bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aurora A and NF-κB Survival Pathway Drive Chemoresistance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia via the TRAF-Interacting Protein TIFA
Authors: Wei Tong-You Wade , Wu Pei-Yu , Wu Ting-Jung , Hou Hsin-An , Chou Wen-Chien , Teng Chieh-Lin Jerry , Lin Chih-Ru , Chen Jo-Mei Maureen , Lin Ting-Yang , Su Hsiang-Chun , Huang Chia-Chi Flora , Yu Chang-Tze Ricky , Hsu Shih-Lan , Tien Hwei-Fang , Tsai Ming-Daw
Published: November 2016

Aurora A–dependent NF-κB signaling portends poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other cancers, but the functional basis underlying this association is unclear. Here, we report that Aurora A is essential for Thr9 phosphorylation of the TRAF-interacting protein TIFA, triggering activation of the NF-κB survival pathway in AML. TIFA protein was overexpressed concurrently with Aurora A and NF-κB signaling factors in patients with de novo AML relative to healthy individuals and also correlated with poor prognosis. Silencing TIFA in AML lines and primary patient cells decreased leukemic cell growth and chemoresistance via downregulation of prosurvival factors Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL that support NF-κB–dependent antiapoptotic events. Inhibiting TIFA perturbed leukemic cytokine secretion and reduced the IC50 of chemotherapeutic drug treatments in AML cells. Furthermore, in vivo delivery of TIFA-inhibitory fragments potentiated the clearance of myeloblasts in the bone marrow of xenograft-recipient mice via enhanced chemotoxicity. Collectively, our results showed that TIFA supports AML progression and that its targeting can enhance the efficacy of AML treatments. Cancer Res; 77(2); 494–508. ©2016 AACR.
Combining Molecularly Targeted Agents: Is More Always Better?
Authors: Sundar Raghav , Valeri Nicola , Harrington Kevin J. , Yap Timothy A.
Published: November 2016

The concurrent targeting of critical nodes along key signaling pathways with molecularly targeted agents is a rational antitumor strategy, which has had varying degrees of success. Combinatorial challenges include overcoming synergistic toxicities and establishing whether combinations are truly active, to make “go, no-go” decisions to proceed to later phase trials. Clin Cancer Res; 23(5); 1123–5. ©2016 AACR.

See related article by Calvo et al., p. 1177
Congenital Bilateral Absence of the Radial Artery: A Very Rare Variation in Humans - Phylogenetic and Ontogenetic Aspects
Authors: Pretterklieber Bettina , Martschini Gerda , Pretterklieber Michael L.
Published: November 2016

In an 80-year-old Caucasian woman, both radial arteries were found to be replaced by an enlarged anterior interosseous artery. Additionally, the right forearm revealed a persistent median artery which formed the superficial palmar arch together with the ulnar artery. In both hands, the replaced radial artery was connected only to the deep but not the superficial palmar arch. In clinical practice, lack of an arterial pulse on the radial aspect of the wrist joint may indicate the presence of this anatomic variation. In this case, arterial blood sample collections, application of contrast media, invasive measurements of blood pressure, and several angiographic interventions cannot be performed via the radial artery. As this is the fourth reported case since 1830, bilateral aplasia of the radial artery appears to be an exceptional variation in humans. Thus, the phylo- and ontogenetic aspects of this anomaly are discussed.
Investigating the Effects of a Personalized, Spectrally Altered Music-Based Sound Therapy on Treating Tinnitus: A Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Li Shelly-Anne , Bao Lin , Chrostowski Michael
Published: November 2016

Objective: This blinded, randomized controlled trial assessed the effectiveness of a personalized, spectrally altered music-based sound therapy over 12 months of use. Method: Two groups of participants (n = 50) were randomized to receive either altered or unaltered classical music. The treatment group received classical music that had been modified based on spectral alterations specific to their tinnitus characteristics. Tinnitus and psychological functioning were assessed at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months after initial testing using self-reports. Participants, investigators and research assistants were blinded from group assignment. Results: Data from 34 participants were analyzed. The treatment group reported significantly lower levels of tinnitus distress (primary outcome, assessed using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory) than the control group throughout the follow-up period. Among the treatment group, there were statistically significant and clinically meaningful levels of reduction in tinnitus distress, severity, and functional impairment at 3- and 6-month follow-ups, which was sustained at the 12-month follow-up. Conclusion: The personalized music therapy was effective in reducing subjective tinnitus and represents a meaningful advancement in tinnitus intervention.
Growth of Uveal Melanoma following Intravitreal Bevacizumab
Authors: Francis Jasmine H. , Kim Jonathan , Lin Amy , Folberg Robert , Iyer Saipriya , Abramson David H.
Published: November 2016

Purpose: Typically treatment of large melanomas (by Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study criteria) is restricted to enucleation, due to size constraints for plaque brachytherapy. Because primary and metastatic uveal melanoma cells are inhibited by bevacizumab (an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor), this prospective study evaluated the impact of intravitreal bevacizumab on large uveal melanomas that were destined for enucleation. Size reduction by bevacizumab would potentially salvage these eyes by making them eligible for treatment with plaque brachytherapy. Procedures: Two patients with large uveal melanoma were each treated with one intravitreous injection of bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL). Results: Both tumors displayed paradoxical growth 1 week following the injection, with confirmed growth 1 week later (increase from baseline of 1.1 mm in one eye and 3.1 mm in the other eye). Both eyes were enucleated and monosomy 3 and vasculogenic mimicry patterns were identified in both tumors. At 9 years follow-up, both patients were alive and metastasis free. Conclusion: These patients demonstrate that neoadjuvant intravitreous bevacizumab does not decrease the size of large uveal melanomas and may, in fact, result in their paradoxical growth. This observation supports a cautious approach in the use of intravitreous bevacizumab for uveal melanoma, particularly in the neoadjuvant setting.
Management of Hypersensitivity Reactions to Proton Pump Inhibitors: A Retrospective Experience
Authors: Kepil Özdemir Seçil , Öner Erkekol Ferda , Ünal Derya , Büyüköztürk Suna , Gelincik Aslı , Dursun Adile Berna , Karakaya Gül , Bavbek Sevim
Published: November 2016

Background: We previously reported perfect specificity and low sensitivity of skin tests in proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-induced immediate hypersensitivity reactions in a prospective multicenter study. Here, in a retrospective study, we aimed to further evaluate the diagnostic workup procedures and characteristics of the patients with suspected PPI hypersensitivity. Methods: This national multicenter study was conducted as a retrospective chart review of patients with a history of PPI-induced immediate hypersensitivity reaction. A total of 60 patients were included. Results of diagnostic workup procedures (standardized skin-prick, intradermal, and oral-provocation tests with PPIs) and the characteristics of the patients were analyzed. Results: Lansoprazole was the most commonly suspected drug with 41 patients (68.3%), followed by pantoprazole in 12 patients (20.0%), esomeprazole in 6 (10.0%), rabeprazole in 4 (6.7%), and omeprazole in 1 (1.7%). Anaphylaxis (40 patients, 66.7%) was the most common clinical presentation followed by urticaria (17 patients, 28.3%). Diagnostic skin tests with the culprit PPI were positive in 13/26 patients (50.0%). Diagnostic oral-provocation tests were negative in 6/8 patients; 5 of these 6 patients had skin test results with the culprit PPI, and all were negative. Ten patients had at least 1 cross-reactivity. Extensive cross-reactivity (between >2 PPIs) was detected in 4 patients. Conclusions: Lansoprazole was the most frequently implicated drug and anaphylaxis was the most frequent manifestation of PPI-induced hypersensitivity reactions. Physicians should be aware of the possible cross-reactivity among PPIs; however, a safe, alternative PPI can usually be detected by a thorough drug allergy workup.
New Approach to the Analysis of Raw Data from the Ocular Response Analyzer
Authors: Jóźwik Agnieszka , Kasprzak Henryk , Kuczma Marta
Published: November 2016

Purpose: The aim of this research was to present a new approach for the potential characteristics of the anterior eye, based on numerical analysis of the raw data from multiple measurements on 1 eye captured with use of the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA). Methods: The measurements were carried out 6 times on every eye, one by one, on 29 patients using the ORA. Dependencies between values of 6 applanation pressures P1 and P2 from 1 eye and the new proposed time-dependent parameters sm and smm, obtained from the raw data, were used to determine new characteristic features of the anterior eye. Results: Obtained values for multiple applanation pressures P1 and P2 and their average value Pa from all measurements on 1 eye show strong linear dependencies with the new proposed time-dependent parameter smm. Conclusions: The new parameters based on slope coefficients a1 and a2, their difference Δa, and respective y-intercept values b1, b2, and Δb show some characteristic stability for a multiply measured eye and can be used for its characterization. These parameters can be used for differentiation of the eyes with higher accuracy than those obtained from a single measurement. They are likely related to some biomechanical properties of the anterior eye.
Lower Bmi-1 Expression May Predict Longer Survival of Colon Cancer Patients
Authors: Li Xiaodong , Zheng Xiao , Xu Bin , Zhang Dachuan , Xu Yun , Xie Quanqin , Hu Wenwei , Zheng Zhuojun , Shao Yingjie , Wu Jun , Ji Mei , Jiang Jingting , Wu Changping
Published: November 2016

Background: This study aimed to investigate the Bmi-1 expression and the clinical significance in colon cancer (CC). Patients and Methods: Bmi-1 expression in tumor tissue and the corresponding normal tissue was detected using immunohistological staining. The correlations between Bmi-1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics and the overall survival (OS) time were analyzed. Results: The median H-scores of Bmi-1 in CC tissues and the corresponding tissues were 80.0 (0-270) and 5.0 (0-90), with no statistically significant difference (Z=-13.7, P<0.001). Bmi-1 expression in CC tissues was not statistically correlated with any characteristics. The median OS times for CC patients with high or low Bmi-1 expression were 53.7 months and 44.9 months, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.123). The survival rates of patients with low Bmi-1 expression were higher than those of patients with high Bmi-1 expression but the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Bmi-1 expression in CC tissue is significantly higher than that in corresponding normal tissue. While there may be a trend towards improved survival, this is not statistically significant.
FBXO6-Mediated Ubiquitination and Degradation of Ero1L Inhibits Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Apoptosis
Authors: Chen Xi , Duan Lang-Huan , Luo Peng-cheng , Hu Gang , Yu Xin , Liu Jie , Lu Han , Liu Bin
Published: November 2016

Background/Aims: FBXO6 is the substrate recognition component of a Skp1-Cullin1-F-box protein (SCF) ubiquitin E3 ligase complex, recognizing the chitobiose in unfolded N-glycoprotein to target glycoproteins for polyubiquitination and degradation. Although how FBXO6 recognizes glycoprotein has been fully investigated, the ubiquitination substrates of FBXO6 remain largely unknown. Previously, we have systematically identified the glycoproteins that interact with FBXO6 in an N-glycan dependent manner by LC/MS spectrum and confirmed the interaction between FBXO6 and glycosylated Ero1L, a protein disulfide oxidase in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Methods: The relationship between endogenous Ero1L and exogenous Flag-FBXO6 were determined by Western blot. In vivo ubiquitination assay was used to detect the direct effect of FBXO6 in the regulation of Ero1L. Both CCK8 and FACS assays were used to determine the apoptosis ratio of cells after treatments. Results: Ero1L is a ubiquitination substrate of FBXO6. FBXO6 mediates the degradation of Ero1L through a ubiquitylation-dependent pathway. Overexpression of FBXO6 increased the polyubiquitination and decreased the stability of Ero1L, whereas inhibition of FBXO6 prolonged the half-life of Ero1L. Functionally, we show that FBXO6 inhibits ER stress-induced apoptosis by modulating the protein level of Ero1L. Conclusion: Collectively, our results demonstrate FBXO6 as a functional E3 ubiquitin ligase for Ero1L that plays a critical role in inhibiting ER stress-induced apoptosis.
Health risk behaviors in teenagers according to gender, age and socioeconomic status
Authors: Mazzardo Oldemar , Silva Michael P. da , Guimarães Roseane de F. , Martins Rafael V. , Watanabe Priscila I. , Campos Wagner de
Published: November 2016

Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive school-based study. Study objetive: To identify the isolated and simultaneous proportions of Health Risk Behaviors (HRB) of adolescents from public schools in the city of Curitiba-PR independently of gender, age and economic status. Methodology: The entire sample consisted of 996 secondary and high school students who concluded the study requirements. Gender, age and socioeconomic status were determined by a demographic questionnaire. The Portuguese version of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the Simplified Questionnaire for Food Consumption Assessment Related to Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents, the Sedentary Activities Questionnaire for Adolescents and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short version) computed the risk behavior variables. Differences between groups was determined by Chi-square tests with critical value of p<0.05. Results: High proportions of risk behaviors were observed for experimentation (41.5%) and excessive alcohol consumption (28.2%), excessive consumption of foods high in cholesterol (41.6%), excessive screen time (58.5%) and insufficient levels of physical activity (54.9%). From the entire sample, 86.5% presented at least one HRB, 50.75% were classified with 2 or more HRB and 25% had at least 3 HRB. Conclusions: Excessive alcohol consumption, excessive screen time and insufficient physical activity are risk behaviors widely incorporated in the adolescent lifestyle, particularly on those over 14-yearsold. On the other hand, poor diet is a behavior more prevalent in younger adolescents. Boys report more excessive screen time than girls, while females tend to report higher levels of insufficient physical activity. Regardless of gender and economic status, adolescents above 14 years of age presented higher proportions of simultaneous HRB
Effects of a home-based exercise program after supervised resistance training in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Bertolini Giovana N. , Ramos Dionei , Leite Marceli R. , Carvalho Junior Luiz Carlos Soares de , Freire Ana Paula C. F. , Lima Fabiano Francisco de , Silva Bruna Spolador de Alencar , Pastre Carlos Marcelo , Ramos Ercy Mara C.
Published: November 2016

Design of the study: clinical Trial. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a homebased resistance exercise program with elastic tubing after supervised resistance training on peripheral muscle strength and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: The study included 22 COPD patients, aged 55-70 years. Peripheral muscle strength and quality of life were evaluated through digital dynamometer and Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRDQ) respectively after supervised resistance training program, and then the patients were divided into two groups: home-based treatment (n = 10) and control (n = 12). After 16 weeks the assessments were repeated. Results: The home resistance training showed no significant increase in peripheral muscle strength and quality of life, however, was able to maintain the gains made in the previous supervised training. Conclusion: The continuity of home-based treatment did not promote additional improvements to supervised training after the protocol, since the gains were maintained in both assessed groups after 4 months
The Bible Read through the Prism of Theology
Authors: Zawanowska Marzena
Published: November 2016

The paper demonstrates that when translating explicit anthropomorphisms in Scripture, medieval Karaites are neither particularly more nor less literal than their rabbinic counterparts. Indeed, they often propose translations similar to those of Targum Onqelos and Saʿadyah Gaon. Moreover, although their lines of argument are different, both Saʿadyah and the Karaites insist that human language is responsible for corporeal descriptions of God in the Bible, and they resort to the linguistic conventions of figurative language and extension of meaning (majāz, ʾittisāʿ) to justify these theologically disturbing expressions. The Karaites’ contribution consists of advancing and refining these linguistic justifications by introducing, for example, the concept of polysemy (or homonymy) to account for certain kinds of problematic formulations. In addition, they are probably the first commentators in the history of Jewish Bible exegesis to cite the rabbinic dictum, “the Torah speaks in the language of man” to explain the presence of anthropomorphisms in Scripture.
The Dead Sea Scrolls: Insight into Traditioning Processes and the Growth of Gospel Traditions
Authors: Stuckenbruck Loren T.
Published: November 2016

This article proposes that parallel traditions among the Dead Sea Scrolls offer a comparative data-set by which to reassess “the Synoptic problem” in the New Testament gospels. The Dead Sea materials, not only shared traditions but also differences between them, whether in the manuscripts of the same work or overlapping portions of different works, show similarities to the ways in which the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and the putative “Q” overlap and depart from one another. The multiple degrees in which some Dead Sea texts evolved underscore the plausibility that, with or without the influence of oral tradition, texts could change and develop rapidly through literary activity in a relatively short period of time.
Genesis 2–3 in Early Christian Tradition and 4QInstruction
Authors: Wold Benjamin
Published: November 2016

Narratives about the Garden of Eden from Genesis 2–3 were popular among both early Jewish and Christian interpreters. More than other compositions found at Qumran, 4QInstruction gives sustained attention to these chapters of Genesis when offering instruction. Observations about how creation traditions are used in 4QInstruction provides the opportunity to assess the intense debates about the use of these chapters among both the so-called “proto-orthodox” and “gnostic” Christians of, especially, the second-century ce. These competing interpretations of Genesis 2–3 in early Christianities display continuities with 4QInstruction and these interpretive strands offer perspective on later readers, most notably Augustine of Hippo.
Social grooming among Indian short-nosed fruit bats
Authors: Rathinakumar A. , Cantor Mauricio , Senthilkumar K. , Vimal P. , Kaliraj P. , Marimuthu G.
Published: November 2016

Social grooming is conspicuous in group-living mammals. Bats are gregarious and may groom each other, but the motivation for such social behaviour remains unclear. Here, we describe patterns and infer function of social grooming in tent-making Indian short-nosed fruit bats. Combining field and captivity observations, we found that males and their harem of females mutually groom and apply bodily secretions to one another in tight clusters. Mutual grooming is more commonly initiated by females, before emergence flight at dusk, and during the non-mating season. The within-harem association pattern suggests males may recognize female reproductive status via social grooming. Chemical analysis of the secretions applied during grooming revealed volatile organic compounds that may be involved in chemosensory-mediated communication and/or mate choice. These fruit bat harems were previously seen as simple aggregations, with limited interactions among individuals. Our findings suggest social grooming is multi-functional, with potential implications for the bats’ social lives.
The effect of heat stress on bull sperm quality and related HSPs expression
Authors: Cheng Yunyun , Liu Songcai , Zhang Ying , Su Dan , Wang Gang , Lv Chen , Zhang Yu , Yu Hao , Hao Linlin , Zhang Jiabao
Published: November 2016

Heat stress dramatically decreases bull sperm quality and has recently received more attention due to the warmer global climate and more intensive production. However, no data exist regarding sperm quality or the related molecular mechanisms under heat stress. Recent studies showed that inducible heat shock proteins (HSPs) play an important role in the dairy heat stress regulation. In this article, to investigate the impacts of heat stress on sperm quality and the associated molecular mechanisms, sperm quality and enzyme activities concerning acrosome reaction were assessed in Simmental, Limousin and Yanbian bulls under heat stress. Subsequently, changes in heat shock protein expression profiles of Simmental bulls were observed, because we observed that sperm quality of these bulls was most sensitive to heat stress. Finally, the relationship between sperm quality and heat shock protein expression under heat stress was analyzed. The results show that summer heat stress decreased the sperm quality of the three bull breeds significantly. Moreover, different levels of heat stimulation induced various enzyme activity changes, among which the activity change in acrosomal enzyme was the most remarkable. Furthermore, the expression of heat shock proteins in the sperm was influenced by the imposed heat stress, among which the expression levels of HSP60 and HSP70 were increased while HSP90 decreased. In summary, our data show that heat stress seriously affects sperm quality and that HSP90 was most sensitive, although it should be noted that seasonal effects may confound these results. This change in heat shock protein expression may be the major factor that affected the sperm quality of the bulls. The findings may provide a new hypothesis for how heat stress impacts reproduction mechanistically.
Impact of fluctuating thermal regimes on Drosophila melanogaster survival to cold stress
Authors: Javal Marion , Renault David , Colinet Hervé
Published: November 2016

Temperature directly affects survival, development and reproduction in insects and thereby it is a key environmental driver for geographic distribution and population dynamics. This study aims at testing the survival ofDrosophila melanogasterunder constant low temperatures (CLTs) (2, 3, 4, and 5°C)vs.fluctuating thermal regimes (FTRs). In the latter, the cold stress period was interrupted daily by 2 h pulses at 20°C. Since acclimation enhances cold tolerance, we tested whether benefits of acclimation can combine with those of FTRs. SinceD. melanogasteroverwinters as non-reproductive adults, we tested if actively reproducing adults are more susceptible to cold stress than virgin females that have a much reduced reproductive activity. The results show that short interruptions of cold stress enhanced survival of adult flies. Survival was time- and temperature-dependent. Prior acclimation to low temperature allowed flies to better cope with cold stress under CLTs. On the other hand, acclimated flies did not profit from the benefits of FTRs and even showed lower survival under FTRs, probably because flies deacclimated during the periodic warm intervals. Gravid females were overall less cold tolerant than virgin females, and both survived better under FTRs. Cold survival at pupal stage was much lower than at adult stage, and no clear benefit of FTR was observed in this life stage. Our study highlights critical variables to take into account when designing experiments of prolonged exposure to low temperature in insects.
Acanthophis cryptamydros Maddock, Ellis, Doughty, Smith & Wüster, 2015 is an invalid junior synonym of Acanthophis lancasteri Wells & Wellington, 1985 (Squamata, Elapidae)

Authors: WELLINGTON ROSS
Published: November 2016

Maddock et al. (2015) described a supposedly new species of death adder (Squamata, Elapidae) from northwestern Australia as Acanthophis cryptamydros. However, Maddock et al. (2015: 307) themselves admitted that this name was a junior synonym of Acanthophis lancasteri Wells & Wellington, 1985: “Since the only existing name applicable to this taxon, Acanthophis lancasteri Wells & Wellington, 1985, is a nomen nudum (Aplin & Donnellan 1999), we describe it as a new species below (...)”.
The first described male Tube-web Spider for mainland Australia: Ariadna kiwirrkurra sp. nov. (Araneae: Segestriidae)
Authors: BAEHR BARBARA C. , WHYTE ROBERT
Published: November 2016

Males of Ariadna kiwirrkurra sp. nov., collected on the 2015 Bush Blitz biodiscovery expedition to the Kiwirrkurra Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) are the first Segestriid males described for mainland Australia.
Eight new species of Andrena Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae) from Israel—a Mediterranean hotspot for wild bees
Authors: PISANTY GIDEON , SCHEUCHL ERWIN , DORCHIN NETTA
Published: November 2016

More than 150 solitary bee species of the genus Andrena Fabricius are known from Israel and the West Bank, where they are distributed along a broad climatic gradient and diverse habitats and vegetation types. Extensive collecting throughout Israel in recent years has yielded eight new species and one new subspecies, adding to the rich bee fauna of the region:   A. crocusella Pisanty & Scheuchl n. sp., A. danini Pisanty & Scheuchl n. sp., A. hermonella Scheuchl & Pisanty n. sp., A. israelica Scheuchl & Pisanty n. sp., A. judaea Scheuchl & Pisanty n. sp., A. menahemella Scheuchl & Pisanty n. sp., A. palaestina Pisanty & Scheuchl n. sp., A. perahia Pisanty & Scheuchl n. sp., and A. sphecodimorpha mediterranea Pisanty & Scheuchl n. ssp. The previously unknown female of A. fimbriatoides Scheuchl 2004 and male of A. wolfi Gusenleitner & Scheuchl 2000 are also described here for the first time. The discovery of males of A. wolfi lead us to reinstate A. iohannescaroli Nobile 2000 as a valid taxon. Detailed morphological description and differential diagnosis against closest relatives are provided for all species, as well as information on the distribution, phenology and flower visitation, when available. A neotype is designated for A. sphecodimorpha Hedicke, the holotype of which is considered to be lost. Additional collecting efforts in diverse habitats and seasons, incorporating diverse collecting techniques, are required in order to deepen our knowledge of the rich bee fauna in threatened habitats in the Mediterranean Basin, which constitutes one of the world’s major hotspots for wild bees.
A historical review of the classification of Erebinae (Lepidoptera: Erebidae)
Authors: HOMZIAK NICHOLAS T. , BREINHOLT JESSE W. , KAWAHARA AKITO Y.
Published: November 2016

Erebidae is one of the most diverse families within the order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), with nearly 25,000 described species. The nominal subfamily Erebinae is among the most species rich and taxonomically complex. It reaches its highest diversity in the tropics, where much of the fauna remains undescribed. Species in this subfamily feed on a broad range of host plants, with associated radiations on grasses and legumes, and some species are pests of agriculture and forestry. The Erebinae, as defined today, comprises a large portion of the former noctuid subfamily Catocalinae. However, many lineages have tenuous or uncertain systematic placement. Here, we review the complex historical classification of Erebinae, and discuss the possible placement of some of these lineages in light of traditional morphological groupings and recent molecular phylogenetic analyses. We present an updated list of named erebine tribes and their relationships, and identify morphological traits from literature used to group genera within these tribes.
Two new Cambodian semi-aquatic earthworms in the genus Glyphidrilus Horst, 1889 (Oligochaeta, Almidae), based on morphological and molecular data
Authors: JIRAPATRASILP PARIN , PRASANKOK PONGPUN , SUTCHARIT CHIRASAK , CHANABUN RATMANEE , PANHA SOMSAK
Published: November 2016

Combining morphological and molecular data is a powerful approach to support the discovery of new species. Here, two new species of the semi-aquatic earthworm genus Glyphidrilus, G. jamiesoni sp. n. and G. kralanhensis sp. n., are described from the Mekong Basin in Cambodia. They are morphologically distinguished by the respective locations of wings and spermathecae; furthermore, G. kralanhensis sp. n. has three pairs of ovaries, probably an autapomorphic trait. In addition, two mitochondrial gene fragments (COI and 16s rRNA) were sequenced of types of the new species and of five further Glyphidrilus species described recently from the Mekong basin in Thailand and Laos. They revealed a high level of genetic divergence of the new species compared to the other earthworm taxa. The evolutionary relationships among the Mekong Glyphidrilus members is discussed with reference to the recent paleogeography of the Mekong River drainage.
The Influence of Successive Thermals on Entrainment and Dilution in a Simulated Cumulus Congestus
Authors: Moser Daniel H. , Lasher-Trapp Sonia
Published: November 2016

Cumulus clouds are frequently observed as comprising multiple successive thermals, yet numerical simulations of entrainment have not investigated this level of detail. Here, an idealized simulated cumulus congestus consisting of three successive thermals is used to analyze and understand their role in maintaining the high liquid water content in the core of the cloud, which past 1D modeling studies have suggested can ultimately determine its ability to precipitate. Entrainment and detrainment are calculated directly at the edge of the cloud core at frequent time intervals. Entrainment maxima occur at the rear of the toroidal circulation associated with each thermal and thus are transient features in the lifetime of multithermal clouds. The evolution of the least diluted parcels within each thermal shows that the entrainment rates alone cannot predict the erosion of the high liquid water content cores. A novel analysis of samples of entrained and detrained air within each successive thermal illustrates tendencies for even positively buoyant air, containing condensate, to be entrained by later thermals that rise in the wakes of their predecessors, limiting their dilution. The later thermals can achieve greater depths and produce precipitation when a single thermal could not. Future work is yet needed to evaluate the generality of these results using multiple clouds simulated in different environments with less-idealized modeling frameworks. Implications for current cumulus parameterizations are briefly discussed.
Impact of Tropical SSTs in the North Atlantic and Southeastern Pacific on the Eastern Pacific ITCZ
Authors: Song Fengfei , Zhang Guang J.
Published: November 2016

During boreal spring, observations show a double ITCZ over the eastern Pacific, with the northern ITCZ stronger than the southern ITCZ. However, it is opposite in most climate models. It is also evident that there exists a cold bias in tropical North Atlantic (TNA) sea surface temperature (SST) and a warm bias in southeastern Pacific (SEP) SST. In this study, the influences of TNA and SEP SSTs on the double-ITCZ bias are investigated by prescribing the observed SST in these regions in the NCAR CESM1. Results show that when TNA SST is prescribed, the northern ITCZ is substantially enhanced and the southern ITCZ is moderately reduced, although the SST response in these regions is small. When the SEP SST is prescribed, the southern ITCZ is reduced considerably. When both TNA and SEP SSTs are prescribed, the double-ITCZ bias is reduced by ~68%. Moisture budget analysis suggests that dynamics, mainly the low-level convergence change, determines the above precipitation changes. Based on a mixed layer model, changes in low-level convergence are shown to be determined by surface pressure Ps changes. With prescribed TNA/SEP SSTs, SST gradients change the Ps in the region directly via the Lindzen–Nigam mechanism. The corresponding low-level circulation changes affect the 850-hPa thermodynamic state in a wider region, which in turn not only strengthens the SST-induced Ps change locally but also leads to Ps changes remotely, including the northern ITCZ region. Furthermore, the low-level convergence changes the vertical structure of moist static energy, altering the atmospheric stability and modulating precipitation distribution.
Detectable Anthropogenic Shift toward Heavy Precipitation over Eastern China
Authors: Ma Shuangmei , Zhou Tianjun , Stone Dáithí A. , Polson Debbie , Dai Aiguo , Stott Peter A. , von Storch Hans , Qian Yun , Burke Claire , Wu Peili , Zou Liwei , Ciavarella Andrew
Published: November 2016

Changes in precipitation characteristics directly affect society through their impacts on drought and floods, hydro-dams, and urban drainage systems. Global warming increases the water holding capacity of the atmosphere and thus the risk of heavy precipitation. Here, daily precipitation records from over 700 Chinese stations from 1956 to 2005 are analyzed. The results show a significant shift from light to heavy precipitation over eastern China. An optimal fingerprinting analysis of simulations from 11 climate models driven by different combinations of historical anthropogenic (greenhouse gases, aerosols, land use, and ozone) and natural (volcanic and solar) forcings indicates that anthropogenic forcing on climate, including increases in greenhouse gases (GHGs), has had a detectable contribution to the observed shift toward heavy precipitation. Some evidence is found that anthropogenic aerosols (AAs) partially offset the effect of the GHG forcing, resulting in a weaker shift toward heavy precipitation in simulations that include the AA forcing than in simulations with only the GHG forcing. In addition to the thermodynamic mechanism, strengthened water vapor transport from the adjacent oceans and by midlatitude westerlies, resulting mainly from GHG-induced warming, also favors heavy precipitation over eastern China. Further GHG-induced warming is predicted to lead to an increasing shift toward heavy precipitation, leading to increased urban flooding and posing a significant challenge for mega-cities in China in the coming decades. Future reductions in AA emissions resulting from air pollution controls could exacerbate this tendency toward heavier precipitation.
A Pilot Randomized Trial of a Video Patient Decision Aid to Facilitate Early Intervention Referrals From Primary Care
Authors: Jimenez Manuel E. , DuRivage Nathalie E. , Bezpalko Orysia , Suh Andrew , Wade Roy , Blum Nathan J. , Fiks Alexander G.
Published: November 2016

Many young children identified with developmental concerns in pediatric settings do not receive early intervention (EI). We assessed the impact of a video decision aid and text message reminder on knowledge and attitudes regarding developmental delay and EI as well as referral completion. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial in an urban setting and enrolled 64 parent-child dyads referred to EI. Compared with controls, participants who received the intervention demonstrated increased knowledge regarding developmental delay and EI as well as more favorable attitudes in certain topics. Although we did not find a significant difference between arms in EI intake and evaluation, we found a pattern suggestive of increased intake and evaluation among participants with low health literacy in the intervention arm. Additional study is needed to identify strategies that improve the EI referral process for families and to understand the potential targeted role for decision aids and text messages.
Differential attention to faces in infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder and associations with later social and language ability
Authors: Wagner Jennifer B. , Luyster Rhiannon J. , Moustapha Hana , Tager-Flusberg Helen , Nelson Charles Alexander
Published: November 2016

A growing body of literature has begun to explore social attention in infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with hopes of identifying early differences that are associated with later ASD or other aspects of development. The present study used eye-tracking to familiar (mother) and unfamiliar (stranger) faces in two groups of 6-month-old infants: infants with no family history of ASD (low-risk controls; LRC), and infants at high risk for ASD (HRA), by virtue of having an older sibling with ASD. HRA infants were further characterized based on autism classification at 24 months or older as HRA- (HRA without an ASD outcome) or HRA+ (HRA with an ASD outcome). For time scanning faces overall, HRA+ and LRC showed similar patterns of attention, and this was significantly greater than in HRA-. When examining duration of time spent on eyes and mouth, all infants spent more time on eyes than mouth, but HRA+ showed the greatest amount of time looking at these regions, followed by LRC, then HRA-. LRC showed a positive association between 6-month attention to eyes and 18-month social-communicative behavior, while HRA- showed a negative association between attention to eyes at 6 months and expressive language at 18 months (all correlations controlled for non-verbal IQ; HRA- correlations held with and without the inclusion of the small sample of HRA+). Differences found in face scanning at 6 months, as well as associations with social communication at 18 months, point to potential variation in the developmental significance of early social attention in children at low and high risk for ASD.
Influence of Study Design Variables on Clinical Pathology Data
Authors: Aulbach Adam , Provencher Anne , Tripathi Niraj
Published: November 2016

A number of factors related to study design have the potential to impact clinical pathology test results during the conduct of nonclinical safety studies. A thorough understanding of these factors is paramount in drawing accurate conclusions from clinical pathology data generated during such studies, particularly when attempting to make the distinction between test article and nontest article–related effects. Study design and conduct variables with potential to impact clinical pathology data discussed in this overview include those related to species and test system, animal age, animal care and husbandry practices, fasting, acclimatization periods, effects of transportation and stressors, route of administration, effects of in-life and surgical procedures, influence of study length, timing of blood collections, impact of vehicle/formulation composition, and some general concepts related to drug class. The material presented here is a summary based on information presented at the 35th Annual Symposium of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (June 2016), during Symposium Session 2 titled “Deciphering Sources of Variability in Clinical Pathology—It’s Not Just about the Numbers.”
Modelling of fluoride sorption from aqueous solution using green algae impregnated with zirconium by response surface methodology
Authors: Hiremath Poornima G , Theodore Thomas
Published: November 2016

In the present work, an economical, more selective and a bio-compatible fluoride removal technique has been developed by using zirconium impregnated Chlorella protothecoides and Nannochloropsis oculata, which represents a combination of biological and physiochemical methods. The optimization of the effect of various factors such as pH, initial fluoride concentration, biosorbent dose and contact time was carried using a central composite design of response surface methodology. A maximum removal of fluoride ions of 92.2% was observed using zirconium-doped C. protothecoides. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics of the adsorption process were studied. The Langmuir isotherm model well expressed fluoride biosorption onto zirconium-doped N. oculata and the Freundlich isotherm model fitted well the data of zirconium-doped C. protothecoides. The correlation coefficients indicate that the fluoride biosorption onto zirconium-doped N. oculata, and C. protothecoides biosorbents correlated well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The existence of co-anions decreased fluoride removal from aqueous solution. The biosorbent was regenerated using NaOH, distilled water and HCl and used for four cycles.
Application of response surface methodology for optimization of lead removal from an aqueous solution by a novel superparamagnetic nanocomposite
Authors: Javanbakht Vahid , Ghoreishi Seyyed Mohammad
Published: November 2016

The present study focuses on the response surface methodology (RSM) for the optimization of lead removal from an aqueous solution by a novel superparamagnetic nanocomposite. A rotatable central composite design and the response surface methodology were used to conduct and to analyze the experiments, respectively. The adsorption process was investigated as a function of the four factors consisting of pH (4.0–6.0), temperature (20℃–60℃), initial lead concentration (10–90 mg/L) and adsorbent dosage (0.2–1.0 g/L). The maximum lead adsorption capacity was obtained to be 124.955 mg/g under the optimal conditions of 5.49, 60℃, 89.08 mg/L, and 0.48 g/L for the solution pH, temperature, initial lead ion concentration, and the adsorbent dosage, respectively. The desirability function was used to find an optimum point where the desired conditions could be obtained. The superparamagnetic nanocomposite could be used as an adsorbent for the removal of toxic heavy metals from water and wastewater.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms and genotypes of transient receptor potential ion channel and acetylcholine receptor genes from isolated B lymphocytes in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients
Authors: Marshall-Gradisnik Sonya , Johnston Samantha , Chacko Anu , Nguyen Thao , Smith Peter , Staines Donald
Published: November 2016

Objective

The pathomechanism of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is unknown; however, a small subgroup of patients has shown muscarinic antibody positivity and reduced symptom presentation following anti-CD20 intervention. Given the important roles of calcium (Ca2+) and acetylcholine (ACh) signalling in B cell activation and potential antibody development, we aimed to identify relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genotypes in isolated B cells from CFS/ME patients.

Methods

A total of 11 CFS/ME patients (aged 31.82 ± 5.50 years) and 11 non-fatigued controls (aged 33.91 ± 5.06 years) were included. Flow cytometric protocols were used to determine B cell purity, followed by SNP and genotype analysis for 21 mammalian TRP ion channel genes and nine mammalian ACh receptor genes. SNP association and genotyping analysis were performed using ANOVA and PLINK analysis software.

Results

Seventy-eight SNPs were identified in nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor genes in the CFS/ME group, of which 35 were in mAChM3. The remaining SNPs were identified in nAChR delta (n = 12), nAChR alpha 9 (n = 5), TRPV2 (n = 7), TRPM3 (n = 4), TRPM4 (n = 1) mAChRM3 2 (n = 2), and mAChRM5 (n = 3) genes. Nine genotypes were identified from SNPs in TRPM3 (n = 1), TRPC6 (n = 1), mAChRM3 (n = 2), nAChR alpha 4 (n = 1), and nAChR beta 1 (n = 4) genes, and were located in introns and 3′ untranslated regions. Odds ratios for these specific genotypes ranged between 7.11 and 26.67 for CFS/ME compared with the non-fatigued control group.

Conclusion

This preliminary investigation identified a number of SNPs and genotypes in genes encoding TRP ion channels and AChRs from B cells in patients with CFS/ME. These may be involved in B cell functional changes, and suggest a role for Ca2+ dysregulation in AChR and TRP ion channel signalling in the pathomechanism of CFS/ME.
Beyond the matrix
Authors: Karcher Sebastian , Kirilova Dessislava , Weber Nicholas
Published: November 2016

The Qualitative Data Repository (QDR) provides infrastructure and guidance for the sharing and reuse of digital data used in qualitative and multi-method social inquiry. In this paper we describe some of the repository’s early experiences providing services developed specifically for the curation of qualitative research data. We focus on QDR’s efforts to address two key challenges for qualitative data sharing. The first challenge concerns constraints on data sharing in order to protect human participants and their identities and to comply with copyright laws. The second set of challenges addresses the unique characteristics of qualitative data and their relationship to the published text. We describe a novel method of annotating scholarly publications, resulting in a “transparency appendix” that allows the sharing of such “granular data” (Moravcsik et al., 2013). We conclude by describing the future directions of QDR’s services for qualitative data archiving, sharing, and reuse.
Emotions et comportements prosociaux : étude de l’efficacité des campagnes humanitaires émotionnelles
Authors: Albouy Jeanne
Published: November 2016

Cet article analyse l’effet des émotions négatives et de l’empathie générées par une campagne humanitaire émotionnelle sur plusieurs indicateurs d’efficacité publicitaire. Les résultats montrent que dans le cadre des comportements prosociaux, les émotions négatives générées par la campagne améliorent la persuasion et cet effet est en partie transmis par la réponse empathique. De plus, trois variables cognitives (l’efficacité de la solution, l’auto-efficacité et l’implication envers la cause) affectent les mécanismes identifiés selon un processus de médiation modérée. Les implications de ces résultats contrastant avec la littérature sont alors discutées.
Optimization of diesel substitution rate based on piston maximum temperature pattern recognition in dual-fuel engine
Authors: Fu Youyao , Xiao Bing
Published: November 2016

The diesel and natural gas dual-fuel engine has gained increasing interest in recent years because of its excellent power and economy. However, the diesel substitution rate cannot be controlled optimally, owing to the lack of a feedback indicator reflecting the cylinder combustion process, which easily leads to a serious thermal load problem. This paper presents a closed-loop control with feedback from a piston maximum temperature (PMT) pattern to regulate the diesel substitution rate in real time. A v-support vector machine ( v-SVM) is proposed to train classifiers for online recognition of the PMT pattern. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission levels, excess air coefficient, engine speed and inlet pressure are chosen as feature variables. The PMTs, calculated by finite element analysis in ANSYS, are utilized to determine the labels of feature data. Moreover, 10-fold cross-validation is employed to choose the optimal kernel function, kernel parameters and penalty factor. A synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) is introduced to remedy the class imbalance problem in training classifiers. Furthermore, a timer-based debouncing mechanism is employed to alleviate the dynamic process influence on the PMT pattern recognition. Experiment revealed that the classifiers yield desirable predictions, with classification accuracies higher than 90%. Meanwhile, the diesel substitution rates are regulated to appropriate values through the closed-loop control algorithm, which guarantees that the dual-fuel engine runs in its safe region and maintains its excellent economy.