bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breaking the Links Between Conflict and Hunger Redux
Authors: Messer Ellen , Cohen Marc J.
Published: September 2015

This article revisits the authors' 1998 study on this topic (Messer, Cohen, & D'Costa, 1998). It employs a “food wars” framing to understand nutritional and political‐conflict status in countries experiencing protracted conflict‐related food crises and recent civil‐war situations that involve food insecurity. This framing includes typologies of conflict (pre‐conflict, active‐conflict, and post‐conflict) and food insecurity (food shortage, food poverty, food deprivation). It also incorporates related water‐sanitation‐and‐health and land‐grab issues that have multiplied since the early 2000s. Despite growing evidence of two‐way causal links between food insecurity and conflict, policy attention to these connections remains surprisingly modest. The article considers the implementation of recent major initiatives and programs aimed at addressing food insecurity–conflict links. It concludes by: (i) examining the implications for understanding and responding appropriately to recent Middle Eastern and North African conflict and hunger situations and (ii) offering recommendations for promoting sustainable food security and building peace in conflict countries.
Characterisation of Seed Lipids from Bixa orellana and Trachyspermum copticum
Authors: Prabhakara Rao Pamidighantam , Narsing Rao Galla , Jyothirmayi Tummala , Satyanarayana Akula , Karuna Mallampalli Sri Lakshmi , Prasad Rachapudi Badari Narayana
Published: September 2015

Bixa orellana L. seeds possess a resinous lipid (6.3 %), which has a pungent and spicy odour. The seed is known for its medicinal properties such as anti‐inflammatory, antipyretic activity and as a cure for tonsilitis. Trachyspermum copticum L. seed is a well known digestive aid and relief from colic pain. T. copticum possesses essential oil rich in thymol (>50 %) and lipid (15.6 %). The present study was aimed to quantify lipid classes of these two species by silicic acid chromatography and analyze their fatty acid composition by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). It was observed that the seed lipids are rich in neutral lipids with 98.1 and 95.2 % and lower quantities of glycolipids of 1.5 and 3.8 % and phospholipids of 0.36 and 1.0 % in B. orellana and T. copticum, respectively. The fatty acid composition of B. orellana seed lipid showed major quantities of palmitic (26.9 %), linoleic (26.1 %), oleic (17.5 %), linolenic (15.1 %), stearic acid (10.8 %) and small quantities of eicosanoic acid (3.6 %). In T. copticum seed lipids, petroselinic acid (68.3 %) and linoleic acid (25.3 %) together constituted 93 % of the total lipid. The results revealed that the lipids after recovery of the essential components namely, bixin and volatile oil from B. orellana and T. copticum, respectively can be further explored for industrial applications.
Educational outcomes of Helping Babies Breathe training at a community hospital in Honduras
Authors: Seto Teresa L. , Tabangin Meredith E. , Josyula Srirama , Taylor Kathryn K. , Vasquez Juan Carlos , Kamath-Rayne Beena D.
Published: September 2015

Objectives Helping Babies Breathe is an evidence-based curriculum designed to teach basic neonatal resuscitation in low-resource countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acquisition of knowledge and skills following this training and correlation of learner characteristics to performance in a Spanish-speaking setting.

Methods Thirty-one physicians and 39 nurses completed Helping Babies Breathe training at a Honduran community hospital. Trainee knowledge and skills were evaluated before and after the training using a multiple-choice questionnaire, bag-mask ventilation skills test, and two objective structured clinical exams (OSCEs). Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze assessment scores pre- and post-training by profession (physician or nurse) while controlling for covariates.

Results Helping Babies Breathe training resulted in significant increases in mean scores for the multiple-choice question test, bag-mask ventilation skills test, and OSCE B. Time to initiation of effective bag-mask ventilation decreased from a mean of 74.8 to 68.4 s. Despite this improvement in bag-mask ventilation, only 42 % of participants were able to initiate effective bag-mask ventilation within the Golden Minute. Although physicians scored higher on the pre-test multiple-choice questions and bag-mask ventilation, nurses demonstrated a greater mean difference in scores after training. OSCE B scores pre- and post-training increased similarly between professions. Nurses’ and physicians’ performance in simulation was not significantly different after the training.

Conclusions When evaluated immediately after an initial workshop, Helping Babies Breathe training resulted in significant gains in neonatal resuscitation knowledge and skills.
Re‐wiring regulatory cell networks in immunity by galectin–glycan interactions
Authors: Blidner Ada G. , Méndez-Huergo Santiago P. , Cagnoni Alejandro J. , Rabinovich Gabriel A.
Published: September 2015

Programs that control immune cell homeostasis are orchestrated through the coordinated action of a number of regulatory cell populations, including regulatory T cells, regulatory B cells, myeloid‐derived suppressor cells, alternatively‐activated macrophages and tolerogenic dendritic cells. These regulatory cell populations can prevent harmful inflammation following completion of protective responses and thwart the development of autoimmune pathology. However, they also have a detrimental role in cancer by favoring escape from immune surveillance. One of the hallmarks of regulatory cells is their remarkable plasticity as they can be positively or negatively modulated by a plethora of cytokines, growth factors and co‐stimulatory signals that tailor their differentiation, stability and survival. Here we focus on the emerging roles of galectins, a family of highly conserved glycan‐binding proteins in regulating the fate and function of regulatory immune cell populations, both of lymphoid and myeloid origins. Given the broad distribution of circulating and tissue‐specific galectins, understanding the relevance of lectin–glycan interactions in shaping regulatory cell compartments will contribute to the design of novel therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating their function in a broad range of immunological disorders.
Analysis by a highly sensitive split luciferase assay of the regions involved in APP dimerization and its impact on processing
Authors: Decock Marie , El Haylani Laetitia , Stanga Serena , Dewachter Ilse , Octave Jean-Noël , Smith Steven O. , Constantinescu Stefan N. , Kienlen-Campard Pascal
Published: September 2015

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive loss of cognitive functions, leading to dementia. Two types of lesions are found in AD brains: neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques. The latter are composed mainly of the β‐amyloid peptide (Aβ) generated by amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Several studies have suggested that dimerization of APP is closely linked to Aβ production. Nevertheless, the mechanisms controlling APP dimerization and their role in APP function are not known. Here we used a new luciferase complementation assay to analyze APP dimerization and unravel the involvement of its three major domains: the ectodomain, the transmembrane domain and the intracellular domain. Our results indicate that within cells full‐length APP dimerizes more than its α and β C‐terminal fragments, confirming the pivotal role of the ectodomain in this process. Dimerization of the APP transmembrane (TM) domain has been reported to regulate processing at the γ‐cleavage site. We show that both non‐familial and familial AD mutations in the TM GXXXG motifs strongly modulate Aβ production, but do not consistently change dimerization of the C‐terminal fragments. Finally, we found for the first time that removal of intracellular domain strongly increases APP dimerization. Increased APP dimerization is linked to increased non‐amyloidogenic processing.
A meta‐analysis of dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation among women with diminished ovarian reserve undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Authors: Li Jie , Yuan Hua , Chen Yang , Wu Hongbo , Wu Huimei , Li Liuming
Published: September 2015

Background

Evidence for the efficacy of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in improving ovarian responsiveness among poor responders, especially women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), remains inconsistent.

Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of DHEA in women with DOR undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Search strategy

PubMed and Embase were searched for reports published in any language before October 31, 2014, using keywords such as “DHEA,” “poor ovarian response,” “diminished ovarian reserve,” and “premature ovarian aging.”

Selection criteria

Studies that explored the effects of DHEA in women with DOR undergoing IVF/ICSI were included if they evaluated the number of oocytes retrieved and/or the rates of clinical pregnancy, implantation, and spontaneous abortion.

Data collection and analysis

Risk ratios (RRs) and standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, combined with subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

Main results

Eight studies were included. The use of DHEA increased the clinical pregnancy rate (RR 2.13; 95% CI 1.12–4.08). Similar results were obtained in subgroup analyses including randomized controlled trials and case–control studies (RR 2.57; 95% CI 1.43–4.63) and self‐controlled studies (RR 3.95; 95% CI 1.28–12.19). However, the effects of DHEA on oocyte retrieval, implantation, and abortion were not significant.

Conclusions

Supplementation with DHEA has a positive effect in women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment for DOR.
Factors associated with successful transabdominal sonography‐guided dilation and curettage for early cesarean scar pregnancy
Authors: Wu Xian‐Qing , Zhang Hong‐Wen , Fang Xiao‐Ling , Ding Hui , Piao Longzhu , Joseph Huang S.
Published: September 2015

Objective

To investigate factors associated with successful transabdominal sonography‐guided dilation and curettage for the treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP).

Methods

In a retrospective study, data were reviewed from patients who received transabdominal sonography‐guided dilation and curettage (TASDC) as the primary treatment for early CSP at The Second Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, China, between 2009 and 2013.

Results

Among 232 patients, 185 (79.7%) women with CSP were successfully treated with TASDC. Among them, 81 (43.8%) required insertion of a Foley catheter into the lower uterine segment to stop bleeding. The complication rate was 37.9% (88/232) and the failure rate was 21.3% (47/232). Overall, 28 (12.1%), 5 (2.2%), and 4 (1.7%) patients with massive intraoperative uterine bleeding were treated with wedge resection of the uterus, hysterectomy, and uterine artery embolization as a secondary treatment, respectively. In binary logistic regression analysis, pregnancy of 7 weeks or less and pregnancy without missed abortion were associated with successful TASDC for patients with CSP (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Pregnancy of 7 weeks or less and pregnancy without missed abortion were found to be important factors for successful TASDC among patients with CSP. Wedge resection was the main secondary treatment to preserve the uterus and remove gestational tissue among patients with massive bleeding.
The pattern of amyloid accumulation in the brains of adults with Down syndrome
Authors: Annus Tiina , Wilson Liam R. , Hong Young T. , Acosta–Cabronero Julio , Fryer Tim D. , Cardenas–Blanco Arturo , Smith Robert , Boros Istvan , Coles Jonathan P. , Aigbirhio Franklin I. , Menon David K. , Zaman Shahid H. , Nestor Peter J. , Holland Anthony J.
Published: September 2015

Introduction

Adults with Down syndrome (DS) invariably develop Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology. Understanding amyloid deposition in DS can yield crucial information about disease pathogenesis.

Methods

Forty‐nine adults with DS aged 25–65 underwent positron emission tomography with Pittsburgh compound–B (PIB). Regional PIB binding was assessed with respect to age, clinical, and cognitive status.

Results

Abnormal PIB binding became evident from 39 years, first in striatum followed by rostral prefrontal‐cingulo‐parietal regions, then caudal frontal, rostral temporal, primary sensorimotor and occipital, and finally parahippocampal cortex, thalamus, and amygdala. PIB binding was related to age, diagnostic status, and cognitive function.

Discussion

PIB binding in DS, first appearing in striatum, began around age 40 and was strongly associated with dementia and cognitive decline. The absence of a substantial time lag between amyloid accumulation and cognitive decline contrasts to sporadic/familial AD and suggests this population's suitability for an amyloid primary prevention trial.
A Study of State Social Studies Coordinators' Views of the Common Core
Authors: Swan Kathy , Lee John , Grant S.G.
Published: September 2015

This study focused on the state-level implementation of the Common Core English Language Arts (CC-ELA) standards and the implications for state education department personnel in social studies. Researchers employed a mixed methods approach to data collection and analysis asking the following research questions: (1) How do state-level social studies coordinators understand the obligations and implications of the CC-ELA standards for social studies? and (2) What benefits and challenges do they anticipate the CC-ELA standards offer to social studies educators? Findings from the survey and interviews offer a glimpse into the thinking of social studies coordinators. The findings clustered around four assertions: (1) Coordinators were generally supportive of the CC-ELA standards, (2) CC-ELA is changing the way social studies is enacted at the state level, (3) Coordinators were cautiously optimistic about the impact of CC-ELA on elementary social studies, and (4) Coordinators were consistently positive about the impact of CC-ELA on secondary social studies. The positive views of the CC-ELA standards, however, appeared to do little to mitigate the challenge that the state coordinators face as they translate the standards and teach them to social studies teachers across their states.
A National Faculty Development Needs Assessment in Emergency Medicine
Authors: Brown G. Mark , Lang Eddy , Patel Kamala , McRae Andrew , Chung Brian , Yoon Philip , Dong Sandy , Blouin Danielle , Sherbino Jonathan , Hicks Christopher , Bandiera Glen , Meyers Christine
Published: September 2015

Objectives

Emergency physicians who work in academic settings enjoy an expanding number of roles beyond that of the skilled clinician. Faculty development (FD) encompasses the broad range of activities that institutions use to renew skill-sets and assist faculty members in these multiple roles. This study seeks to define the current FD needs and interests of Canadian academic emergency physicians (AEPs).

Methods

An online survey was administered to 943 AEPs in eight centers across Canada to determine their current FD activities, provide a detailed understanding of their FD needs and interests, elucidate the perceived barriers to and motivation for engaging in FD, and identify preferred methods of delivery for FD activities.

Results

This national, cross-sectional survey was completed by 336 respondents. It shows that need for FD is universally high, particularly in traditional domains of scholarship, leadership and education (79%, 80%, 87% overall interest, respectively). However, the study also suggests that there is increasing need for FD in areas where current participation is lowest, namely research and social accountability (12% and 13% more interest, respectively). Senior and junior faculty evince equivalent overall FD interest (p>0.05), whereas female AEPs expressed greater overall FD needs in leadership (1.82 vs 1.44 activities,p=0.003) than males. Continued participation in FD activities is best promoted by offering relevant topics, at convenient times and locations.

Conclusions

This study reports the first comprehensive national FD needs assessment of Canadian academic emergency physicians.
MEASUREMENT WITHOUT THEORY, ONCE AGAIN
Authors: Greenwood Jeremy , Seshadri Ananth , Vandenbroucke Guillaume
Published: September 2015

Bailey and Collins (2011) argue that Greenwood, Seshadri, and Vandenbroucke’s (2005) hypothesis that the baby boom was partly due to a burst of productivity in the household sector is not supported by evidence. This conclusion is based on regression results showing that appliance ownership is negatively correlated with fertility. They also argue that the Amish, who limit the use of modern technology, had a baby boom. First, it is demonstrated that a negative correlation between appliance ownership and fertility can arise naturally in Greenwood, Seshadri, and Vandenbroucke’s model. Second, evidence is presented casting doubt on the presumed technology phobia of the Amish.
Non-destructive μXRF analysis of glass and metal objects from sites in the Libyan pre-desert and Fazzan
Authors: Duckworth C.N. , Cuénod A. , Mattingly D.J.
Published: September 2015

This paper reports on the non-destructive analysis of 42 samples of copper alloy and glass from sites in Libya, using semi-quantitative μXRF, carried out as part of the work of the Trans-Sahara Project funded by the European Research Council. These are among the first chemical analyses to be performed on metals and glasses of any period found in Libya, and the results – though preliminary – raise some interesting possibilities. In particular, we discuss some possible indications with regard to the practice of recycling glasses, as evidenced through heterogeneous, malformed glass beads with variable quantities of lead. A glass mirror from Ghirza was also found to be backed in lead, and was probably the result of a glass-making technique still practised in recent times in India. The metal analysis has revealed evidence of a pre-Islamic trade in brass in the northern Sahara, as well as showing the presence of objects made from the mixing of different types of scrap metal, a process probably taking place at the Garamantian metalworking site of Saniat Jibril among other locations. The importance of further analysis of available Libyan and other North African metal artefacts and glasses for the contextualisation and extension of these findings is emphasised.
The American Hospital in Moscow: A Lesson in International Cooperation, 1917–23
Authors: Grant Susan
Published: September 2015

In its examination of American Medical Aid to Russia, this article shows how the best of intentions can have the potential to go horribly awry. It argues that the competing binary forces of international collaboration and goodwill versus political tensions and uncertainty combined to create an environment wherein actors and agents inhabited an ever changing and unpredictable international stage. Could American philanthropic organisations and individuals overcome political volatility, financial restrictions and ideological barriers? Just what would it take to establish an American hospital in Moscow, the Bolshevik seat of power? The attempt to establish the hospital proved to be an exercise in patience, persistence and prudence (although not always in equal measure). This article shows that international cooperation, while undoubtedly complicated, was certainly possible. The flow of information, materiel and personnel between the United States, Germany and Russia proved that good intentions, trust and a will to help others were valued. The history of American Medical Aid to Russia also demonstrates that the Quaker role of facilitator and interlocutor was vital in establishing a relationship of trust between Soviet Russia and the United States. This article discusses the difficulties that philanthropic organisations faced when navigating the choppy international waters of the early 1920s and highlights the rewards of successfully doing this. It argues that basic human relationships and trust were just as, if not sometimes more, important than ideology in determining the tenor of early US–Soviet relations.
Parathyroid ectopia: development of a surgical algorithm based on operative findings
Authors: Gunasekaran S , Wallace H , Snowden C , Mikl D , England R J A
Published: September 2015

Objectives:

To study the incidence of ectopic parathyroid adenomata from a single surgical series, and to devise a surgical algorithm from the results to follow when an adenoma cannot initially be located.

Methods:

A retrospective review was conducted of prospectively collected data. The study comprised all patients who underwent parathyroidectomy between June 2001 and February 2008 under the care of the senior author. A systematic surgical protocol was developed for locating ectopic superior and inferior parathyroid adenomata based on the order of incidence identified from the database.

Results:

Parathyroid ectopia occurs in approximately 10 per cent of hyperparathyroidism cases. It is more common in superior than inferior parathyroid glands. The most common superior location is the right retroesophageal position and the most common inferior location is within the left thymic remnant.

Conclusion:

Prospective data collection and subsequent analysis can be used to develop a systematic surgical protocol to aid the localisation of ectopic enlarged parathyroid glands in the surgical management of hyperparathyroidism.
Molecular sequence data from populations of Bryoria fuscescens s. lat. in the mountains of central Spain indicates a mismatch between haplotypes and chemotypes
Authors: Boluda Carlos G. , Rico Víctor J. , Crespo Ana , Divakar Pradeep K. , Hawksworth David L.
Published: September 2015

In order to confirm and investigate the extent of reported mismatches between chemotypes and molecular sequence data in Bryoria fuscescens s. lat., we examined 15 morphologically similar thalli from each of three Pinus forest sites in the Sistema Central of central Spain. Three thalli were rejected due to infections by Phacopsis huuskonenii (not previously published from Spain). The remaining 42 thalli represented nine ITS rDNA haplotypes and four chemotypes (by TLC): fumarprotocetraric and protocetraric acids; norstictic and connorstictic acids; psoromic acid; and fumarprotocetraric, protocetraric and psoromic acids. The molecular phylogenetic tree was characterized by extremely short branch lengths, often only with a single mutational difference, and a single haplotype could have different chemical products. In some cases, adjacent specimens represented different chemotypes, and three thalli appeared to be mixed individuals. Consistency of both molecular and chemical data within individual specimens was demonstrated by examining four different parts of each thallus, which showed only a difference in the location of psoromic acid in some. This is the first population-level study of this taxon, and so it is premature to propose taxonomic changes at this time. Further populations in different parts of the geographical range of this widespread complex now need to be analyzed, and more sensitive chemical analyses conducted, in order to understand the basis of the variability and determine the appropriate taxonomic treatment.
Four new species ofOcellularia(lichenized Ascomycota:Graphidaceae) from Cuba, with a revised taxonomy of theO. bahianacomplex and a key to thelotremoid taxa with small, brown, (sub-)muriform ascospores
Authors: Lücking Robert , Pérez-Ortega Sergio
Published: September 2015

Four new species from Cuba are described in the genusOcellularia, emphasizing the importance of the Caribbean for the diversification of lichen fungi and the level of unrecognized species richness inOcellularia. Three of the new species belong in theO. bahianagroup:O. coronataLücking & Pérez-Ortega, differing fromO. bahianaby the ridged to folded thallus, vertically ridged apothecia, and complex columella largely covering the disc;O. fuscosporaLücking & Pérez-Ortega, differing fromO. urceolarisin the immersed to erumpent, columellate apothecia; andO. radiataLücking, differing fromO. bahianain the complex, radiating columella filling the disc. In contrast,Ocellularia nigririmisLücking & Pérez-Ortega is a species of theO. papillatamorphodeme with immersed apothecia with a small, black-rimmed pore filled by a greyish black columella, and small ascospores. We also clarify the taxonomy and nomenclature of columellate taxa in theO. bahianagroup and provide a key to all thelotremoidGraphidaceaewith small, brown, (sub-)muriform ascospores. The new combinationOcellularia lunensis(Nagarkar & Hale) Lücking is proposed.
Stock assessment, spatial distribution and biological parameters of the clam Venerupis decussata along the Sfax coasts (Tunisia, Central Mediterranean)
Authors: Derbali Abdelkarim , Taieb Aymen Hadj , Kammoun Wassim , Gouirah Jaouadi , Wannes-Ghorbel Amira , Zamouri-Langar Nedra , Ghorbel Mohamed , Jarboui Othman
Published: September 2015

The grooved carpet shell Venerupis decussata (=Ruditapes decussatus) (Linnaeus, 1758) is a Mediterranean autochthonous species that in Tunisia is heavily harvested from natural populations. It represents one of the important economic issues, especially in terms of employment and the trade balances of the country via its exportation. Despite its economic value, no studies have been carried out about the spread of this mollusc. Thus the status of this species is still poorly known and there is a knowledge gap about its stocks assessment. This study aimed to investigate the distribution, abundance and population structure of the carpet shell clam in Sfax coastal areas. In terms of geographic occupation, maps of the population distribution were drawn. The results showed a scattered distribution pattern of the species according to location ranging between 0 and 152 ind m−2. The consequence was a remarkable biomass which represented 891 tonnes of total fresh weight and high abundance levels reaching over 261.7 ± 84.2 million individuals estimated in the area of 4182 hectares. The distribution of the species has also been investigated in consideration with the size which varied markedly according to location, the shell length ranged between 2 and 41 mm. The overall sex ratio (F:M) was 1:1.17, which was significantly different from parity (1:1). The size at which 50% of the population reached maturity was 24.08 and 24.76 mm shell length for males and females, respectively. Findings of the current study suggest that V. decussata proliferates along southern Tunisian coasts.
Delayed emergence of subdiffraction-sized mutant huntingtin fibrils following inclusion body formation
Authors: Sahl Steffen J. , Lau Lana , Vonk Willianne I. M. , Weiss Lucien E. , Frydman Judith , Moerner W. E.
Published: September 2015

Aberrant aggregation of improperly folded proteins is the hallmark of several human neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's Disease (HD) with autosomal-dominant inheritance. In HD, expansion of the CAG-repeat-encoded polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch beyond ~40 glutamines in huntingtin (Htt) and its N-terminal fragments leads to the formation of large (up to several μm) globular neuronal inclusion bodies (IBs) over time. We report direct observations of aggregating Htt exon 1 in living and fixed cells at enhanced spatial resolution by stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy and single-molecule super-resolution optical imaging. Fibrils of Htt exon 1 arise abundantly across the cytosolic compartment and also in neuritic processes only after nucleation and aggregation into a fairly advanced stage of growth of the prominent IB have taken place. Structural characterizations of fibrils by STED show a distinct length cutoff at ~1·5 µm and reveal subsequent coalescence (bundling/piling). Cytosolic fibrils are observed even at late stages in the process, side-by-side with the mature IB. Htt sequestration into the IB, which in neurons has been argued to be a cell-protective phenomenon, thus appears to saturate and over-power the cellular degradation systems and leaves cells vulnerable to further aggregation producing much smaller, potentially toxic, conformational protein species of which the fibrils may be comprised. We further found that exogenous delivery of the apical domain of the chaperonin subunit CCT1 to the cells via the cell medium reduced the aggregation propensity of mutant Htt exon 1 in general, and strongly reduced the occurrence of such late-stage fibrils in particular.
A “cohesive moral community” is already patrolling behavioral science
Authors: Ainslie George
Published: September 2015

Authors of non-liberal proposals experience more collegial objections than others do. These objections are often couched as criticism of determinism, reductionism, or methodological individualism, but from a scientific viewpoint such criticism could be easily answered. Underneath it is a wish to harness scientific belief in service of positive social values, at the cost of reducing objectivity.
Method and matter in the social sciences: Umbilically tied to the Enlightenment
Authors: Beit-Hallahmi Benjamin
Published: September 2015

This commentary deals with the nonconformity of academics and the ethos of social science. Academics in all fields deviate from majority norms in politics and religion, and this deviance may be essential to the academic mind and to academic norms. The Enlightenment legacy inspires both methods and subject matter in academic work, and severing ties with it may be impossible.
Liberal bias and the five-factor model
Authors: Charney Evan
Published: September 2015

Duarte et al. draw attention to the “embedding of liberal values and methods” in social psychological research. They note how these biases are often invisible to the researchers themselves. The authors themselves fall prey to these “invisible biases” by utilizing the five-factor model of personality and the trait of openness to experience as one possible explanation for the under-representation of political conservatives in social psychology. I show that the manner in which the trait of openness to experience is conceptualized and measured is a particularly blatant example of the very liberal bias the authors decry.
Towards a de-biased social psychology: The effects of ideological perspective go beyond politics
Authors: Funder David C.
Published: September 2015

Reasonable conservatives are in short supply and will not arrive to save social psychology any time soon. The field needs to save itself through de-biasing. The effects of a liberal worldview permeate and distort discussion of many topics that are not overtly political, including behavioral genetics and evolutionary psychology, the fundamental attribution error, and the remarkably persistent consistency controversy.
A predominance of self-identified Democrats is no evidence of a leftward bias
Authors: Hilbig Benjamin E. , Moshagen Morten
Published: September 2015

The reasoning of Duarte et al. hinges on the basic premise that a positive ratio of Democrats versus Republicans implies a political bias. However, when placed in a global and historical context, it is evident that U.S. Democrats currently represent a moderate position on the political left–right spectrum. Thus, Duarte et al. provide no evidence of a leftward bias in the scientific community.
Political bias, explanatory depth, and narratives of progress
Authors: Pinker Steven
Published: September 2015

Political bias has indeed been a distorter of psychology, not just in particular research areas but in an aversion to the explanatory depth available from politically fraught fields like evolution. I add two friendly amendments to the target article: (1) The leftist moral narrative may be based on zero-sum competition among identity groups rather than continuous progress; and (2) ideological bias should be dealt with not just via diversity of ideological factions but by minimizing the influence of ideology altogether.
Sociopolitical insularity is psychology's Achilles heel
Authors: Redding Richard E.
Published: September 2015

Academic psychology has become increasingly non-diverse politically, which skews and impedes social psychological science (as Duarte et al. argue). We should embrace viewpoint diversity, especially since the arguments favoring sociopolitical diversity are identical to those for demographic and cultural diversity. Doing so will produce a more robust, open, and creative psychological science that is informed and tested by a multiplicity of sociopolitical paradigms.
Recognizing and coping with our own prejudices: Fighting liberal bias without conservative input
Authors: Baumeister Roy F.
Published: September 2015

This commentary summarizes my struggle to overcome liberal bias without conservative input. I generally assume I am biased and constantly try to build a good-quality argument for the opposite view. Trying to dispense with one's liberal values can help, if one is willing. Frequent self-tests help. Liberal biases include race, gender, and poverty, but also dislike of business corporations and even Western civilization. Feminism is the single strongest and most powerful bias.
Torture and Disappearance in Chilean Theatre from Dictatorship to Transitional Justice
Authors: GRASS MILENA , KALAWSKI ANDRÉS , NICHOLLS NANCY
Published: September 2015

This article presents the way in which both torture and the disappearance of individuals were staged in Chilean theatre from 1985 to 2011. The diachronic approach of this study is set to determine the ways in which the state's official reports on humans rights violations during dictatorship – the Rettig Report (1991) and the Valech Report (2004, 2011) – made an impact on theatrical production in terms of its political function. The study also analyses deployed theatrical devices to address extreme political violence onstage.
Combination effects of epidermal growth factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor on the in vitro developmental potential of porcine oocytes
Authors: Valleh Mehdi Vafaye , Rasmussen Mikkel Aabech , Hyttel Poul
Published: September 2015

The developmental potential of in vitro matured porcine oocytes is still lower than that of oocytes matured and fertilized in vivo. Major problems that account for the lower efficiency of in vitro production include the improper nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of oocytes. With the aim of improving this issue, the single and combined effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) on oocyte developmental competence were investigated. Porcine cumulus–oocyte cell complexes (COCs) were matured in serum-free medium supplemented with EGF (0, 10 or 50 ng/ml) and/or GDNF (0, 10 or 50 ng/ml) for 44 h, and subsequently subjected to fertilization and cultured for 7 days in vitro. The in vitro-formed blastocysts derived from selected growth factor groups (i.e. EGF = 50 ng/ml; GDNF = 50 ng/ml; EGF = 50 ng/ml + GDNF = 50 ng/ml) were also used for mRNA expression analysis, or were subjected to Hoechst staining. The results showed that the addition of EGF and/or GDNF during oocyte maturation dose dependently enhanced oocyte developmental competence. Compared with the embryos obtained from control or single growth factor-treated oocytes, treatment with the combination of EGF and GDNF was shown to significantly improve oocyte competence in terms of blastocyst formation, blastocyst cell number and blastocyst hatching rate (P < 0.05), and also simultaneously induced the expression of BCL-xL and TERT and suppressed the expression of caspase-3 in resulting blastocysts (P < 0.05). These results suggest that both GDNF and EGF may play an important role in the regulation of porcine in vitro oocyte maturation and the combination of these growth factors could promote oocyte competency and blastocyst quality.
Sliding tethered ligands add topological interactions to the toolbox of ligand–receptor design
Authors: Bauer Martin , Kékicheff Patrick , Iss Jean , Fajolles Christophe , Charitat Thierry , Daillant Jean , Marques Carlos M.
Published: September 2015

Adhesion in the biological realm is mediated by specific lock-and-key interactions between ligand–receptor pairs. These complementary moieties are ubiquitously anchored to substrates by tethers that control the interaction range and the mobility of the ligands and receptors, thus tuning the kinetics and strength of the binding events. Here we add sliding anchoring to the toolbox of ligand–receptor design by developing a family of tethered ligands for which the spacer can slide at the anchoring point. Our results show that this additional sliding degree of freedom changes the nature of the adhesive contact by extending the spatial range over which binding may sustain a significant force. By introducing sliding tethered ligands with self-regulating length, this work paves the way for the development of versatile and reusable bio-adhesive substrates with potential applications for drug delivery and tissue engineering.
Collective Motion of Swarming Agents Evolving on a Sphere Manifold: A Fundamental Framework and Characterization
Authors: Li Wei
Published: September 2015

Collective motion of self-propelled agents has attracted much attention in vast disciplines. However, almost all investigations focus on such agents evolving in the Euclidean space, with rare concern of swarms on non-Euclidean manifolds. Here we present a novel and fundamental framework for agents evolving on a sphere manifold, with which a variety of concrete cooperative-rules of agents can be designed separately and integrated easily into the framework, which may perhaps pave a way for considering generalspherical collective motion(SCM) of a swarm. As an example, one concrete cooperative-rule, i.e., thespherical direction-alignment(SDA), is provided, which corresponds to the usual and popular direction-alignment rule in the Euclidean space. The SCM of the agents with the SDA has many unique statistical properties and phase-transitions that are unexpected in the counterpart models evolving in the Euclidean space, which unveils that the topology of the sphere has an important impact on swarming emergence.
Photo-activatable Cre recombinase regulates gene expression in vivo
Authors: Schindler Suzanne E. , McCall Jordan G. , Yan Ping , Hyrc Krzystof L. , Li Mingjie , Tucker Chandra L. , Lee Jin-Moo , Bruchas Michael R. , Diamond Marc I.
Published: September 2015

Techniques allowing precise spatial and temporal control of gene expression in the brain are needed. Herein we describe optogenetic approaches using a photo-activatable Cre recombinase (PA-Cre) to stably modify gene expression in the mouse brain. Blue light illumination for 12 hours via optical fibers activated PA-Cre in the hippocampus, a deep brain structure. Two-photon illumination through a thinned skull window for 100 minutes activated PA-Cre within a sub-millimeter region of cortex. Light activation of PA-Cre may allow permanent gene modification with improved spatiotemporal precision compared to standard methods.
Clinicopathological significance of c-KIT mutation in gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Yan Lin , Zou Lei , Zhao Wenhua , Wang Yansen , Liu Bo , Yao Hongliang , Yu Haihua
Published: September 2015

Many types of KIT mutations have been observed in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), but their prognostic and predictive significance are still unclear. A meta-analysis and literature review were conducted to estimate the contribution of KIT mutations in prognostic parameters and clinic-pathological significance of GISTs. A total of 18 relevant articles from PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were included in this study. The frequency of KIT mutation was significantly increased in the GIST patients with higher mitosis (≥5/50 high-power fields (HPFs) and larger size (≥5 cm) of tumors than in those with lower MI (≤5/50HPFs) and smaller size (≤5 cm) of GISTs respectively. The rate of KIT mutation was not significantly changed between GISTs in stomachs and in small intestines. KIT mutational status has prognostic significance for patients’ outcome. GIST patients with KIT exon 9 mutations have higher risk of progression than those with exon 11 mutations. 5 year relapse-free survival (RFS) rate was significantly higher in patients with KIT exon 11 deletion than in those with other type of KIT exon 11 mutations. The deletion involving KIT exon 11, particularly codons 557–558, is a valuable predictor of prognosis for patients with GISTs.
A comparative study for the inactivation of multidrug resistance bacteria using dielectric barrier discharge and nano-second pulsed plasma
Authors: Hoon Park Ji , Kumar Naresh , Hoon Park Dae , Yusupov Maksudbek , Neyts Erik C. , Verlackt Christof C. W. , Bogaerts Annemie , Ho Kang Min , Sup Uhm Han , Ha Choi Eun , Attri Pankaj
Published: September 2015

Bacteria can be inactivated through various physical and chemical means and these have always been the focus of extensive research. To further improve the methodology for these ends, two types of plasma systems were investigated: nano-second pulsed plasma (NPP) as liquid discharge plasma and an Argon gas-feeding dielectric barrier discharge (Ar-DBD) as a form of surface plasma. To understand the sterilizing action of these two different plasma sources, we performed experiments with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria (wild type) and multidrug resistant bacteria (Penicillum-resistant, Methicillin-resistant and Gentamicin-resistant). We observed that both plasma sources can inactivate both the wild type and multidrug-resistant bacteria to a good extent. Moreover, we observed a change in the surface morphology, gene expression and β-lactamase activity. Furthermore, we used X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the variation in functional groups (C-H/C-C, C-OH and C=O) of the peptidoglycan (PG) resulting from exposure to plasma species. To obtain atomic scale insight in the plasma-cell interactions and support our experimental observations, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations to study the effects of plasma species, such as OH, H2O2, O, O3, as well as O2 and H2O, on the dissociation/formation of above mentioned functional groups in PG.
Ultraviolet light triggers the conversion of Cu2+-bound Aβ42 aggregates into cytotoxic species in a copper chelation-independent manner
Authors: Dong Xiongwei , Zhang Zhe , Zhao Dan , Liu Yaojing , Meng Yan , Zhang Yong , Zhang Dan , Liu Changlin
Published: September 2015

Increasing evidence indicates that abnormal Cu2+ binding to Aβ peptides are responsible for the formation of soluble Aβ oligomers and ROS that play essential roles in AD pathogenesis. During studying the Cu2+-chelating treatment of Cu2+-bound Aβ42 aggregates, we found that UV light exposure pronouncedly enhances cytotoxicity of the chelator-treated and -untreated Cu2+-bound Aβ42 aggregates. This stimulated us to thoroughly investigate (1) either the chelation treatment or UV light exposure leads to the increased cytotoxicity of the aggregates and (2) why the chelator-treated and -untreated Cu2+-bound Aβ42 aggregates exhibit the increased cytotoxicity following UV light exposure if the latter is the case. The data indicated that the controlled UV exposure induced the dissociation of Cu2+-free and -bound Aβ42 aggregates into SDS-stable soluble oligomers and the production of ROS including H2O2 in an UV light intensity- and time-dependent, but Cu2+ chelation-independent manner. Although we can’t fully understand the meaning of this finding at the current stage, the fact that the UV illuminated Aβ42 aggregates can efficiently kill HeLa cells implies that the aggregates after UV light exposure could be used to decrease the viability of skin cancer cells through skin administration.
Identification of two novel mutations in CDHR1 in consanguineous Spanish families with autosomal recessive retinal dystrophy
Authors: Nikopoulos Konstantinos , Avila-Fernandez Almudena , Corton Marta , Lopez-Molina Maria Isabel , Perez-Carro Raquel , Bontadelli Lara , Di Gioia Silvio Alessandro , Zurita Olga , Garcia-Sandoval Blanca , Rivolta Carlo , Ayuso Carmen
Published: September 2015

Inherited retinal dystrophies present extensive phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity, posing a challenge for patients’ molecular and clinical diagnoses. In this study, we wanted to clinically characterize and investigate the molecular etiology of an atypical form of autosomal recessive retinal dystrophy in two consanguineous Spanish families. Affected members of the respective families exhibited an array of clinical features including reduced visual acuity, photophobia, defective color vision, reduced or absent ERG responses, macular atrophy and pigmentary deposits in the peripheral retina. Genetic investigation included autozygosity mapping coupled with exome sequencing in the first family, whereas autozygome-guided candidate gene screening was performed by means of Sanger DNA sequencing in the second family. Our approach revealed nucleotide changes in CDHR1; a homozygous missense variant (c.1720C > G, p.P574A) and a homozygous single base transition (c.1485 + 2T > C) affecting the canonical 5’ splice site of intron 13, respectively. Both changes co-segregated with the disease and were absent among cohorts of unrelated control individuals. To date, only five mutations in CDHR1 have been identified, all resulting in premature stop codons leading to mRNA nonsense mediated decay. Our work reports two previously unidentified homozygous mutations in CDHR1 further expanding the mutational spectrum of this gene.
Structural basis of redox-dependent substrate binding of protein disulfide isomerase
Authors: Yagi-Utsumi Maho , Satoh Tadashi , Kato Koichi
Published: September 2015

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is a multidomain enzyme, operating as an essential folding catalyst, in which the b′ and a′ domains provide substrate binding sites and undergo an open–closed domain rearrangement depending on the redox states of the a′ domain. Despite the long research history of this enzyme, three-dimensional structural data remain unavailable for its ligand-binding mode. Here we characterize PDI substrate recognition using α-synuclein (αSN) as the model ligand. Our nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data revealed that the substrate-binding domains of PDI captured the αSN segment Val37–Val40 only in the oxidized form. Furthermore, we determined the crystal structure of an oxidized form of the b′–a′ domains in complex with an undecapeptide corresponding to this segment. The peptide-binding mode observed in the crystal structure with NMR validation, was characterized by hydrophobic interactions on the b′ domain in an open conformation. Comparison with the previously reported crystal structure indicates that the a′ domain partially masks the binding surface of the b′ domain, causing steric hindrance against the peptide in the reduced form of the b′–a′ domains that exhibits a closed conformation. These findings provide a structural basis for the mechanism underlying the redox-dependent substrate binding of PDI.