oxide cluster cations and anions (V2O5)m/2+/− were measured by ion mobility mass spectrometry for m = 2–60. In comparison with the cross sections of the structures predicted by quantum chemical calculations, fullerene-like polyhedral structures were found to be one of the dominant isomer candidates for vanadium oxide cluster cations for the cluster size m ≥ 30. The assigned structures correspond to the structural motifs of polygonal prism and polyhedral structures, which were recently reported for VmOn+/− (m = 12–20) by the authors. In contrast to the cations, a structural transition was found around m = 12 for anions from polygonal prisms (m = 2–10) to compact structures (m = 12–60). These compact structures have densities between those of polyhedral structures and bulk-like structures.
Neurobiology of opioid dependence in creating addiction vulnerability
Authors: Evans Christopher J. , Cahill Catherine M.
Published: July 2016

Opioid drugs are potent modulators of many physiological and psychological processes. When given acutely, they can elicit the signature responses of euphoria and analgesia that societies have coveted for centuries. Repeated, or chronic, use of opioids induces adaptive or allostatic changes that modify neuronal circuitry and create an altered normality — the “drug-dependent” state. This state, at least that exhibited by those maintained continuously on long-acting opioid drugs such as methadone or buprenorphine, is generally indistinguishable from the drug-naïve state for most overt behaviors. The consequences of the allostatic changes (cellular, circuit, and system adaptations) that accompany the drug-dependent state are revealed during drug withdrawal. Drug cessation triggers a temporally orchestrated allostatic re-establishment of neuronal systems, which is manifested as opposing physiological and psychological effects to those exhibited by acute drug intoxication. Some withdrawal symptoms, such as physical symptoms (sweating, shaking, and diarrhea) resolve within days, whilst others, such as dysphoria, insomnia, and anxiety, can linger for months, and some adaptations, such as learned associations, may be established for life. We will briefly discuss the cellular mechanisms and neural circuitry that contribute to the opioid drug-dependent state, inferring an emerging role for neuroinflammation. We will argue that opioid addictive behaviors result from a learned relationship between opioids and relief from an existing or withdrawal-induced anxiogenic and/or dysphoric state. Furthermore, a future stressful life event can recall the memory that opioid drugs alleviate negative affect (despair, sadness, and anxiety) and thereby precipitate craving, resulting in relapse. A learned association of relief of aversive states would fuel drug craving in vulnerable people living in an increasingly stressful society. We suggest that this route to addiction is contributive to the current opioid epidemic in the USA.
The role of acid inhibition in Helicobacter pylori eradication
Authors: Scott David R. , Sachs George , Marcus Elizabeth A.
Published: July 2016

Infection of the stomach by the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori results in chronic active gastritis and leads to the development of gastric and duodenal ulcer disease and gastric adenocarcinoma. Eradication of H. pylori infection improves or resolves the associated pathology. Current treatments of H. pylori infection rely on acid suppression in combination with at least two antibiotics. The role of acid suppression in eradication therapy has been variously attributed to antibacterial activity of proton pump inhibitors directly or through inhibition of urease activity or increased stability and activity of antibiotics. Here we discuss the effect of acid suppression on enhanced replicative capacity of H. pylori to permit the bactericidal activity of growth-dependent antibiotics. The future of eradication therapy will rely on improvement of acid inhibition along with current antibiotics or the development of novel compounds targeting the organism’s ability to survive in acid.
Homing in on the hepatic scar: recent advances in cell-specific targeting of liver fibrosis
Authors: Dobie Ross , Henderson Neil C.
Published: July 2016

Despite the high prevalence of liver disease globally, there are currently no approved anti-fibrotic therapies to treat patients with liver fibrosis. A major goal in anti-fibrotic therapy is the development of drug delivery systems that allow direct targeting of the major pro-scarring cell populations within the liver (hepatic myofibroblasts) whilst not perturbing the homeostatic functions of other mesenchymal cell types present within both the liver and other organ systems. In this review we will outline some of the recent advances in our understanding of myofibroblast biology, discussing both the origin of myofibroblasts and possible myofibroblast fates during hepatic fibrosis progression and resolution. We will then discuss the various strategies currently being employed to increase the precision with which we deliver potential anti-fibrotic therapies to patients with liver fibrosis.
Effect of gestational diabetes mellitus on maternal thyroid function and body mass index
Authors: Ali Elrazi A. , Abdullahi Hala , Rayis Duria A. , Adam Ishag , Lutfi Mohamed F.
Published: July 2016

Background: The exact influences of thyroid functions on body mass index (BMI) are ill-defined in euthyroid pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Objectives: To investigate the effect of GDM on maternal thyroid functions and BMI.

Methods:  A case- control study was conducted in Saad Abualila Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan June to August 2015. Cases included women with GDM and healthy pregnant women as controls. Thyroid hormones [thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free tri-iodothyronine (FT3), and free thyroxine (FT4)] and anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-TG) antibodies were measured.

Results:  BMI was significantly increased in GDM patients (26.3 (2.7) Kg/m2) compared with the control group (24.3(1.8) Kg/m2, P = 0.001). Levels of FT3 and FT4 were significantly decreased in GDM patients (0.632 (0.408 ─ 1.074) pg/ml; 0.672 (0.614 ─ 0.960) ng/dl) compared with the healthy pregnant women (0.820 (0.510─1.385) pg/ml, P = 0.021; 0.840 (0.767─1.200) ng/dl, P < 0.001). In contrast, anti-TPO and anti-TG were significantly higher in GDM patients (11.13 (7.969 ─13.090) IU/ml; 14.40 (10.91─20.69) IU/ml) compared with the control group (8.90 (6.375─10.48 IU/ml, P = 0.022; 10.50 (8.2─13.95) IU/ml, P = 0.010). BMI correlated negatively with FT3 (r = ─ 0. 375, P = 0.002) and FT4 (r = ─ 0. 316, P = 0.009) and positively with anti-TPO (r = 0.361, P = 0.002) and anti-TG (r = 0.393, P = 0.010).

Conclusion: The present results add further evidence for decreased free thyroid hormones, increased anti-thyroid autoantibodies and higher BMI in patients with GDM compared to healthy pregnant women. BMI correlated directly with FT3 and FT4, but failed to demonstrate significant association with TSH.
Firm Rigidities and the Decline in Growth Opportunities
Authors: Loderer Claudio , Stulz René , Waelchli Urs
Published: July 2016

As public firms exploit their growth opportunities following their initial public offering, their assets in place increase, and they organize themselves optimally to operate these assets efficiently, which requires a more formal and less flexible organization than to generate new growth opportunities. Our theory predicts that, as a result of these inflexibilities, firms fail to fully replace their growth opportunities, so that their Tobin’s q falls with age and they invest less as they grow older. With our theory, competition in the market for corporate control and capital markets monitoring increase the rate of decrease in Tobin’s q, while product and labor market competition slow it down. We find empirical support for these predictions. We also find evidence that the decline in q is related to firm rigidities.

The Internet appendix is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2016.2478 .

This paper was accepted by Gustavo Manso, finance.
The Interplay Between Forward-Looking Measures and Target Setting
Authors: Bouwens Jan , Kroos Peter
Published: July 2016

We examine whether financial targets are based on both forward-looking and financial information, rather than on financial information only. We collect sales and performance appraisal data of store managers in a retail chain. The firm issues directives focused on the provision of excellent customer service and assesses store managers’ compliance with these directives subjectively. We demonstrate that, controlling for current sales, compliance with directives scores predicts future sales performance. We find that, next to objective sales information, this forward-looking information is impounded in the next year’s sales target. Finally, we find some evidence that suggests that incorporating forward-looking information improves the accuracy of sales targets.

This paper was accepted by Mary Barth, accounting.
OrganJet: Overcoming Geographical Disparities in Access to Deceased Donor Kidneys in the United States
Authors: Ata Barış , Skaro Anton , Tayur Sridhar
Published: July 2016

There are over 90,000 patients in the United States waiting for a kidney transplant. Under the current allocation policy, the vast majority of deceased organs are allocated locally. This causes significant disparities in waiting times and access to transplant across different geographical areas. To ameliorate this inequity, we propose an operational solution that offers affordable jet services (OrganJet) to patients on the transplant waiting list, allowing them to list in multiple different, and possibly very distant, donation service areas (DSAs) of their choosing. First, using a fluid approximation, we formulate the patients’ problem of choosing a location to multiple list as a selfish routing game in which each patient tries to minimize his “congestion cost,” i.e., maximize his life expectancy. Through a combination of numerical, simulation, and analytical results, we show that multiple listing can lead to a significant improvement in geographic equity. In the special case when sufficiently many patients can multiple list, the geographic inequity disappears. Moreover, the supply of deceased donor organs increases under multiple listing, leading to more transplants and saved lives. We also consider a diffusion approximation and study the resulting multiple-listing game. The equilibrium outcome under the diffusion approximation is a second-order perturbation of that under the selfish routing formulation. In particular, the geographic equity metric, waiting times, and probabilities of receiving a transplant at various DSAs in equilibrium are second-order perturbations of those predicted by the selfish routing equilibrium. Hence, the analysis under the diffusion approximation also supports the finding that multiple listing leads to an improvement in geographic equity. In addition, restricting attention to the special case of sufficiently many patients multiple listing leads to an explicit characterization of the equilibria, which in turn yields additional structural insights. Last, we undertake a simulation study that supports aforementioned findings.

This paper was accepted by Assaf Zeevi, stochastic models and simulation.
Estados Unidos (Mexicanos) e a espiral de violência: por uma breve crítica à noção de “Estado Falido” | United (Mexican) States and the spiral of violence: for a brief critique of the notion of "Failed State"
Authors: Gomes Simone Da Silva Ribeiro , Palhares Acácio Igor Daniel
Published: July 2016

Neste artigo empreende-se uma breve crítica à noção de “Estado falido”, ilustrando seus limites ao enquadrar o do México nesse conceito. Faz-se isso por meio de uma análise do exemplo prático do tratamento internacional do México como tal: a Iniciativa Mérida. Finalmente, apresentamos uma breve análise de campo das repercussões societais do massacre de Aynotzinapa (2014).ABSTRACTThis paper undertakes a brief criticism of the notion of "failed state", illustrating its limits with the inclusion Mexico in this framework. Such reflections are undertaken by a practical example of such reality: the Merida Initiative. We also present elements of fieldwork based analysis of societal repercussions of the massacre of Ayotzinapa (2014).Palavras-chave: Estados Falidos, México, Iniciativa Mérida, Massacre de AyotzinapaKeywords: Failed States, Mexico, Merida Initiative, Ayotzinapa Massacre DOI: 10.12957/rmi.2015.19457 Recebido em 01 de novembro de 2015 / Received on November 01, 2015Aceito em 13 de dezembro de 2015 / Accepted December 13, 2015
Os empresários no Mercosul: distância ou participação? | Entrepreneurs in Mercosur: distance or participation?
Authors: Velasco Júnior Paulo Afonso Monteiro
Published: July 2016

O Mercosul foi criado como um projeto fundamentalmente intergovernamental, com baixa participação dos atores sociais ou da classe empresarial. Com o passar dos anos, criaram-se espaços abertos a atuação dos empresários, mas percebe-se uma falta de articulação verdadeiramente regional ou transnacional. Há, na verdade, uma falta de representação nacional, com grupos organizados setorialmente e com posições muitos distintas em face do projeto integrador. Os contenciosos comerciais próprios da relação entre Brasil e Argentina nos últimos quinze anos explicam-se, em parte, por conta da pressões exercidas por grupos empresarias influentes sobre os governos nacionais, mas nem sempre representativos na economia do país. A ausência de um diálogo mais efetivo sobre a integração entre os governos nacionais e entidades empresarias representativas tem sido uma característica do Mercosul desde a sua criação e ainda hoje se manifesta com resultados negativos para o processo integrador.ABSTRACTMercosur was created basically as an intergovernamental project, with low participation of social actors or entrepreneurs. Over time, some spaces were opened to businessmen influence, however there is no truly regional or transnational coordination. There is actually a lack of national representation, with interest groups organized into economic sectors and with very different positions with regard to regional integration. Trade disputes between Brazil and Argentina in the last fifteen years can be partially explained because of the pressures exerted by business groups with large influence over national governments, but not always important to national economy. The absence of a more effective dialogue about integration between national governments and representative business associations has been a characteristic of Mercosur since its creation and may explain some negative outcomes in the integration process.Palavras-chave: Integração regional, Mercosul, empresários, representatividade.Keywords: Regional integration, Mercosur, entrepreneurs, representativity DOI: 10.12957/rmi.2015.19916 Recebido em 01 de dezembro de 2015 / Aceito em 20 de dezembro de 2015.Received on December 01, 2015 / Accepted December 20, 2015.
“Unidade cívico-militar” como fundamento da doutrina de defesa nacional bolivariana | “Civil-military Integration” as the foundation of the bolivarian nacional defence doctrine
Authors: De Moraes Cicero Pedro Henrique
Published: July 2016

O artigo compila a trajetória institucional empreendida pela Revolução Bolivariana com vistas a adensar as relações cívico-militares no país, ou seja, a incorporar a civis em atividades até então restritas ao corpo militar nacional. Este projeto ancora-se em construções teóricas relacionadas aos conceitos de “guerra assimétrica” e de “pueblo en armas”. O texto conclui que, mesmo representando uma interessante e inovadora estratégia de ampliação do escopo da defesa nacional, em especial no que concerne à utilização do aparelho militar como apoio para conferir maior escala e eficiência na implementação de programas sociais, a crescente inclusão de civis em atividades eminentemente militares resulta numa potencialmente problemática transferência de responsabilidades no âmbito das estruturas de poder do Estado.ABSTRACTThe article compiles the institutional trajectory taken by the Bolivarian Revolution in order to enhance the civil-military relations in the country, i.e., to incorporate civilians in activities previously restricted to the national military structure. This project is anchored in theoretical constructs related to the ideas of “asymmetric warfare” and “pueblo en armas.” The paper concludes that, despite the fact that the initiative represents an interesting and innovative strategy of expansion of the scope of national defense, especially regarding the use of the military as a support to enhance the scale and efficiency in the implementation of social programs, the increasing inclusion of civilians in activities that are eminently military results in a potentially problematic transfer of responsibilities within the state power structures.Palavras-chave: Unidade cívico-militar – Guerra assimétrica – VenezuelaKeywords: Civil-military Integration - Asymmetric warfare – Venezuela DOI: 10.12957/rmi.2015.22162 Recebido em 24 de março de 2016 / Received March 24, 2016.Aceito em 20 de junho de 2016 / Accepted June 20, 2016
Comparing community models of COPD care
Authors: Flood-Page Patrick
Published: July 2016

Introduction:

In Gwent, South Wales, different models of community-based chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care were developed in different local health boards (LHB) leading up to the year 2009. This gave a unique opportunity to compare the efficacy of different models among patients with similar demographic characteristics.

Methods:

Hospital admission data were compared for the three years before and after the introduction of COPD services around 2006. Primary care practices without access to services served as control populations.

Results:

Long-term conditions services where community nurses worked in isolation (Caerphilly), or that were based around primary care practices (Newport and Monmouthshire), showed an increase in COPD hospital admission of 12.3%, 43.4% and 20.8% respectively. This corresponded to an increase of 5.2% and 1.0% respectively in control practices (p < 0.01 for each LHB). In Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen, services integrated between primary and secondary care were associated with a reduction in admissions of 3.3% and 4.6% respectively. (p < 0.01).

Conclusion:

There is little evidence base to guide the large sums of money invested in community care across the UK for COPD and other long-term conditions. Our data suggest that services with close communication between primary and secondary care may be more effective than those developed around primary care alone.
Diabetic eye screening: A pragmatic approach
Authors: Parvizi Sahar , Khan Inayat
Published: July 2016

Introduction:

The primary aim of the NHS diabetic eye screening programme (DESP) is to reduce the risk of sight loss among people with diabetes. This is achieved through prompt identification and effective treatment of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy. Currently, no nationally agreed referral standards for non-diabetic retinopathy that may also be identified on screening images exist.

Methods:

Referrals of ‘arterial emboli’ from a single DESP to one local hospital eye clinic over a one-year period were analysed, with information collected on assessments and pathways for each patient.

Results:

Retinal arterial emboli do not have ophthalmic treatment but require a full systemic workup due to the potential for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications in these already higher risk patients. Referral to the eye clinic introduces undue and avoidable delay in pertinent investigations being carried out.

Conclusions:

We propose and have implemented a new shorter pathway for the referral of patients with retinal arterial emboli from the screening programme directly to the hospital's rapid access stroke clinic, where necessary investigations can be initiated in a timely and structured manner. This will lead to better risk stratification for medical and surgical treatment at an earlier time point, resulting in better and safer care for patients. It will also reduce the number of unnecessary appointments in the outpatient eye clinic, saving both cost and time.
The importance of the carer in prevention of pressure ulcers
Authors: Hampton Sylvie
Published: July 2016

The carer is the single most important person in the prevention of pressure ulcers. It is vital that they know what to look for and what to do when redness is noted. Sylvie Hampton discusses how alternating mattresses can help carers in a residential setting
Robotic animals: leaps and bounds in dementia care
Authors: Mendes Aysha , Palmer Sarah
Published: July 2016

Animal-assisted therapy is a well-known phenomenon which has been providing care to countless people for many years. Aysha Mendes examines how this area of residential care is evolving, thanks to the invention of modern robotic animals
Employment law in 2016: what's coming next?
Authors: Stevens Mark
Published: July 2016

Employment law is a an ever-changing landscape, and keeping up to date with how this landscape shifts can help you from falling foul of the law. Mark Stevens offers insight into how employment law is set to change over the rest of 2016
How to … support people's relatives choosing a care home
Authors: Ashurst Adrian
Published: July 2016

Choosing the right residential home for a family member can be incredibly difficult. Adrian Ashurst provides some useful tips on how you can provide for an older person's relatives during this most stressful time
Restructuring a Taxonomy of Literary Themes and Motifs for More Efficient Querying
Authors: Khan Fahad , Arrigoni Silvia , Boschetti Federico , Frontini Francesca
Published: July 2016

In this paper we describe ongoing work in the restructuring of a tagset originally organised as a taxonomy and used to annotate literary themes and motifs in a corpus of classical works of poetry from a number of different traditions. We show how such a tagset can be rendered more efficient and useful through the appropriation of ideas and techniques from lexical semantics and ontology design. The newly redesigned tagset is described with examples showing how the new design is much more expressive than the old taxonomy; furthermore, an example query is described in order to demonstrate how more refined semantic searches can be carried using the new version of the taxonomy. The final result is, we hope, a resource that will be useful not only for the specific project for which it was developed but one that is well-designed and well-documented enough to be of use for other similar semantic annotation tasks.
Potencialidades del Microrrelato en Internet
Authors: Ferreira Ana Sofia
Published: July 2016

La crítica generada en torno al microrrelato viene demostrando que esta categoría textual literaria se ha revelado paradigmática del modo de estar y pensar del ser humano de hoy. Su naturaleza escueta, sugerente e híbrida le permite entrar fácilmente en diálogo con discursos de otros ámbitos. En concomitancia, su difusión por Internet en los últimos años y desde distintos circuitos comprueba que es en Internet donde halla el hábitat ideal para desarrollar sus potencialidades y que en larga medida es la responsable por su actual éxito. Por ello, será de vital importancia acercarnos a este discurso partiendo de la premisa de que, sin que haya nacido en el mundo tecnológico tal y como hoy lo concebimos, el microrrelato se ha servido de las características de la esfera virtual para propagarse y volverse un fenómeno altamente democratizado, sobre todo desde la creación.
Visual Interpretations and Humanistic Interfaces
Authors: Enslen Joshua Alma
Published: July 2016

Review of Johanna Drucker, Graphesis: Visual Forms of Knowledge Production, Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2014. 215 pp. ISBN 978-0-674-72493-8.
No. 110 10.4.93-10.7.93 or Polish Uncreative Writing
Authors: Marecki Piotr
Published: July 2016

This article provides an overview of Polish digital literature, using the tools and vocabulary of uncreative writing put forward by American artist and theorist Kenneth Goldsmith. The analysis covers appropriation techniques, plagiarism types, and the thinkership of conceptual writing practices. The selected works use various media and explore diverse textual materialities, which depend on specific platforms, such as the MERA 300 minicomputer, the Wikipedia platform, or JavaScript. The pieces are described in terms of database studies in contemporary digital literature.
Comunicación y cambio social en España: el impacto del 15M, cinco años después
Authors: Espinar-Ruiz Eva , Seguí-Cosme Salvador
Published: July 2016

En este artículo introductorio se desarrolla un breve resumen de la situación actual del campo de la Comunicación para el Desarrollo y el Cambio social en España, tanto en su vertiente práctica como académica. Este resumen sirve para contextualizar los diferentes artículos que componen el presente monográfico de Obets. En él recogemos una selección de 12 artículos, predominantemente dedicados a la descripción y análisis de los resultados de una serie de estudios de caso, cuyo objeto se sitúa con frecuencia tras la estela del 15M. Pero también se incluyen otros actores pertenecientes a la sociedad civil estructurada, como los que actúan en el ámbito educativo. Igualmente, se incluyen aportaciones desde escenarios latinoamericanos y estudios conceptuales y teóricos, como los que sirven de apertura y cierre del volumen.
Estrategias de comunicación interpersonal y pública en los movimientos sociales. Transformaciones de las redes informales y de los repertorios en la era de la Web social
Authors: Ortiz Galindo Rocío
Published: July 2016

El objetivo de este trabajo es contribuir al estudio del campo de la comunicación en movimientos sociales de la era de la Web social. La investigación plantea como hipótesis que han aparecido nuevas estrategias comunicativas en los “cibermovimientos sociales” para influir en el cambio social. Propone una clasificación en la que se distinguen transformaciones en el ámbito de la comunicación interpersonal (las redes informales) y la comunicación pública (los repertorios de acción colectiva). Los resultados se apoyan en una exhaustiva revisión bibliográfica y en la observación directa virtual, especialmente de los movimientos sociales de indignación global de 2011.
Movimiento estudiantil en Chile, aprendizaje situado y activismo digital. Compromiso, cambio social y usos tecnológicos adolescentes
Authors: Peña Patricia , Rodríguez Raúl , Sáez Chiara
Published: July 2016

A partir del movimiento estudiantil que surge en Chile en 2011 el artículo reflexiona sobre la escuela como espacio de aprendizaje situado de tecnologías digitales audiovisuales y el modo en que este proceso puede impactar sobre la dimensión político-comunicacional de un movimiento social. Para ello, se describe y analiza el caso de una escuela donde la educación formal en lenguajes y tecnologías digitales se imbrica con el uso que hacen, estudiantes secundarias que se convierten en dirigentas estudiantiles, de aplicaciones y recursos de la web social y los llamados “social media” (youtube, blogs, redes sociales). Se trabaja con datos generados a través de entrevistas a informantes claves y una selección de videos creados por el estudiantado y subidos a internet. El contenido de las entrevistas es abordado desde el concepto de aprendizaje situado (Lave y Wenger, 1991) y los videos desde el concepto de videoactivismo (Askanius, 2013; Mateos y Rajas, 2014). Los resultados muestran que el uso concreto de herramientas digitales obtenidas en contextos educativos formales y dentro de procesos de movilización, genera a su vez nuevas experiencias de aprendizaje no-formal, que permiten tanto a estudiantes como docentes reflexionar sobre sus prácticas y mejorar su potencial comunicativo. Asimismo, muestran un uso acrítico de las herramientas digitales, lo cual constituye un llamado de atención respecto a la necesidad de incorporar los tópicos de privacidad y autocuidado en internet dentro de los contenidos a desarrollar por la escuela como espacio de aprendizaje digital.