bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corporate spinoffs and analysts' coverage decisions: The implications for diversified firms
Authors: Feldman Emilie R.
Published: April 2015

Research summary: This paper investigates how spinoffs improve the quality of analysts' research about diversified firms, theorizing that these deals may induce analysts to revisit their earlier coverage decisions. The gains resulting from these shifts are expected to be more pronounced when a firm undertakes a legacy (rather than a non‐legacy) spinoff, which removes the business that may be constraining analysts' coverage decisions in the first place. Consistent with this argument, firms that undertake legacy spinoffs experience greater improvements in the composition and quality of their analyst coverage than their non‐legacy counterparts, and in their overall forecast accuracy and stock market performance. Taken together, these findings shed light on the relationships among the scope decisions, analyst coverage, and valuations of diversified firms.

Managerial summary: Existing research has established that when companies undertake spinoffs, analysts produce more accurate forecasts about the divesting firms than they did prior to those deals, and the stock market performance of those firms also improves relative to pre‐spinoff levels. This paper explores the effects of legacy spinoffs (the spinoff of a firm's original or “legacy” business) for forecast accuracy and stock market performance. Firms that undertake legacy spinoffs are found to enjoy greater improvements in forecast accuracy and stock market performance than their non‐legacy counterparts. These findings are driven by the fact that legacy spinoffs induce analysts to revisit their existing coverage decisions to a greater extent than non‐legacy spinoffs, contributing significantly to the economic benefits of these deals for shareholders. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Zn2+‐Triggered Drug Release from Biocompatible Zirconium MOFs Equipped with Supramolecular Gates
Authors: Tan Li‐Li , Li Haiwei , Zhou Yue , Zhang Yuanyuan , Feng Xiao , Wang Bo , Yang Ying‐Wei
Published: April 2015

A new theranostic nanoplatform, comprising of monodisperse zirconium metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) as drug carriers and carboxylatopillar[5]arene‐based supramolecular switches as gating entities, is constructed, and controlled drug release triggered by bio‐friendly Zn2+ ions (abundant in synaptic vesicles) and auxiliary thermal stimulus is realized. This on‐command drug delivery system exhibits large pore sizes for drug encapsulation, excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, extremely low cytotoxicity and premature drug release, and superior dual‐stimuli responsiveness, opening a new avenue in targeted drug delivery and controlled release of therapeutic agents, especially in the treatment of central nervous system diseases.
Different types of V amylose–lipid inclusion complexes in maize extrudates revealed by DSC analysis
Authors: Genkina Natalia K. , Kiseleva Valentina I. , Martirosyan Vladimir V.
Published: April 2015

Aqueous dispersions of the extrudates (1%) prepared from three maize varieties containing starches with the various amylose contents (20–53%) and the high lipid level (about 7% on dry starch weight) were studied by DSC analysis. Two different types of amylose–lipid complexes were observed in the direct process (20–120°C, peak temperature of about 105–107°C) and when reheating/rescanning modes were employed (peak temperature of about 85°C). The extrudate dispersions heated only up to 100°C in the direct DSC scanning modes revealed a double‐peaked endothermic profile in the rescans that gave the evidence for coexistence of both types of the complexes. The possible reasons underlying formation, re‐formation, and/or coexistence of two types of the amylose–lipid complexes in the maize extrudates studied are discussed.
Pro-Insulin-Like Growth Factor-II Ameliorates Age-Related Inefficient Regenerative Response by Orchestrating Self-Reinforcement Mechanism of Muscle Regeneration
Authors: Ikemoto-Uezumi Madoka , Uezumi Akiyoshi , Tsuchida Kunihiro , Fukada So-ichiro , Yamamoto Hiroshi , Yamamoto Naoki , Shiomi Kosuke , Hashimoto Naohiro
Published: April 2015

Sarcopenia, age-related muscle weakness, increases the frequency of falls and fractures in elderly people, which can trigger severe muscle injury. Rapid and successful recovery from muscle injury is essential not to cause further frailty and loss of independence. In fact, we showed insufficient muscle regeneration in aged mice. Although the number of satellite cells, muscle stem cells, decreases with age, the remaining satellite cells maintain the myogenic capacity equivalent to young mice. Transplantation of young green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Tg mice-derived satellite cells into young and aged mice revealed that age-related deterioration of the muscle environment contributes to the decline in regenerative capacity of satellite cells. Thus, extrinsic changes rather than intrinsic changes in satellite cells appear to be a major determinant of inefficient muscle regeneration with age. Comprehensive protein expression analysis identified a decrease in insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) level in regenerating muscle of aged mice. We found that pro- and big-IGF-II but not mature IGF-II specifically express during muscle regeneration and the expressions are not only delayed but also decreased in absolute quantity with age. Supplementation of pro-IGF-II in aged mice ameliorated the inefficient regenerative response by promoting proliferation of satellite cells, angiogenesis, and suppressing adipogenic differentiation of platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)α+ mesenchymal progenitors. We further revealed that pro-IGF-II but not mature IGF-II specifically inhibits the pathological adipogenesis of PDGFRα+ cells. Together, these results uncovered a distinctive pro-IGF-II-mediated self-reinforcement mechanism of muscle regeneration and suggest that supplementation of pro-IGF-II could be one of the most effective therapeutic approaches for muscle injury in elderly people. Stem Cells  2015;33:2456—2468
Bremsstrahlung contribution to the X‐ray spectrum in coupled photon–electron transport
Authors: Fernández Jorge E. , Scot Viviana , Di Giulio Eugenio , Salvat Francesc
Published: April 2015

Secondary electrons produced by Compton scattering and photoelectric effect contribute to the photon field through conversion mechanisms like bremsstrahlung and inner‐shell impact ionization (ISII). Because electrons interact continuously, the solution of the coupled transport problem is complex and time consuming. For this reason, photon transport codes frequently neglect the effects due to secondary electrons. Both of these contributions have been computed by means of the ad hoc code KERNEL that uses the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE specific for coupled transport. The correction on the intensity of the characteristic lines due to ISII was treated in a recent paper of our group. This paper adds the continuous contribution to the radiation field due to bremsstrahlung by secondary electrons. The bremsstrahlung emission is studied in terms of angle, space, and energy. The continuous contribution is stored in a data library for selected photon source energies in the interval 1–150 keV and for all the elements Z = 1–92. For intermediate source energies, the single element contribution is obtained by interpolating the data library. An example is presented on how to use the data library to include bremsstrahlung in the simulation of a synchrotron experiment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Feasibility study of ED‐XRF analysis of atmospheric particulate matter samples collected with high time resolution
Authors: Giannoni M. , Calzolai G. , Chiari M. , Lucarelli F. , Mazzinghi A. , Nava S. , Ruberto C.
Published: April 2015

This study aims at verifying the feasibility of the analysis of particulate matter samples collected with hourly time resolution by a Streaker sampler device, using cheaper and more affordable instrumentations like energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (ED‐XRF) spectrometers. The ‘hourly’ samples are not analysable with the available commercial laboratory ED‐XRF spectrometers, because the aerosol deposit forms a continuous streak that has to be analysed ‘point‐by‐point’ with a collimated beam of a few mm size. For this specific application, a custom‐made compact XRF spectrometer, designed at the INFN LABEC laboratory in Florence and typically used for in‐situ analysis of cultural heritage, has been used. This ED‐XRF system is based on the combined use of two X‐ray tubes with different anodes (Mo and Ti), a 30‐mm2 silicon drift detector and a helium flow to reduce the attenuation of low energy X‐rays.

A set of elemental thin standards containing elements from Na to Pb has been analysed in order to determine the best experimental conditions, the sensitivity and the detection limits of this system. The results of quantitative analysis on certified aerosol samples, on particulate matter samples collected for 24 h by a low volume sampler and on Streaker samples (‘fine’ fraction, PM2.5) are in good agreement with those obtained by PIXE and polarized optics ED‐XRF measurements. This study demonstrates that a specialized custom‐made ED‐XRF system may represent a promising solution for elemental analysis of Streaker samples, even for low‐Z elements, although PIXE technique still remains unrivalled as regards sensitivity and measurement throughput. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The prognostic value of the head-shaft angle on hip displacement in children with cerebral palsy
Authors: van der List J. P. J. , Witbreuk M. M. , Buizer A. I. , van der Sluijs J. A.
Published: April 2015

Background

Hip displacement is the second most common deformity in cerebral palsy (CP). The risk for hip displacement is related to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Recently, the head-shaft angle (HSA) has been identified as a predictor for hip displacement and the aim of this study is to assess the predictive value of the HSA for hip displacement in CP.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort, we performed radiological measurements in 50 children on both hips. In children with GMFCS level II (30 hips), III (30 hips), IV (20 hips) and V (20 hips), we measured the HSA and migration percentage (MP) in three age intervals: age two years (T1), age four years (T2) and age seven years (T3).

Results

At T1, the HSA was larger (more valgus) in hips that will displace than in hips that will not displace (174° vs. 166°; p = 0.001) and was also larger in higher GMFCS levels (IV–V vs. II–III) (172° vs. 165°; p < 0.001). At T1, GMFCS [odds ratio (OR) 14.7; p = 0.001] and HSA (OR 1.102; p = 0.043) were predictors for hip displacement at T3, but at T2, MP (OR 1.071; p = 0.010) was the only predictor for hip displacement at T3.

Conclusions

The HSA at two years is larger in hips that will displace and larger in children with higher GMFCS levels (IV–V). At age two years, GMFCS and HSA are valuable predictors for hip displacement, but at the age of four years, only MP should be used in the prediction of hip displacement.

Level of evidence

Prognostic study, level II.
Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria: Inter- and Intradissemination Among Nursing Homes of Residents With Advanced Dementia
Authors: D’Agata Erika M. C. , Habtemariam Daniel , Mitchell Susan
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVE

To quantify the extent of inter– and intra–nursing home transmission of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDRGN) among residents with advanced dementia and characterize MDRGN colonization among these residents.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Twenty-two nursing homes in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area.

PATIENTS

Residents with advanced dementia.

METHODS

Serial rectal surveillance cultures for MDRGN and resident characteristics were obtained every 3 months for 12 months or until death. Molecular typing of MDRGN isolates was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

RESULTS

A total of 190 MDRGN isolates from 152 residents with advanced dementia were included in the analyses. Both intra– and inter–nursing home transmission were identified. Genetically related MDRGN strains, recovered from different residents, were detected in 18 (82%) of the 22 nursing homes. The percent of clonally related strains in these nursing homes ranged from 0% to 86% (average, 35%). More than 50% of strains were clonally related in 3 nursing homes. Co-colonization with more than 1 different MDRGN species occurred among 28 residents (18.4%). A total of 168 (88.4%), 20 (10.5%), and 2 (1.0%) of MDRGN isolates were resistant to 3, 4, and 5 different antimicrobials or antimicrobial classes, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

MDRGN are spread both within and between nursing homes among residents with advanced dementia. Infection control interventions should begin to target this high-risk group of nursing home residents.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol2015;36(8):930–935
On the distinguished limits of the Navier slip model of the moving contact line problem
Authors: Ren Weiqing , Trinh Philippe H. , E Weinan
Published: April 2015

When a droplet spreads on a solid substrate, it is unclear what the correct boundary conditions are to impose at the moving contact line. The classical no-slip condition is generally acknowledged to lead to a non-integrable singularity at the moving contact line, which a slip condition, associated with a small slip parameter, ${\it\lambda}$, serves to alleviate. In this paper, we discuss what occurs as the slip parameter, ${\it\lambda}$, tends to zero. In particular, we explain how the zero-slip limit should be discussed in consideration of two distinguished limits: one where time is held constant, $t=O(1)$, and one where time tends to infinity at the rate $t=O(|\!\log {\it\lambda}|)$. The crucial result is that in the case where time is held constant, the ${\it\lambda}\rightarrow 0$ limit converges to the slip-free equation, and contact line slippage occurs as a regular perturbative effect. However, if ${\it\lambda}\rightarrow 0$ and $t\rightarrow \infty$, then contact line slippage is a leading-order singular effect.
Cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry in gravity wave radiation from a co-rotating vortex pair in rotating shallow water
Authors: Sugimoto Norihiko , Ishioka K. , Kobayashi H. , Shimomura Y.
Published: April 2015

Cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry in spontaneous gravity wave radiation from a co-rotating vortex pair is investigated in an $f$-plane shallow water system. The far field of gravity waves is derived analytically by analogy with the theory of aeroacoustic sound wave radiation (Lighthill theory). In the derived form, the Earth’s rotation affects not only the propagation of gravity waves but also their source. While the results correspond to the theory of vortex sound in the limit of $f\rightarrow 0$, there is an asymmetry in gravity wave radiation between cyclone pairs and anticyclone pairs for finite values of $f$. Anticyclone pairs radiate gravity waves more intensely than cyclone pairs due to the effect of the Earth’s rotation. In addition, there is a local maximum of intensity of gravity waves from anticyclone pairs at an intermediate $f$. To verify the analytical solution, a numerical simulation is also performed with a newly developed spectral method in an unbounded domain. The novelty of this method is the absence of wave reflection at the boundary due to a conformal mapping and a pseudo-hyperviscosity that acts like a sponge layer in the far field of waves. The numerical results are in excellent agreement with the analytical results even for finite values of $f$ for both cyclone pairs and anticyclone pairs.
New dasycladalean algal species from the Kalana Lagerstätte (Silurian, Estonia)
Authors: Mastik Viirika , Tinn Oive
Published: April 2015

A Silurian (Llandovery, Aeronian) Lagerstätte in Kalana, Estonia, has revealed exceptionally preserved noncalcified thalli of dasycladalean (divison Chlorophyta) algal fossils. The siphonous, serially segmented fossils ofPalaeocymopolia silurican. sp. are closely similar toP. nunavutensis, a Ludlovian species from the Arctic Canada. The occurrence of closely related species at Baltica and Laurentia paleocontinents indicates a wide distribution of noncalcified algal flora on both sides of the Iapetus Ocean in the Paleozoic. The exceptionally well-preserved specimens from the Kalana Lagerstätte show similarity to extant speciesCymopolia barbata, with lack of a calcium carbonate skeleton being the major observable difference from the latter.
Folate status and concentrations of serum folate forms in the US population: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2
Authors: Pfeiffer Christine M. , Sternberg Maya R. , Fazili Zia , Lacher David A. , Zhang Mindy , Johnson Clifford L. , Hamner Heather C. , Bailey Regan L. , Rader Jeanne I. , Yamini Sedigheh , Berry R. J. , Yetley Elizabeth A.
Published: April 2015

Serum and erythrocyte (RBC) total folate are indicators of folate status. No nationally representative population data exist for folate forms. We measured the serum folate forms (5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-methylTHF), unmetabolised folic acid (UMFA), non-methyl folate (sum of tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5-formyltetrahydrofolate (5-formylTHF), 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate (5,10-methenylTHF)) and MeFox (5-methylTHF oxidation product)) by HPLC–MS/MS and RBC total folate by microbiologic assay in US population ≥ 1 year (n approximately 7500) participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2. Data analysis for serum total folate was conducted including and excluding MeFox. Concentrations (geometric mean; detection rate) of 5-methylTHF (37·5 nmol/l; 100 %), UMFA (1·21 nmol/l; 99·9 %), MeFox (1·53 nmol/l; 98·8 %), and THF (1·01 nmol/l; 85·2 %) were mostly detectable. 5-FormylTHF (3·6 %) and 5,10-methenylTHF (4·4 %) were rarely detected. The biggest contributor to serum total folate was 5-methylTHF (86·7 %); UMFA (4·0 %), non-methyl folate (4·7 %) and MeFox (4·5 %) contributed smaller amounts. Age was positively related to MeFox, but showed a U-shaped pattern for other folates. We generally noted sex and race/ethnic biomarker differences and weak (Spearman's r< 0·4) but significant (P< 0·05) correlations with physiological and lifestyle variables. Fasting, kidney function, smoking and alcohol intake showed negative associations. BMI and body surface area showed positive associations with MeFox but negative associations with other folates. All biomarkers showed significantly higher concentrations with recent folic acid-containing dietary supplement use. These first-time population data for serum folate forms generally show similar associations with demographic, physiological and lifestyle variables as serum total folate. Patterns observed for MeFox may suggest altered folate metabolism dependent on biological characteristics.
Activity of dietary fatty acids on FFA1 and FFA4 and characterisation of pinolenic acid as a dual FFA1/FFA4 agonist with potential effect against metabolic diseases
Authors: Christiansen Elisabeth , Watterson Kenneth R. , Stocker Claire J. , Sokol Elena , Jenkins Laura , Simon Katharina , Grundmann Manuel , Petersen Rasmus K. , Wargent Edward T. , Hudson Brian D. , Kostenis Evi , Ejsing Christer S. , Cawthorne Michael A. , Milligan Graeme , Ulven Trond
Published: April 2015

Various foods are associated with effects against metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes; however, their mechanisms of action are mostly unclear. Fatty acids may contribute by acting as precursors of signalling molecules or by direct activity on receptors. The medium- and long-chain NEFA receptor FFA1 (free fatty acid receptor 1, previously known as GPR40) has been linked to enhancement of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, whereas FFA4 (free fatty acid receptor 4, previously known as GPR120) has been associated with insulin-sensitising and anti-inflammatory effects, and both receptors are reported to protect pancreatic islets and promote secretion of appetite and glucose-regulating hormones. Hypothesising that FFA1 and FFA4 mediate therapeutic effects of dietary components, we screened a broad selection of NEFA on FFA1 and FFA4 and characterised active compounds in concentration–response curves. Of the screened compounds, pinolenic acid, a constituent of pine nut oil, was identified as a relatively potent and efficacious dual FFA1/FFA4 agonist, and its suitability for further studies was confirmed by additional in vitro characterisation. Pine nut oil and free and esterified pure pinolenic acid were tested in an acute glucose tolerance test in mice. Pine nut oil showed a moderately but significantly improved glucose tolerance compared with maize oil. Pure pinolenic acid or ethyl ester gave robust and highly significant improvements of glucose tolerance. In conclusion, the present results indicate that pinolenic acid is a comparatively potent and efficacious dual FFA1/FFA4 agonist that exerts antidiabetic effects in an acute mouse model. The compound thus deserves attention as a potential active dietary ingredient to prevent or counteract metabolic diseases.
Using predator attack data to save lives, human and crocodilian
Authors: Pooley Simon
Published: April 2015

As human populations grow and transform undeveloped terrestrial and aquatic habitats, human–wildlife conflict inevitably increases. This is particularly problematic for large predators and the humans who live alongside them. Relatively little research has been conducted on alleviating adverse human encounters with one of the most significant predator species in Africa, the Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus. This short communication raises questions about some of the general statements made to explain the incidence of attacks by crocodiles. Some of the limitations of the data on such attacks are considered, with recommendations on what kinds of data are required. Data collection and analysis, and how they can inform more effective mitigation efforts, are discussed.
THE ‘SOS’ AMPHORA: AN UPDATE
Authors: Pratt Catherine E.
Published: April 2015

Research conducted and published over the last 35 years has brought to light much new information concerning the so-called ‘SOS’ amphora, produced primarily in Attica and Euboea in the Archaic period. However, little focused work has been undertaken in the study of these vessels since Johnston and Jones' seminal work in 1978. This paper therefore provides a critical update on the production and distribution of SOS amphorae using the current data available. Included in this update is a discussion of recent research on Early Iron Age amphorae that may help situate the SOS amphora within a broader ceramic milieu. A new distribution of SOS amphorae also necessitates a reappraisal of some previously held ideas concerning their chronological patterns and the specific actors involved in their shipment. Taking into consideration the multiple spatial and temporal varieties of SOS amphorae, it can be shown that these vessels were relatively evenly deposited across the Mediterranean, from Iberia to the Levant, very early in the Archaic period. In combination with other factors, this widespread distribution may support the hypothesis that non-Greek seafarers were involved with transporting Athenian and Euboean SOS amphorae. Ultimately, it is hoped that a fresh look at this ceramic shape, however brief, might contribute to existing scholarly debates on cultural interactions and mobility within the Mediterranean basin during the Archaic period.
Jessie Matthews’ Construction of a Star Persona on her Post-war Australian Tours
Authors: Lipton Martina
Published: April 2015

Jessie Matthews’ post-war tours to Australia were part of a sequence of commercially successful imported productions then heralded as a great boom era in Australian theatre. However, Matthews’ waning popularity in Britain since the 1940s meant that she was no longer recognizable as the screen darling of the 1930s. Indeed, the Australian press had to remind its readers of ‘evergreen Jessie’s’ succession of British film hits such as The Good Companions (1933) and Evergreen (1934). This article examines the critical and public reception of Matthews’ tours with a focus on the strategic management of her star persona, both on and off stage, including her public criticism of Australian theatre management and employment opportunities for Australian theatre performers. Martina Lipton is an Honorary Associate Lecturer at the University of Queensland and was recently the Research Fellow (Australia) on the Leverhulme Research Project ‘British-Australian Cultural Exchange: Live Performance 1880–1960’. Her publications include the chapter ‘Localism and British Modern Pantomime’ in A World of Popular Entertainments (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012) and articles for Australasian Drama Studies, Contemporary Theatre Review, New Theatre Quarterly, and Popular Entertainment Studies.
‘The City of the Eye’: Urban Aesthetics and Surveillance in the City of Venice
Authors: Whybrow Nicolas
Published: April 2015

Joseph Brodsky’s assertion in Watermark (1992) that Venice ‘is the city of the eye’, providing a sense of security and solace to inhabitants and visitors via the sheer aesthetic force of its surroundings, implicitly raises questions, in the context of the twenty-first-century city, about the performative nature of not only modern-day urban aesthetics but also surveillance in public space, both of which, as phenomena, are dependent on forms of visual observation. Taking into account contemporary Venice’s complex make-up in terms of its transient and permanent populations – tourists, economic migrants, and local residents – and the central issue facing the city of the gradual erosion of its historical infrastructure owing to excesses of commercialism and the material effects of flooding, in this article Nicolas Whybrow ponders the continuing role of aesthetics in an urban context. In particular, he considers how both Brodsky’s perception of the effects of the historical environment and contemporary instances of artistic intervention or engagement with the city – official (as part of the globally renowned Biennale) and unofficial (in the form of graffiti writing) – might position users of public space in the light of increased attempts to implement formal controls in the interests of security. Nicolas Whybrow is Associate Professor (Reader) and Head of Department in the School of Theatre, Performance, and Cultural Policy Studies at the University of Warwick. His most recent books are Art and the City (2011) and, as editor, Performing Cities (2014).
THE EFFECTS OF CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK ON INSTRUCTED L2 SPEECH PERCEPTION
Authors: Lee Andrew H. , Lyster Roy
Published: April 2015

To what extent do second language (L2) learners benefit from instruction that includes corrective feedback (CF) on L2 speech perception? This article addresses this question by reporting the results of a classroom-based experimental study conducted with 32 young adult Korean learners of English. An instruction-only group and an instruction + CF group were exposed to five 1-hr form-focused lessons that drew learners’ attention to the nonnative phonemic contrast /i/-/ɪ/, but only the instruction + CF group was given relevant feedback. Forced-choice identification tasks were completed by participants in a pretest, an immediate posttest, and a delayed posttest. The two groups showed similar accuracy on the pretest; however, the instruction + CF group outperformed the instruction-only group on the immediate and delayed posttests as well as on unfamiliar words. The significant predictors for these differences turned out to be perceptual accuracy vis-à-vis /ɪ/-natural and /ɪ/-synthesized sounds. These findings are discussed in terms of the pivotal role played by CF in developing accuracy in L2 speech perception.
Modelling the Age Dynamics of Chronic Health Conditions: Life-Table-Consistent Transition Probabilities and their Application
Authors: Denton Frank T. , Spencer Byron G.
Published: April 2015

Les sondages sur les conditions de santé chroniques fournissent des informations sur la prédominance mais pas l'incidence et le processus de changement au sein de la population. Notre étude a révelé comment "les dynamiques d'âge" des conditions chroniques—les probabilités de contracter des conditions aux âges divers, de passer d'un état d'une maladie chronique à l'autre, et de mourir—peuvent être déduites des données sur la prédominance de ces conditions, qui peuvent être considerées comme irreversibles. Les matrices de transition de probabilité ont été construites pour les groupes d'âge successifs, la séquence représentant la dynamique d'âge des conditions de santé pour une population sédentaire. Nous avons simulé la trajectoire de vie d'une cohorte sous les probabilités initiales, et encore sous les probabilités altérées, afin d'explorer les effets de la réduction du taux d'incidence ou de la mortalité associée à une condition particulière. Nous avons démontré que ces enquêtes sur les conditions chroniques peuvent être rendues encore plus valables en permettant le calcul des probabilités de transition qui définissent le processus de vieillissement pour des conditions chroniques.
Characterizing HIV epidemiology in stable couples in Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India
Authors: CHEMAITELLY H. , ABU-RADDAD L. J.
Published: April 2015

Using a set of statistical methods and HIV mathematical models applied on nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey data, we characterized HIV serodiscordancy patterns and HIV transmission dynamics in stable couples (SCs) in four countries: Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India. The majority of SCs affected by HIV were serodiscordant, and about a third of HIV-infected persons had uninfected partners. Overall, nearly two-thirds of HIV infections occurred in individuals in SCs, but only about half of these infections were due to transmissions within serodiscordant couples. The majority of HIV incidence in the population occurred through extra-partner encounters in SCs. There is similarity in HIV epidemiology in SCs between these countries and countries in sub-Saharan Africa, despite the difference in scale of epidemics. It appears that HIV epidemiology in SCs may share similar patterns globally, possibly because it is a natural ‘spillover’ effect of HIV dynamics in high-risk populations.
The better of two evils? Evidence that children exhibiting continuous conduct problems high or low on callous–unemotional traits score on opposite directions on physiological and behavioral measures of fear
Authors: Fanti Kostas A. , Panayiotou Georgia , Lazarou Chrysostomos , Michael Raphaelia , Georgiou Giorgos
Published: April 2015

The present study examines whether heterogeneous groups of children identified based on their longitudinal scores on conduct problems (CP) and callous–unemotional (CU) traits differ on physiological and behavioral measures of fear. Specifically, it aims to test the hypothesis that children with high/stable CP differentiated on CU traits score on opposite directions on a fear–fearless continuum. Seventy-three participants (M age = 11.21; 45.2% female) were selected from a sample of 1,200 children. Children and their parents completed a battery of questionnaires assessing fearfulness, sensitivity to punishment, and behavioral inhibition. Children also participated in an experiment assessing their startle reactivity to fearful mental imagery, a well-established index of defensive motivation. The pattern of results verifies the hypothesis that fearlessness, assessed with physiological and behavioral measures, is a core characteristic of children high on both CP and CU traits (i.e., receiving the DSM-5 specifier of limited prosocial emotions). To the contrary, children with high/stable CP and low CU traits demonstrated high responsiveness to fear, high behavioral inhibition, and high sensitivity to punishment. The study is in accord with the principle of equifinality, in that different developmental mechanisms (i.e., extremes of high and low fear) may have the same behavioral outcome manifested as phenotypic antisocial behavior.
Twins Less Frequent Than Expected Among Male Births in Risk Averse Populations
Authors: Karasek Deborah , Goodman Julia , Gemmill Alison , Falconi April , Hartig Terry , Magganas Aristotle , Catalano Ralph
Published: April 2015

Male twin gestations exhibit higher incidence of fetal morbidity and mortality than singleton gestations. From an evolutionary perspective, the relatively high rates of infant and child mortality among male twins born into threatening environments reduce the fitness of these gestations, making them more vulnerable to fetal loss. Women do not perceive choosing to spontaneously abort gestations although the outcome may result from estimates, made without awareness, of the risks of continuing a pregnancy. Here, we examine whether the non-conscious decisional biology of gestation can be linked to conscious risk aversion. We test this speculation by measuring the association between household surveys in Sweden that gauge financial risk aversion in the population and the frequency of twins among live male births. We used time-series regression methods to estimate our suspected associations and Box–Jenkins modeling to ensure that autocorrelation did not confound the estimation or reduce its efficiency. We found, consistent with theory, that financial risk aversion in the population correlates inversely with the odds of a twin among Swedish males born two months later. The odds of a twin among males fell by approximately 3.5% two months after unexpectedly great risk aversion in the population. This work implies that shocks that affect population risk aversion carry implications for fetal loss in vulnerable twin pregnancies.
A National Swedish Longitudinal Twin-Sibling Study of Criminal Convictions From Adolescence Through Early Adulthood
Authors: Kendler Kenneth S. , Lönn Sara Larsson , Maes Hermine H. , Morris Nancy A. , Lichtenstein Paul , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina
Published: April 2015

Background: Prior twin and adoption studies have demonstrated the importance of both genetic and shared environmental factors in the etiology of criminal behavior (CB). However, despite substantial interest in life-course theories of CB, few genetically informative studies have examined CB in a developmental context. Method: In 69,767 male–male twin pairs and full-sibling pairs with ≤ 2 years’ difference in age, born 1958–1976 and ascertained from the Swedish Twin and Population Registries, we obtained information on all criminal convictions from 1973 to 2011 from the Swedish Crime Register. We fitted a Cholesky structural model, using the OpenMx package, to CB in these pairs over three age periods: 15–19, 20–24, and 25–29. Results: The Cholesky model had two main genetic factors. The first began at ages 15–19 and declined in importance over development. The second started at ages 20–24 and was stable over time. Only one major shared environmental factor was seen, beginning at ages 15–19. Heritability for CB declined from ages 15–29, as did shared environmental effects, although at a slower rate. Conclusions: Genetic risk factors for CB in males are developmentally dynamic, demonstrating both innovation and attenuation. These results are consistent with theories of adolescent-limited and life-course persistent CB subtypes. Heritability for CB did not increase over time as might be predicted from active gene-environmental correlation. However, consistent with expectation, the proportion of variability explained by shared environmental effects declined slightly as individuals aged and moved away from their original homes and neighborhoods.
Building a Better Glacial Speedometer
Authors: Laursen Lucas
Published: April 2015

Researchers race to measure and predict the Greenland ice sheet's seaward slide.
Scientists Hope to Learn Lessons from Nepal Earthquake
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: April 2015

The 25 April earthquake in Nepal has caused thousands of fatalities. Scientists hope it can lead to a better understanding of the region's seismicity and better earthquake resilience.
Crustose coralline algal species host distinct bacterial assemblages on their surfaces
Authors: Sneed Jennifer M , Ritson-Williams Raphael , Paul Valerie J
Published: April 2015

Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are important components of many marine ecosystems. They aid in reef accretion and stabilization, create habitat for other organisms, contribute to carbon sequestration and are important settlement substrata for a number of marine invertebrates. Despite their ecological importance, little is known about the bacterial communities associated with CCA or whether differences in bacterial assemblages may have ecological implications. This study examined the bacterial communities on four different species of CCA collected in Belize using bacterial tag-encoded FLX amplicon pyrosequencing of the V1–V3 region of the 16S rDNA. CCA were dominated by Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Actinomycetes. At the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) level, each CCA species had a unique bacterial community that was significantly different from all other CCA species. Hydrolithon boergesenii and Titanoderma prototypum, CCA species that facilitate larval settlement in multiple corals, had higher abundances of OTUs related to bacteria that inhibit the growth and/or biofilm formation of coral pathogens. Fewer coral larvae settle on the surfaces of Paragoniolithon solubile and Porolithon pachydermum. These CCA species had higher abundances of OTUs related to known coral pathogens and cyanobacteria. Coral larvae may be able to use the observed differences in bacterial community composition on CCA species to assess the suitability of these substrata for settlement and selectively settle on CCA species that contain beneficial bacteria.
FGF1 and FGF19 reverse diabetes by suppression of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis
Authors: Perry Rachel J. , Lee Sangwon , Ma Lie , Zhang Dongyan , Schlessinger Joseph , Shulman Gerald I.
Published: April 2015

Fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF1) and FGF19 have been shown to improve glucose metabolism in diabetic rodents, but how this occurs is unknown. Here to investigate the mechanism of action of these growth factors, we perform intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of recombinant FGF1 or FGF19 in an awake rat model of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and measure rates of whole-body lipolysis, hepatic acetyl CoA content, pyruvate carboxylase activity and hepatic glucose production. We show that ICV injection of FGF19 or FGF1 leads to a ∼60% reduction in hepatic glucose production, hepatic acetyl CoA content and whole-body lipolysis, which results from decreases in plasma ACTH and corticosterone concentrations. These effects are abrogated by an intra-arterial infusion of corticosterone. Taken together these studies identify suppression of the HPA axis and ensuing reductions in hepatic acetyl CoA content as a common mechanism responsible for mediating the acute, insulin-independent, glucose-lowering effects of FGF1 and FGF19 in rodents with poorly controlled T1D.
Witnessing magnetic twist with high-resolution observation from the 1.6-m New Solar Telescope
Authors: Wang Haimin , Cao Wenda , Liu Chang , Xu Yan , Liu Rui , Zeng Zhicheng , Chae Jongchul , Ji Haisheng
Published: April 2015

Magnetic flux ropes are highly twisted, current-carrying magnetic fields. They are crucial for the instability of plasma involved in solar eruptions, which may lead to adverse space weather effects. Here we present observations of a flaring using the highest resolution chromospheric images from the 1.6-m New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory, supplemented by a magnetic field extrapolation model. A set of loops initially appear to peel off from an overall inverse S-shaped flux bundle, and then develop into a multi-stranded twisted flux rope, producing a two-ribbon flare. We show evidence that the flux rope is embedded in sheared arcades and becomes unstable following the enhancement of its twists. The subsequent motion of the flux rope is confined due to the strong strapping effect of the overlying field. These results provide a first opportunity to witness the detailed structure and evolution of flux ropes in the low solar atmosphere.
Increased signaling entropy in cancer requires the scale-free property of proteininteraction networks
Authors: Teschendorff Andrew E. , Banerji Christopher R. S. , Severini Simone , Kuehn Reimer , Sollich Peter
Published: April 2015

One of the key characteristics of cancer cells is an increased phenotypic plasticity,driven by underlying genetic and epigenetic perturbations. However, at asystems-level it is unclear how these perturbations give rise to the observedincreased plasticity. Elucidating such systems-level principles is key for animproved understanding of cancer. Recently, it has been shown that signalingentropy, an overall measure of signaling pathway promiscuity and computable fromintegrating a sample's gene expression profile with a protein interactionnetwork, correlates with phenotypic plasticity and is increased in cancer comparedto normal tissue. Here we develop a computational framework for studying the effectsof network perturbations on signaling entropy. We demonstrate that the increasedsignaling entropy of cancer is driven by two factors: (i) the scale-free (or nearscale-free) topology of the interaction network and (ii) a subtle positivecorrelation between differential gene expression and node connectivity. Indeed, weshow that if protein interaction networks were random graphs, described by Poissondegree distributions, that cancer would generally not exhibit an increased signalingentropy. In summary, this work exposes a deep connection between cancer, signalingentropy and interaction network topology.
Surface Modifications Induced by High Fluxes of Low Energy Helium Ions
Authors: Tanyeli İrem , Marot Laurent , Mathys Daniel , van de Sanden Mauritius C. M. , De Temmerman Gregory
Published: April 2015

Several metal surfaces, such as titanium, aluminum and copper, were exposed to highfluxes (in the range of 1023m−2s−1) of low energy(<100 eV) Helium (He) ions. The surfaces were analyzed by scanningelectron microscopy and to get a better understanding on morphology changes both topview and cross sectional images were taken. Different surface modifications, such asvoids and nano pillars, are observed on these metals. The differences andsimilarities in the development of surface morphologies are discussed in terms ofthe material properties and compared with the results of similar experimentalstudies. The results show that He ions induced void growth and physical sputteringplay a significant role in surface modification using high fluxes of low energy Heions.
Simultaneous silence organizes structured higher-order interactions in neural populations
Authors: Shimazaki Hideaki , Sadeghi Kolia , Ishikawa Tomoe , Ikegaya Yuji , Toyoizumi Taro
Published: April 2015

Activity patterns of neural population are constrained by underlying biological mechanisms. These patterns are characterized not only by individual activity rates and pairwise correlations but also by statistical dependencies among groups of neurons larger than two, known as higher-order interactions (HOIs). While HOIs are ubiquitous in neural activity, primary characteristics of HOIs remain unknown. Here, we report that simultaneous silence (SS) of neurons concisely summarizes neural HOIs. Spontaneously active neurons in cultured hippocampal slices express SS that is more frequent than predicted by their individual activity rates and pairwise correlations. The SS explains structured HOIs seen in the data, namely, alternating signs at successive interaction orders. Inhibitory neurons are necessary to maintain significant SS. The structured HOIs predicted by SS were observed in a simple neural population model characterized by spiking nonlinearity and correlated input. These results suggest that SS is a ubiquitous feature of HOIs that constrain neural activity patterns and can influence information processing.
The emergence of hyper-altruistic behaviour in conflictual situations
Authors: Capraro Valerio
Published: April 2015

Situations where people have to decide between hurting themselves or another person are at the core of many individual and global conflicts. Yet little is known about how people behave when facing these situations in the lab. Here we report a large (N = 2.379) experiment in which participants could either takexdollars from another anonymous participant or giveydollars to the same participant. Depending on the experimental treatments, participants were also allowed to exit the game without making any decision, but paying a costc ≥ 0. Across different protocols and parameter specifications, we found three major results: (i) when exiting is allowed and costless, subjects tend to exit the game; (ii) females are more likely than males to exit the game, but only when the cost of the exit is small; (iii) when exiting is not allowed, altruistic actions are more common than predicted by the dominant economic models. In particular, about one sixth of the subjects show hyper-altruistic tendencies, that is, they prefer givingyrather than takingx > y.In doing so, our findings shed light on human decision-making in conflictual situations and suggest that economic models should be revised in order to take into account hyper-altruistic behaviour.
Ketorolac salt is a newly discovered DDX3 inhibitor to treat oral cancer
Authors: Samal Sabindra K. , Routray Samapika , Veeramachaneni Ganesh Kumar , Dash Rupesh , Botlagunta Mahendran
Published: April 2015

DDX3 belongs to DEAD box RNA helicase family and is involved in the progression of several types of cancer. In this work, we employed a High Throughput Virtual screening approach to identify bioactive compounds against DDX3 from ZINC natural database. Ketorolac salt was selected based on its binding free energy less than or equals to −5 Kcal/mol with reference to existing synthetic DDX3 inhibitors and strong hydrogen bond interactions as similar to crystallized DDX3 protein (2I4I). The anti-cancer activity of Ketorolac salt against DDX3 was tested using oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. This compound significantly down regulated the expression of DDX3 in human OSCC line (H357) and the half maximal growth inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Ketorolac salt in H357 cell line is 2.6 µM. Ketorolac salt also inhibited the ATP hydrolysis by directly interacting with DDX3. More importantly, we observed decreased number of neoplastic tongue lesions and reduced lesion severity in Ketorolac salt treated groups in a carcinogen induced tongue tumor mouse model. Taken together, our result demonstrates that Ketorolac salt is a newly discovered bioactive compound against DDX3 and this compound can be used as an ideal drug candidate to treat DDX3 associated oral cancer.