bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Defocus and magnification dependent variation of TEM image astigmatism
Authors: Yan Rui , Li Kunpeng , Jiang Wen
Published: May 2017

Daily alignment of the microscope is a prerequisite to reaching optimal illumination lens and imaging lens conditions for high resolution imaging in cryo-EM. In contrast to the dramatic progress in automated image acquisition and post-image processing techniques, less attention has been paid to the improvement of microscope alignment before data collection. In this study, we have employed our recently published tool,s2stigmator, to study how image astigmatism varies with the imaging conditions (e.g. defocus, magnification). We have found that the large change of defocus/magnification between visual correction of astigmatism and subsequent data collection tasks, or even during data collection will inevitably result in undesirable residual astigmatism in the final images. Furthermore, the dependence of astigmatism on the imaging conditions varies significantly from time to time, so that it cannot be reliably compensated by pre-calibration of the microscope. These findings have essentially invalidated a basic assumption of current cryo-EM imaging strategies that assumes invariant astigmatism for different defocuses/magnifications used in the microscope alignment stage and the final data acquisition stage. Based on these findings, we recommend the same magnification and the median defocus of the intended defocus range for final data collection are used in the objective lens astigmatism correction task during microscope alignment and in the focus mode of the iterative low-dose imaging. It is also desirable to develop a fast, accurate method that can perform dynamic correction of the astigmatism for different intended defocuses during automated imaging.
Consensus and conflict among ecological forecasts of Zika virus outbreaks in the United States
Authors: Carlson Colin J. , Dougherty Eric , Boots Mike , Getz Wayne , Ryan Sadie
Published: May 2017

Ecologists are increasingly involved in the pandemic prediction process. In the course of the Zika outbreak in the Americas, several ecological models were developed to forecast the potential global distribution of the disease. Conflicting results produced by alternative methods are unresolved, hindering the development of appropriate public health forecasts. We compare ecological niche models and experimentally-driven mechanistic forecasts for Zika transmission in the continental United States, a region of high model conflict. We use generic and uninformed stochastic county-level simulations to demonstrate the downstream epidemiological consequences of conflict among ecological models, and show how assumptions and parameterization in the ecological and epidemiological models propagate uncertainty and produce downstream model conflict. We conclude by proposing a basic consensus method that could resolve conflicting models of potential outbreak geography and seasonality. Our results illustrate the unacceptable and often undocumented margin of uncertainty that could emerge from using any one of these predictions without reservation or qualification. In the short term, ecologists face the task of developing better post hoc consensus that accurately forecasts spatial patterns of Zika virus outbreaks. Ultimately, methods are needed that bridge the gap between ecological and epidemiological approaches to predicting transmission and realistically capture both outbreak size and geography.
Speaq 2.0: A Complete Workflow for High-Throughput 1D NMR Spectra Processing And Quantification
Authors: Beirnaert Charlie , Meysman Pieter , Vu Trung Nghia , Hermans Nina , Apers Sandra , Pieters Luc , Covaci Adrian , Laukens Kris
Published: May 2017

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is, together with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), the most established platform to perform metabolomics. In contrast to LC-MS however, NMR data is predominantly being processed with commercial software. This has the effect that its data processing remains tedious and dependent on user interventions. As a follow-up to speaq, a previously released workflow for NMR spectral alignment and quantitation, we present speaq 2.0. This completely revised framework to automatically analyze 1D NMR spectra uses wavelets to efficiently summarize the raw spectra with minimal information loss or user interaction. The tool offers a fast and easy workflow that starts with the common approach of peak-picking, followed by grouping. This yields a matrix consisting of features, samples and peak values that can be conveniently processed either by using included multivariate statistical functions or by using many other recently developed methods for NMR data analysis. speaq 2.0 facilitates robust and high-throughput metabolomics based on 1D NMR but is also compatible with other NMR frameworks or complementary LC-MS workflows. The methods are benchmarked using two publicly available datasets. speaq 2.0 is distributed through the existing speaq R package to provide a complete solution for NMR data processing. The package and the code for the presented case studies are freely available on CRAN (https://cran.r-project.org/package=speaq) and GitHub (https://github.com/beirnaert/speaq).

Author summary

We present speaq 2.0: a user friendly workflow for processing NMR spectra quickly and easily. By limiting the need for user interaction and allowing the construction of workflows by combining R functions, metabolomics data analysis becomes fully reproducible and shareable. Such advances are critical for the future of the metabolomics field as it needs to move towards a fully open-science approach. This is no trivial goal as many researchers are still using black-box commercial software that often requires manually doing several steps, thus hampering reproducibility. To encourage the shift towards open source, we deliberately made our method usable for anyone with the most basic of R experience, something that is easily acquired. speaq 2.0 allows a stand-alone analysis from spectra to statistical analysis. In addition, the package can be combined with existing tools to improve performance, as it provides a superior peak picking method compared to the standard binning approach.
SAVER: Gene expression recovery for UMI-based single cell RNA sequencing
Authors: Huang Mo , Wang Jingshu , Torre Eduardo , Dueck Hannah , Shaffer Sydney , Bonasio Roberto , Murray John , Raj Arjun , Li Mingyao , Zhang Nancy R.
Published: May 2017

Rapid advances in massively parallel single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is paving the way for high-resolution single cell profiling of biological samples. In most scRNA-seq studies, only a small fraction of the transcripts present in each cell are sequenced. The efficiency, that is, the proportion of transcripts in the cell that are sequenced, can be especially low in highly parallelized experiments where the number of reads allocated for each cell is small. This leads to unreliable quantification of lowly and moderately expressed genes, resulting in extremely sparse data and hindering downstream analysis. To address this challenge, we introduce SAVER (Single-cell Analysis Via Expression Recovery), an expression recovery method for scRNA-seq that borrows information across genes and cells to impute the zeros as well as to improve the expression estimates for all genes. We show, by comparison to RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and by data down-sampling experiments, that SAVER reliably recovers cell-specific gene expression concentrations, cross-cell gene expression distributions, and gene-to-gene and cell-to-cell correlations. This improves the power and accuracy of any downstream analysis involving genes with low to moderate expression.
Human mismatch repair system balances mutation rates between strands by removing more mismatches from the lagging strand
Authors: Andrianova Maria A. , Bazykin Georgii A. , Nikolaev Sergey I. , Seplyarskiy Vladimir B.
Published: May 2017

Mismatch repair (MMR) is one of the main systems maintaining fidelity of replication. Differences in correction of errors produced during replication of the leading and the lagging DNA strands were reported in yeast and in human cancers, but the causes of these differences remain unclear. Here, we analyze data on human cancers with somatic mutations in two of the major DNA polymerases, delta and epsilon, that replicate the genome. We show that these cancers demonstrate a substantial asymmetry of the mutations between the leading and the lagging strands. The direction of this asymmetry is the opposite between cancers with mutated polymerases delta and epsilon, consistent with the role of these polymerases in replication of the lagging and the leading strands in human cells, respectively. Moreover, the direction of strand asymmetry observed in cancers with mutated polymerase delta is similar to that observed in MMR-deficient cancers. Together, these data indicate that polymerase delta (possibly together with polymerase alpha) contributes more mismatches during replication than its leading-strand counterpart, polymerase epsilon; that most of these mismatches are repaired by the MMR system; and that MMR repairs about three times more mismatches produced in cells during lagging strand replication compared with the leading strand.
Genomic profiling of pelvic genital type leiomyosarcoma in a woman with a germlineCHEK2:c.1100delC mutation and a concomitant diagnosis of metastatic invasive ductal breast carcinoma
Authors: Thibodeau My Linh , Reisle Caralyn , Zhao Eric , Martin Lee Ann , Alwelaie Yazeed , Mungall Karen L. , Ch'ng Carolyn , Thomas Ruth , Ng Tony , Yip Stephen , J. Lim Howard , Sun Sophie , Young Sean S. , Karsan Aly , Zhao Yongjun , Mungall Andrew J. , Moore Richard A. , J. Renouf Daniel , Gelmon Karen , Ma Yussanne P. , Hayes Malcolm , Laskin Janessa , Marra Marco A. , Schrader Kasmintan A. , Jones Steven J. M.
Published: May 2017

We describe a woman with the known pathogenic germline variantCHEK2:c.1100delC and synchronous diagnoses of both pelvic genital type leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and metastatic invasive ductal breast carcinoma.CHEK2(checkpoint kinase 2) is a tumor-suppressor gene encoding a serine/threonine-protein kinase (CHEK2) involved in double-strand DNA break repair and cell cycle arrest. TheCHEK2:c.1100delC variant is a moderate penetrance allele resulting in an approximately twofold increase in breast cancer risk. Whole-genome and whole-transcriptome sequencing were performed on the leiomyosarcoma and matched blood-derived DNA. Despite the presence of several genomic hits within the double-strand DNA damage pathway (CHEK2germline variant and multipleRAD51Bsomatic structural variants), tumor profiling did not show an obvious DNA repair deficiency signature. However, even though the LMS displayed clear malignant features, its genomic profiling revealed several characteristics classically associated with leiomyomas including a translocation, t(12;14), with one breakpoint disruptingRAD51Band the other breakpoint upstream ofHMGA2with very high expression ofHMGA2andPLAG1. This is the first report of LMS genomic profiling in a patient with the germlineCHEK2:c.1100delC variant and an additional diagnosis of metastatic invasive ductal breast carcinoma. We also describe a possible mechanistic relationship between leiomyoma and LMS based on genomic and transcriptome data. Our findings suggest thatRAD51Btranslocation andHMGA2overexpression may play an important role in LMS oncogenesis.
Computerizing Trail Making Test for long-term cognitive self-assessment
Authors: Zeng Zhiwei , Miao Chunyan , Leung Cyril , Shen Zhiqi
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to adapt and computerize the Trail Making Test (TMT) to support long-term self-assessment of cognitive abilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a divide-and-combine (DAC) approach for generating different instances of TMT that can be used in repeated assessments with nearly no discernible practice effects. In the DAC approach, partial trails are generated separately in different layers and then combined to form a complete TMT trail.

Findings

The proposed approach was implemented in a computerized test application called iTMT. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate iTMT. The results show that the instances of TMT generated by the DAC approach had an adequate level of difficulty. iTMT also achieved a stronger construct validity, higher test–retest reliability and significantly reduced practice effects than existing computerized tests.

Originality/value

The preliminary results suggest that iTMT is suitable for long-term monitoring of cognitive abilities. By supporting self-assessment, iTMT also can help to crowdsource the assessment processes, which need to be administered by healthcare professionals conventionally, to the patients themselves.
Application of keyword extraction on MOOC resources
Authors: Jiang Zhuoxuan , Miao Chunyan , Li Xiaoming
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Recent years have witnessed the rapid development of massive open online courses (MOOCs). With more and more courses being produced by instructors and being participated by learners all over the world, unprecedented massive educational resources are aggregated. The educational resources include videos, subtitles, lecture notes, quizzes, etc., on the teaching side, and forum contents, Wiki, log of learning behavior, log of homework, etc., on the learning side. However, the data are both unstructured and diverse. To facilitate knowledge management and mining on MOOCs, extracting keywords from the resources is important. This paper aims to adapt the state-of-the-art techniques to MOOC settings and evaluate the effectiveness on real data. In terms of practice, this paper also tries to answer the questions for the first time that to what extend can the MOOC resources support keyword extraction models, and how many human efforts are required to make the models work well.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on which side generates the data, i.e instructors or learners, the data are classified to teaching resources and learning resources, respectively. The approach used on teaching resources is based on machine learning models with labels, while the approach used on learning resources is based on graph model without labels.

Findings

From the teaching resources, the methods used by the authors can accurately extract keywords with only 10 per cent labeled data. The authors find a characteristic of the data that the resources of various forms, e.g. subtitles and PPTs, should be separately considered because they have the different model ability. From the learning resources, the keywords extracted from MOOC forums are not as domain-specific as those extracted from teaching resources, but they can reflect the topics which are lively discussed in forums. Then instructors can get feedback from the indication. The authors implement two applications with the extracted keywords: generating concept map and generating learning path. The visual demos show they have the potential to improve learning efficiency when they are integrated into a real MOOC platform.

Research limitations/implications

Conducting keyword extraction on MOOC resources is quite difficult because teaching resources are hard to be obtained due to copyrights. Also, getting labeled data is tough because usually expertise of the corresponding domain is required.

Practical implications

The experiment results support that MOOC resources are good enough for building models of keyword extraction, and an acceptable balance between human efforts and model accuracy can be achieved.

Originality/value

This paper presents a pioneer study on keyword extraction on MOOC resources and obtains some new findings.
The nature and value of knowledge
Authors: De Toni Alberto Felice , Fornasier Andrea , Nonino Fabio
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to explain and discuss the complex nature and value of knowledge as an exploitable resource for business.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a conceptual explanation of knowledge based on three pillars: the plurality of its nature, understood to be conservative, multipliable and generative, its contextual value and the duality of carrier incorporating business knowledge, objects or processes. After conceptualizing the nature of knowledge, the authors offer a metaphor based on the classic transformation from “potential” to “kinetic” energy in an inclined plane assuming that the conservative nature of knowledge makes it act as energy.

Findings

The metaphor uses the concept of potential and kinetic energy: if energy is only potential, it has a potential value not yet effective, whereas if the potential energy (knowledge) becomes kinetic energy (products and/or services), it generates business value. In addition, business value is a function of the speed acquired and caused by the angle of inclined plan, namely, the company’s business model. Knowledge is the source of the value and can be maintained and regenerated only through continuous investments. Several years later the value extraction reaches a null value of the company (potential energy) which will cease to act (kinetic energy) for triggering both the value generated and the value extracted.

Originality/value

The paper proposes an initial attempt to explain the meaning of the transformation of knowledge using a metaphor derived from physics. The metaphor of the energy of knowledge clearly depicts the managerial dilemma of balancing a company’s resources for both the generating and extracting value. Similarly, future study should try to associate other knowledge peculiarities to physical phenomena.
Customer engagement within multiple new media and broader business ecosystem – a holistic perspective
Authors: Yuan Soe-Tsyr Daphne , Chou Szu-Yu , Yang Wei-Cheng , Wu Cheng-An , Huang Chih-Teng
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Customer engagement (customers’ behavioral manifestations going beyond customer-firm purchase transactions) has been regarded as strategic imperatives for generating enhanced corporate performance. The plethora of new media has provided customers with different options to interact with firms and other customers. However, the primacy of value-laden interactive customer relationships and value co-creation raises challenges for firms and customers, especially in the context of broader business ecosystems such as brand partnership for extending value co-creation. This study aims to explore how customer engagement with well-designed choreograph of various new media’s channels can increase the value co-creation extent in the context of broader business ecosystems, resulting in higher levels service offerings, experiences and innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study presents a new framework of customer engagement that holistically integrates the elements of multiple new media and broader business ecosystem, stimulating a virtuous circle of realizing customer engagement toward superior results or innovations. The framework considers new media’s different information service and technologies (e.g. search engine, social recommender, social media) that can be properly choreographed to achieve a virtuous customer engagement circle.

Findings

This paper uses an exemplar framework's instantiation – an information technology enabled engagement platform (called iEngagement) – that can demonstrate how to empower the central companies together with their eco-stakeholders to holistically perform customer engagement utilizing new media toward fruitful customer engagement.

Originality/value

This exploratory study is among the first that addresses the theory and practice of customer engagement within multiple new media and broader business ecosystem. This paper presents a customer engagement framework and an exemplified engagement platform that holistically integrate the elements of multiple new media and broader business ecosystem, for stimulating a virtuous circle of realizing customer engagement toward superior results or innovations.
Analysing capital structure of spanish chemical companies using self-organizing maps
Authors: Camara-Turull Xavier , Fernández-Izquierdo María Ángeles , Sorrosal-Forradellas M. Teresa
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to analyses the capital structure of the Spanish chemical industry during the period between 1999 and 2013, with a twofold objective. First, to determine whether the assumptions of pecking order theory are fulfilled throughout the study's timeframe. Second, by using data covering the years before the crisis and the worst years thereof, this study shows how the crisis has affected the capital structure of the companies included in this sample.

Design/methodology/approach

A particular kind of unsupervised neural network, self-organizing maps, is applied. This methodology allows to cluster firms avoiding the need to establish relationships between the different variables involved in the problem beforehand.

Findings

Companies are clustered into groups with different degrees of accomplishment of the pecking order theory. The hypothesis about risk is the one that experience a greater variation in the period before and after the crisis. Moreover, companies' capital structure has been lightly disrupted by the crisis.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper lies in applying an unprecedented methodology to the problem of capital structure. Therefore, the capital structure problem can be approached without setting any function relationship previously.
How do nonprofits respond to negative wealth shocks? The impact of the 2008 stock market collapse on hospitals
Authors: Dranove David , Garthwaite Craig , Ody Christopher
Published: May 2017

The theory of cost shifting posits that nonprofit firms “share the pain” of negative financial shocks with their stakeholders, for example, by raising prices. We examine how nonprofit hospitals responded to the sharp reductions in their assets caused by the 2008 stock market collapse. The average hospital did not raise prices, but hospitals with substantial market power did cost shift in this way. We find no evidence that hospitals reduced treatment costs. Hospitals eliminated but left unchanged their offerings of profitable services. Taken together, our results provide mixed evidence on whether nonprofits behave differently from for‐profits.
Aspergillus fumigatus in cystic fibrosis: An update on immune interactions and molecular diagnostics in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Authors: Carsin A. , Romain T. , Ranque S. , Reynaud‐Gaubert M. , Dubus J.‐C. , Mège J.‐L. , Vitte J.
Published: May 2017

A wide spectrum of pathological conditions may result from the interaction of Aspergillus fumigatus and the immune system of its human host. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is one of the most severe A. fumigatus‐related diseases due to possible evolution toward pleuropulmonary fibrosis and respiratory failure. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis occurs almost exclusively in cystic fibrosis or asthmatic patients. An estimated 8%‐10% of patients with cystic fibrosis experience this condition. The diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis relies on criteria first established in 1977. Progress in the understanding of host‐pathogen interactions in A. fumigatus and patients with cystic fibrosis and the ongoing validation of novel laboratory tools concur to update and improve the diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
Systematic review with meta‐analysis: endoscopic dilation is highly effective and safe in children and adults with eosinophilic oesophagitis
Authors: Moawad F. J. , Molina‐Infante J. , Lucendo A. J. , Cantrell S. E. , Tmanova L. , Douglas K. M.
Published: May 2017

Background

Oesophageal dilation is frequently used as an adjunct treatment to alleviate symptoms that develop from fibrostenotic remodelling in eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE). Earlier reports described an increased risk of complications associated with dilation.

Aim

Perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of endoscopic dilation in children and adults with EoE.

Methods

Professional librarians searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane library, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles in any language describing studies of dilation in EoE through December 2016. Studies were selected and data were abstracted independently and in duplicate. Random effects modelling was used to generate summary estimates for clinical improvement and complications (haemorrhage, perforation, hospitalisation, and death).

Results

The search resulted in 3495 references, of which 27 studies were included in the final analysis. The studies described 845 EoE patients, including 87 paediatric patients, who underwent a total of 1820 oesophageal dilations. The median number of dilations was 3 (range: 1‐35). Clinical improvement occurred in 95% of patients (95% CI: 90%‐98%, I2: 10%, 17 studies). Perforation occurred in 0.38% (95% CI: 0.18%‐0.85%, I2: 0%, 27 studies), haemorrhage in 0.05% (95% CI: 0%‐0.3%, I2: 0%, 18 studies), and hospitalisation in 0.67% (95% CI: 0.3%‐1.1%, I2: 44%, 24 studies). No deaths occurred (95% CI: 0%‐0.2% I2: 0%, 25 studies).

Conclusions

Endoscopic dilation is consistently effective in children and adults with EoE, resulting in improvement in 95% of patients with very low rates (<1%) of major complications.
Locoregional therapy with α‐emitting trastuzumab against peritoneal metastasis of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2‐positive gastric cancer in mice
Authors: Li Huizi Keiko , Morokoshi Yukie , Nagatsu Kotaro , Kamada Tadashi , Hasegawa Sumitaka
Published: May 2017

Peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer (PMGC) is incurable and thus has an extremely poor prognosis. We have found, however, that locoregionally administered trastuzumab armed with astatine‐211 (211At‐trastuzumab) is effective against human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)‐positive PMGC in a xenograft mouse model. We first observed that 211At‐trastuzumab can specifically bind and effectively kill NCI‐N87 (N87) cells, which are HER2‐positive human metastatic GC cells, both in vitro and in s.c. tumors. We established a PMGC mouse model using N87 xenografts stably expressing luciferase to test α‐particle radioimmunotherapy with 211At‐trastuzumab against PMGC. Biodistribution analysis in this PMGC mouse model revealed that the i.p. administration of 211At‐trastuzumab (1 MBq) was a more efficient means of delivery of 211At into metastatic tumors than i.v. injection; the maximum tumor uptake with i.p. administration was over 60% injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g) compared to approximately 18%ID/g with i.v. injection. Surprisingly, a single i.p. injection of 211At‐trastuzumab (1 MBq) was sufficient to completely eradicate intraperitoneally disseminated HER2‐positive GC xenografts in two of six treated mice by inducing DNA double‐strand breaks, and to drastically reduce the tumor burden in another three mice. No bodyweight loss, leukocytopenia, or significant biochemical changes in liver or kidney function were observed in the treatment group. Accordingly, locoregionally administered 211At‐trastuzumab significantly prolonged the survival time of HER2‐positive PMGC mice compared with control treatments. Our results provide a proof‐of‐concept demonstration that locoregional therapy with 211At‐trastuzumab may offer a new treatment option for HER2‐positive PMGC.
Trade Destruction and Trade Diversion: Evidence from China
Authors: Chandra Piyush
Published: May 2017

Over the past three decades, we have seen a dramatic increase in the incidence of temporary trade barriers such as antidumping duties and countervailing duties. China has been at the receiving end of a large number of such measures. In this paper, we study how China's exports to its major trade partners have been affected when its major trade partners have used these measures either against China or against other countries. We find that Chinese exports to the country that imposed an antidumping duty decreased by approximately 35 percent. At the same time, an antidumping duty used by the importing country that was directed towards other countries but not against China led to an approximate 30‐percent increase in China's exports to the policy‐imposing country. These results remain robust across various specifications. Our findings have important policy implications. In particular, the magnitude of these effects highlights why it is important to curb the recent widespread use of these barriers.
Dermatological diseases in palliative care patients: a prospective study of 271 patients
Authors: Neloska Lenche , Damevska Katerina , Kuzmanova Andjelka , Pavleska Lidija , Kostov Milenko , Zovic Biljana Petreska
Published: May 2017

Background

Numerous risk factors place palliative care patients at an increased risk of skin infections, dermatitis, and pressure sores. Furthermore, worsening of chronic skin disorders can be expected, as well as the development of treatment‐induced and malignancy‐related dermatoses. The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and treatment of dermatological conditions in patients receiving hospital‐based palliative care.

Methods

Two hundred seventy‐one palliative patients were enrolled. All assessments were conducted by dermatologists. Skin lesions were classified into seven categories: infections, skin tumors, dermatitis, chronic wounds, nail and hair disorders, pruritus, and other unclassified conditions. Treatment modalities were classified as topical only or systemic.

Results

Overall, 1,267 dermatological conditions were recorded, 49 % of which were hospital‐acquired. All patients had at least one dermatological condition, and more than 50 different dermatological disorders were noted. The most common group of skin disorders was dermatitis (18.3 % of all dermatological conditions), followed by nail and hair disorders (17.5 %). Almost 16 % of dermatological conditions were treated systemically.

Conclusions

Dermatological conditions are a common and clinically significant problem for palliative patients. The inclusion of dermatologists in multidisciplinary palliative teams should prove helpful in the management of these patients.
The views of ethics committee members and medical researchers on the return of individual research results and incidental findings, ownership issues and benefit sharing in biobanking research in a South Indian city
Authors: Vaz Manjulika , Vaz Mario , K Srinivasan
Published: May 2017

The return of individual research results and incidental findings from biobanking research is a much debated ethical issue globally but has extensive relevance in India where the burden of out of pocket health care expenses is high for the majority. The views of 21 ethics committee (EC) members and 22 researchers from Bengaluru, India, concerning the ethics of biobanking research were sought through in‐depth interviews using an unfolding case vignette with probes. A shared view among most was that individual research results which are ‘actionable’ or have ‘clinical significance’ should be returned to the sample contributors through their treating physicians. This was seen as an ethical obligation and a moral duty on the side of the researcher to “give back” to the person who contributed to the research. The challenges foreseen were that of resources, both financial and personnel, for the time and counseling needed to accompany the disclosure of results. Perceptions of ‘ownership’ appear to influence the concept of benefit sharing. While benefit sharing in financial terms was considered ethically challenging, certain researchers and ethics committee members made a case for “two way altruism” where the researcher in return for the altruistic ‘valuable contribution’, shares with the contributor/ community, benefits of the research which could include research findings, improved patient care, and more affordable access to the new diagnostic tests or products arising from the research. This defines the emerging ethic of “giving back” which goes beyond individual rights and ensures reciprocity and distributive justice.
Incremental benefit of three‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of left main coronary artery stent protrusion
Authors: Arisha Mohammed J. , Hsiung Ming C. , Ahmad Amier , Nanda Navin C. , Elkaryoni Ahmed , Mohamed Ahmed H. , Yin Wei‐Hsian
Published: May 2017

Ostial lesions represent a challenging clinical scenario and percutaneous intervention (PCI) of left main coronary artery ostial lesions has been associated with postintervention complications, including protrusion of deployed stents into a sinus of Valsalva or aortic root. We report a case of stent protrusion into the aortic root following aorto‐ostial left main coronary artery PCI, in which three‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) provided incremental benefit over standard two‐dimensional images. Specifically, 3DTEE confirmed the presence of stent protrusion by allowing clear visualization of the stent scaffold, in addition to characterizing the relationship between the stent and surrounding structures.
How do educators in one New Zealand undergraduate Bachelor of Oral Health course teach and nurture professionalism?
Authors: Smith L. , Adam L. , Moffat S. , Meldrum A. , Ahmadi R.
Published: May 2017

Introduction

Research on integrated dental hygiene and dental therapy courses is scarce; studies reporting on how staff in these combined scope courses teach professionalism are even more scarce. This study aimed to partially fill these research gaps.

Method and materials

In 2016, online surveys were sent to 34 staff members who taught into the integrated Bachelor of Oral Health (BOH) course at the University of Otago's Faculty of Dentistry; 13 were returned. Two focus groups were conducted with six BOH educators.

Results

Aspects of professionalism were taught and nurtured in the formal curriculum, the clinic and the informal curriculum. In the formal curriculum, policies outlining the professional standards of behaviour expected of oral health practitioners and students in New Zealand and the Faculty were discussed. In the clinic, educators taught professionalism through modelling clinical skills, assessing students' performance and commenting on their reflective logbooks. In the informal curriculum, BOH teachers nurtured professionalism through discussions about standards of behaviour outside of the university. Role modelling was the most common method that participants reported they taught or nurtured professionalism in their students.

Discussion

Professionalism is a complex concept that is taught and nurtured in a number of ways over all aspects of the course.

Conclusion

Oral Health educators need to maintain a high standard of professionalism when interacting with students and patients, as well as in public spaces, in order to model professionalism to their students.
Sexual selection, speciation and constraints on geographical range overlap in birds
Authors: Cooney Christopher R. , Tobias Joseph A. , Weir Jason T. , Botero Carlos A. , Seddon Nathalie
Published: May 2017

The role of sexual selection as a driver of speciation remains unresolved, not least because we lack a clear empirical understanding of its influence on different phases of the speciation process. Here, using data from 1306 recent avian speciation events, we show that plumage dichromatism (a proxy for sexual selection) does not predict diversification rates, but instead explains the rate at which young lineages achieve geographical range overlap. Importantly, this effect is only significant when range overlap is narrow (< 20%). These findings are consistent with a ‘differential fusion’ model wherein sexual selection reduces rates of fusion among lineages undergoing secondary contact, facilitating parapatry or limited co‐existence, whereas more extensive sympatry is contingent on additional factors such as ecological differentiation. Our results provide a more mechanistic explanation for why sexual selection appears to drive early stages of speciation while playing a seemingly limited role in determining broad‐scale patterns of diversification.
Within‐patch oviposition site shifts by spider mites in response to prior predation risks decrease predator patch exploitation
Authors: Otsuki Hatsune , Yano Shuichi
Published: May 2017

In egg‐laying animals with no post‐oviposition parental care, between‐ or within‐patch oviposition site selection can determine offspring survival. However, despite the accumulation of evidence supporting the substantial impact predators have on oviposition site selection, few studies have examined whether oviposition site shift within patches (“micro‐oviposition shift”) reduces predation risk to offspring. The benefits of prey micro‐oviposition shift are underestimated in environments where predators cannot disperse from prey patches. In this study, we examined micro‐oviposition shift by the herbivorous mite Tetranychus kanzawai in response to the predatory mite, Neoseiulus womersleyi, by testing its effects on predator patch exploitation in situations where predatory mites were free to disperse from prey patches. Adult T. kanzawai females construct three‐dimensional webs on leaf surfaces and usually lay eggs under the webs; however, females that have experienced predation risks, shift oviposition sites onto the webs even in the absence of current predation risks. We compared the predation of eggs on webs deposited by predator‐experienced females with those on leaf surfaces. Predatory mites left prey patches with more eggs unpredated when higher proportions of prey eggs were located on webs, and egg survival on webs was much higher than that on leaf surfaces. These results indicate that a micro‐oviposition shift by predator‐experienced T. kanzawai protects offspring from predation, suggesting adaptive learning and subsociality in this species. Conversely, fecundity and longevity of predator‐experienced T. kanzawai females were not reduced compared to those of predator‐naïve females; we could not detect any costs associated with the learned micro‐oviposition shift. Moreover, the previously experienced predation risks did not promote between‐patch dispersal of T. kanzawai females against subsequently encountered predators. Based on these results, the relationships of between‐patch oviposition site selection and micro‐oviposition shift are discussed.
An overview of fatigue in aircraft structures
Authors: Tavares S. M. O. , de Castro P. M. S. T.
Published: May 2017

From safe‐life to fail‐safe and damage‐tolerance approaches, the last one emerged as the main design philosophy for aerostructures, allowing weight savings and at the same time increasing reliability and structural integrity in the presence of damages which may have occurred during the manufacturing process or during service. The application of damage‐tolerance philosophy requires extensive know‐how of the fatigue and fracture properties, corrosion strength, potential failure modes and non‐destructive inspection techniques, particularly minimum detectable defect and inspection intervals.

To face scatter in material properties, conservative approaches considering the worst scenario or statistical methods dealing with the variability of material have been employed in the fatigue assessment of structures. The fatigue life estimation can display substantial variability, illustrating the need for a probabilistic assessment in practical applications. As an example, the variation in the fatigue life for the common scenario of a through crack in an Al alloy plate was evaluated taking into account scatter of properties.

The 2010 FAA rule establishing a limit of validity (LOV) puts a bound in the indefinite operational life allowed for by earlier regulations. This requirement, together with the diminishing role of aluminium in airframes, will certainly shape the directions of fatigue, fracture and damage mechanics research in years to come, expanding the knowledge base upon which substantiation of LOV values is made, and ensuring safety under sustainable conditions.
Constitutive and damage modelling of H11 subjected to low‐cycle fatigue at high temperature
Authors: Ma L. , Luo Y. , Wang Y. , Du W. , Zhang J.
Published: May 2017

Hot‐work tool steel H11 is extensively applied in extrusion industries as extrusion tools. The understanding of its mechanical properties and damage evolution as well as failure is crucial for its implementation. In this paper, a finite element (FE) model employing Chaboche unified constitutive model and ductile damage rule is proposed to simulate the mechanical responses of H11 subjected to low‐cycle fatigue (LCF). Accumulated inelastic hysteresis energy is adopted to demonstrate the impact on damage initiation and evolution rules. A series of tension and LCF experiments were conducted to investigate H11's mechanical properties and its deterioration processes. In addition, to deeply understand the deformation and damage mechanism, scanning electron microscope (SEM) investigations were performed on the fracture section of gauge‐length part of the specimen after failure. Furthermore, the parameters in both constitutive model and damage rule are identified based on experimental data. The comparison of the hysteresis loop of the first cycle and stable cycle with different strain amplitudes demonstrates that the Chaboche constitutive model provides high precision to predict the evolution of mechanical properties. Based on the reliable achieved constitutive model, LCF behaviour prediction with damage rule was executed successfully using FE model and gains a good agreement with the experiments. It is believed that the proposed FE method lays the foundation of structure analysis and rapid design optimization in further applications.
Interest of variations in microRNA‐152 and ‐122 in a series of hepatocellular carcinomas related to hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Miquelestorena‐Standley Elodie , Tallet Anne , Collin Christine , Piver Eric , De Muret Anne , Salamé Ephrem , Bourlier Pascal , Kervarrec Thibault , Guyétant Serge , Pagès Jean‐Christophe
Published: May 2017

Aim

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common outcome of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and constitutes the main burden of this disease. The molecular mechanisms underlying the development of HCC are multiple and might involve certain microRNA (miR). As discordant results have been reported concerning the detection of expression of miR‐152 and miR‐122 in HCC, our aim was to measure the levels of both miRs in serum and liver samples.

Methods

We analyzed miR‐152 and miR‐122 expression by reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction in a serum cohort from 14 HCV‐infected patients who developed HCC, 20 HCV+ patients without HCC, and 19 control patients. We also studied miR‐152 and miR‐122 in an independent tissue cohort from 11 normal livers, and from paired HCC and non‐tumor adjacent livers of 11 HCV‐infected patients and 12 non‐infected patients.

Results

In serum samples, higher levels of miR‐122 were found in non‐HCC HCV+ compared to HCC HCV+ and control groups, whereas miR‐152 was detectable in a lower range in HCC HCV+ compared to non‐HCC HCV+ and control groups. We found higher signals for miR‐122 and miR‐152 in non‐tumor liver and HCC tissues compared to control tissues. Hepatocellular carcinoma etiology had no detectable influence on miR‐122 expression, whereas miR‐152 was increased in HCV+ tissue samples.

Conclusions

Detection of low values of circulating miR‐152 is a potentially interesting marker of hepatocarcinogenesis in HCV+ patients, in contrast to miR‐122, which varies according to hepatocyte damage.
A cluster randomized theory‐guided oral hygiene trial in adolescents—A latent growth model
Authors: Aleksejūnienė J , Brukienė V
Published: May 2017

Objectives

(i) To test whether theory‐guided interventions are more effective than conventional dental instruction (CDI) for changing oral hygiene in adolescents and (ii) to examine whether such interventions equally benefit both genders and different socio‐economic (SES) groups.

Methods

A total of 244 adolescents were recruited from three schools, and cluster randomization allocated adolescents to one of the three types of interventions: two were theory‐based interventions (Precaution Adoption Process Model or Authoritative Parenting Model) and CDI served as an active control. Oral hygiene levels % (OH) were assessed at baseline, after 3 months and after 12 months.

Results

A complete data set was available for 166 adolescents (the total follow‐up rate: 69%). There were no significant differences in baseline OH between those who participated throughout the study and those who dropped out. Bivariate and multivariate analyses showed that theory‐guided interventions produced significant improvements in oral hygiene and that there were no significant gender or socio‐economic differences.

Conclusions

Theory‐guided interventions produced more positive changes in OH than CDI, and these changes did not differ between gender and SES groups.
A comparative study of physico‐chemical properties and antioxidant activity of freeze‐dried mung bean (Vigna radiata) and adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) sprout hydrolysate powders
Authors: Sangsukiam Thasanporn , Duangmal Kiattisak
Published: May 2017

Mung bean (MB) and adzuki bean (AZB) sprouts were hydrolysed with Flavourzyme® at four different concentrations for 6 h. Nongerminated beans subjected to each enzyme concentrations were set as the control. For both bean sprouts, the highest amounts of free amino group, total free amino acids and total phenolic content (TPC) were obtained with 7% (w/w) Flavourzyme®. Each bean sprout hydrolysate was subjected to freeze‐drying in absence and presence of 5% maltodextrin (w/v). The addition of maltodextrin resulted in a decrease in the free amino group, TPC, surface hydrophobicity and hygroscopicity in resulting freeze‐dried powders. Gallic acid, p‐coumaric acid and vitexin were identified in all freeze‐dried powders, while catechin and rutin were detected only in freeze‐dried AZB hydrolysate powder. Freeze‐dried AZB hydrolysate powder contained higher antioxidant activities. DPPH radical scavenging activity of all samples measured using electron spin resonance spectrometry was higher than that obtained by the colorimetric method.
Early childhood caries and psychological perceptions on child's oral health increase the feeling of guilt in parents: an epidemiological survey
Authors: Carvalho Thiago Saads , Abanto Jenny , Pinheiro Elayne Cristina Morais , Lussi Adrian , Bönecker Marcelo
Published: May 2017

Aim

To assess whether parents feel guilty for their children's oral problems, associating this feeling with socio‐economic, demographic, and psychological factors.

Design

We included 1313 parent‐and‐child pairs in this study. The children were 2–4 years old. Parents answered questionnaires on socio‐economic and demographic data, and on psychological variables. Sixteen trained dentists (κ > 0.8) examined the children for oral hygiene (the presence and absence of plaque), early childhood caries (ECC; no caries, low and high severity), malocclusion (the presence and absence), and traumatic dental injuries (TDI; the presence and absence). We analysed the data with a hierarchical regression.

Results

Twenty‐four percentage of parents reported feeling guilty for the oral problems in their children; 26.3% of the children presented with caries, 39.8% malocclusion, 22.9% TDI. Of the parents who felt guilty, 54% thought that their children had problems in their teeth, and most of them (82%) thought that the problem could have been avoided. The feeling of guilt in parents was significantly associated with ECC and the psychological variables: the thought that the child had problems in his/her teeth and the thought that the problem could have been avoided.

Conclusion

Parents feel more guilty with increased caries severity in their children, and the likelihood of feeling guilty increases when parents believe that their child has an oral problem or that this problem could have been avoided.