bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Metabolically Healthy Obese People and Metabolically Unhealthy Normal-Weight People in a General Population Cohort of the ABCD Study
Authors: Buscemi Silvio , Chiarello Pierfilippo , Buscemi Carola , Corleo Davide , Massenti Maria Fatima , Barile Anna Maria , Rosafio Giuseppe , Maniaci Vincenza , Settipani Valentina , Cosentino Loretta , Giordano Carla
Published: August 2017

There is actually no consensus about the possibility that in some instances, obesity may be a benign metabolically healthy (MH) condition as opposed to a normal-weight but metabolically unhealthy (MUH) state. The aim of this study was to characterize MH condition and to investigate possible associations with metabolic and cardiovascular complications. One thousand nineteen people (range of age 18–90 years) of the cohort of the ABCD_2 study were investigated. Participants were classified as normal weight (BMI < 24.9 kg/m2) or overweight-obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m2); they were also classified as MH in the presence of 0-1 among the following conditions: (a) prediabetes/type 2 diabetes, (b) hypertension, (c) hypertriglyceridemia or low HDL cholesterolemia, and (d) hypercholesterolemia. MUH condition was diagnosed if ≥2 of the conditions listed were found. The prevalence of overweight/obese people was 71.1%, of whom 27.4% were found to be MH. In addition, 36.7% of the normal-weight participants were MUH. HOMA-IR, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, and the carotid intima-media thickness were significantly different in the 4 subgroups (P<0.001), with higher values observed in the MUH normal-weight and obese groups. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of identifying a MH condition in normal-weight and in obese people in order to offer better treatment.
Evaluating the Relationship between Productivity and Quality in Emergency Departments
Authors: Kang Hyojung , Bastian Nathaniel D. , Riordan John P.
Published: August 2017

Background.In the United States, emergency departments (EDs) are constantly pressured to improve operational efficiency and quality in order to gain financial benefits and maintain a positive reputation.Objectives.The first objective is to evaluate how efficiently EDs transform their input resources into quality outputs. The second objective is to investigate the relationship between the efficiency and quality performance of EDs and the factors affecting this relationship.Methods.Using two data sources, we develop a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to evaluate the relative efficiency of EDs. Based on the DEA result, we performed multinomial logistic regression to investigate the relationship between ED efficiency and quality performance.Results.The DEA results indicated that the main source of inefficiencies was working hours of technicians. The multinomial logistic regression result indicated that the number of electrocardiograms and X-ray procedures conducted in the ED and the length of stay were significantly associated with the trade-offs between relative efficiency and quality. Structural ED characteristics did not influence the relationship between efficiency and quality.Conclusions.Depending on the structural and operational characteristics of EDs, different factors can affect the relationship between efficiency and quality.
The Prevalence of Cancer-Associated Autoantibodies in Patients with Gastric Cancer and Progressive Grades of Premalignant Lesions
Authors: Meistere Irēna , Werner Simone , Zayakin Pawel , Siliņa Karīna , Rulle Undīne , Pismennaja Angelina , Šantare Daiga , Kikuste Ilze , Isajevs Sergejs , Leja Mārcis , Kupčinskas Limas , Kupčinskas Juozas , Jonaitis Laimas , Wu Chun-Ying , Brenner Hermann , Linē Aija , Kalniņa Zane
Published: August 2017

Background: Serum autoantibodies against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are detectable in early-stage gastric cancer patients; however, the time point during cancerogenesis when they appear in circulation is still obscure.

Methods: In this study, we developed a recombinant antigen microarray and analyzed the prevalence of autoantibodies against 102 TAAs in 829 gastric cancer patients and 929 healthy controls from Caucasian and Asian populations, as well as 100 patients with chronic atrophic gastritis and 775 individuals staged according to different grades of intestinal metaplasia.

Results: Six antigens, including CTAG1B/CTAG2, DDX53, IGF2BP2, TP53, and MAGEA3, were predominantly reacting with sera from gastric cancer patients when compared with healthy controls, and the seroreactivity was associated with intestinal-type gastric cancer, but not with patients' Helicobacter pylori status, grade, age, gender, or stage of gastric cancer. We detected gastric cancer–associated seroreactivity in 13% of patients with advanced/severe intestinal metaplasia, which was increased in comparison with mild/moderate intestinal metaplasia (5.3%) and was comparable with that seen in early-stage gastric cancer patients (12%). Moreover, by testing serum samples taken 1 to 9 years before the clinical diagnosis of 18 incident gastric cancer cases, we detected autoantibody responses against several TAAs—SOX2, MYC, BIRC5, IGF2BP1, and MUC1.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that humoral immune response against TAAs is generated already during premalignant stages.

Impact: Based on the obtained results, cancer-associated autoantibodies might make a valuable contribution to the stratification of high-risk patients with premalignant lesions in the stomach through enhancing the positive predictive power of existing risk models. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(10); 1564–74. ©2017 AACR.
Clonal Expansion and Interrelatedness of Distinct B-Lineage Compartments in Multiple Myeloma Bone Marrow
Authors: Hansmann Leo , Han Arnold , Penter Livius , Liedtke Michaela , Davis Mark M.
Published: August 2017

Multiple myeloma is characterized by the clonal expansion of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. But the phenotypic diversity and the contribution of less predominant B-lineage clones to the biology of this disease have been controversial. Here, we asked whether cells bearing the dominant multiple myeloma immunoglobulin rearrangement occupy phenotypic compartments other than that of plasma cells. To accomplish this, we combined 13-parameter FACS index sorting and t-Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE) visualization with high-throughput single-cell immunoglobulin sequencing to track selected B-lineage clones across different stages of human B-cell development. As expected, the predominant clones preferentially mapped to aberrant plasma cell compartments, albeit phenotypically altered from wild type. Interestingly, up to 1.2% of cells of the predominant clones colocalized with B-lineage cells of a normal phenotype. In addition, minor clones with distinct immunoglobulin sequences were detected in up to 9% of sequenced cells, but only 2 out of 12 of these clones showed aberrant immune phenotypes. The majority of these minor clones showed intraclonal silent nucleotide differences within the CDR3s and varying frequencies of somatic mutations in the immunoglobulin genes. Therefore, the phenotypic range of multiple myeloma cells in the bone marrow is not confined to aberrant-phenotype plasma cells but extends to low frequencies of normal-phenotype B cells, in line with the recently reported success of B cell–targeting cellular therapies in some patients. The majority of minor clones result from parallel nonmalignant expansion. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(9); 744–54. ©2017 AACR.
Vascularized Cardiac Spheroids as Novel 3D in vitro Models to Study Cardiac Fibrosis
Authors: Figtree Gemma A. , Bubb Kristen J. , Tang Owen , Kizana Eddy , Gentile Carmine
Published: August 2017

Spheroid cultures are among the most explored cellular biomaterials used in cardiovascular research, due to their improved integration of biochemical and physiological features of the heart in a defined architectural three-dimensional microenvironment when compared to monolayer cultures. To further explore the potential use of spheroid cultures for research, we engineered a novel in vitro model of the heart with vascularized cardiac spheroids (VCSs), by coculturing cardiac myocytes, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts isolated from dissociated rat neonatal hearts (aged 1-3 days) in hanging drop cultures. To evaluate the validity of VCSs in recapitulating pathophysiological processes typical of the in vivo heart, such as cardiac fibrosis, we then treated VCSs with transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1), a known profibrotic agent. Our mRNA analysis demonstrated that TGFβ1-treated VCSs present elevated levels of expression of connective tissue growth factor, fibronectin, and TGFβ1 when compared to control cultures. We demonstrated a dramatic increase in collagen deposition following TGFβ1 treatment in VCSs in the PicroSirius Red-stained sections. Doxorubicin, a renowned cardiotoxic and profibrotic agent, triggered apoptosis and disrupted vascular networks in VCSs. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that VCSs are a valid model for the study of the mechanisms involved in cardiac fibrosis, with the potential to be used to investigate novel mechanisms and therapeutics for treating and preventing cardiac fibrosis in vitro.
Evolution of the Sex Chromosomes in Beetles. I. The Loss of the Y Chromosome
Authors: Dutrillaux Anne-Marie , Dutrillaux Bernard
Published: August 2017

In the males of Coleoptera, the most frequent sex chromosome constitution is XY. At metaphase I of meiosis, the X and Y are linked by nucleolar proteins, forming the so-called parachute bivalent (Xyp), which is assumed to allow the non-synapsed X and Y to segregate correctly at anaphase I. However, X0 males are not exceptional, and we explored the relationships between the X and nucleolar proteins in the absence of the Y chromosome in 6 species belonging to different families/subfamilies. Using C-banding and silver staining, we show that nucleolar proteins always remain in contact with the X until anaphase I. These proteins are generally more abundant than in the Xyp bivalent, may remain associated with the NOR during diakinesis, and frequently link the X to 1 or 2 autosomal bivalents, which seem to play the same role as the Y. This role may also be played by B chromosomes, which appear to be more frequent in X0 than in XY males. In conclusion, following Y chromosome loss, various strategies using nucleolar proteins have been developed to facilitate the migration of the unique X at meiotic anaphase I.
The Hayflick Limit and Age-Related Adaptive Immune Deficiency
Authors: Gill Zoe , Nieuwoudt Martin , Ndifon Wilfred
Published: August 2017

The adaptive immune system (AIS) acquires significant deficiency during chronological ageing, making older individuals more susceptible to infections and less responsive to vaccines compared to younger individuals. At the cellular level, one of the most striking features of this ageing-related immune deficiency is the dramatic loss of T-cell diversity that occurs in elderly humans. After the age of 70 years, there is a sharp decline in the diversity of naïve T cells, including a >10-fold decrease in the CD4+ compartment and a >100-fold decrease in the CD8+ compartment. Such changes are detrimental because the AIS relies on a diverse naïve T-cell pool to respond to novel pathogens. Recent work suggests that this collapse of naïve T-cell diversity results from T cells reaching the Hayflick limit and being eliminated through both antigen-dependent and -independent pathways. The progressive attrition of telomeres is the molecular mechanism that underlies this Hayflick limit. Therefore, we propose that by measuring the telomere lengths of T cells with high resolution, it is possible to develop a unique biomarker of immune deficiency, potentially much better correlated with individual susceptibility to diseases compared to chronological age alone.
Evolution and Emergence of Pathogenic Viruses: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Parvez Mohammad K. , Parveen Shama
Published: August 2017

Incidences of emerging/re-emerging deadly viral infections have significantly affected human health despite extraordinary progress in the area of biomedical knowledge. The best examples are the recurring outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya fever in tropical and sub-tropical regions, the recent epidemic of Zika in the Americas and the Caribbean, and the SARS, MERS, and influenza A outbreaks across the globe. The established natural reservoirs of human viruses are mainly farm animals, and, to a lesser extent, wild animals and arthropods. The intricate “host-pathogen-environment” relationship remains the key to understanding the emergence/re-emergence of pathogenic viruses. High population density, rampant constructions, poor sanitation, changing climate, and the introduction of anthropophilic vectors create selective pressure on host-pathogen reservoirs. Nevertheless, the knowledge and understanding of such zoonoses and pathogen diversity in their known non-human reservoirs are very limited. Prevention of arboviral infections using vector control methods has not been very successful. Currently, new approaches to protect against food-borne infections, such as consuming only properly cooked meats and animal products, are the most effective control measures. Though significant progress in controlling human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis viruses has been achieved, the unpredictable nature of evolving viruses and the rare occasions of outbreaks severely hamper control and preventive modalities.
C‐C Chemokine Receptor Type 5 (CCR5)‐Mediated Docking of Transferred Tregs Protects Against Early Blood‐Brain Barrier Disruption After Stroke
Authors: Li Peiying , Wang Long , Zhou Yuxi , Gan Yu , Zhu Wen , Xia Yuguo , Jiang Xiaoyan , Watkins Simon , Vazquez Alberto , Thomson Angus W. , Chen Jun , Yu Weifeng , Hu Xiaoming
Published: August 2017

Background

Despite recent evidence demonstrating a potent protective effect of adoptively transferred regulatory T cells (Tregs) in ischemic stroke, the mechanism for Treg mobilization and activation in the ischemic brain is, remarkably, unknown. This study determines the role of C‐C chemokine receptor type 5 (
CCR
5) in mediating the docking and activation of transferred Tregs in their protection of early blood‐brain barrier disruption after stroke.

Methods and Results

Adoptive transfer of
CCR
5
−/−
Tregs failed to reduce brain infarct or neurological deficits, indicating an indispensable role of
CCR
5 in Treg‐afforded protection against cerebral ischemia. Two‐photon live imaging demonstrated that
CCR
5 was critical for Treg docking at the injured vessel wall, where they interact with blood‐borne neutrophils/macrophages after cerebral ischemic injury.
CCR
5 deficiency on donor Tregs deprived of their early protection against blood‐brain barrier damage. Using flow cytometry, real‐time polymerase chain reaction, and immunostaining, we confirmed that the expression of
CCL
5, a
CCR
5 ligand, was significantly elevated on the injured endothelium after cerebral ischemia, accompanied by
CCR
5 upregulation on circulating Tregs. In a Treg‐endothelial cell coculture,
CCR
5 expression was induced on Tregs on their exposure to ischemia‐injured endothelial cells. Furthermore,
CCR
5 induction on Tregs enhanced expression of the inhibitory molecule programmed death ligand 1, which in turn inhibited neutrophil‐derived matrix metallopeptidase 9.

Conclusions

These results suggest that
CCR
5 is a critical molecule for Treg‐mediated blood‐brain barrier protection and a potential target to optimize Treg therapy for stroke.
Land Grabbing, Tenure Security and Livelihoods in Kenya
Authors: Kariuki Francis , Ng’etich Raphael
Published: August 2017

In Kenya, land grabbing can be examined by looking at three critical eons through which land governance has evolved. There is the first epoch that was characterised by colonial acquisition of land to establish colonial rule and provide land for incoming settlers among other reasons. Secondly, there is the post-colonial epoch that was characterised by land grabs orchestrated by the new political elites who were keen on retaining power upon independence. Thirdly, and most recently, the phenomenon of land grabbing has assumed a new face: a global face with graver consequences on communities and their livelihoods than ever before. The new form of land grabbing involves foreign multinationals and governments acquiring land in developing countries for a multitude of reasons, inter alia, mining, huge infrastructural projects, oil exploration and large-scale irrigation. This new phenomenon of land grabbing and its impact on tenure security and livelihoods amongst communities is examined here.
Strategic Publics in Public Diplomacy: A Typology and a Heuristic Device for Multiple Publics
Authors: Pacher Andreas
Published: August 2017

How do governments select their public diplomacy targets? Officials can shake hands with important allies’ presidents, they can honour writers from far-away states, or they can visit slums to meet victims of violence. This article proposes a conceptual typology of strategic publics based on two dimensions: the strategic importance of the represented polity; and the individual’s power position. The variables are parallel to universal psychological dimensions of social cognition — that is, warmth and competence — and they are combined with diplomatic theories revolving around the primacy of representation. Six ideal types of strategic publics are defined and exemplified. The typology integrates governmental and non-governmental, foreign and domestic, and elite and non-elite publics. In addition, the article proposes a three-level heuristic device that facilitates the analysis of cases with multiple publics. The proposed analytical tools seek to stimulate future efforts to refine conceptualizations of strategic publics.
Displacing Captives in Colonial South Carolina: Native American Enslavement and the Rise of the Colonial State after the Yamasee War
Authors: Andrew Johnson D.
Published: August 2017

The Yamasee War was a watershed moment in the history of colonial South Carolina. The trade in captive Native Americans through Charles Town was much lower after the war, but did not stop. Continuities across this rupture included captives coming into possession of the colony through the same mechanisms as before the war: as diplomatic gifts, as captives taken in warfare, or as traded commodities. While the liberalized and chaotic trade in captive Native Americans was a concern for colonial officials before the Yamasee War, after the outbreak of war, planters, who controlled of the assembly, made it official policy to remove all Native American captives coming into the colony from the continent, with a few notable exceptions. The main change in how the captive trade worked came with the colonial government’s moves to stand as arbiter over what captives could come into the colony and then force colonists to sell the captives to other colonies. The Native American captive trade therefore became an important site of colonial state-building in the period between 1715 and 1735.
By a Hogshead of Oyster Shells, a Worthless Old Ox-Cart, and Ducks: The Economic World of Williamsburg Brick Maker Humphrey Harwood
Authors: Lucas Wendy , Campbell Noel
Published: August 2017

We analyze Williamsburg, Virginia, builder Humphrey Harwood’s business ledger (1773–1793); a traditional businessman in a time of business innovation. He faced the problems of colonial businessmen: an insufficient money supply forced him to extend credit, creating re-payment problems and re-payment costs. Business practices managing these problems were becoming widespread. Harwood practiced none. This choice was expensive. Harwood extended large amounts of credit for extended periods of time, yet received 18 shillings per £1 of credit he extended. Harwood accepted whatever payment type his customers offered whenever offered. We hypothesize that social and cultural factors helped shaped his business practices.
From Hollywood to Argentina: Print, digital, and new ways of publishing
Authors: Olmos Yanina
Published: August 2017

In the last 12 years, the publishing industry has passed through both feared and welcome changes. The article describes the timing and degree to which these changes have been and are acting in different American regions and how those translate into profitable or potentially profitable enterprises in South America.
Hidden conservation vulnerability within a cryptic species complex: taxonomic revision of the spotted skink (Oligosoma lineoocellatum; Reptilia: Scincidae)
from New Zealand
Authors: MELZER SABINE , BELL TRENT , PATTERSON GEOFF B.
Published: August 2017

The diverse skink fauna of New Zealand comprises 40 described species within the single genus Oligosoma Girard, 1857. Cryptic species are common among New Zealand skinks, leaving numerous species undescribed. We used molecular phylogeny together with morphological analyses to distinguish four species in the spotted skink, Oligosoma lineoocellatum (Duméril & Duméril 1851), species complex. These are O. lineoocellatum sensu stricto, which is confined to the centre of the South Island, O. prasinum sp. nov. from the Lake Tekapo region, O. elium sp. nov. from the northern half of the South Island, and O. kokowai sp. nov. from the northern South Island, Cook Strait, and the North Island. Despite significant genetic differences, the morphological similarity of these species made it challenging to resolve their taxonomic identity. Three of the four species previously recognised as a single, widespread taxon are now recognised as threatened with extinction by a combination of invasive predatory mammals and land use change.
A new synonym of Neomida luteonotata (Pic, 1926) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Diaperini)
Authors: ALOQUIO SERGIO , FLORES GUSTAVO E. , LOPES-ANDRADE CRISTIANO
Published: August 2017

The genus Neomida Latreille, 1829 (Tenebrionidae: Diaperini) comprises 42 species in the New World (Triplehorn, 2006). Species from America north of Colombia have been recently revised in detail by Triplehorn (2006), who additionally provided general notes on other New World representatives. One of these taxa was Neomida luteonotata (Pic, 1926). This species is easily recognized among its congeners by the unique elytral coloration, which consists of a large shield-shaped black spot in the middle and yellowish to reddish brown area around it. The area of the elytra covered by the median spot is highly variable within a single population. In some individuals it reaches the elytral sides, confining the light area to the bottom and apex of elytra.
Synoeca ilheensis sp. nov., a new social wasp (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae) from Brazilian lowland Atlantic Forest
Authors: LOPES ROGÉRIO B. , MENEZES RODOLPHO S. T.
Published: August 2017

Synoeca de Saussure, 1852 is a small genus belonging to the Neotropical swarm-founding wasp tribe Epiponini Lucas, 1867. The nests of these insects can become large, with combs directly attached to the substrate and with an envelope resembling the back of an armadillo (Dasypodidae) (Wenzel 1998). Hence, the common name of “armadillo wasp” is given to some of its representatives. This group is comprised of five described species: S. surinama (Linnaeus, 1767), S. cyanea (Fabricius, 1775), S. chalibea de Saussure, 1852, S. virginea (Fabricius, 1804) and S. septentrionalis Richards, 1978. Phylogenetic studies based on morphological and behavioral (Andena et al. 2009; Cely & Sarmiento 2011; Carpenter et al. 2013) or molecular (Menezes et al. 2015) characters focusing on Synoeca support the monophyly of the genus, but they disagree regarding the relationships among a few of the species.
Orographic Modification of Precipitation Processes in Hurricane Karl (2010)
Authors: DeHart Jennifer C. , Houze Robert A.
Published: August 2017

Airborne radar data collected within Hurricane Karl (2010) provide a high-resolution glimpse of variations in the vertical precipitation structure around complex terrain in eastern Mexico. Widespread precipitation north of Karl’s track traced the strong gradient of terrain, suggesting orographic enhancement. Although the airborne radar did not sample the period of peak precipitation, time series of surface rainfall at three locations near the inner core show greater precipitation where flow was oriented to rise over the terrain. In regions of upslope flow, radar observations reveal reflectivity enhancement within 1–2 km of the surface. The shallow nature of the enhancement points to orographically generated cloud water accreted by falling drops as a mechanism consistent with prior studies, while the heterogeneous nature of the enhancement suggests shallow convection was playing a role. In contrast, regions of downslope flow were characterized by uniform reflectivity above the ground and fallstreaks originating above the melting level. Unlike most previously studied tropical cyclones passing over topography, Karl made landfall on a mountainous continent, not an island. As Karl weakened and decayed over land, the vertical structure of the radar echo deteriorated north of the storm center, and infrared satellite imagery revealed a strong reduction in the upper-level cloud coverage; however, a small region of intense convection appeared and produced locally heavy rainfall as Karl was close to dissipation. These results indicate that orographic modification processes in a landfalling tropical cyclone are not static, and surface precipitation is highly sensitive to the changes.
Youth Perceptions of a School-Based Mentoring Program
Authors: Weiss Samantha , Harder Jeanette , Bratiotis Christiana , Nguyen Emily
Published: August 2017

Academic mentoring programs promote high school completion for at-risk youth. The purpose of this study was to hear the voice of youth in order to inform program services and develop best practices for meeting their academic needs. Using a grounded theory approach, we conducted 14 focus groups to examine high school students’ perceptions and experiences in the Avenue Scholars Foundation program. This study supported previous findings: students’ comments reflected on the importance of the relationships built in the program, the knowledge they gained, and their experiences regarding higher education and careers. The students shared that these experiences were increasingly meaningful because of the relationship built with their Talent Advisor and classmates. These relationships instilled hope for the future, created a pathway to college and career, and confirmed a belief that the students could accomplish their goals.
Structural and dielectric properties of hot-pressed poly(vinylidene fluoride)-based composites
Authors: Ruggiero E , Reboredo MM , Castro MS
Published: August 2017

The characterization of ceramic/polymer composites was performed on zinc oxide/poly(vinylidene fluoride) – ZnO/PVDF and barium titanate/poly(vinylidene fluoride) composites with varying filler concentration in order to evaluate the main interactions responsible for the composite dielectric behavior. The materials, poly(vinylidene fluoride) and its composites, were melt-blended using a two-roller mixer and then hot-pressed. The permittivity of composites was enhanced compared with that of the pure poly(vinylidene fluoride) with the addition of 20 w/w% of ZnO particles. However, samples with 40 or 60 w/w% of ZnO registered a diminution in the real permittivity values which was connected to particle-matrix adhesion problems. On the other hand, barium titanate composites presented a more homogeneous morphology with less presence of voids and a better adhesion between the filler and the polymer, where real permittivity increased with the addition of barium titanate particles.
Exploring the determinants of software process improvement success: A dynamic capability view
Authors: Lee Jung-Chieh , Chen Chung-Yang
Published: August 2017

Existing studies indicate that external knowledge exploration plays a critical role in software process improvement (SPI) success. However, how external SPI knowledge is utilized internally within firms for continual improvements under an organization’s changing environments is still unclear. To address this question, this research uses the dynamic capabilities theory, by focusing on absorptive capacity (AC) – a knowledge-based dynamic capability – and its contextual influence, due to organizational climate, to explore and examine a firm’s ability to achieve and sustain SPI success. Specifically, we develop a model that considers cohesion, innovation and autonomy climates, to further explore how organizational climate influences AC. A survey is conducted to examine the model, by analyzing 125 Chinese and Taiwanese firms certified with Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), a recognized SPI program. Results suggest that cohesion, innovation and autonomy climates positively influence AC, which ultimately can lead to SPI success. In particular, among the three climates, cohesion climate plays a more dominant role in contributing to AC.
Ovarian Tumors and Related Lesions in Aged Chimpanzees
Authors: Graham C. E. , Mcclure H. M.
Published: August 2017

The ovaries of a 48-year-old chimpanzee each contained a large bilateral fibrothecoma. A 39-year-old chimpanzee had two small fibrothecomas in one ovary and a well-differentiated Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor in the other; there also was adenomatous hyperplasia of the endometrium. Both animals had extensive thecal hypertrophy in the ovaries. Thecal hypertrophy might have been a source of excessive estrogen and could have been a partial cause of the ovarian tumors.
Virologic and Neurohistologic Findings in Dairy Goats Affected with Natural Scrapie
Authors: Hadlow W. J. , Kennedy R. C. , Race R. E. , Eklund C. M.
Published: August 2017

Virologic and neurohistologic findings in three dairy goats that became affected with scrapie while living with naturally infected Suffolk sheep were essentially like those in affected sheep. Virus, detected by mouse inoculation, was widespread in non-neural sites, particularly in lymphatic tissues and intestine. In most sites, titers of virus ranged from 3.0 to 3.5 log10 mouse intracerebral LD50/30 mg of tissue. Virus was in nervous tissue in much higher titer. Ranging from 5.1 to 5.8 log10, the highest mean titers were in the diencephalon, midbrain, medulla oblongata and cerebellar cortex—sites of the most severe histologic changes. Although these changes were like those in naturally affected Suffolk sheep, they differed somewhat from those in goats affected with the experimental disease. Spongiform alteration of neuropil was minimal, and the more rostral parts of the brain, such as corpus striatum, globus pallidus and septal area, had few changes. Concentrations and distribution of virus in non-neural tissues were consistent with the conclusion that scrapie virus no doubt can be maintained by contagion in a herd of goats living apart from infected sheep.
Gentamicin Nephrotoxicity in the Dog: Sequential Light and Electron Microscopy
Authors: Spangler W. L. , Adelman R. D. , Conzelman G. M. , Ishizaki G.
Published: August 2017

Sequential percutaneous renal biopsies in six dogs given gentamicin at 10 mg/kg every 8 hours (intramuscular) were examined before treatment and 5, 9 and 12 days after treatment. Renal function tests (blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine) and urinary enzyme excretion (β glucuronidase, N acetyl-glucosaminidase, galactosidase and muramidase) were measured daily. Periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-stained, 3-μm sections of renal biopsies taken before drug treatment showed pale and swollen proximal tubular epithelium that occluded the tubular lumen. The apical surface of all proximal tubules (brush border) stained intensely. On day 5, brush border staining was decreased or absent and many proximal tubules had open lumina and hyaline globules in the cytoplasm. Ultrastructurally, the numbers of cytoplasmic lysosomes were increased and most contained large lamellar inclusions (myelin figures). Biopsies on day 9 were characterized by an increase in the size and number of cytoplasmic hyaline globules and an absence of brush border staining. Scattered proximal tubule cells were necrotic. Intact proximal tubules and other parts of the nephron frequently contained amorphous granular casts or necrotic debris. Ultrastructurally, proximal tubules had intact brush borders and showed a remarkable increase in the number and size of lysosomes of all types. On day 12 the severity of these changes progressed, and cytosegrosomes became numerous. Urinary enzyme levels (β glucuronidase and N acetyl-glucosaminidase) were elevated by day 2, galactosidase elevated by day 4 and muramidase elevated by day 5. Clinically significant elevations in serum creatinine (day 6) and blood urea nitrogen (day 12) were preceded by elevations in urinary enzyme excretion and by severe alterations in renal tubular morphology.
The Papacy in a Unified Church
Authors: Macquarrie John
Published: August 2017

The article raises the question of the role of the Papacy if and when the divided churches of Christendom draw together in a more visibly unified body. It is argued that the Papacy has its justification in scripture, in tradition, and in the kind of structure appropriate to the Church. It must, however, be seen to be serving the Church rather than dominating it, and some suggestions are made about how the controversial questions of infallibility and jurisdiction might be resolved.
Jesus Left Loose Ends
Authors: Loader William
Published: August 2017

Many of the major issues which confronted the apostolic Church are to be accounted for by the fact that Jesus left loose ends. These include the Torah (food laws, purity laws, circumcision), the inclusion of Gentiles, the order of the Church and its relation to Israel, scripture interpretation and the timing and character of the Kingdom hope. This article looks at some of the ways the early communities grappled with these issues, and at the implications of Jesus’ having left loose ends for an appropriate understanding of the Church. The Church's identity and authority lie ultimately not in the use of scriptural witness and/or community structures as fixed law, but in its solidarity with the past event and future hope of the Kingdom which is good news for the poor.
Certainty and Interpretation
Authors: Franklin R. L.
Published: August 2017

Interpretation, whether of Bible or Church authority, turns out to involve a series of tensions between particular and general considerations, which may seem to make certainty impossible. I suggest we get a true assurance from a loving commitment of faith, but only if we see it as a pathway to deeper understanding rather than as a fortress to be defended. However, a dialgue between pathway and fortress is needed in the search for truth
The Teaching of Church History
Authors: Matheson Peter
Published: August 2017

Too often the teaching of theology becomes a specialised, purely professional occupation, or, on the other hand, a confessional or utilitarian exercise. We need to rediscover a way of teaching which involves the whole person. One way forward in church history may be to use dramatic techniques such as role-play. These techniques are particularly helpful in bridging the imaginative chasm between, for example, our modern Pacific society and early Church History.
A Barthian Theology of Interfaith Dialogue?
Authors: Boyd Robin
Published: August 2017

Karl Barth is often blamed for holding up interfaith dialogue for more than twenty years (c. 1938-1962). Yet his scriptural approach to theology may in fact be a more acceptable and useful instrument for fruitful dialogue than the Christological reflections of Hick and Knitter. David Lochhead's The Dialogical Imperative is a useful pointer towards a dialogue-in-community in which the indigenous Christian partner's role is valued at least as highly as that of the Western theological observer. Such dialogue demands an “I-Thou” relationship between the partners, but does not pre-require a subjectivisation of the Christian faith in which the self rather than the self-revealing God is at the centre.
Thermo-piezo-elastic analysis of amplified piezoceramic actuators using a refined one-dimensional model
Authors: Zappino Enrico , Carrera Erasmo
Published: August 2017

The thermo-piezo-elastic analysis of amplified piezoceramic actuators is presented in this article. A refined one-dimensional multi-field finite element model, based on the Carrera Unified Formulation, has been developed. Thermal and piezoelectric effects have been included in the structural model and a fully coupled thermo-piezo-elastic analysis has been performed. The finite element model has been assessed by comparing it with results from open literature The model has also been used to perform the analysis of complex amplified piezoceramic actuators. These actuators are able to amplify the displacements produced by piezoceramic material, but they suffer from high deformations when they undergo high thermal loads. An accurate thermal analysis has been performed to evaluate the strain/stress field. The results show the accuracy of the present model and its capabilities in multi-field analyses.
Therapeutic Potential of two Over-The-Counter Thyroid Hormone Preparations
Authors: Csako Gyorgy A. , Cetnarowski-Cropp Anne B. , Pucino Frank
Published: August 2017

Various brands of over-the counter (OTC) exogenous thyroid hormones are available in health food stores and retail pharmacies. Two commercially available OTC thyroid products were analyzed for total thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) content. The strength of a liquid thyroid gland extract was unlabeled and that of the solid oral preparation was 45 mg per tablet. The T4 concentration of the liquid preparation was <10 μg/dL; that of T3 was below the analytical sensitivity of our assay (<15 ng/dL). Tablet content of T4 and of T3 was up to 0.5 μg and up to 50 ng, respectively. Preliminary data on these OTC thyroid gland extracts cannot be extrapolated to all OTC thyroid products, but they suggest that such products generally contain concentrations of T4 and T3 below clinical effectiveness. Further analytical study is warranted.
Ciprofloxacin Drug Utilization Review and Prospective Drug use Evaluation
Authors: Mcghan William F. , Bootman J. Lyle , Townsend Raymond J. , Goldman Morton P.
Published: August 2017

Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antimicrobial with activity against both gram-negative and -positive bacteria including pseudomonal and staphylococcal species. It is the only available oral agent possessing this unique spectrum of activity that achieves serum concentrations adequate to treat a variety of systemic infections. A retrospective drug utilization review and a prospective drug use evaluation of ciprofloxacin were performed to determine if the agent was being used for appropriate indications, to ensure correct dosing and appropriate monitoring, and to determine whether its use is cost effective at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cleveland (VAMCC).

For the retrospective review, 40 patients’ charts were randomly chosen for review from computerized inpatient and outpatient prescription records. Drug use review criteria were developed by the Pharmacy Service and Infectious Disease Section. For the prospective evaluation, data were collected for all inpatient and outpatient requests for ciprofloxacin during a six-month period (May to November 1988) using the same criteria as in the retrospective study. Cost analysis was performed by identification and cost comparison of alternative therapy and by estimating the number of days saved by using appropriate oral therapy.

All charts from the retrospective review were found to meet criteria for appropriate use. All patients for whom documented follow-up was performed had microbiologic or clinical cures. In the prospective evaluation, 168 patients were started on ciprofloxacin. Ninety-five percent of patients had appropriate justification for use according to criteria. Drug cost savings for the six-month period was $14 962.54 or $29 925.08/year. This covered drug and minibag acquisition costs only. An estimated 127 hospital days were saved (shortened length of stay) in the six-month study period which provided a cost savings of $71 717.00 or $143 434.00/year. The total yearly savings of drug cost plus length of stay was $173 359.16.

Ciprofloxacin was found to be a cost-saving agent at the VAMCC in terms of actual drug costs and in decreasing length of hospitalization. With clinical pharmacy service intervention, ciprofloxacin can be a cost-effective agent in large medical centers.
Someone like Me: Descriptive Representation and Support for Supreme Court Nominees
Authors: Badas Alex , Stauffer Katelyn E.
Published: August 2017

Extant research on public support for judicial nominees finds that ideological congruence with the nominee is the most important factor in an individual’s decision to support a nominee. The research presented in this article develops the theory that for individuals from underrepresented groups, a shared descriptive identity with the nominee will moderate the negative effect of ideological distance. We test our theory using the nominations of Clarence Thomas, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor. Furthermore, we conduct placebo tests to determine whether the effect of ideology is moderated for underrepresented groups when a shared descriptive identity is not present. We find that in the context of the Thomas nomination, a shared racial identity led to increased support for Thomas among liberal African Americans. We find similar effects in the case of Kagan and conservative women. In the case of Sotomayor, we find that a shared ethnic identity led to increased support among conservative Latinos, regardless of gender. We conclude by discussing the implications our findings have for descriptive representation and presidential selection of judicial nominees.
Philosophy and Gifted Students: “I don't want to do what the class wants to do.”
Authors: White David A.
Published: August 2017

The philosopher Aristotle was not given to witty one-liners, but in the Politics he says that a person who lives alone is “either a beast or a god.” Much later in the history of western thought, Thomas Hobbes (in Leviathan) describes the life of human beings when it is driven solely by desire and occurs outside of society as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.”
Sylvia Rimm on Raising Kids
Authors: Rimm Sylvia B.
Published: August 2017

Dr. Sylvia B. Rimm is a child psychologist who directs Family Achievement Clinic with offices in Wisconsin. She is the author of many articles and books, including How to Parent so Children Will Learn. Her program, Sylvia Rimm on Raising Kids is heard on Public Radio every Saturday. She will be happy to answer your questions in this column. Send them to her at Family Achievement Clinic, 1227 Robruck Drive, Oconomowoc, WI 53066.
Storytelling as Language Experience for Gifted Learners
Authors: Black Sharon
Published: August 2017

The music guided her through the moonless night and although she was exhausted, she kept on paddling. She was getting near to Mokoia but the cold water had chilled her to the bone and she began to feel very weak. The music sounded faint now but all the same it gave her courage to press on. Suddenly she felt as if she might be within shouting distance of the Island. She put a foot down in the water and touched some waving weed. A minute later she felt solid land and climbed, stiffly, out of the water. (Te Kanawa, 1989, p. 40)
The Happy Culture: A Theoretical, Meta-Analytic, and Empirical Review of the Relationship Between Culture and Wealth and Subjective Well-Being
Authors: Steel Piers , Taras Vasyl , Uggerslev Krista , Bosco Frank
Published: August 2017

Do cultural values enhance financial and subjective well-being (SWB)? Taking a multidisciplinary approach, we meta-analytically reviewed the field, found it thinly covered, and focused on individualism. In counter, we collected a broad array of individual-level data, specifically an Internet sample of 8,438 adult respondents. Individual SWB was most strongly associated with cultural values that foster relationships and social capital, which typically accounted for more unique variance in life satisfaction than an individual’s salary. At a national level, we used mean-based meta-analysis to construct a comprehensive cultural and SWB database. Results show some reversals from the individual level, particularly masculinity’s facet of achievement orientation. In all, the happy nation has low power distance and low uncertainty avoidance, but is high in femininity and individualism, and these effects are interrelated but still partially independent from political and economic institutions. In short, culture matters for individual and national well-being.
Recruited into Danishness? Affective autoethnography of passing as Danish
Authors: Lapiņa Linda
Published: August 2017

This article critically examines emergence of Danishness via an autoethnography of passing as Danish. Drawing on feminist scholarship, the author conceptualizes passing as an embodied, affective and discursive relation; simultaneously spontaneous and laboured, fleeting and solid, emergent and constrained by past becomings. Once positioned as a young female uneducated Eastern European love migrant in Denmark, the author now usually passes as an accomplished migrant. However, conducting fieldwork in Copenhagen, she found herself passing as Danish. These shifting positionings from (un)wanted migrant to un(re)marked majority comprised a unique boundary position for tracing Danishness. Her body and Danishness became aligned, while other bodies were ejected. These fluctuating (dis)alignments highlighted potentialities of proximity to Danishness. Using autoethnography and memory work, the author develops an affective methodology. The encounters’ embodied affective circulations are simultaneously collective capacities illuminating material-discursive-affective contours of Danishness. The article makes a theoretical and methodological contribution to feminist-inspired research on race, whiteness, embodiment and affect in Nordic and European contexts.
Exploring new elements of the student approaches to learning framework: The role of online learning technologies in student learning
Authors: Ellis Robert A , Bliuc Ana-Marie
Published: August 2017

As online learning technologies are becoming an integral part of the learning experience at university, the quality of student learning is increasingly shaped by their experience of using these new artefacts. In many cases, the research frameworks investigating the contribution of online learning technologies to quality outcomes are yet to have explicitly identified their role and contribution. Adopting a Student Approaches to Learning perspective, the study described in this article analyses how online learning technologies are qualitatively situated in relation to inquiry by investigating associations among approaches to online learning technologies, perceptions of the learning context, and academic achievement. The findings indicate that there are consistent and distinct patterns of associations between the different aspects of the learning experience that reveal the role of online learning technologies in the student experience of learning. The findings suggest that qualitative differences in how students use online learning technologies and differences in how they perceive online learning technologies are logically related to the quality of outcomes. The discussion highlights an appropriate role and location of online learning technologies in the Student Approaches to Learning framework in order to help researchers, students, teachers and university leaders better understand their contribution to qualitatively different experiences of learning. It suggests principles for a more effective design of learning tasks based on the results which indicated deeper engagement both online and in-class.