bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a convenience and safety chilled sous vide fish dish: Diversification of aquacultural products
Authors: Espinosa MC , López G , Díaz P , Linares MB , Garrido MD
Published: May 2015

The dynamic expansion of the ready-to-eat seabream sector in its adaptation to new lifestyles has led to the search for new presentation formats in seabream ( Sparus aurata). Green sauce (olive oil, wine vinegar, garlic, fresh parsley, black pepper, basil and salt) and 60 ℃ of cooking temperature were chosen by the panellists for the sous vide cooking process. Seabream fillet and sauce were packaged in polypropylene trays, cooked, chilled and stored at 2 ℃. Microbiological (total viable counts, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, anaerobic psychrotrophic, moulds and yeasts, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes), chemical (pH and TBARs) and sensory parameters were determined at 0, 7, 17, 34, 48 and 62 days. In the conditions used, the microbiological counts remained stable, and Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes were absent. The acidic sauce had a positive effect on the pH of the product, and low TBARs were obtained throughout storage. The processing conditions used in the present study allowed a chilled ready-to-eat seabream product of consistently high quality up to 62 days of storage to be obtained, representing an expansion of the products offered by the aquacultural industry.
Managing Anxiety in Children With ADHD Using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Sciberras Emma , Mulraney Melissa , Anderson Vicki , Rapee Ronald M. , Nicholson Jan M. , Efron Daryl , Lee Katherine , Markopoulos Zoe , Hiscock Harriet
Published: May 2015

Objective: This pilot randomized controlled trial examined the acceptability and feasibility of a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for children with ADHD and anxiety, and provided preliminary information on child and family outcomes. Method: Children with ADHD and anxiety (8-12 years) were randomized to receive an adapted version of the Cool Kids CBT program or usual clinical care. Key outcomes included feasibility and acceptability of the intervention (participant enrollment, drop-out, intervention session attendance), remission of anxiety assessed via diagnostic interview, ADHD symptom severity, quality of life (QoL), and parent mental health. Results: Twelve children participated (67% uptake). Most families attended all 10 intervention sessions, with no drop-outs. Intervention participants had marked improvements in both child and family well-being by parent and teacher report, including anxiety, ADHD symptom severity, QoL, and parent mental health. Conclusion: Non-pharmacological interventions may improve important domains of functioning for children with ADHD and anxiety, including ADHD symptom severity.
Large-scale, high-speed tsunami prediction for the Great Nankai Trough Earthquake on the K computer
Authors: Baba Toshitaka , Ando Kazuto , Matsuoka Daisuke , Hyodo Mamoru , Hori Takane , Takahashi Narumi , Obayashi Ryoko , Imato Yoshiyuki , Kitamura Dai , Uehara Hitoshi , Kato Toshihiro , Saka Ryotaro
Published: May 2015

We improved the tsunami simulation code JAGURS, which is a paralleled version of URSGA code for a large-scale, high-speed tsunami prediction in the Nankai trough, Japan. We optimized the loop kernel for velocity update and intergrid communication on a three-dimensional torus network. Linear scaling was achieved up to the full system capability of the K computer (82,944 nodes) in a strong scaling test that used 100 billion finite-difference grid points. The measured performance on the K computer was 1.2 petaflops (11.5% of peak speed). Intergrid communication was optimized for a three-nested-grid model consisting of 0.68 billion grid points. Grid spacing in the area with the finest grid (180 km × 120 km) was about 5 m. We successfully implemented a large-scale tsunami simulation using this model that ran in about 30% of real time. We believe that this is the fastest tsunami prediction achieved to date with such a large-scale model. Our code can provide high-resolution tsunami prediction for broad regions within a reasonable time to assist emergency rescue and relief operations during future devastating tsunamis comparable to the 2004 Sumatra, 2010 Chile, and 2011 Tohoku tsunamis.
Vascular and central hemodynamic changes following exercise-induced heat stress
Authors: Lefferts Wesley K , Heffernan Kevin S , Hultquist Eric M , Fehling Patricia C , Smith Denise L
Published: May 2015

This study examined the effects of moderate exercise-induced heat stress (EIHS) on vascular function, central hemodynamic load and indices of coronary perfusion. Vascular-hemodynamic measures were collected in 12 healthy men (aged 22±3 years) pre and post 100 minutes of moderate, intermittent exercise in two randomized conditions: heat stress (HS; wearing firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE)), and no heat stress (NHS; wearing a cooling shirt and equivalent PPE weight). Aortic blood pressure, reflected wave pressure (Pb), systolic (SPTI) and diastolic pressure time-integral (DPTI), and aortic stiffness were assessed before and after each condition. SPTI was significantly greater, and DPTI and Pb were significantly lower for HS-post compared to NHS-post ( p<0.05). Pulse wave velocity was not different between conditions. In conclusion, EIHS does not affect aortic stiffness, but increases indices of myocardial work and reduces indices of coronary perfusion which may be related to chronotropic responses to EIHS. The mismatch between oxygen demand and oxygen supply may increase cardiac vulnerability to ischemia during strenuous work in the heat.
Travesti associations, state policies, and NGOs: Resistance and collective action in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Authors: Cutuli María Soledad
Published: May 2015

This article examines the trajectories of travesti associations in Argentina and describes the relationship between these groups’ demands and the policies developed by the State and NGOs. The analysis of this process focuses on the configuration of a multidimensional and dynamic field of force structured by the tension between prostitution and work, which is crucial for the repression and production of these subjects. An anthropological and political perspective is used, based on qualitative techniques such as participant observation in local travesti organizations, in-depth interviews and secondary written sources analysis.
Sexercising to orgasm: Embodied pedagogy and sexual labour in women’s magazines
Authors: Frith Hannah
Published: May 2015

Positioned as the ‘peak’ of sexual experience, orgasm is packed with sociocultural meaning. Exploring the construction of orgasm in Cosmopolitan magazine in the context of the shift towards a postfeminist sexuality and the neoliberal shift towards the rational management of sex as work, this article argues that magazines offer a ‘pedagogy of the body’ by teaching women to: (1) become aware of how to touch their body; (2) strengthen muscles and master bodily responses; (3) position the body and understand how male and female bodies fit together, and (4) instruct men in how to interact with female bodies. Postfeminist, neoliberal and pedagogical discourses merge to offer explicit instruction in how to develop a ‘technology of sexiness’ by training the body to ensure orgasmic success.
How do people in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease see their future?
Authors: Kristiansen Per Jørgen Langø , Normann Hans K , Norberg Astrid , Fjelltun Aud-Mari , Skaalvik Mari W
Published: May 2015

Older people fear Alzheimer’s disease. Central to the fear of the disease is the dread of the loss of identity or self. The aim of this study is to investigate the thoughts people in an early stage of Alzheimer’s disease have about their future selves, and the consequences these thoughts have for their temporary lives. The concepts of future and self are understood in terms of the concepts ‘possible selves’ and ‘selfhood’. The participants in the study are two men in their early 60 s. The data consist of four individual interviews and 11 facilitated family conversations including two of their next of kin. The data were collected over a two-year period. The data were interpreted using a hermeneutic analysis inspired by Gadamer. The main findings were the efforts made by the participants to live in the present and their worries about a future as ‘living dead’.
Processes of user participation among formal and family caregivers in home-based care for persons with dementia
Authors: Larsen Lill Sverresdatter , Normann Hans Ketil , Hamran Torunn
Published: May 2015

Scandinavian health policy supports prolonged home-based care for people with dementia. User participation is expected to reduce family burden. The aim of this study was to explore how formal and family caregivers experience collaboration while providing home-based dementia care, with a focus on user participation. Seventeen qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted among formal and family caregivers in rural municipalities. The theme identified during this process was ‘negotiating participation in decisions’. This theme was analysed using positioning theory. Concepts such as user participation are ambiguous, and caregivers negotiate positions during decision-making processes. Such negotiations are caused by the problematic relationships among patients’ legal consent, undefined spokespersons and pragmatic care practices. These constant negotiations enable or obstruct collaboration in several situations. User participation as a concept might contribute to conflicts during collaborations. Dialogues about user participation that focus on consent and spokespersons could reduce the burden created by negotiations in practice.
Simultaneous Presentation of Speech and Sign Prompts to Increase MLU in Children With Intellectual Disability
Authors: Pattison Ashley E. , Robertson Rachel E.
Published: May 2015

Expressive language is an important skill to develop in children with intellectual disabilities. It not only aids in decreasing the likelihood of challenging behaviors from occurring but also aids in increasing the individuals independence and assistance in them becoming successful members of society. No previous studies have examined the effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions at increasing expressive language measured with mean length of utterances (MLU) in children with intellectual disabilities. The present study used an alternating treatment comparison design to evaluate the effectiveness of three communication interventions: (a) verbal imitation prompting, (b) American Sign Language prompting, and (c) simultaneous verbal imitation prompting and key word sign prompting on MLU in a 9-year-old child with intellectual disability. The study was conducted in the child’s classroom, and her teacher implemented the interventions. Results indicated simultaneous verbal and key word sign prompting were associated with the greatest MLU, although all three communication interventions appeared to increase MLU when compared with unprompted MLU. Implications for practice and future research in the area of simultaneous communication are discussed.
Simulation-Based Cryosurgery Intelligent Tutoring System Prototype
Authors: Sehrawat Anjali , Keelan Robert , Shimada Kenji , Wilfong Dona M. , McCormick James T. , Rabin Yoed
Published: May 2015

As a part of an ongoing effort to develop computerized training tools for cryosurgery, the current study presents a proof of concept for a computerized tool for cryosurgery tutoring. The tutoring system lists geometrical constraints of cryoprobes placement, simulates cryoprobe insertion, displays a rendered shape of the prostate, enables distance measurements, simulates the corresponding thermal history, and evaluates the mismatch between the target region shape and a preselected planning isotherm. The quality of trainee planning is measured in comparison with a computer-generated planning, created for each case study by previously developed planning algorithms. The following two versions of the tutoring system have been tested in the current study: (1) an unguided version, where the trainee can practice cases in unstructured sessions and (2) an intelligent tutoring system, which forces the trainee to follow specific steps, believed by the authors to potentially shorten the learning curve. Although the tutoring level in this study aims only at geometrical constraints on cryoprobe placement and the resulting thermal histories, it creates a unique opportunity to gain insight into the process outside the operation room. Post-test results indicate that the intelligent tutoring system may be more beneficial than the nonintelligent tutoring system, but the proof of concept is demonstrated with either system.
Race Socialization and Parenting Styles
Authors: Pezzella Frank S. , Thornberry Terence P. , Smith Carolyn A.
Published: May 2015

This study investigated differences in the use of authoritarian parenting (AP), a race socialization practice among high-risk African American parents and compared it to authoritative parenting (ATP) a style found efficacious for White adolescents. Data from the Rochester Youth Development Study are used inclusive of African American ( n = 413) and White ( n = 114) adolescents. Risk for delinquency is measured by six factors. ATP includes parental responsiveness and monitoring, and AP added restrictive parental control. Multivariate regression models were used to assess main and interaction effects of the parenting styles with cumulative risk. Findings indicated ATP is a racially and class invariant child rearing style that reduces delinquency.
Development of a New Magnetometer for Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping Designed for Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Imai Kazuhiro , Kawaharada Yasushi , Ogawa Jun-ichi , Saito Hajime , Kudo Satoshi , Takashima Shinogu , Saito Yoshitaro , Atari Maiko , Ito Aki , Terata Kaori , Yoshino Kei , Sato Yusuke , Motoyama Satoru , Minamiya Yoshihiro
Published: May 2015

Background. We previously developed a method for sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on the magnetic force produced by a magnetite tracer already approved for use as a contrast material for magnetic resonance imaging. However, it is difficult to use that technique with video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) because the sensing element of the magnetometer is large and thick. The purpose of the present study was to develop a smaller, thinner VATS-compatible magnetometer. Methods. The tracer employed was Ferucarbotran, a colloidal solution of superparamagnetic iron oxide coated with carbodextran. Fifteen patients with clinical stage I NSCLC were enrolled, and each received 1.6 mL of Ferucarbotran, injected intraoperatively at 5 points around the tumor. The magnetic force within the sampling lymph nodes was measured using the new VATS-compatible magnetometer. Results. SLNs were detected in 11 (73.3%) of the 15 patients using the VATS-compatible magnetometer. The average number of SLNs identified per patient was 1.8 (range 0-4). No complications related to the SLN detection method were observed. Conclusions. The new VATS-compatible magnetometer appears to have substantial advantages over techniques using a radioisotope and our earlier magnetometer, as it can be inserted through the small VATS port site.
Reflexive account of unintended outcomes from spiritual care qualitative research
Authors: Narayanasamy Aru
Published: May 2015

This paper presents a discussion of the reflexive accounts of research experience of the author when conducting data collection and analysis of an investigation into spirituality and culture in nurse education.

Aims

To offer insights into the unintended outcomes of research and personal transformation that may occur as a consequence of the research.

Background

Whilst extensive qualitative research prevails in nursing and nurse education, with some making a significant impact upon the practice and epistemology of nursing, reflexive accounts of unintended outcomes of research are rather scanty in the literature.

Data Sources

This paper draws on the reflective diary and field notes maintained by the researcher throughout the trajectory of the research involving a series of studies into spiritual care in nurse education.

Discussion

Reflective frameworks offer opportunities for honest reflexive accounts which may be quite revealing. The paper illuminates some salient features of unintended outcomes of the research involving participants who shared narratives of coping mechanisms using spiritual resources as they faced critical junctures such as illness in their lives.

Conclusion

The encounters between the researcher and the participants could lead to transformation and growth for both.

Implications for practice

Reflexive accounts of unintended outcomes should be integral to the qualitative research process and they could be transformative for both the researcher and the participants. The reflections on the unintended outcomes may provide valuable insights into patients’ experiences in order to produce a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomena being investigated.

Summary statement

What is already known about this topic

Qualitative research produces rich and dense data impacting nursing. Qualitative research contributes to the epistemology of nursing. Reflexive accounts shed valuable insights about the qualitative research process.

What this paper adds

A structured approach to reflexive accounts may produce some interesting insights into the research process related to spirituality studies addressed in this paper. Unintended outcomes of spirituality research could be identified and theorised as integral to the whole research. Researchers need to invest time and attention into the unintended outcomes of research as they could be transformative for both the researcher and participants. Implications for practice and/or policy Reflexive accounts and unintended outcomes of research could be valuable for the researchers and participants’ transformation and growth. Further theories may evolve from unintended outcomes of research adding further insights into the unpredictable dimensions of humanity.
Bayesian inference of multi-stage reliability for degradation systems with calibrations
Authors: Kong Dejing , Cui Lirong
Published: May 2015

The importance of degradation analysis as a method of reliability assessment has been increasing because the products become more and more reliable. Bayesian updating is important in the dynamic analysis of few degradation data collected in multiple stages. A problem of assessing the reliability of a degradation system, wherein calibration of a development program is carried out, within a multi-stage, by Bayesian inference, is proposed in this article. Two types of posterior distribution are obtained in each testing stage under an assumption that degradation performance follows a normal distribution for two cases. Then, two Bayesian models are presented to evaluate the system reliability. A conclusion is also derived, that is, the variance of a key random variable decreases as the number of testing stage grows. Finally, a numerical example illustrates the model, process and the analysis results.
Effect of volar angulation of extra-articular distal radius fractures on distal radioulnar joint stability: a biomechanical study
Authors: Bessho Y. , Nakamura T. , Nagura T. , Nishiwaki M. , Sato K. , Toyama Y.
Published: May 2015

The relationship between increased volar tilt of the distal radius and distal radioulnar joint stability was examined. Distal radioulnar joint stiffness was recorded at 10° intervals from 10° dorsal angulation to 20° of volar angulation from the anatomical position of the radius. Tests were performed with the intact radioulnar ligament and repeated after partial and then complete sectioning of the radioulnar ligament at the ulnar fovea. With the intact radioulnar ligament, distal radioulnar joint stiffness increased significantly at 10° and 20° of volar angulation. Partial sectioning of the radioulnar ligament resulted in an approximate 10% decrease of distal radioulnar joint stiffness compared with the intact state, but distal radioulnar joint stiffness still increased significantly with greater volar tilt. Complete sectioning of the radioulnar ligament significantly decreased distal radioulnar joint stiffness, and increasing the volar tilt did not result in increased distal radioulnar joint stiffness. These results suggest that volar angulation deformities of the distal radius should be corrected to 10° of volar tilt when the triangular fibrocartilage complex is intact.

Level of Evidence: N/A
Development of a synthetic human thigh impact surrogate for sports personal protective equipment testing
Authors: Payne Thomas , Mitchell Séan , Halkon Ben , Bibb Richard , Waters Mark
Published: May 2015

Synthetic impact surrogates are widely used in the sporting goods industry in the evaluation of personal protective equipment. Existing surrogates, exemplified by those used in safety standards, have many shortcomings, primarily relating to their mass, stiffness, geometries and levels of constraint which limit their biofidelity and subsequent usefulness in personal protective equipment evaluations. In sports, absence from competition is a primary severity measure for injuries; consequently, blunt trauma injuries, such as contusions and lacerations, become pertinent and serious concerns. It is important, therefore, that synthetic surrogates provide an adequate description of these soft tissues to effectively evaluate injury risk. A novel, multi-material human thigh surrogate has been presented with consideration to the tissue structures, geometries and simulant materials used. This study presents the detailed development stages undertaken to fabricate a multi-material synthetic soft tissue surrogate with skin, subcutaneous adipose and muscle tissue components. The resultant surrogate demonstrates the successful use of sequential moulding techniques to construct a full-scale anatomical human impact surrogate which can be used in personal protective equipment testing.
Calcaneal Insufficiency Fracture Secondary to Celiac Disease–Induced Osteomalacia
Authors: Kose Ozkan , Kilicaslan Omer Faruk , Ozyurek Selahattin , Ince Ahmet
Published: May 2015

Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of plantar heel pain; however, a broad spectrum of disorders may also present with plantar heel pain. A detailed history, physical examination, laboratory testing, and imaging studies may be necessary to reach an accurate diagnosis. Herein, the clinical presentation of a 33-year-old woman with calcaneal insufficiency fracture secondary to celiac disease–induced osteomalacia is presented, and its diagnosis and treatment are discussed. Calcaneal insufficiency fractures should be kept in mind in a patient with celiac disease that presents with heel pain.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV: Case study
Social Media and Time
Authors: Yang Guobin , Clark Rosemary
Published: May 2015

This essay emphasizes the importance of incorporating historical methods and sensibilities into the study of social media and proposes using periodization as a heuristic device to highlight historical change.
After Connectivity
Authors: van Dijck José
Published: May 2015

With the borders between technological, cultural, and political organization becoming increasingly fluid, there is more need than ever to rearticulate the relationship between “social,” “media,” and “society.”
Preparing molybdenum disulphide by vapour deposition
Authors: Li J. H. , Li X. , Wang X. H. , Hu J. X. , Chu X. Y. , Fang X. , Wei Z. P.
Published: May 2015

Two-dimensional graphene-like molybdenum disulphide with many unique properties, a relatively new and exciting transition metal dichalcogenide, has been extensively researched. This review discusses preparing molybdenum disulphide by vapour deposition, which has many advantages, including good spreadability, film uniformity and strong bonding forces with the substrate. We also review the compositing, decorating and doping of MoS2 by vapour deposition, and briefly discuss the applications of MoS2 produced by vapour deposition.
Haploidentical vs identical-sibling transplant for AML in remission: a multicenter, prospective study
Authors: Wang Yu , Liu Qi-Fa , Xu Lan-Ping , Liu Kai-Yan , Zhang Xiao-Hui , Ma Xiao , Fan Zhi-Ping , Wu De-Pei , Huang Xiao-Jun
Published: May 2015

Key Points

Haploidentical transplant achieves outcomes similar to those of identical-sibling transplant for AML patients in first remission. Haploidentical transplant is a valid postremission treatment of intermediate- or high-risk AML patients lacking an identical donor.
Atrazine adsorption removal with nylon6/polypyrrole core-shell nanofibers mat: possible mechanism and characteristics
Authors: Yang Bi-Yi , Cao Yang , Qi Fei-Fei , Li Xiao-Qing , Xu Qian
Published: May 2015

A functionalized nylon6/polypyrrole core-shell nanofibers mat (PA6/PPy NFM) was prepared via situ polymerization on nylon6 electrospun nanofibers mat (PA6 NFM) template and used as an adsorbent to remove atrazine from aqueous solutions. The core-shell structure of PA6/PPy NFM can be clearly proved under scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effects of initial solution pH and ionic strength, as well as the comparison of the adsorption capacity of functionalized (PA6/PPy NFM) and non-functionalized (PA6 NFM) adsorbent, were examined to reveal the possible adsorption mechanism. The results indicated that π-π interaction and electrostatic interaction should play a key role in the adsorption process. The kinetics and thermodynamics studies also further elucidated the detailed adsorption characteristics of atrazine removal by PA6/PPy NFM. The adsorption of atrazine could be well described by the pseudo-second-order equation. The adsorption equilibrium data was well fitted with the Freundlich isotherm model with a maximum adsorption capacity value of 14.8 mg/g. In addition, the increase of adsorption rate caused by a temperature increase could be felicitously explained by the endothermic reaction. The desorption results showed that the adsorption capacity remained almost unchanged after six adsorption/desorption cycles. These results suggest that PA6/PPy NFM could be employed as an efficient adsorbent for removing atrazine from contaminated water sources.
Fast and scalable inference of multi-sample cancer lineages
Authors: Popic Victoria , Salari Raheleh , Hajirasouliha Iman , Kashef-Haghighi Dorna , West Robert B , Batzoglou Serafim
Published: May 2015

Somatic variants can be used as lineage markers for the phylogenetic reconstruction of cancer evolution. Since somatic phylogenetics is complicated by sample heterogeneity, novel specialized tree-building methods are required for cancer phylogeny reconstruction. We present LICHeE (Lineage Inference for Cancer Heterogeneity and Evolution), a novel method that automates the phylogenetic inference of cancer progression from multiple somatic samples. LICHeE uses variant allele frequencies of somatic single nucleotide variants obtained by deep sequencing to reconstruct multi-sample cell lineage trees and infer the subclonal composition of the samples. LICHeE is open source and available at http://viq854.github.io/lichee.
The goose genome sequence leads to insights into the evolution of waterfowl and susceptibility to fatty liver
Authors: Lu Lizhi , Chen Yan , Wang Zhuo , Li Xiaofeng , Chen Weihu , Tao Zhengrong , Shen Junda , Tian Yong , Wang Deqian , Li Guoqin , Chen Li , Chen Fang , Fang Dongming , Yu Lili , Sun Yudong , Ma Yong , Li Jinjun , Wang Jun
Published: May 2015

Background

Geese were domesticated over 6,000 years ago, making them one of the first domesticated poultry. Geese are capable of rapid growth, disease resistance, and high liver lipid storage capacity, and can be easily fed coarse fodder. Here, we sequence and analyze the whole-genome sequence of an economically important goose breed in China and compare it with that of terrestrial bird species.

Results

A draft sequence of the whole-goose genome was obtained by shotgun sequencing, and 16,150 protein-coding genes were predicted. Comparative genomics indicate that significant differences occur between the goose genome and that of other terrestrial bird species, particularly regarding major histocompatibility complex, Myxovirus resistance, Retinoic acid-inducible gene I, and other genes related to disease resistance in geese. In addition, analysis of transcriptome data further reveals a potential molecular mechanism involved in the susceptibility of geese to fatty liver disease and its associated symptoms, including high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and low levels of cholesterol. The results of this study show that deletion of the goose lep gene might be the result of positive selection, thus allowing the liver to adopt energy storage mechanisms for long-distance migration.

Conclusions

This is the first report describing the complete goose genome sequence and contributes to genomic resources available for studying aquatic birds. The findings in this study are useful not only for genetic breeding programs, but also for studying lipid metabolism disorders.
Large-scale analysis of the evolutionary histories of phosphorylation motifs in the human genome
Authors: Yoshizaki Hisayoshi , Okuda Shujiro
Published: May 2015

Background

Protein phosphorylation is a post-translational modification that is essential for a wide range of eukaryotic physiological processes, such as transcription, cytoskeletal regulation, cell metabolism, and signal transduction. Although more than 200,000 phosphorylation sites have been reported in the human genome, the physiological roles of most remain unknown. In this study, we provide some useful datasets for the assessment of functional phosphorylation signaling using a comparative genome analysis of phosphorylation motifs.

Findings

We described the evolutionary patterns of conservation of these and comparative genomic data for 93,101 phosphosites and 1,003,756 potential phosphosites in human phosphomotifs, using 178 phosphomotifs identified in a previous study that occupied 69% of known phosphosites in public databases. Comparative genomic analyses were performed using genomes from nine species from yeast to humans. Here we provide an overview of the evolutionary patterns of phosphomotif acquisition and indicate the dependence on motif structures. Using the data from our previous study, we describe the interaction networks of phosphoproteins, identify the kinase substrates associated with phosphoproteins, and perform gene ontology enrichment analyses. In addition, we show how this dataset can help to elucidate the function of phosphomotifs.

Conclusions

Our characterizations of motif structures and assessments of evolutionary conservation of phosphosites reveal physiological roles of unreported phosphosites. Thus, interactions between protein groups that share motifs are likely to be helpful for inferring kinase-substrate interaction networks. Our computational methods can be used to elucidate the relationships between phosphorylation signaling and cellular functions.
Marine organisms as source of bioactive molecules applied in restoration projects
Authors: Barresi Giovanna , Di Carlo Enza , Trapani Maria Rosa , Parisi Maria Giovanna , Chille Chiara , Mule Maria Francesca , Cammarata Matteo , Palla Franco
Published: May 2015

In recent decades research in the conservation and restoration field has provided sustainable alternatives to traditional procedures for cleaning or controlling the microbial colonization of works of art. In the present study, for the first time novel bioactive molecules extracted from marine invertebrate organisms (Anthozoa) were tested instead of chemical compounds for removing protein layers or as a biocide for controlling fungal or bacterial colonization. In particular, Bioactive Molecules with Protease activity (BMP), acting in a temperature range of 4- 30°C, were tested for the hydrolysis of protein layers on laboratory specimens. The cleaning protocol provides a selective procedure to avoid damage to the original materials constituting the heritage object.

Concurrently, enzymatic cleaning was also performed using commercial Protease from Aspergillus sojae (Type XIX), in order to compare their hydrolytic activities. Bioactive Molecules with Antimicrobial activity (BMA1, BMA2) were tested to control bacterial (Bacillus, Micrococcus) or fungal (Aspergillus, Penicillium) growth, previously isolated from colonized canvas samples and characterized by an integrated approach based on in vitro culture, microscopy and molecular investigations. These molecules were tested to define the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal/ Fungicidal Concentration (MBC/MFC). Specifically, BMAs were used to control fungal growth during the relining of the painting (laboratory specimens), carried out using a canvas support, and glue paste as binder.

In our hypothesis, these molecules provide an important contribution to the development of innovative protocols for biocleaning or microbial growth control, based on fast and easy application, operator friendly and environmentally sustainable molecules.
Long-Term Follow-Up of a Community Assignment, One-Time Endoscopic Screening Study of Esophageal Cancer in China
Authors: Wei Wen-Qiang , Chen Zhi-Feng , He Yu-Tong , Feng Hao , Hou Jun , Lin Dong-Mei , Li Xin-Qing , Guo Cui-Lan , Li Shao-Sen , Wang Guo-Qing , Dong Zhi-Wei , Abnet Christian C. , Qiao You-Lin
Published: May 2015

Purpose

There are no global screening recommendations for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Endoscopic screening has been investigated in areas of high incidence in China since the 1970s. This study aimed to evaluate whether an endoscopic screening and intervention program could reduce mortality caused by ESCC.

Methods

Residents age 40 to 69 years were recruited from communities with high rates of ESCC. Fourteen villages were selected as the intervention communities. Ten villages not geographically adjacent to intervention villages were selected for comparison. Participants in the intervention group were screened once by endoscopy with Lugol's iodine staining, and those with dysplasia or occult cancer were treated. All intervention participants and a sample consisting of one tenth of the control group completed questionnaires. We compared cumulative ESCC incidence and mortality between the two groups.

Results

Three thousand three hundred nineteen volunteers (48.62%) from an eligible population of 6,827 were screened in the intervention group. Seven hundred ninety-seven volunteers from an eligible population of 6,200 in the control group were interviewed. Six hundred fifty-two incident and 542 fatal ESCCs were identified during the 10-year follow-up. A reduction in cumulative mortality in the intervention group versus the control group was apparent (3.35% v 5.05%, respectively; P < .001). Furthermore, the intervention group had a significantly lower cumulative incidence of ESCC versus the control group (4.17% v 5.92%, respectively; P < .001).

Conclusion

We showed that endoscopic screening and intervention significantly reduced mortality caused by esophageal cancer. Detection and treatment of preneoplastic lesions also led to a reduction in the incidence of this highly fatal cancer.
Revised International Pediatric Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Staging System
Authors: Rosolen Angelo , Perkins Sherrie L. , Pinkerton C. Ross , Guillerman R. Paul , Sandlund John T. , Patte Catherine , Reiter Alfred , Cairo Mitchell S.
Published: May 2015

Purpose

Treatment and prognosis of pediatric non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have improved dramatically in the last 30 years. However, the St Jude NHL staging classification for pediatric NHL was developed more than 35 years ago. The most recent Lugano lymphoma staging classification focused on adult lymphoma. Furthermore, major limitations of the current pediatric NHL staging classification include lack of consideration of new distinct pediatric NHL histologic entities; absence of recognition of frequent skin, bone, kidney, ovarian, and other organ involvement; and lack of newer precise methods to detect bone marrow and CNS involvement, minimal disease quantification, and highly sensitive imaging technologies.

Methods

An international multidisciplinary expert panel convened in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2009 at the Third International Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult NHL Symposium to develop a revised international pediatric NHL staging system (IPNHLSS), addressing limitations of the current pediatric NHL staging system and creating a revised classification. Evidence-based disease distribution and behavior were reviewed from multiple pediatric cooperative group NHL studies.

Results

A revised IPNHLSS was developed incorporating new histologic entities, extranodal dissemination, improved diagnostic methods, and advanced imaging technology.

Conclusion

This revised IPNHLSS will facilitate more precise staging for children and adolescents with NHL and facilitate comparisons of efficacy across different treatment strategies, various institutions, multicenter trials, and cooperative groups by allowing for reproducible pediatric-based staging at diagnosis and relapse.
Circulating Progenitor Cell Count Predicts Microvascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Rigato Mauro , Bittante Cristina , Albiero Mattia , Avogaro Angelo , Fadini Gian Paolo
Published: May 2015

Context:

Diabetes reduces the levels of circulating progenitor cells (CPCs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which promote vascular repair and are inversely correlated with cardiovascular risk.

Objective:

The objective of the study was to test whether CPC/EPC levels predict onset/progression of microangiopathy in a cohort of type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients.

Design:

This was a pseudoprospective study with a 3.9-year follow-up.

Setting:

The study was conducted at a tertial referral diabetes outpatient clinic.

Patients:

A total of 187 T2D patients having a baseline determination of CPCs/EPCs participated in the study.

Intervention:

Baseline data on demographics, anthropometrics, concomitant risk factors, diabetic complications, and medications were collected.

Main Outcome Measure:

Onset or progression of microangiopathy was assessed at follow-up compared with baseline.

Results:

New onset or progression of microalbuminuria, chronic kidney disease, retinopathy, and neuropathy occurred in 70 patients (9.5%/y). After controlling the false discovery rate, baseline CD34+ CPCs and EPCs were significantly lower in patients with onset/progression of microalbuminuria and any microangiopathy. Patients with baseline CD34+ CPC or CD133+/kinase insert domain-containing receptor+/EPC levels below the median were more likely to experience worsening microangiopathy than those with high cell levels. Independently from confounders, including age, sex, glycated hemoglobin, and diabetes duration, CD34+ cells predicted onset/progression of microalbuminuria, retinopathy, and any microangiopathy in false discovery rate-adjusted analyses. A low CD34+ cell count limited the beneficial effects of renin-angiotensin system blockers on microalbuminuria progression.

Conclusions:

Levels of circulating (endothelial) progenitor cells predict microvascular outcomes in T2D. Together with previous studies showing an association with cardiovascular events, these data indicate that CPCs/EPCs represent biomarkers of the global complication burden in diabetes.
HOW PERIODS ERASE HISTORY
Authors: Graff Gerald
Published: May 2015

Taking a series of period courses arranged in chronological order seems the natural and obvious way for students to learn history. But an odd thing happens when these courses are not connected to one another, as they rarely are in the college curriculum. Since students experience each course as a self-contained unit, they have no incentive to remember one period once they move on to the next. Describing a course he taught in a required literary history sequence, the author is struck not only by his students' inability to make connections with the previous course in the sequence but also by their evident surprise at being asked to recall what they had studied in any previous course. This essay—a guest column in Common Knowledge—goes on to generalize the implications of the incident, arguing that, paradoxically, the effect of period courses is to erase the sense of historical sequence, continuity, and contrast from students' minds and thereby to erase history itself. The point is not that there is something wrong with dividing history into period courses—some such division is unavoidable and necessary—but that unless period courses are connected, students will come away with an ahistorical view of history.
PRACTICING HARMONY IDEOLOGY
Authors: Beyer Judith , Girke Felix
Published: May 2015

Twenty-five years ago, drawing on her fieldwork among the Zapotec, the legal anthropologist Laura Nader proposed the term harmony ideology to characterize postcolonial systems of justice. She found outward social harmony to be the result of coercion, as people were denied access to legal means and were forced either into alternative dispute resolution or into autocoercion, in which marginalized people presented unity to outsiders to avoid state interference. This proposition constitutes a relevant advance in relation to previous approaches to conflict and harmony in the social sciences, but it falls short by failing to account for indigenous notions of and demands for harmony. Ethnographic data from rural Kyrgyzstan and the South Omo region of Ethiopia indicate that there are models of harmony active at various social levels and that harmony is a genuine concern of communities. Demands for harmony are performatively integrated into social practices. The authors argue that, rather than searching for a scale of sociality where harmony might be “organic,” it is necessary to critically assess proclamations of and demands for harmony as means of coercion even within small communities. A focus on social practice in such places reveals that the experience of community partly derives from acts of collectively condemning and sanctioning deviance.
SUSPICIONS OF PEACE IN MEDIEVAL CHRISTIAN DISCOURSE
Authors: Malegam Jehangir Yezdi
Published: May 2015

Oppositional constructions of peace and war and simplistic equations of peace with justice obscure the importance of activities primarily geared toward the limitation of harm. The medieval and patristic legacy of thinking with peace restricts peace to variants of a singular concept that dictates the diplomatic and domestic policy of modern states. At the same time, secular political theory has moved away from medieval clerical acknowledgment of compatibilities between turbulence and peace, producing temporally bounded categories of peace and war that facilitate damage or at best allow harm to endure. In this discourse, social disruption must act as signifier for more general (structural and systemic) violence—but then is repressed on exactly the same terms, making it difficult to arrive at solutions for conflict on the ground without renouncing calls for justice and equity in the long term.
LYRIC COSMOPOLITANISM IN A POSTSOCIALIST BORDERLAND
Authors: Platt Kevin M. F.
Published: May 2015

Latvia presents a unique and counterintuitive case in the history of postsocialist ethnic relations. Despite the USSR's having annexed Latvia by fiat and armed force in the 1940s—and despite the population transfers of so many Russians and other Soviet peoples to the region that Latvians themselves nearly became an ethnic minority in “their own” republic—there has been no ethnic violence between Latvians and Russians in the postsocialist era. Yet the events of summer 2014 have radically shifted the political imaginary of this region, raising the specter of a loss of social cohesion and an eruption of violence. The essay examines one of the factors that has supported amity in Latvia for the past two decades: late-Soviet cosmopolitanism and its legacies in present-day Latvian cultural life. Analysis focuses on public art projects in Riga during the summer of 2014, in the shadow of the war in Ukraine.
Forest Products Industry Size and Economic Multipliers in the US South
Authors: Dahal Ram P. , Henderson James E. , Munn Ian A.
Published: May 2015

The forest products industry (FPI) is an important component of local, state, regional, and national economies. Thus, assessing its economic contribution can provide valuable information to policymakers and forestry interests. IMPLAN, an input–output model, was used to assess the economic contribution of the FPI in 13 US southern states for the year 2009, individually as well as regionally, and to compare it with that in 2001, the last comprehensive study of the industry in the South. Two aspects of economic contribution, direct impacts and associated economic multipliers, were estimated for three primary FPI sectors (lumber and wood products, paper and allied products, and wood furniture). The FPI in the South employed 470,000 individuals and generated $133 billion of gross output. The industry's employment decreased by 33.9 percent while gross output increased by 15.1 percent between 2001 and 2009. Study findings reveal that the FPI reduced employment relative to total industry output to maintain production during the recession period providing evidence of capital substitution for labor. This implies that despite the disproportionate impacts of the great recession of the 2000s, the industry is still an important component of the South's economy. Thus, this article will provide insights about how the economic contribution of the FPI changes over time. In addition, results of this study will be helpful in identifying important industry shifts and help formulate policies and regulations to support the FPI.
Microstructural analysis of restorative materials submitted to acid exposure
Authors: Daibs Bruna Di Profio , Silva João Maurício Ferraz da , Da Rocha Daniel Maranha , Fernandes Jr Virgílio Vilas Boas , Rodrigues José Roberto
Published: May 2015

The study aimed to evaluate, through surface roughness and microhardness tests, the amount of damage caused by hydrochloric acid to restorative materials. Five different materials were used: direct composite resin (Z 350), indirect composite resin (Resilab Master), conventional glass-ionomer cement (GIC) (Vidrion R), resin modified GIC (Vitremer) and ceramic (Empress II). Twenty one specimens of each material were constructed and had their initial roughness and microhardness evaluated. Sixteen specimens of each material were immersed in a gastric fluid without enzymes simulating acid episodes. Other 5 specimens of each material were immersed in artificial saliva (control groups). After 7 days of immersion, the specimens had their surfaces evaluated again. Then, after another 21 days of immersion the specimens were submitted to a third mensuration. One specimen at each stage of the research was subjected to analysis in scanning electronic microscopy. The samples demonstrated changes in roughness and microhardness after the immersion of the restorative materials in the acid solution. The roughness results showed that for both glass ionomer cements, there was a significant difference between the first and last reading, with an increase in their roughness. In ceramic and direct resin materials, no significant difference among the periods was observed. Concerning to microhardness, the behavior of the materials showed a tendency towards decreasing hardness. The results showed the degradation of the restorative materials when exposed to acid episodes.