bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discretion versus prescription: Assessing the spatial impact of design regulations in apartments in Australia
Authors: Allouf David , Martel Andrew , March Alan
Published: January 2019

The Victorian Government introduced the Better Apartment Design Guidelines in 2017. The introduction of these new regulations is a response to growing criticism over the quality of the large number of apartments recently constructed in Melbourne. This concern is shared in other Australian cities, but until now Victorian planning regulations have been the least prescriptive and most permissive in terms of apartment design parameters of any Australian jurisdiction. Reflecting on these concerns raises several questions in terms of the effectiveness of regulating for quality. Does regulating design in apartments improve quality or stifle innovation? Can the effect be measured, given the large number of exogenous factors involved in apartment production, and what might this tell us about the nature of ‘good-design’ and ‘quality-in-apartments’? This study explores the way in which different development control systems regulating apartment design impact the quality of internal apartment design. The two systems chosen, operating in Victoria and New South Wales, have been considered per Booth’s framework of regulatory and discretionary development control systems with the previous Victorian system seen as discretionary and the New South Wales approach a mix of regulatory-discretionary controls. Ten planning applications for high-rise residential developments were selected from Melbourne and Sydney. These were analysed against a set of good design principles defined by reviewing relevant literature and existing regulations. The results of the paper suggest the intuition of the Victorian Government that some form of intervention in the market is warranted to safeguard quality is likely to be correct.
Assessing Post-Traumatic Tonic Immobility Responses: The Scale for Tonic Immobility Occurring Post-Trauma
Authors: Lloyd Chantelle S. , Lanius Ruth A. , Brown Matthew F. , Neufeld Richard J. , Frewen Paul A. , McKinnon Margaret C.
Published: January 2019

Background

Peri-traumatic tonic immobility has been associated with the development and course of post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite serving as an adaptive late-stage defense response, tonic immobility that continues in response to post-traumatic reminders may lead to reduced functioning and a diminished sense of well-being. At present, no validated self-report measures assess post-traumatic tonic immobility responses specifically.

Methods

The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the Scale for Tonic immobility Occurring Post-trauma (STOP), the first self-report measure developed to assess for the presence and severity of tonic immobility responses that persist following trauma exposure as part of post-traumatic symptomatology. Trauma-exposed clinical and non-clinical participants ( N = 462) with a history of tonic immobility completed a demographic questionnaire, the STOP, and measures of post-traumatic symptoms, dissociation, anxiety, and depression.

Results

STOP assessed four latent constructs, which were interpreted following the human defense cascade model. Together, these factors capture the sensorimotor and perceptual alterations , and dissociative experiences, associated with post-traumatic tonic immobility as a trauma-related altered state. Residual symptoms and the experience of negative affect following this response (including guilt and shame) are also represented. STOP scores demonstrated excellent reliability, as well as good construct and convergent validity, with other measures of dissociation and post-traumatic stress disorder. Results from the present study suggest tonic immobility is most consistent with other dissociative post-traumatic symptomatology.

Conclusions

STOP demonstrates excellent preliminary psychometric properties and may be useful for researchers and clinicians wishing to assess chronic forms of tonic immobility across trauma-exposed, clinical and community samples.
An Updated Recommendation for Multiple Comparisons
Authors: Sauder Derek C. , DeMars Christine E.
Published: January 2019

Instructors of introductory and intermediate statistics courses often teach the use of analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the purpose of comparing more than two group means and pairwise comparison procedures (PCPs) to determine which group means differ from one another following a statistically significant ANOVA test. SPSS provides 18 PCPs. The purpose of this study was to determine which PCP has the best power and maintains Type I error control both when assumptions of equal sample size and equal variance are met and when they are violated, so as to provide a single resource for use in introductory and intermediate applied statistics courses. Testing the PCPs with simulated data revealed that only the four tests developed to be used under assumption violations adequately controlled Type I error, so we recommend using one of these procedures. Power results were similar for all four of these tests, but were slightly higher for the Games-Howell test than for the others.
Early Stages in the Institutionalization of Integrated Project Delivery
Authors: Hall Daniel M. , Scott W. Richard
Published: January 2019

Integrated project delivery (IPD), an emerging form of project organization for North American construction projects, offers a compelling case study to understand how new innovative infrastructure project delivery models can emerge and institutionalize. This article frames the early stages of IPD through the actions of an institutional entrepreneur—Sutter Health—working to construct a new arrangement for the delivery of its large healthcare projects. The resulting account uses Suchman’s (1995) multistage model of institutionalization to understand the early-stage actors, processes, conditions, and actions present for creation of an innovative delivery model within a fragmented, project-based industry context.
MAA868, a novel FXI antibody with a unique binding mode, shows durable effects on markers of anticoagulation in humans
Authors: Koch Alexander W. , Schiering Nikolaus , Melkko Samu , Ewert Stefan , Salter Janeen , Zhang Yiming , McCormack Peter , Yu Jianying , Huang Xueming , Chiu Yu-Hsin , Chen Zhiping , Schleeger Simone , Horny Geraldine , DiPetrillo Keith , Muller Lionel , Hein Andreas , Villard Frederic , Scharenberg Meike , Ramage Paul , Hassiepen Ulrich , Côté Serge , DeGagne Julie , Krantz Carsten , Eder Jörg , Stoll Brian , Kulmatycki Kenneth , Feldman David L. , Hoffmann Peter , Basson Craig T. , Frost Robert J. A. , Khder Yasser
Published: January 2019

A large unmet medical need exists for safer antithrombotic drugs because all currently approved anticoagulant agents interfere with hemostasis, leading to an increased risk of bleeding. Genetic and pharmacologic evidence in humans and animals suggests that reducing factor XI (FXI) levels has the potential to effectively prevent and treat thrombosis with a minimal risk of bleeding. We generated a fully human antibody (MAA868) that binds the catalytic domain of both FXI (zymogen) and activated FXI. Our structural studies show that MAA868 traps FXI and activated FXI in an inactive, zymogen-like conformation, explaining its equally high binding affinity for both forms of the enzyme. This binding mode allows the enzyme to be neutralized before entering the coagulation process, revealing a particularly attractive anticoagulant profile of the antibody. MAA868 exhibited favorable anticoagulant activity in mice with a dose-dependent protection from carotid occlusion in a ferric chloride–induced thrombosis model. MAA868 also caused robust and sustained anticoagulant activity in cynomolgus monkeys as assessed by activated partial thromboplastin time without any evidence of bleeding. Based on these preclinical findings, we conducted a first-in-human study in healthy subjects and showed that single subcutaneous doses of MAA868 were safe and well tolerated. MAA868 resulted in dose- and time-dependent robust and sustained prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time and FXI suppression for up to 4 weeks or longer, supporting further clinical investigation as a potential once-monthly subcutaneous anticoagulant therapy.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Knockdown of FOXO3a induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition and promotes metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma by activation of the β-catenin/TCF4 pathway through SPRY2
Authors: Li Jun , Yang Rumeng , Dong Yuting , Chen Manyao , Wang Yu , Wang Guoping
Published: January 2019

Background

Early invasion and metastasis are responsible for the dismal prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is recognized as a crucial biological progress in driving tumor invasion and metastasis. The transcription factor FOXO3a is inactivated in various types of solid cancers and the loss of FOXO3a is associated with EMT and tumor metastasis. In this study, we sought to explore whether SPRY2, a regulator of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling, is involved in FOXO3a-mediated EMT and metastasis in PDAC.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry was performed in 130 paired PDAC tissues and paracarcinomatous pancreatic tissues. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were assessed by cell counting kit and flow cytometry, while cell migration and invasion were evaluated with wound healing and transwell assays. The changes in mRNA and protein levels were estimated by qRT-PCR and western blot. BALB/c nude mice xenograft model was established to evaluate tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo.

Results

FOXO3a expression was remarkably reduced in PDAC tissues, and correlated with metastasis-associated clinicopathologic characteristics and poor prognosis in patients with PDAC. In addition to the promotion of proliferation and suppression of apoptosis, knockdown of FOXO3a or SPRY2 induced EMT and promoted the migration and invasion of PDAC cells via activation of the β-catenin/TCF4 pathway. Moreover, silencing of SPRY2 reversed the suppressor effects induced by FOXO3a overexpression on EMT-associated migration and invasion of PDAC cells, while blockade of β-catenin reversed the effects of SPRY2 loss. FOXO3a knockdown decreased SPRY2 protein stability, whereas SPRY2 knockdown enhanced β-catenin protein stability. In vivo, FOXO3a knockdown promoted the tumorigenic ability and metastasis of PDAC cells.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that knockdown of FOXO3a induces EMT and promotes metastasis of PDAC by activation of the β-catenin/TCF4 pathway through SPRY2. Thus, FOXO3a may represent a candidate therapeutic target in PDAC.
TrkB expression and dependence divides gustatory neurons into three subpopulations
Authors: Rios-Pilier Jennifer , Krimm Robin F.
Published: January 2019

Background

During development, gustatory (taste) neurons likely undergo numerous changes in morphology and expression prior to differentiation into maturity, but little is known this process or the factors that regulate it. Neuron differentiation is likely regulated by a combination of transcription and growth factors. Embryonically, most geniculate neuron development is regulated by the growth factor brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Postnatally, however, BDNF expression becomes restricted to subpopulations of taste receptor cells with specific functions. We hypothesized that during development, the receptor for BDNF, tropomyosin kinase B receptor (TrkB), may also become developmentally restricted to a subset of taste neurons and could be one factor that is differentially expressed across taste neuron subsets.

Methods

We used transgenic mouse models to label both geniculate neurons innervating the oral cavity (Phox2b+), which are primarily taste, from those projecting to the outer ear (auricular neurons) to label TrkB expressing neurons (TrkBGFP). We also compared neuron number, taste bud number, and taste receptor cell types in wild-type animals and conditional TrkB knockouts.

Results

Between E15.5-E17.5, TrkB receptor expression becomes restricted to half of the Phox2b + neurons. This TrkB downregulation was specific to oral cavity projecting neurons, since TrkB expression remained constant throughout development in the auricular geniculate neurons (Phox2b-). Conditional TrkB removal from oral sensory neurons (Phox2b+) reduced this population to 92% of control levels, indicating that only 8% of these neurons do not depend on TrkB for survival during development. The remaining neurons failed to innervate any remaining taste buds, 14% of which remained despite the complete loss of innervation. Finally, some types of taste receptor cells (Car4+) were more dependent on innervation than others (PLCβ2+).

Conclusions

Together, these findings indicate that TrkB expression and dependence divides gustatory neurons into three subpopulations: 1) neurons that always express TrkB and are TrkB-dependent during development (50%), 2) neurons dependent on TrkB during development but that downregulate TrkB expression between E15.5 and E17.5 (41%), and 3) neurons that never express or depend on TrkB (9%). These TrkB-independent neurons are likely non-gustatory, as they do not innervate taste buds.
Experimental Study and Analytical Modeling on Fatigue Properties of Pervious Concrete Made with Natural and Recycled Aggregates
Authors: Chen Xudong , Shi Dandan , Shen Nan , Li Shengtao , Liu Saisai
Published: January 2019

As a solid pollutant, the recycled aggregate can be reused to replace the natural aggregate to cast pervious concrete, promoting resource recycling and reducing environmental pollution. Pervious concrete is usually applied to transportation engineering as pavements and decks, which are often subjected to fatigue loads in service. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the fatigue mechanical properties of pervious concrete. In this study, four-point cyclic bending loading test of natural aggregate pervious concrete and recycled aggregate pervious concrete were conducted under four different stress levels. By analyzing the experimental results, the mechanical performances, including hysteresis curve characteristics, damping ratio, dynamic elastic modulus and cyclic strain, of two kinds of pervious concrete under cyclic loading were revealed. Based on the improved EPF model, the relationship between fracture parameters, plastic strain and unloading strain were obtained. Besides, the relationship between the loading cycles and the ratio of plastic strain to unloading strain was received according to fatigue testing data under different stress levels. Further, the simplified fatigue model of pervious concrete was proposed and the experimental data was fitted with the model results. The fitting result reached a good agreement.
Survival analysis and mortality predictors of hospitalized severe burn victims in a Malaysian burns intensive care unit
Authors: Tan Chor Lip Henry , Tan Jih Huei , Thomas Mathew , Imran Farrah-Hani , Azmah Tuan Mat Tuan Nur’
Published: January 2019

Background

Prognostic measures to determine burn mortality are essential in evaluating the severity of individual burn victims. This is an important process of triaging patients with high risk of mortality that may be nursed in the acute care setting. Malaysian burn research is lacking with only one publication identified which describes the epidemiology of burn victims. Therefore, the objective of this study was to go one step further and identify the predictors of burn mortality from a Malaysian burns intensive care unit (BICU) which may be used to triage patients at higher risk of death.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study of all admissions to Hospital Sultan Ismail’s BICU from January 2010 till October 2015. Admission criteria were in accordance with the American Burn Association guidelines, and risk factors of interest were recorded. Data was analyzed using simple logistic regression to determine significant predictors of mortality. Survival analysis with time to death event was performed using the Kaplan-Meier survival curve with log-rank test.

Results

Through the 6-year period, 393 patients were admitted with a male preponderance of 73.8%. The mean age and length of stay were 35.6 (±15.72) years and 15.3 (±18.91) days. There were 48 mortalities with an overall mortality rate of 12.2%. Significant risk factors identified on simple logistic regression were total body surface area (TBSA) > 20% (p < 0.001), inhalation injury (p < 0.001) and presence of early systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) (p < 0.001). Survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed similar results with TBSA > 20%, presence of SIRS, mechanical ventilation and inhalation injury which were associated with poorer survival (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The predictors of mortality identified in a Malaysian BICU were TBSA > 20%, early SIRS, mechanical ventilation and inhalation injury which were associated with poorer survival outcome. The immunological response differs from individual patients and influenced by the severity of burn injury. Early SIRS on admission is an important predictor of death and may represent the severity of burn injury. Patients who required mechanical ventilation were associated with mortality and it is likely related to the severity of pulmonary insults sustained by individual patients. This data is important for outcome prognostication and mortality risk counselling in severely burned patients.
Understanding the Dynamics of T-Cell Activation in Health and Disease Through the Lens of Computational Modeling
Authors: Rohrs Jennifer A. , Wang Pin , Finley Stacey D.
Published: January 2019

T cells in the immune system are activated by binding to foreign peptides (from an external pathogen) or mutant peptide (derived from endogenous proteins) displayed on the surface of a diseased cell. This triggers a series of intracellular signaling pathways, which ultimately dictate the response of the T cell. The insights from computational models have greatly improved our understanding of the mechanisms that control T-cell activation. In this review, we focus on the use of ordinary differential equation–based mechanistic models to study T-cell activation. We highlight several examples that demonstrate the models’ utility in answering specific questions related to T-cell activation signaling, from antigen discrimination to the feedback mechanisms that initiate transcription factor activation. In addition, we describe other modeling approaches that can be combined with mechanistic models to bridge time scales and better understand how intracellular signaling events, which occur on the order of seconds to minutes, influence phenotypic responses of T-cell activation, which occur on the order of hours to days. Overall, through concrete examples, we emphasize how computational modeling can be used to enable the rational design and optimization of immunotherapies.
Loss of Frrs1l disrupts synaptic AMPA receptor function, and results in neurodevelopmental, motor, cognitive and electrographical abnormalities
Authors: Stewart Michelle , Lau Petrina , Banks Gareth , Bains Rasneer Sonia , Castroflorio Enrico , Oliver Peter L. , Dixon Christine L. , Kruer Michael C. , Kullmann Dimitri M. , Acevedo-Arozena Abraham , Wells Sara E. , Corrochano Silvia , Nolan Patrick M.
Published: January 2019

Loss of function mutations in the human AMPA receptor-associated protein, ferric chelate reductase 1-like (FRRS1L), are associated with a devastating neurological condition incorporating choreoathetosis, cognitive deficits and epileptic encephalopathies. Furthermore, evidence from overexpression and ex vivo studies have implicated FRRS1L in AMPA receptor biogenesis, suggesting that changes in glutamatergic signalling might underlie the disorder. Here, we investigated the neurological and neurobehavioural correlates of the disorder using a mouse Frrs1l null mutant. The study revealed several neurological defects that mirrored those seen in human patients. We established that mice lacking Frrs1l suffered from a broad spectrum of early-onset motor deficits with no progressive, age-related deterioration. Moreover, Frrs1l−/− mice were hyperactive irrespective of test environment, exhibited working memory deficits and displayed significant sleep fragmentation. Longitudinal electroencephalographic recordings also revealed abnormal EEG in Frrs1l−/− mice. Parallel investigations into disease aetiology identified a specific deficiency in AMPA receptor levels in the brain of Frrs1l−/− mice, while the general levels of several other synaptic components remained unchanged with no obvious alterations in the number of synapses. Furthermore, we established that Frrsl1 deletion results in an increased proportion of immature AMPA receptors, indicated by incomplete glycosylation of GLUA2 and GLUA4 AMPA receptor proteins. This incomplete maturation leads to cytoplasmic retention and a reduction of those specific AMPA receptor levels in the postsynaptic membrane. Overall, this study determines, for the first time in vivo, how loss of FRRS1L function can affect glutamatergic signalling and provides mechanistic insight into the development and progression of a human hyperkinetic disorder.
Zone Pricing in Retail Oligopoly
Authors: Adams Brian , Williams Kevin R.
Published: January 2019

We quantify the welfare effects of zone pricing, or setting common prices across distinct markets, in retail oligopoly. Although monopolists can only increase profits by price discriminating, this need not be true when firms face competition. With novel data covering the retail home-improvement industry, we find that Home Depot would benefit from finer pricing but that Lowe’s would prefer coarser pricing. Zone pricing softens competition in markets where firms compete, but it shields consumers from higher prices in rural markets, where firms might otherwise exercise market power. Overall, zone pricing produces higher consumer surplus than finer price discrimination does. (JEL D43, L13, L81, M31, R32)
The prevalence of intraepithelial lesions in preventive examinations carried out in the “legal amazon” region
Authors: De Jezus Sonia Vivian , Masochini Rosângela Guerino , Cunha Alan Nogueira da , De Oliveira Vanessa
Published: January 2019

Introduction: Cervical cancer is a public health problem, and tracking of the disease must follow a set of organized programmed actions, with populations and periodicity defined. Objective: Identifying the prevalence of intraepithelial lesions in preventive examinations performed in the municipality of Sinop- MT between 2010 and 2013. Methods: Statistical data obtained using the DATASUS/SISCOLO system were used. Results: When considering the descriptive diagnosis for cellular alterations, 412 and 167 altered exams with low- and high-grade intraepithelial lesions (respectively) were found. The evalence of both low-grade (25.45%) and high-grade (10.32%) intraepithelial lesions were higher outside of the recommended age range (25-64 years). Conclusions: Studies on the prevention of cervical cancer are extremely relevant in order to analyze the coverage of screening in areas served by basic health units and to understand the factors associated with non-adherence of women to preventive examination. It is noteworthy that during the time period analyzed, women in the municipality of Sinop did not fulfill the municipal goal.
Fenilcetonúria associada à alergia à proteína do leite de vaca
Authors: De Menezes Rafaela Soares Barros , Ribeiro Erlane Marques , Coelho Fabiana Maria Silva , Nogueira Hildenia Baltasar Ribeiro
Published: January 2019

Introdução: a fenilcetonúria (PKU) é uma doença do metabolismo da fanilalanina cujo tratamento se baseia na introdução precoce de uma fórmula com restrição de fenilalanina. Relato do caso: uma menina, com diagnóstico de PKU a partir da triagem neonatal, com 82 dias de vida, recebeu tratamento dietético com fórmula com restrição de fenilalanina associada à fórmula láctea e desenvolveu alergia à proteína do leite de vaca (APLV) com sintomas cutâneos e gastrointestinais. Conclusão: o manejo dietético da PKU pode precipitar a ocorrência da APLV.
Fatores de risco modificáveis na sobrevida de pacientes submetidos à hemodiálise
Authors: Kock Kelser de Souza , Breda Neto João Antônio , Borges Lohrayne de Paula
Published: January 2019

Introdução: a doença renal crônica (DRC) é definida pela presença de alterações renais, por um período maior que três meses. Mesmo com a terapia de hemodiálise para substituir a função renal, há uma redução importante na sobrevida desses pacientes. Objetivo: avaliar o impacto dos fatores de risco modificáveis na sobrevida de pacientes renais crônicos. Método: coorte prospectiva realizada na Clínica Doenças Renais localizada em Tubarão-SC. Foram coletados idade, sexo, índice de massa corporal (IMC), tabagismo, tempo de hemodiálise, causa DRC, taxa de filtração glomerular, força de preensão manual e nível de atividade física. Após 20 meses de acompanhamento, foi analisado o efeito dessas variáveis na mortalidade. Resultados: foram avaliados 122 pacientes, sendo 74 (60,7%) homens com média de idade de 59,4 ± 14,0 anos e IMC médio 24,3 ± 5,0 kg/m2. Durante o período de acompanhamento foram contabilizados 73 (59,8%) sobreviventes, 31 (25,4%) óbitos, 12 (9,8%) transplantes e 6 (4,9%) transferências. Na comparação dos grupos não óbito e óbito, foi observada diferença estatística apenas na presença de tabagismo com risco relativo de 5,975 (IC 95% 2,146–16,663) p=0,001. Conclusão: o tabagismo está diretamente relacionado à mortalidade em indivíduos com doença renal crônica em hemodiálise.
Avaliação da mobilidade de escorpiões Tityus serrulatus em área de infestação urbana de Americana, São Paulo, Brasil
Authors: Brasil Jardel , Brites-Neto José
Published: January 2019

Introdução: A avaliação da dispersão e das modificações de habitat das espécies de escorpiões de importância médica acrescentam importantes informações sobre sua ocorrência em áreas urbanas. Objetivo: A mobilidade da espécie Tityus serrulatus foi avaliada em focos de infestação de áreas antropizadas do município de Americana, Estado de São Paulo. Métodos: Os espécimes foram capturados em um cemitério municipal, sendo individualmente marcados, em quatro grupos de 200 indivíduos, com cores diferenciadas. Posteriormente, foram soltos no centro da respectiva área em que foram capturados, sem controle individual. Foram realizadas varreduras periódicas em uma área circular, com raio de leitura estabelecido a cada 4 metros, havendo o registro de localização dos animais marcados que foram recapturados. Os dados experimentais foram coletados no período de agosto de 2014 a novembro de 2016, durante 28 meses de atividades (359 horas de observação). As recapturas dos espécimes foram realizadas em período diurno, no primeiro ano (221 horas), por meio da inspeção de 5.021 sepulturas e em período noturno no segundo ano (138 horas), com 3.053 sepulturas vistoriadas. Resultados: Foram evidenciadas, uma distância mínima de 2,13 metros no 1º dia de leitura e uma distância máxima de 29,34 metros no 68º dia de leitura, em foco de infestaçãourbana. Conclusão: Os resultados obtidos neste experimento contribuem para um melhor entendimento da dispersão de T. serrulatus em áreas urbanas, visando o controle e a prevenção de riscos de acidentes junto à população, com enfoque nas estratégias de controle químico dessa espécie.
Recent advances in managing and understanding Klinefelter syndrome
Authors: Bearelly Priyanka , Oates Robert
Published: January 2019

Klinefelter syndrome can present as a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations at various stages in life, making it a chromosomal disorder with no standardized set of guidelines for appropriate management. Understanding the genetic and hormonal causes of this syndrome can allow physicians to treat each patient on a more individualized basis. The timing of diagnosis and degree of symptoms can guide management. This report will provide an updated review of the clinical presentation at various stages in life and the implications for management.
Tumour necrosis factor signalling in health and disease
Authors: Holbrook Jonathan , Lara-Reyna Samuel , Jarosz-Griffiths Heledd , McDermott Michael F.
Published: January 2019

The master pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumour necrosis factor (TNF), has been shown to modulate multiple signalling pathways, with wide-ranging downstream effects. TNF plays a vital role in the typical immune response through the regulation of a number of pathways encompassing an immediate inflammatory reaction with significant innate immune involvement as well as cellular activation with subsequent proliferation and programmed cell death or necrosis. As might be expected with such a broad spectrum of cellular effects and complex signalling pathways, TNF has also been implicated in a number of disease states, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and Crohn’s disease. Since the time of its discovery over 40 years ago, TNF ligand and its receptors, TNF receptor (TNFR) 1 and 2, have been categorised into two complementary superfamilies, namely TNF (TNFSF) and TNFR (TNFRSF), and 19 ligands and 29 receptors have been identified to date. There have been significant advances in our understanding of TNF signalling pathways in the last decade, and this short review aims to elucidate some of the most recent advances involving TNF signalling in health and disease.
Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Das Aritra , Sai Mala Guntur , Singh Ram Shankar , Majumdar Amlan , Chatterjee Rahul , Chaudhuri Indrajit , Mahapatra Tanmay
Published: January 2019

Background:  Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first six months of life is considered a high impact, but low-cost, measure for improving nutritional status, and reducing morbidity and mortality among children. However, providing prelacteal feed to a newborn, a widely practiced custom in rural India, is a major barrier to the practice of EBF.  The present study evaluated the association between provision of prelacteal feeding and continuation of EBF among children up to 3 months age in Bihar, a resource-poor Indian state.

Methods: Data from four rounds of a population-based multi-stage sampling survey, conducted in 8 districts of Bihar between 2012 and 2013, was used for the present analysis. Using simple and adjusted logistic regression modelling, we tested the association of providing prelacteal feeding with two outcome measures - 1) giving only breastmilk during the last 24 hours, and 2) exclusively breastfed (EBF) since birth (excluding the first 3 days of life).

Results: Among 10,262 children for whom prelacteal feeding data was available, 26% received prelacteal feeding. About 55% mothers reported that their children were exclusively breastfed, whereas 82% mothers provided only breastmilk to their children during the previous 24 hours. Children who received prelacteal feeding had approximately 60% lesser odds of being breastfed exclusively during the previous 24 hours [AOR = 0.39(0.33-0.47)] and 80% lesser odds of receiving continued EBF since birth [AOR = 0.20(0.17-0.24)].

Conclusions: Frontline workers (FLW) provide nutritional counselling to mothers and children of rural India. In order to improve uptake of EBF, the families practicing prelacteal feeding should be identified early and subjected to intensive counselling by FLWs.
Humble Connexivity
Authors: Kapsner Andreas
Published: January 2019

In this paper, I review the motivation of connexive and strongly connexive logics, and I investigate the question why it is so hard to achieve those properties in a logic with a well motivated semantic theory. My answer is that strong connexivity, and even just weak connexivity, is too stringent a requirement. I introduce the notion of humble connexivity, which in essence is the idea to restrict the connexive requirements to possible antecedents. I show that this restriction can be well motivated, while it still leaves us with a set of requirements that are far from trivial. In fact, formalizing the idea of humble connexivity is not as straightforward as one might expect, and I offer three different proposals. I examine some well known logics to determine whether they are humbly connexive or not, and I end with a more wide-focused view on the logical landscape seen through the lens of humble connexivity.formalizing the idea of humble connexivity is not as straightforward as one might expect, andI offer three different proposals. I examine some well known logics to determine whether theyare humbly connexive or not, and I end with a more wide-focused view on the logical landscapeseen through the lens of humble connexivity.
Bi-Classical Connexive Logic and its Modal Extension: Cut-elimination, completeness and duality
Authors: Kamide Norihiro
Published: January 2019

In this study, a new paraconsistent four-valued logic called bi-classical connexive logic (BCC) is introduced as a Gentzen-type sequent calculus. Cut-elimination and completeness theorems for BCC are proved, and it is shown to be decidable. Duality property for BCC is demonstrated as its characteristic property. This property does not hold for typical paraconsistent logics with an implication connective. The same results as those for BCC are also obtained for MBCC, a modal extension of BCC.
The Impact of Twitter Adoption on Lawmakers’ Voting Orientations
Authors: Mousavi Reza , Gu Bin
Published: January 2019

Social media has been found to be influential in a variety of contexts. From mobilizing the crowd in social movements to helping refugees settle into a new country, social media has had a significant impact. This study examines the role of social media in Congressional representation in a democratic political system. The authors study the impact of U.S. Representatives’ Twitter adoption on their voting orientations in the 111th U.S. Congress. The authors find that Representatives’ adoption of Twitter causes them to vote more in line with their constituents. Furthermore, the effect of Twitter adoption is more salient when a Representative’s party differs from the party affiliation of the constituent or when the Representative represents a Twitter-savvy state. The results also indicate that the volume of tweets directed at Representatives signals the importance of certain bills to constituents. When Representatives vote on bills that are the focus of a large volume of constituents’ tweets, Representatives vote in a manner more aligned with their constituents’ opinions. Interestingly, the opinions the tweets express do not significantly influence their votes, suggesting that Representatives are aware of the potential bias in opinions cascaded in tweets.
Creation and Consumption of Mobile Word of Mouth: How Are Mobile Reviews Different?
Authors: Ransbotham Sam , Lurie Nicholas H. , Liu Hongju
Published: January 2019

Mobile users can create word of mouth wherever they are and whenever they want, leading to differences in the content and consumption value of mobile versus nonmobile word of mouth.
Overcommitment in Cloud Services: Bin Packing with Chance Constraints
Authors: Cohen Maxime C. , Keller Philipp W. , Mirrokni Vahab , Zadimoghaddam Morteza
Published: January 2019

This paper considers a traditional problem of resource allocation: scheduling jobs on machines. One such recent application is cloud computing; jobs arrive in an online fashion with capacity requirements and need to be immediately scheduled on physical machines in data centers. It is often observed that the requested capacities are not fully utilized, hence offering an opportunity to employ an overcommitment policy, that is, selling resources beyond capacity. Setting the right overcommitment level can yield a significant cost reduction for the cloud provider while only inducing a very low risk of violating capacity constraints. We introduce and study a model that quantifies the value of overcommitment by modeling the problem as bin packing with chance constraints. We then propose an alternative formulation that transforms each chance constraint to a submodular function. We show that our model captures the risk pooling effect and can guide scheduling and overcommitment decisions. We also develop a family of online algorithms that are intuitive, easy to implement, and provide a constant factor guarantee from optimal. Finally, we calibrate our model using realistic workload data and test our approach in a practical setting. Our analysis and experiments illustrate the benefit of overcommitment in cloud services and suggest a cost reduction of 1.5% to 17%, depending on the provider’s risk tolerance.

The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2018.3091 .

This paper was accepted by Yinyu Ye, optimization.
Vulnerability Analysis of the Financial Network
Authors: Khabazian Aein , Peng Jiming
Published: January 2019

Since the financial crisis in 2007–2008, the vulnerability of a financial system has become a major concern in financial engineering. In this paper, we analyze the vulnerability of a financial network based on the linear optimization model introduced by Eisenberg and Noe [Eisenberg L, Noe TH (2001) Systemic risk in financial systems. Management Sci. 47(2):236–249.], in which the right-hand side of the constraints is subject to market shock and only limited information regarding the liability matrix is exposed. We develop a new extended sensitivity analysis to characterize the conditions under which a bank is solvent, in default, or bankrupted and estimate the probability of insolvency and the probability of bankruptcy under mild conditions on the market shock and the network structure. Particularly, we show that although an increment in the total asset may not be able to improve the stability of the financial system, a larger asset inequality in the system will reduce its stability. Moreover, under a certain assumption on the market shock and the network structure, we show that the least stable network can be attained at some network with a monopoly node, which also has the highest probability of insolvency. The probability of bankruptcy in the network when all the nodes receive shocks is estimated. We also estimate the impact of bankruptcy of the monopoly node in a well-balanced network and explore the domino effect of bankruptcy when the network has a tridiagonal structure. Numerical experiments are presented to verify the theoretical conclusions.

This paper was accepted by Melvyn Sim, optimization.
Algumas reflexões sobre Enem, Letramento e Exclusão Escolar
Authors: Oliveira Helen Vieira , Senna Luiz Antônio Gomes
Published: January 2019

O presente estudo busca realizar uma reflexão acerca das relações transversais entre o Enem, o Letramento e a Exclusão Escolar, tendo como objetivos: a) verificar em que medida o Enem está contemplando os diferentes gêneros textuais na prova de redação; b) discutir suas implicações para os modelos de ensino do letramento do Ensino Médio; c) analisar como tal modelo influencia na exclusão escolar. A discussão está orientada pelas contribuições teóricas de efeito retroativo, letramento, gêneros textuais e exclusão escolar, concentrando-se na análise das últimas nove provas de redação. Concluiu-se que o exame contribui para o ensino de letramento escolar e que não leva em consideração o sujeito e o desenvolvimento de suas habilidades e competências no que se refere às práticas sociais.
TARJA PRETA: EXPERIÊNCIAS INTERCULTURAIS EM UMA ESCOLA DA PERIFERIA
Authors: De Lima Rogerio Mendes , Da Silva Fernanda Dos Santos Vallim
Published: January 2019

O artigo apresenta um conjunto de reflexões e experiências oriundas da uma pesquisa de Mestrado que buscou implementar práticas pedagógicas interculturais nas aulas de Língua Portuguesa em uma turma de 8º ano do ensino fundamental da rede municipal de Belford Roxo no Rio de Janeiro com o objetivo de provocar nas/nos estudantes questionamentos sobre as dominações de raça e gênero presentes na sociedade e no espaço escolar. Parte-se da premissa de que a escola é uma das instituições formadoras das identidades sociais de raça e de gênero. Nesse sentido, faz-se necessário repensar as práticas pedagógicas de modo que elas favoreçam uma problematização dos processos de construção dessas identidades. Em especial, através um conjunto de intervenções procurou-se provocar nas estudantes negras reflexões que favoreçam uma busca dessas estudantes por mudanças na realidade marcada pela dominação racial e de gênero a que são submetidas cotidianamente. Os resultados obtidos permitem considerar por um lado, a necessidade de reflexão sobre os processos de formação das identidades de meninas negras e, por outro, que recursos didático-pedagógicos que adotem a perspectiva da decolonialidade podem contribuir para a (re)construção e o surgimento de novas práticas e saberes entre estudantes que ressignifiquem o ser mulher e menina negra em nossa sociedade.
The effect of antibiotic timing on culture yield in paediatric osteoarticular infection
Authors: van der Merwe M. , Rooks K. , Crawford H. , Frampton C. M. A. , Boyle M. J.
Published: January 2019

Purpose To assess the influence of antibiotic timing on surgical culture yield in paediatric patients with haematogenous osteoarticular infection. Methods All patients aged 0 to 15 years admitted to a National Children's Hospital with the diagnosis of acute, haematogenous, osteoarticular infection (osteomyelitis and/or septic arthritis) between June 1997 and December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Only patients with positive blood cultures undergoing surgery for culture and debridement were included. Patients were allocated into pre-treatment and post-treatment groups, according to whether they received antibiotics before or after surgical cultures were obtained. Outcomes measured included baseline variables, treatment characteristics and surgical culture yield. Results A total of 131 patients were included; 107 patients in the pre-treatment group and 24 patients in the post-treatment group. There was no significant difference with respect to patient age (p = 0.870), white blood cell count (p = 0.197), ethnicity (p = 0.203) or infection multi-focality (p = 0.883) between the two groups. The administration of systemic antibiotics prior to obtaining surgical cultures had no clinically significant effect on surgical culture yield (rate of positive surgical cultures, 85% (pre-treatment) versus 54.2% (post-treatment); p = 0.002). Within the pre-treatment group, there was no significant difference in duration of pre-surgical antibiotic treatment between patients who had positive or negative surgical cultures (mean duration, 45.9 hours (positive cultures) versus 47.9 hours (negative cultures); p = 0.743). Conclusion In paediatric patients with acute, haematogenous, osteoarticular infection, antibiotic administration before surgery does not decrease surgical culture yield. Our results suggest that paediatric patients presenting with suspected osteoarticular infection should receive appropriate systemic antibiotics promptly after blood cultures are obtained. Level of Evidence Level III - retrospective case-control study
Current status of bone cementing and bone grafting for giant cell tumour of bone: a systemic review
Authors: Vaishya R , Pokhrel A , Agarwal AK , Vijay V
Published: January 2019

Introduction

Extended intralesional curettage, together with bone grafting/cementing, is considered as a surgical treatment option for giant cell tumour of the bone. This study aimed to discover the efficacy and recurrence rate with the use of bone cement in giant cell tumour and to compare it with that of bone grafting.

Material and methods

The present systemic review is derived from the publications in the past 10 years (2009–2018). A literature search was performed via PubMed, using suitable keywords and Boolean operators database (‘Giant cell tumor,’ ‘osteoclastoma,’ ‘bone,’ ‘bone cement,’ ‘bone graft’ and ‘curettage’). A detailed statistical analysis of the data derived from the published literature was done.

Results

The patients who underwent bone graft only exhibited significantly higher recurrence rates than those treated with polymethyl methacrylate only (risk ratio 1.90; 95% confidence interval 1.14, 3.16; overall effect Z = 2.488; P-value 0.012). The observational analysis was done in rest of the seven studies; three studies showed no recurrence rate. Only one study reported the highest recurrence rate of 42% and the remaining six had an overall recurrence rate of 20.4%.

Conclusion

The use of bone cement was associated with a statistically significantly lower recurrence rate than bone grafting in giant cell tumour of bones. We therefore recommend the use of bone cement with extensive intralesional curettage. Adjuvant therapy like electrocautery, phenol irrigation and the use of intravenous denosumab or bisphosphonates may help in decreasing the incidence of recurrence in giant cell tumour of bone.
ORTHOPAEDIC ASPECTS OF SURGICAL TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH DEGENERATIVE-DYSTROPHIC DAMAGE OF THE LUMBOSACRAL SPINE
Authors: Shapovalov Vladimir Mikhailovich , Dulaev Aleksandr Kaisinovich , Shulev Yury Alekseyevich , Orlov Vladimir Petrovich , Nadulich Konstantin Alekseyevich , Teremshonok Andrey Vasilyevich
Published: January 2019

Objective. On the basis of clinical and anatomico-functional results of surgical treatment of patients with degenerativedystrophic disease of the lumbosacral spine to develop and introduce into clinical practice orthopaedic surgical approaches aimed mainly to the correction and stabilization of the spine. Materials and Methods. The results of surgical treatment of 340 patients operated on for degeneconventionally and by the technique proposed by authors with the account for orthopaedic factors rative-dystrophic disease of the lumbosacral spine were analyzed. Results. The treatment outcome was mainly influenced by the following factors: spinal stenosis, instability and lumbosacral shape (balance) disturbance. The pattern of preopreative planning was developed on the basis of the introduced comprehensive methods of diagnosis. The suggested approach to surgical treatment has gone through clinical approbation resulted in recommendations for its application in practice. The paper presents the advantages of use of modern neuroorthopaedic technologies for various forms of spinal stenosis, and orthopaedic correction techniques in patients with discogenic radiculopathy associated with instability and deformity of the lumbosacral spine. Conclusion. The modern level of neuroorthopaedic care suggests new approaches to diagnosis and surgical management of patients with degenerative-dystrophic disease of the lumbosacral spine.
LOWER CERVICAL SPINE INJURY: DIAGNOSIS, CLASSIFICATION, TREATMENT
Authors: Ramikh Edvard Aleksandrovich
Published: January 2019

During recent decades the spine specialists’ views on mechanism and nature of various injuries of the subaxial cervical spine have changed and become fuller. This predetermined the choice of pathogenetical therapy for each type of injury. In this respect the concept of treatment regimen for cervical spine injuries is presented from long-term experience of Trauma Clinics of Novosibirsk RITO and newer literature data. The problems of clinical semeiology, radiodiagnosis, lower cervical spine injury classifications are discussed. Issues of conservative and surgical treatment choice, medical rehabilitation of all types of subaxial cervical spine injuries in accordance with modern classification are considered in detail.