bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smart city returns
Authors: Bunnell Tim
Published: March 2015

India’s smart city plans have much in common with ‘high-tech’ and ‘intelligent’ city developments elsewhere. Among the similarities with the Multimedia Super Corridor in Malaysia in the 1990s is the role of seductive language and technologically utopian imaginings of the future in legitimizing land acquisition and dispossession. Geographers need to continue to look critically at smart city discourse and its inequitable socio-spatial effects. It is also important, however, that geographers consider possibilities for more progressive smart technology–enabled futures. The case of Malaysia shows not only that the implementation of smart and intelligent city projects faces resistance but also that socio-technical outcomes tend to exceed the plans of corporate and political interests.
Air’s affinities
Authors: Adey Peter
Published: March 2015

In the midst of renewed geographical and geophilosophical interest in the Earth, the biosphere and, specifically, what has been called an ‘aerography’, this article explores how air might be made sense of as elemental. As a different way to apprehend elements to notions within the turn to a material–affective thing–power, assemblage theory or geophysical processes and complexities, the article explores air by apprehending it through chemical–alchemic notions of affinity and a political–mythic philosophical elementalism. In so doing, it is suggested that we might bring the air to account rather differently.
Atemwende, or how to breathe differently
Authors: Nieuwenhuis Marijn
Published: March 2015

This commentary makes use of the affinity between the body and the element of air to come to what I call ‘a politics of the air’. The commentary uses Peter Adey’s discussion on the relationship between the air and geopolitics as a springboard to initiate a project, which wishes to reconsider the material components conventionally considered to constitute politics. The commentary first provides a general introduction expanding on Adey’s notion of chemical affects, before moving on to explore how the act of breathing forms the hidden link between the air and the body. The commentary thereby wishes to argue that it is through the act of breathing in which we can start envisaging a politics of a different substance.
Burden of migraine related to menses: results from the AMPP study
Authors: Pavlović Jelena M , Stewart Walter F , Bruce Christa A , Gorman Jennifer A , Sun Haiyan , Buse Dawn C , Lipton Richard B
Published: March 2015

Background

Studies of the difference between menstrually associated and non-menstrually associated migraine are somewhat controversial. The majority of studies have focused on comparing menstrual to non-menstrual attacks rather than comparing study groups with different migraine diagnoses with respect to menstruation. As there is limited knowledge available on the overall impact and burden of migraine among groups of women with and without menstrually associated migraine our goal was to examine differences between these groups. We hypothesized that there would be greater burden of migraine related to menstruation and headache frequency in a population study across groups of women.

Methods

We analyzed data from the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention (AMPP) Study, a longitudinal, US, population-based study. We included female respondents to the 2009 survey, aged 18 to 60, who met modified ICHD-2 criteria for migraine, were actively menstruating and fit one of three definitions based on the self-reported association of menses and migraine attacks: self-reported predominantly menstrual migraine (MM, attacks that only or predominantly occur at the time of menses), self-reported menstrually-associated migraine (MAM, attacks commonly associated with menses, but that also occur at other times of the month), and self-reported menstrually-unrelated migraine (MUM). These three groups were compared on characteristics and measures of headache impact and burden (Headache Impact Test– 6 item (HIT-6) and Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS).

Results

There were 1,697 eligible subjects for this study in the following categories: MM (5.5%), MAM (53.8%), or MUM (40.7%). Women with MM had an older age of migraine onset. Those with predominantly menstrually-related attacks (MM) had fewer headache-days but appeared to be more impaired by attacks. HIT-6 and MIDAS scores were significantly higher for both the MM and MAM groups compared with the MUM groups; however, effects were more robust for MM than MAM.

Conclusions

Nearly 60% of women with migraine reported an association between migraine and menses. These women reported greater headache impact and migraine-related burden on functioning than those in whom migraines were not related to menstruation. Women with MM were more impaired by attacks while women with MAM had overall highest burden, likely due to experiencing migraines on additional days.
Protease-Activated Receptors in the Achilles Tendon–A Potential Explanation for the Excessive Pain Signalling in Tendinopathy
Authors: Christensen Jens , Alfredson Håkan , Andersson Gustav
Published: March 2015

Background/Aim

Tendinopathies are pathological conditions of tissue remodelling occurring in the major tendons of the body, accompanied by excessive nociceptive signalling. Tendinopathies have been shown to exhibit an increase in the number of mast cells, which are capable of releasing histamine, tryptase and other substances upon activation, which may play a role in the development of tendinopathies. This study set out to describe the distribution patterns of a family of receptors called protease-activated receptors (PARs) within the Achilles tendon. These four receptors (PAR1, PAR2, PAR3, PAR4) are activated by proteases, including tryptase released from mast cells, and are involved in fibrosis, hyperalgesia and neovascularisation, which are changes seen in tendinopathies.

Method

In order to study which structures involved in tendinopathy that these proteases can affect, biopsies from patients suffering of mid-portion Achilles tendinosis and healthy controls were collected and examined using immunohistochemistry. Tendon cells were cultured to study in vitro expression patterns.

Results

The findings showed a distribution of PARs inside the tendon tissue proper, and in the paratendinous tissue, with all four being expressed on nerves and vascular structures. Double staining showed co-localisation of PARs with nociceptive fibres expressing substance P. Concerning tenocytes, PAR2, PAR3, and PAR4, were found in both biopsies of tendon tissue and cultured tendon cells.

Conclusions

This study describes the expression patterns of PARs in the mid-portion of the Achilles tendon, which can help explain the tissue changes and increased pain signalling seen in tendinopathies. These findings also show that in-vitro studies of the effects of these receptors are plausible and that PARs are a possible therapeutic target in the future treatment strategies of tendinopathy.
Mechanisms of endocrine resistance in breast cancer: an overview of the proposed roles of noncoding RNA
Authors: Hayes Erin L , Lewis-Wambi Joan S
Published: March 2015

Endocrine therapies such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors are the standard treatment options for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer patients. However, resistance to these agents has become a major clinical obstacle. Potential mechanisms of resistance to endocrine therapies have been identified, often involving enhanced growth factor signaling and changes in the expression or action of the estrogen receptor, but few studies have addressed the role of noncoding RNA (ncRNA). Two important types of ncRNA include microRNA (miRNA) and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA). miRNAs are small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression via translational inhibition or degradation of mRNA transcripts, while lncRNAs are larger RNA molecules that have been shown to play a role in multiple cellular maintenance functions such as protein scaffolding, chromatin looping, and regulation of mRNA stability. Both miRNA and lncRNA have recently impacted the field of breast cancer research as important pieces in the mechanistic puzzle of the genes and pathways involved in breast cancer development and progression. This review serves as an overview of the roles of miRNA and lncRNA in breast cancer progression and the development of endocrine resistance. Ideally, future experiments in the field should include identification of ncRNAs that could be potential therapeutic targets in endocrine-resistant tumors, as well as ncRNA biomarkers that facilitate more tumor-specific treatment options for endocrine-resistant breast cancer patients.
Relative benefit-risk comparing diclofenac to other traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors in patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis: a network meta-analysis
Authors: van Walsem Anneloes , Pandhi Shaloo , Nixon Richard M , Guyot Patricia , Karabis Andreas , Moore R Andrew
Published: March 2015

Introduction

There is argument over the benefits and risks of drugs for treating chronic musculoskeletal pain. This study compared the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib, and etoricoxib for patients with pain caused by osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

A systematic literature review used Medline and EMBASE to identify randomised controlled trials. Efficacy outcomes assessed included: pain relief measured by visual analogue scale (VAS); Western Ontario McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) VAS or WOMAC Likert scale; physical functioning measured by WOMAC VAS or Likert scale; and patient global assessment (PGA) of disease severity measured on VAS or 5-point Likert scale. Safety outcomes included: Antiplatelet Trialists’ Collaboration (APTC), major cardiovascular (CV) and major upper gastrointestinal (GI) events, and withdrawals. Data for each outcome were synthesized by a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA). For efficacy assessments, labelled doses for OA treatment were used for the base case while labelled doses for RA treatment were also included in the sensitivity analysis. Pooled data across dose ranges were used for safety.

Results

Efficacy, safety, and tolerability data were found for 146,524 patients in 176 studies included in the NMA. Diclofenac (150 mg/day) was likely to be more effective in alleviating pain than celecoxib (200 mg/day), naproxen (1000 mg/day), and ibuprofen (2400 mg/day), and similar to etoricoxib (60 mg/day); a lower dose of diclofenac (100 mg/day) was comparable to all other treatments in alleviating pain. Improved physical function with diclofenac (100 and 150 mg/day) was mostly comparable to all other treatments. PGA with diclofenac (100 and 150 mg/day) was likely to be more effective or comparable to all other treatments. All active treatments were similar for APTC and major CV events. Major upper GI events with diclofenac were lower compared to naproxen and ibuprofen, comparable to celecoxib, and higher than etoricoxib. Risk of withdrawal with diclofenac was lower compared to ibuprofen, similar to celecoxib and naproxen, and higher than etoricoxib.

Conclusions

The benefit-risk profile of diclofenac was comparable to other treatments used for pain relief in OA and RA; benefits and risks vary in individuals and need consideration when making treatment decisions.
Meta-analysis of two Chinese populations identifies an autoimmune disease risk allele in 22q11.21 as associated with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Zhang Yan , Wang Yong-Fei , Yang Jing , Zhang Jing , Sun Liangdan , Hirankarn Nattiya , Pan Hai-Feng , Lau Chak Sing , Chan Tak Mao , Lee Tsz Leung , Leung Alexander Moon Ho , Mok Chi Chiu , Zhang Lu , Shen Jiangshan Jane , Wong Sik Nin , Lee Ka Wing , Ho Marco Hok Kung , Lee Pamela Pui Wah , Chung Brian Hon-Yin , Chong Chun Yin , Wong Raymond Woon Sing , Mok Mo Yin , Wong Wilfred Hing Sang , Tong Kwok Lung , Tse Niko Kei Chiu , Li Xiang-Pei , Avihingsanon Yingyos , Rianthavorn Pornpimol , Deekajorndej Thavatchai , Suphapeetiporn Kanya , Shotelersuk Vorasuk , Ying Shirley King Yee , Fung Samuel Ka Shun , Lai Wai Ming , Wong Chun-Ming , Ng Irene Oi Lin , Garcia-Barcelo Maria-Merce , Cherny Stacey S , Tam Paul Kwong-Hang , Sham Pak Chung , Yang Sen , Ye Dong Qing , Cui Yong , Zhang Xue-Jun , Yang Wanling , Lau Yu Lung
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous disease with a diverse spectrum of clinical symptoms, ranging from skin rash to end-organ damage. 22q11.21 has been identified as a susceptibility region for several autoimmune diseases, including SLE. However, detailed information for SLE association and the underlying functional mechanism(s) is still lacking.

Methods

Through meta-analysis of two genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on Han Chinese populations, comprising a total of 1,659 cases and 3,398 controls matched geographically, we closely examined the 22q11.21 region, especially on the reported single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with different autoimmune diseases and their relationships. We further replicated the most significant associations of SNPs with SLE using 2,612 cases and 2,323 controls of Asian ancestry.

Results

All reported SNPs in the 22q11.21 region with different autoimmune diseases were examined using the two GWAS data and meta-analysis results, and supportive evidence of association with SLE was found (meta-analysis: P_meta ≤ 7.27E-05), which might require further investigation. SNP rs2298428 was identified as the most significant SNP associated with SLE in this region (P_meta =2.70E-09). It showed independent effects through both stepwise and conditional logistic regression, and there is no evidence of other independent association signals for SLE in this region. The association of rs2298428 was further replicated in three cohorts from Hong Kong, Anhui and Thailand comprising a total of 2,612 cases and 2,323 controls (joint analysis of GWAS and replication result: P_all =1.31E-11, odds ratio =1.23). SNP rs2298428 was shown to be an expression quantitative locus for UBE2L3 gene in different cell types, with the risk allele (T) being correlated with higher expression of UBE2L3. This is consistent with earlier reports on higher expression of UBE2L3 in patients with SLE.

Conclusions

Association with distinct autoimmune diseases highlights the significance of this region in autoreactive responses and potentially shared functional mechanisms in these diseases.
Detecting cathepsin activity in human osteoarthritis via activity-based probes
Authors: Ben-Aderet Louisa , Merquiol Emmanuelle , Fahham Duha , Kumar Ashok , Reich Eli , Ben-Nun Yael , Kandel Leonid , Haze Amir , Liebergall Meir , Kosińska Marta K , Steinmeyer Juergen , Turk Boris , Blum Galia , Dvir-Ginzberg Mona
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Lysosomal cathepsins have been reported to contribute to Osteoarthritis (OA) pathophysiology due to their increase in pro-inflammatory conditions. Given the causal role of cathepsins in OA, monitoring their specific activity could provide means for assessing OA severity. To this end, we herein sought to assess a cathepsin activity-based probe (ABP), GB123, in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

Protein levels and activity of cathepsins B and S were monitored by immunoblot analysis and GB123 labeling in cultured primary chondrocytes and conditioned media, following stimuli with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and/or Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β). Similarly, cathepsin activity was examined in sections of intact cartilage (IC) and degraded cartilage (DC) regions of OA. Finally, synovial fluid (SF) and serum from donors with no signs of diseases, early OA, late OA and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were analyzed with GB123 to detect distinct activity levels of cathepsin B and S.

Results

Cathepsin activity in cell lysates, conditioned media explants and DC sections showed enhanced enzymatic activity of cathepsins B and S. Further histological analysis revealed that cathepsin activity was found higher in superficial zones of DC than in IC. Examining serum and SF revealed that cathepsin B is significantly elevated with OA severity in serum and SF, yet levels of cathepsin S are more correlated with synovitis and RA.

Conclusions

Based on our data, cathepsin activity monitored by ABPs correlated well with OA severity and joint inflammation, directing towards a novel etiological target for OA, which possesses significant translational potential in developing means for non-invasive detection of early signs of OA.
Prolonged efficacy of the 300IR 5‐grass pollen tablet up to 2 years after treatment cessation, as measured by a recommended daily combined score
Authors: Didier Alain , Malling Hans‐Jørgen , Worm Margitta , Horak Friedrich , Sussman Gordon L
Published: March 2015

Background

The 300IR (index of reactivity) 5‐grass pollen tablet has favorable short‐term and sustained clinical efficacy in patients with grass pollen‐induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC). Here, we report maintenance of efficacy and safety over 2 years following treatment discontinuation.

Methods

Randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group, multicenter Phase 3 trial in patients aged 18–50 years with ARC. During study years 1–3, patients received a daily sublingual tablet containing either 300IR 5‐grass pollen extract or placebo, according to a discontinuous pre‐ and coseasonal protocol. Study years 4 and 5 were treatment‐free. In response to health authorities’ recommendations, the daily combined score (DCS) was assessed in a post‐hoc analysis as the efficacy endpoint. Components of the DCS were daily rhinoconjunctivitis total symptom score (DRTSS) and daily rescue medication score (DRMS).

Results

633 patients with ARC were randomized to placebo (n = 219) or 300IR 5‐grass pollen tablet, beginning 4 months (4 M, n = 207) or 2 months (2 M, n = 207) prior to the estimated start of the grass pollen season and continuing until season's end. During the first post‐treatment year, a statistically significant difference versus placebo in least squares (LS) mean DCS was noted in patients previously receiving active treatment (300IR (2 M) point estimate: −0.16, 95% confidence interval (CI95%): [−0.26, −0.06], p = 0.0019; −31.1%; 300IR (4 M) point estimate: −0.13, CI95%: [−0.23, −0.03], p = 0.0103, −25.3%). During the second post‐treatment year, patients in the 300IR (4 M) group, but not the 300IR (2 M) group, showed a statistically significant difference in LS mean DCS versus placebo (point estimate: −0.11, CI95%: [−0.21; 0.00], p = 0.0478, −28.1%). This significant efficacy seen during the post‐treatment years in patients previously treated with 5‐grass pollen tablet compared favorably with that during the 3 prior years of active treatment. A statistically significant difference versus placebo was also noted in secondary efficacy measures in both post‐treatment years (except for DRTSS in year 5). In the absence of any active treatment, the safety profile was similar in the active groups versus placebo group during either post‐treatment year.

Conclusions

In adults with grass pollen‐associated ARC, 5‐grass pollen tablet therapy beginning 4 months before the pollen season and continuing to season's end demonstrated efficacy across all variables during active treatment, and this effect was prolonged for up to 2 years post‐treatment.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00418379.
Activation of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 3 Channel Suppresses Adipogenesis
Authors: Cheung Sin Ying , Huang Yu , Kwan Hiu Yee , Chung Hau Yin , Yao Xiaoqiang
Published: March 2015

The present study shows that activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 channel (TRPV3) suppresses adipocyte differentiation. We also found that a major functional catechin compound in green tea and cocoa, (−)-epicatechin, exerts antiadipogenic effects in the adipocytes through direct activation of TRPV3. TRPV3 was detected in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes using immunohistochemistry and semiquantitative PCR. TRPV3 activation by activators (−)-epicatechin and diphenylborinic anhydride was determined using live cell fluorescent Ca2+ imaging and patch-clamp electrophysiology. Using RNA interference, immunoblotting, and Oil red O staining, we found that the TRPV3 agonists prevented adipogenesis by inhibiting the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1, the downstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/forkhead box protein O1 axis, and the expression of the adipogenic genes peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α. TRPV3 overexpression hindered adipogenesis in the 3T3-L1 cells. In vivo studies showed that chronic treatment with the TRPV3 activators prevented adipogenesis and weight gain in the mice fed on high-fat diets. Moreover, TRPV3 expression was reduced in the visceral adipose tissue from mice fed on high-fat diets and obese (ob/ob) and diabetic (db/m+) mice. In conclusion, our study illustrates the antiadipogenic role of TRPV3 in the adipocytes.
FSP-1 Impairs the Function of Endothelium Leading to Failure of Arteriovenous Grafts in Diabetic Mice
Authors: Luo Jinlong , Liang Ming , Mitch William E. , Danesh Farhad R. , Yu Michael , Cheng Jizhong
Published: March 2015

To understand how endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction contributes to the failure of arteriovenous graft (AVG), we investigated the role of fibroblast-specific protein 1 (FSP-1) in cultured ECs and a mouse AVG model. In vitro, we uncovered a new FSP-1-dependent pathway that activates rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) in ECs, leading to phosphorylation of myosin light chain 2 resulting in EC dysfunction. In cultured ECs, high glucose stimulated FSP-1 expression and increased permeability of an EC monolayer. The increase in permeability by the high glucose concentration was mediated by FSP-1 expression. Treatment of cultured ECs with FSP-1 caused leakage of the endothelial barrier plus increased expression of adhesion molecules and decreased expression of junction molecules. These responses were initiated by binding of FSP-1 to receptor for advanced glycation end products, which resulted in ROCK1 activation. In vivo, diabetes increased infiltration of inflammatory cells into AVGs and stimulated neointima formation. Increased FSP-1 expression and ROCK1 activation were found in AVGs of diabetic mice. Blocking FSP-1 suppressed diabetes-induced ROCK1 activation in AVGs. In mice with FSP-1 knockout or with ROCK1 knockout, accumulation of inflammatory cells and neointima formation in AVG were attenuated despite diabetes. Thus, mechanisms of inhibiting FSP-1 in ECs could improve AVG function.
The Flower Tea Coreopsis tinctoria Increases Insulin Sensitivity and Regulates Hepatic Metabolism in Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet
Authors: Jiang Baoping , Le Liang , Wan Wenting , Zhai Wei , Hu Keping , Xu Lijia , Xiao Peigen
Published: March 2015

An infusion of Coreopsis tinctoria (CT) flowering tops is traditionally used in Portugal to control hyperglycemia; however, the effects of CT protection against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic insulin resistance have not been systematically studied and the precise mechanism of action is not clear. The metabolomic profiles of insulin-resistant rats fed a HFD and a CT-supplemented diet (HFD supplemented with CT drinking) for 8 weeks were investigated. Serum samples for clinical biochemistry and liver samples for histopathology and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomic research were collected. Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR analyses were further used to measure the expression of several relevant enzymes together with perturbed metabolic pathways. Using analysis software, the CT treatment was found to significantly ameliorate the disturbance in 10 metabolic pathways. Combined metabolomic, Western blot, and quantitative real-time PCR analyses revealed that CT treatment significantly improved the glucose homeostasis by, on the one hand, through inhibiting the expression of gluconeogenic pathway key proteins glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and, on the other hand, via regulating the mRNA or protein levels of the Krebs cycle critical enzymes (citrate synthase, succinate dehydrogenase complex, subunit A, flavoprotein, and dihydrolipoamide S-succinyltransferase). These results provide metabolic evidence of the complex pathogenic mechanism involved in hepatic insulin resistance and that the supplementation with CT improves insulin resistance at a global scale. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approaches are helpful to further understand diabetes-related mechanisms.
Horrors at Home: From Sensation Scandal to Gothic Melodrama
Authors: Braun Gretchen
Published: March 2015

On the surface Bram Stoker's 1897 Dracula and Mary Cholmondeley's 1899 Red Pottage seem alike only in their fin de siècle publication dates and their popularity with the reading public. Yet Stoker's bloody chronicle of vampire hunting and Cholmondeley's melodramatic domestic tale share a common interest in horror as an affective state and an aesthetic technique. This essay argues that by grafting the affect and imagery of horror onto domestic scenes, Red Pottage, like Dracula, envisions a British society assaulted by a corrupting force that saps its vitality and health. But unlike Dracula, Red Pottage locates that monstrosity not in a foreign threat but in the hypocritical degeneracy of the English church, aristocracy, and most fundamentally, bourgeois matrimony. Breaking with contemporaneous imperial gothic and with the earlier generation of sensation fiction that influenced her work, Cholmondeley shifts the blame for corruption away from both the feminine and the foreign, traditional (and often synergistic) sources of threat. The novel portrays patriarchal marriage as destructive to community and to intellectual attainment for men and women alike. Alternatively, it depicts appealing characters that disrupt the gender binary and remain unmarried, traveling abroad as the story concludes. Red Pottage locates hope for the future beyond the traditional domestic sphere: outside romantic and familial relationships and outside Great Britain itself. By infusing realist representation with the emotional and visceral force of more popular literary modes, it also participates in the nascent renegotiation of literary goals and methods that modernism would carry forward.
Envirodevonomics: A Research Agenda for an Emerging Field
Authors: Greenstone Michael , Jack B. Kelsey
Published: March 2015

Environmental quality in many developing countries is poor and generates substantial health and productivity costs. However, the few existing measures of marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for environmental quality improvements indicate low valuations by affected households. This paper argues that this seeming paradox is the central puzzle at the intersection of environmental and development economics: Given poor environmental quality and high health burdens in developing countries, why is MWTP seemingly so low? We develop a conceptual framework for understanding this puzzle and propose four potential explanations for why environmental quality is so poor: (1) due to low income levels, individuals value increases in income more than marginal improvements in environmental quality; (2) the marginal costs of environmental quality improvements are high; (3) political economy factors undermine efficient policymaking; and (4) market failures such as weak property rights and missing capital markets distort MWTP for environmental quality. We review the literature on each explanation and discuss how the framework applies to climate change, which is perhaps the most important issue at the intersection of environment and development economics. The paper concludes with a list of promising and unanswered research questions for the emerging sub-field of “envirodevonomics.” (JEL I15, O10, O44, Q50)
Jon Elster's Securities against Misrule: Juries, Assemblies, Elections: A Review Essay
Authors: Austen-Smith David
Published: March 2015

The standard economic approach to designing institutions for collective decision making recognizes individuals' strategically rational motivations for misrepresentation and asks how best, given an objective function, to design a set of incentives and constraints to internalize or negate such motivations. Securities Against Misrule offers, in the author's phrase, an “essay in persuasion” to the effect that such an approach is fundamentally misguided. Instead, Elster argues for a behavioral approach centered on designing institutions for good decision making, rather than good outcomes, by individuals whose actions are chronically subject to emotional, self-interested, and prejudicial distortions. (JEL D02, D71, D72, D82)
A Review of William Easterly's The Tyranny of Experts: Economists, Dictators, and the Forgotten Rights of the Poor
Authors: Graham Carol
Published: March 2015

William Easterly marshals yet another brilliant critique of established development policies, with a focus on the experts' excessive focus on state-led policies and goals (à la Myrdal) and ignorance of bottom-up solutions, including technology and individual rights (à la Hayek). It suggests a world where success occurs in spite of nation-states. Yet not all bottom-up leads to success, and the worst disasters, as in civil violence, occur where states fail. Easterly highlights the important links between success and individual freedom and opportunity. He fails to note that myriad impoverished individuals cannot exercise these freedoms due to low expectations or compromised rights. (JEL A11, D82, E61, I23, O10, O40)
Tourette Syndrome research highlights 2014
Authors: Richards Cheryl A , Black Kevin J
Published: March 2015

About 200 journal articles reported research on Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders in 2014. Here we briefly summarize a few of the reports that seemed most important or interesting, ranging from animal models to human studies. Readers can comment on our choices or provide their own favorites using the tools on the online article.
Entertainment TV and Social Nature of Communication
Authors: Березин  , Berezin V.
Published: March 2015

The article explores the trends in TV broadcasting of recent decades. Special

attention is given to the latest period starting December 2013. The conclusion

is made that TV producers and authors are set to pull audience with

content spilling aggression and violence while talk shows and personals

serve as an alternative to the dark side of life. The author investigates the

telecommunication on the basis of academic views of national (M. Bakhtin,

S. Bulgakov, J. Lotman) and foreign researchers (N. Luhmann, J. Habermas).

Western thinkers from a new angle articulated ideas generated by the

Russian philosophers and scholars who preached consensus in considerations

and debates on the human spirit. The linguistic performance of the

spirit should not develop by the way of surface formalization, just for show

but should go along augmentation of spiritual significance of being. Much

attention is given to analyzing the shift of attitude towards social and political

journalism as a tramline in journalism. This is due to the fact that the

value criteria in reflecting the objective reality are being lowered in TV media

products both at home and overseas.
The Teaching of Non-verbal Language of Germans
Authors: Дубинский  , Dubinskiy Vladimir
Published: March 2015

The author aims at demonstrating non-verbal means of communication in the German language as well as showing the way they are used in everyday life and the specifics of teaching them further cross-cultural communication with Germans. Knowing non-verbal means of communication typical of native speakers means broadening the general knowledge of the student of the language and developing an active communicative approach to speech interaction.
Compact Bid Languages and Core Pricing in Large Multi-item Auctions
Authors: Goetzendorff Andor , Bichler Martin , Shabalin Pasha , Day Robert W.
Published: March 2015

We introduce an auction design framework for large markets with hundreds of items and complex bidder preferences. Such markets typically lead to computationally hard allocation problems. Our new framework consists of compact bid languages for sealed-bid auctions and methods to compute second-price rules such as the Vickrey–Clarke–Groves or bidder-optimal, core-selecting payment rules when the optimality of the allocation problem cannot be guaranteed. To demonstrate the efficacy of the approach for a specific, complex market, we introduce a compact bidding language for TV advertising markets and investigate the resulting winner-determination problem and the computation of core payments. For realistic instances of the respective winner-determination problems, very good solutions with a small integrality gap can be found quickly, although closing the integrality gap to find marginally better solutions or prove optimality can take a prohibitively large amount of time. Our subsequent adaptation of a constraint-generation technique for the computation of bidder-optimal core payments to this environment is a practically viable paradigm by which core-selecting auction designs can be applied to large markets with potentially hundreds of items. Such auction designs allow bidders to express their preferences with a low number of parameters, while at the same time providing incentives for truthful bidding. We complement our computational experiments in the context of TV advertising markets with additional results for volume discount auctions in procurement to illustrate the applicability of the approach in different types of large markets.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.2076 .

This paper was accepted by Lorin Hitt, information systems.
Follow-up Outcomes in a Large Cohort of Patients With HPV-Negative LSIL Cervical Screening Test Results
Authors: Barron Stacey , Austin R. Marshall , Li Zaibo , Zhao Chengquan
Published: March 2015

Objectives:

Cervical screening guidelines now recommend repeat cotesting of patients aged 30 years and older having a human papillomavirus (HPV)–negative low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) in 1 year as preferred management. Only limited follow-up data on patients with HPV-negative LSILs are available from routine US clinical practice settings.

Methods:

In total, 680 patients with Hybrid Capture 2 (Qiagen, Hinden, Germany) high-risk HPV-negative LSIL ThinPrep (Hologic, Marlborough, MA) results were identified. Patients’ ages and histopathologic, cytologic, and HPV follow-up results were identified.

Results:

Among 680 patients with HPV-negative LSILs, 468 had follow-up within 1 year. During the study period, 14 (3.0%) of 468 had follow-up high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and 184 (39.3%) LSIL findings. No diagnoses of cervical carcinoma were documented. There were no significant follow-up differences between age groups. Of the 321 patients who had follow-up HPV testing, 271 (84.4%) had negative and 50 (15.6%) had positive HPV results.

Conclusions:

This is the largest study documenting follow-up results for patients with HPV-negative LSIL results based on prevalent US FDA–approved cotesting methods from one collection vial. These data document that risk for follow-up HSILs in these patients is low and also that no cervical cancers were diagnosed. These findings support recent recommendations for repeat cotesting after 1 year as an appropriate option for patients with HPV-negative LSIL results.
Effect of Blood Sampling, Processing, and Storage on the Measurement of Complement Activation Biomarkers
Authors: Yang Shangbin , McGookey Michael , Wang Yi , Cataland Spero R. , Wu Haifeng M.
Published: March 2015

Objectives:

Recent studies have shown that complement hyperactivation contributes to development of thrombotic microangiopathy. The evaluation of complement biomarkers is known to be influenced by inappropriate specimen handling. However, there has been no study fully addressing this topic.

Methods:

Blood from each donor was subjected to 62 different handling conditions prior to complement assays.

Results:

Complement biomarkers (C4d/C3a/factor Bb/C5a/C5b-9) are stable at room temperature (RT) for up to 4 hours in whole blood containing citrate or EDTA. However, under similar conditions, levels of C4d and C3a were significantly higher in serum than those in plasma. Thawing of the samples on ice or at RT had no significant effect on complement levels. In contrast, thawing at 37°C resulted in striking increases in levels of the complement system in serum and citrated plasma but not in EDTA plasma. Up to four freeze/thaw cycles on ice or RT did not substantially increase the levels of C3a, factor Bb, C5a, and C5b-9 but had a significant effect on C4d. Long-term storage of citrated plasma at −80°C for up to 6 years had no significant effect on levels of complement factors.

Conclusions:

The results from this study thus provide crucial guidelines for future investigations using complement biomarkers to define the role of complement system in disease.
Comparison of the bead-based simultaneous analysis of specific platelet antibodies assay (SASPA) and Pak Lx Luminex technology with the monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigens assay (MAIPA) to detect platelet alloantibodies
Authors: Rockenbauer Lisa , Eichelberger Beate , Panzer Simon
Published: March 2015

The identification of platelet alloantibodies is indispensible for the diagnoses of fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia and refractoriness to platelet transfusions.

We compared the results obtained with the gold-standard assay for the detection and specification of platelet antibodies, the monoclonal antibody-specific immobilization of platelet antigen assay (MAIPA), with those from two bead-based assays, simultaneous analysis of specific platelet antibodies assay (SASPA), and the recently commercialized bead-based assay Pak Lx.

For the detection of alloantibodies by SASPA, the sensitivity was 94.6%, the specificity was 99.5% The respective results for Pak Lx were 98% and 99.8%. Some antibody specificities were revealed by SASPA or Pak Lx but not by MAIPA. However, there were also antibodies detected by MAIPA that were not seen by SASPA or Pak Lx. Antibody dilution experiments suggest that SASPA or Pak Lx are more sensitive than MAIPA.

All three assays have limitations, but Pak Lx is suited for screening. However, other assays are necessary if results are not conclusive or for evaluations beyond the commercial assay’s design.
Measurement of the inflammatory response in the early postoperative period after hip and knee arthroplasty
Authors: Wasko Marcin Krzysztof , Bobecka-Wesołowska Konstancja , Tomasiuk Ryszard , Kowalczewski Jacek
Published: March 2015

The aim of this study was to identify an inflammatory marker with fast and predictable kinetics to enable future discrimination between normal postoperative inflammation and potential infection after total hip and knee arthroplasty cases.

Changes in serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukins (IL) 1β, 6 and 8 and NT-proCNP peptide were measured before and during first 5 postoperative days in 100 patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty. We also compared two methods to describe the magnitude of inflammation – applying separate two sample tests at each time point, and summary measures – area under the curve (AUC).

IL-6 showed a similar kinetics pattern to the CRP in response to surgical trauma. Significantly greater level changes in all markers but NT-proCNP were observed in knee patients. Persisting high levels of CRP, but not other markers, were observed in obese hip patients. IL-6 was found to be an adjunct to routine CRP use.

IL-6 has faster kinetics and is less influenced by patient weight, therefore it seems to be more useful in clinical practice. Summary measures describe the inflammatory response well and are easier to analyze than multiple analyses of single time points.
QKD-Based Secured Burst Integrity Design for Optical Burst Switched Networks
Authors: Balamurugan A. M. , Sivasubramanian A. , Parvathavarthini B.
Published: March 2015

The field of optical transmission has undergone numerous advancements and is still being researched mainly due to the fact that optical data transmission can be done at enormous speeds. It is quite evident that people prefer optical communication when it comes to large amount of data involving its transmission. The concept of switching in networks has matured enormously with several researches, architecture to implement and methods starting with Optical circuit switching to Optical Burst Switching. Optical burst switching is regarded as viable solution for switching bursts over networks but has several security vulnerabilities. However, this work exploited the security issues associated with Optical Burst Switching with respect to integrity of burst. This proposed Quantum Key based Secure Hash Algorithm (QKBSHA-512) with enhanced compression function design provides better avalanche effect over the conventional integrity algorithms.
Strain at the internal cervical os assessed with quasi-static elastography is associated with the risk of spontaneous preterm delivery at ≤34 weeks of gestation
Authors: Hernandez-Andrade Edgar , Garcia Maynor , Ahn Hyunyoung , Korzeniewski Steven J. , Saker Homam , Yeo Lami , Chaiworapongsa Tinnakorn , Hassan Sonia S. , Romero Roberto
Published: March 2015

To evaluate the association between cervical strain assessed with quasi-static elastography and spontaneous preterm delivery.

Quasi-static elastography was used to estimate cervical strain in 545 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies from 11 weeks to 28 weeks of gestation. Cervical strain was evaluated in one sagittal plane and in the cross-sectional planes of the internal cervical os and external cervical os. The distribution of strain values was categorized into quartiles for each studied region and their association with spontaneous preterm delivery at ≤34 weeks and at <37 weeks of gestation was evaluated using logistic regression.

The prevalence of spontaneous preterm delivery at <37 weeks of gestation was 8.2% (n=45), and that at ≤34 weeks of gestation was 3.8% (n=21). Strain in the internal cervical os was the only elastography value associated with spontaneous preterm delivery. Women with strain values in the 3

Increased strain in the internal cervical os is associated with higher risk of spontaneous preterm delivery both at ≤34 and <37 weeks of gestation.
Internationaler Konsens zur ANA-Bestimmung – was ändert sich im deutschen Sprachraum?
Authors: Herold Manfred , Klotz Werner , Demel Ulrike , Endler Georg , Forster Ernst , Griesmacher Andrea , Hofmann Jörg , Hübner Christina , Steiner Günter , Wagner Sonja , Sack Ulrich , Conrad Karsten
Published: March 2015

2014 wurden in Zusammenarbeit von zwei großen internationalen Expertengruppen Empfehlungen zur Bestimmung von Autoantikörpern gegen zelluläre Antigene, herkömmlich als antinukleäre Antikörper bezeichnet, herausgegeben. Die Empfehlungen wurden in einer 25 Punkte umfassenden Tabelle zusammengefasst und in einer weiteren Tabelle jene Muster beschrieben, die von einem Autoimmunlabor erkannt werden sollten. Internationale Empfehlungen haben für zertifizierte Labore Gültigkeit und erfordern ein Überdenken des analytischen Vorgehens. Die österreichische Arbeitsgruppe für Autoimmundiagnostik (http://www.easi-network.com) hat sich auf einen Konsens geeinigt, wie im deutschen Sprachraum diese 2014 veröffentlichten Empfehlungen umgesetzt werden könnten.
Crystal structure of (6E)-2-[(ortho-hydroxy)benzylidene]-1-[4,5-dihydro- 5-(ortho-hydroxy-phenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazo-2-yl-4-isoproylidenonium]- hydrazine chloride, C18H19ClN4O2S
Authors: Schmitt Bonell , Gerber Thomas I. A. , Hosten Eric C. , Betz Richard
Published: March 2015

C18H19ClN4O2S, monoclinic, I2/a (no. 15), a = 15.771(4) Å, b = 11.101(3) Å, c = 22.072(6) Å, β = 101.986(9)°, V = 3780.0 Å3, Z = 8, Rgt(F) = 0.0551, wRref(F2) = 0.1538, T = 200 K.
Crystal structure of cis bis(4-benzoyl-3-methyl-1-phenyl pyrazol-5-one)- cis bis(methanol)-cobalt(II), C36H34CoN4O6
Authors: Idemudia Omoruyi G. , Sadimenko Alexander P. , Hosten Eric C.
Published: March 2015

C36H34CoN4O6, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 13.9021(5) Å, b = 13.9557(5) Å, c = 17.3379(6) Å, β = 101.254(2)°, V = 3299.1 Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0316, wRref(F2) = 0.0869, T = 200 K.
Crystal structure of (μ2-oxo)-dioxo-bis(N,N’-2- hydroxypropylenebis( salicylideneimine)-κ4N,N’,O,O’)-di-rhenium(V) ethanol solvate, C38H44N4O11Re2
Authors: Habarurema Gratien , Gerber Thomas I. A. , Hosten Eric C. , Betz Richard
Published: March 2015

C38H44N4O11Re2, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 10.2062(7) Å, b = 10.3724(7) Å, c = 10.4524(7) Å, α = 93.597(2)°, β = 118.678(2)°, γ = 97.337(2)°, V = 953.0 Å3, Z = 1, Rgt(F) = 0.0181, wRref(F2) = 0.0414, T = 200 K.
Olfactory mucosa: a rich source of cell therapy for central nervous system repair
Authors: Duan Da , Lu Ming
Published: March 2015

Damage to the brain and spinal cord leads to permanent functional disability because of the very limited capacity of the central nervous system (CNS) for repair. Cell therapy is thought to be a promising strategy for CNS repair. The proper cell type of transplantation for CNS repair has not been identified until now, but autologous transplantation would be advantageous. The olfactory mucosa (OM), from the olfactory system, in which the neurosensory cells are replaced throughout adult life, is thought to be a rich source of cell therapy for CNS repair. The OM is a heterogeneous tissue composed of a variety of cells supporting both normal function and regenerative capacity, in which many studies focused on four major types of cells, including horizontal basal cells (HBCs), globose basal cells (GBC), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs). Here, we review the four major types of cells in the OM and shed light on the potential of the OM for CNS repair.
Subchronic exposure to arsenic induces apoptosis in the hippocampus of the mouse brains through the Bcl‐2/Bax pathway
Authors: Wang Yachen , Bai Canming , Guan Huai , Chen Ruolin , Wang Xiaoxu , Wang Bingwen , Jin Hetian , Piao Fengyuan
Published: March 2015

Subchronic exposure to arsenic induces apoptosis in the hippocampus of the mouse brains through the Bcl‐2/Bax pathway: Yachen Wang, et al. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Dalian Medical University, P.R. China

Objective

The aim of this study was to identify whether arsenic (As) exposure could induce hippocampal neural apoptosis in vivo.

Methods

Sixty‐four mice were randomly divided into 4 groups of 16 each. Group 1 orally received drinking water alone as a control. Groups 2−4 were given arsenic trioxide (As2O3) orally at the doses of 1 ppm, 2 ppm and 4 ppm, respectively. All the treatments continued for 60 days. Morphological changes in the hippocampus were observed by HE staining. Apoptosis in the hippocampus was examined by TUNEL assay and transmission electron microscopy. The expression levels of Bcl‐2 and Bax genes and their proteins in the hippocampus were determined by realtime PCR and Western blotting. The activity of caspase‐3 was determined by spectrophotometry.

Results

Abnormal histopathological changes and apoptosis were found in the hippocampus of As‐exposed mice. The expressions of the Bcl‐2 gene and its protein in the hippocampus of As‐exposed mice were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). However, the expressions of the Bax gene and its protein, and the expression ratio of Bax/Bcl‐2 in the hippocampus were significantly higher in the groups exposed to As than in the control group (p<0.05). Moreover, the activity of caspase‐3 in the hippocampus of mice exposed to As was higher than that in the control (p<0.05).

Conclusions

These results indicate that subchronic exposure to As induces apoptosis in the hippocampus of mice by disturbing normal Bax/Bcl‐2 regulatory pathways. Meanwhile, it is suggested that the induced apoptosis in the hippocampus may be at least partly responsible for As‐induced neurotoxicity.