bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is Islamic bank profitability driven by same forces as conventional banks?
Authors: Zarrouk Hajer , Ben Jedidia Khoutem , Moualhi Mouna
Published: May 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether Islamic bank profitability is driven by same forces as those driving conventional banking in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Distinguished by its principles in conformity with sharia, Islamic banking is different from conventional banking, which is likely to affect profitability.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper builds on a dynamic panel data model to identify the banks’ specific determinants and the macroeconomic factors influencing the profitability of a large sample of 51 Islamic banks operating in the MENA region from 1994 to 2012. The system-generalized method of moment estimators are applied.

Findings

The findings reveal that profitability is positively affected by banks’ cost-effectiveness, asset quality and level of capitalization. The results also indicate that non-financing activities allow Islamic banks to earn higher profits. Islamic banks perform better in environments where the gross domestic product and investment are high. There is evidence of several elements of similarities between determinants of the profitability for Islamic and conventional banks. The inflation rate, however, is negatively associated with Islamic bank profitability.

Practical Implications

The authors conclude that profitability determinants did not differ significantly between Islamic and conventional banks. Many factors are deemed the same in explaining the profitability of conventional as well as Islamic banks. The findings reported in the current paper might be of interest for policy makers. It is recommended to better implement non-financing activities to improve Islamic bank profitability.

Originality/value

Unlike the previous empirical research, this empirical investigation assesses the issue whether Islamic banks profitability is influenced by same factors as conventional model. It enriches the literature in this regard by considering the specificities of Islamic banking to identify the determinants of profitability. Moreover, this study considers a large sample (51 Islamic banks) through a different selection of countries/banks than previous studies. In addition, the period of study considers the subprime crisis insofar it ranges from 1994 to 2012. Hence, this broader study allows the authors to draw more consistent conclusions.
Oxygenation and neuromuscular activation of the quadriceps femoris including the vastus intermedius during a fatiguing contraction
Authors: Akima Hiroshi , Ando Ryosuke
Published: May 2016

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to assess oxygenation and neuromuscular activation of the quadriceps femoris muscle group, including the vastus intermedius (VI), during a fatiguing contraction.

Methods

Eleven healthy men performed an isometric knee extension at 50% of the maximum voluntary contraction until failure. Near‐infrared spectroscopy was used to measure tissue oxygen saturation (StO2), and surface electromyography was used to quantify the median frequency (MF) of the four individual quadriceps femoris muscles.

Results

A significant decrease in StO2 began at 25% of time to exhaustion in all four muscles, and StO2 of the VI was significantly higher than StO2 of the vastus medialis (VM) from 25% of time to exhaustion until 95% of time to exhaustion. The MF of the VI did not significantly decrease during the fatiguing task. We found a significant correlation between ∆MF and ∆StO2 in the VI (r = 0·745, P<0·01) and a significant correlation between StO2 and time to exhaustion in the VM and rectus femoris (RF) (VM, r = 0·684, P<0·05; RF, r = 0·635, P<0·05).

Conclusion

These results suggest that muscle O2 saturation in the VI is associated with neuromuscular fatigue during a fatiguing isometric contraction, and the level of oxygenation in the VM and RF is a key to sustaining a fatiguing contraction.
Effects of functional traits on the prediction accuracy of species richness models
Authors: Zurell Damaris , Zimmermann Niklaus E. , Sattler Thomas , Nobis Michael P. , Schröder Boris
Published: May 2016

Aim

We assess main ecological determinants affecting the comparative performance of macroecological models (MEMs) that model species richness directly, and stacked species distribution models based on stacking probabilities (pS‐SDMs) and binary predictions (bS‐SDMs). Specifically, we aimed to understand how statistical effects such as prevalence and environmental heterogeneity are entangled with species' ecology in Swiss avian assemblages.

Location

Switzerland.

Methods

We tested for statistical and ecological effects on overprediction and underprediction by regressing species richness residuals against community‐averaged values of prevalence, functional traits and functional dissimilarity. Further, we defined bird functional groups through hierarchical clustering and compared accuracy of species richness predictions between groups to understand the differences between model types and ecological determinants thereof. Last, we tested how accuracy of species assemblages constructed from bS‐SDMs relates to species' functional characteristics.

Results

Underprediction of high diversity sites by pS‐SDMs and MEMs was mainly explained by prevalence, whereas overprediction of low diversity sites was strongly affected by diet and habitat traits, and increased with functional dissimilarity. Model performances varied strongly between functional groups with more accurate and less biased predictions for generalist species groups. Critically, overprediction bias in richness predictions by bS‐SDMs was uncorrelated with assemblage prediction success.

Main conclusions

The reliability of all community models tested here strongly depended on functional species' characteristics related mainly to diet, foraging and breeding habitat. This underlines the need to incorporate all relevant and species‐specific or functional group‐specific ecological filters in the models. Improved prediction accuracy of species richness will require finer‐resolved environmental predictors that better describe available niche space and account for specific spatial and resource requirements of different species. More research is needed to understand the relationship between accuracy of species richness and species assemblage predictions in bS‐SDMs as well as the role of biotic interactions.
Quantification of the HIV transcriptional activator complex in live cells by image‐based protein–protein interaction analysis
Authors: Asamitsu Kaori , Omagari Katsumi , Okuda Tomoya , Hibi Yurina , Okamoto Takashi
Published: May 2016

The virus‐encoded Tat protein is essential for HIV transcription in infected cells. The interaction of Tat with the cellular transcription elongation factor P‐TEFb (positive transcriptional elongation factor b) containing cyclin T1 (CycT1) and cyclin‐dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) is critical for its activity. In this study, we use the Fluoppi (fluorescent‐based technology detecting protein–protein interaction) system, which enables the quantification of interactions between biomolecules, such as proteins, in live cells. Quantitative measurement of the molecular interactions among Tat, CycT1 and CDK9 has showed that any third molecule enhances the binding between the other two molecules. These findings suggest that each component of the Tat:P‐TEFb complex stabilizes the overall complex, thereby supporting the efficient transcriptional elongation during viral RNA synthesis. These interactions may serve as appropriate targets for novel anti‐HIV therapy.
Elaboration of the Gothenburg model of person‐centred care
Authors: Britten Nicky , Moore Lucy , Lydahl Doris , Naldemirci Oncel , Elam Mark , Wolf Axel
Published: May 2016

Background

Person‐centred care (PCC) is increasingly advocated as a new way of delivering health care, but there is little evidence that it is widely practised. The University of Gothenburg Centre for Person‐Centred Care (GPCC) was set up in 2010 to develop and implement person‐centred care in clinical practice on the basis of three routines. These routines are based on eliciting the patient's narrative to initiate a partnership; working the partnership to achieve commonly agreed goals; and using documentation to safeguard the partnership and record the person's narrative and shared goals.

Objective

In this paper, we aimed to explore professionals' understanding ofPCCroutines as they implement theGPCCmodel in a range of different settings.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study and interviewed 18 clinician‐researchers from five health‐care professions who were working in seven diverseGPCCprojects.

Results

Interviewees’ accounts ofPCCemphasized the ways in which persons are seen as different from patients; the variable emphasis placed on the person's goals; and the role of the person's own resources in building partnerships.

Conclusion

This study illustrates what is needed for health‐care professionals to implementPCCin everyday practice: the recognition of the person is as important as the specific practical routines. Interviewees described the need to change the clinical mindset and to develop the ways of integrating people's narratives with clinical practice.
Plasma micoRNA‐122 as a predictive marker for treatment response following transarterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Kim Soon Sun , Nam Ji Sun , Cho Hyo Jung , Won Je Hwan , Kim Jin Woo , Ji Jae‐Hoon , Yang Min Jae , Park Joo Han , Noh Choong‐Kyun , Shin Sung Jae , Lee Kee Myung , Cho Sung Won , Cheong Jae Youn
Published: May 2016

Background and Aim

Circulating microRNA (miR)‐122 has recently been investigated as a potential biomarker of various hepatic diseases, such as chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the association between plasma miR‐122 levels and the treatment outcomes following transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in HCC patients.

Methods

We included 177 HCC patients treated with TACE in the study; TACE refractoriness and liver transplantation‐free survival were evaluated during follow up. Pretreatment plasma miR‐122 levels were assessed using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Relative quantification of miR‐122 expression (fold change) was determined using the 2(−ΔΔCt) method. MiR‐16 was used as an internal control for the normalization of miRNA data.

Results

During the mean follow up of 22.4 (range, 1–79) months, 112 (69.5%) patients exhibited TACE refractoriness. Multivariate analyses showed that tumor number (hazard ratio [HR], 2.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43–4.41; P = 0.001) and tumor size (HR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.62–4.32; P = 0.000) can independently predict overall TACE refractoriness. High miR‐122 expression (> 100) was associated with early TACE refractoriness (within 1 year; HR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.12–6.86; P = 0.028), together with tumor number (HR, 22.73; 95% CI, 2.74–188.66; P = 0.004) and tumor size (HR, 4.90; 95% CI, 1.99–12.06; P = 0.001). Univariate analyses showed that high miR‐122 expression tends to be associated with poor liver transplantation‐free survival (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.95–2.11; P = 0.085). However, it was statistically insignificant in multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

High expression levels of plasma miR‐122 are associated with early TACE refractoriness in HCC patients treated with TACE.
Aquinas and the Democratic Virtues: An Introduction
Authors: Herdt Jennifer A.
Published: May 2016

Can the theology of Thomas Aquinas serve as a resource for reflection on democratic civic virtue? That is the central question taken up by Mark Jordan, Adam Eitel, John Bowlin, and Michael Lamb in this focus issue. The four authors agree on one thing: Aquinas himself was no fan of democracy. They disagree, though, over whether Aquinas can offer resources for theorizing democratic virtues. Bowlin, Eitel, and Lamb believe he can, and propose Thomistic accounts of tolerance, civic friendship, and democratic hope, respectively. Jordan, in contrast, issues a cautionary note against such enterprises. This divergence is due in part to different judgments about what it would mean to claim certain resources as “Thomistic.” In part, too, it flows from a disagreement about whether Aquinas himself countenances genuine virtues among non‐Christian citizens, and about whether Christians and non‐Christians can be said to share even proximate ends. This conversation is an important one, since accounts of the democratic virtues constructed using Thomistic resources have the potential to move discussions of democratic and theological virtues beyond common impasses.
Aquinas and the Virtues of Hope: Theological and Democratic
Authors: Lamb Michael
Published: May 2016

A prominent political historian has recently identified unwarranted optimism and unwarranted pessimism as democracy's “dual dangers.” While this historical analysis highlights the difficulties that accompany democratic hope, our prevailing conceptual vocabulary obscures the resources needed to address them. This essay attempts to recover these resources by excavating insights from Thomas Aquinas, who supplies one of the most systematic accounts of hope in the history of religious and political thought. By appropriating the conceptual structure of Thomas's theological virtue of hope, this essay reconstructs a democratic virtue that perfects acts of hoping in fellow citizens to achieve democratic goods and thereby enables citizens to respond properly to difficulties that tempt presumption and despair.
Project Suspensions and Failures in New Product Development: Returns for Entrepreneurial Firms in Co‐Development Alliances
Authors: Hu Yansong , McNamara Peter , Piaskowska Dorota
Published: May 2016

Entrepreneurial biotech and large pharmaceutical firms often form alliances to co‐develop new products. Yet, new product development (NPD) is fraught with challenges that often result in project suspensions and failures. Considering this, how can firms increase the chances that their co‐development alliances will create value? To answer this question, the authors build on insights from signaling theory to argue that prior project suspensions provide positive signals leading to an increase in value creation, while project failures have the opposite effect. In addition, drawing on insights from temporal construal theory, this research predicts that the strength of these effects is contingent on the stage along the exploration–exploitation continuum at which the alliance is formed. The authors undertook event study analyses of 248 alliances formed by 104 biotechnology firms from the United States and Europe listed on eight stock exchanges over an 8‐year period between 1996 and 2003. The results confirm that prior NPD project suspensions have a stronger value creation effect (or prior failures have a weaker value destruction effect) in the case of exploration alliances in the upstream of NPD processes than in the case of moderate‐scale exploitation alliances in the downstream of NPD. This study is among the first to examine how both prior NPD project suspensions and failures of firms affect the abnormal returns achieved from co‐development alliances. This research therefore contributes to the innovation literature by honing a better understanding of setbacks and failures in NPD. Moreover, the findings contribute to the literature on strategic alliances by identifying new conditions under which firms can create or preserve value. This research also contributes to signaling theory by providing evidence of the moderation effect caused by the signaling environment. Finally, this study contributes to the entrepreneurial literature on value creation for entrepreneurial firms in alliances following adverse events.
Coverture and Dignity: A Comment
Authors: Hartog Hendrik
Published: May 2016

This short comment challenges efforts to expand the notion of a dignity taking to traditional legal structures, like those identified with “coverture.” It suggests that the inequalities of gender oppression are better understood as forms of “slow violence.” It also suggests how difficult it is to imagine and to institute remedies for wrongs rooted in long histories and in powerful structures of socialization.
Fine's Fragmentalist Interpretation of Special Relativity
Authors: Hofweber Thomas , Lange Marc
Published: May 2016

In “Tense and Reality”, Kit Fine () proposed a novel way to think about realism about tense in the metaphysics of time. In particular, he explored two non‐standard forms of realism about tense (“external relativism” and “fragmentalism”), arguing that they are to be preferred over standard forms of realism. In the process of defending his own preferred view, fragmentalism, he proposed a fragmentalist interpretation of the special theory of relativity (STR), which will be our focus in this paper. After presenting Fine's position, we will raise a problem for his fragmentalist interpretation of STR. We will argue that Fine's view is in tension with the proper explanation of why various facts (such as the Lorentz transformations) obtain. We will then consider whether similar considerations also speak against fragmentalism in domains other than STR, notably fragmentalism about tense.
Reward‐related neural dysfunction across depression and impulsivity: A dimensional approach
Authors: Ait Oumeziane Belel , Foti Dan
Published: May 2016

Recent theoretical models underline reward sensitivity as a potential endophenotype for major depressive disorder. Neural and behavioral evidence reveals depression is associated with reduced reward sensitivity. However, reward dysfunction is not unique to depression, as it is also common across disorders of poor impulse control. We examined the interrelationships of depression (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale [DASS‐21]) and impulsivity (UPPS‐P Impulsive Behavior Scale) with reward sensitivity among a large, representative sample (N = 260). ERPs were recorded to isolate two neural indicators of consummatory reward processing: initial evaluation of rewards in the 250–350 ms time window postonset of feedback (reward positivity [RewP]), and salience to monetary outcomes (P3). Significant interactions were observed between depression and impulsivity facets across these two stages of reward processing: depression and positive urgency predicted RewP amplitude to reward outcomes (win vs. loss); depression and one other impulsivity trait, (lack of) premeditation, predicted P3 amplitude to monetary outcomes. Conversely, high symptoms of depression were related to three biobehavioral profiles: (1) blunted RewP in conjunction with high positive urgency, (2) combination of blunted RewP and low (lack of) premeditation, and (3) blunted P3 to monetary wins/losses, in conjunction with low (lack of) premeditation. Findings illustrate that reward‐related dysfunctions may be optimally conceptualized when examining the interactions between dimensions of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology.
Multi‐asset Deprivation and Pro‐poor Growth in Cameroon
Authors: Mpenya Hans Tino Ayamena , Epo Boniface Ngah , Baye Francis Menjo
Published: May 2016

This article analyzes pro‐poor growth of multiple dimensions of household well‐being by sector of activity in Cameroon. It uses (1) a polychoric principal component analysis to construct indicators of household asset endowments, (2) the growth incidence curve to analyze the pro‐poorness of the different assets, and (3) a Shapley value framework decomposition to account for changes in deprivation in terms of within‐sector growth and changes in within‐sector inequality. Data is sourced from the second and third Cameroon household consumption surveys. Results show that: (a) pro‐poor growth is not observed for all assets and households at the bottom of the distribution of the different assets experienced an increase in inequality; (b) for all asset endowments, overall deprivation worsened between 2001 and 2007; (c) whereas the growth component mitigated the worsening incidence, depth and severity of human asset deprivation, both growth and redistribution components accounted for the worsening physical, financial and social asset deprivations; (d) while the tertiary sectors of activity benefited some human asset poverty reduction, all sectors suffered from worsening financial and social asset deprivation. These results have implications for promoting growth and improving the allocation of household assets.
Identification of Goose-Origin Parvovirus as a Cause of Newly Emerging Beak Atrophy and Dwarfism Syndrome in Ducklings
Authors: Yu Kexiang , Ma Xiuli , Sheng Zizhang , Qi Lihong , Liu Cunxia , Wang Dan , Huang Bing , Li Feng , Song Minxun
Published: May 2016

A recent epizootic outbreak, in China, of duck beak atrophy and dwarfism syndrome (BADS) was investigated using electron microscopic, genetic, and virological studies, which identified a parvovirus with a greater similarity to goose parvovirus (GPV) (97% protein homology) than to Muscovy duck parvovirus (MDPV) (90% protein homology). The new virus, provisionally designated GPV-QH15, was found to be antigenically more closely related to GPV than to MDPV in a virus neutralization assay. These findings were further supported by phylogenetic analysis showing that GPV-QH15 evolved from goose lineage parvoviruses, rather than from Muscovy duck- or other duck species-related parvoviruses. In all, two genetic lineages (GPV I and GPV II) were identified from the GPV samples analyzed, and GPV-QH15 was found to be closely clustered with two known goose-origin parvoviruses (GPVa2006 and GPV1995), together forming a distinctive GPV IIa sublineage. Finally, structural modeling revealed that GPV-QH15 and the closely related viruses GPVa2006 and GPV1995 possessed identical clusters of receptor-interacting amino acid residues in the VP2 protein, a major determinant of viral receptor binding and host specificity. Significantly, these three viruses differed from MDPVs and other GPVs at these positions. Taken together, these results suggest that GPV-QH15 represents a new variant of goose-origin parvovirus that currently circulates in ducklings and causes BADS, a syndrome reported previously in Europe. This new finding highlights the need for future surveillance of GPV-QH15 in poultry in order to gain a better understanding of both the evolution and the biology of this emerging parvovirus.
Cell-to-Cell Contact and Nectin-4 Govern Spread of Measles Virus from Primary Human Myeloid Cells to Primary Human Airway Epithelial Cells
Authors: Singh Brajesh K. , Li Ni , Mark Anna C. , Mateo Mathieu , Cattaneo Roberto , Sinn Patrick L.
Published: May 2016

Measles is a highly contagious, acute viral illness. Immune cells within the airways are likely first targets of infection, and these cells traffic measles virus (MeV) to lymph nodes for amplification and subsequent systemic dissemination. Infected immune cells are thought to return MeV to the airways; however, the mechanisms responsible for virus transfer to pulmonary epithelial cells are poorly understood. To investigate this process, we collected blood from human donors and generated primary myeloid cells, specifically, monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) and dendritic cells (DCs). MDMs and DCs were infected with MeV and then applied to primary cultures of well-differentiated airway epithelial cells from human donors (HAE). Consistent with previous results obtained with free virus, infected MDMs or DCs were incapable of transferring MeV to HAE when applied to the apical surface. Likewise, infected MDMs or DCs applied to the basolateral surface of HAE grown on small-pore (0.4-μm) support membranes did not transfer virus. In contrast, infected MDMs and DCs applied to the basolateral surface of HAE grown on large-pore (3.0-μm) membranes successfully transferred MeV. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that MDMs and DCs are capable of penetrating large-pore membranes but not small-pore membranes. Further, by using a nectin-4 blocking antibody or recombinant MeV unable to enter cells through nectin-4, we demonstrated formally that transfer from immune cells to HAE occurs in a nectin-4-dependent manner. Thus, both infected MDMs and DCs rely on cell-to-cell contacts and nectin-4 to efficiently deliver MeV to the basolateral surface of HAE.

IMPORTANCE
Measles virus spreads rapidly and efficiently in human airway epithelial cells. This rapid spread is based on cell-to-cell contact rather than on particle release and reentry. Here we posit that MeV transfer from infected immune cells to epithelial cells also occurs by cell-to-cell contact rather than through cell-free particles. In addition, we sought to determine which immune cells transfer MeV infectivity to the human airway epithelium. Our studies are based on two types of human primary cells: (i) myeloid cells generated from donated blood and (ii) well-differentiated airway epithelial cells derived from donor lungs. We show that different types of myeloid cells, i.e., monocyte-derived macrophages and dendritic cells, transfer infection to airway epithelial cells. Furthermore, cell-to-cell contact is an important component of successful MeV transfer. Our studies elucidate a mechanism by which the most contagious human respiratory virus is delivered to the airway epithelium.
Identification of Diverse Mycoviruses through Metatranscriptomics Characterization of the Viromes of Five Major Fungal Plant Pathogens
Authors: Marzano Shin-Yi Lee , Nelson Berlin D. , Ajayi-Oyetunde Olutoyosi , Bradley Carl A. , Hughes Teresa J. , Hartman Glen L. , Eastburn Darin M. , Domier Leslie L.
Published: May 2016

Mycoviruses can have a marked effect on natural fungal communities and influence plant health and productivity. However, a comprehensive picture of mycoviral diversity is still lacking. To characterize the viromes of five widely dispersed plant-pathogenic fungi,
Colletotrichum truncatum
,
Macrophomina phaseolina
,
Diaporthe longicolla
,
Rhizoctonia solani
, and
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
, a high-throughput sequencing-based metatranscriptomic approach was used to detect viral sequences. Total RNA and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) from mycelia and RNA from samples enriched for virus particles were sequenced. Sequence data were assembled
de novo
, and contigs with predicted amino acid sequence similarities to viruses in the nonredundant protein database were selected. The analysis identified 72 partial or complete genome segments representing 66 previously undescribed mycoviruses. Using primers specific for each viral contig, at least one fungal isolate was identified that contained each virus. The novel mycoviruses showed affinity with 15 distinct lineages:
Barnaviridae
,
Benyviridae
,
Chrysoviridae
,
Endornaviridae
,
Fusariviridae
,
Hypoviridae
,
Mononegavirales
,
Narnaviridae
,
Ophioviridae
,
Ourmiavirus
,
Partitiviridae
,
Tombusviridae
,
Totiviridae
,
Tymoviridae
, and
Virgaviridae
. More than half of the viral sequences were predicted to be members of the
Mitovirus
genus in the family
Narnaviridae
, which replicate within mitochondria. Five viral sequences showed strong affinity with three families (
Benyviridae
,
Ophioviridae
, and
Virgaviridae
) that previously contained no mycovirus species. The genomic information provides insight into the diversity and taxonomy of mycoviruses and coevolution of mycoviruses and their fungal hosts.

IMPORTANCE
Plant-pathogenic fungi reduce crop yields, which affects food security worldwide. Plant host resistance is considered a sustainable disease management option but may often be incomplete or lacking for some crops to certain fungal pathogens or strains. In addition, the rising issues of fungicide resistance demand alternative strategies to reduce the negative impacts of fungal pathogens. Those fungus-infecting viruses (mycoviruses) that attenuate fungal virulence may be welcome additions for mitigation of plant diseases. By high-throughput sequencing of the RNAs from 275 isolates of five fungal plant pathogens, 66 previously undescribed mycoviruses were identified. In addition to identifying new potential biological control agents, these results expand the grand view of the diversity of mycoviruses and provide possible insights into the importance of intracellular and extracellular transmission in fungus-virus coevolution.
CD47 Plays a Role as a Negative Regulator in Inducing Protective Immune Responses to Vaccination against Influenza Virus
Authors: Lee Young-Tae , Ko Eun-Ju , Lee Youri , Lee Yu-Na , Bian Zhen , Liu Yuan , Kang Sang-Moo
Published: May 2016

An integrin-associated protein CD47, which is a ligand for the inhibitory receptor signal regulatory protein α, is expressed on B and T cells, as well as on most innate immune cells. However, the roles of CD47 in the immune responses to viral infection or vaccination remain unknown. We investigated the role of CD47 in inducing humoral immune responses after intranasal infection with virus or immunization with influenza virus-like particles (VLPs). Virus infection or vaccination with VLPs containing hemagglutinin from A/PR8/34 influenza virus induced higher levels of antigen-specific IgG2c isotype dominant antibodies in CD47-deficient (CD47KO) mice than in wild-type (WT) mice. CD47KO mice with vaccination showed greater protective efficacy against lethal challenge, as evidenced by no loss in body weight and reduced lung viral titers compared to WT mice. In addition, inflammatory responses which include cytokine production, leukocyte infiltrates, and gamma interferon-producing CD4
+
T cells, as well as an anti-inflammatory cytokine (interleukin-10), were reduced in the lungs of vaccinated CD47KO mice after challenge with influenza virus. Analysis of lymphocytes indicated that GL7
+
germinal center B cells were induced at higher levels in the draining lymph nodes of CD47KO mice compared to those in WT mice. Notably, CD47KO mice exhibited significant increases in the numbers of antigen-specific memory B cells in spleens and plasma cells in bone marrow despite their lower levels of background IgG antibodies. These results suggest that CD47 plays a role as a negative regulator in inducing protective immune responses to influenza vaccination.

IMPORTANCE
Molecular mechanisms that control B cell activation to produce protective antibodies upon viral vaccination remain poorly understood. The CD47 molecule is known to be a ligand for the inhibitory receptor signal regulatory protein α and expressed on the surfaces of most immune cell types. CD47 was previously demonstrated to play an important role in modulating the migration of monocytes, neutrophils, polymorphonuclear neutrophils, and dendritic cells into the inflamed tissues. The results of this study demonstrate new roles of CD47 in negatively regulating the induction of protective IgG antibodies, germinal center B cells, and plasma cells secreting antigen-specific antibodies, as well as macrophages, upon influenza vaccination and challenge. As a consequence, vaccinated CD47-deficient mice demonstrated better control of influenza viral infection and enhanced protection. This study provides insights into understanding the regulatory functions of CD47 in inducing adaptive immunity to vaccination.
Crossover Control Study of the Effect of Personal Care Products Containing Triclosan on the Microbiome
Authors: Poole Angela C. , Pischel Lauren , Ley Catherine , Suh Gina , Goodrich Julia K. , Haggerty Thomas D. , Ley Ruth E. , Parsonnet Julie
Published: May 2016

Triclosan and triclocarban are commonly used commercial microbicides found in toothpastes and soaps. It is unknown what effects these chemicals have on the human microbiome or on endocrine function. From this randomized crossover study, it appears that routine personal care use of triclosan and triclocarban neither exerts a major influence on microbial communities in the gut and mouth nor alters markers of endocrine function in humans.
Health effects of training laypeople to deliver emergency care in underserviced populations: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Orkin Aaron M , Curran Jeffrey D , Fortune Melanie K , McArthur Allison , Mew Emma J , Ritchie Stephen D , Van de Velde Stijn , VanderBurgh David
Published: May 2016

Introduction

The Disease Control Priorities Project recommends emergency care training for laypersons in low-resource settings, but evidence for these interventions has not yet been systematically reviewed. This review will identify the individual and community health effects of educating laypeople to deliver prehospital emergency care interventions in low-resource settings.

Methods and analysis

This systematic review addresses the following question: in underserviced populations and low-resource settings (P), does first aid or emergency care training or education for laypeople (I) confer any individual or community health benefit for emergency health conditions (O), in comparison with no training or other forms of education (C)? We restrict this review to studies reporting quantitatively measurable outcomes, and search 12 electronic bibliographic databases and grey literature sources. A team of expert content and methodology reviewers will conduct title and abstract screening and full-text review, using a custom-built online platform. Two investigators will independently extract methodological variables and outcomes related to patient-level morbidity and mortality and community-level effects on resilience or emergency care capacity. Two investigators will independently assess external validity, selection bias, performance bias, measurement bias, attrition bias and confounding. We will summarise the findings using a narrative approach to highlight similarities and differences between the gathered studies.

Ethics and dissemination

Formal ethical approval is not required.

Results

The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and knowledge translation strategy.

Review registration number

CRD42014009685.
Capillary blood islet autoantibody screening for identifying pre-type 1 diabetes in the general population: design and initial results of the Fr1da study
Authors: Raab Jennifer , Haupt Florian , Scholz Marlon , Matzke Claudia , Warncke Katharina , Lange Karin , Assfalg Robin , Weininger Katharina , Wittich Susanne , Löbner Stephanie , Beyerlein Andreas , Nennstiel-Ratzel Uta , Lang Martin , Laub Otto , Dunstheimer Desiree , Bonifacio Ezio , Achenbach Peter , Winkler Christiane , Ziegler Anette-G
Published: May 2016

Introduction

Type 1 diabetes can be diagnosed at an early presymptomatic stage by the detection of islet autoantibodies. The Fr1da study aims to assess whether early staging of type 1 diabetes (1) is feasible at a population-based level, (2) prevents severe metabolic decompensation observed at the clinical manifestation of type 1 diabetes and (3) reduces psychological distress through preventive teaching and care.

Methods and analysis

Children aged 2–5 years in Bavaria, Germany, will be tested for the presence of multiple islet autoantibodies. Between February 2015 and December 2016, 100 000 children will be screened by primary care paediatricians. Islet autoantibodies are measured in capillary blood samples using a multiplex three-screen ELISA. Samples with ELISA results >97.5th centile are retested using reference radiobinding assays. A venous blood sample is also obtained to confirm the autoantibody status of children with at least two autoantibodies. Children with confirmed multiple islet autoantibodies are diagnosed with pre-type 1 diabetes. These children and their parents are invited to participate in an education and counselling programme at a local diabetes centre. Depression and anxiety, and burden of early diagnosis are also assessed.

Results

Of the 1027 Bavarian paediatricians, 39.3% are participating in the study. Overall, 26 760 children have been screened between February 2015 and November 2015. Capillary blood collection was sufficient in volume for islet autoantibody detection in 99.46% of the children. The remaining 0.54% had insufficient blood volume collected. Of the 26 760 capillary samples tested, 0.39% were positive for at least two islet autoantibodies.

Discussion

Staging for early type 1 diabetes within a public health setting appears to be feasible. The study may set new standards for the early diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and education.

Ethics dissemination

The study was approved by the ethics committee of Technische Universität München (Nr. 70/14).
Developing a palliative care competence framework for health and social care professionals: the experience in the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Connolly Michael , Ryan Karen , Charnley Karen
Published: May 2016

Purpose

Competence-based education in health and social care has been promoted through the Tuning Process in Europe. This papers reports on the process of developing a Palliative Care Competence Framework for health and social care professionals working in the Republic of Ireland.

Method

A Palliative Care Competence Framework Steering Group, comprising a range of health and social care professionals, was established to oversee and drive the development of the framework, through identification of core competences and related indicators and supporting the work of 10 working groups to develop discipline specific competences.

Results

The Palliative Care Competence Framework identifies six domains of competence with core indicators which all health and social care professionals should be able to demonstrate on completion of initial academic programme for professional registration or in the context of their current job. Discipline-specific competences supplement the core competences and describe additional skill-specific competences acquired during training in that discipline. Discipline-specific competences are organised in three ascending levels of expertise of palliative care practice.

Conclusions

The framework describes universal core competences in palliative care while also detailing individual competences for each health and social care discipline. It is envisioned that the framework will inform academic curricula and professional development programmes, and so will enhance the care of people with life-limiting illness, fostering greater interprofessional and interorganisational collaboration in palliative care provision.
Education, material condition and physical functioning trajectories in middle-aged and older adults in Central and Eastern Europe: a cross-country comparison
Authors: Hu Yaoyue , Pikhart Hynek , Pająk Andrzej , Kubínová Růžena , Malyutina Sofia , Besala Agnieszka , Peasey Anne , Marmot Michael , Bobak Martin
Published: May 2016

Background

Two competing hypotheses, cumulative advantage/disadvantage and age-as-leveller, have been proposed to explain the contradictory findings on socioeconomic differences in health over the lifespan. To test these hypotheses, this investigation examined the influence of educational attainment and material condition on individual trajectories of physical functioning (PF) in unexplored ageing populations in Central and Eastern Europe.

Methods

28 783 men and women aged 45–69 years selected from populations in seven Czech towns, Krakow (Poland) and Novosibirsk (Russia). PF was measured by the Physical Functioning Subscale (PF-10) of the Short-Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36) at baseline and three subsequent occasions. The highest educational attainment was self-reported at baseline, and material condition was captured by the sum score of 12 household amenities and assets.

Results

In all cohorts, participants with a university degree had the highest PF-10 score at baseline and slowest rate of decline in the score during follow-up, while the lowest baseline scores and fastest decline rate were found in participants with less than secondary education in all cohorts and in Russians with secondary education. Similar disparities in the baseline PF-10 score and decline rate were observed across tertiles of material condition, but differences in decline rates across the three tertiles among Czechs or between the lower two tertiles among Russians were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Disparities in PF by educational attainment and material condition among middle-aged and older adults in Central and Eastern Europe existed at baseline and widened during ∼10 years of follow-up, supporting the cumulative advantage/disadvantage hypothesis.
Phase transitions of black holes in massive gravity
Authors: Fernando Sharmanthie
Published: May 2016

In this paper, we have studied thermodynamics of a black hole in massive gravity in the canonical ensemble. The massive gravity theory in consideration here has a massive graviton due to Lorentz symmetry breaking. The black hole studied here has a scalar charge due to the massive graviton and is asymptotically anti-de Sitter (AdS). We have computed various thermodynamical quantities such as temperature, specific heat and free energy. Both the local and global stability of the black hole are studied by observing the behavior of the specific heat and the free energy. We have observed that there is a first-order phase transition between small (SBH) and large black hole (LBH) for a certain range of the scalar charge. This phase transition is similar to the liquid/gas phase transition at constant temperature for a van der Waals fluid. The coexistence curves for the SBH and LBH branches are also discussed in detail.
Particle dark matter direct detection
Authors: Bernabei Rita
Published: May 2016

Nearly a century of experimental observations and theoretical arguments have pointed out that a large fraction of the Universe is composed by dark matter particles. Many possibilities are open on the nature and interaction types of such relic particles. Moreover, the poor knowledge of many fundamental astrophysical, nuclear and particle physics aspects as well as of some experimental and theoretical parameters, the different used approaches and target materials, etc. make it challenging to understand the implication of some different experimental efforts. Some general arguments are addressed here. Future perspectives are mentioned.
STUDY ON THE PROTECTION OF ISOLATED RABBIT'S PULMONARY ISCHEMIA REPERFUSION INJURY BY ADDING TANSHINONE IIA INTO LOW POTASSIUM DEXTRAN SOLUTION
Authors: LI YUEBING , LIANG LI , CHEN WEI , PENG CHUNHUI , ZHAO ZHENGPING , HUANG ZHIGANG , WANG YONGJIAN
Published: May 2016

Purpose: This study investigates the protective effect of Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) on isolated rabbit's pulmonary ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) and discusses its potential for the treatment of microcirculation disorders. Methods: We chose isolated rabbit's IRI as our experimental models, and randomly divided 24 New Zealand rabbits into two groups. For the control group (L), the lungs were perfused with Low Potassium Dextran (LPD) solution under 4[Formula: see text]C, and then it was preserved under 10[Formula: see text]C. For the experimental group (LT), the lungs were perfused and preserved with LPD[Formula: see text]Tan solution using the same approach. After the lungs have been preserved for 18[Formula: see text]h, we again perfused it for another 30 min. After reperfusion was completed, we determined the contents of SOD, NO, and MDA immediately. The wet to dry weight ratio (W/[Formula: see text] was then obtained. Finally, we use a combination of light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy to observe the ultra-structural changes of lung tissues. Results: We discovered that the contents of SOD and NO in group LT were higher than that in group L ([Formula: see text]). However, the MDA and the W/D values in group LT were lower than that in group L ([Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text]). We also observed that part of the tissues has hyperemia, edema, and congestion. Under the light microscopy, the structures of the pulmonary alveoli, bronchi, and capillaries were complete. But under high-power field, group L had a more obvious phenomenon of alveolar epithelium and capillary epithelium cells swelling and hypertrophy with respect to group LT. It could be observed that in the partial tissues, erythrocytes exuded from alveoli and the interval tends to widen in the alveoli. Under transmission electron microscopy, group L is observed to have mitochondria swelling, vacuolization, and even autosome edge accumulation. Microvillus of cell Type II significantly decreased or disappeared. Blood–air barrier swelled severely and a portion of it was cracked. The phenomena above were obviously reduced for group LT. Conclusion: Our experiments confirmed that adding Tan IIA into LPD solution can reduce the isolated rabbit's IRI effectively.
On the existence of a local quasi hidden variable (LqHV) model for eachN-qudit state and the maximal quantum violation of Bell inequalities
Authors: Loubenets Elena R.
Published: May 2016

We specify the local quasi hidden variable (LqHV) model reproducing the probabilistic description of all N-partite joint von Neumann measurements on an N-qudit state. Via this local probability model, we derive a new upper bound on the maximal violation by an N-qudit state of Bell inequalities of any type (either on correlation functions or on joint probabilities) for [Formula: see text] observables per site. This new upper bound not only improves for all [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] and d the corresponding results available for general Bell inequalities in the literature but also, for the N-qubit case with two observables per site, reduces exactly to the attainable upper bound known for quantum violations of correlation [Formula: see text] setting Bell inequalities in a dichotomic case.
Relativistic three-partite non-locality
Authors: Moradpour Hooman , Montakhab Afshin
Published: May 2016

Bell-like inequalities have been used in order to distinguish non-local quantum pure states by various authors. The behavior of such inequalities under Lorentz transformation (LT) has been a source of debate and controversies in the past. In this paper, we consider the two most commonly studied three-particle pure states, that of W and Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) states which exhibit distinctly different types of entanglement. We discuss the various types of three-particle inequalities used in previous studies and point to their corresponding shortcomings and strengths. Our main result is that if one uses Czachor’s relativistic spin operator and Svetlichny’s inequality as the main measure of non-locality and uses the same angles in the rest frame (S) as well as the moving frame ([Formula: see text]), then maximally violated inequality in S will decrease in the moving frame, and will eventually lead to lack of non-locality (i.e. satisfaction of inequality) in the [Formula: see text] limit. This is shown for both the GHZ and W states and in two different configurations which are commonly studied (Cases 1 and 2). Our results are in line with a more familiar case of two particle case. We also show that the satisfaction of Svetlichny’s inequality in the [Formula: see text] limit is independent of initial particles’ velocity. Our study shows that whenever we use Czachor’s relativistic spin operator, results draws a clear picture of three-particle non-locality making its general properties consistent with previous studies on two-particle systems regardless of the W state or the GHZ state is involved. Throughout the paper, we also address the results of using Pauli’s operator in investigating the behavior of [Formula: see text] under LT for both of the GHZ and W states and two cases (Cases 1 and 2). Our investigation shows that the violation of [Formula: see text] in moving frame depends on the particle’s energy in the lab frame, which is in agreement with some previous works on two and three-particle systems. Our work may also help us to classify the results of using Czachor’s and Pauli’s operators to describe the spin entanglement and thus the system spin in relativistic information theory.