bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trauma to the Superior Mesenteric Artery and Superior Mesenteric Vein: A Narrative Review of Rare but Lethal Injuries
Authors: Phillips B. , Reiter S. , Murray E. P. , McDonald D. , Turco L. , Cornell D. L. , Asensio J. A.
Published: September 2017

Mesenteric vessels, including the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and vein (SMV), provide and drain the rich blood supply of the midgut and hindgut. SMA and SMV injuries are rare and often lethal. Clinical management of these injuries is not well established, but treatment options include operative, non‐operative, and endovascular strategies. A narrative review of the literature was conducted using MEDLINE Complete‐EBSCO. Relevant studies, specifically those focusing on diagnosis and management of SMA and SMV injuries, were selected. Only original reports and collected series were selected to prevent duplication of cases. A search of the literature for mesenteric arterial injuries yielded 87 studies. Vessel‐specific breakdown of the studies yielded 40 with SMA injuries and 41 with SMV injuries. These searches were winnowed to 26 individual studies, which were included in this collective review. Limitations of this study are similar to all narrative literature reviews: the dependence on previously published research and availability of references as outlined in our methodology. Although historically rare, mesenteric vessel injuries are seen with increasing incidence and continue to present a challenge to trauma surgeons due to their daunting mortality rates. Currently, universal treatment guidelines do not exist, but the various options for their management have been extensively reviewed in the literature.
Interplay Between n‐3 and n‐6 Long‐Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Endocannabinoid System in Brain Protection and Repair
Authors: Dyall Simon C.
Published: September 2017

The brain is enriched in arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) of the n‐6 and n‐3 series, respectively. Both are essential for optimal brain development and function. Dietary enrichment with DHA and other long‐chain n‐3 PUFA, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), has shown beneficial effects on learning and memory, neuroinflammatory processes, and synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. ARA, DHA and EPA are precursors to a diverse repertoire of bioactive lipid mediators, including endocannabinoids. The endocannabinoid system comprises cannabinoid receptors, their endogenous ligands, the endocannabinoids, and their biosynthetic and degradation enzymes. Anandamide (AEA) and 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG) are the most widely studied endocannabinoids and are both derived from phospholipid‐bound ARA. The endocannabinoid system also has well‐established roles in neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis, suggesting an overlap in the neuroprotective effects observed with these different classes of lipids. Indeed, growing evidence suggests a complex interplay between n‐3 and n‐6 LCPUFA and the endocannabinoid system. For example, long‐term DHA and EPA supplementation reduces AEA and 2‐AG levels, with reciprocal increases in levels of the analogous endocannabinoid‐like DHA and EPA‐derived molecules. This review summarises current evidence of this interplay and discusses the therapeutic potential for brain protection and repair.
Adolescent social media use and mental health from adolescent and parent perspectives
Authors: Barry Christopher T. , Sidoti Chloe L. , Briggs Shanelle M. , Reiter Shari R. , Lindsey Rebecca A.
Published: September 2017

This study investigated adolescent and parent reports of adolescent social media use and its relation to adolescent psychosocial adjustment. The sample consisted of 226 participants (113 parent‐adolescent dyads) from throughout the United States, with adolescents (55 males, 51 females, 7 unreported) ranging from ages 14 to 17. Parent and adolescent reports of the number of adolescents’ social media accounts were moderately correlated with parent‐reported DSM‐5 symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, ODD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, as well as adolescent‐reported fear of missing out (FoMO) and loneliness. Lastly, anxiety and depressive symptoms were highest among adolescents with a relatively high number of parent‐reported social media accounts and relatively high FoMO. The implications of these findings and need for related longitudinal studies are discussed.
Relationships among grit, academic performance, perceived academic failure, and stress in associate degree students
Authors: Lee Wincy Wing Sze
Published: September 2017

The present study examined the relationships among grit, academic performance, perceived academic failure, and stress levels of Hong Kong associate degree students using path analysis. Three hundred and forty‐five students from a community college in Hong Kong voluntarily participated in the study. They completed a questionnaire that measured their grit (operationalized as interest and perseverance) and stress levels. The students also provided their actual academic performance and evaluated their perception of their academic performance as a success or a failure. The results of the path analysis showed that interest and perseverance were negatively associated with stress, and only perceived academic failure was positively associated with stress. These findings suggest that psychological appraisal and resources are more important antecedents of stress than objective negative events. Therefore, fostering students' psychological resilience may alleviate the stress experienced by associate degree students or college students in general.
A classification result for the quasi-linear Liouville equation
Authors: Esposito Pierpaolo
Published: September 2017

Entire solutions of the
n
-Laplace Liouville equation in

\mathbb{R}^{n}

with finite mass are completely classified.
Characterizing biomarker features of cognitively normal individuals with ventriculomegaly
Authors: Li Xiaofeng , Ba Maowen , Ng Kok Pin , Mathotaarachchi Sulantha , Pascoal Tharick A. , Rosa‐Neto Pedro , Gauthier Serge ,   Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: September 2017

Introduction

The clinical significance of ventriculomegaly in cognitively normal elderly individuals remains unclear.

Methods

We selected cognitively normal individuals (n = 425) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database and calculated Evans index (EI) based on the ratio of the frontal horn and skull diameter. We defined ventriculomegaly as EI ≥ 0.30, and the participants were stratified into EI ≥ 0.30 group and EI < 0.30 group. Neuropsychological, imaging, and fluid biomarker profiles between the two groups were then compared using regression models.

Results

A total of 96 (22.5%) individuals who had ventriculomegaly performed worse on the cognitive tests; showed smaller hippocampal volume but larger caudate, cingulate, and paracentral gyrus volumes; and displayed lower positron emission tomography [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose standardized uptake value ratio but higher amyloid burden represented by higher [18F]florbetapir standardized uptake value ratio and lower cerebrospinal fluid amyloid β 1–42 levels compared to those without ventriculomegaly.

Discussion

Asymptomatic ventriculomegaly might be an early imaging signature of preclinical Alzheimer's disease and/or normal pressure hydrocephalus.
Effect of apolipoprotein E phenotype on the association of plasma amyloid β and amyloid positron emission tomography imaging in Japan
Authors: Tateno Amane , Sakayori Takeshi , Kim Woo Chan , Koeda Michihiko , Kumita Shinichiro , Suzuki Hidenori , Okubo Yoshiro
Published: September 2017

Introduction

The plasma concentration of beta‐amyloid (Aβ) has been considered another biomarker of Alzheimer's disease and was reportedly associated with cortical Aβ accumulation.

Methods

We analyzed 28 subjects with apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4; E4 group) and 89 subjects without ApoE4 (non‐E4 group) to determine the association between cortical Aβ accumulation by standard uptake value ratio with [18F]florbetapir positron emission tomography and plasma Aβ1–40 and Aβ1–42.

Results

Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 correlated significantly with mean regional [18F]florbetapir standard uptake value ratio in the non‐E4 group (R2 = 0.06, P = .02) but not in the E4 group, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 in the non‐E4 group showed sensitivity (92.9%) and specificity (45.9%) with a cutoff value of 0.150 for Aβ positivity.

Discussion

We verified that the correlation between Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 and Aβ accumulation differed according to ApoE phenotype. The high sensitivity of plasma Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 for Aβ positivity in non‐E4 subjects indicated a possible role of plasma Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 as a screening biomarker before amyloid positron emission tomography in clinical settings.
Profile of Surgically-treated Metastatic Extremity Bone Tumours at a University Hospital in Hong Kong
Authors: Maduakonam Dim Edwin , Raymond Yau Ching Hin , Kenneth Ho Wai Yip , Lee Lam Ying
Published: September 2017

Background/Purpose

Metastatic deposits in bones increase overall morbidity in cancer patients. The orthopaedic oncologist aims at controlling the skeletal morbidity as a way of reducing the overall morbidity in the survival period of the cancer patient. This study investigated the characteristics of metastatic extremity bone tumours requiring surgical treatment, with a view to setting a template for a local database of extremity metastatic bone tumours in Hong Kong.

Methods

A retrospective review of metastatic extremity bone tumours treated surgically at a university hospital in Hong Kong, from January 2006 to December 2015, is presented.

Results

In total, 126 patients were studied. The lung (28.6%) was the most common source of metastasis to the extremity bones. The femur (70.1%) was most commonly involved. Pathological fractures (47.4%) were the most common indications for surgery. Intramedullary nailing (57.3%) was the most common surgical treatment. The overall postoperative complication rate was 8.7%. The mean duration of follow-up was 10.8 ± 4.1 months. Furthermore, 79.4% of the patients died within the study period, with mean duration of postoperative survival of 6.1 ± 1.1 months. Spinal compression ( p = 0.001), indication for surgery ( p = 0.001), age of the patient ( p = 0.001), and option of surgical treatment ( p = 0.000319) were found to have significantly affected the duration of postoperative survival.

Conclusion

The surgical management of extremity bone metastasis is a key consideration in averting potentially crippling morbidity. Options of treatment need be carefully chosen in appropriate patients for a good outcome.
Experimental characterisation of carbon fibre brush seal leakage performance as a function of bristle pack geometrical parameters under dry conditions
Authors: Outirba A. Bilal , Hendrick B. Patrick , Nicolas C. Kevin
Published: September 2017

Over the last decades, it has been progressively acknowledged that reducing the specific fuel consumption and the emission of pollutants, as well as improving the thrust-to-weight ratio involves extensive research on advanced sealing technologies. Amongst these, brush seals are particularly well considered for their excellent leakage performance, their low friction properties, and their ability to cope with inevitable rotor excursions during flights. This paper presents the experimental work that has been carried on in order to characterise carbon fibre brush seals leakage rate in function of the bristle pack geometry, under different pressure loads and rotational speeds. The analysed parameters are the bristle-free length, the density and the inter-plate distance. The work, performed by the ULB (Université Libre de Bruxelles) in collaboration with French engine manufacturer Safran Aircraft Engines, highlights specific behaviour of carbon fibre brush seals under differential pressure, proposes a leakage prediction model developed through empirical equations, and discusses over the most influential parameters that influence the air consumption of a brush seal.
Collateral Damage From the Show: Emotional Labor and Unethical Behavior
Authors: Hong Michelle C. , Barnes Christopher M. , Scott Brent A.
Published: September 2017

We extend the behavioral ethics literature to examining emotional labor as an antecedent to unethical behavior. We hypothesize that surface acting is positively associated with unethical behavior. In contrast, we produce competing hypotheses for the relationship between deep acting and unethical behavior. In Study 1, with a field sample of 123 full-time employees, surface acting was positively associated with unethical behavior, and emotional inauthenticity explained some of this relationship. In contrast, deep acting was not associated with unethical behavior. In Study 2, with a field sample of 117 full-time employees, we replicated the effect of surface acting in Study 1 and found a positive relationship between deep acting and unethical behavior via emotional inauthenticity. In Study 3, using a two-wave design, we replicated the results in Study 2 and found perceived fairness strengthens the relationship between surface acting and unethical behavior through emotional inauthenticity.
Factors associated with delay in trauma team activation and impact on patient outcomes
Authors: Connolly Rory , Woo Michael Y. , Lampron Jacinthe , Perry Jeffrey J.
Published: September 2017

Objective

Trauma code activation is initiated by emergency physicians using physiological and anatomical criteria, mechanism of injury, and patient demographic factors. Our objective was to identify factors associated with delayed trauma team activation.

Methods

We assessed consecutive cases from a regional trauma database from January 2008 to March 2014. We defined a delay in trauma code activation as a time greater than 30 minutes from the time of arrival. We conducted univariate analysis for factors potentially influencing trauma team activation, and we subsequently used multiple logistic regression analysis models for delayed activation in relation to mortality, length of stay, and time to operative management.

Results

Patients totalling 846 were included for our analysis; 4.1% (35/846) of trauma codes were activated after 30 minutes. Mean age was 40.8 years in the early group versus 49.2 in the delayed group (p=0.01). Patients were over age 70 years in 7.6% in the early activation group versus 17.1% in the delayed group (p=0.04). There was no significant difference in sex, type of injury, injury severity, or time from injury between the two groups. There was no significant difference in mortality, median length of stay, or median time to operative management.

Conclusions

Delayed activation is linked with increasing age with no clear link to increased mortality. Given the severe injuries in the delayed cohort that required activation of the trauma team, further emphasis on the older trauma patient and interventions to recognize this vulnerable population should be made.
Failure to Communicate: Transmission of Extensively Drug-ResistantblaOXA-237-ContainingAcinetobacter baumannii—Multiple Facilities in Oregon, 2012–2014
Authors: Buser Genevieve L. , Cassidy P. Maureen , Cunningham Margaret C. , Rudin Susan , Hujer Andrea M. , Vega Robert , Furuno Jon P. , Marshall Steven H. , Higgins Paul G. , Jacobs Michael R. , Wright Meredith S. , Adams Mark D. , Bonomo Robert A. , Pfeiffer Christopher D. , Beldavs Zintars G.
Published: September 2017

OBJECTIVE

To determine the scope, source, and mode of transmission of a multifacility outbreak of extensively drug-resistant (XDR)Acinetobacter baumannii.

DESIGN

Outbreak investigation.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Residents and patients in skilled nursing facilities, long-term acute-care hospital, and acute-care hospitals.

METHODS

A case was defined as the incident isolate from clinical or surveillance cultures of XDRAcinetobacter baumanniiresistant to imipenem or meropenem and nonsusceptible to all but 1 or 2 antibiotic classes in a patient in an Oregon healthcare facility during January 2012–December 2014. We queried clinical laboratories, reviewed medical records, oversaw patient and environmental surveillance surveys at 2 facilities, and recommended interventions. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and molecular analysis were performed.

RESULTS

We identified 21 cases, highly related by PFGE or healthcare facility exposure. Overall, 17 patients (81%) were admitted to either long-term acute-care hospital A (n=8), or skilled nursing facility A (n=8), or both (n=1) prior to XDRA. baumanniiisolation. Interfacility communication of patient or resident XDR status was not performed during transfer between facilities. The rare plasmid-encoded carbapenemase geneblaOXA-237was present in 16 outbreak isolates. Contact precautions, chlorhexidine baths, enhanced environmental cleaning, and interfacility communication were implemented for cases to halt transmission.

CONCLUSIONS

Interfacility transmission of XDRA. baumanniicarrying the rare blaOXA-237was facilitated by transfer of affected patients without communication to receiving facilities.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol2017;38:1335–1341
Foam front advance during improved oil recovery: similarity solutions at early times near the top of the front
Authors: Grassia P. , Lue L. , Torres-Ulloa C. , Berres S.
Published: September 2017

The pressure-driven growth model is used to determine the shape of a foam front propagating into an oil reservoir. It is shown that the front, idealised as a curve separating surfactant solution downstream from gas upstream, can be subdivided into two regions: a lower region (approximately parabolic in shape and consisting primarily of material points which have been on the foam front continuously since time zero) and an upper region (consisting of material points which have been newly injected onto the foam front from the top boundary). Various conjectures are presented for the shape of the upper region. A formulation which assumes that the bottom of the upper region is oriented in the same direction as the top of the lower region is shown to fail, as (despite the orientations being aligned) there is a mismatch in location: the upper and lower regions fail to intersect. Alternative formulations are developed which allow the upper region to curve sufficiently so as to intersect the lower region. These formulations imply that the lower and upper regions (whilst individually being of a convex shape as seen from downstream) actually meet in a concave corner, contradicting the conventional hypothesis in the literature that the front is wholly convex. The shape of the upper region as predicted here and the presence of the concave corner are independently verified via numerical simulation data.
“IN A PLACE PARALLEL TO GOD”: THE DRAFT, THE DEMONIC, AND THE CONSCIENTIOUS CUBIST
Authors: Berman Nathaniel
Published: September 2017

The question “What is religion?” has again been roiling the academy, the courts, and public debate. In 1965, the Supreme Court of the United States opined on this question, deciding the fate of would-be conscientious objectors who would not affirm the existence of God. Relying largely on Paul Tillich, the Court ruled in their favor, expanding the notion of “religious belief” beyond its conventional Western confines. This article reexamines the issues raised in this case by exploring the theology of Paul Tillich, particularly its critique of religion as a separate sphere and its challenge to basic tenets of liberal political theory inherited from John Locke. The article, however, also juxtaposes the religion-expanding aspects of Tillich's thought with his strictures about “demonic” distortions of religion, requiring an excursus into Tillich's notions of the divine/demonic relationship. Tillich's rejection of the compartmentalization of “religion” led him to declare that more religious meaning may be found in putatively “secular” artifacts, such as Cubist art, than in conventionally “religious” symbols and institutions, including the Church. This approach both demands a radically interdisciplinary approach to “religion” and casts a skeptical eye on some putatively “religious” claims. The article concludes by juxtaposing Tillich's anti-essentialist critique of “religion” with more recent, and dramatically different, critiques, particularly those advanced by Talal Asad and Saba Mahmood.
The oldest predaceous water bugs (Insecta, Heteroptera, Belostomatidae), with implications for paleolimnology of the Triassic Cow Branch Formation
Authors: Criscione Julia , Grimaldi David
Published: September 2017

A new genus and species of predaceous water bugs,Triassonepa solensisn. gen. n. sp., is described from the Triassic Cow Branch Formation of Virginia and North Carolina (USA) based on ~36 adult specimens and 51 nymphs. This species is the oldest known member of the extant family Belostomatidae. It is placed in a new genus based on the unique structure of the raptorial foreleg, in which the tarsus is elongate and opposed to the tibia + femur. The fossil record of this family is reviewed and the paleoenvironmental implications of the species assemblage preserved in the Cow Branch Formation are discussed.
Economic Perceptions and Electoral Choices: A Design-Based Approach
Authors: Visconti Giancarlo
Published: September 2017

Do economic perceptions affect voters’ electoral choices? There is ample evidence showing a correlation between how people perceive the current state of the economy and electoral decisions. However, there are reasons to believe that political preferences can also determine how voters evaluate economic conditions, which will reverse the causality arrow. The strategies previously implemented to address this problem have been based on the use of structural equations and instrumental variables, but they require very strong parametric or identification assumptions. In this paper, I follow a design-based approach by emphasizing the study design rather than statistical modeling. In contrast to previous studies that used the same panel data in Brazil, I find evidence that supports egotropic, rather than sociotropic, voting. This finding shows that traditional research designs may be overstating the magnitude of sociotropic economic voting.
A Pairwise Comparison Framework for Fast, Flexible, and Reliable Human Coding of Political Texts
Authors: CARLSON DAVID , MONTGOMERY JACOB M.
Published: September 2017

Scholars are increasingly utilizing online workforces to encode latent political concepts embedded in written or spoken records. In this letter, we build on past efforts by developing and validating a crowdsourced pairwise comparison framework for encoding political texts that combines the human ability to understand natural language with the ability of computers to aggregate data into reliable measures while ameliorating concerns about the biases and unreliability of non-expert human coders. We validate the method with advertisements for U.S. Senate candidates and with State Department reports on human rights. The framework we present is very general, and we provide free software to help applied researchers interact easily with online workforces to extract meaningful measures from texts.
Digging into the Pocketbook: Evidence on Economic Voting from Income Registry Data Matched to a Voter Survey
Authors: HEALY ANDREW J. , PERSSON MIKAEL , SNOWBERG ERIK
Published: September 2017

To paint a fuller picture of economic voters, we combine personal income records with a representative election survey. We examine three central topics in the economic voting literature: pocketbook versus sociotropic voting, the effects of partisanship on economic evaluations, and voter myopia. First, we show that voters who appear in survey data to be voting based on the national economy are, in fact, voting equally on the basis of their personal financial conditions. Second, there is strong evidence of both partisan bias and economic information in economic evaluations, but personal economic data is required to separate the two. Third, although in experiments and aggregate historical data recent economic conditions appear to drive vote choice, we find no evidence of myopia when we examine actual personal economic data.
Understanding and Undermining the Growth Paradigm
Authors: NOWLIN CHRISTOPHER
Published: September 2017

For three centuries the primary aspiration of Western governments has been constant economic growth but with the Industrial Revolution this objective became troublesome. In the 20thcentury unprecedented levels of industrial production and social consumption caused palpable harm to humans and the environment. Hannah Arendt and John Kenneth Galbraith turned their pens to such concerns and Bill Mollison and David Holmgren advocated a permaculture approach to growth, one that strives to limit human interference in natural growth processes. Today’s precarious economic and ecological imbalances could be stabilized by a shift in applied growth paradigms, from capitalist to permaculturist.
Attitudes to illegal behaviour and conservation in western Tanzania
Authors: Wilfred Paulo , Milner-Gulland E. J. , Travers Henry
Published: September 2017

Natural resources in and around protected areas in many countries in Africa are under intense pressure as a result of illegal behaviour, such as fishing, hunting and logging. A better understanding of local people's perceptions of the nature of illegal behaviour and the relevance of conservation actions would be useful in informing conservation decisions. We gathered information on the attitudes and perceptions of communities in the vicinity of Ugalla Game Reserve in western Tanzania regarding illegal behaviour and the effectiveness of conservation practices, using household surveys, key informants, and focus groups. We found that local people use the Reserve illegally, especially for hunting (28 ± SE 6%) and logging (20 ± SE 5%). We explored behaviours that are problematic for conservation in the partially protected areas around Ugalla. Local communities reported feeling isolated, harassed and intimidated by approaches used to protect Ugalla. They were angered by the conservation of Ugalla as a trophy hunting site for foreigners, and the excessive force and beatings used by game rangers to keep them away from the Reserve. Improving local livelihoods (17%), participatory conservation (16%), and giving people land for agricultural activities (16%) were among the ways that local communities felt would reduce illegal activities. Our findings suggest the need for conservation measures to benefit local communities around Ugalla transparently and equitably. Outreach programmes would help to raise conservation awareness and attract positive attitudes towards conservation. To encourage local support for conservation, we also suggest that conservation authorities create and maintain good relations with people living near the Reserve.
Replication research in contextual and individual influences in pragmatic competence: Taguchi, Xiao & Li (2016) and Bardovi-Harlig & Bastos (2011)
Authors: Taguchi Naoko , Li Shuai
Published: September 2017

Recent development in L2 pragmatics research in a study abroad context has witnessed an emerging line of studies investigating the joint influences of contextual and individual learner factors on second language (L2) pragmatic development. This paper argues for the replication of two representative quantitative studies in this new research direction. Situated within the field's increasing emphasis on explaining the development of L2 pragmatic competence, the first part of this paper makes a case for the necessity of replicating quantitative studies investigating the study abroad context, highlighting why and how the field can benefit from replication research. The second part of this paper presents detailed accounts of the two focus studies and suggests several options for approximate and conceptual replications.
Identification of fall predictors in the active elderly population from the routine medical records of general practitioners
Authors: Lastrucci Vieri , Lorini Chiara , Rinaldi Giada , Bonaccorsi Guglielmo
Published: September 2017

Aim

To evaluate the possibility of determining predictors of falls in the active community-dwelling elderly from the routine medical records of the general practitioners (GPs).

Background

Time constraints and competing demands in the clinical encounters frequently undermine fall-risk evaluation. In the context of proactive primary healthcare, quick, and efficient tools for a preliminary fall-risk assessment are needed in order to overcome these barriers.

Methods

The study included 1220 subjects of 65 years of age or older. Data were extracted from the GPs’ patient records. For each subject, the following variables were considered: age, gender, diseases, and pharmacotherapy. Univariate and multivariable analyses have been conducted to identify the independent predictors of falls.

Findings

The mean age of the study population was 77.8±8.7 years for women and 74.9±7.3 years for men. Of the sample, 11.6% had experienced one or more falls in the previous year. The risk of falling was found to increase significantly (P<0.05) with age (OR=1.03; 95% CI=1.01–1.05), generalized osteoarthritis (OR=2.01; 95% CI=1.23–3.30), tinnitus (OR=4.14; 95% CI=1.25–13.74), cognitive impairment (OR=4.12; 95% CI=2.18–7.80), and two or more co-existing diseases (OR=5.4; 95% CI=1.68–17.39). Results suggest that it is possible to identify patients at higher risk of falling by going through the current medical records, without adding extra workload on the health personnel. In the context of proactive primary healthcare, the analysis of fall predictors from routine medical records may allow the identification of which of the several known and hypothesized risk factors may be more relevant for developing quick and efficient tools for a preliminary fall-risk assessment.
Environmental Factors Affecting Seed Germination and Seedling Emergence of Foxtail Sophora (Sophora alopecuroides)
Authors: Nosratti Iraj , Amiri Sahar , Bagheri Alireza , Chauhan Bhagirath Singh
Published: September 2017

Foxtail sophora is a widely distributed problematic weed in western Iranian dryland farming systems. Little information is available on seed germination and seedling emergence of this weed species in response to environmental and agronomic factors. This study was conducted to address this knowledge gap. Maximum seed germination (80%) occurred at 25 C and decreased at lower temperatures (<1% at 5 C) or under fluctuating temperature regimes. Light and pH did not have any substantial effect on seed germination. Foxtail sophora was tolerant to osmotic stress and moderately tolerant to sodium chloride. It was tolerant to salinity and drought stress during germination, which suggests that the population of this weed may increase in western farmlands of Iran. No seedlings emerged when seeds were buried at depths greater than 6 cm, which indicates that minimum- and no-till systems would increase seedling emergence of this species. Therefore, using sweep cultivators would be beneficial in management of foxtail sophora seedlings in the drylands of west of Iran.
Safety in Beauty
Authors: Aydin Nilüfer , Agthe Maria , Pfundmair Michaela , Frey Dieter , DeWall Nathan
Published: September 2017

Abstract. Individuals regularly exhibit antisocial responses after social exclusion. In four unregistered studies (1a, 1b, 2, and 3) and one preregistered experiment (Study 4), we tested the hypothesis that the excluder’s physical attractiveness reduces the relationship between social exclusion and negative responding. Results showed that exclusion by a highly attractive source caused less aggressive and more prosocial responses than exclusion by a less attractive source (Studies 1–3). The interaction effect was mediated by perceived likeability of the excluding person (Study 3). The preregistered experiment did not confirm the interactive effect between exclusion and attractiveness (Study 4); however, exploratory analyses indicated the effect on pro- (but not antisocial) responding. Inconsistent findings as well as the theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Atomic structures of Coxsackievirus A6 and its complex with a neutralizing antibody
Authors: Xu Longfa , Zheng Qingbing , Li Shaowei , He Maozhou , Wu Yangtao , Li Yongchao , Zhu Rui , Yu Hai , Hong Qiyang , Jiang Jie , Li Zizhen , Li Shuxuan , Zhao Huan , Yang Lisheng , Hou Wangheng , Wang Wei , Ye Xiangzhong , Zhang Jun , Baker Timothy S. , Cheng Tong , Zhou Z. Hong , Yan Xiaodong , Xia Ningshao
Published: September 2017

Coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) has recently emerged as a major cause of hand, foot and mouth disease in children worldwide but no vaccine is available against CVA6 infections. Here, we demonstrate the isolation of two forms of stable CVA6 particles-procapsid and A-particle-with excellent biochemical stability and natural antigenicity to serve as vaccine candidates. Despite the presence (in A-particle) or absence (in procapsid) of capsid-RNA interactions, the two CVA6 particles have essentially identical atomic capsid structures resembling the uncoating intermediates of other enteroviruses. Our near-atomic resolution structure of CVA6 A-particle complexed with a neutralizing antibody maps an immune-dominant neutralizing epitope to the surface loops of VP1. The structure-guided cell-based inhibition studies further demonstrate that these loops could serve as excellent targets for designing anti-CVA6 vaccines.
p190RhoGAP proteins contain pseudoGTPase domains
Authors: Stiegler Amy L. , Boggon Titus J.
Published: September 2017

The two p190RhoGAP proteins, p190RhoGAP-A and -B, are key regulators of Rho GTPase signaling and are essential for actin cytoskeletal structure and contractility. Here we report the discovery of two evolutionarily conserved GTPase-like domains located in the ‘middle domain’, previously thought to be unstructured. Deletion of these domains reduces RhoGAP activity. Crystal structures, MANT-GTPγS binding, thermal denaturation, biochemical assays and sequence homology analysis all strongly support defects in nucleotide-binding activity. Analysis of p190RhoGAP proteins therefore indicates the presence of two previously unidentified domains which represent an emerging group of pseudoenzymes, the pseudoGTPases.
A single early-in-life macrolide course has lasting effects on murine microbial network topology and immunity
Authors: Ruiz Victoria E. , Battaglia Thomas , Kurtz Zachary D. , Bijnens Luc , Ou Amy , Engstrand Isak , Zheng Xuhui , Iizumi Tadasu , Mullins Briana J. , Müller Christian L. , Cadwell Ken , Bonneau Richard , Perez-Perez Guillermo I. , Blaser Martin J.
Published: September 2017

Broad-spectrum antibiotics are frequently prescribed to children. Early childhood represents a dynamic period for the intestinal microbial ecosystem, which is readily shaped by environmental cues; antibiotic-induced disruption of this sensitive community may have long-lasting host consequences. Here we demonstrate that a single pulsed macrolide antibiotic treatment (PAT) course early in life is sufficient to lead to durable alterations to the murine intestinal microbiota, ileal gene expression, specific intestinal T-cell populations, and secretory IgA expression. A PAT-perturbed microbial community is necessary for host effects and sufficient to transfer delayed secretory IgA expression. Additionally, early-life antibiotic exposure has lasting and transferable effects on microbial community network topology. Our results indicate that a single early-life macrolide course can alter the microbiota and modulate host immune phenotypes that persist long after exposure has ceased.
The Candida albicans transcription factor Cas5 couples stress responses, drug resistance and cell cycle regulation
Authors: Xie Jinglin L. , Qin Longguang , Miao Zhengqiang , Grys Ben T. , Diaz Jacinto De La Cruz , Ting Kenneth , Krieger Jonathan R. , Tong Jiefei , Tan Kaeling , Leach Michelle D. , Ketela Troy , Moran Michael F. , Krysan Damian J. , Boone Charles , Andrews Brenda J. , Selmecki Anna , Ho Wong Koon , Robbins Nicole , Cowen Leah E.
Published: September 2017

The capacity to coordinate environmental sensing with initiation of cellular responses underpins microbial survival and is crucial for virulence and stress responses in microbial pathogens. Here we define circuitry that enables the fungal pathogen Candida albicans to couple cell cycle dynamics with responses to cell wall stress induced by echinocandins, a front-line class of antifungal drugs. We discover that the C. albicans transcription factor Cas5 is crucial for proper cell cycle dynamics and responses to echinocandins, which inhibit β-1,3-glucan synthesis. Cas5 has distinct transcriptional targets under basal and stress conditions, is activated by the phosphatase Glc7, and can regulate the expression of target genes in concert with the transcriptional regulators Swi4 and Swi6. Thus, we illuminate a mechanism of transcriptional control that couples cell wall integrity with cell cycle regulation, and uncover circuitry governing antifungal drug resistance.
Emergence of charge density waves and a pseudogap in single-layer TiTe2
Authors: Chen P. , Pai Woei Wu , Chan Y.-H. , Takayama A. , Xu C.-Z. , Karn A. , Hasegawa S. , Chou M. Y. , Mo S.-K. , Fedorov A.-V. , Chiang T.-C.
Published: September 2017

Two-dimensional materials constitute a promising platform for developing nanoscale devices and systems. Their physical properties can be very different from those of the corresponding three-dimensional materials because of extreme quantum confinement and dimensional reduction. Here we report a study of TiTe2 from the single-layer to the bulk limit. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, we observed the emergence of a (2 × 2) charge density wave order in single-layer TiTe2 with a transition temperature of 92 ± 3 K. Also observed was a pseudogap of about 28 meV at the Fermi level at 4.2 K. Surprisingly, no charge density wave transitions were observed in two-layer and multi-layer TiTe2, despite the quasi-two-dimensional nature of the material in the bulk. The unique charge density wave phenomenon in the single layer raises intriguing questions that challenge the prevailing thinking about the mechanisms of charge density wave formation.
Randomized phase III trial evaluating the role of weight loss in adjuvant treatment of overweight and obese women with early breast cancer (Alliance A011401): study design
Authors: Ligibel Jennifer A. , Barry William T. , Alfano Catherine , Hershman Dawn L. , Irwin Melinda , Neuhouser Marian , Thomson Cynthia A. , Delahanty Linda , Frank Elizabeth , Spears Patty , Paskett Electra D. , Hopkins Judith , Bernstein Vanessa , Stearns Vered , White Julia , Hahn Olwen , Hudis Clifford , Winer Eric P. , Wadden Thomas A. , Goodwin Pamela J.
Published: September 2017

Excess body weight is a poor prognostic factor in women with early breast cancer, but the effect of weight loss on the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality in women who are overweight or obese at the time of breast cancer diagnosis has not been evaluated. The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Breast Cancer Weight Loss trial, also known as A011401, is testing the impact of a telephone-based weight loss program on invasive disease-free survival in 3136 women with a body mass index ≥27 kg/m2who have recently been diagnosed with stage II-III, HER-2 negative breast cancer. Secondary outcomes of the trial include the impact of the weight loss intervention on overall survival, body weight, physical activity, dietary intakes, incidence of comorbidities, serum biomarkers and patient reported outcomes. Participants are randomized 1:1 to a 2-year, telephone-based weight loss intervention or to an education control group. The intervention is delivered through 42 telephone calls, delivered by health coaches based at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Calls are supplemented by an intervention workbook, as well as a number of tools to help facilitate weight loss. Intervention goals include loss of 10% of baseline body weight, achieved through caloric restriction and increased physical activity. This large-scale study testing the impact of purposeful weight loss after cancer diagnosis on the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality has the potential to make weight loss programs a standard part of breast cancer treatment.
Combination of tomographic ultrasound imaging and three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging-based model to diagnose postpartum levator avulsion
Authors: Yan Yulin , Dou Chaoran , Wang Xia , Xi Yan , Hu Bing , Ma Li , Ying Tao
Published: September 2017

Vaginal delivery may cause levator avulsion, which may increase the risk of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD). To explore the morphological changes of the levator ani muscle (including the puborectalis and iliococcygeus) and levator avulsion after vaginal delivery, translabial tomographic ultrasound imaging (TUI) was used to examine 80 women 45–60 days after their vaginal delivery. Subsequently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed if at least one-sided puborectalis avulsion was found on TUI. The incidence of puborectalis avulsion in these postpartum women was 13.75% in this study. Both MRI and TUI can detect puborectalis avulsion well, and their results have good consistency. Iliococcygeus muscle injury is difficult to detect using TUI. However, MRI is a good way to observe the morphological changes of the iliococcygeus, which may also be damaged during vaginal delivery. Interestingly, our study reveals that iliococcygeus muscle injury is often associated with severe puborectalis muscle tear.
A de novo substructure generation algorithm for identifying the privileged chemical fragments of liver X receptorβ agonists
Authors: Peng He , Liu Zhihong , Yan Xin , Ren Jian , Xu Jun
Published: September 2017

Liver X receptorβ (LXRβ) is a promising therapeutic target for lipid disorders, atherosclerosis, chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Druggable LXRβ agonists have been explored over the past decades. However, the pocket of LXRβ ligand-binding domain (LBD) is too large to predict LXRβ agonists with novel scaffolds based on either receptor or agonist structures. In this paper, we report ade novoalgorithm which drives privileged LXRβ agonist fragments by starting with individual chemical bonds (de novo) from every molecule in a LXRβ agonist library, growing the bonds into substructures based on the agonist structures with isomorphic and homomorphic restrictions, and electing the privileged fragments from the substructures with a popularity threshold and background chemical and biological knowledge. Using these privileged fragments as queries, we were able to figure out the rules to reconstruct LXRβ agonist molecules from the fragments. The privileged fragments were validated by building regularized logistic regression (RLR) and supporting vector machine (SVM) models as descriptors to predict a LXRβ agonist activities.
Expansion of cytotoxic natural killer cells using irradiated autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells and anti-CD16 antibody
Authors: Lee Hong-Rae , Son Cheol-Hun , Koh Eun-Kyoung , Bae Jae-Ho , Kang Chi-Dug , Yang Kwangmo , Park You-Soo
Published: September 2017

Natural killer (NK) cells are considered a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Various methods for large-scale NK cell expansion have been developed, but they should guarantee that no viable cells are mixed with the expanded NK cells because most methods involve cancer cells or genetically modified cells as feeder cells. We used an anti-CD16 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and irradiated autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (IrAPs) to provide a suitable environment (activating receptor-ligand interactions) for the NK cell expansion. This method more potently expanded NK cells, and the final product was composed of highly purified NK cells with lesser T-cell contamination. The expanded NK cells showed greater upregulation of various activation receptors, CD107a, and secreted larger amounts of interferon gamma. IrAPs expressed NKG2D ligands and CD48, and coengagement of CD16 with NKG2D and 2B4 caused potent NK cell activation and proliferation. The expanded NK cells were cytotoxic toward various cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, irradiation or a chemotherapeutic drug further enhanced this antitumor effect. Therefore, we developed an effective in vitro culture method for large-scale expansion of highly purified cytotoxic NK cells with potent antitumor activity using IrAPs instead of cancer cell-based feeder cells.
Structural Basis for the Bidirectional Activity of Bacillus nanoRNase NrnA
Authors: Schmier Brad J. , Nelersa Claudiu M. , Malhotra Arun
Published: September 2017

NanoRNAs are RNA fragments 2 to 5 nucleotides in length that are generated as byproducts of RNA degradation and abortive transcription initiation. Cells have specialized enzymes to degrade nanoRNAs, such as the DHH phosphoesterase family member NanoRNase A (NrnA). This enzyme was originally identified as a 3′ → 5′ exonuclease, but we show here that NrnA is bidirectional, degrading 2–5 nucleotide long RNA oligomers from the 3′ end, and longer RNA substrates from the 5′ end. The crystal structure of Bacillus subtilis NrnA reveals a dynamic bi-lobal architecture, with the catalytic N-terminal DHH domain linked to the substrate binding C-terminal DHHA1 domain via an extended linker. Whereas this arrangement is similar to the structure of RecJ, a 5′ → 3′ DHH family DNase and other DHH family nanoRNases, Bacillus NrnA has gained an extended substrate-binding patch that we posit is responsible for its 3′ → 5′ activity.
The contrasting roles of creep and stress relaxation in the time-dependent deformation during in-situ cooling of a nickel-base single crystal superalloy
Authors: Panwisawas Chinnapat , D’Souza Neil , Collins David M. , Bhowmik Ayan
Published: September 2017

Time dependent plastic deformation in a single crystal nickel-base superalloy during cooling from casting relevant temperatures has been studied using a combination of in-situ neutron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and modelling. Visco-plastic deformation during cooling was found to be dependent on the stress and constraints imposed to component contraction during cooling, which mechanistically comprises creep and stress relaxation. Creep results in progressive work hardening with dislocations shearing the γ′ precipitates, a high dislocation density in the γ channels and near the γ/γ′ interface and precipitate shearing. When macroscopic contraction is restricted, relaxation dominates. This leads to work softening from a decreased dislocation density and the presence of long segment stacking faults in γ phase. Changes in lattice strains occur to a similar magnitude in both the γ and γ′ phases during stress relaxation, while in creep there is no clear monotonic trend in lattice strain in the γ phase, but only a marginal increase in the γ′ precipitates. Using a visco-plastic law derived from in-situ experiments, the experimentally measured and calculated stresses during cooling show a good agreement when creep predominates. However, when stress relaxation dominates accounting for the decrease in dislocation density during cooling is essential.