bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcome prediction of prostatic artery embolization: post hoc analysis of a randomized, open‐label, non‐inferiority trial
Authors: Abt Dominik , Müllhaupt Gautier , Mordasini Livio , Güsewell Sabine , Markart Stefan , Zumstein Valentin , Kessler Thomas M. , Schmid Hans‐Peter , Engeler Daniel S. , Hechelhammer Lukas
Published: November 2018

Objectives

To identify predictors for different treatment outcomes after prostatic artery embolization (PAE) in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Patients and Methods

A post hoc analysis of data derived from the 48 patients undergoing PAE in a randomized, open‐label, non‐inferiority trial was performed. Relative changes in the International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), absolute changes in maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and relative changes in magnetic resonance imaging‐assessed prostate volume from baseline to 12 weeks were defined as the outcomes measures of interest. Their association with various baseline characteristics and measures, technical details of PAE, and early postoperative measures were analysed using Spearman rank correlations and Wilcoxon rank‐sum tests. The most promising predictors were further evaluated in receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses.

Results

Higher total prostate and central gland (i.e. central plus transitional zone) volumes were associated with more pronounced improvements in the IPSS (Spearman rank correlation [rs]: −0.35 and −0.34; P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively) and the Qmax (rs: 0.31 and 0.39; P = 0.05 and P = 0.01, respectively). ROC curve analyses suggested that volumes of 39 and 38 mL for total prostate and central gland volume, respectively, would be the optimal thresholds with which to predict PAE success as measured by the IPSS. Other anatomical characteristics of the prostate, such as the central gland index, also showed an even more distinct correlation to the improvement in Qmax (rs: 0.46, P = 0.003). The relative changes in prostate volume were clearly dependent on the technical performance of PAE. Occurrence of postoperative pain and blood levels of prostate‐specific antigen and C‐reactive protein emerged as potential early‐stage outcome predictors after PAE.

Conclusion

Baseline and peri‐operative findings might help to guide patient selection and outcome prediction for PAE. Patients with larger prostates have a higher chance of success with PAE. Larger‐scale clinical trials including a longer follow‐up are warranted to further elucidate the most suitable patients for PAE.
Robot‐assisted surgery for benign distal ureteral strictures: step‐by‐step technique using the SP® surgical system
Authors: Kaouk Jihad H. , Garisto Juan , Eltemamy Mohamed , Bertolo Riccardo
Published: November 2018

Objectives

To describe the step‐by‐step techniques for robot‐assisted ureteric reimplantation performed using the Vinci SP® surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA), including different case scenarios with an educational purpose.

Materials and Methods

Three consecutive patients diagnosed with distal benign ureteric strictures were counselled for ureteric reimplantation and consented to undergo surgery performed using the da Vinci SP surgical system. Demographics and peri‐operative outcomes were collected after institutional review board approval (IRB 13‐780). Patients provided informed consent having received an explanation for the adoption of the novel platform. The first patient was a woman referred to our institution for a left distal ureteric stricture after total hysterectomy for uterine fibroids with ureteric injury. The second patient was a man with BPH and recurrent UTIs, who was diagnosed with a 1.5‐cm bladder stone and a large bladder diverticulum compressing the left distal ureter. The third patient was a man diagnosed with bilateral uretero‐enteric anastomoses stricture status after radical cystectomy with orthotopic ileal neobladder urinary diversion for bladder cancer.

Results

The procedures were successfully completed. An extra port through a separate skin incision for the bedside assistant was placed for the first two procedures. In such cases, this additional port was used electively from the start of the procedure and did not represent a change in the treatment plan. Moreover, the port wound was used to accommodate the drainage. The bilateral ureteric reimplantation, however, was completed according to a pure single‐site approach (no extra ports were placed out of the GelSeal cap). The mean operating times were 165, 150 and 180 min, respectively. Blood loss was 50 mL in all cases. No intra‐operative complications occurred. Patients were discharged on postoperative days 1, 1 and 2, respectively, with normal serum creatinine levels. Neither transfusions nor major complications occurred.

Conclusion

Robot‐assisted reconstructive surgery for benign distal ureteric strictures is feasible and safe using the da Vinci SP surgical system.
Systems analysis of phosphorylation‐regulated Bcl‐2 interactions establishes a model to reconcile the controversy over the significance of Bcl‐2 phosphorylation
Authors: Song Ting , Wang Peiran , Yu Xiaoyan , Wang Anhui , Chai Gaobo , Fan Yudan , Zhang Zhichao
Published: November 2018

Background and Purpose

The biological significance of the multi‐site phosphorylation of Bcl‐2 at its loop region (T69, S70 and S87) has remained controversial for decades. This is a major obstacle for understanding apoptosis and anti‐tumour drug development.

Experimental Approach

We established a mathematical model into which a phosphorylation and de‐phosphorylation process of Bcl‐2 was integrated. Paclitaxel‐treated breast cancer cells were used as experimental models. Changes in the kinetics of binding with its critical partners, induced by phosphorylation of Bcl‐2 were experimentally obtained by surface plasmon resonance, using a phosphorylation‐mimicking mutant EEE‐Bcl‐2 (T69E, S70E and S87E).

Key Results

Mathematical simulations combined with experimental validation showed that phosphorylation regulates Bcl‐2 with different dynamics depending on the extent of Bcl‐2 phosphorylation and the phosphorylated Bcl‐2‐induced changes in binding kinetics. In response to Bcl‐2 homology 3 (BH3)‐only protein Bmf stress, Bcl‐2 phosphorylation switched from diminishing to enhancing the Bcl‐2 anti‐apoptotic ability with increased phosphorylation of Bcl‐2, and the turning point was 50% Bcl‐2 phosphorylation induced by 0.2 μM paclitaxel treatment. In contrast, Bcl‐2 phosphorylation enhanced the anti‐apoptotic ability of Bcl‐2 towards other BH3‐only proteins Bim, Bad and Puma, throughout the entire phosphorylation procedure.

Conclusions and Implications

The model could accurately predict the effects of anti‐tumour drugs that involve the Bcl‐2 family pathway, as shown with ABT‐199 or etoposide.
Reply to Van Es et al. Digital pathology: A constant evolution
Authors: Capitanio Arrigo , Dina Roberto E. , Treanor Darren
Published: November 2018

Letter to the Editor. Response to van Es.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dapagliflozin in combination with insulin in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Watada Hirotaka , Shiramoto Masanari , Ueda Shinya , Tang Weifeng , Asano Michiko , Thorén Fredrik , Kim Hyosung , Yajima Toshitaka , Boulton David W. , Araki Eiichi
Published: November 2018

Aims

To assess the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of dapagliflozin, a sodium‐glucose co‐transporter 2 inhibitor that increases urinary glucose excretion (UGE) and its major metabolite, dapagliflozin‐3‐O‐glucuronide (D3OG), in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and inadequate glycaemic control (HbA1c 7%‐10%).

Materials and methods

Japanese patients (18‐65 years) with inadequately controlled T1D were randomized 1:1:1 to dapagliflozin 5 mg, 10 mg or placebo (n = 14 each) once daily for 7 days, with adjustable insulin. The PK/PD characteristics of dapagliflozin and D3OG were assessed on Day 7. Patients underwent follow‐up evaluation on Days 8 and 14. Adverse events (AEs), hypoglycaemic episodes and events of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) were recorded over the treatment and follow‐up periods.

Results

A total of 42 randomized patients received dapagliflozin or placebo. PK variables increased in a dose‐dependent manner. D3OG was generated rapidly, with a median time to maximum plasma concentration of 2.0 hours (1.0‐3.0). The dapagliflozin dose‐UGE relationship was attenuated, with larger insulin dose reductions than anticipated. Mean percent (standard error) changes in total daily insulin dose from baseline to Day 7 were − 36.86% (3.32), −39.13% (2.68) and − 4.97% (5.28) for dapagliflozin 5 mg and 10 mg and for placebo, respectively. No DKA was reported. AEs were consistent with the established dapagliflozin safety profile. There was no increase in hypoglycaemia.

Conclusions

The PK and safety profiles of dapagliflozin in Japanese patients with T1D were consistent with previous studies, but with an unanticipated attenuation of the PD dose‐response measured as UGE.
Sustained 52‐week efficacy and safety of triple therapy with dapagliflozin plus saxagliptin versus dual therapy with sitagliptin added to metformin in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes
Authors: Handelsman Yehuda , Mathieu Chantal , Del Prato Stefano , Johnsson Eva , Kurlyandskaya Raisa , Iqbal Nayyar , Garcia‐Sanchez Ricardo , Rosenstock Julio
Published: November 2018

Aims

To compare the efficacy and safety of an intensification strategy of early triple combination therapy with dapagliflozin (DAPA) plus saxagliptin (SAXA) to a dual therapy strategy with sitagliptin (SITA) in patients with type 2 diabetes who are inadequately controlled with metformin (MET) monotherapy.

Materials and methods

This multinational, active‐controlled, parallel‐group phase 3b trial randomized 461 patients, at least 18 years of age, with glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) of 8%–10.5% (64–91 mmol/mol), to either DAPA plus SAXA or SITA, added to MET, for a 26‐week double‐blind treatment period and an extension of a 26‐week blinded treatment period.

Results

Mean (± SD) baseline HbA1c was 8.8% ± 0.9% (73.0 ± 9.3 mmol/mol). DAPA plus SAXA (n = 232) provided a greater reduction from baseline in HbA1c at Weeks 26 and 52 compared with SITA (n = 229) (adjusted mean ± SE change, Week 26: −1.41 ± 0.07% vs −1.07 ± 0.07% [−15.4 ± 0.8 mmol/mol vs 11.7 ± 0.8 mmol/mol]; P = 0.0008; Week 52: −1.29 ± 0.08% vs −0.81 ± 0.09% [14.1 ± 0.9 mmol/mol vs 8.9 ± 1.0 mmol/mol]). The between‐group difference in adjusted mean (95% CI) change from baseline in HbA1c increased from −0.34 (−0.54, −0.14) at Week 26 to −0.48 (−0.71, −0.25) at Week 52. DAPA plus SAXA was generally well tolerated and the incidence of adverse events was similar in both treatment arms.

Conclusions

Early intensification to triple therapy with DAPA plus SAXA results in better, more durable glycaemic control than addition of SITA only (dual therapy) in patients with high HbA1c levels who are uncontrolled with MET monotherapy.
“Soothing My Child's Soul and My Own”: Dealing with Pregnancy Loss in Postcommunist Romania
Authors: van der Sijpt Erica
Published: November 2018

In Romania—where induced abortions were legally prohibited during communism and are now morally condemned by many—those who lose a pregnancy against their will have long been regarded with suspicion, confronted with a sense of culpability, and surrounded by silence. This ambiguity is reflected in the local terminology and the perceived etiology of loss. In this article, which is based on 15 months of fieldwork between 2012 and 2015, I illustrate the various meanings and manifestations of a silenced sense of culpability around involuntary pregnancy loss in the lives of women from Bucharest and a small town in Central Romania. I also show how many of these women attempt to break the silence around their lost fetuses and carve out a personal space of commemoration and consolation. Their informal use of forbidden religious rituals paradoxically allows them to confirm the existence of their lost little ones and to position themselves as caring, rather than culpable, mothers. [pregnancy loss, commemoration, culpability, postcommunist Romania]
Temporal and spatial variations in the metazoan parasite communities of the Panama spadefish,Parapsettus panamensis(Pisces: Ephippidae), from the Pacific coast of Mexico
Authors: Villalba‐Vasquez Princessa J. , Violante‐González Juan , Monks Scott , Marino‐Romero Jaime U. , Ibáñez Sergio García , Rojas‐Herrera Agustín A. , Flores‐Garza Rafael , Rosas‐Guerrero Víctor
Published: November 2018

In the tropics, variations in the structure and species composition of marine fish parasite communities over several years have received limited attention. Changes in water temperature in the tropics are not as extreme as in temperate climes, and the processes that generate variations in these parasite communities are as yet unclear. The parasite communities in populations ofParapsettus panamensisfrom four locations on the south‐central Pacific coast of Mexico were quantified and analyzed. Four hundred forty‐six fish were collected over a 6‐year period (2012; 2013; 2016a,b; and 2017). Twenty‐three metazoan parasite species were recovered and identified: three species of Monogenea (present as adults); eight species of Digenea (adults); one species of Acanthocephala (juveniles); one species of Cestoda (larvae); three species of Nematoda (two present as adults and one present as larvae); four species of Copepoda; and three species of Isopoda (two present as adults, and one present as larvae). At the component community level, parasite species richness varied significantly from 10 (Marquelia 2016) to 17 species (Acapulco Bay 2012). The component communities and infracommunities ofP. panamensisexhibited a similar pattern: low species numbers, low diversity, and dominance by a single parasite species. Parasite community structure and species composition varied between sampling years and locations. The main factors responsible for these variations were host traits such as feeding behavior and body size, and occurrence of a set of distinctive parasite species.
EU Regional Policy and the Neighbour's Curse: Analyzing the Income Convergence Effects of ESIF Funding in the Presence of Spatial Spillovers
Authors: Breidenbach Philipp , Mitze Timo , Schmidt Christoph M.
Published: November 2018

The European structural and investment funds (ESIF) constitute the prime instrument of EU regional policy. We study the ESIF's effectiveness in terms of fostering intra‐EU income convergence through investment support to lagging regions. Our empirical results for the period 1997–2007 indicate that the ESIF's contribution to income growth is insignificant or even negative for several peripheral EU regions. We argue that the negative link between funding and regional growth is mainly attributable to spatial spillovers. While the latter may reflect the intensified competition for scarce production factors among highly funded regions in geographical proximity, we also discuss the role played by structural backwardness in a macro‐regional context to explain this sobering result. As such, we show that negative funding effects significantly correlate with lower levels of regional institutional quality. Taken together, our findings indicate that unintended distortionary effects restrain EU regional policy from working effectively to foster income convergence.
Early Post‐Intensive Care Syndrome among Older Adult Sepsis Survivors Receiving Home Care
Authors: Riegel Barbara , Huang Liming , Mikkelsen Mark E. , Kutney‐Lee Ann , Hanlon Alexandra L. , Murtaugh Christopher M. , Bowles Kathryn H.
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

New or worsened disabilities in functional, cognitive, or mental health following an intensive care unit (ICU) stay are referred to as post‐intensive care syndrome (PICS). PICS has not been described in older adults receiving home care. Our aim was to examine the relationship between length of ICU stay and PICS among older adults receiving home care. We expected that patients in the ICU for 3 days or longer would demonstrate significantly more disability in all three domains on follow‐up than those not in the ICU. A secondary aim was to identify patient characteristics increasing the odds of disability.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Hospitalization for sepsis in the United States.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 21 520 Medicare patients receiving home care and reassessed a median of 1 day (interquartile range 1‐2 d) after hospital discharge.

MEASUREMENTS

PICS was defined as a decline or worsening in one or more of 16 indicators tested before and after hospitalization using OASIS (Home Health Outcome and Assessment Information Set) and Medicare claims data.

RESULTS

The sample was predominantly female and white. All had sepsis, and most (81.8%) had severe sepsis. In adjusted models, an ICU stay of 3 days or longer, compared with no ICU stay, increased the odds of physical disability. Overall, the declines were modest and found in specific activities of daily living (16% for feeding and lower body dressing to 26% for oral medicine management). No changes were identified in cognition or mental health. Significant determinants of new or worsened physical disabilities were sepsis severity, older age, depression, frailty, and dementia.

CONCLUSION

Older adults receiving home care who develop sepsis and are in an ICU for 3 days or longer are likely to develop new or worsened physical disabilities. Whether these disabilities remain after the early postdischarge phase requires further study. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:520–526, 2019.
Leaving and Returning Home: A New Approach to Off‐Time Transitions
Authors: van den Berg Lonneke , Kalmijn Matthijs , Leopold Thomas
Published: November 2018

Objective

This study offers a new approach to off‐time transitions and applies it to the link between leaving and returning home.

Background

It is no longer uncommon for young adults to return after having left the parental home. Previous research has mostly examined returning home in isolation from leaving home, although these two transitions are closely intertwined.

Method

Using longitudinal data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel Study, the authors examine the link between leaving and returning home in a two‐step model. The model captures home leaving in a selection model and links off‐time leaving to the subsequent risk of returning home. This measure of off‐time leaving is sensitive to specific individual circumstances.

Results

The findings show that the new measure of off‐time leaving is a better predictor for returning home than age at leaving home. Young adults who leave home more off‐time are more likely to return home. Experiences after leaving home significantly mediate part, but not all of the effect of off‐time home leaving on returning home.

Conclusion

The processes of leaving and returning home are linked: Off‐time time home leavers are more likely to return home than on‐time leavers.

Implications

The findings contribute to research on returning home and the life course by demonstrating the importance of previous transitions. The new measure of off‐time transitions could also be applied to other life course outcomes.
Just Laws, Unjust Laws, and Theo‐Moral Responsibility in Traditional and Contemporary Civil Rights Activism
Authors: Mingo AnneMarie
Published: November 2018

In his 1963 response to an open letter from eight white religious leaders chastising his involvement in Birmingham, Martin Luther King, Jr. explained that civil rights activists’ blatant breaking of some laws while obeying others was the result of two types of laws: just laws and unjust laws. Civil rights activists believed they had a legal responsibility to obey just laws and a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. Today, new civil rights struggles continue to challenge unjust laws that shred the fabric of democracy that America espouses. Drawing upon both the Civil Rights Movement and the contemporary Movement for Black Lives, this article argues that unjust laws and practices must be broken and challenged before a just society is established. It identifies four ethical strategies for social activism: collective work and responsibility, strategic timing and economic disconnection, political mobilization, and faithful perseverance.
A Critical Response to Heidi C. Giannini
Authors: Barnes L. Philip
Published: November 2018

In a recent article in this journal, Heidi Giannini (2017) has argued that the Christian doctrines of love and of hope require Christians to endorse universal, unconditional forgiveness, understood in terms of the renunciation of “negative reactive attitudes.” She also addresses criticisms of this interpretation. It is argued that Giannini has failed to provide a Christian justification for universal, unconditional forgiveness. Part of the problem is that she espouses a definition of forgiveness and an understanding of the nature of forgiveness that, as a result of neglecting the teaching of the New Testament, exhibits a number of incoherencies and theological weaknesses. Her account is also vulnerable to philosophical and moral criticisms of a serious nature.
Neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory
Authors: Bolisetty Srinivas , Tiwari Mudita , Sutton Lee , Schindler Timothy , Bajuk Barbara , Lui Kei ,   on behalf of the New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory Neonatal Intensive Care Units' Data Registry
Published: November 2018

Aim

This study aimed to provide updated information on gestation‐specific neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely to very preterm infants 23–28 weeks' gestation admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Methods

This was a population‐based retrospective cohort study of infants born between 23+0 and 28+6 weeks' gestation and admitted to a network of NICUs between 2007 and 2012 in a well‐defined geographic area of New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Primary outcome was moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment.

Results

Of 2287 infants admitted to NICUs, 1914 (83.7%) survived to discharge, and 1514 (79.8% = 1514/1897) were followed up. Moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment was 11% overall, and the incidence decreased with increasing gestational age (GA): 25, 23, 15, 13, 9 and 7% at 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 weeks, respectively. Male gender, major intraventricular haemorrhage, late‐onset sepsis, chronic lung disease and post‐natal corticosteroid therapy were found to be independently associated with increased risk of moderate to severe impairment. Compared with an incidence of 16% in the 1998–2004 cohort, there was a significant reduction in moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment in the current cohort (unadjusted odds ratio: 0.65, 95% confidence interval: 0.52–0.80).

Conclusions

We report the latest neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely to very preterm infants in NSW and the ACT. Neurodevelopmental outcome rates based on GA alone may not provide the true estimate as these outcomes can vary based on the presence or absence of other relevant perinatal factors.
Parenterally administered vancomycin in 29 dogs and 7 cats (2003‐2017)
Authors: DeStefano Ian M. , Wayne Annie S. , Rozanski Elizabeth A. , Babyak Jonathan M.
Published: November 2018

Background

Vancomycin is commonly used to treat resistant bacterial infections in people. Reported adverse effects of vancomycin in people include acute kidney injury (AKI), neutropenia, and systemic allergic reaction. Given the increased incidence of vancomycin‐resistant bacterial infections in people, support is growing for restriction of vancomycin.

Objectives

To evaluate the use of intravenous (IV) vancomycin in a university teaching hospital and to describe potential adverse effects.

Animals

Twenty‐nine dogs and 7 cats.

Methods

Medical records of dogs and cats treated with IV vancomycin at the Foster Hospital for Small Animals between January 2003 and October 2017 were reviewed. Information recorded included signalment, infection source, vancomycin dosing, potential adverse effects, and outcome.

Results

Vancomycin was used to treat infections from a range of sources with a variety of dosing intervals. The most common bacterial isolates susceptible to vancomycin includedEnterococcussp. (11/36, 30.6%), methicillin‐resistantStaphylococcus aureus(8/36, 22.2%), and methicillin‐resistantStaphylococcus pseudintermedius(2/36, 5.6%). AKI occurred in 6 of 36 patients (16.7%) during vancomycin treatment but could not definitively be attributed to vancomycin treatment in any patients because of illness severity, additional nephrotoxic treatments, or both. Neutropenia or allergic reaction was not documented in any animal. In 2 of 36 patients (5.6%), susceptibility data documented an infection that was only susceptible to vancomycin. Most patients survived to discharge (25/36, 69.4%).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Adverse effects attributable to vancomycin were infrequent in dogs and cats. In most cases, there were potential alternative effective antimicrobials or lack of susceptibility data to support vancomycin treatment.
Architectural roles of Cren7 in folding crenarchaeal chromatin filament
Authors: Zhang Zhenfeng , Zhao Mohan , Chen Yuanyuan , Wang Li , Liu Qinghua , Dong Yuhui , Gong Yong , Huang Li
Published: November 2018

Archaea have evolved various strategies in chromosomal organization. While histone homologues exist in most archaeal phyla, Cren7 is a chromatin protein conserved in the Crenarchaeota. Here, we show that Cren7 preferentially binds DNA with AT‐rich sequences over that with GC‐rich sequences with a binding size of 6~7 bp. Structural studies of Cren7 in complex with either an 18‐bp or a 20‐bp double‐stranded DNA fragment reveal that Cren7 binds to the minor groove of DNA as monomers in a head‐to‐tail manner. The neighboring Cren7 monomers are located on the opposite sides of the DNA duplex, with each introducing a single‐step sharp kink by intercalation of the hydrophobic side chain of Leu28, bending the DNA into an S‐shape conformation. A structural model for the chromatin fiber folded by Cren7 was established and verified by the analysis of cross‐linked Cren7‐DNA complexes by atomic force microscopy. Our results suggest that Cren7 differs significantly from Sul7, another chromatin protein conserved among Sulfolobus species, in both DNA binding and deformation. These data shed significant light on the strategy of chromosomal DNA organization in crenarchaea.
Informing native plant sourcing for ecological restoration: cold‐hardiness dynamics, flowering phenology, and survival of Eriogonum umbellatum
Authors: Fisk Matthew R. , Apostol Kent G. , Ross‐Davis Amy L. , Cahoy Dexter O. , Davis Anthony S.
Published: November 2018

Despite advances in restoration of degraded lands around the world, native plants are still underutilized. Selection of appropriate plant materials is a critical factor in determining plant establishment and persistence. To better inform decision‐making, we examined cold‐hardiness dynamics, flowering phenology, and survival among five geographically distinct sulfur‐flower buckwheat (Polygonaceae: Eriogonum umbellatum Torr.) populations in a common garden. LT50 (a measure of freezing injury) was determined every 6 weeks across a complete year; one population was also evaluated at the source. Cold‐hardiness dynamics were similar across populations, with annual fluctuations in mean LT50 exceeding 40°C. Rate of deacclimation (i.e. loss of cold tolerance) in spring varied across populations and was not related to the elevation from which a population came. Plants were less cold hardy in October 2014 compared to October 2013, likely reflecting a response to colder local conditions in 2013. Although the range of LT50 was similar for a single comparison of common garden versus wild‐grown plants, wild‐grown plants acclimated and deacclimated earlier than common garden‐grown plants. Plants derived from a low‐elevation population showed delayed flowering phenology, while high‐elevation populations showed earlier flowering phenology, with one high‐elevation population having the lowest survival rate in the common garden. These results suggest that while considerable plasticity in seasonal cold‐hardiness dynamics occur, population variability in deacclimation and flowering phenology have implications for selection and movement of sulfur‐flower buckwheat for ecological restoration.
Attitudes Toward Homosexuality and Perceptions of the United States Abroad*
Authors: Kim Myunghee , Mirilovic Nikola , Knuckey Jonathan
Published: November 2018

Objective

This article examines the determinants of perceptions of the United States and of President Obama among global citizens.

Methods

The 2013 Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes surveys covering countries from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and Africa with diverse socioeconomic and religious backgrounds are analyzed by using multilevel estimates.

Results

Findings reveal that attitudes toward homosexuality systematically shape opinions toward the United States and toward Obama's handling of foreign affairs. We also find the significant impact of religious and economic variables on perceptions of the United States and of Obama above and beyond other explanatory variables.

Conclusion

This research demonstrates the relevance of cleavages regarding social values. It also contributes to larger debates about sources of anti‐Americanism, and, more generally, about the role of ideology and social values in international relations.
Computational aspects underlying genome to phenome analysis in plants
Authors: Bolger Anthony M. , Poorter Hendrik , Dumschott Kathryn , Bolger Marie E. , Arend Daniel , Osorio Sonia , Gundlach Heidrun , Mayer Klaus F. X. , Lange Matthias , Scholz Uwe , Usadel Björn
Published: November 2018

Recent advances in genomics technologies have greatly accelerated the progress in both fundamental plant science and applied breeding research. Concurrently, high‐throughput plant phenotyping is becoming widely adopted in the plant community, promising to alleviate the phenotypic bottleneck. While these technological breakthroughs are significantly accelerating quantitative trait locus (QTL) and causal gene identification, challenges to enable even more sophisticated analyses remain. In particular, care needs to be taken to standardize, describe and conduct experiments robustly while relying on plant physiology expertise. In this article, we review the state of the art regarding genome assembly and the future potential of pangenomics in plant research. We also describe the necessity of standardizing and describing phenotypic studies using the Minimum Information About a Plant Phenotyping Experiment (MIAPPE) standard to enable the reuse and integration of phenotypic data. In addition, we show how deep phenotypic data might yield novel trait−trait correlations and review how to link phenotypic data to genomic data. Finally, we provide perspectives on the golden future of machine learning and their potential in linking phenotypes to genomic features.
The role of pathogen‐reduced platelet transfusions on HLA alloimmunization in hemato‐oncological patients
Authors: Saris Anno , Kerkhoffs Jean Louis , Norris Philip J. , van Ham S. Marieke , ten Brinke Anja , Brand Anneke , van der Meer Pieter F. , Zwaginga Jaap Jan
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND

Platelet transfusions can induce alloimmunization against HLA antigens. The use of pathogen‐reduced platelet concentrates (PCs) was suggested to reduce HLA alloimmunization and concomitant transfusion refractoriness.

METHODS

This study investigated HLA alloimmunization in available samples from 448 hemato‐oncological patients who were randomized for the Pathogen Reduction Evaluation and Predictive Analytical Rating Score (PREPAReS) trial to receive either untreated or pathogen‐reduced PCs (Mirasol, Terumo BCT Inc.). Anti‐HLA Class I and II antibodies were determined before the first platelet transfusion and weekly thereafter using multiplex assay with standard cutoffs to detect low‐ as well as high‐level antibodies.

RESULTS

When using the lower cutoff, in patients who were antibody negative at enrollment, 5.4% (n = 12) developed anti‐HLA Class I antibodies after receiving untreated PCs, while this was significantly higher in patients receiving pathogen‐reduced PCs, 12.8% (n = 29; p = 0.009, intention‐to‐treat [ITT] analysis). A similar but nonsignificant trend was observed in the per‐protocol (PP) analysis (5.4% vs. 10.1%; p = 0.15). HLA class II antibody formation was similar between both types of PCs in the ITT analysis, while the PP analysis showed a trend toward lower immunization after receiving pathogen‐reduced PCs. Multivariate analysis identified receiving pathogen‐reduced platelets as an independent risk factor for HLA Class I alloimmunization (ITT: odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 3.02 [1.42–6.51], PP: odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 2.77 [1.00–5.40]), without affecting HLA Class II alloimmunization. When using the high cutoff value, the difference in HLA Class I alloimmunization between study arms remained significant in the ITT analysis and again was not significant in the PP analysis.

CONCLUSION

Our data clearly indicate that Mirasol pathogen inactivation does not prevent HLA Class I or II alloimmunization after platelet transfusions.
Preventing murine transfusion‐related acute lung injury by expansion of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs using IL‐2/anti‐IL‐2 complexes
Authors: He Rui , Li Ling , Kong Yujie , Tian Li , Tian Xue , Fang Peng , Bian Maohong , Liu Zhong
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND

Transfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI) is one of the most serious adverse events following transfusion, and there is no specific treatment in clinical practice. However, regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been suggested to play a potential role in the treatment of TRALI. This study investigated whether interleukin (IL)‐2 or IL‐2/anti‐IL‐2 complexes (IL‐2c), which are mediators of Treg expansion, can modulate the severity of antibody‐mediated TRALI in vivo.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

This study utilized a mouse model of the “two‐hit” mechanism: BALB/c mice were primed with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as the first hit, and then TRALI was induced by injecting major histocompatibility complex Class I antibodies. Mice injected with LPS only or LPS combined with isotype control antibodies served as controls. For the Treg‐depleted groups, mice were infused with anti‐mouse IL‐2Rα first and then subjected to the same treatments as the TRALI group. Regarding IL‐2‐ and IL‐2c‐treated mice, recombinant murine IL‐2 or IL‐2c was intraperitoneally administered to mice for 5 consecutive days before induction of the TRALI model. Samples were collected 2 hours after TRALI induction.

RESULTS

Prophylactic administration of IL‐2 or IL‐2c to mice prevented the onset of edema, pulmonary protein levels, and proinflammatory factors that inhibited polymorphonuclear neutrophil aggregation in the lungs. Furthermore, the percentage of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs was expanded in vivo using IL‐2 and IL‐2c compared to TRALI mice, as was confirmed through analysis of the spleen, blood, and lung.

CONCLUSION

This study validates that the protective mechanisms against TRALI involve CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs, which can be expanded in vivo by IL‐2 and IL‐2c. This results in increased IL‐10 levels and decreased IL‐17A, thereby prophylactically preventing antibody‐mediated murine TRALI.
Haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn: advancements in precision and prevention
Authors: Delaney Meghan
Published: November 2018

In pregnant patients, the impact of blood type and the presence of red blood cell antibodies influence the course of the pregnancy and the health of the fetus and newborn infant. Throughout history, haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn has played a fundamental role in the discovery of the blood group antibodies and their cognate antigens. The mid‐1900s were noted for the advent of Rh immunoglobulin. Now, the technological advancements in diagnosis and treatment of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn have provided the critical tools needed to support mothers with affected pregnancies. The knowledge of blood typing has been further refined with the explosion of understanding about blood group genes, particularly in the RH blood group. Genomic blood group typing, improvements in ultrasound technology and transfusion medicine progress have advanced the field. The care of women with potentially affected pregnancies has never been more robust. Despite this, the risk to the fetus is significant, and prevention strategies for maternal alloimmunization deserve continued attention.
Evaluation of Internship Practices in Vocational Colleges According to the Views of Academics (Kirklareli University Case)
Authors: Aktas Fatma Oya , Arpacioglu Isil Tuzun , Can Ertug
Published: November 2018

Within the scope of university-industry cooperation, efforts on the preservation of the updating the educational programs in vocational colleges, re-arrangement of the education programs by determining the requirements of the enterprises and transferring the new technologies of the enterprises to the vocational colleges continue Within this scope, different internship application methods are applied in different universities. The compulsory internship of the student is controlled by the academic staff who are assigned as an internship advisor. Therefore, the first hand feedbacks are gathered by the advisors. For this reason, advisors' views on the practice of compulsory internship practice are an important data that must be referred to accomplish the mission of vocational colleges. In this research, it is aimed to collect the remarks of advisors in vocational colleges affiliated to Kirklareli University with regard to compulsory internship practice and different internship practice methods. The research was carried out in the spring semester of 2017-2018 academic year with the participation of teaching staff of Vocational Colleges of Kirklareli University. A total of 89 teaching staff participated in the research on the basis of volunteerism. Participants' opinions on internship practices were collected through 6 open-ended questions. The research was carried out using the purposive sampling method in qualitative research design and the obtained data were evaluated with the help of content analysis. According to findings, current internship practice was found to be inefficient in terms of the duration of internship, problems caused by workplace, low number of establishments in the region and responsibilities of students. The recommendation of the advisors, to implement a more effective internship, is to improve university-industry cooperation, increase supervision and communication.
Investigating the Effect of Light Reaction Exercises on Agility-Quickness and Reaction Time of the U-20 Eootball Players
Authors: Vurmaz Mehmet Onur , Bingul Bergun Meric
Published: November 2018

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of light reaction exercises on agility-quickness and reaction time of the U-20 Eootball Players. 20 male football players from the YeniMalatyaspor participated in this study voluntarily. T-test for agility-quickness, foot reaction test with Light-Trainer device for foot reaction speed were done before and after trainings. While the control group continued with the standard training, the exercise group performed the standard training exercises with Light-Trainer device for eight weeks. According to the results, the exercise group improved statistically (p<0.05). İt was observed that the exercises performed with Light-Trainer device had positive effects on agility-quickness and reaction speed over U-20 football players and  improved their features. İt was thought that such education would be very useful in the cognitive training of young athletes.
Teaching Symmetry in the Light of Didactic Situations
Authors: Selman Ezgi , Tapan-Broutin Menekse Seden
Published: November 2018

The purpose of this study is to determine the student experiences for a lesson plan designed according to Didactic Situation Theory using Cabri-Geometry software. In line with this aim, we worked with four seventh grade students in Bursa. Within the scope of the study, students were given a black box activity involving the symmetry transformation made in the computer environment. Descriptive analysis of qualitative research methods was performed, and data were processed according to the thematic framework. The students were invited to do our black box activity. As a result they made some group discussions about their process of learning and discovering concepts and gave feedback on their experiences. All five phases of the Didactic Situations Theory have been exemplified in the findings of the study. The results showed that students could construct the concept of symmetry with its properties by means of the constructive environment prepared with the black-box activity.
Welcome, its suppression, and the in-between spaces of refugee sub-citizenship – commentary to Gill
Authors: Sparke Matthew Brookman
Published: November 2018

This article argues that geographies of welcome complicate simple binary oppositions between fully enfranchised citizenship and what is often theorized as the ‘bare life’ of refugee rejection in ‘spaces of exception’. Ranging from sanctuary cities and squats to clinics, classrooms, kitchens and gardens, spaces of welcome instead offer islands of limited enfranchisement, agency and hope amidst seas of sub-citizenship, subjugation and fear. The concept of sub-citizenship can be used thus to elucidate how welcome and its suppression create a spectrum of intermediate experiences between the abstract poles of biopolitical belonging and necropolitical rejection. Geographies of welcome thereby become legible as in-between spaces in which the damage done by the suppression of welcome is contested and countered, however incompletely.
Geographies of welcome
Authors: Kallio Kirsi Pauliina , Riding James
Published: November 2018

N/A
Criterios de selección de crímenes internacionales en la justicia transicional con respecto al conflicto armado no internacional en Colombia
Authors: Castro Alegría Luis Antonio , Macana Marco Antonio
Published: November 2018

El trabajo examina los criterios de selección de crímenes internacionales en la Justicia Transicional con respecto al Conflicto Armado No Internacional en Colombia. En este sentido, se hace énfasis más en los criterios de selección que los de priorización, ya que estos se vienen promoviendo por parte de la Fiscalía General de la Nación con ocasión de la aplicación de la ley de Justicia y Paz. Así mismo, que la tradición legal sobre la expresión “máximos responsables” ha sido objeto de estudio y análisis por parte del Derecho Internacional Penal, siendo esta área de conocimiento la que permite seleccionar a las personas que ostenten dicha calidad como destinatarios de la persecución penal internacional. Esto significa que en Colombia se ha dado un paso en el Derecho Penal interno al incorporar dicha expresión, lo cual supone poner sobre el tapete el debate no solamente sobre la “importación” de criterios jurídicos internacionales, sino también esa compatibilidad o no de las estrategias de investigación penal tanto en nivel nacional como internacional.
Participación indígena en política pública: el caso del pueblo Mapuche
Authors: Ramos Ruiz Yolanda , Vergara Fregoso Martha
Published: November 2018

Tradicionalmente en Chile la relación Estado-pueblo mapuche ha sido de constantes tensiones. Una de las principales causas ha sido el desconocimiento que se tiene de este pueblo originario y de sus demandas, lo que lleva a emprender programas que poco mejoran su calidad de vida. En este artículo se muestra información recolectada de diferentes actores indígenas y no indígenas que deja en evidencia la ausencia de participación por parte del pueblo mapuche en las diferentes políticas públicas que el gobierno chileno ha dirigido a esta parte de la población. De igual forma se advierte que pese a la existencia de normatividad nacional e internacional que establece la necesidad de realizar consultas y trabajar en conjunto con los indígenas en las iniciativas que de alguna manera los afectan, actualmente en Chile, las políticas se siguen construyendo bajo un modelo vertical que excluye a los mapuches del debate público.
Acoustic remote sensing for source localization and atmospheric tomography: Applications of the cross-correlation Green's function retrieval method
Authors: Denis Max F. , Collier Sandra L. , Noble John M. , Kirkpatrick Alberts W. C. , Ligon David A. , Sim Leng K. , James Deryck , Reiff Christian G.
Published: November 2018

In this work, the application of the cross-correlation Green's function retrieval method for source localization and atmospheric acoustic tomography is presented. Open field experimental measurements of an acoustic source, with an impulsive waveform, are conducted for the evaluation of an array system. Of particular interest are the source localization and sound speed estimation capabilities of the array system. The cross-correlation delay-and-sum beamformer is used to estimate source directivity and sound speed. This beamformer inherently employs the cross-correlation Green's function retrieval method between a pair of receivers. The beamforming results adequately identify the various source directions as well as the scatterers along the propagation path. Reasonable sound speed estimates are obtained at the peak frequency of the retrieved Green's functions. In the case of atmospheric acoustic tomography, the estimated sound speed from the array system can serve as an average background sound speed in a tomographic inversion algorithm. Utilizing a tomographic inversion algorithm with radial basis functions and the estimated sound speed, the reconstruction of temperature and wind velocity profiles are demonstrated.
Athletes as Advocates: Influencing Eating-Disorder Beliefs and Perceptions Through Social Media
Authors: Mitchell Fallon R. , Santarossa Sara , Woodruff Sarah J.
Published: November 2018

The present study aimed to explore the interactions and influences that occurred on Twitter after Joey Julius’s (NCAA athlete, Penn State Football) and Mike Marjama’s (MLB player, Seattle Mariners) eating-disorder (ED) diagnoses were revealed. Corresponding with the publicizing of each athlete’s ED, all publicly tagged Twitter media using @joey_julius, Joey Julius, @MMarjama, and Mike Marjama were collected using Netlytic software and analyzed. Text analysis revealed that the conversation was supportive and focused on feelings and size. Social network analysis, based on 5 network properties, showed that Joey Julius invoked a larger conversation but that both athletes’ conversations were single sided. Athlete advocacy on social media should be further explored, as it may contribute to changing societal opinion regarding social issues such as EDs.
AAAS and The Lemelson Foundation promote innovators
Authors: Hoy Anne Q.
Published: November 2018

Program showcases inventors to advance U.S. innovation endeavors, address world challenges
Safely settled, InSight gets ready to look inside Mars
Authors: Voosen Paul
Published: November 2018

Lander will deploy seismometer and heat probe to listen for marsquakes and study the planet's interior.
China sets out for the far side of the moon
Authors: Normile Dennis
Published: November 2018

Latest mission in ambitious program is a boon for lunar geology and radio astronomy.
Forgotten no more
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: November 2018

A long-overlooked scourge of millions, hepatitis B is in the crosshairs at last