bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glycoconjugate vaccine using a genetically modified O antigen induces protective antibodies toFrancisella tularensis
Authors: Stefanetti Giuseppe , Okan Nihal , Fink Avner , Gardner Erica , Kasper Dennis L.
Published: March 2019

Significance

Despite the role of T cell-mediated events in control of intracellular infections, studies from several laboratories have shown that humoral immunity also plays a critical role. An effective glycoconjugate vaccine to preventFrancisella tularensisinfection has many advantages over live-organism vaccines, but protection against pulmonary infection by conjugate vaccines has never been shown. Here, we report a glycoconjugate vaccine that protects against intranasal challenge withF. tularensis. We determined that lipopolysaccharide-specific antibodies induced by a larger sized O antigen exhibit significantly enhanced relative affinity. This observation challenges the paradigm of a direct correlation between the amount of IgG induced by a glycoconjugate and the level of protection conferred, encouraging the development of conjugate vaccines inducing high-affinity antibodies to important pathogens.
The feather, a triumph of natural engineering and multifunctionality.
Authors: Lingham-Soliar T.
Published: March 2019

Structures in nature have evolved over millions of years and, unlike in engineering, are multifunctional. For example, an airplane wing may perform only a single function: lift. This is unlike the bird wing which, besides also producing power, has an ability to detect local updraught information along the entire surface of the wing such as changes in the distribution of pressure that are vital to soaring and energy saving. This chapter demonstrates how multifunctionality of the feather has enabled vital aspects of bird life. Three of these, involving flight, protection and temperature control, are discussed. The feather is a structure central to bird flight and the rachis is the central structure of the feather. Syncytial barbule fibres in the rachis are long continuous strands with intermittent hooked nodes, which contribute with the matrix to form the most effective bonding mechanisms known in nature. The unique microstructure of feathers that has enabled flight has also contributed to a tough outer integument that protects the bird against predators and the environment. Feathers are organized into tracts or pterylae with spaces, the apteria. This system of feather arrangement enables a dense layering of the feathers for mechanical protection without impeding movement. The apteria also help to reduce the total weight of the feathering, which is important for flight. The precise design of the barbule with nodes and hooks is fundamental to the process of thermoregulation in down feathers. The embryonic down feathers of chicks form individual 'clumps' of more or less circular masses that have a tree-like, highly organized self-similar structure, which is crucial to its thermal properties. Each tree-like assemblage comprises a barb and branching barbules, described as primary and secondary structures, attached to the skin by a quill. The whole structure creates a 'fluffiness' that helps to trap the warm air.
The poultry integument in health and disease.
Authors: McMullin P. F.
Published: March 2019

The importance of the integumentary system in commercial poultry encompasses all its functions that are essential to maintaining the health of the bird. Much can be learned about the health condition of the birds in a flock by observation of presence, or absence, and distribution of feathers on the floor in the house, as well as from plumage quality, feather loss and skin condition. Development and colouration of wattles and combs can also be a useful guide to flock health and physiological status. Patterns of skin damage, where present, and plumage loss allow inference of bird behaviour. Close inspection of growing feathers can also provide indications of both physiological and infectious issues during the time that feathers were being formed. The integumentary system of poultry can provide useful information to help to improve management and monitor and control specific diseases, thereby maintaining and improving health, welfare and productivity of farmed poultry. In this chapter, various issues associated with the skin, feather and beak as well as during slaughter process are discussed.
The genetics of contact dermatitis in poultry.
Authors: Kapell D. N. R. G.
Published: March 2019

The prevalence of contact dermatitis traits is an important consideration in modern poultry production, as part of the general focus on leg health and welfare traits. Contact dermatitis is seen as a lesion or discolouration of the skin, potentially accompanied by inflammation or necrosis. Various scoring systems have been developed, often relating ordinal scores to the proportional area affected. Environmental factors have a significant effect on its prevalence, but studies have shown that genetic variation exists for foot pad dermatitis (FPD) in chickens and turkeys and for hock burn in chickens. This review shows genetic parameters for contact dermatitis traits in contemporary chicken and turkey populations in the Aviagen breeding programmes, and their genetic correlations with production traits. FPD is recorded in all Aviagen breeding programmes, with hock burn additionally recorded in the Aviagen chicken breeding programmes. All traits are scored at commercially relevant ages on a four or five point scale (depending on trait/species) through visual inspection by a trained team of scorers. Heritabilities for FPD in chickens range from 21% to 32% and for hock burn from 9% to 23%. Genetic correlations with body weight are generally favourable (FPD) or moderately unfavourable (hock burn). Heritabilities for FPD in turkeys range from 5% to 16%, with low to moderately unfavourable genetic correlations with body weight. Genetic selection to improve contact dermatitis has been incorporated effectively for chickens and turkeys in commercial breeding programmes. The differences in heritability for FPD between the species may be due to fundamental differences of the expression of contact dermatitis, despite similar phenotypes. However, in both species genetic correlations with a production trait were only low to moderately unfavourable or even favourable. In broad breeding goals, where the focus lies simultaneously on welfare traits and production traits, progress can be achieved simultaneously despite potentially antagonistic correlations.
Strengthening the inside: effect of nutrition on gut health and maintenance and its impact on the integument integrity.
Authors: Adedokun S. A. , Olojede O. C.
Published: March 2019

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of poultry is equipped to perform several important functions. One of these functions is the protection of the underlying structures of the entire digestive tract and minimization of the translocation of materials that may be inimical to the health of the bird. The GIT also plays an important role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients and houses a vast array of microbiota with the potential to impact gut health. Strengthening the GIT involves early and proper establishment of the gut's physical, microbiological, secretory and immunological components to build strong intestinal barriers against potentially harmful organisms. As such, a strong and healthy gut, characterized by proper intestinal functionality, integrity and immunity, is essential for superior performance and overall well-being of the bird. To meet this goal, timely and balanced nutrition is important and is essential early in the life of the birds. The objective of this chapter is to discuss the impact of nutrition on the health of the GIT of poultry. Nutrition approaches for fostering a healthy gut include the maintenance of a healthy mucous layer throughout the GIT. Research has shown that adequate supply of dietary protein (amino acid) and specific carbohydrates are important for a healthy mucous layer. Also, early nutrition, both in ovo feeding and access to feed within the first 24 h post-hatch, has been shown to quicken the development and the establishment of the GIT and its associated organs. A healthy inside is a reflection of the integrity and functionality of the tight junction proteins that selectively allow the passage of nutrients across the intestinal epithelium layer into the mucosal layer while excluding agents that may be harmful to the bird. Research continues to show that cultivating a healthy microbial population in the GIT is important for the bird to thrive. Feed supplements such as pre- and probiotics have been supplemented to poultry diets for this purpose. However, the total withdrawal of antibiotics from poultry feed creates new challenges as well as more opportunities for cutting-edge research on the best approaches for improving gut health without the use of antibiotics.
Management practices to prevent abnormal feather loss in broiler breeders.
Authors: Tuijl O. A. van
Published: March 2019

This chapter discusses management factors in broiler breeders that can trigger abnormal feathering and unwanted feather damage, such that the birds are unable to maintain good feather cover at all times. Management practices to ensure good feed access include the following. Birds have correct feeder and drinker space. Feed and water are available immediately the lights come on in the morning. Feed distribution time does not exceed 3 min, if necessary filling the system from several locations in order to achieve the correct distribution time. Feed is distributed in the dark, especially during the rearing period and just after moving to the laying house. Spin feeders during rearing help to reduce feather pecking. Because pelleted feed increases the risk of feather pecking unless using spin feeders, a coarse mash is preferred (with added benefits for intestinal health). Feeders and drinkers are correctly distributed in the house and feeders are available in the slatted area of the laying house. At the onset of production, feed quantity is increased sufficiently quickly to match the increase in egg output. Birds have sufficient access to water and have water in their crops 1 h before the lights are turned off. In addition, house environmental factors are important to improve feather cover. Stocking densities higher than recommended will have a detrimental effect on feather quality and increase the risk of feather pecking. By 21 days of age the birds should have access to the whole rearing area of the house. Stimulate feather development by reducing house temperature to 20°C by 28 days of age. Ensure good litter quality for dust bathing to maintain feather condition through proper ventilation. Fluorescent lights at >100 lux will increase the risk of feather pecking, while incandescent lights reduce the risk. Other key management factors to reduce abnormal feather loss are as follows. Do not place too many males in laying house. By 25 weeks there should be no more than 9% males. Ensure that the males and females are at the same level of sexual maturity when they are put together in the laying house to prevent the males damaging the feathers of the females. Coccidiosis or necrotic enteritis must be prevented and, if occurring, treated immediately. Ensure that birds are handled in a calm way during activities such as weighing and vaccination. Prevent mite and/or worm infections and, if found, treat promptly.
Gene editing in livestock: promise, prospects and policy.
Authors: Van Eenennaam A. L. , Young A. E.
Published: March 2019

Although genetically engineered livestock were first introduced in the 1980s, only three biomedical applications (ATryn®, Ruconest®, Kanuma®) and one food animal application (AquAdvantage® salmon) have been brought to market. The initial promise of this technology was hampered by low efficiency, random site integration, public resistance and regulatory hurdles. Gene editing has made it possible to precisely target changes in livestock genomes, overcoming previous challenges. Livestock and poultry editing applications include disease resistance, animal welfare, production traits, animals as bioreactors, xenotransplantation and the development of models for human diseases. The extent to which any of these applications are utilized beyond research laboratories will depend upon regulatory frameworks, uptake by livestock producers and industry, and public acceptance. The 2017 draft US Food and Drug Administration regulatory guidance for gene edited animals, which proposes to regulate 'intentional' genomic alterations introduced by editing as new animal drugs irrespective of product novelty or risk, is at odds with emerging regulations around gene edited plants. Lengthy process-based regulation triggered by human 'intention' rather than novel product risk may dissuade animal genetics companies and breeders from employing gene editing to introduce beneficial genetic alterations into livestock populations, effectively the same fate encountered by genetic engineering in animals. Goal conflicts will likely continue between genetic innovations to address problems like animal disease and welfare and concerns around the use of modern molecular genetics in food animals. The early applications that successfully navigate regulatory hurdles will influence the public discussion around gene edited animals and impact the trajectory of future applications.
Application of hyperspectral imaging on meat and meat products.
Authors: Prieto N. , Osika E. , Aalhus J. L. , Lopez-Campos O. , Juarez M. , Pawluczyk O.
Published: March 2019

Consumers' demand for quality and healthfulness has led to a higher need for quality assurance in meat production, which has increased interest in hyperspectral imaging (HSI). By merging both spatial and spectral features in one single system, HSI has the advantage of being effective for the rapid, environmentally friendly and non-invasive quality assessment, without further sample preparation. This review highlights recent publications using HSI technology for quantitative and qualitative purposes in the meat sector, where discrepancies between published studies and potential sources of variability are discussed. Many of the studies surveyed in this review show the potential of HSI systems to become a rapid and objective assay for quality assessment and classification/detection purposes of meat and meat products. However, some limitations of this technology, mainly associated with intrinsic high dimensionality of data, have also been indicated. Several methods to overcome the disadvantages, such as implementing fast and more efficient algorithms or selection of the optimal wavelengths for analysis through new dimension reduction methods, are discussed and their performance evaluated. Using selected studies, the methods leading to more efficient prediction results are illustrated. The process of improvement starting from full spectral range through the selection of optimal wavelengths for each attribute separately to finally systems in which one set of optimal wavelengths is used for prediction of different attributes or in which one set of wavelengths is used for the determination of the same attribute of different meat species is shown. The HSI systems have undergone significant changes and advances in lighting systems, spectral data acquisition devices, detectors and algorithms in the last few years. Efforts to develop dedicated instrument for particular applications (specifically tenderness prediction) are discussed. Some issues remain, however, unresolved as more improvement in terms of speed and processing is needed before the HSI technology can be effectively implemented in commercial meat processing plants for the non-destructive and rapid quality assessment and sorting in real-time.
Disruption of FBXL5-mediated cellular iron homeostasis promotes liver carcinogenesis
Authors: Muto Yoshiharu , Moroishi Toshiro , Ichihara Kazuya , Nishiyama Masaaki , Shimizu Hideyuki , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Moriya Kyoji , Koike Kazuhiko , Mimori Koshi , Mori Masaki , Katayama Yuta , Nakayama Keiichi I.
Published: March 2019

Hepatic iron overload is a risk factor for progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), although the molecular mechanisms underlying this association have remained unclear. We now show that the iron-sensing ubiquitin ligase FBXL5 is a previously unrecognized oncosuppressor in liver carcinogenesis in mice. Hepatocellular iron overload elicited by FBXL5 ablation gave rise to oxidative stress, tissue damage, inflammation, and compensatory proliferation of hepatocytes and to consequent promotion of liver carcinogenesis induced by exposure to a chemical carcinogen. The tumor-promoting outcome of FBXL5 deficiency in the liver was also found to be effective in a model of virus-induced HCC. FBXL5-deficient mice thus constitute the first genetically engineered mouse model of liver carcinogenesis promoted by iron overload. In addition, dysregulation of FBXL5-mediated cellular iron homeostasis was found to be associated with poor prognosis in human HCC, suggesting that FBXL5 plays a key role in defense against hepatocarcinogenesis.
Elimination Characteristics of the Alcohol Biomarker Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in Blood during Alcohol Detoxification
Authors: Helander Anders , Böttcher Michael , Dahmen Norbert , Beck Olof
Published: March 2019

Aims

The study documented elimination characteristics of three phosphatidylethanol (PEth) homologs in serially collected blood samples from 47 heavy drinkers during ~2 weeks of alcohol detoxification at hospital.

Methods

Venous whole blood and urine samples were collected every 1–2 days during treatment. Concentrations of PEth, and of urinary ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) to detect relapse drinking, were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Results

When included in the study, negative or decreasing breath ethanol concentrations demonstrated that the patients were in the elimination phase. The EtG and EtS measurements further confirmed alcohol abstinence during the study, with three exceptions. On admission, all patients tested positive for PEth, the total concentration ranging 0.82–11.7 (mean 6.35, median 5.88) μmol/l. PEth 16:0/18:1, 16:0/18:2 and 16:0/20:4 accounted for on average ~42%, ~26% and ~9%, respectively, of total PEth in these samples. There were good correlations between total PEth and individual homologs (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in PEth values between male and female subjects. During abstinence, the elimination half-life values ranged 3.5–9.8 days for total PEth, 3.7–10.4 days for PEth 16:0/18:1, 2.7–8.5 days for PEth 16:0/18:2 and 2.3–8.4 days for PEth 16:0/20:4.

Conclusions

The results demonstrated a very high sensitivity (100%) of PEth as alcohol biomarker for recent heavy drinking, but considerable differences in the elimination rates between individuals and between different PEth forms. This indicates that it is possible to make only approximate estimates of the quantity and recency of alcohol intake based on a single PEth value.
Katherine Anne Porter’s Familiar Countries
Authors: Taylor Melanie Benson
Published: March 2019

In a career that spanned nearly half a century, Katherine Anne Porter developed a transregional, transhistorical consciousness marked by the multiple, iterative contagions of modernity. Considered mainly a Southern writer—despite marginal claims to both the region’s territories and its elite genealogies—Porter habitually displaced a complex Southern imaginary onto unlikely places and times. This essay locates Porter’s most “Southern” meditations in remote contexts, including her commentaries on postrevolutionary Mexico, where she spent much of the 1920s; her lifelong work on a never-completed biography of the Puritan polymath Cotton Mather; her unpublished Bermuda poems; and her only completed novel, Ship of Fools (1962), which charts a transatlantic voyage on a second-class cruise liner. Porter protected her South fiercely but dialectically; her stake in a Southern narrative would emerge only circuitously, by way of alternative geographies and narratives where she identified variously with the elite and the dispossessed. In the end, Porter’s South poses an instructive challenge for the scholars still attempting to define and deconstruct the region: it is at once everywhere and nowhere; an agent and an inheritor of colonial-capitalist trauma; a refuge and a nightmare.
Multiscale Structure–Function Gradients in the Neonatal Connectome
Authors: Larivière Sara , Vos de Wael Reinder , Hong Seok-Jun , Paquola Casey , Tavakol Shahin , Lowe Alexander J , Schrader Dewi V , Bernhardt Boris C
Published: March 2019

The adult functional connectome is well characterized by a macroscale spatial gradient of connectivity traversing from unimodal toward higher-order transmodal cortices that recapitulates known principles of hierarchical organization and myelination patterns. Despite an emerging literature assessing connectome properties in neonates, the presence of connectome gradients and particularly their correspondence to microstructure remains largely unknown. We derived connectome gradients using unsupervised techniques applied to functional connectivity data from 40 term-born neonates. A series of cortex-wide analysis examined associations to magnetic resonance imaging-derived morphological parameters (cortical thickness, sulcal depth, curvature), measures of tissue microstructure (intracortical T1w/T2w intensity, superficial white matter diffusion parameters), and subcortico-cortical functional connectivity. Our findings indicate that the primary neonatal connectome gradient runs between sensorimotor and visual anchors and captures specific associations to cortical and superficial white matter microstructure as well as thalamo-cortical connectivity. A second gradient indicated an anterior-to-posterior asymmetry in macroscale connectivity alongside an immature differentiation between unimodal and transmodal areas, indicating a connectome-level circuitry en route to an adult-like organization. Our findings reveal an important coordination of structural and functional interactions in the neonatal connectome across spatial scales. Observed associations were replicable across individual neonates, suggesting consistency and generalizability.
EHRA White Paper: knowledge gaps in arrhythmia management—status 2019
Authors: Goette Andreas , Auricchio Angelo , Boriani Giuseppe , Braunschweig Frieder , Terradellas Josep Brugada , Burri Haran , Camm A John , Crijns Harry , Dagres Nikolaos , Deharo Jean-Claude , Dobrev Dobromir , Hatala Robert , Hindricks Gerhard , Hohnloser Stefan H , Leclercq Christophe , Lewalter Thorsten , Lip Gregory Y H , Merino Jose Luis , Mont Lluis , Prinzen Frits , Proclemer Alessandro , Pürerfellner Helmut , Savelieva Irina , Schilling Richard , Steffel Jan , van Gelder Isabelle C , Zeppenfeld Katja , Zupan Igor , Heidbüchel Hein ,   ESC Scientific Document Group, Boveda Serge , Defaye Pascal , Brignole Michele , Chun Jongi , Guerra Ramos Jose M , Fauchier Laurent , Svendsen Jesper Hastrup , Traykov Vassil B , Heinzel Frank R
Published: March 2019

Clinicians accept that there are many unknowns when we make diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Acceptance of uncertainty is essential for the pursuit of the profession: bedside decisions must often be made on the basis of incomplete evidence. Over the years, physicians sometimes even do not realize anymore which the fundamental gaps in our knowledge are. As clinical scientists, however, we have to halt and consider what we do not know yet, and how we can move forward addressing those unknowns. The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) believes that scanning the field of arrhythmia / cardiac electrophysiology to identify knowledge gaps which are not yet the subject of organized research, should be undertaken on a regular basis. Such a review (White Paper) should concentrate on research which is feasible, realistic, and clinically relevant, and should not deal with futuristic aspirations. It fits with the EHRA mission that these White Papers should be shared on a global basis in order to foster collaborative and needed research which will ultimately lead to better care for our patients. The present EHRA White Paper summarizes knowledge gaps in the management of atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia/sudden death and heart failure.
Fermentation as a driver for food innovation
Authors: Hartmann Anna Loraine , Behrendt Rikke Adelsten , Frøst Michael Bom
Published: March 2019

The following paper is reviewing the current trends in research connected to fermentation, highlighting the work carried out in the various research kitchens that have gained a new understanding of fermentation in the recent years. The reflection on the developments made both on microbiological as well on the technological level aims to create pathways within the research fields in order to foster new innovations within the food production system.
Using the Carrot as the Stick: US Foreign Aid and the Effectiveness of Sanctions Threats
Authors: Early Bryan R , Jadoon Amira
Published: March 2019

We theorize that foreign aid relationships influence both the effectiveness of economic sanctions threats and the aggressiveness of senders in imposing sanctions. Aid sanctions are generally far less costly for senders than imposing commercially oriented sanctions but can still be very costly for their targets. Being able to disrupt aid flows as part of potential sanctions enhances sender states’ credibility that they will impose painful sanctions against resisting target states. The more foreign aid a sender provides to a target state, the more successful we expect its sanctions threats to be and the more aggressive we expect the sender to be in imposing sanctions if the target resists. We test our theory using a competing risks analysis of ongoing, politically motivated sanctions threats issued by the United States from 1960–2010. Our analyses support our theory by revealing that the more foreign aid that the United States provides to target states, the more likely US sanctions threats are to succeed and the more aggressive the United States becomes in imposing sanctions.
Investigating fecundity and egg loss using a non-invasive method during brooding in European lobster (Homarus gammarus)
Authors: Coleman Matthew T , Porter Joanne S , Bell Michael C
Published: March 2019

This article examines two important components of measurement of fecundity in the European lobster Homarus gammarus: (i) comparing the traditional gravimetric dry weight fecundity method against two non-invasive depth gauge methods initially developed for Homarus americanus and (ii) utilizing the depth gauge method to determine egg loss during the brooding period and its impacts on effective fecundity estimates. No significant difference was observed between fecundity estimates derived using either the traditional or depth gauge methods. Derived fecundity estimates from the two depth gauge methods differed by −0.31% (±2.7 s.e.) for cylinder and −1.1% (±2.4 s.e.) for ellipsoid fecundity estimates compared with the traditional method. This highlights the utility of the depth gauge method for providing fast, reliable and low-cost estimates without sacrificing lobsters or their egg masses. Egg loss is estimated to be as high as 44% from initial extrusion to hatching. The application of the non-invasive methods for estimating fecundity to other fisheries and stocks is discussed along with the importance of understanding egg loss in this commercially valuable fishery.
Discrete-time sliding mode control for a class of nonlinear process
Authors: Ma Luning , Zhao Dongya , Zhang Shuzhan , Feng Jiehua , Cao Lei
Published: March 2019

The efficient control of nonlinear processes is generally considered to be challenging. The development of digital computers promotes the study of nonlinear process control technology. Due to the discrete sampling of digital computer, it is necessary to develop the corresponding control algorithms for nonlinear processes. In this paper, a new equivalent control-based discrete-time sliding mode control is proposed for a class of nonlinear process with uncertainty and external disturbance. An adaptive law and a disturbance observer are designed to estimate the uncertainty and the disturbance, respectively. By combining with them, the new discrete-time sliding mode control is developed with good performance. The corresponding theoretical analysis is well verified by using Lyapunov function. Finally, the proposed approach is demonstrated by case studies in light of MATLAB.
Stromal Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocytes in NRG Oncology/NSABP B-31 Adjuvant Trial for Early-Stage HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Kim Rim S , Song Nan , Gavin Patrick G , Salgado Roberto , Bandos Hanna , Kos Zuzana , Floris Giuseppe , Eynden Gert G G M Van den , Badve Sunil , Demaria Sandra , Rastogi Priya , Fehrenbacher Louis , Mamounas Eleftherios P , Swain Sandra M , Wickerham D Lawrence , Costantino Joseph P , Paik Soonmyung , Wolmark Norman , Geyer Charles E , Lucas Peter C , Pogue-Geile Katherine L
Published: March 2019

We retrospectively assessed association of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) with clinical outcomes and molecular variables reportedly predictive of trastuzumab-benefit in National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-31 (N = 2130). sTILs were assessed in 1581 eligible B-31 cases utilizing all available hematoxylin and eosin slides. Mean concordance between main reviewer and six other pathologists was 90.8% in 100 cases. Cox regressions were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs). In chemotherapy and trastuzumab added to chemotherapy arms, increases in sTILs, as a semicontinuous variable (combined arms HR = 0.42, 95% confidence interval = 0.27 to 0.64, two-sided P < .001) or as lymphocyte-predominant breast cancer with more than 50% sTILs (combined arms HR = 0.65, 95% confidence interval = 0.49 to 0.86, two-sided P = .003) were statistically significantly associated with improved disease-free survival. There was no association of sTILs with trastuzumab benefit. However, higher sTILs were statistically significantly associated with higher trastuzumab benefit groups by 8-gene prediction model (two-sided P < .001). Neither PIK3CA mutations nor Fc-gamma-receptor polymorphisms were associated with sTILs. sTILs may have utility as a prognostic biomarker identifying HER2-positive early breast cancer at low recurrence risk.
Preamble
Authors: Lord Janet E
Published: March 2019

This chapter discusses the preamble to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The preamble consists of twenty-five paragraphs, and is thus half the length of the operative provisions of the treaty. Of the core human rights conventions, it is by far the longest preamble among them. Preambles to human rights treaties, as with all treaty preambles, are introductory statements that set out the treaty’s purpose, underlying philosophy, drafters’ intent, and historical evolution. The preamble facilitates treaty interpretation; supports the interpretation of particular provisions which are less precise than they should be by its indication of the general idea behind them, and indicates the spirit in which they should be applied; and can contribute to the crystallization of an international rule.
Awareness-Raising
Authors: Bariffi Francisco J
Published: March 2019

This chapter examines Article 8 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Unlike most other provisions in the CRPD, there is no mainstreamed equality approach in Article 8. While most CRPD provisions set forth a general duty upon states parties to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy their human rights on equality of basis with others, Article 8 seems to include a series of obligations which are not necessarily associated with the equality standard. Thus, at first glance, the article might appear as a rather ‘decorative’ provision among many other relevant rights recognition statements. However, a closer look at the rationale and legal implication lets us understand the importance of this provision in building the groundwork for the paradigm shift. Without social awareness among the list of purposes underlying the CRPD, most of its provisions might end up wholly moot.
Entry Into Force
Authors: Bantekas Ilias
Published: March 2019

This chapter examines Article 45 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which deals with the entry into force of the Convention. The practice of the UN in respect of multilateral treaties suggests an antipathy towards their entry into force without a substantial quorum of ratifications. Article 45(1) CRPD does not depart from the UN model whereby a treaty enters into force in relation to existing (ratifying) parties and not independently of them. In accordance with customary law as reflected in Article 24(4) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, Article 45 CRPD applies not from the moment the treaty enters into force, but rather from the ‘moment of the adoption of the text’. The adoption of the text of a treaty does not necessarily coincide with the signing of the treaty. The text of the CRPD was adopted on 13 December 2006 but was opened for signature on 30 March 2007.
Attitudes and Perceptions Toward Authorized Deception: A Pilot Comparison of Healthy Controls and Fibromyalgia Patients
Authors: Goo Susan J , Frangos Eleni , Richards Emily A , Ceko Marta , Justement Brenda L , Korb Patrick , Walitt Brian T , Colloca Luana , Bushnell M Catherine
Published: March 2019

Objective

Little is known about the perceptions and attitudes of participants who volunteer in studies involving authorized deception. Thus, this cross-sectional pilot study measured, for the first time, the perceptions about participation in an authorized-deception placebo analgesia study in chronic pain patients with fibromyalgia and assessed whether their perceptions differed from healthy controls.

Methods

An anonymous survey with questions about trust in research and willingness to participate in future research involving deception was mailed to participants in both groups after completion of the parent study. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests (31 controls and 16 fibromyalgia patients were included in the analyses).

Results

The majority of participants expressed little or no concern about the deception, still trusted the scientific process, and found the debriefing procedure helpful and worthwhile. Group differences were found in willingness to 1) participate in the parent study had the deceptive element been disclosed in advance (controls = definitely, fibromyalgia patients = probably, U = 341.5, P = 0.01) and 2) participate in future studies (controls = definitely, fibromyalgia patients = probably, U = 373, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Despite slightly less favorable responses of fibromyalgia patients and the relatively small size of the study, these findings suggest that attitudes and perceptions about participating in an authorized placebo study remain positive in both healthy and chronic pain populations.
Animal models of orthopaedic infections. A review of rabbit models used to induce long bone bacterial infections
Authors: Bottagisio Marta , Coman Cristin , Lovati Arianna B.
Published: March 2019

The development of infections is one of the main complications in orthopaedics, especially in the presence of implants for the osteosynthesis of compound fractures and joint prosthesis. Indeed, foreign materials and implants act as substrates for the adhesion and proliferation of bacterial strains able to produce biofilm, causing peri-implant osteomyelitis. The eradication of biofilm remains a great challenge for the host immune system, as well as for medical and surgical approaches, thus imposing the need for new prophylactic and/or therapeutic strategies in which animal models have an essential role. In vivo orthopaedic models have mainly been used to study the pathogenesis of infections, biofilm behaviour and the efficacy of antimicrobial strategies, to select diagnostic techniques and test the efficacy of novel materials or surface modifications to impede both the establishment of bone infections and the associated septic loosening of implants. Among several models of osteomyelitis and implant-related infections described in small rodents and large animals, the rabbit has been widely used as a reliable and reproducible model of orthopaedic infections. This review examines the relevance of rabbits for the development of clinically representative models by analysing the pros and cons of the different approaches published in the literature. This analysis will aid in increasing our knowledge concerning orthopaedic infections by using this species. This review will be a tool for researchers who need to approach pre-clinical studies in the field of bone infection and have to identify the most appropriate animal model to verify their scientific hypothesis.
Damped White Noise Diffusion with Memory for Diffusing Microprobes in Ageing Fibrin Gels
Authors: Aure R.R.L. , Bernido C.C. , Carpio-Bernido M.V. , Bacabac R.G.
Published: March 2019

From observations of colloidal tracer particles in fibrin undergoing gelation, we introduce an analytical framework that allows determination of the probability density function (PDF) for a stochastic process beyond fractional Brownian motion. Using passive microrheology via videomicroscopy, mean square displacements (MSD) of tracer particles suspended in fibrin at different ageing times are obtained. The anomalous diffusion is then described by a damped white noise process with memory, with analytical results closely matching experimental plots of MSD and PDF. We further show that the white noise functional stochastic approach applied to passive microrheology reveals the existence of a gelation parameterμwhich elucidates the dynamics of constrained tracer particles embedded in a time dependent soft material. This study offers experimental insights on the ageing of fibrin gels while presenting a white noise functional stochastic approach that could be applied to other systems exhibiting non-Markovian diffusive behavior.
HCF-2 inhibits cell proliferation and activates differentiation-gene expression programs
Authors: Gudkova Daria , Dergai Oleksandr , Praz Viviane , Herr Winship
Published: March 2019

HCF-2 is a member of thehost-cell-factor protein family, which arose in early vertebrate evolution as a result of gene duplication. Whereas its paralog, HCF-1, is known to act as a versatile chromatin-associated protein required for cell proliferation and differentiation, much less is known about HCF-2. Here, we show that HCF-2 is broadly present in human and mouse cells, and possesses activities distinct from HCF-1. Unlike HCF-1, which is excluded from nucleoli, HCF-2 is nucleolar — an activity conferred by one and a half C-terminal Fibronectin type 3 repeats and inhibited by the HCF-1 nuclear localization signal. Elevated HCF-2 synthesis in HEK-293 cells results in phenotypes reminiscent of HCF-1-depleted cells, including inhibition of cell proliferation and mitotic defects. Furthermore, increased HCF-2 levels in HEK-293 cells lead to inhibition of cell proliferation and metabolism gene-expression programs with parallel activation of differentiation and morphogenesis gene-expression programs. Thus, the HCF ancestor appears to have evolved into a small two-member protein family possessing contrasting nuclear vs. nucleolar localization, and cell proliferation and differentiation functions.
Parallel high-performance computing algorithm to generate FEM-compliant volumetric mesh representations of biomolecules at atomic scale
Authors: López Jorge , Botello Salvador , Herrera Rafael , Carrillo-Tripp Mauricio
Published: March 2019

The computational study of biomolecules has been undermined by the lack of models that accurately represent the structure of big complexes at the atomic level. In this work, we report the development of an algorithm to generate a volumetric mesh of a biomolecule, of any size and shape, based on its atomic structure. Our mesh generation tool leverages the octree algorithm properties with parallel high-performance computing techniques to produce a discretized hexahedral model faster than previous methods. The reported algorithm is memory efficient and generates volumetric meshes suitable to be used directly in Finite Element Analysis. We tested the algorithm by producing mesh models of different biomolecule types and complex size, and also performed numerical simulations for the largest case. The Finite Element results show that our mesh models reproduce experimental data.
Metamorphosis of mosque semiotics
Authors: Allahham Abeer
Published: March 2019

Purpose

Compared with its status in Islamic history, the mosque today has become a distinctive phenomenon, perceived as an identity vessel of contemporary Islamic architecture that conveys sacred metaphysical meanings. Since the advent of modernity Muslim societies has become increasingly secularized; the relationships of the sacred–secular and the divine-based demythologized knowledge have been deformed. The mosque was glossed over as the sole contemporary sacred edifice that bears metaphysical/Islamic connotations with cultural continuity. Its architecture, meanings and function have gone through a process of metamorphosis, particularly the state mosques. The contemporary mosque as such is facing a “semiological deterioration.” State mosques today are symbolic statements and communicative messages of their rulers’ power and national sovereignty, with a subsidiary role for worship, i.e., the sacred has turned into a secular power metaphor. This led to a state semantic confusion accompanied by a loss in the deeply rooted collective cultural codes of the sacred. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the metamorphosis of the semiological connotation of the contemporary mosque, with a special focus on grand state mosques, and its effects on the architecture of the contemporary mosque.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is theoretical research (no case studies included).

Findings

The metamorphosis that the contemporary mosque is experiencing today as a religious edifice with symbolic connotations and architectural iconism is but an effect of the changes that occurred in the concept of the scared and its relationship to the secular in contemporary Muslim communities, as a result of modernity. Such conceptual changes led to altering the deeply rooted cultural codes to be replaced by new intentional codes, used today as vehicles of communication in mosque architecture, especially in grand state mosques. Contemporary state mosques with its new symbolism and semantic meanings have contributed to redefining the concept of the contemporary mosque in general.

Originality/value

Mosque architecture today receives a significant importance. Many conferences and awards are dedicated to celebrating this phenomenon. Attempts to define the criteria and style of the contemporary mosque architecture are mounting. However, rarely there are studies that defy such attempts in a critical manner. This research seeks to criticize such approaches by highlighting the essence of the transformation in mosque architecture and its relationship to the concepts of the sacred and the secular, from a semiological perspective.
Lean approach in precast concrete component production
Authors: Ahmad Suryani , Soetanto Robby , Goodier Chris
Published: March 2019

Purpose

This study applied the lean approach to the reinforcement work process in the component production of industrialised building system precast concrete construction (IBSPCC). The purpose of this paper is to identify and eliminate non-value added (NVA) activities to enhance the efficiency of the production process.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected via a case study of six-storey precast concrete building. A mapping of the reinforcement work process was conducted based on observations using time study technique and time-lapsed video, complemented by semi-structured interviews.

Findings

Through this application, several NVA activities, such as unnecessary inventory, excessive movement and coordination issues, were identified. Production performance could be enhanced by implementing Just-in-Time, Kanban, and layout improvements, which would address NVA activities.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the complexity of the construction process, only specific process elements were observed. To map the complete process, comprehensive observation must be conducted from beginning to end, which, though worthwhile, would be very time and resource intensive.

Originality/value

This paper focusses on strategies for improving the efficiency of the IBSPCC production process in Malaysian construction by developing a conceptual framework of the lean approach for the reinforcement work process. Certain aspects in the process such as layout and inventory need to be redesigned and simplified by minimising NVA activities.
Opting out: professional women develop reflexive agency
Authors: Biese Ingrid , Choroszewicz Marta
Published: March 2019

Purpose

While previous research on opting out has been mainly about women who leave their careers altogether, the purpose of this paper is to follow a broader definition of opting out to investigate the process and experience of women developing agency as they leave masculinist career patterns to adopt alternative career solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on an interdisciplinary framework and a narrative approach, this paper analyses the opting out and in processes of women managers in Finland and the USA.

Findings

This paper demonstrates four micro-strategies that the women used to develop individual agency in their processes of opting out of masculinist career models and opting in to alternative solutions for work. These micro-strategies are redefining career success, transcending boundaries, renegotiating working conditions and keeping in touch with professional networks.

Practical implications

Organisational leaders can use the knowledge of the strategies that empower women in their opting out processes when making decisions regarding working practices. In order to retain their employees, organisations should be supportive of employees’ individual agency and their participation in developing work structures, as well as providing more opportunities for two-way blurring between work and family instead of the current one-way blurring where work spills over to family life, increasing work-family conflict.

Originality/value

This paper develops a framework to better understand women’s agency during the process of opting out of corporate careers and opting in to solutions like part-time work and self-employment, deepening the current understanding of these solutions and presenting the micro-strategies they use to develop reflexive agency.