bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Totally Laparoscopic Radical Resection of Gallbladder Cancer: Technical Aspects and Long‐Term Results
Authors: Castro César Muñoz , Santibañez Sergio Pacheco , Rivas Tomás Contreras , Cassis Nicolás Jarufe
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a rare tumor in developed countries. Chile has one of the highest incidences worldwide. For patients affected by resectable T1b or more advanced GBC, radical cholecystectomy (RC) is considered the standard therapy. Our aim is to describe the surgical technique and clinical–pathological results of patients undergoing totally laparoscopic radical resection of GBC.

Methods

Patients undergo laparoscopic radical resection for primary and incidental GBC, between the years 2009 and 2016 in two centers from Chile. Patients in whom suspected bile duct invasion, frozen biopsy did not confirm cancer and para‐aortic lymph node sampling was positive were excluded.

Results

Eighteen patients were operated, 77.8% were female with median age of 60.5 year, and 16 patients had previous cholecystectomy with incidental cancer finding. The median operative time was 490 min (400–550). No conversion to open surgery occurred. All patients achieved a R0 resection. Postoperative complications occurred in 2 patients (11.1%), and there was not mortality. After a median follow‐up of 59 months, the 5‐year survival was 80.7%.

Conclusion

This study shows the technical feasibility of the totally laparoscopic approach for radical resection of GBC with the same principles of classical open surgery. It appears that long‐term oncological findings would also be similar at least in less advanced lesions.
Geo‐ecological studies on two ultramafic sites in western Ireland
Authors: Brearley Francis Q.
Published: March 2018

Ultramafic soils are found in many sites around the world where they can vary from exceptionally barren to reasonably fertile. Two ultramafic sites in western Ireland were studied: grassland at Dawros, County Galway and grassy heath near the base of Croagh Patrick, County Mayo. Rock and soil chemistry was examined along with foliar nutrients (at Dawros only). Ellenberg reaction values of all plant species recorded were determined. Two bioassays were conducted to determine relative differences in fertility between ultramafic and adjacent non‐ultramafic soils and to assess nutrient limitation in the Croagh Patrick soil. Both soils showed many of the chemical characteristics typical of other ultramafic sites including a moderately high nickel concentration; in general, soil metal concentrations were higher in Dawros soils. However, nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium (with a calcium:magnesium ratio c. 0.6) were all at high concentrations at Dawros leading to a fertile grassland with both calcicole and calcifuge species present spanning six Ellenberg reaction values. Foliar nutrient concentrations were not unusual although calcium:magnesium ratios were approximately double in non‐ultramafic soils compared to ultramafic soils. Croagh Patrick soil had lower concentrations of most nutrients and presented a grassy heath vegetation with more acidic reaction values. The bioassays showed plant growth to be reduced in this soil relative to that at Dawros and to be clearly limited by phosphorus availability. Whilst these two Irish ultramafic sites do not show the extreme features associated with other sites across the world they indicate the global diversity of serpentine ecologies.
Performance of Quercus suber L. at nursery stage—application of two bio-inoculants under two distinct environments
Authors: Araújo Giovânia C. , Sousa Nadine R. , Ramos Miguel A. , Vega Alberto L. , Castro Paula M. L.
Published: March 2018

Key message

Despite the fact that the technique of application of bioinoculants improved the quality ofQuercus suberL. seedlings produced in nurseries, these benefits are dependent on the ecological conditions of the site and the composition of the applied inoculum, which interferes with the profile of the local fungal community.

Context

Quercus suber L. plays a key ecological and socio-economical role in the Iberian Peninsula. Symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungi-ECM are crucial partners of several tree species, and assessing the efficacy of bioinoculants at nursery stage helps devising tools to increase plant resilience.

Aims

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two inocula formulations of mixed ECM fungi and bacteria on the quality of seedlings produced in two forest nurseries, differing in environmental conditions and forest embedment.

Methods

Quercus suber L. seedlings were inoculated with a commercial product containing Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers) Coker & Couch, Scleroderma sp., and six bacterial species and with a non-commercial fungal and bacterial dual inoculum (Suillus granulatus (L.) Roussel + Mesorhizobium sp.). Biometric and nutritional parameters and morphological quality indexes were determined on seedlings. The ECM community was assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and cloning-sequencing.

Results

In both nurseries, the seedling quality index in inoculated was up to 2-fold higher than in non-inoculated seedlings. Plant biomass differed significantly among nurseries. The inoculum influenced the profile of the fungal community. S. granulatus and P. tinctorius persisted for 6 months in the inoculated seedlings.

Conclusion

The nursery ecosystem influenced plant growth. Inoculation treatments increased plant performance; however, the dual inoculum resulted in more consistent improvements of Q. suber at nursery stage, highlighting the importance of inocula selection.
Nomogram of Fetal Thymus Using Thy-Box Technique in South Indian Population
Authors: Kandasamy Subapriya , Paul Raj Sherina
Published: March 2018

Abstract To create a nomogram of fetal thymus using the thy-box technique from a single center in South Indian population. This is a retrospective study that included 723 singleton pregnancies referred for anomaly scan. The study was conducted at a Fetal Medicine center in South India. The thymus was localized in the axial plane of the upper mediastinum of the fetus. At first, the internal mammary arteries that course laterally to the thymus were located by using color or power Doppler ultrasonography with a low pulse repetition frequency of these vessels. This was used to identify its lateral borders as described by Paladini et al. (Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 37(4):488–492, 2011). The thy-box, was thereby readily displayed in the fetus. The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the thymus using thy-box were measured and recorded. The fetal thymus was visualized using the thy-box technique in a total of 723 cases. Thymus transverse diameter as a function of gestational age was expressed by the regression equation: Transverse diameter (in mm) = 0.08115 ⅹ Gestational age - 0.5366 [R square = 0.98 and p < 0.0001]. Similarly the anteroposterior diameter (AP) as a function of gestational age was expressed by the equation: AP (in mm) = 0.0449 ⅹ Gestational age - 0.2759 [R square2 = 0.9686 and p < 0.0001]. The mean, standard deviation and 95% confidence interval for the thymus measurements corresponding to each gestation age were also calculated and tabulated. Linear regression model was used and data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22 software (Armonk, NY). The fetal thymus can be quickly measured with reliability and reproducibility in fetuses during the anomaly scan, when the thy-box technique is employed. There is no significant ethnic variation in thymus size. Moreover, an evaluation of the fetal thymus if added as a routine parameter during the performance of the second trimester anomaly scans, would enhance the ability to identify thymic hypoplasia when present.
Future research directions at the intersection between cognitive neuroscience research and auditors’ professional skepticism
Authors: Olsen Carmen , Gold Anna
Published: March 2018

Drawing on the literature from cognitive neuroscience and auditing research on professional skepticism (PS), this paper identifies new research questions, determinants, and theories that may resolve current problem areas in PS research. We identify the following PS research areas that neuroscientific perspectives can potentially improve: 1) theory, 2) trust, 3) trait and state skepticism, 4) deception/fraud detection, and 5) skeptical judgment and action. The paper concludes with a discussion of the critical question of whether integrating a neuroscientific perspective in PS research is worthwhile and provides further direction for future research.
Global well-posedness of partially periodic KP-I equation in the energy space and application
Authors: Robert Tristan
Published: March 2018

In this article, we address the Cauchy problem for the KP-I equation

\partial _{t}u + \partial _{x}^{3}u−\partial _{x}^{−1}\partial _{y}^{2}u + u\partial _{x}u = 0

for functions periodic in

y

. We prove global well-posedness of this problem for any data in the energy space

\mathbf{E} = \{u \in L^{2}(\mathbb{R} \times \mathbb{T}),\partial _{x}u \in L^{2} (\mathbb{R} \times \mathbb{T}),\:\partial _{x}^{−1}\partial _{y}u \in L^{2}(\mathbb{R} \times \mathbb{T})\}

.
We then prove that the KdV line soliton, seen as a special solution of KP-I equation, is orbitally stable under this flow, as long as its speed is small enough.
The effects of the TOMM40 poly‐T alleles on Alzheimer's disease phenotypes
Authors: Chiba‐Falek Ornit , Gottschalk William K. , Lutz Michael W.
Published: March 2018

The TOMM40 poly‐T is a polymorphism in intron 6 of the TOMM40 gene, which is adjacent to and in linkage disequilibrium with APOE. Roses et al. identified the association between the length of TOMM40 poly‐T with the risk and age of onset of late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). Following the original discovery, additional studies found associations between the TOMM40 poly‐T and LOAD‐related phenotypes independent of APOE genotypes, while others did not replicate these associations. Furthermore, the identity of the TOMM40 poly‐T risk allele has been controversial between different LOAD‐related phenotypes. Here, we propose a framework to address the conflicting findings with respect to the TOMM40 poly‐T allele associations with LOAD phenotypes and their functional effects. The framework is used to interpret previous studies as means to gain insights regarding the nature of the risk allele, very long versus short. We suggest that the identity of the TOMM40 poly‐T risk allele depends on the phenotype being evaluated, the ages of the study subjects at the time of assessment, and the context of the APOE genotypes. In concluding remarks, we outline future studies that will inform the mechanistic interpretation of the genetic data.
The Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Autosomal‐Dominant Alzheimer's Disease Trial: A study of crenezumab versus placebo in preclinical PSEN1 E280A mutation carriers to evaluate efficacy and safety in the treatment of autosomal‐dominant Alzheimer's disease, including a placebo‐treated noncarrier cohort
Authors: Tariot Pierre N. , Lopera Francisco , Langbaum Jessica B. , Thomas Ronald G. , Hendrix Suzanne , Schneider Lon S. , Rios‐Romenets Silvia , Giraldo Margarita , Acosta Natalia , Tobon Carlos , Ramos Claudia , Espinosa Alejandro , Cho William , Ward Michael , Clayton David , Friesenhahn Michael , Mackey Howard , Honigberg Lee , Sanabria Bohorquez Sandra , Chen Kewei , Walsh Trisha , Langlois Carolyn , Reiman Eric M. ,   Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Autosomal‐dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD) represents a crucial population for identifying prevention strategies that might modify disease course for cognitively unimpaired individuals at high imminent risk for developing symptoms due to Alzheimer's disease (AD), that is, who have “preclinical” AD. Crenezumab is an antiamyloid monoclonal antibody that binds monomeric and aggregated forms of amyloid β, with highest affinity for oligomers; it is in development for early stages of sporadic AD and for ADAD.

Methods

This is a prospective, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled phase 2 study of the efficacy of crenezumab versus placebo in asymptomatic PSEN1 E280A mutation carriers from family kindreds with ADAD in Colombia. Participants were randomized to receive either crenezumab or placebo for 260 weeks. The study was designed to enroll a planned total of 300 participants, including 200 preclinical mutation carriers (approximately 100 treatment, 100 placebo) and an additional control group of mutation noncarriers from the same family kindreds included to mask mutation carrier status (100 placebo only). The primary outcome is change in the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative ADAD Composite Cognitive Test Score from baseline to week 260. Secondary outcomes include time to progression to mild cognitive impairment due to AD or dementia due to AD; changes in dementia severity, memory, and overall neurocognitive functioning; and changes in amyloid–positron emission tomography, fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging volumes, and cerebrospinal fluid levels of β amyloid, tau, and p‐tau. Safety and tolerability are assessed.

Results

Two hundred fifty‐two participants were enrolled between December 2013 and February 2017.

Discussion

We describe the first large‐scale, potentially label‐enabling clinical trial of a preclinical treatment for ADAD. Results from this trial will inform on the efficacy of crenezumab for delaying onset of, slowing decline in, or preventing cognitive impairment in individuals with preclinical ADAD and will foster an improved understanding of AD biomarkers and their relationship to clinical outcomes.
A case of necrotizing sialometaplasia clinically mimicking a malignant tumor of the palate
Authors: Yagihara Kazuhiro , Ishii Junichi , Katsurano Miki , Tsuchida Eri , Okamura Takeshi , Ishikawa Ayataka
Published: March 2018

Necrotizing sialometaplasia is a rare lesion that mimics malignant neoplasm, which is characterized by salivary gland metaplasia, necrosis, and inflammation. We present a case of necrotizing sialometaplasia that presented as an ugly ulcer at the junction of the soft and hard palates; the lesion was clinically suspected to be a malignant lesion.

A 62‐year‐old man was referred to our department with a complaint of severe pain during swallowing. A crater‐like ulcer lesion was observed extending from the maxillary tuberosity to the soft palate. Histopathological diagnosis of necrotizing sialometaplasia was confirmed on biopsy. This lesion was spontaneously relieved.
Successful control of opioid‐refractory cancer pain with methadone in a patient with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma: A case report
Authors: Sekido Katsuhisa , Tomihara Kei , Horikawa Hideyo , Tachinami Hidetake , Murakami Nozomu , Noguchi Makoto
Published: March 2018

Methadone, a synthetic opioid agonist, is used for pain that is refractory to other opioids. However, limited data on its ability to control pain in patients with oral cancer are available. In this study, we present a case of recurrent oral cancer, in which pain was poorly controlled with high‐dose oxycodone but successfully controlled with methadone. A 36‐year‐old male patient was referred to our hospital for the treatment of recurrent oral cancer. His pain no longer responded to increased dosages of oxycodone, and thus oxycodone was switched to methadone. Ultimately, his pain was successfully controlled with methadone throughout his end‐of‐life stage.
Oestrogen, progesterone and stem cells: the discordant trio in endometriosis?
Authors: Susheelamma Chithra Janardhanan , Pillai Sathy M. , Asha Nair Sivakumari
Published: March 2018

Oestrogen–progesterone signalling is highly versatile and critical for the maintenance of healthy endometrium in humans. The genomic and nongenomic signalling cascades initiated by these hormones in differentiated cells of endometrium have been the primary focus of research since 1920s. However, last decade of research has shown a significant role of stem cells in the maintenance of a healthy endometrium and the modulatory effects of hormones on these cells. Endometriosis, the growth of endometrium outside the uterus, is very common in infertile patients and the elusiveness in understanding of disease pathology causes hindrance in selection of treatment approaches to enhance fertility. In endometriosis, the stem cells are dysfunctional as it can confer progesterone resistance to their progenies resulting in disharmony of hormonal orchestration of endometrial homeostasis. The bidirectional communication between stem cell signalling pathways and oestrogen–progesterone signalling is found to be disrupted in endometriosis though it is not clear which precedes the other. In this paper, we review the intricate connection between hormones, stem cells and the cross-talks in their signalling cascades in normal endometrium and discuss how this is deregulated in endometriosis. Re-examination of the oestrogen–progesterone dependency of endometrium with a focus on stem cells is imperative to delineate infertility associated with endometriosis and thereby aid in designing better treatment modalities.
“The Edge of the Abyss”: The Origins of the Israel Lobby, 1949–1954
Authors: Rossinow Doug
Published: March 2018

The main components of the Israel lobby in the United States were organized in the spring of 1954, six years after the State of Israel declared independence, in response to a crisis in U.S.–Israel diplomacy that erupted in October 1953. Israeli soldiers had massacred more than sixty Palestinian villagers in Qibya, on the West Bank, eliciting widespread condemnation; American Jews, in reply, mobilized to defend Israel in new ways. The American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs (later renamed AIPAC) and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, established at this time, displayed two outstanding features. They were Jewish united front organizations that brought together Zionist with “non-Zionist” groups. They also emerged from transnational contacts with Israeli leaders and realities. A staunch near-consensus in defense of Israel in the most trying circumstances established a lasting framework in American Jewish life.
The Spirit of Black Lake: Full Employment, Civil Rights, and the Forgotten Early History of Environmental Justice
Authors: Rector Josiah
Published: March 2018

During the 1970s, activists first popularized the concept of “environmental justice” in the context of growing environmental degradation, racialized urban poverty, and working-class fears of plant closure. To address these problems, leaders in the United Auto Workers and other unions formed coalitions with civil rights and environmental groups, and advocated federal policies that would reduce both pollution and unemployment. This article argues that the defeat of these efforts, and the political marginalization of full employment and other social-democratic goals in the 1980s, resulted in a narrower conception of environmental justice among many scholars and activists. Revisiting this forgotten history calls into question common claims about environmentalism in recent scholarship on the 1970s, and suggests the need to revise conventional narratives of the emergence of the environmental justice movement.
Richard Wright, Bandung, and the Poetics of the Third World
Authors: Bradley Mark Philip
Published: March 2018

“Do you think that whenever I'm talking to someone I'm conscious of whether or not he is ‘white’ or ‘colored’? … I was born a ‘native,’ and I've lived with racial discrimination. But we are free now. I'm no longer a ‘native’ but an Indonesian…. I don't feel inferior to whites, and I don't hate them either,” Sitor Situmorang, a preeminent Indonesian poet and essayist, told African American writer Richard Wright at an April 1955 social gathering in Wright's honor. Growing more agitated, Situmorang raised his voice and continued, “We are against colonialism, but we are not against whites. We struggled for racial equality, not for the belief in another superrace, a colored superrace.”
Land, investments and public-private partnerships: what happened to the Beira Agricultural Growth Corridor in Mozambique?
Authors: Kaarhus Randi
Published: March 2018

Influential discourses present Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as essential for agricultural development in Africa; a parallel, critical debate on ‘land rushes’ has denounced Land Grabs, demanding increased accountability in FDI-based land deals. This article explores an initiative located in central Mozambique, the Beira Agricultural Growth Corridor (BAGC). It shows how the international fertiliser company Yara set out to enrol actors at different levels in business, governance and agricultural development into BAGC as a public-private partnership to promote commercial agriculture. Very soon, however, Yara made shifts in its engagement and market strategy, leaving the BAGC initiative to supporting donors and local producers. The analysis presented here shows how the tension between ‘patient-capital’ requirements, high risks and low immediate returns have shaped this case over time – in a context of a national political economy framed by extractive-resource dynamics.
A Lost Page of Codex Bezae: Traces of the Bezan Greek Text of Acts 10.4–9
Authors: Hixson Elijah
Published: March 2018

Codex Bezae lacks the Greek text of Acts 10.4–14, but the Latin text survives on fol. 455a. Damage to the manuscript has caused traces of ink from the now-lost Greek text to be transferred onto the Latin page of Acts 10.4–14. They preserve a mirror image of text from fol. 454b, the facing page at the time of the damage. By reversing high-resolution images of fol. 455a with photo-editing software, the offset ink can be deciphered. As a result, the surviving Greek text from Acts 10.4–9 in Codex Bezae is published here for the first time.
Lazarus and the Dogs: The Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Strong Justin David
Published: March 2018

This study explores the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, elucidating the details of Lazarus' worldly suffering – what it is that ails him, and whether the dogs are friends or fiends. Fresh evidence from the classical world is brought to bear, including medical texts, miracle stories and philosophical treatises, in addition to overlooked Jewish and Christian testimony. The results establish the plausibility of maladies unrelated to diseases or skin conditions, and reveal the dogs to be positive characters that highlight Lazarus' penury and the rich man's depravity. New avenues into several broader interpretive issues of the parable are explored.
Roman Faith and Christian Faith
Authors: Watson Francis
Published: March 2018

These three short papers were delivered at the 72nd General Meeting of the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas, held in Pretoria, South Africa, on 8–11 August 2017. The ‘Quaestiones disputatae’ session was chaired by the President of the Society, Professor Michael Wolter. The first two papers engage with Teresa Morgan's book, Roman Faith and Christian Faith, and Professor Morgan responds to them in the third.
HEURESIBIOS SON OF SYRISKOS AND THE QUESTION OF TYRANNY IN OLBIA PONTIKE (FIFTH–FOURTH CENTURY BC)
Authors: Porucznik Joanna
Published: March 2018

This paper examines the ancient written, numismatic and archaeological sources that pertain to the political history of Olbia Pontike in the fifth and early fourth centurybc. Several Olbian inscriptions that mention a certain Heuresibios son of Syriskos have been connected with a possible episode of tyranny that may have taken place in the city of Olbia. Most of the inscriptions are in a poor state of preservation and their interpretation has often been based on uncertain reconstructions of the texts; therefore, a re-examination of these inscriptions is provided alongside an analysis of other evidence that provides a broader historical background to the political situation in Olbia during that time. Olbia's status in the Delian League and the Athenian political and cultural influence on Olbia are examined. It is argued that the introduction of a political cult of Zeus Eleutherios was a reaction to a political change in Olbia that resulted in the establishment of democracy. Lastly, the economic and political relationship of the Achaemenid Empire with the North Pontic region, especially in relation to local coinage, is discussed, which allows for a synthesis of the material gathered.
The Long History of “Truth in Lending”
Authors: Fleming Anne
Published: March 2018

This article offers the first comprehensive history of the development of mandatory disclosure rules for the cost of consumer credit. In contrast to prior studies, which begin with the creation of federal disclosure rules in 1968, this story starts with state-level laws that were drafted before World War I. By looking back over a longer time period, it reveals the challenges involved in defining “truth” in lending, and how the perceived purpose of a regulatory technique like mandatory disclosure may change over time. Although the modern APR disclosure metric has come to seem natural and inevitable, history shows that lenders and policymakers once hotly debated the design of disclosure rules, with each faction claiming the mantle of “truth.” Moreover, policymakers did not always view disclosure as a means to increase price competition, obviating the need for direct price controls. Disclosure was once a complement to usury laws, rather than a substitute.
A New Triage Support Tool in Case of Explosion
Authors: Yavari-Sartakhti Olivier , Briche Frédérique , Jost Daniel , Michaud Nicolas , Bignand Michel , Tourtier Jean-Pierre
Published: March 2018

Deafness frequently observed in explosion victims, currently following terrorist attack, is a barrier to communication between victims and first responders. This may result in a delay in the initial triage and evacuation. In such situations, Paris Fire Brigade (Paris, France) proposes the use of assistance cards to help conscious, but deafened patients at the site of an attack where there may be numerous victims.

Yavari-SartakhtiO, BricheF, JostD, MichaudN, BignandM, TourtierJP. A new triage support tool in case of explosion. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(2):213–214.
Latin American Political Economy: Making Sense of a New Reality
Authors: Luna Juan Pablo , Murillo María Victoria , Schrank Andrew
Published: March 2018

This brief article is designed to highlight an unfortunate discrepancy in the field of Latin American political economy. The field’s raison d’être has never been more compelling. Latin American societies have simultaneously been experiencing profound transformations—including democratic consolidation, demographic transition, and the growth of identity politics—and a palpable sense of déjà vu animated by the recovery of commodity prices and the return of populism. In a nutshell, the region is undergoing a deep economic transformation, which takes place in the context of unprecedented levels of political participation.
The Latin American Way
Authors: Limongi Fernando
Published: March 2018

Murilllo, Schrank, and Luna opened up Pandora’s Box. From time to time, scholars need to be warned about what they are doing. They sounded the alarm, and we who study or live in Latin America should thank them for calling us to reason. They are right to call our attention to our past. We are heirs of Hirschman, O’Donnell, Cardoso, and others. Moreover, as the mere reference to these names makes clear, we are members of a community in which political engagement is a must. Latin Americanists are politically committed to the future of the region they were born in or professionally adopted. We study this region because we care about the future of those who live in it.
Dropping the Curtain: The Religious-Secular Party Cleavage in German Morality Politics
Authors: Euchner Eva-Maria , Preidel Caroline
Published: March 2018

This study examines the religious-secular party cleavage in German morality politics from a new perspective by tracing politicization patterns at the individual level. It builds on the idea of issue competition and explores whether conflicts between Christian Democrats and secular parties align with the traditional denominational divide between Catholics and non-Catholics or with religiosity. By means of logistic regressions of Member of Parliaments’ politicization behavior in the German Bundestag (1998–2002) with regard to three morality policies, the study provides evidence that German politics is still structured by a conflict between Catholics and non-Catholics, whereas the influence of religiosity is secondary. If party competition is at work, non-Catholics draw attention to morality policies, while Catholics refrain from doing so. This finding contradicts research pointing to a decreasing significance of Catholicism for Christian Democracy. Moreover, the study proposes an innovative way to re-examine party cleavages at the individual level and in between elections.
Clown-Phobie in der Psychiatrie?
Authors: Hirsch Rolf D.
Published: March 2018

Zusammenfassung. Stellen Sie sich vor: Sie besuchen in einer psychiatrischen Klinik einen Patienten. Auf dem Flur begegnet ihnen eine Person, die einen weißen Kittel mit bunten großen Flecken trägt. Sie hat ein Schild aufgenäht mit „Clowndoktor“. Aus den Kitteltaschen ragen Tröte, Luftschlangen und Gummihämmerchen. Auf dem Kopf ist eine Perücke, im weiß geschminkten Gesicht eine rote Nase. Sie kommt auf sie zu, lächelt sie an und stellt sich als „Dr. Überdruss“ vor. Wie geht es Ihnen? Wie reagieren Sie? Sie sind etwas irritiert und werden denken, „ist das ein irrer Patient? In der ‚Jeckenklinik‘, der ‚Klapse‘ oder dem ‚Irrenhaus‘ ist wohl alles möglich …“
Brief an einen Anfänger, Fortgeschrittenen oder Experten in der psychiatrischen Pflege
Authors: Sauter Dorothea
Published: March 2018

Zusammenfassung. Zum Jahresende 2017 wurde Bruno Hemkendreis in der LWL-Klinik Gütersloh in den Ruhestand verabschiedet; er hatte dort über viele Jahre wegweisende Projekte mitgestaltet. Bekanntheit über die Klinik hinaus hat er nicht nur durch sein berufspolitisches Engagement. Neben anderen Publikationen hat er mit seinen Kolumnen „Brunos Welt“ und „Brunos Universum“ in Fachzeitschriften Akzente gesetzt. Dorothea Sauter ehrte den aktuellen Präsidenten der Deutschen Fachgesellschaft Psychiatrische Pflege (DFPP) mit einen offenen Brief. Sie lehnte sich dabei an den bekannten und lesenswerten „Brief an einen Anfänger“ des Sozialpsychiaters Klaus Dörner (1991) an.
The Wicked Problem of Earthquake Hazard in Developing Countries
Authors: Steckler Michael , Stein Seth , Akhter S. , Seeber Leonardo
Published: March 2018

Earthquake preparation in Bangladesh is a conundrum, where crucial information is missing and investments often involve painful trade-offs.
Micro-scale fusion in dense relativistic nanowire array plasmas
Authors: Curtis Alden , Calvi Chase , Tinsley James , Hollinger Reed , Kaymak Vural , Pukhov Alexander , Wang Shoujun , Rockwood Alex , Wang Yong , Shlyaptsev Vyacheslav N. , Rocca Jorge J.
Published: March 2018

Nuclear fusion is regularly created in spherical plasma compressions driven by multi-kilojoule pulses from the world’s largest lasers. Here we demonstrate a dense fusion environment created by irradiating arrays of deuterated nanostructures with joule-level pulses from a compact ultrafast laser. The irradiation of ordered deuterated polyethylene nanowires arrays with femtosecond pulses of relativistic intensity creates ultra-high energy density plasmas in which deuterons (D) are accelerated up to MeV energies, efficiently driving D–D fusion reactions and ultrafast neutron bursts. We measure up to 2 × 106 fusion neutrons per joule, an increase of about 500 times with respect to flat solid targets, a record yield for joule-level lasers. Moreover, in accordance with simulation predictions, we observe a rapid increase in neutron yield with laser pulse energy. The results will impact nuclear science and high energy density research and can lead to bright ultrafast quasi-monoenergetic neutron point sources for imaging and materials studies.
An Epidemiological Human Disease Network Derived from Disease Co-occurrence in Taiwan
Authors: Jiang Yefei , Ma Shuangge , Shia Ben-Chang , Lee Tian-Shyug
Published: March 2018

In “classic” biomedical research, diseases have usually been studied individually. The pioneering human disease network (HDN) studies jointly consider a large number of diseases, analyse their interconnections, and provide a more comprehensive description of diseases. However, most of the existing HDN studies are based on molecular information and can only partially describe disease interconnections. Building on the unique Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), in this study, we construct the epidemiological HDN (eHDN), where two diseases are concluded as interconnected if their observed probability of co-occurrence deviating that expected under independence. Advancing from the existing HDN, the eHDN can also accommodate non-molecular connections and have more important practical implications. Building on the network construction, we examine important network properties such as connectivity, module, hub, and others and describe their temporal patterns. This study is among the first to systematically construct the eHDN and can have important implications for human disease research and health care and management.
Optical pulse width modulation based TDM-PON monitoring with asymmetric loop in ONUs
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Sun Xiaohan
Published: March 2018

We propose a time division multiplexing passive optical network (TDM-PON) monitoring scheme based on the optical pulse width modulation (OPWM) by using a simple asymmetric loop (AL) located near the optical network unit (ONU). Various pulse widths can be easily obtained by configuring the appropriate length of the patchcord used to generate the path difference between two branches of a 1 × 2 splitter. Different wavelengths can be assigned to the same pulse width, which can further increase the network size. The optimized parameters of the AL are investigated and analysis models are established. The calculation results show that the proposed scheme has smaller correlation distance (CD) and lower multiple-customers interference probability (MCIP) than the periodic coding (PC) scheme. A simplified PON system with 8 ONUs is set up to experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed scheme. The network recognition processing used to identify the reflected monitoring signals in the proposed scheme is simple, especially compared with the reduced complexity maximum likelihood sequence estimation (RC-MLSE) used in the typical PC scheme.
Detection of mutations in MYOC, OPTN, NTF4, WDR36 and CYP1B1 in Chinese juvenile onset open-angle glaucoma using exome sequencing
Authors: Huang Chukai , Xie Lijing , Wu Zhenggen , Cao Yingjie , Zheng Yuqian , Pang Chi-Pui , Zhang Mingzhi
Published: March 2018

Juvenile onset open-angle glaucoma (JOAG) affects patients before 40 years of age, causing high intraocular pressure and severe optic nerve damage. To expand the mutation spectrum of the causative genes in JOAG, with a view to identify novel disease-causing mutations, we investigated MYOC, OPTN, NTF4, WDR36 and CYP1B1 in a cohort of 67 unrelated Chinese JOAG patients. Whole exome sequencing was used to identify possible pathogenic mutations, which were further excluded in normal controls. After sequencing and the use of a database pipeline, as well as predictive assessment filtering, we identified a total of six mutations in three genes, MYOC, OPTN and CYP1B1. Among them, 2 heterozygous mutations in MYOC (c. 1109C > T, p. (P370L); c. 1150G > C, p. (D384H)), 2 heterozygous mutations in OPTN (c. 985A > G, p.(R329G); c. 1481T > G, p. (L494W)) and 2 homozygous mutations in CYP1B1 (c. 1412T > G, p.(I471S); c. 1169G > A, p.(R390H)) were identified as potentially causative mutations. No mutation was detected in NTF4 or WDR36. Our results enrich the mutation spectra and frequencies of MYOC, OPTN and CYP1B1 in JOAG among the Chinese population. Further studies are needed to address the pathogenicity of each of the mutations detected in this study.
Time-resolved measurements of fast electron recirculation for relativistically intense femtosecond scale laser-plasma interactions
Authors: Green J. S. , Booth N. , Dance R. J. , Gray R. J. , MacLellan D. A. , Marshall A. , McKenna P. , Murphy C. D. , Ridgers C. P. , Robinson A. P. L. , Rusby D. , Scott R. H. H. , Wilson L.
Published: March 2018

A key issue in realising the development of a number of applications of high-intensity lasers is the dynamics of the fast electrons produced and how to diagnose them. We report on measurements of fast electron transport in aluminium targets in the ultra-intense, short-pulse (<50 fs) regime using a high resolution temporally and spatially resolved optical probe. The measurements show a rapidly (≈0.5c) expanding region of Ohmic heating at the rear of the target, driven by lateral transport of the fast electron population inside the target. Simulations demonstrate that a broad angular distribution of fast electrons on the order of 60° is required, in conjunction with extensive recirculation of the electron population, in order to drive such lateral transport. These results provide fundamental new insight into fast electron dynamics driven by ultra-short laser pulses, which is an important regime for the development of laser-based radiation and particle sources.
Ultrafast surface modification of Ni3S2 nanosheet arrays with Ni-Mn bimetallic hydroxides for high-performance supercapacitors
Authors: Zou Xu , Sun Qing , Zhang Yuxin , Li Guo-Dong , Liu Yipu , Wu Yuanyuan , Yang Lan , Zou Xiaoxin
Published: March 2018

Amorphous Ni-Mn bimetallic hydroxide film on the three-dimensional nickle foam (NF)-supported conductive Ni3S2 nanosheets (denoted as Ni-Mn-OH@Ni3S2/NF) is successfully synthesized by an ultrafast process (5 s). The fascinating structural characteristic endows Ni-Mn-OH@Ni3S2/NF electrodes better electrochemical performance. The specific capacitance of 2233.3 F g−1 at a current density of 15 A g−1 can achieve high current density charge and discharge at 20/30 A g−1 that the corresponding capacitance is 1529.16 and 1350 F g−1, respectively. As well as good cycling performance after 1000 cycles can maintain 72% at 15 A g−1. The excellent performance can be attributed to unique surface modification nanostructures and the synergistic effect of the bimetallic hydroxide film. The impressive results provide new opportunity to produce advanced electrode materials by simple and green route and this material is expected to apply in high energy density storage systems.
G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Gpr17 Regulates Oligodendrocyte Differentiation in Response to Lysolecithin-Induced Demyelination
Authors: Lu Changqing , Dong Lihua , Zhou Hui , Li Qianmei , Huang Guojiao , Bai Shu jun , Liao Linchuan
Published: March 2018

Oligodendrocytes are the myelin-producing cells of the central nervous system (CNS). A variety of brain disorders from “classical” demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, schizophrenia, depression, Down syndrome and autism, are shown myelination defects. Oligodendrocyte myelination is regulated by a complex interplay of intrinsic, epigenetic and extrinsic factors. Gpr17 (G protein-coupled receptor 17) is a G protein-coupled receptor, and has been identified to be a regulator for oligodendrocyte development. Here, we demonstrate that the absence of Gpr17 enhances remyelination in vivo with a toxin-induced model whereby focal demyelinated lesions are generated in spinal cord white matter of adult mice by localized injection of LPC(L-a-lysophosphatidylcholine). The increased expression of the activated form of Erk1/2 (phospho-Erk1/2) in lesion areas suggested the potential role of Erk1/2 activity on the Gpr17-dependent modulation of myelination. The absence of Gpr17 enhances remyelination is correlate with the activated Erk1/2 (phospho-Erk1/2).Being a membrane receptor, Gpr17 represents an ideal druggable target to be exploited for innovative regenerative approaches to acute and chronic CNS diseases.
Prediction and interpretation of deleterious coding variants in terms of protein structural stability
Authors: Ancien François , Pucci Fabrizio , Godfroid Maxime , Rooman Marianne
Published: March 2018

The classification of human genetic variants into deleterious and neutral is a challenging issue, whose complexity is rooted in the large variety of biophysical mechanisms that can be responsible for disease conditions. For non-synonymous mutations in structured proteins, one of these is the protein stability change, which can lead to loss of protein structure or function. We developed a stability-driven knowledge-based classifier that uses protein structure, artificial neural networks and solvent accessibility-dependent combinations of statistical potentials to predict whether destabilizing or stabilizing mutations are disease-causing. Our predictor yields a balanced accuracy of 71% in cross validation. As expected, it has a very high positive predictive value of 89%: it predicts with high accuracy the subset of mutations that are deleterious because of stability issues, but is by construction unable of classifying variants that are deleterious for other reasons. Its combination with an evolutionary-based predictor increases the balanced accuracy up to 75%, and allowed predicting more than 1/4 of the variants with 95% positive predictive value. Our method, called SNPMuSiC, can be used with both experimental and modeled structures and compares favorably with other prediction tools on several independent test sets. It constitutes a step towards interpreting variant effects at the molecular scale. SNPMuSiC is freely available at https://soft.dezyme.com/.
A Novel Hierarchical Template Matching Model for Cardiac Motion Estimation
Authors: Bhalodiya Jayendra M. , Palit Arnab , Tiwari Manoj K. , Prasad Sanjay K. , Bhudia Sunil K. , Arvanitis Theodoros N. , Williams Mark A.
Published: March 2018

Cardiovascular disease diagnosis and prognosis can be improved by measuring patient-specific in-vivo local myocardial strain using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Local myocardial strain can be determined by tracking the movement of sample muscles points during cardiac cycle using cardiac motion estimation model. The tracking accuracy of the benchmark Free Form Deformation (FFD) model is greatly affected due to its dependency on tunable parameters and regularisation function. Therefore, Hierarchical Template Matching (HTM) model, which is independent of tunable parameters, regularisation function, and image-specific features, is proposed in this article. HTM has dense and uniform points correspondence that provides HTM with the ability to estimate local muscular deformation with a promising accuracy of less than half a millimetre of cardiac wall muscle. As a result, the muscles tracking accuracy has been significantly (p < 0.001) improved (30%) compared to the benchmark model. Such merits of HTM provide reliably calculated clinical measures which can be incorporated into the decision-making process of cardiac disease diagnosis and prognosis.
Dressed state dynamics of two-component Bose-Einstein Condensates in state-dependent potentials
Authors: Ye Qinzhou , Huang Jiahao , Zhuang Min , Zhong Honghua , Lee Chaohong
Published: March 2018

Dressed potentials realized by coupling state-dependent bare potentials with external fields have important applications in trapping and manipulating atoms. Here, we study the dynamics of dressed states for coupled two-component Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in state-dependent potentials. Through both analytical and numerical methods, we find that the dressed state dynamics sensitively depend on both the inter-component coupling strength and the initial state. If the inter-component coupling is strong enough and the initial wave packet is located at the potential minimum, the dressed states can be decoupled and the Josephson oscillations and macroscopic quantum self-trapping appear. However, if the initial wave packet is located far away from the potential minimum, the wave packet will acquire a large kinetic energy and Landau-Zener transitiozs between the dressed states occur at the avoided-crossing point. Further, we give the validity ranges and conditions for the formation of adiabatic potentials, where the influences of Landau-Zener transitions can be ignored. Our results give an insight on how the inter-component coupling affects the dressed state dynamics and how to realize adiabatic potentials with BECs in state-dependent potentials.
Origami-based self-folding of co-cultured NIH/3T3 and HepG2 cells into 3D microstructures
Authors: He Qian , Okajima Takaharu , Onoe Hiroaki , Subagyo Agus , Sueoka Kazuhisa , Kuribayashi-Shigetomi Kaori
Published: March 2018

This paper describes an origami-inspired self-folding method to form three-dimensional (3D) microstructures of co-cultured cells. After a confluent monolayer of fibroblasts (NIH/3T3 cells) with loaded hepatocytes (HepG2 cells) was cultured onto two-dimensional (2D) microplates, degradation of the alginate sacrificial layer in the system by addition of alginate lyase triggered NIH/3T3 cells to self-fold the microplates around HepG2 cells, and then 3D cell co-culture microstructures were spontaneously formed. Using this method, we can create a large number of 3D cell co-culture microstructures swiftly with ease in the same time. We find that HepG2 cells confined in the 3D cell co-culture microstructures have an ability to enhance the secreted albumin compared to 2D system in a long culture period. The result indicates that the origami-based cell self-folding technique presented here is useful in regenerative medicine and the preclinical stage of drug development.
Energy allocation and behaviour in the growing broiler chicken
Authors: Tickle Peter G. , Hutchinson John R. , Codd Jonathan R.
Published: March 2018

Broiler chickens are increasingly at the forefront of global meat production but the consequences of fast growth and selection for an increase in body mass on bird health are an ongoing concern for industry and consumers. To better understand the implications of selection we evaluated energetics and behaviour over the 6-week hatch-to-slaughter developmental period in a commercial broiler. The effect of posture on resting metabolic rate becomes increasingly significant as broilers grow, as standing became more energetically expensive than sitting. The proportion of overall metabolic rate accounted for by locomotor behaviour decreased over development, corresponding to declining activity levels, mean and peak walking speeds. These data are consistent with the inference that broilers allocate energy to activity within a constrained metabolic budget and that there is a reducing metabolic scope for exercise throughout their development. Comparison with similarly sized galliforms reveals that locomotion is relatively energetically expensive in broilers.