bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictive accuracy of risk scales following self-harm: Multicentre, prospective cohort study
Authors: Quinlivan Leah , Cooper Jayne , Meehan Declan , Longson Damien , Potokar John , Hulme Tom , Marsden Jennifer , Brand Fiona , Lange Kezia , Riseborough Elena , Page Lisa , Metcalfe Chris , Davies Linda , O'Connor Rory , Hawton Keith , Gunnell David , Kapur Nav
Published: March 2017

Background

Scales are widely used in psychiatric assessments following self-harm. Robust evidence for their diagnostic use is lacking.

Aims

To evaluate the performance of risk scales (Manchester Self-Harm Rule, ReACT Self-Harm Rule, SAD PERSONS scale, Modified SAD PERSONS scale, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale); and patient and clinician estimates of risk in identifying patients who repeat self-harm within 6 months.

Method

A multisite prospective cohort study was conducted of adults aged 18 years and over referred to liaison psychiatry services following self-harm. Scalea prioricut-offs were evaluated using diagnostic accuracy statistics. The area under the curve (AUC) was used to determine optimal cut-offs and compare global accuracy.

Results

In total, 483 episodes of self-harm were included in the study. The episode-based 6-month repetition rate was 30% (n= 145). Sensitivity ranged from 1% (95% CI 0–5) for the SAD PERSONS scale, to 97% (95% CI 93–99) for the Manchester Self-Harm Rule. Positive predictive values ranged from 13% (95% CI 2–47) for the Modified SAD PERSONS Scale to 47% (95% CI 41–53) for the clinician assessment of risk. The AUC ranged from 0.55 (95% CI 0.50–0.61) for the SAD PERSONS scale to 0.74 (95% CI 0.69–0.79) for the clinician global scale. The remaining scales performed significantly worse than clinician and patient estimates of risk (P< 0.001).

Conclusions

Risk scales following self-harm have limited clinical utility and may waste valuable resources. Most scales performed no better than clinician or patient ratings of risk. Some performed considerably worse. Positive predictive values were modest. In line with national guidelines, risk scales should not be used to determine patient management or predict self-harm.
Primary Prevention of Cervical Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Resource-Stratified Guideline
Authors: Arrossi Silvina , Temin Sarah , Garland Suzanne , Eckert Linda O’Neal , Bhatla Neerja , Castellsagué Xavier , Alkaff Sharifa Ezat , Felder Tamika , Hammouda Doudja , Konno Ryo , Lopes Gilberto , Mugisha Emmanuel , Murillo Rául , Scarinci Isabel C. , Stanley Margaret , Tsu Vivien , Wheeler Cosette M. , Adewole Isaac Folorunso , de Sanjosé Silvia
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To provide resource-stratified (four tiers), evidence-based recommendations on the primary prevention of cervical cancer globally.

Methods

The American Society of Clinical Oncology convened a multidisciplinary, multinational panel of oncology, obstetrics/gynecology, public health, cancer control, epidemiology/biostatistics, health economics, behavioral/implementation science, and patient advocacy experts. The Expert Panel reviewed existing guidelines and conducted a modified ADAPTE process and a formal consensus-based process with additional experts (consensus ratings group) for one round of formal ratings.

Results

Existing sets of guidelines from five guideline developers were identified and reviewed; adapted recommendations formed the evidence base. Five systematic reviews, along with cost-effectiveness analyses, provided evidence to inform the formal consensus process, which resulted in agreement of ≥ 75%.

Recommendations

In all resource settings, two doses of human papillomavirus vaccine are recommended for girls age 9 to 14 years, with an interval of at least 6 months and possibly up to 12 to 15 months. Individuals with HIV positivity should receive three doses. Maximal and enhanced settings: if girls are age ≥ 15 years and received their first dose before age 15 years, they may complete the series; if no doses were received before age 15 years, three doses should be administered; in both scenarios, vaccination may be through age 26 years. Limited and basic settings: if sufficient resources remain after vaccinating girls age 9 to 14 years, girls who received one dose may receive additional doses between age 15 and 26 years. Maximal, enhanced, and limited settings: if ≥ 50% coverage in the priority female target population, sufficient resources, and cost effectiveness, boys may be vaccinated to prevent other noncervical human papillomavirus–related cancers and diseases. Basic settings: vaccinating boys is not recommended.

It is the view of the American Society of Clinical Oncology that health care providers and health care system decision makers should be guided by the recommendations for the highest stratum of resources available. The guideline is intended to complement but not replace local guidelines.
Novel device for application of continuous mechanical tensile strain to mammalian cells
Authors: Wada Satoshi , Kanzaki Hiroyuki , Narimiya Tsuyoshi , Nakamura Yoshiki
Published: March 2017

During orthodontic tooth movement, the periodontal ligament (PDL) is exposed to continuous mechanical strain. However, many researchers have applied cyclic tensile strain, not continuous tensile strain, to PDL cells in vitro, because there has been no adequate device to apply continuous tensile strain to cultured cells. In this study, we contrived a novel device designed to apply continuous tensile strain to cells in culture. The continuous tensile strain was applied to human immortalized periodontal ligament cell line (HPL cells) and the cytoskeletal structures of HPL cells were examined by immunohistochemistry. The expression of both inflammatory and osteogenic markers was also examined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The osteogenic protein, Osteopontin (OPN), was also detected by western blot analysis. The actin filaments of HPL cells showed uniform arrangement under continuous tensile strain. The continuous tensile strain increased the expression of inflammatory genes such as IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2 and TNF-α, and osteogenic genes such as RUNX2 and OPN in HPL cells. It also elevated the expression of OPN protein in HPL cells. These results suggest that our new simple device is useful for exploring the responses to continuous tensile strain applied to the cells.
Protein kinase A regulates the Ras, Rap1 and TORC2 pathways in response to the chemoattractant cAMP in Dictyostelium
Authors: Scavello Margarethakay , Petlick Alexandra R. , Ramesh Ramya , Thompson Valery F. , Lotfi Pouya , Charest Pascale G.
Published: March 2017

Efficient directed migration requires tight regulation of chemoattractant signal transduction pathways in both space and time, but the mechanisms involved in such regulation are not well understood. Here, we investigated the role of protein kinase A (PKA) in controlling signaling of the chemoattractant cAMP in Dictyostelium discoideum. We found that cells lacking PKA display severe chemotaxis defects, including impaired directional sensing. Although PKA is an important regulator of developmental gene expression, including the cAMP receptor cAR1, our studies using exogenously expressed cAR1 in cells lacking PKA, cells lacking adenylyl cyclase A (ACA) and cells treated with the PKA-selective pharmacological inhibitor H89, suggest that PKA controls chemoattractant signal transduction, in part, through the regulation of RasG, Rap1 and TORC2. As these pathways control the ACA-mediated production of intracellular cAMP, they lie upstream of PKA in this chemoattractant signaling network. Consequently, we propose that the PKA-mediated regulation of the upstream RasG, Rap1 and TORC2 signaling pathways is part of a negative feedback mechanism controlling chemoattractant signal transduction during Dictyostelium chemotaxis.
Distinct focal adhesion protein modules control different aspects of mechanotransduction
Authors: Stutchbury Ben , Atherton Paul , Tsang Ricky , Wang De-Yao , Ballestrem Christoph
Published: March 2017

Focal adhesions (FAs) are macromolecular complexes that regulate cell adhesion and mechanotransduction. By performing fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) and fluorescence loss after photoactivation (FLAP) experiments, we found that the mobility of core FA proteins correlates with their function. Structural proteins such as tensin, talin and vinculin are significantly less mobile in FAs than signaling proteins such as FAK (also known as PTK2) and paxillin. The mobilities of the structural proteins are directly influenced by substrate stiffness, suggesting that they are involved in sensing the rigidity of the extracellular environment. The turnover rates of FAK and paxillin, as well as kindlin2 (also known as FERMT2), are not influenced by substrate stiffness. By using specific Src and FAK inhibitors, we reveal that force-sensing by vinculin occurs independently of FAK and paxillin phosphorylation. However, their phosphorylation is required for downstream Rac1-driven cellular processes, such as protrusion and cell migration. Overall, we show that the FA is composed of different functional modules that separately control mechanosensing and the cellular mechano-response.
New insights into autophagosome–lysosome fusion
Authors: Nakamura Shuhei , Yoshimori Tamotsu
Published: March 2017

Macroautophagy (autophagy) is a highly conserved intracellular degradation system that is essential for homeostasis in eukaryotic cells. Due to the wide variety of the cytoplasmic targets of autophagy, its dysregulation is associated with many diseases in humans, such as neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease and cancer. During autophagy, cytoplasmic materials are sequestered by the autophagosome – a double-membraned structure – and transported to the lysosome for digestion. The specific stages of autophagy are induction, formation of the isolation membrane (phagophore), formation and maturation of the autophagosome and, finally, fusion with a late endosome or lysosome. Although there are significant insights into each of these steps, the mechanisms of autophagosome–lysosome fusion are least understood, although there have been several recent advances. In this Commentary, we will summarize the current knowledge regarding autophagosome–lysosome fusion, focusing on mammals, and discuss the remaining questions and future directions of the field.
Functional assessment of the NMDA receptor variant GluN2AR586K
Authors: Marwick Katie F.M. , Parker Peter , Skehel Paul , Hardingham Giles , Wyllie David J.A.
Published: March 2017

Background: The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is an ionotropic glutamate receptor that has important roles in synaptogenesis, synaptic transmission, and synaptic plasticity. Recently, a large number of rare genetic variants have been found in NMDAR subunits in people with neurodevelopmental disorders, and also in healthy individuals. One such is the GluN2AR586K variant, found in a person with intellectual disability. Identifying the functional consequences, if any, of such variants allows their potential contribution to pathogenesis to be assessed. Here, we assessed the effect of the GluN2AR586K variant on NMDAR pore properties.

Methods: We expressed recombinant NMDARs with and without the GluN2AR586K variant in Xenopus laevis oocytes and in primary cultured mouse neurons, and made electrophysiological recordings assessing Mg2+ block, single-channel conductance, mean open time and current density.

Results: The GluN2AR586K variant was not found to influence any of the properties assessed.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest it is unlikely that the GluN2AR586K variant contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorder.
ANNUAL DYNAMICS OF PNEUMOCOCCAL CARRIAGE AND COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA INCIDENCE IN KHABAROVSK CITY IN 2015
Authors: Корита Татьяна , Korita Tatyana , Бутакова Людмила , Butakova Lyudmila , Каравянская Татьяна , Karavyanskaya Tatyana , Троценко Ольга , Trotsenko Olga , Шмыленко Влада , Shmylenko Vlada , Бондаренко Альбина , Bondarenko Albina , Зайцева Татьяна , Zaytseva Tatyana
Published: March 2017

The research objective was to study prevalence of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage among different age-group populations as well as evaluate annual dynamics of nasopharyngeal carriage levels against incidence rates of community-acquired pneumonia in Khabarovsk city in 2015. The bacteriological research was conducted among 2429 people (1100 adults and 1329 children) suffering from respiratory diseases. The level of pneumococcal carriage of the whole group was equal to 12.3±0.67%. The pneumococcal carriage was registered in all age-groups; its highest levels were diagnosed in children from 1 to 3 years old and in children from 3 to 6 years old (27.0±2.16 and 23.1±1.97%, respectively). The incidence rates of community-acquired pneumonia equaled to 290.2 per 100000 of general population and 687.1 per 100000 of children population. The comparative analysis of annual dynamics of pneumococcal carriage and community-acquired pneumonia incidence rates among general population of Khabarovsk city and separately for children from 0 to 14 years old has shown a correlation between these epidemiologic manifestations. Typically, pneumococcal carriage and incidence rates are the lowest in August; they elevate in September due to influence of common factors that are associated with “mixing” of people. The peculiarity of annual dynamic of community-acquired pneumonia incidence rates is a double-wave course with maximum in April and September. The revealed trends show the correlation between epidemic process of community-acquired pneumonia and undetected epidemic process of pneumococcal infections manifested as pneumococcal carriage.
PHARMACOECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY OF NOSOCOMIAL PNEUMONIA
Authors: Коржова Наталья , Korzhova Natalya
Published: March 2017

There was performed a prospective pharmacoeconomic study of effectiveness of different variants of antibacterial therapy in 118 patients diagnosed with nosocomial pneumonia who were treated in specialized departments of General hospital to identify the most effective treatment regimens from the point of view of pharmacoeconomics. Taking into account the characteristics of the local microbiological pattern and the spectrum of sensitivity to antibiotics of the most commonly encountered microorganisms in this hospital there were selected the drugs that have high activity against these pathogens. The patients were divided into groups: the first group (n=57) included the patients with early nosocomial pneumonia including 37 patients receiving combination therapy with Levofloxacin and Ceftazidime, 20 patients with Amoxiclav monotherapy; the second group (n=61) consisted of patients with later nosocomial pneumonia; 34 patients had combined treatment with Amikacin and Cefoperazone/Sulbactam, 27 patients had Imipenem monotherapy. The evaluation and analysis of clinical effectiveness with the method "cost-effectiveness" were done. It was found out that in all compared groups there is a high effectiveness of antibacterial drugs starting from 61%. The highest integral factor of clinical efficacy was in the group of Imipenem (86.1%), then in the group of Levofloxacin and Ceftazidime (71.5%), in the group of Amikacin and Cefoperazon/Sulbactam (70%), in the group of Amoxiclav (61%). Noteworthy is that only in the group of Imipenem there was no need for additional antibacterial therapy and there was short term treatment. While analyzing the cost-effectiveness correlation, it was found out that the least cost per unit of effectiveness was the cost of treatment with the combination of Levofloxacin and Ceftazidime for patients with early nosocomial pneumonia and the cost of therapy with Amikacin and Cefoperazon/Sulbactam in patients with late nosocomial pneumonia. Despite the high cost of a single dose, there was a reduction in the cost while using Imipenem due to the decrease of the time of treatment of patients in the hospital and the intensive care unit and no expenses for additional antibacterial drugs. Imipenem can be used as monotherapy as an alternative to the standard combination therapy in severe nosocomial pneumonia, primarily in patients located in intensive care unit.
SCANNING CRYO-ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF RAT LUNG AT COLD EXPOSURE
Authors: Горбунов Михаил , Gorbunov Mikhail , Целуйко Сергей , Tseluyko Sergey , Зиновьев Сергей , Zinovev Sergey , Решодько Дмитрий , Reshodko Dmitriy
Published: March 2017

The aim of research is to investigate important structures in vivo of mucociliary conveyor of respiratory and airway parts of the lung of intact rats against general cooling by the method of scanning cryoelectron microscopy without fixation and dehydration. The rats (male) in an amount of 40 pieces were exposed to general cooling during 14 days for 3 hours per day at the temperature of -15ºC. Frozen in liquid nitrogen tracheal samples were placed on a freezing Pelzer table (-30ºC) of the consoles Deben Coolstage of scanning electron microscope Hitachi S-3400. The study was conducted at low vacuum (80Pa) using backscattered electrons detector (BSECOMP). It was found out that the epithelial lining of the trachea of rats is covered with a liquid layer consisting of viscous gel and aqueous phases masking ciliary epithelial cells. Mucous secretion of the bronchi is presented by single plates with mucus cellular elements. On the alveolar surface in the monolayer of surfactant there were discovered globular clusters of lattice surfactant. With total cooling on the surface of epithelial layer the amount of bronchial secretions increases, the structure of the mucociliary apparatus changes and tracheal mucosa surface becomes wavy and there are sometimes marked accumulations of mucus. In the epithelial lining there are identified areas with the predominance of ciliated epithelium goblet cells lacking microvilli. The secretory activity of goblet cells and type 2 alveolocytes of respiratory department is accompanied by an increased release of secretion causing a disturbance of mucociliary transport.
THE METHOD OF EARLY DIAGNOSTICS OF THE THREAT OF MISCARRIAGE UNDER PRIMARY PLACENTAL INSUFFICIENCY IN WOMEN WITH INFLUENZA A(H3N2) IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY
Authors: Луценко Михаил , Lutsenko Mikhail , Гориков Игорь , Gorikov Igor , Андриевская Ирина , Andrievskaya Irina
Published: March 2017

To develop the method of early diagnostics of the threat of miscarriage under primary placental insufficiency in 102 women at influenza virus A(HN2) there was studied the vessel resistance in the right and left uterine arteries, ultrastructure of uterine and villous chorion; in the blood serum there were defined titers of antivirus antibodies, concentration of mean molecular peptides, seromucoid and circulating immune complexes (the main group). 30 women with physiologic course of pregnancy were included in the control group. Among the patients of the main group there were three subgroups. The first group had 36 patients with influenza virus A(H3N2) (antibody titers were 1:4-1:16), the second group had 34 pregnant women with influenza infection (antibody titers were 1:8-1:32), and the third group included 32 women with influenza virus А(Н3N2) (antibody titers were 1:32-1:128), in whom clinical and echographic signs of the threat of miscarriage developed at the 6-8th day of the disease. It was found out that in the patients of the third group at the 2-4th day of the virus infection in the blood serum there was the increase of the contents of mean molecular peptides till 0.290±0.0011 units of optical density, of seromucoid till 0.119±0.0011 units of optical density and of circulating immune complexes till 0.221±0.0021 units of optical density (in the second subgroup it was 0.259±0.0013 units of optical density, р<0.001; 0.115±0.0013 units of optical density, р<0.001; 0.190±0.0020 units of optical density, р<0.001, respectively). This caused the increase of the value of systolic-diastolic ratio in the right uterine artery till 3.18±0.009 standard units, and in the left till 3.20±0.015 standard units (in the second group it was 2.97±0.014 standard units, р<0.001 and 2.96±0.013 standard units, р<0.001, respectively) and it led to the development of clinical-ultrasound signs of the threat of miscarriage at the 6-8th day of the infectious disease in 100 % of women.
LIPID PEROXIDATION OF THE LIVER IN THE CONDITIONS OF HEAT EXPOSURE AND INTRODUCTION OF PHYTOADAPTOGENS
Authors: Юртаева Елена , Yurtaeva Elena , Анохина Раиса , Anokhina Raisa , Симонова Наталья , Simonova Natalya , Доровских Владимир , Dorovskikh Vladimir , Штарберг Михаил , Shtarberg Mikhail
Published: March 2017

Modern environmental conditions dramatically increased the level of radical forming processes in the body. Heat exposure stimulates the generation of reactive oxygen species inducing peroxidation of lipids as a result of the development of hypoxia. In experimental conditions the possibility to correct free radical lipid oxidation of rats’ organism membranes was studied with the oral introduction of the phytoadaptogens that contain the complex of natural antioxidants. The animals were divided into 5 groups and each of them had 30 rats: intact animals (1) which were held in standard conditions of vivarium; the control group (2) in which rats were exposed to heat during forty-five minutes daily; the experimental groups (3, 4, 5) in which before the effects of heat animals had a daily oral intake of the extracts of Eleutherococcus, Rhodiola, liquorice in a dose of 1 ml/kg. It was found out that in the liver tissue of experimental animals a daily heat exposure during forty-five minutes contributes to the increase of lipid hydroperoxides level (by 34-41%), of diene conjugate (by 45-50%), and of malonic dialdehyde (by 62-74%) against the decrease of antioxidant system activity in the liver of intact animals. The introduction of phytoadaptogens to rats in the conditions of heat exposure contributes to the reliable decrease in the liver of lipid hydroperoxides by 22-28%, of diene conjugates by 22-32%, and of malonic dialdehyde by 30-37% in comparison with the rats of the control group. While analyzing the effect of the phytoadaptogens on the activity of the components of antioxidant system it was shown that the level of ceruloplasmin in the liver of animals was reliably higher by 68-82%, of vitamin E by 42-65% in comparison with the same parameters of the rats of the control group. So, the application of phytoadaptogens in the conditions of long heat exposure of the organism of animals under experiment leads to the stabilization of the processes of peroxidation against the increase of antioxidant system activity.
HISTORY OF STUDY OF PRE-ECLAMPSIA AND ECLAMPSIA IN OBSTETRICS
Authors: Стокоз Константин , Stokoz Konstantin , Лысяк Денис , Lysyak Denis
Published: March 2017

Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia is one of the most serious pregnancy complications in modern obstetrics. The article presents the historical data about the study of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia since the 4th century BC. The evolution of terminology is presented. According to the development of medical science there appeared a new theory of the etiology and the conception of pathogenesis developed. It shows the contribution of Russian scientists to improve methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this complication of pregnancy. The achievements of modern obstetric science allow to predict pre-eclampsia from early pregnancy. Despite long history of studying, many aspects of this problem still remain unresolved.
Life-Cycle Assessment for the Cradle-to-Gate Production of Softwood Lumber in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Regions*
Authors: Milota Michael , Puettmann Maureen E.
Published: March 2017

A cradle-to-gate life-cycle inventory was done for 2 by 4 to 2 by 12 dimension lumber produced from logs in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and Southeast (SE) regions of the United States. Seven mills in the PNW and 11 mills in the SE provided data for 2012 lumber and coproduct production, raw material and fuel use, electricity consumption, and on-site emissions. The mills represented 17 and 11 percent of the production volumes in the regions, respectively. Five processes existed within the mill, log yard, sawing, drying, planing, and energy generation. Data for the first four processes came exclusively from the survey. The functional unit was 1 m3 of planed dry wood. Data for energy generation were based on a nationwide wood boiler survey that included PNW lumber mills. The cradle-to-gate processing energy in the PNW region was 3,434 MJ/m3 of planed, dry lumber, 96 percent of which is owing to log transport and wood processing. The value was higher, 5,151 MJ/m3, for the SE region in part owing to a higher initial wood moisture content. In each region, more than 70 percent of the energy is from bio-based residuals with less than 30 percent from fossil sources. The global warming impact indicator is 58.7 kg CO2 eq per m3 in the PNW and 81.4 kg CO2 eq per m3 in the SE, of which 85 percent is a result of log transport and processing. Planed, dry lumber from the PNW region stores 856 kg CO2 eq per m3 compared with 935 kg CO2 eq per m3 for lumber from the SE region. The coproducts, emissions, and material and energy inputs are further discussed in this article.
The voice of eloquence in Kenneth Burke’s rhetoric and its implications for advertising performance
Authors: Hill Joshua
Published: March 2017

Kenneth Burke’s idea of ‘eloquence’ provides a useful theory for understanding the various possible impacts of voice in advertising and branding. Burkeian ‘eloquence’ is defined as the right choice and arrangement of linguistic details that best meet the formal requirements emerging in a particular culture and society from the underlying forms common to all people through our common physical, psychological, and linguistic nature as humans. Here, this theory is explained and distilled into a spectrum that stretches between textual/vocal products that centre on a rational symbolsystem and textual/vocal products that meet human metabiologic demands for eloquent form leading to moments of aesthetic transcendence. Applied to the practice of advertising and branding, this paradigm of performative impact implies that products at the beginning of their life cycles would be best paired with the rational pole of symbol-centric persuasive messages while established products and brands would be best paired with the opposite pole of transcendent vocal and stylistic performance, eschewing rational messages for the maintenance of brand aura through aesthetic form. Also discussed are the ethics of using for capitalistic purposes our human bent towards the ‘beauty and joy’ of transcendent language.
Growth and health status of children and adolescents in medieval Central Europe
Authors: Krenz-Niedbała Marta
Published: March 2017

Subadult growth and health have been analyzed in three cemetery samples from medieval Poland, including two early-urban sites: Cedynia dated to the 10t–14th centuries AD, and Ostrów Lednicki dated to the 13th–15th centuries AD, and a rural site Słaboszewo dated to the 14th–17th centuries AD. The nutritional status was not expected to have substantially differed among the settlements, due to the culturally induced undiversified diet of children, and predominant share of medium-to-low status individuals. However, city life and village life were supposed to differ in factors correlated with the spread of infections, and as such it was expected to find significant differences in respiratory health among early-urban and rural dwellers.The prevalences of diet-dependent diseases, scurvy and rickets, were found to be statistically indistinguishable among the three studied populations, while higher frequency of skeletal signs of poor respiratory health was observed in early-urban Cedynia than rural Słaboszewo. Slightly lower prevalences of skeletal stress indicators were found for the rural than the early-urban site. Skeletal growth profiles and the dynamics of long bone growth were found to be remarkably similar for the early-urban samples (Cedynia and Ostrów Lednicki), with the rural subadults having the shortest diaphyseal lengths, and lower growth dynamics.It can be concluded that adverse factors associated with the urban settlement were more detrimental to respiratory health than those in the village. A variety of factors are potentially responsible for this pattern, including population density, building structure, quality of air and water, sanitation, and occupation. Perhaps, the key factor in response to environmental and socio-cultural constraints was the stability of living conditions in the village, which allowed the inhabitants to develop sufficient adaptive mechanisms. In contrast, the history of strongholds such as Cedynia was changeable due to political situation, military threats and migrations of people.
Intergenerational relations and child development in England
Authors: Tanskanen Antti O.
Published: March 2017

Evolutionary studies have shown that in many traditional populations the beneficial effects of grandparental presence for grandchildren may vary according to the sex and lineage of the grandparents, as well as by the sex of the grandchild. However, few studies have investigated the relevance of these factors in modern developed societies. The present investigation uses the Millennium Cohort Study (n = 4,636 children) to analyse the association between grandparental investment and child development in contemporary England. Grandparental investment is measured by parent-grandparent contact frequencies at the child’s age of 3 and child development by “early learning goals” over the first year of primary school assessed with the Foundation Stage Profile (FSP). Children whose mothers reported contacts with maternal grandparents receive higher FSP scores compared to those with no contact at all. In addition, children whose fathers reported daily contacts with paternal grandfathers have lower FSP scores than other children. The study provides evidence of the relevance of grandparental investment on grandchild development also in developed societies. The results are discussed with reference to the grandmother hypothesis, sex-specific reproductive strategies and sex chromosome hypothesis.
Adjusting the Premium Relativities in a Bonus-Malus System: An Integrated Approach Using the First Claim Time and the Number of Claims
Authors: Mahmoudvand Rahim , Tan Chong It , Abbasi Narges
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we propose an integrated approach to adjust the premium relativities in a bonus-malus system by using the information of the first claim time (expressed in terms of sub-period in a year) and the number of claims reported by individual policyholder. We provide a formal representation for the newly proposed structure and derive the analytical expressions for the adjusted premium relativities. Other things being equal, a lower adjusted premium relativity is imposed for an earlier sub-period of the first claim made, whereas policyholders with more claims are subject to a higher adjusted premium relativity.
Jerusalem Artichoke as a Means of Fields Conservation
Authors: Starovoytov Victor , Starovoytova Oksana , Aldoshin Nikolay , Manohina Alexandra
Published: March 2017

In Russia, the cultivated fields represent a major issue. According to various estimates, they occupy 20-40 million hectares. Of course, this is a great reserve for the development of agriculture and, if necessary, production of in-demand crops. However, if the fields are not used for a long term, they become gradually overgrown with weeds during quarantine: ragweed, hogweed, shrubs and trees. Subsequent introduction of these fields in turnover requires multiple treatments of the soil and the use of potent herbicides due to the high cost of the uprooting of trees. Based on the decisions of the Russian Federation on land conservation, the land management project defining the terms of land conservation, prevention of land degradation, restoring of soil fertility and bringing of life to contaminated areas as well as the order of how these activities should be carried out and their cost and suggestions for land use after the completion of the mentioned processes was developed. However, the technology of land conservation is yet to be developed.
State Ownership of Land in Uzbekistan – an Impediment to Further Agricultural Growth?
Authors: Melnikovová Lea , Havrland Bohumil
Published: March 2017

The present paper aims to demonstrate how the state land ownership affects development of agricultural sector in Uzbekistan, and what are its strengths and weaknesses. It highlights the importance of secure land right regardless of ownership. Land in Uzbekistan is state-owned; the exclusive state ownership of land was first incorporated in the 1992 Constitution. The official rationale was to ensure food security and social stability; another concern was the state-run irrigation system, operation of which would be hampered in the event of land privatization.

Farming entities in Uzbekistan possess different rights to land: from long-life inheritable rights of the dehkans (small-scale household farms) to rights limited by 30 to 50 years and defined by lease contracts of the private farmers. The latter are monitored by the state and are subject to state interventions; in the first place they have to carry the burden of state quotas for cotton and wheat and they are obliged to sell these crops for state-dictated prices. Dehkans provide a major part of livestock production and they can, unlike private farmers, sell all their production at market prices.

Land tenure rights in Uzbekistan lack certain qualities that would make land tenure rights meaningful. The duration of land rights is sufficient, however they do not assure the holders that rights will be recognized and enforced at low costs and do not provide them with mechanisms allowing adjustment under changing conditions.The authors conclude that the insufficient land tenure security, which is further undermined by state interventions, poses a significant barrier impeding development in the agricultural sector. The paper identifies opportunities for change arising from the gradual strengthening of market principles.
Modelling Irrigation Water Requirements at Physiological Growth Stages of Okra Life Cycle Using CROPWAT Model for Derived Savannah and Humid Forest Zones of Nigeria
Authors: Aliku OrevaOghene , Oshunsanya Suarau Odutola
Published: March 2017

Accurate quantification of irrigation water requirement at different physiological growth stages of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) life cycle is important to prevent over or under irrigation. Field experiments were therefore initiated to model okra irrigation water requirements at the four physiological growth stages of okra life cycle using CROPWAT model. Derived savannah 1 (DS1), derived savannah 2 (DS2) and humid forest (HF) occupying 493.36 ha, 69.83 ha and 305.25 ha respectively were used. Some selected soil physical properties coupled with weather parameters were used to develop irrigation water requirements for okra crop. In DS1, the estimated crop co-efficient (Kc) values were 0.30, 0.52, 0.84 and 0.70 for the germination, crop growth, flowering and fruiting stages, respectively. Corresponding Kcvalues in DS2 were 0.30, 0.54, 0.90 and 0.84 and in the HF were 0.30, 0.56, 0.87 and 0.86 respectively. Daily crop evapo-transpiration values ranged from 1.16 to 3.36, 1.17 to 3.64, and 1.2 to 3.38 mm day-1for DS1, DS2 and HF respectively with significant (p = 0.05) peak at the flowering stage for the three locations. Sustainable okra cultivation would require maximum daily irrigation water at flowering stage (reproductive phase) to meet the crop physiological needs and evapo-transpiration demand of the atmosphere.
Climate Variability and Livestock Production in Nigeria: Lessons for Sustainable Livestock Production
Authors: Rekwot Grace Zibah , Ugo Anosike Francis , Engo Oke-Egbodo Brenda
Published: March 2017

The study examined the relationship between climate variability and livestock production and the lessons that can be drawn for achieving sustainable livestock production in Nigeria. The study employed time series data on annual rainfall and livestock production given by index of the aggregate livestock production over the period of 1970 to 2008. The data were obtained from various publications of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency. The data were analyzed through the instrumentality of econometric tools such as Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test, Vector auto regression (VAR) lag order selection test and Pairwise granger causality. The results of the data analysis revealed the existence of unidirectional causality from climate variability to livestock production in Nigeria and this implies that climate variability has been significant in influencing livestock production over the period under study. Based on the foregoing, it is recommended as a matter of urgency that government should continually sensitize farmers on the challenges of climate change and feasible adaptation measures that they can adhere to in order to avert the detrimental effects of climate change on sustainable livestock production. In other words, implementation of the policy thrust on climate smart agriculture should be pursued vigorously.
Performance Analysis of Small Scale Sweet Potato Farms in Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Baruwa Olayinka Isiaka
Published: March 2017

This study carried out an analysis of the performance of sweet potato production among small holder farmers in Oyo State of Nigeria. A combination of purposive and a two-stage random sampling technique were used to obtain information from 65 respondents. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, stochastic frontier functions and budgetary technique. Results indicated that majority of the farmers were literate, aged 43.3 years on the average, full time in sweet potato production and with mean farm size of 1.0 hectare. The gross margin and net profit were ₦76, 884.8 and ₦67,292.8, respectively (₦, naira Nigerian Currency, ₦160 = 1$US) indicating that sweet potato production was profitable. The return to scale (RTS) for the production function revealed that farmers operated in the irrational zone (stage I) of the production surface. The stochastic production frontier analysis revealed that the technical efficiencies of farmers was found to be fairly high with a mean of 0.92% which suggest that the average sweet potato output falls 0.08% short of the maximum possible level but the efficiency can be increased by better use of available resources.
Technical Efficiency of Catfish Farming in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria: a Gender Perspective
Authors: Oyakhilomen Oyinbo , Murtala Mohammed Olajide , Abraham Falola , Kwagyang Saleh Mamman
Published: March 2017

This research was undertaken to examine the gender perspective of the technical efficiency of catfish farming in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State. Primary data elicited from a sample size of 70 catfish farmers (38 male and 32 female catfish farmers) were employed in the study. Analysis of the data was done using descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier production function. The maximum likelihood estimates of the stochastic frontier production function revealed that the mean technical efficiency of the male catfish farmers (86%) was higher than that of the female catfish farmers (20%) and this implies that the male and female catfish farmers have the scope of improving their efficiency by 14% and 80%, respectively, through the use of farming practices used by the most efficient male and female catfish farmers. The factors that were significant in influencing the technical efficiency of the female catfish farmers were farming experience and credit while in the case of the male catfish farmers, farming experience significantly influenced their technical efficiency. In the light of the low technical efficiency of the female catfish farmers relative to the male catfish farmers, it was recommended that gender equality infishery training, extension delivery, distribution of resources and access to supportive services should be encouraged in a bid to improve the technical efficiency of the catfish farmers especially that of the female catfish farmers.
Neue Wege der Kulturgutdigitalisierung in Thüringen
Authors: Mutschler Thomas
Published: March 2017

Die integrierte Digitalisierung von Kulturgütern aus Archiven, Bibliotheken und Museen stellt eine neue Herausforderung dar und eröffnet neue Wege der Zusammenarbeit. In diesem Sinne informiert der Beitrag über den Stand der Kulturgutdigitalisierung in Thüringen. Im Fokus stehen dabei die Initiativen der Thüringer Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Jena beim Aufbau eines spartenübergreifenden Netzwerks der Kulturgutdigitalisierung. Es werden Inhalte, Sammlungen, Partnerschaften und die technisch-bibliothekarische Infrastruktur vorgestellt. Der Beitrag schließt mit einem kurzen Ausblick auf die politischen Rahmenbedingungen.
Biomechanical analysis of stiffness and fracture displacement after using PMMA-augmented sacroiliac screw fixation for sacrum fractures
Authors: Höch Andreas , Schimpf Richard , Hammer Niels , Schleifenbaum Stefan , Werner Michael , Josten Christoph , Böhme Jörg
Published: March 2017

Cement augmentation of pedicle screws is the gold standard for the stabilization of osteoporotic fractures of the spine. In-screw cement augmentation, in which cement is injected through the cannula, is another option for fracture stabilization of fragility fractures of the sacrum. However, biomechanical superiority of this technique compared to conventional sacroiliac screw fixation has not been tested. The present study compares the stability of cement-augmented and non-cement-augmented sacroiliac screw fixation in osteoporotic sacrum fractures under cyclic loading. Eight human donor pelvises with intact ligaments and 5
Biochemical testing in a laboratory tent and semi-intensive care of Ebola patients on-site in a remote part of Guinea: a paradigm shift based on a bleach-sensitive point-of-care device
Authors: Irenge Leonid M. , Dindart Jean-Michel , Gala Jean-Luc
Published: March 2017

Background:

During the West Africa Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, a Belgian laboratory was deployed for supporting the Ebola treatment unit (ETU) of N’Zerekore, Guinea. Besides diagnosis of EVD and malaria, biochemical parameters were tested and used to guide supportive treatment of EVD.

Methods:

To preserve analytes stability, lithium-heparin blood samples were analyzed using the i-STAT

Results:

Providing the medical staff with real-time biochemical data modified their therapeutic attitude, shifting from empiric to a semi-intensive laboratory-guided treatment of hydro-electrolytic disturbances, metabolic acidosis and/or impaired kidney function. As illustrated with representative EVD cases (n=8), optimized supportive treatment with intravenous fluid therapy and electrolyte replacement often helped correct these abnormalities. However, the harsh operating conditions, especially the use of bleach decontamination inside the glovebox, caused several technical failures and the final breakdown of the POCT device.

Conclusions:

POCT availability resulted in a paradigm shift in laboratory practice and care delivery at the N’Zerekore ETU. We conclude that there is urgent need for novel well-designed and validated POCT devices usable by non-expert operators in high ambient temperature and limited space. These devices should withstand regular and thorough decontamination by the personnel working on-site with life-threatening pathogens and be compatible with high biosafety level procedures. Such specific users’ requirements need a European validation and standardization process of proposed solutions led by the EU Standardization Committee (CEN).
Assessment of real-time PCR method for detection of EGFR mutation using both supernatant and cell pellet of malignant pleural effusion samples from non-small-cell lung cancer patients
Authors: Shin Saeam , Kim Juwon , Kim Yoonjung , Cho Sun-Mi , Lee Kyung-A
Published: March 2017

Background:

mutation is an emerging biomarker for treatment selection in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, optimal mutation detection is hindered by complications associated with the biopsy procedure, tumor heterogeneity and limited sensitivity of test methodology. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic utility of real-time PCR using malignant pleural effusion samples.

Methods:

A total of 77 pleural fluid samples from 77 NSCLC patients were tested using the cobas EGFR mutation test (Roche Molecular Systems). Pleural fluid was centrifuged, and separated cell pellets and supernatants were tested in parallel. Results were compared with Sanger sequencing and/or peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-mediated PCR clamping of matched tumor tissue or pleural fluid samples.

Results:

All samples showed valid real-time PCR results in one or more DNA samples extracted from cell pellets and supernatants. Compared with other molecular methods, the sensitivity of real-time PCR method was 100%. Concordance rate of real-time PCR and Sanger sequencing plus PNA-mediated PCR clamping was 98.7%.

Conclusions:

We have confirmed that real-time PCR using pleural fluid had a high concordance rate compared to conventional methods, with no failed samples. Our data demonstrated that the parallel real-time PCR testing using supernatant and cell pellet could offer reliable and robust surrogate strategy when tissue is not available.
Donaldson–Thomas invariants versus intersection cohomology of quiver moduli
Authors: Meinhardt Sven , Reineke Markus
Published: March 2017

The main result of this paper is the statement that the Hodge theoretic Donaldson–Thomas invariant for a quiver with zero potential and a generic stability condition agrees with the compactly supported intersection cohomology of the closure of the stable locus inside the associated coarse moduli space of semistable quiver representations. In fact, we prove an even stronger result relating the Donaldson–Thomas “function” to the intersection complex. The proof of our main result relies on a relative version of the integrality conjecture in Donaldson–Thomas theory. This will be the topic of the second part of the paper, where the relative integrality conjecture will be proven in the motivic context.
Towers of GL($r$)-type of modular curves
Authors: Gekeler Ernst-Ulrich
Published: March 2017

We construct Galois covers

X

r
,
k

⁢

(
N
)

{X^{r,k}(N)}

over

ℙ
1

/

𝔽
q

⁢

(
T
)

{{\mathbb{P}}^{1}/{\mathbb{F}}_{q}(T)}

with Galois groups close to

GL
⁢

(
r
,

𝔽
q

⁢

[
T
]

/

(
N
)

)

{{\rm GL}(r,{\mathbb{F}}_{q}[T]/(N))}

(

r
≥
3

{r\geq 3}

) and rationality and ramification properties similar to those of
classical modular curves

X
⁢

(
N
)

{X(N)}

over

ℙ
1

/
ℚ

{{\mathbb{P}}^{1}/{\mathbb{Q}}}

. As application we find plenty of good
towers (with

lim sup
⁡

number of rational points
genus

>
0

\limsup{\frac{\text{number~{}of~{}rational~{}points}}{{\rm genus}}>0}

) of curves over
the field

𝔽

q
r

{{\mathbb{F}}_{q^{r}}}

with

q
r

{q^{r}}

elements.
Characterizations of bivariate conic, extreme value, and Archimax copulas
Authors: Saminger-Platz Susanne , De Jesús Arias-García José , Mesiar Radko , Klement Erich Peter
Published: March 2017

Based on a general construction method by means of bivariate ultramodular copulas we construct, for particular settings, special bivariate conic, extreme value, and Archimax copulas. We also show that the sets of copulas obtained in this way are dense in the sets of all conic, extreme value, and Archimax copulas, respectively.