bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Study of Deformation and Adhesion of an Amorphous Polyethylene/Graphene Interface: A Simulation Study
Authors: Nikkhah Sousa Javan , Moghbeli Mohammad Reza , Hashemianzadeh Seyed Majid
Published: October 2016

In this paper, molecular dynamics tensile simulations of an amorphous polyethylene/graphene (PE/G) interface are carried out to investigate its adhesion strength. The effect of PE chain length and number and functionalization of G surface on the tensile behavior and interfacial adhesion is studied. The results show that the adhesion strength enhances with increasing chain length and number of the PE chains. In addition, the functionalization of G surface causes an increase in the adhesion strength comparing to unfunctionalized G due to deformation of a larger volume of the PE chains relying on the functionalized G. The contribution of bond length, bond angle, torsional potentials, and nonbonded energy is estimated as a function of interface elongation to clarify the deformation mechanisms within different tensile regions. The energy partitioning results indicate that the elastic, yield, and early postyielding regions are mostly controlled by the nonbonded interactions. However, the dihedral motions of the chains in addition to nonbonded interactions show a significant role in the disentanglement region, a part of postyielding and separation region. Furthermore, the simulation results exhibit how the internal mechanism associated with density profile, chain entanglements, and ordering can be evolved with increasing the interface elongation.

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Mobile NMR: An essential tool for protecting our cultural heritage
Authors: Baias Maria
Published: October 2016

What is ‘cultural heritage’? Is it simply our legacy of physical artifacts – or is it our collective legacy as human societies – how we want to be remembered by future generations? With time, negligence, and even military conflict working to erase the past, we must ask: Can a better understanding of our shared heritage assists us in addressing cultural differences in the present day? And how can science both help us understand the historic record and work to preserve it? In this perspective article, we examine an emerging scientific method, mobile nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which can help us examine in a non‐invasive way important objects and sites of our cultural heritage. Following these investigations, one can envisage ways for protecting our global heritage for future generations. For this purpose, we examine how this method can be used to non‐destructively explore historical artifacts, which can lead to understanding the science behind the creation of these treasured items – paintings, frescoes, parchments, historical buildings, musical instruments, ancient mummies, and other artifacts. This perspective article follows few relevant examples from the scientific literature where mobile NMR has been applied in a non‐invasive way to analyze objects of cultural heritage. One can envision possible future advancements of this technique and further applications where portable NMR can be used for conservation of cultural heritage. © 2016 The Authors. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Rehabilitation needs approached by health professionals at a rheumatism hospital
Authors: Mengshoel Anne Marit , Skarbø Åse
Published: October 2016

Objective

The aim of the present study was to examine the characteristics of patients referred to occupational therapists (OTs), physiotherapists (PTs) and social workers (SWs) at a rehabilitation unit in a hospital specializing in rheumatology, and the rehabilitation needs that clinicians and patients agreed should be addressed in the encounters with the particular health professional groups.

Methods

Consecutive hospitalized patients at a rheumatism hospital were recruited by the health professionals. Questions about patient characteristics and rehabilitation needs were posed. Free‐text responses to questions about rehabilitation needs were coded by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).

Results

The patients varied considerably in age distribution, disease duration, disability level and diagnoses, and several patients had comorbidities. The rehabilitation needs classified under the component Body Function fell into the chapters: Sensory Functions and Pain (PTs), Functions of Cardiovascular System (PTs), Neuromusculoskeletal and Movement‐Related Functions (OTs, PTs); under the Activity and Participation component, these were: General Tasks and Demands (OTs), Mobility (OTs), Self‐Care (PTs), Interpersonal Interactions and Relationships (SWs) and Major Life Stress (SWs); and under the Environmental Factors component these were: Products and Technology (OTs) and Services, Systems and Politics (SWs).

Conclusions

The patients were fairly heterogeneous. The needs identified in the encounters with the different professional groups fell into all three components of the ICF, and there was only a minor overlap between the health professionals at the chapter level of the ICF.
Optimizing electrodiagnosis for Guillain–Barré syndrome: Clues from clinical practice
Authors: Rajabally Yusuf A. , Hiew Fu Liong
Published: October 2016

Introduction

The most efficient method of performing electrophysiology for Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is unknown.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed electrophysiological data of 97 consecutive GBS patients from Birmingham, UK (2001–2012), studied ≤ 3 weeks post‐onset.

Results

The sensitivity of electrophysiology for each GBS subtype was dependent on the upper and lower limb nerves tested. In acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP), abnormalities were predominant in the arms, whereas leg abnormalities predominated in axonal GBS. In AIDP, the most common abnormal parameters were distal motor latency and conduction block, and the most frequently affected nerve was the median. In axonal GBS, reduced motor amplitudes and conduction block were the most common parameters, and the most frequently abnormal nerve was the tibial.

Conclusions

Electrodiagnostic sensitivity in GBS is dependent on nerves tested and parameters considered. Each subtype preferentially involves specific nerves and parameters. These findings may help per‐procedure interpretation, improve electrodiagnostic sensitivity, and reduce patient discomfort. Muscle Nerve 55: 748–751, 2017
Skin under Tnf influence: how regulatory T cells work against macrophages in psoriasis
Authors: Gatzka Martina
Published: October 2016

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and interleukin (IL)‐17 are key cytokines driving psoriasis and other inflammatory autoimmune diseases, and thus represent effective targets for anti‐psoriatic therapy. In a recent issue of The Journal of Pathology, Leite Dantas et al explore a mouse model of TNF‐mediated psoriasiform dermatitis and arthritis with doxycyclin‐inducible general overexpression of human TNF (ihTNFtg) mice for the contributions of macrophages and T cells in skin inflammation – with some unexpected and interesting findings. Although T cells are commonly known as major proinflammatory players in psoriasis, in the ihTNFtg mouse model macrophages were the predominant cells causing inflammation, and T cells, represented by Foxp3+ regulatory T cells, mainly formed the opposition to keep inflammation in check. In addition to offering a new perspective on potential alternative initiation mechanisms in psoriatic skin inflammation, this constellation illustrates how cellular networks in inflammatory conditions evolve according to the prevailing cytokine, and may help to explain individual responses to either anti‐TNF‐α or anti‐IL‐17 therapy regimens in psoriasis. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Precision medicine in pediatric oncology: Lessons learned and next steps
Authors: Mody Rajen J. , Prensner John R. , Everett Jessica , Parsons D. Williams , Chinnaiyan Arul M.
Published: October 2016

The maturation of genomic technologies has enabled new discoveries in disease pathogenesis as well as new approaches to patient care. In pediatric oncology, patients may now receive individualized genomic analysis to identify molecular aberrations of relevance for diagnosis and/or treatment. In this context, several recent clinical studies have begun to explore the feasibility and utility of genomics‐driven precision medicine. Here, we review the major developments in this field, discuss current limitations, and explore aspects of the clinical implementation of precision medicine, which lack consensus. Lastly, we discuss ongoing scientific efforts in this arena, which may yield future clinical applications.
Aromatic claw: A new fold with high aromatic content that evades structural prediction
Authors: Sachleben Joseph R. , Adhikari Aashish N. , Gawlak Grzegorz , Hoey Robert J. , Liu Gaohua , Joachimiak Andrzej , Montelione Gaetano T. , Sosnick Tobin R. , Koide Shohei
Published: October 2016

We determined the NMR structure of a highly aromatic (13%) protein of unknown function, Aq1974 from Aquifex aeolicus (PDB ID: 5SYQ). The unusual sequence of this protein has a tryptophan content five times the normal (six tryptophan residues of 114 or 5.2% while the average tryptophan content is 1.0%) with the tryptophans occurring in a WXW motif. It has no detectable sequence homology with known protein structures. Although its NMR spectrum suggested that the protein was rich in β‐sheet, upon resonance assignment and solution structure determination, the protein was found to be primarily α‐helical with a small two‐stranded β‐sheet with a novel fold that we have termed an Aromatic Claw. As this fold was previously unknown and the sequence unique, we submitted the sequence to CASP10 as a target for blind structural prediction. At the end of the competition, the sequence was classified a hard template based model; the structural relationship between the template and the experimental structure was small and the predictions all failed to predict the structure. CSRosetta was found to predict the secondary structure and its packing; however, it was found that there was little correlation between CSRosetta score and the RMSD between the CSRosetta structure and the NMR determined one. This work demonstrates that even in relatively small proteins, we do not yet have the capacity to accurately predict the fold for all primary sequences. The experimental discovery of new folds helps guide the improvement of structural prediction methods.
Risk‐adjusted Monitoring of Healthcare Quality: Model Selection and Change‐point Estimation
Authors: Steward Robert M. , Rigdon Steven E.
Published: October 2016

Risk adjustment, which is used when healthcare outcomes are monitored, involves taking into account measures of the patient condition and how these measures are related to the outcomes. When the outcome is dichotomous, such as survival/death, the modeling involves logistic regression to assess the relationship between the predictor(s) and the outcome. Most risk‐adjusted control charts are designed to detect a change in the log‐odds of the adverse outcome, but there are a number of possible changes that could occur. For example, there could be an increase in the probability of adverse outcomes for low‐risk patients with no change for high‐risk patients. We address the problem of risk‐adjusted monitoring as a change‐point problem with several possible change‐point models. For p risk variables, there are 2p + 1 possible change‐point models, because each of the slope parameters or the intercept in the logistic regression model can change. Our approach generalizes previous risk‐adjusted charts in that we look for changes in any of the parameters. We take a Bayesian approach and find the posterior distribution for the model (i.e., which coefficients changed), the time of the change, and the values of the parameters for those that changed. All three tasks are accomplished in the context of a single model. We apply reversible jump MCMC to account for the variable size of the parameter space. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Semi‐parametric Model for Microstructure Analysis of Advanced High‐strength Dual‐phase Steels Considering Sample Variation
Authors: Zhang Nailong , Yang Qingyu , Wu Xin
Published: October 2016

Microstructure analysis of advanced high‐strength dual‐phase steels has attracted increasing attention in recent years, as the microscopic properties of steels significantly affect their material properties and behaviors. As a result, the steel microstructure plays an important role of product quality. However, most of the existing methods only consider a single microstructure sample, while the unit‐to‐unit variability among different samples is ignored. As a result, they cannot be applied for steel quality control. In this study, we propose a semi‐parametric microstructure modeling method that can capture the variation across different microstructure samples. The proposed model can be used for both isotropic materials and anisotropic materials in which the microstructure properties in the vertical direction and those in the horizontal direction are different. The proposed model is applied for both quality control of dual‐phase steels and microstructure reconstruction without having to conduct physical experiments. A case study is conducted by applying the developed methods to advanced high‐strength steels. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High pressure mass spectrometry of volatile organic compounds with ambient air buffer gas
Authors: Blakeman Kenion H. , Cavanaugh Craig A. , Gilliland William M. , Ramsey J. Michael
Published: October 2016

Rationale

There are many chemical measurement scenarios that would benefit from hand portable mass spectrometry tools including forensics, environmental monitoring, and safety and security. High pressure mass spectrometry (HPMS) facilitates miniaturization by significantly reducing vacuum system requirements. Previous work demonstrated HPMS using helium buffer gas, but HPMS conducted using ambient air would further reduce the size and weight of a portable instrument while also reducing logistical demands by eliminating the need for a helium supply.

Methods

Mass spectrometry was performed at pressures exceeding 1 Torr with ambient air as the buffer gas. A glow discharge electron ionization source and a miniature cylindrical ion trap mass analyzer with a radius of 0.5 mm were used. Mass analysis was possible at these pressures with increased radiofrequency (RF) drive frequencies (10 MHz) compared with commercial ion traps (~1 MHz). A differentially pumped chamber was used so that mass spectrometry could be performed at high pressures and detection performed at low pressures with an electron multiplier.

Results

HPMS with air buffer gas was demonstrated using a suite of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The glow discharge ionization source was optimized for operation using air. Mass spectral peak widths increased a factor of 8 compared with helium, as expected, but useful chemical information was still acquired. A mixture of VOCs was detected with ambient air as the buffer gas, showing that valuable mass information can be gained using HPMS without the requirement of an onboard buffer gas source.

Conclusions

HPMS significantly reduces the pumping requirements required for miniature mass spectrometers and the use of ambient air buffer gas further reduces size, weight, and logistics requirements. Mass analysis at high pressures of ambient air is another important step for the development of hand portable mass spectrometers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cover Image, Volume 6, Issue 6
Authors: Sundholm Dage , Fliegl Heike , Berger Raphael J.F.
Published: October 2016

The front cover image, by Dage Sundholm et al., is based on the Advanced Review Calculations of magnetically induced current densities: theory and applications, DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1270.

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Inside Cover Image, Volume 6, Issue 6
Authors: Chang Chun‐Ran , Huang Zheng‐Qing , Li Jun
Published: October 2016

The inside cover image, by Jun Li et al., is based on the Advanced Review The promotional role of water in heterogeneous catalysis: mechanism insights from computational modeling, DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1272.

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Developmental regulation of RNA processing by Rbfox proteins
Authors: Conboy John G.
Published: October 2016

The Rbfox genes encode an ancient family of sequence‐specific RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that are critical developmental regulators in multiple tissues including skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and brain. The hallmark of Rbfox proteins is a single high‐affinity RRM domain, highly conserved from insects to humans, that binds preferentially to UGCAUG motifs at diverse regulatory sites in pre‐mRNA introns, mRNA 3’UTRs, and pre‐miRNAs hairpin structures. Versatile regulatory circuits operate on Rbfox pre‐mRNA and mRNA to ensure proper expression of Rbfox1 protein isoforms, which then act on the broader transcriptome to regulate alternative splicing networks, mRNA stability and translation, and microRNA processing. Complex Rbfox expression is encoded in large genes encompassing multiple promoters and alternative splicing options that govern spatiotemporal expression of structurally distinct and tissue‐specific protein isoforms with different classes of RNA targets. Nuclear Rbfox1 is a candidate master regulator that binds intronic UGCAUG elements to impact splicing efficiency of target alternative exons, many in transcripts for other splicing regulators. Tissue‐specificity of Rbfox‐mediated alternative splicing is executed by combinatorial regulation through the integrated activity of Rbfox proteins and synergistic or antagonistic splicing factors. Studies in animal models show that Rbfox1‐related genes are critical for diverse developmental processes including germ cell differentiation and memory in Drosophila, neuronal migration and function in mouse brain, myoblast fusion and skeletal muscle function, and normal heart function. Finally, genetic and biochemical evidence suggest that aberrations in Rbfox‐regulated circuitry are risk factors for multiple human disorders, especially neurodevelopmental disorders including epilepsy and autism, and cardiac hypertrophy. WIREs RNA 2017, 8:e1398. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1398

This article is categorized under:

RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing
Dietary Arachidonic Acid Has a Time‐Dependent Differential Impact on Adipogenesis Modulated via COX and LOX Pathways in Grass CarpCtenopharyngodon idellus
Authors: Tian Jing‐jing , Lei Cai‐xia , Ji Hong , Chen Li‐Qiao , Du Zhen‐Yu
Published: October 2016

In this study, we explored the function of arachidonic acid (ARA) in adipogenesis in the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) usingin vivoandin vitromodels. An 8‐week feeding trial was performed using three isonitrogenous and isoenergetic purified diets: ARA‐free, ARA, and ARA + acetylsalicylic acid [ASA, a cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor]. Fish were sampled after 4 and 8 weeks of feeding. Results showed that ARA‐fed fish had a significantly lower intraperitoneal fat index (IPFI) and smaller adipocytes; these decreases were reversed by ASA after 8 weeks of feeding. Nevertheless, at week 4, the IPFI and adipocyte size were higher in the ARA group, and they were comparable to those of fish fed ARA + ASA. To further investigate the influence of ARA on adipocyte differentiation, confluent pre‐adipocytes of grass carp were incubated with ARA for 3 days. Thisin vitroexperiment demonstrated that ARA promoted adipogenesis in a dose‐dependent manner. Pre‐treatment with the lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid attenuated the pro‐adipogenic function of ARA. However, after treatment with ARA for 8 days, adipocytes had a lower lipid content than cells treated with oleic acid, and ASA could suppress this effect. We thus revealed the dual function of ARA in adipogenesis in grass carp. The LOX pathway may play a key role in pro‐adipogenesis after short‐term treatment with ARA, whereas the COX pathway is possibly responsible for the inhibition of adipogenesis after long‐term treatment.
Self-thinning in four pine species: an evaluation of potential climate impacts
Authors: Brunet-Navarro Pau , Sterck Frank J. , Vayreda Jordi , Martinez-Vilalta Jordi , Mohren Godefridus M.J.
Published: October 2016

Key message

Self-thinning lines are species- and climate-specific, and they should be used when assessing the capacity of different forest stands to increase biomass/carbon storage.

Context

The capacity of forests to store carbon can help to mitigate the effects of atmospheric CO2 rise and climate change. The self-thinning relationship (average size measure ∼ stand density) has been used to identify the potential capacity of biomass storage at a given density and to evaluate the effect of stand management on stored carbon. Here, a study that shows how the self-thinning line varies with species and climate is presented.

Aims

Our main objective is thus testing whether species identity and climate affect the self-thinning line and therefore the potential amount of carbon stored in living biomass.

Methods

The Ecological and Forest Inventory of Catalonia was used to calculate the self-thinning lines of four common coniferous species in Catalonia, NE Iberian Peninsula (Pinus halepensis, Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris and Pinus uncinata). Quadratic mean diameter at breast height was chosen as the average size measure. The self-thinning lines were used to predict the potential diameter at a given density and study the effect of environmental variability.

Results

Species-specific self-thinning lines were obtained. The self-thinning exponent was consistent with the predicted values of −3/2 and −4/3 for mass-based scaling for all species except P. sylvestris. Species identity and climatic variability within species affected self-thinning line parameters.

Conclusion

Self-thinning lines are species-specific and are affected by climatic conditions. These relationships can be used to refine predictions of the capacity of different forest stands to increase biomass/carbon storage.
Alzheimer's disease severity, objectively determined and measured
Authors: Gross Alden L. , Mungas Dan M. , Leoutsakos Jeannie‐Marie S. , Albert Marilyn S. , Jones Richard N. ,   Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: October 2016

Introduction

With expansion of clinical trials to individuals across the spectrum of Alzheimer disease (AD) from preclinical to symptomatic phases, it is increasingly important to quantify AD severity using methods that capture underlying pathophysiology.

Methods

We derived an AD severity measure based on biomarkers from brain imaging, neuropathology, and cognitive testing using latent variable modeling. We used data from ADNI‐1 (N = 822) and applied findings to BIOCARD study (N = 349). We evaluated criterion validity for distinguishing diagnostic groups and construct validity by evaluating rates of change in AD severity.

Results

The AD severity factor cross‐sectionally distinguishes cognitively normal participants from MCI (AUC = 0.87) and AD dementia (AUC = 0.94). Among ADNI MCI subjects, worsening scores predict faster progression to AD dementia (HR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.13–1.22). In ADNI and BIOCARD, the pace of change in AD severity is steepest among progressors, with persisting differences by baseline diagnosis.

Discussion

Our content‐valid latent variable measurement model is a reasonable approach for grading AD severity across a broad spectrum beginning at preclinical stages of AD.
Alcance y gestión de la huella de carbono como elemento dinamizador del branding por parte de empresas que implementan estas prácticas ambientales en Colombia
Authors: Chacón Páez Irma , Pinzón Vargas Ana C. , Ortegón Cortázar Leonardo , Rojas Berrio Sandra Patricia
Published: October 2016

Esta investigación tiene como propósito explorar el uso de la huella de carbono (HdC) como herramienta de construcción de marca para las empresas en Colombia. Se abordó un método de dise˜no exploratorio con la técnica de entrevista en profundidad. Entre los resultados obtenidos, se encontró que el marketing ecológico y el branding son una oportunidad para el posicionamiento de las empresas con prácticas de la HdC, aunque aún la decisión de comunicarlo, como diferencial o ventaja competitiva, no está dentro de los proyectos futuros de las organizaciones indagadas, por cuanto existen factores externos que podrían cambiar o perjudicar su imagen, contrario a lo que evidencia la literatura previa en este ámbito. Como futura línea de investigación se propone abordar estos aspectos desde el punto de vista del consumidor y analizar el mercado internacional comparándolo con la dinámica nacional.
Strengthening accountability for improved maternal and newborn health: A mapping of studies in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Martin Hilber Adriane , Blake Carolyn , Bohle Leah F. , Bandali Sarah , Agbon Esther , Hulton Louise
Published: October 2016

Objective

To describe the types of maternal and newborn health program accountability mechanisms implemented and evaluated in recent years in Sub‐Saharan Africa, how these have been implemented, their effectiveness, and future prospects to improve governance and MNH outcomes.

Method

A structured review selected 38 peer‐reviewed papers between 2006 and 2016 in Sub‐Saharan Africa to include in the analysis.

Results

Performance accountability in MNH through maternal and perinatal death surveillance was the most common accountability mechanism used. Political and democratic accountability through advocacy, human rights, and global tracking of progress on indicators achieved greatest results when multiple stakeholders were involved. Financial accountability can be effective but depend on external support. Overall, this review shows that accountability is more effective when clear expectations are backed by social and political advocacy and multistakeholder engagement, and supported by incentives for positive action.

Conclusion

There are few accountability mechanisms in MNH in Sub‐Saharan Africa between decision‐makers and those affected by those decisions with both the power and the will to enforce answerability. Increasing accountability depends not only on how mechanisms are enforced but also, on how providers and managers understand accountability.
Prevention of tau increase in cerebrospinal fluid of APP transgenic mice suggests downstream effect of BACE1 inhibition
Authors: Schelle Juliane , Häsler Lisa M. , Göpfert Jens C. , Joos Thomas O. , Vanderstichele Hugo , Stoops Erik , Mandelkow Eva‐Maria , Neumann Ulf , Shimshek Derya R. , Staufenbiel Matthias , Jucker Mathias , Kaeser Stephan A.
Published: October 2016

Introduction

The inhibition of the β‐site amyloid precursor protein‐cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is a main therapeutic approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously reported an age‐related increase of tau protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of amyloid β (Aβ) precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice.

Methods

APP transgenic mice were treated with a potent BACE1 inhibitor. CSF tau and CSF Aβ levels were assessed. A novel high‐sensitivity tau sandwich immunoassay was developed.

Results

We demonstrate that long‐term BACE1 inhibition prevents CSF tau increase both in early‐depositing APP transgenic mice and APP transgenic mice with moderate Aβ pathology.

Discussion

Our results demonstrate that BACE1 inhibition not only reduces Aβ generation but also downstream AD pathophysiology. The tight correlation between Aβ aggregation in brain and CSF tau levels renders CSF tau a valuable marker to predict the effectiveness of BACE1 inhibitors in current clinical trials.
A cohort study on 10‐year survival of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma with somatic RET mutation
Authors: Chuang Li‐Lun , Hwang Daw‐Yang , Tsai Kun‐Bow , Chan Hon‐Man , Chiang Feng‐Yu , Hsiao Pi‐Jung
Published: October 2016

Somatic rearranged during transfection (RET) mutations are reported in 40–50% of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (sMTC) patients with prognostic significance. As there is a lack of somatic RET mutations reported previously for the Taiwanese population, we tried to assess the presence of somatic RET mutations and evaluate the potential outcome predictors for our sMTC patients. We collected data from seven sMTC patients from the years 1997 to 2005 and analyzed their clinic‐pathological features up to 2015. All patients were still alive to follow up for 11∼18 years. Tumor DNAs were extracted to assess exons 10–11 and 13–16, and the intron‐exon boundaries of the RET gene. Six cases (86%) were screened positive of somatic RET gene mutations in hotspot regions, one at M918T, one at C620R, and three at C634S, with another two rare mutations at L629Q and V642I. Comparing the current tumor, node, metastases staging system, the 10‐year survival outcomes for our sMTC patients was not predicted by serum calcitonin and/or carcinoembryonic antigen, surgical extent, and presence of the somatic RET gene mutations. The small cohort demonstrated a relatively good outcome of sMTC patients to survive >10 years. In addition, intensive treatment with total thyroidectomy with extensive neck lymph node dissection seemed to be the critical determinant of better survival outcome for sMTC patients.
Review of quantum collision dynamics in Debye plasmas
Authors: Janev R.K. , Zhang Songbin , Wang Jianguo
Published: October 2016

Hot, dense plasmas exhibit screened Coulomb interactions, resulting from the collective effects of correlated many-particle interactions. In the lowest particle correlation order (pair-wise correlations), the interaction between charged plasma particles reduces to the Debye–Hückel (Yukawa-type) potential, characterized by the Debye screening length. Due to the importance of Coulomb interaction screening in dense laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, hundreds of theoretical investigations have been carried out in the past few decades on the plasma screening effects on the electronic structure of atoms and their collision processes employing the Debye–Hückel screening model. The present article aims at providing a comprehensive review of the recent studies in atomic physics in Debye plasmas. Specifically, the work on atomic electronic structure, photon excitation and ionization, electron/positron impact excitation and ionization, and excitation, ionization and charge transfer of ion-atom/ion collisions will be reviewed.
Dynamics of global financial governance: Constraints, opportunities, and capacities in Asia
Authors: Woo J J , Ramesh M , Howlett Michael , Coban Mehmet Kerem
Published: October 2016

Policy design, or the deliberate governmental effort to attain desired policy objectives, is an integral part of micro and macro-level fiscal and financial regulation. This paper seeks to address the role of regime coherence and policy capacity in contributing to effective financial policy design. Drawing on the cases of the Global Financial Crisis and Asian Financial Crisis and focusing on Asian states, we assess regime capacity at both international and domestic levels. We argue that it is the integration of analytical, operational and political capacities that have contributed to the overall ability of a government regime to address and respond to crises.
Impact of process improvements on measures of emergency department efficiency
Authors: Leung Alexander K. , Whatley Shawn D. , Gao Dechang , Duic Marko
Published: October 2016

Objective

To study the operational impact of process improvements on emergency department (ED) patient flow. The changes did not require any increase in resources or expenditures.

Methods

This was a 36-month pre- and post-intervention study to evaluate the effect of implementing process improvements at a community ED from January 2010 to December 2012. The intervention comprised streamlining triage by having patients accepted into internal waiting areas immediately after triage. Within the ED, parallel processes unfolded, and there was no restriction on when registration occurred or which health care provider a patient saw first. Flexible nursing ratios allowed nursing staff to redeploy and move to areas of highest demand. Last, demand-based physician scheduling was implemented. The main outcome was length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcomes included time to physician initial assessment (PIA), left-without-being-seen (LWBS) rates, and left-against-medical-advice (LAMA) rates. Segmented regression of interrupted time series analysis was performed to quantify the impact of the intervention, and whether it was sustained.

Results

Patients totalling 251,899 attended the ED during the study period. Daily patient volumes increased 17.3% during the post-intervention period. Post-intervention, mean LOS decreased by 0.64 hours (p<0.005). LOS for non-admitted Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale 2 (-0.58 hours, p<0.005), 3 (-0.75 hours, p<0.005), and 4 (-0.32 hours, p<0.005) patients also decreased. There were reductions in PIA (43.81 minutes, p<0.005), LWBS (35.2%, p<0.005), and LAMA (61.9%, p<0.005).

Conclusion

A combination of process improvements in the ED was associated with clinically significant reductions in LOS, PIA, LWBS, and LAMA for non-resuscitative patients.
Feasibility of emergency department point-of-care ultrasound for rib fracture diagnosis in minor thoracic injury
Authors: Lalande Élizabeth , Guimont Chantal , Émond Marcel , Parent Marc Charles , Topping Claude , Kuimi Brice Lionel Batomen , Boucher Valérie , Le Sage Natalie
Published: October 2016

Objectives

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of emergency department (ED) point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) for rib fracture diagnosis in patients with minor thoracic injury (mTI). Secondary objectives were to 1) evaluate patients’ pain during the PoCUS procedure, 2) identify the limitations of the use of PoCUS technique, and 3) compare the diagnosis obtained with PoCUS to radiography results.

Methods

Adult patients who presented with clinical suspicion of rib fractures after mTI were included. All patients underwent PoCUS performed by emergency physicians (EPs) prior to a rib view X-ray. A visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 100 was used to ascertain feasibility, patients’ pain and clinicians’ degree of certitude. Feasibility was defined as a score of more than 50 on the VAS. We documented the radiologists’ interpretation of rib view X-ray. Radiologists were blinded to the PoCUS results.

Results

Ninety-six patients were included. A majority (65%) of EPs concluded that the PoCUS technique to diagnose rib fracture was feasible (VAS score > 50). Median score for feasibility was 63. Median score was 31 (Interquartile range [IQR] 5–57) for patients’ pain related to the PoCUS. The main limiting factor of the PoCUS technique was pain during patient examination (15%).

Conclusion

PoCUS examination appears to be a feasible technique for a rib fracture diagnosis in the ED.
Adorno’s Wrong Life Claim and the Concept of Despair
Authors: Whyman Tom
Published: October 2016

Adorno’s critical theory is distinguished by his affirming what I call the ‘Wrong Life Claim’ (WLC), the claim that everything in existence exhibits wrongness or badness. This claim is notoriously hard to justify. The WLC, as I describe it, appears to rest on two things: the first is a form of Hegelian social holism; the second is some experience of or fundamental orientation towards reality which can motivate an ‘inversion’ of said holism. In this paper, I will leave aside questions of whether Hegelian holism is itself justified, and instead focus my efforts on convincing already-convinced Hegelians of the plausibility of the WLC. My argument is that we can formulate a version of the WLC that stands a chance of convincing ‘the Hegelian’ by focusing on the Kierkegaardian heritage of Adorno’s ideas: specifically, by understanding Adornian ‘wrongness’ to be analogous to ‘despair’, a concept which Kierkegaard explores at length in The Sickness Unto Death.
SELEUCID-PARTHIAN FIGURINES FROM BABYLON IN THE NIPPUR COLLECTION: IMPLICATIONS OF MISATTRIBUTION AND RE-EVALUATING THE CORPUS
Authors: Langin-Hooper Stephanie M.
Published: October 2016

This article formally documents an important correction to the provenance attribution of three reclining female figurines from Babylon that reside in the Nippur collection at the University of Pennsylvania Museum and were published with that corpus. Few scholars have noticed the misattribution of these figurines, and the problem has not been formally documented for scholarship. Through historiographical analysis of the late nineteenth century Nippur Expeditions and early twentieth century cataloguing and publication of the Nippur corpus, this article reconstructs how and why these three reclining figurines have been continually misassociated with Nippur, and traces the continued impact of this confusion on scholarship's understanding of the Nippur figurine tradition. Most critically, the publication of these three figurines as Nippur objects lent credence to the testimony of an antiquities dealer who sold an additional eight reclining figurines “from Nippur” to the Harvard Semitic Museum; these figurines continue to be regarded as Nippur objects. This article casts doubt upon that provenance. The figurine tradition of Seleucid-Parthian Nippur is reevaluated in light of the absence of securely-provenanced reclining female figurines at that site. An art historical evaluation of these figurines is undertaken, which links these figurines to the general use of hybrid Greek-Babylonian imagery in Seleucid-Parthian figurines, and connects the specific motif of the reclining figure to Greek banqueting imagery. It is proposed that the Nippur community's lack of interest in reclining female figurines can be correlated with a disinterest in pan-Hellenistic ceramic tablewares; together, these lacunae indicate Nippur's non-participation in negotiated Greek-Babylonian banqueting practices. These differences in cross-cultural interaction between Nippur and the neighboring Babylonian communities have not been fully recognized nor explored, due to scholarship's misunderstanding of the use of reclining female figurines at that site. It is this confusion that this article attempts to resolve.
Living in Suspicion: Priests and Female Servants in Late Medieval England
Authors: Werner Janelle
Published: October 2016

This article examines ordinary priests in late medieval England who, despite clear guidelines to the contrary, employed and lived with female servants. Ecclesiastical legislation frequently and firmly warned priests against living with women, including servants, because of the potential for sexual temptation, scandal, or both. Historians have long assumed that most clerical households were homosocial, but looking closely at the living arrangements of ordinary parish priests reveals a different story. Evidence from the dioceses of Hereford and Lincoln suggests that elite clerical expectations were often ill-suited to the social and economic realities of parish life, and priests’ living arrangements reflect this incompatibility. Distrust of female clerical servants was heightened during periods of church reform, when these women bore the brunt of both reforming rhetoric and action.
Written in the Skies: Advertising, Technology, and Modernity in Britain since 1885
Authors: Taylor James
Published: October 2016

New technologies significantly increased the reach of advertising from the late nineteenth century. Some aspects of this phenomenon, such as advances in printing methods, are well known. Others, in particular its controversial leap into the sky, have received far less attention. Though no longer seen as the home of divine portents, the sky did not become “empty space” in the modern era: it was still freighted with significance. This meant that the various attempts made by entrepreneurs from the 1880s to bring advertising to the skies were often met with hostility, even panic. In exploring these responses, this article resists depicting opponents of aerial advertising as oversensitive aesthetes or technophobes. Rather, it explores the ways in which urbanization and commercial development imbued the sky with new meanings. The sky was imagined as man's most valuable connection to nature in an urban society, a precious but endangered part of the nation's heritage, and an essential counterweight to consumer society. Aerial advertising therefore represented an unjustifiable commercialization of a priceless public space. The rejection of this form of advertising did not involve denying modernity, but achieving an accommodation with it.
Diffusion in Congress: Measuring the Social Dynamics of Legislative Behavior
Authors: Lindstädt René , Vander Wielen Ryan J. , Green Matthew
Published: October 2016

While there is a substantial literature highlighting the presence of social dynamics in legislatures, we know very little about the precise processes that generate these social dynamics. Yet, whether social dynamics are due to peer pressure, frequency of interaction, or genuine learning, for example, has important implications for questions of political representation and accountability. We demonstrate how a recent innovation can be used to study the diffusion of behavior within legislatures. In particular, we study diffusion within the US House of Representatives by looking at the dynamic process underlying discharge petitions. The discharge procedure shares many characteristics with other forms of legislative behavior, yet it has one important advantage when it comes to studying social dynamics: we can observe when members decide to sign petitions. Based on data from 1995 to 2014, we find that the social dynamics underlying the discharge procedure tend to involve the rational evaluation of information conveyed by the behavior of previous petition signatories.
SOWING METHODS AND WATER LEVELS INFLUENCE APPLE SNAIL DAMAGE TO RICE AND ITS YIELD IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
Authors: ARFAN A. G. , MUHAMAD R. , OMAR D. , NOR AZWADY A. A. , MANJERI G.
Published: October 2016

Rice productivity is limited by many pests, especially Pomacea spp. in Southeast Asia. Pomacea spp. damage to rice depends on sowing methods, flooded conditions, and snail densities in the field. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of different sowing methods, water levels, and snail density (1, 2, and 3 snails per plot) on the damage potential of Pomacea maculata and Pomacea canaliculata to rice and its yield. Both species caused complete loss of crop in direct seeding and 14 days old transplanted rice. The least damage by both species was recorded in 21 and 28 days old transplanted rice with no further damage after week five. Irrigation and snail density also influenced damage whereby highest damage was recorded in rice grown with 5 cm water level in comparison to 2 cm. At 2 cm water level, damage by various snail densities was trivial. However, in 5 cm water level, damage increased with the increasing snail density and the highest damage was observed at three snails per plot of either species. No difference in inflicted damage to various treatments was observed between two species, suggesting their equal damage potential on rice. Meanwhile, rice yields in 2 cm water level treatments were compatible with 5 cm control treatment. The least yield was recorded in treatments with three snails per plot of either species at 5 cm water level. Understanding the effect of sowing method and suitable water level is important as it can be further incorporated into rice cultivation practices to reduce damage of apple snails and ensure a high yield during harvest.
Prognostic effect of pre- and post-admission antibiotic treatment in paediatric acute mastoiditis
Authors: Carmel E , Curotta J H , Cheng A T
Published: October 2016

Objective:

To evaluate the effect of pre- and post-admission antibiotic treatment in paediatric acute mastoiditis.

Design:

Retrospective study.

Method:

Eighty-eight children with acute mastoiditis, from 2003 to 2012, were studied to investigate the effect of antibiotic therapy on short and long-term sequelae.

Results:

The median period of antibiotic therapy immediately following hospital discharge was 10 days (range, 5–49 days; standard deviation = 7.46). There were no sequelae within the fortnight following antibiotic therapy completion, but 14 of 40 patients had significant sequelae thereafter, including recurrent otorrhoea, acute otitis media and ventilation tube insertion requirement. Complication rates were significantly higher among patients who had pre-admission antibiotic therapy (52 per cent), compared to patients previously untreated (27 per cent).

Conclusion:

Paediatric acute mastoiditis patients treated with antibiotic therapy prior to admission are at higher risk for complication development. The advised time period for oral antibiotic therapy following hospital discharge remains as 10 days in all cases of uncomplicated acute mastoiditis.
Usefulness of gel filtration fraction as potential biomarker for neurocysticercosis in serum: towards a new diagnostic tool
Authors: NUNES D. S. , GONZAGA H. T. , RIBEIRO V. S. , CUNHA-JÚNIOR J. P. , COSTA-CRUZ J. M.
Published: October 2016

There is an increasing interest in improving neurocysticercosis (NCC) diagnosis through the search of new and alternative antigenic sources, as those obtained from heterologous antigens. The aim of this study was to obtain potential biomarkers for NCC diagnosis after gel filtration chromatography [gel filtration fraction (GFF)] from the total saline extract (SE) from Taenia saginata metacestodes, followed by protein identification and application in immunodiagnostic. SE and GFF proteic profiles were characterized in gel electrophoresis, and diagnostic performance was verified by testing 160 serum samples through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting. Sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp) and other diagnostic parameters were calculated. Polypeptides of interest in the diagnosis of human NCC present at GFF were analysed by mass spectrometry (MS) and B-cell epitopes were predicted. GFF had the best diagnostic parameters: Se 93·3%; Sp 93%; AUC 0·990; LR+ = 13·42 and LR− = 0·07, and proved to be useful reacting with serum samples in immunoblotting. Proteic profile ranged from 64 to 68 kDa and enolase and calcium binding protein calreticulin precursor were identified after MS. The enolase and calcium-binding protein calreticulin precursor showed 18 and 10 predicted B-cell epitopes, respectively. In conclusion we identified important markers in the GFF with high efficiency to diagnose NCC.
Spectral tomographic analysis of Bremsstrahlung X-rays generated in a laser-produced plasma
Authors: Rhee Y.J. , Nam S.M. , Peebles J. , Sawada H. , Wei M. , Vaisseau X. , Sasaki T. , Giuffrida L. , Hulin S. , Vauzour B. , Santos J.J. , Batani D. , McLean H.S. , Patel P.K. , Li Y.T. , Yuan D.W. , Zhang K. , Zhong J.Y. , Fu C.B. , Hua N. , Li K. , Zhang Y. , Zhu J.Q. , Kim I.J. , Jeon J.H. , Jeong T.M. , Choi I.W. , Lee H.W. , Sung J.H. , Lee S.K. , Nam C.H.
Published: October 2016

A new approach is proposed to analyze Bremsstrahlung X-rays that are emitted from laser-produced plasmas (LPP) and are measured by a stack type spectrometer. This new method is based on a spectral tomographic reconstruction concept with the variational principle for optimization, without referring to the electron energy distribution of a plasma. This approach is applied to the analysis of some experimental data obtained at a few major laser facilities to demonstrate the applicability of the method. Slope temperatures of X-rays from LPP are determined with a two-temperature model, showing different spectral characteristics of X-rays depending on laser properties used in the experiments.