bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MAPK pathway activity plays a key role in PD‐L1 expression of lung adenocarcinoma cells
Authors: Stutvoet Thijs S , Kol Arjan , de Vries Elisabeth GE , de Bruyn Marco , Fehrmann Rudolf SN , Terwisscha van Scheltinga Anton GT , de Jong Steven
Published: April 2019

Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) and programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) have improved the survival of patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Still, many patients do not respond to these inhibitors. PD‐L1 (CD274) expression, one of the factors that influences the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, is dynamic. Here, we studied the regulation of PD‐L1 expression in NSCLC without targetable genetic alterations in EGFR, ALK, BRAF, ROS1, MET, ERBB2 and RET. Analysis of RNA sequencing data from these NSCLCs revealed that inferred IFNγ, EGFR and MAPK signaling correlated with CD274 gene expression in lung adenocarcinoma. In a representative lung adenocarcinoma cell line panel, stimulation with EGF or IFNγ increased CD274 mRNA and PD‐L1 protein and membrane levels, which were further enhanced by combining EGF and IFNγ. Similarly, tumor cell PD‐L1 membrane levels increased after coculture with activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Inhibition of the MAPK pathway, using EGFR inhibitors cetuximab and erlotinib or the MEK 1 and 2 inhibitor selumetinib, prevented EGF‐ and IFNγ‐induced CD274 mRNA and PD‐L1 protein and membrane upregulation, but had no effect on IFNγ‐induced MHC‐I upregulation. Interestingly, although IFNγ increases transcriptional activity of CD274, MAPK signaling also increased stabilization of CD274 mRNA. In conclusion, MAPK pathway activity plays a key role in EGF‐ and IFNγ‐induced PD‐L1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma without targetable genetic alterations and may present a target to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Seroepidemiological analysis and literature review of the prevalence of Epstein‐Barr virus and herpesvirus infections in pediatric cases with non‐Hodgkin lymphoma in Central Europe
Authors: Vaillant Vera , Reiter Alfred , Zimmermann Martin , Wagner Hans‐Joachim
Published: April 2019

Background

Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) is linked to a variety of malignancies; most endemic Burkitt lymphoma (BL) harbor EBV, whereas only a subset of the cases of sporadic BL is EBV positive.

Procedure

We retrospectively determined the herpesvirus seroprevalence at the time of diagnosis in pediatric non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients enrolled in NHL‐BFM (Berlin‐Frankfurt‐Muenster) studies. We accessed the seroepidemiological data from 1147 patients that became available during 1990‐2007. We included the records from patients 6 months to 18 years of age with BL, T‐cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T‐LBL), lymphoblastic precursor B‐cell lymphoma (pB‐LBL), diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL), or anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL).

Results

EBV seropositivity was significantly more frequent in patients with BL than in those with T‐LBL. EBV was more prevalent in patients younger than 6 years of age and in patients with BL than in those with non‐BL or T‐LBL. Event‐free survival was significantly lower in varicella‐zoster–seronegative patients, but there was no indication of an association to complications due to varicella zoster infection. We found no associations between herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, or human cytomegalovirus seroprevalence and the pediatric Central European NHL cases.

Conclusion

Early EBV exposure may increase the risk of BL in Central Europe. A higher involvement of EBV in European BL than originally reported appears at least probable. Our data support the thesis that the distinction between endemic and sporadic BL is artificial and should be replaced by the differentiation between EBV‐positive and EBV‐negative BL.
Modelling of Al/MnO2 and Ti/MnO2 Thermite Mixtures
Authors: Knapp Sebastian , Eisenreich Norbert , Kelzenberg Stefan , Roth Evelin , Weiser Volker
Published: April 2019

In previous work a model was developed and introduced to describe the conversion of pyrotechnic mixtures taking in consideration its particulate character and solving the heat and the mass transfer coupled with reaction kinetics [1]. In this work the model was applied to thermite mixtures with manganese(IV) oxide as oxidizer and aluminium or titanium as fuel. The modelling results of burning rate dependent of fuel‐oxidizer ratio were compared with results from experiments. For the modelling process, the educts were characterized by determining particle size and distribution and chemical reaction kinetics parameters. Other parameters were taken from literature. The modelling results are in good agreement with the experimental ones. It seems that the made physical and chemical assumptions are the main factors to describe the shape of burning rate profile in thermite combustion and the negligence are not influential.
2D Materials Nanoelectronics: New Concepts, Fabrication, Characterization From Microwaves up to Optical Spectrum
Authors: Dragoman Mircea , Dinescu Adrian , Dragoman Daniela
Published: April 2019

The paper presents the state‐of‐the art of nanoelectronic devices based on 2D materials related to the cutting edge of Moore's law. Ballistic electron devices, ferroelectric, and atomically thin heterostructures are analyzed to show the benefits of 2D materials applications in nanoelectronics. It is shown that these new devices fulfill the basic requirements for further developments of new materials and circuits architectures envisaged beyond the Moore law. However, in many aspects, these new devices, concepts, as well as their implementations, are at the very beginning, so that the main obstacles to be overcome and the inherent difficulties to design and fabricate nanoelectronic devices based on single‐atom‐ or few‐atoms‐thick materials are also presented.
Haptic feedback in the da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK): A user study based on grasping, palpation, and incision tasks
Authors: Saracino Arianna , Deguet Anton , Staderini Fabio , Boushaki Mohamed Nassim , Cianchi Fabio , Menciassi Arianna , Sinibaldi Edoardo
Published: April 2019

Background

It was suggested that the lack of haptic feedback, formerly considered a limitation for the da Vinci robotic system, does not affect robotic surgeons because of training and compensation based on visual feedback. However, conclusive studies are still missing, and the interest in force reflection is rising again.

Methods

We integrated a seven‐DoF master into the da Vinci Research Kit. We designed tissue grasping, palpation, and incision tasks with robotic surgeons, to be performed by three groups of users (expert surgeons, medical residents, and nonsurgeons, five users/group), either with or without haptic feedback. Task‐specific quantitative metrics and a questionnaire were used for assessment.

Results

Force reflection made a statistically significant difference for both palpation (improved inclusion detection rate) and incision (decreased tissue damage).

Conclusions

Haptic feedback can improve key surgical outcomes for tasks requiring a pronounced cognitive burden for the surgeon, to be possibly negotiated with longer completion times.
Impulsive control of continuous‐time homogeneous positive delay systems of degree one
Authors: Yang Huitao , Zhang Yu
Published: April 2019

This paper investigates the impulsive control of continuous‐time homogeneous positive delay systems of degree one. By using max‐separable Lyapunov functions and Razumikhin technique, a number of stability criteria for continuous‐time homogeneous impulsive positive delay systems of degree one are obtained. It should be noted that it is the first time that impulsive stabilization results for the addressed systems are given. Three numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control strategy.
Teaching Sourcing in Upper Secondary School: A Comprehensive Sourcing Intervention With Follow‐Up Data
Authors: Bråten Ivar , Brante Eva W. , Strømsø Helge I.
Published: April 2019

In this quasi‐experimental study, the authors examined the effects of an intervention designed to teach upper secondary school students to take source information, such as author expertise, into consideration when selecting, processing, and using textual resources to complete particular multiple‐document literacy tasks. The intervention centered on a contrasting cases approach framed by authentic curriculum‐based classroom activities and was implemented over six weeks by teachers who had participated in professional development seminars. The findings demonstrated that students who had participated in the sourcing intervention placed more value on source information when selecting texts, invested more time and effort in processing the texts they selected, and more frequently attributed textual ideas to their respective sources compared with students who had participated in typical classroom activities instead. These effects were observed on far transfer tasks in which students worked with multiple documents on different topics in different situational contexts for different purposes, and were sustained over a period of 5.5 weeks. The discussion highlights the uniqueness of the current intervention work and centers on the aspects of the sourcing intervention that likely promoted these broad, sustainable, and transferable sourcing skills in students. Attention is also directed to several possible lines of future research in this area.
Sex differences in executive functioning and latent herpesvirus reactivation among bereaved and nonbereaved individuals
Authors: Guevara Jasmin E. , Gilbert Sarah , Murdock Kyle W. , Stowe Raymond P. , Fagundes Christopher P.
Published: April 2019

The death of a spouse is a highly stressful event. Better executive functioning has been shown to benefit men to a greater degree than women during stress. We evaluated potential sex differences in stress and immune dysregulation among control and bereaved participants who completed a self‐report measure of perceived stress, neuropsychological measures of inhibition and updating/monitoring of information in working memory, and a blood draw to measure Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) antibody titres. Moderation analyses were conducted to test the hypothesis that better inhibition would be associated with less stress and immune dysregulation among male bereaved participants compared with female bereaved participants. Bereaved females demonstrated greater EBV antibody titres than bereaved males. Male bereaved participants benefited from better inhibition, as evidenced by fewer EBV antibody titres, whereas bereaved female participants did not. In the control group, males with high inhibition reported lower stress than males with low inhibition. Present study results are an important step towards identifying those at greatest risk of stress and poor health.
Prior ties and the limits of peer effects on startup team performance
Authors: Hasan Sharique , Koning Rembrand
Published: April 2019

Research Summary

We conduct a field experiment at an entrepreneurship bootcamp to investigate whether interaction with proximate peers shapes a nascent startup team's performance. We find that teams whose members lack prior ties to others at the bootcamp experience peer effects that influence the quality of their product prototypes. A 1‐SD increase in the performance of proximate teams is related to a two‐thirds SD improvement for a focal team. In contrast, we find that teams whose members have many prior ties interact less frequently with proximate peers, and thus their performance is unaffected by nearby teams. Our findings highlight how prior social connections, which are often a source of knowledge and influence, can limit new interactions and thus the ability of organizations to leverage peer effects to improve the performance of their members.

Managerial Summary

Researchers and policymakers believe that accelerators, incubators, and bootcamps help entrepreneurial ecosystems spur innovation and drive startup growth. The effectiveness of these organizations, in large part, depends on the new social interactions fostered among colocated entrepreneurs. Yet, little evidence exists about the extent to which such interactions actually lead to spillovers. We ran a controlled experiment at a startup bootcamp to investigate when entrepreneurs were most affected by their colocated peers. Not everyone benefited. We found that entrepreneurs with many prior ties to others at the bootcamp made fewer new connections, especially to neighboring peers, and thus did not experience significant spillovers. In contrast, those without prior connections experienced the greatest spillovers because they interacted frequently with people on nearby colocated teams. Our findings highlight how organizations like incubators and bootcamps, designed to foster new connections, might sometimes just reinforce old networks.
Zum Tragverhalten und zur Bemessung von Schrauben unter kombinierter Zug‐Abscher‐Belastung
Authors: Renner Anja , Lange Jörg
Published: April 2019

Herrn Univ.‐Prof. Dr.‐Ing. habil. Frank Werner zur Vollendung seines 70. Lebensjahres gewidmet

Das Tragverhalten von stahlbautypischen Schrauben, die einer Interaktionsbelastung, also einer kombinierten Belastung aus Zug‐ und Abscherkraft, ausgesetzt sind, wurde am Institut für Stahlbau und Werkstoffmechanik der TU Darmstadt grundlegend untersucht. Auslöser war, dass die Neuauswertung der bestehenden Versuchsreihen zu diesem Thema für die Erstellung des Eurocodes 3 gezeigt hatte, dass die bis zu diesem Datum als valid angesehene quadratische Interaktionsbedingung zum Nachweis kombiniert belasteter Schrauben nicht auf der sicheren Seite liegt. Dies führte zur Änderung der Nachweisformel im Eurocode 3.

Eine genauere Betrachtung der Datenlage zeigt, dass die Anzahl der bisher durchgeführten Versuche überraschend gering ist. Durch das Fehlen wichtiger Bezugswerte wie der Festigkeiten der getesteten Schrauben sind die Daten auch nur bedingt auswertbar. Eine grundlegende Betrachtung, wie sich kombiniert belastete Schrauben verhalten, fehlte gänzlich.

Aus diesem Grund wurden im Rahmen eines Forschungsvorhabens die bestehenden Studien neu und zusammenfassend ausgewertet, neue Versuche durchgeführt, diese mithilfe der Methode der finiten Elemente nachgebildet und das Tragverhalten so erstmals grundlegend analysiert. Anhand von Parameterstudien konnte die Übertragbarkeit der Ergebnisse überprüft werden. Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden die Erkenntnisse zusammengefasst und die Möglichkeiten für eine zukünftige Handhabung des Interaktionsnachweises für Schrauben diskutiert.
Grundlagen der sicherheitsäquivalenten Bewertung von Brücken mit Bauwerksmonitoring
Authors: Geißler Karsten , Steffens Nico , Stein Ronald
Published: April 2019

Herrn Univ.‐Prof. Dr.‐Ing. habil. Frank Werner zur Vollendung seines 70. Lebensjahres gewidmet

Der Zustand und das Alter vieler Brücken in Deutschland einerseits und die zunehmend steigenden Verkehrslasten andererseits erfordern erweiterte Methoden zur Bewertung der Bauwerke, da nicht alle Brücken zeitnah verstärkt oder erneuert werden können. Zur möglichst realitätsnahen Einschätzung des Tragwerks im Grenzzustand der Tragfähigkeit sowie auch hinsichtlich der Ermüdungssicherheit kann deshalb ein unterstützendes Bauwerksmonitoring sehr wichtig sein.

Der Begriff Bauwerksmonitoring beinhaltet ausgehend von einer klaren Zielstellung und dem entsprechenden Messkonzept die Dauermessungen zum Bauteil‐ bzw. Tragwerksverhalten über einen festgelegten Zeitraum und die anschließende Datenauswertung. Bei der Erarbeitung der Zielstellung einschließlich des Messkonzepts sowie der Datenauswertung durch zielorientierte Datenreduktionsmethoden ist der mit dem Tragwerk vertraute Ingenieur unabdingbar.

Für die Bauwerksbewertung ist es wesentlich, wie die messtechnisch ermittelten Ergebnisse in den Kontext des Sicherheitskonzepts zur Nachrechnung einzuordnen sind. In dem Beitrag werden die Grundlagen dieser messwertgestützten Bewertung und deren anwendungsorientierte Umsetzung durch gegebenenfalls modifizierte (objektbezogene) Lastmodelle und zugehörige Sicherheitselemente vorgestellt.
Studies on flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams with copper slag and fly ash
Authors: Raju Sumathy , Dharmar Brindha
Published: April 2019

This paper presents the fresh and hardened concrete properties with fly ash (FA) and copper slag (CS). M30 grade of concrete has been designed with a constant water–cement ratio as 0.4. Twenty four concrete mixtures are arrived by cement is partially replaced by FA from 0 to 30% with 10% increment and natural sand is replaced by CS from 0 to 100% at 20% increment. The compressive strength of the concrete was verified at 3, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 90 days curing periods. Five reinforced concrete (RC) beams of size 150 mm × 250 mm × 3200 mm were cast based on the optimum mix proportion and flexural behavior of RC beams was monitored by a four‐point bending test. From the experimental results, compressive strength, and flexural strength were increased for concrete with 30% FA and 80% of CS because the smaller surface area of CS per unit volume is exposed with a large quantity of concrete matrix and workability of concrete also increased.
Corporate governance and accounting conservatism in Islamic banks
Authors: Almutairi Ali R. , Quttainah Majdi A.
Published: April 2019

We examine whether Islamic banks are more likely to be conservative in their financial reporting than conventional banks, as well as how Islamic banks' unique corporate governance system affects accounting conservatism behaviors. Using a large sample of Islamic banks and their matched non‐Islamic banks; based on total assets and geographic location, in 15 countries, we find Islamic banks are more likely to deploy accounting conservatism as measured by loss avoidance, abnormal loan loss provisions, and C‐score, respectively. Islamic banks are about 95% more likely to be more conservative in accounting practices than their counterparts, depending on different model specifications. In addition, we report several board characteristics, such as size, independence, reputation, tenure, and diversity, are important determinants of accounting conservatism in Islamic banks. This relationship indicates certain board traits lead to greater monitoring roles, consequently reducing unethical behavior and increasing the degree of conservatism in accounting practices.
Crash sign: new first‐trimester sonographic marker of spina bifida
Authors: Ushakov F. , Sacco A. , Andreeva E. , Tudorache S. , Everett T. , David A. L. , Pandya P. P.
Published: April 2019

Objectives

To describe a new first‐trimester sonographic sign, the ‘crash sign’, associated with fetal open spina bifida, and to evaluate its clinical usefulness in the first‐trimester diagnosis of spina bifida.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of patients referred to three fetal medicine centers in the first trimester (11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks) with suspected spina bifida. Spina bifida was confirmed by direct visualization of the spinal defect on ultrasound by two experts and, when possible, by fetal postmortem examination. Ultrasound images were reviewed for the presence of the crash sign, which is the posterior displacement of the mesencephalon and deformation against the occipital bone in the axial view. The first‐trimester ultrasound images of a mixed group of 10 cases and 40 control fetuses without spina bifida were assessed for the presence of the crash sign by two assessors blinded to the diagnosis.

Results

The crash sign was present in 48 out of 53 confirmed cases of spina bifida. Of these, 27 had isolated spina bifida and 21 had an associated anomaly. Of the five cases without the crash sign, one had isolated spina bifida and four had an associated anomaly. The crash sign was not reported in any of the control fetuses.

Conclusions

We have described a new first‐trimester sonographic marker for the diagnosis of spina bifida. Our results suggest that the crash sign may be a useful tool in the first‐trimester detection of spina bifida. Prospective evaluation of the crash sign would be beneficial, ideally in a routine clinical screening ultrasound setting. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
First‐trimester screening for trisomies by cfDNA testing of maternal blood in singleton and twin pregnancies: factors affecting test failure
Authors: Galeva S. , Gil M. M. , Konstantinidou L. , Akolekar R. , Nicolaides K. H.
Published: April 2019

Objective

To examine factors affecting the rate of failure to obtain a result from cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) testing of maternal blood for fetal trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in singleton and twin pregnancies in the first trimester.

Methods

This was a prospective study of 23 495 singleton and 928 twin pregnancies undergoing screening for fetal trisomy by targeted cfDNA testing at 10 + 0 to 14 + 1 weeks' gestation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine significant predictors of failure to obtain a result after first sampling.

Results

There was no result from cfDNA testing after first sampling in 3.4% (798/23 495) of singletons, 11.3% (91/806) of dichorionic twins and 4.9% (6/122) of monochorionic twins. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the risk of test failure, first, increased with increasing maternal age (odds ratio (OR), 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.04) and weight (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.04–1.05), decreasing gestational age (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.79–0.91), serum pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPP‐A) multiples of the median (MoM) (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.49–0.65) and free β‐human chorionic gonadotropin (β‐hCG) MoM (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.60–0.74), second, was higher in women of black (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.33–2.20) and South Asian (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.56–2.52) than those of white racial origin, in dichorionic twin than in singleton pregnancy (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.34–2.26) and in pregnancies conceived by in‐vitro fertilization than in those conceived naturally (OR, 3.82; 95% CI, 3.19–4.55) and, third, was lower in parous than in nulliparous women (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.55–0.74).

Conclusions

Maternal age, weight, racial origin and parity, gestational age, dichorionicity, method of conception and serum levels of free β‐hCG and PAPP‐A are independent predictors of cfDNA test failure. The risk of test failure is higher in dichorionic twin than in singleton pregnancies, mainly because a higher proportion of twins are conceived by in‐vitro fertilization and more of the women are nulliparous. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Cover Image, Volume 8, Issue 3
Authors: Li Qiwei , Zhang Jiaxuan , Chen Jiahui , Lu Xi
Published: April 2019

The cover image is based on the Reflection on Opportunities for High Penetration of Renewable Energy in China, by Xi Lu, Jiahui Chen, and Qiwei Li, Jiaxuan Zhang. https://doi.org/10.1002/wene.344. Cover image © Haoran Zhang/Beijing Xinrui Vision Technology Co., Ltd.

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Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Photocatalytic Properties of a Zinc(II) Coordination Polymer Based on 3‐Hydroxy‐2‐pyridinecarboxylic Acid
Authors: Gu Xingye , Lv Wei , Hui Yangyang , Liu Xiao , Wu Minghui , Yang Yan , She Shixiong
Published: April 2019

The zinc(II) compound, [Zn3(HL)6]n (1) (H2L = 3‐hydroxypyridine‐2‐carboxylic acid) was synthesized by a solvothermal reaction of Zn(NO3)2·6H2O and 3‐hydroxypyridine‐2‐carboxylic acid as raw materials. The structure of complex 1 was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis and further characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, as well as powder X‐ray diffraction. X‐ray structure analysis demonstrates that the complex crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/n. There are three zinc ions in the asymmetric unit, which are either five‐coordinate or six‐coordinate. The asymmetric units are further bridged by the carboxylate of the organic ligands, featuring a 2D framework. The solid state diffuse‐reflectance UV/Vis spectra reveals that complex 1 has semiconducting nature with the energy bandgap (Eg) estimated to be 3.11 eV. The photocatalytic properties of complex 1 in degradation of organic dyes were further investigated. Results showed that the complex could degrade 54 % of the dye methylene blue solution within 120 min under UV irradiation light and reused for five times without the decline of the photocatalytic activity.
BMS4 algebra, its stability and deformations
Authors: Safari H. R. , Sheikh-Jabbari M. M.
Published: April 2019

Abstract

We continue analysis of [1] and study rigidity and stability of the$$ \mathfrak{b}\mathfrak{m}{\mathfrak{s}}_4 $$bms4algebra and its centrally extended version$$ \widehat{\mathfrak{bm}{\mathfrak{s}}_4} $$bms4^. We construct and classify the family of algebras which appear as deformations of$$ \mathfrak{b}\mathfrak{m}{\mathfrak{s}}_4 $$bms4and in general find the four-parameter family of algebras$$ \mathcal{W} $$W(a,b;$$ \overline{a},\overline{b} $$a¯,b¯) as a result of the stabilization analysis, where$$ \mathfrak{b}\mathfrak{m}{\mathfrak{s}}_4 $$bms4=$$ \mathcal{W} $$W(−1/2, −1/2; −1/2, −1/2). We then study the$$ \mathcal{W} $$W(a,b;$$ \overline{a},\overline{b} $$a¯,b¯) algebra, its maximal finite subgroups and stability for different values of the four parameters. We prove stability of the$$ \mathcal{W} $$W(a,b;$$ \overline{a},\overline{b} $$a¯,b¯) family of algebras for generic values of the parameters. For special cases of (a,b) = ($$ \overline{a},\overline{b} $$a¯,b¯) = (0, 0) and (a,b) = (0, −1), ($$ \overline{a},\overline{b} $$a¯,b¯) = (0, 0) the algebra can be deformed. In particular we show that centrally extended$$ \mathcal{W} $$W(0, −1; 0, 0) algebra can be deformed to an algebra which has three copies of Virasoro as a subalgebra. We briefly discuss these deformed algebras as asymptotic symmetry algebras and the physical meaning of the stabilization and implications of our result.
Topical Agents for Premature Ejaculation: A Review
Authors: Butcher Michael J. , Zubert Tricia , Christiansen Kristin , Carranza Alejandro , Pawlicki Paul , Seibel Stacey
Published: April 2019

Introduction

Premature ejaculation (PE) is among the most common sexual dysfunctions that affect men. Currently, topical medications are considered a first-line treatment option for PE, with no specific medication having market approval in the United States specifically for the treatment of PE. Topical agents for PE include eutectic mixture of local anesthetics cream, topical eutectic mixture for premature ejaculation spray, severance secret-cream, resiniferatoxin, and an assortment of over-the-counter treatments, including medicated condoms, sprays, and wipes.

Aim

Given the paucity of controlled studies for these treatment modalities, the goal of this article is to review the currently available options for PE to help educate providers in appropriate treatment options.

Methods

Comprehensive review of published literature, as well as clinical experience were evaluated to determine efficacy of known treatments for PE.

Main Outcome Measure

The topical treatment options and efficacy of these options for PE were reviewed. Eutectic mixture of local anesthetics, topical eutectic mixture for premature ejaculation, severance secret-cream, resiniferatoxin, and medicated condoms are the mainstay of treatment. Each has certain risks and benefits associated with use as described, as well as relative cost of use.

Results

Although data supporting the effectiveness of topical agents for PE is limited, prior clinical trials demonstrate increases in timed intravaginal ejaculatory latency time and improved patient-partner sexual satisfaction survey scores on some treatment options.

Conclusion

More research is needed to evaluate efficacy, cost-effectiveness, potential side effects, and benefits of combined medical and psychological intervention for better ejaculatory control.
South African Marine Envenomations and Poisonings as Managed Telephonically by the Tygerberg Poisons Information Centre: A 20-Year Retrospective Review
Authors: Marks Carine J. , Van Hoving Daniël J. , Wium Cherylynn A. , Sachno Dmitrij , Du Plessis Catharina E. , Reuter Helmuth , Muller Gert J.
Published: April 2019

Introduction

South Africa has an abundance of marine life, and the potential for hazardous exposure to marine life is high. To our knowledge, this is the first epidemiological review regarding marine toxicity that has ever been conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this review was to investigate marine toxicology data as managed telephonically by the Tygerberg Poisons Information Centre.

Methods

Marine toxicology cases were retrospectively analyzed for a 20-y period (January 1, 1995 to December 31, 2014). Data were extracted from archived consultation forms. Descriptive statistics are presented, and post hoc analyses compared age, sex, province, and caller's background with severity and type of toxicology.

Results

A total of 311 calls involved 392 cases. Most calls involved adults (n=317, 81%) and males (n=214, 55%) and presented with no or minor symptoms (n=242, 62%). Poisoning from ingestion (n=239; 61%) was more commonly encountered than was marine envenomation (n=153; 39%), with paralytic shellfish poisoning (n=118; 30%), scombroid poisoning (n=93; 24%), and envenomation from stingrays (n=36; 9%) and bluebottles (n=33; 8%) occurring often. Healthcare professionals were more likely to consult for severe cases (odds ratio 3.3; 95% CI 1.9–5.9) and poisoning-related cases (odds ratio 1.8; 95% CI 1.1–2.9).

Conclusion

The proportion of marine-related toxicology cases was low. Telephonic consultations by healthcare professionals relating to poisoning were generally of a serious nature. The data can be used to drive public health awareness campaigns.
Philip Harris (1926-2018)
Authors: Hodgetts Michael
Published: April 2019

Philip Harris, who died on 21 July 2018 at the age of ninety-one, was born in Woodford, Essex, and educated at St Anthony’s School in Woodford (1932-7), St Ignatius College in London (1937-44), Birkbeck College, London, and the Institute of Historical Research. In 1953 he was awarded an M.A. for a thesis on ‘English Trade with the Eastern Mediterranean in the Late 16th Century’. From 1947 onwards he was on the staff of the British Museum (of which the Library was then part), becoming Assistant Secretary in 1959, Deputy Superintendent of the Reading Room in 1963 and Deputy Keeper in 1966. He was in charge in turn of the Acquisitions, the English and North European, and the West European Branches of the Department of Printed Books. In 1998 he published his History of the British Museum Library, the fruit of more than ten years’ research after his ‘retirement’ in 1986.1 His final project there, almost complete when he died, was on the Old Royal Library donated to the Museum by George II.2 At his funeral the first reading was read by a former head of the Chinese Department there.
The British Catholic debate over vivisection, 1876 – 1914: a common theology but differing applications
Authors: Abbott William M.
Published: April 2019

This article analyses the motives behind the conflicting positions taken by Victorian Roman Catholics over the issue of vivisection. Catholics defended or attacked vivisection for widely varying reasons; there were less two schools of thought than a mosaic of arguments from which to choose. While there was substantial agreement over basic theological principles, the application of those principles to the vivisection debate varied depending upon the writer’s social, political, and scientific attitudes, which in turn were affected by professional occupation. The debate included laypeople as well as clerics, with some of the former affirming a more liberal and less theologically rigorous approach to animal rights.
Psychiatric Neurosurgery: A Survey on the Perceptions of Psychiatrists and Residents
Authors: Cormier Josiane , Iorio-Morin Christian , Mathieu David , Ducharme Simon
Published: April 2019

Objectives: To evaluate the attitudes and perceptions of psychiatrists and psychiatry residents regarding neurosurgical procedures for treating psychiatric disorders and to identify potential barriers to patient referral. Methods: A survey consisting of 25 questions was created using SurveyMonkey and was distributed to psychiatrists and psychiatry residents in Quebec. The study was approved by the McGill University Health Center’s Research Ethics Board. Descriptive statistics and Friedman’s test were performed using SPSS software. Results: A total of 99 participants, including 64 residents and 35 psychiatrists, completed more than 75% of the survey and were included in data analysis. Overall, participants were significantly (p < 0.0005) more comfortable in referring patients suffering from treatment-resistant obsessive–compulsive disorder than from treatment-resistant major depressive disorder and preferred to refer patients for deep brain stimulation (DBS) rather than for anterior cingulotomy/capsulotomy (AC). Only 11.43% of psychiatrists had ever referred a patient for AC or DBS, and 34.69% of respondents felt that these procedures were dangerous. Lack of knowledge (82.83%) was viewed as the principal limiting factor, and 57.58% of respondents identified ≥6 different barriers to patient referral. The majority of participants (69.39%) were interested in improving their knowledge on psychiatric neurosurgery, and 82.65% felt that this subject should be included in the psychiatry residency curriculum. Conclusion: Overall, participants acknowledged having many limitations to referring patients for neurosurgical interventions. While informative conferences discussing neuromodulation/neuroablation could easily address many barriers, further studies are required to assess how these could change attitudes and patterns of referral.
The living arrangements of elderly widows, their children, and their children's spouses
Authors: Bethencourt Carlos
Published: April 2019

The aim of this paper is to investigate the role that the marital status of children has in shaping the living arrangements of their widowed mothers and themselves and to explain the increase in the proportion of elderly widows living alone, which grew by 23.2% in the USA between 1970 and 1990. We propose a model where living arrangements are determined as the outcome of a game between the mother and her child, and where the fundamentals of the model depend on children's marital status. We estimate the model using 1970 data. We calculate the accuracy of the estimation and we obtain an excellent fit. Using the same measure of accuracy, the estimated model predicts that changes in the incomes of both the widow and her offspring and changes in the children's marital status generate more than the 83% of the increase in the number of widows living alone.
The Ends of the Indian Ocean: Tracing Coastlines in the Tanzanian “Hinterland”
Authors: Verne Julia
Published: April 2019

In recent years, several attempts to revitalize Area Studies have concentrated on oceans as the unifying force to create regions. In this respect, the Indian Ocean has become a prime example to show how economic as well as cultural flows across the sea have contributed to close connections between its shores. However, by doing so, they not only seem to create a certain, rather homogeneous, Indian Ocean space, they often also lead to a conceptual separation between “coast” and “hinterland,” similar to earlier distinctions between “African/Arab” or “East/Central Africa.” In this contribution, so-called “Arab” traders who settled along trade routes connecting the East African coast to its hinterland will serve as an empirical ground to explore and challenge these boundaries. Tracing maritime imaginaries and related materialities in the Tanzanian interior, it will reflect on the ends of the Indian Ocean and the nature of such maritime conceptualizations of space more generally. By taking the relational thinking that lies at the ground of maritimity inland, it wishes to encourage a re-conceptualization of areas that not only replaces a terrestrial spatial entity with a maritime one, but that genuinely breaks with such “container-thinking” and, instead, foregrounds the meandering, fluid character of regions and their complex and highly dynamic entanglements.
Exact solutions of asymmetric baroclinic quasi-geostrophic dipoles with distributed potential vorticity
Authors: Viúdez A.
Published: April 2019

An exact solution of a baroclinic three-dimensional vortex dipole in geophysical flows with constant background rotation and constant background stratification is provided under the quasi-geostrophic (QG) approximation. The motion of the dipole is unsteady but the potential vorticity contours move rigidly. The vortex comprises three potential vorticity anomaly modes, with a radial dependence given by the spherical Bessel functions and with azimuthal and polar dependences given by the spherical harmonics. The first mode, or spherical mode, accounts for the horizontal asymmetry of the vortex dipole and curvature of the dipole’s horizontal trajectory. The second mode, or dipolar mode, accounts for the speed of displacement of the vortex dipole. A third mode, or vertical tilting mode, accounts for the dipole’s vertical asymmetry. The QG vertical velocity field has two contributions: the first one is octupolar and depends entirely on the dipolar mode, and the second one is dipolar and depends on the nonlinear interaction between dipolar and vertical tilting modes.
Plant and animal responses of elephant grass pasture-based systems mixed with pinto peanut
Authors: Vieira A. C. , Olivo C. J. , Adams C. B. , Sauthier J. C. , Proença L. R. , de Oliveira M. D. F. A. , dos Santos P. B. , Schiafino H. P. , Tonin T. J. , de Godoy G. L. , Arrial M. , Casagrande L. G.
Published: April 2019

The effects of growing pinto peanut mixed with elephant grass-based pastures are still little known. The aim of the current research was to evaluate the performance of herbage yield, nutritive value of forage and animal responses to levels of pinto peanut forage mass mixed with elephant grass in low-input systems. Three grazing systems were evaluated: (i) elephant grass-based (control); (ii) pinto peanut, low-density forage yield (63 g/kg of dry matter – DM) + elephant grass; and (iii) pinto peanut, high-density dry matter forage yield (206 g/kg DM) + elephant grass. The experimental design was completely randomized with the three treatments (grazing systems) and three replicates (paddocks) in split-plot grazing cycles. Forage samples were collected to evaluate the pasture and animal responses. Leaf blades of elephant grass and the other companion grasses of pinto peanut were collected to analyse the crude protein, in vitro digestible organic matter and total digestible nutrients. The pinto peanut, high-density dry matter forage yield + elephant grass treatment was found to give the best results in terms of herbage yield, forage intake and stocking rate, as well as having higher crude protein contents for both elephant grass and the other grasses, followed by pinto peanut with low-density forage yield + elephant grass and finally elephant grass alone. Better results were found with the grass–legume system for pasture and animal responses.
Does a nano-scale nipple array (moth-eye structure) suppress the settlement of ascidian larvae?
Authors: Hirose Euichi , Sensui Noburu
Published: April 2019

In some metazoans, the body surface is entirely or partly covered with an array of nipples about 100 nm or less in height. This structure, a nipple array, is sometimes called the moth-eye structure because it serves as an anti-reflection property on the compound eyes of a night moth. The nipple array is supposed to be a multifunctional structure since this structure occurs in various species across different taxa. Here, we hypothesize that the nipple array may prevent the settlement of epibionts that are often a nuisance and potentially cause serious problems for the host. Using a synthetic film that imitates the nipple array, we tested the substrate selection within ascidian larval settlement. The results indicate that the nipple array has anti-fouling properties, since more larvae settled on the flat surface than the nipple array (P < 0.01, paired t-test). The present results demonstrated that the nipple array potentially serves an anti-fouling function on the body surface, which should be important especially for sessile organisms.
Detection of Neospora caninum DNA in cases of bovine and ovine abortion in the South-West of Scotland
Authors: Bartley P. M. , Guido S. , Mason C. , Stevenson H. , Chianini F. , Carty H. , Innes E. A. , Katzer F.
Published: April 2019

Neospora caninumis a commonly diagnosed cause of reproductive losses in farmed ruminants worldwide. This study examined 495 and 308 samples (brain, heart and placenta) which were collected from 455 and 119 aborted cattle and sheep fetuses, respectively. DNA was extracted and a nestedNeosporaITS1 PCR was performed on all samples. The results showed that for bovine fetuses 79/449 brain [17.6% (14.2–21.4)], 7/25 heart [28.0% (12.1–49.4)] and 5/21 placenta [23.8% (8.2–47.2)] were PCR positive for the presence ofNeosporaDNA. Overall 82/455 [18.0% (14.6–21.7)] of the bovine fetuses tested positive for the presence ofN. caninumDNA in at least one sample. None (0/308) of the ovine fetal samples tested positive for the presence ofNeosporaDNA in any of the tissues tested. The results show thatN. caninumwas associated with fetal losses in cattle (distributed across South-West Scotland), compared to sheep in the same geographical areas where no parasite DNA was found.Neosporais well distributed amongst cattle in South-West Scotland and is the potential cause of serious economic losses to the Scottish cattle farming community; however, it does not appear to be a problem amongst the Scottish sheep flocks.
Phonotactic knowledge and phonetically unnatural classes: the plain uvular in Cochabamba Quechua
Authors: Gallagher Gillian
Published: April 2019

While many phonological patterns target classes of sounds that can be defined phonetically, a large number of patterns in descriptive grammars involve sounds that cannot be easily characterised in phonetic terms. This finding suggests that phonological patterns themselves must be taken into account when learning phonological representations, and that phonological classes may emerge in learning from both phonetic factors (bottom-up) and phonological patterns (top-down). The current work presents a case of a phonetically unnatural class in South Bolivian Quechua that is active in the phonology of the language, and provides experimental support that this class is referred to by speakers’ grammars. While many cases of phonetically unnatural classes have been documented in descriptions of language patterns, in most cases there is little or no evidence that these patterns or classes are represented by speakers as they are described by linguists.
Richard Hooker: Invention and Re-invention
Authors: MacCulloch Diarmaid
Published: April 2019

This study traces the way in which a typical Elizabethan Reformed Protestant became something slightly different during a ministerial career prematurely terminated by death in his forties, and what he became in the centuries that followed. It explains the background of divided theologies in the national Church of Elizabethan and Jacobean England, the emergence of ‘avant-garde conformism’, and the way in which Hooker was used by opposing sides to justify their positions, particularly after the Restoration of 1660, when the term ‘Anglicanism’ first becomes fully appropriate for the life and thought of the Church of England. As the Church moved from national monopoly to established status, Hooker became of use in different ways to both Tories and Whigs, though in the nineteenth century the Oxford Movement largely monopolised his memory. His views on the construction of authority may still help Anglicanism find its theological way forward.
The Council of Europe and Sharia: An Unsatisfactory Resolution?
Authors: Sandberg Russell , Cranmer Frank
Published: April 2019

On 22 January 2019, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe agreed the text of Resolution 2253: Sharia, the Cairo Declaration and the European Convention on Human Rights. The Resolution begins – on an uncontroversial note – by reiterating ‘the obligation on member States to protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion as enshrined in Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights … which represents one of the foundations of a democratic society’. It then goes on, however, to recall that the Assembly ‘has on several occasions underlined its support for the principle of the separation of State and religion, as one of the pillars of a democratic society’. This statement is not entirely non-contentious: it ignores the situation in several Member States of the Council of Europe and is based more on notions of laÿcitÕ than on the observable facts in countries such as England, Denmark, Finland and Norway that have state Churches. Unfortunately, this simplification and confusion set the tone for what is to follow.
Government and Parliamentary Report
Authors: Cranmer Frank
Published: April 2019

HM Land Registry has published an updated Practice Guide on the property aspects of converting a charitable trust into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (‘CIO’). Church of England parishes cannot convert themselves into CIOs, but congregations in some smaller denominations have either done so already or are contemplating conversion.
Assessments of Maleo Macrocephalon maleo nesting grounds in South-east Sulawesi reveal severely threatened populations
Authors: FROESE GRADEN Z. L. , MUSTARI ABDUL H.
Published: April 2019

The Maleo Macrocephalon Maleo is a megapode bird endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia, that lays large eggs at communal nesting grounds in naturally-heated sands or soils. It is classified as ‘Endangered’ and many populations have been extirpated due to overexploitation of eggs and loss of connectivity between forest and nesting grounds. The distribution and status of nesting grounds across Northern and Central Sulawesi are relatively well-established, but almost nothing is known about potential Maleo populations of South-east Sulawesi. In this study we used previously established methods to formally assess the status of three Maleo nesting grounds in Buton, South-east Sulawesi, and interviewed egg collectors at these three sites to determine the trends of populations and threats over time. All nesting grounds were severely threatened and can be expected to be abandoned in the near future due to extensive harvest of eggs and deforestation. Eggs were collected both for the wildlife trade (intensively harvested and sold as luxury items to people from distant cities) and local use (opportunistically harvested and both eaten and sold locally). All egg collectors remarked on an increase in illegal logging around nesting grounds over the previous decade. Though the Maleo’s current situation is dire, previous case studies show that collaborative grassroots initiatives supported by government and NGOs can protect nesting grounds and reverse population declines.