bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional classification
Authors: Packalén Saara
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper was to uncover the various difficulties that record-keeping professionals face when they maintain and use functional classification (FC) in Finnish public-sector organisations. An additional aim was to find out how they handle those difficulties in the course of their work.

Design/methodology/approach

– In all, 22 record-keeping professionals, at three Finnish public-sector organisations, were interviewed. The data generated were then analysed with qualitative methods.

Findings

– The study identified several difficulties that record-keeping professionals encounter in maintaining and using FC in various ways. In the main, however, the difficulties were not perceived as substantial. The participants had several methods of handling the difficulties in carrying out their work. The study also pointed to a clash between maintenance of FC systems and needs in other contexts of their use.

Research limitations/implications

– The difficulties faced and the means of handling them were evaluated only from interviews with record-keeping professionals at three Finnish public-sector organisations. Observation of real-world situations or performance of usability tests might have highlighted different difficulties or even revealed unidentified issues.

Practical implications

– Concrete improvements could be performed in organisations for better use of FC. The difficulties identified could be addressed also in FC design and in user training. The results of the study are of relevance for future research into FC’s use.

Originality/value

– The study highlights difficulties faced in maintaining and using FC systems. Identification of the various perceptions linked to maintenance and concrete use could be of importance in implementation of FC in organisations.
The “middle archive” exploring the practical and theoretical implications of a new concept in Sweden
Authors: Klareld Ann-Sofie
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study how the concept “middle archive” is related to the Swedish archival theory and practice, by exploring its background and its practical and theoretical implications. The overarching aim is to increase the understanding of the interrelations between the archival theory and practice, with a special focus on changes occurring in the digital environment in Sweden.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on a qualitative study of texts produced between 2010 and 2013, which were read and analyzed iteratively. The research design and analysis is inspired by Dryden (2014) who recommends taking the context into account. The three types of digital repository developed by Millar (2010) are used as a comparison to further extend the understanding of the concept of the “middle archive”.

Findings

– The findings indicate that the “middle archive” was introduced as a solution to practical problems of managing digital records, and that there is a need to further discuss how the term relates to existing theoretical, legal and administrative contexts.

Research limitations/implications

– The study is limited to contemporary Sweden. The researcher did not follow the discussions and drafts which contributed to the development of the final definitions of the “middle archive”.

Originality/value

– The study contributes to the research and development of archival concepts, with a special focus on recent developments in Sweden. The paper highlights some of the challenges relating to archives and records in the context of e- government development.
Secularism and atheism: reference and popular sources and debate
Authors: Hannabuss Stuart
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to provide an overview of the current cultural and theological debate on secularism and atheism, and evaluate the debate with reference to recent sources on secularism and atheism.

Design/methodology/approach

– Reference and popular works in academic/research and public libraries were examined with reference to the wider historiography of discussion about faith and belief and unbelief.

Findings

– Academic and popular commentary on faith and belief and unbelief, which appears to operate in two distinct strands (faith/belief and faith/unbelief), is, after confrontations with “New Atheism”, converging and teasing out ways towards inclusive spirituality.

Originality/value

– Theological and divinity studies are opening up their inquiry to new cultural and epistemological models, fusions of traditional scriptural and interpretative approaches that more closely reflect post-Christian thinking. These transitions are reflected in reference and popular publications about faith and belief and unbelief, and are of interest to collection developers in libraries.
Seed development in the rare cold desert sand dune shrub Eremosparton songoricum and a comparison with other papilionoid legumes
Authors: Liu Hui‐Liang , Abudureheman Buhailiqiemu , Baskin Jerry M. , Baskin Carol C. , Zhang Dao‐Yuan
Published: June 2015

No study has yet been carried out on seed development in a cold desert sand dune papilionoid legume. Thus, our primary aims were to (i) monitor seed development in the cold desert sand dune species Eremosparton songoricum from the time of pollination to seed maturity, and (ii) compare seed development in this species with that in other species of papilionoid legumes. Fruit and seed size, mass and seed moisture content, and seed imbibition, germination, desiccation tolerance and water retention during development (pollination to seed maturity) were monitored in the papilionaceous shrub E. songoricum in the Gurbantunggut Desert of northwest China. The duration of seed development was 40 days. Seeds reached physiological maturity 28 days after pollination (DAP), at which time 58% of them germinated and they had developed desiccation tolerance. Seeds became impermeable 36–40 DAP, when their moisture content was about 10%. The final stage of maturation drying occurred via loss of water through the hilum. The developmental stages and their timing (DAP) in seeds of E. songoricum are generally similar to those reported for other papilionaceous legumes with a water‐impermeable seed coat (physical dormancy). In general, the developmental features of seeds with water‐impermeable coats at maturity do not appear to be specific to habitat or phylogeny.
Making Sense of the ‘Difficult’ Past: Transmission of Political Heritage and Memory-Work Among Young People Across Europe
Authors: Popov Anton , Deák Dušan
Published: June 2015

This article considers young people's socialization into mnemonic communities in 14 European countries. It argues that such socialization is an intersubjective and selective process that, to a great degree, depends on the particular social environment that conditions the discourses on pasts available to young people. Drawing on memory studies, it recognizes memory as a valid alternative to the institutionalized past (history) but envisages the two as inextricably connected. Given this, it identifies several strategies adopted by young people in order to socialize understandings of the past. While these strategies vary, some reveal receptivity to populist and far right ideologies. Our study demonstrates how internalization of political heritage via mnemonic socialization within families is conditioned by both the national political agenda and socio-economic situation experienced across Europe.
Populism, Ideology and Contradiction: Mapping Young People's Political Views
Authors: Pollock Gary , Brock Tom , Ellison Mark
Published: June 2015

Forms of populism have long been a component of modern political discourse and systems where democracy relies upon popular legitimacy. There is, however, an uneasy relationship between some widely held views of ‘the people’ and the parties which seek to govern them. Contemporary academic and political discourse on populism often equates these views with right-wing politics, whilst some radical scholars, suggest that these views, whilst controversial, are nonetheless examples of democratic expression. Using survey evidence from 14 European countries, we show that young people take up a mixture of political positions, some of which are strongly associated with indices of populism – cynicism, authoritarianism, nativism, xenophobia – others of which do not map neatly onto the typical ‘left-right’ spectrum. We find evidence that some young people hold contradictory, often conflicting political viewpoints, which are reflective of the historical and cultural contexts of each location rather than of a ‘populist’ ideology. Where some theorists might use the term ‘populism’ pejoratively to denote a poorly and emotively grounded political ideology, we argue that this description denies its democratic legitimacy, as evidence suggests that young people draw on populist rhetoric to articulate views that are more reflective of local and regional concerns.
Support for Far Right Ideology and Anti-Migrant Attitudes among Youth in Europe: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Mieriņa Inta , Koroļeva Ilze
Published: June 2015

The last decade has seen a notable increase in support for far right parties and an alarming rise of right-wing extremism across Europe. Drawing on a new comparative youth survey in 14 European countries, this article provides deeper insight into young people's support for nationalist and far right ideology: negative attitudes towards minorities, xenophobia, welfare chauvinism and exclusionism in relation to migrants. We first map the support for far right ideology among youth in Europe, and then use multilevel regression analysis (16,935 individuals nested in 30 locations) to investigate which individual or contextual factors are associated with a higher propensity among young people towards getting involved in far right movements.
Golden Dawn, Austerity and Young People: The Rise of Fascist Extremism Among Young People in Contemporary Greek Society
Authors: Koronaiou Alexandra , Lagos Evangelos , Sakellariou Alexandros , Kymionis Stelios , Chiotaki-Poulou Irini
Published: June 2015

The contemporary rise of popular support for fascism is investigated in this article through an examination of Golden Dawn's remarkable appeal to a section of Greek youth. This leads to the problematization of mainstream explanatory and interpretive discourses that attribute Golden Dawn's electoral and political attractiveness almost exclusively to anger and a will to punish the political system which is regarded as being responsible for the country's collapse and the harsh consequences of austerity and recession. Drawing upon the findings of ethnographic research on Golden Dawn and its young voters' and supporters' ideology and political activism conducted as part of the MYPLACE project, we argue that Golden Dawn's young voters and supporters are much more than angry youth. Their choice to support a fascist political agenda and practice cannot be reduced solely to an emotional reaction to the crisis but rests on wider ideological and political affinities and links that have been building over the previous two or three decades. In this sense, the contemporary rise of fascism in Greece appears as not merely a straightforward and simple outcome of the crisis but the complex result of previous socio-political transformations, sharpened, magnified and accelerated by the current systemic crash.
Using the Wider Pedagogical Role model to establish learning support assistants' views about facilitators and barriers to effective practice
Authors: Cockroft Charlotte , Atkinson Cathy
Published: June 2015

This article reports on small‐scale research exploring the views of learning support assistants (LSAs) about facilitators and barriers to effective practice. A focus group was conveyed involving all the LSAs working in one mainstream primary school in the north‐west of England and thematic analysis was used to interrogate the resultant dataset. The Wider Pedagogical Role (WPR) model (Webster et al., 2011) was used as a deductive framework to conceptualise these findings under the headings of practice, deployment, conditions of employment, preparedness and characteristics. Findings revealed that LSAs could readily identify current facilitators and barriers under each of the five components, highlighting the usefulness of the WPR model. Possibilities for future research, including the refinement and further development of the WPR, are briefly discussed.
Implementing vision research in special needs education
Authors: Wilhelmsen Gunvor Birkeland , Aanstad Monica L. , Leirvik Eva Iren B.
Published: June 2015

This article presents experiences from vision research implemented in education and argues for the need for teachers with visual competence and insight into suitable methods for stimulation and learning. A new type of continuing professional development (CPD) focuses on the role of vision in children's learning and development, the consequences of frequently occurring vision disturbances and related new educational possibilities. Participating teachers undertake a period of practical teaching training in their home community. Two students' cases visualise the need to break out of the narrow definition of visual impairment and become capable of evaluating the visual challenges affecting many pupils and their learning. The two cases presented represent various issues of visual challenges; both reached a better functional level, including better reading, following improved vision after the educational interventions. These results illustrate that vision competence in schools is most useful and ought to be widely accessible.
Screening of β‐Glucosidase and β‐Xylosidase Activities in Four Non‐Saccharomyces Yeast Isolates
Authors: López María Consuelo , Mateo José Juan , Maicas Sergi
Published: June 2015

The finding of new isolates of non‐Saccharomyces yeasts, showing beneficial enzymes (such as β‐glucosidase and β‐xylosidase), can contribute to the production of quality wines. In a selection and characterization program, we have studied 114 isolates of non‐Saccharomyces yeasts. Four isolates were selected because of their both high β‐glucosidase and β‐xylosidase activities. The ribosomal D1/D2 regions were sequenced to identify them as Pichia membranifaciens Pm7, Hanseniaspora vineae Hv3, H. uvarum Hu8, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus Wa1. The induction process was optimized to be carried on YNB‐medium supplemented with 4% xylan, inoculated with 106 cfu/mL and incubated 48 h at 28 °C without agitation. Most of the strains had a pH optimum of 5.0 to 6.0 for both the β‐glucosidase and β‐xylosidase activities. The effect of sugars was different for each isolate and activity. Each isolate showed a characteristic set of inhibition, enhancement or null effect for β‐glucosidase and β‐xylosidase. The volatile compounds liberated from wine incubated with each of the 4 yeasts were also studied, showing an overall terpene increase (1.1 to 1.3‐folds) when wines were treated with non‐Saccharomyces isolates. In detail, terpineol, 4‐vinyl‐phenol and 2‐methoxy‐4‐vinylphenol increased after the addition of Hanseniaspora isolates. Wines treated with Hanseniaspora, Wickerhamomyces, or Pichia produced more 2‐phenyl ethanol than those inoculated with other yeasts.
Starting aDNAbarcode reference library for shallow water polychaetes from the southern European Atlantic coast
Authors: Lobo Jorge , Teixeira Marcos A. L. , Borges Luisa M. S. , Ferreira Maria S. G. , Hollatz Claudia , Gomes Pedro T. , Sousa Ronaldo , Ravara Ascensão , Costa Maria H. , Costa Filipe O.
Published: June 2015

Annelid polychaetes have been seldom the focus of dedicatedDNAbarcoding studies, despite their ecological relevance and often dominance, particularly in soft‐bottom estuarine and coastal marine ecosystems. Here, we report the first assessment of the performance ofDNAbarcodes in the discrimination of shallow water polychaete species from the southern European Atlantic coast, focusing on specimens collected in estuaries and coastal ecosystems of Portugal. We analysed cytochrome oxidase IDNAbarcodes (COI‐5P) from 164 specimens, which were assigned to 51 morphospecies. To our data set from Portugal, we added available published sequences selected from the same species, genus or family, to inspect for taxonomic congruence among studies and collection location. The final data set comprised 290 specimens and 79 morphospecies, which generated 99 Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) within Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). Among these, 22BINs were singletons, 47 otherBINs were concordant, confirming the initial identification based on morphological characters, and 30 were discordant, most of which consisted on multipleBINs found for the same morphospecies. Some of the most prominent cases in the latter category includeHediste diversicolor(O.F. Müller, 1776) (7),Eulalia viridis(Linnaeus, 1767) (2) andOwenia fusiformis (delle Chiaje, 1844) (5), all of them reported from Portugal and frequently used in ecological studies as environmental quality indicators. Our results for these species showed discordance between molecular lineages and morphospecies, or added additional relatively divergent lineages. The potential inaccuracies in environmental assessments, where underpinning polychaete species diversity is poorly resolved or clarified, demand additional and extensive investigation of theDNAbarcode diversity in this group, in parallel with alpha taxonomy efforts.
netview p: a network visualization tool to unravel complex population structure using genome‐wide SNPs
Authors: Steinig Eike J. , Neuditschko Markus , Khatkar Mehar S. , Raadsma Herman W. , Zenger Kyall R.
Published: June 2015

Network‐based approaches are emerging as valuable tools for the analysis of complex genetic structure in wild and captive populations. netview p combines data quality control with the construction of population networks through mutual k‐nearest neighbours thresholds applied to genome‐wide SNPs. The program is cross‐platform compatible, open‐source and efficiently operates on data ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of SNPs. The pipeline was used for the analysis of pedigree data from simulated (n = 750, SNPs = 1279) and captive silver‐lipped pearl oysters (n = 415, SNPs = 1107), wild populations of the European hake from the Atlantic and Mediterranean (n = 834, SNPs = 380) and grey wolves from North America (n = 239, SNPs = 78 255). The population networks effectively visualize large‐ and fine‐scale genetic structure within and between populations, including family‐level structure and relationships. netview p comprises a network‐based addition to other population analysis tools and provides user‐friendly access to a complex network analysis pipeline through implementation in python.
Pain‐related psychological distress, self‐rated health and significance of neuropathic pain in Danish soldiers injured in Afghanistan
Authors: Duffy J. R. , Warburg F. E. , Koelle S.‐F. T. , Werner M. U. , Nielsen P. R.
Published: June 2015

Background

Pain and mental health concerns are prevalent among veterans. While the majority of research has focused on chronic pain as an entity, there has been little work directed towards investigating the role of neuropathic pain in relation to psychological comorbidity.

As such, we hypothesised that participants with signs of neuropathic pain would report higher levels of psychological distress and diminished self‐rated health compared to those without a neuropathic component.

Methods

A retrospective review of standardised questionnaires (PainDETECT Questionnaire, Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist‐Civilian, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and EuroQOL Visual Analogue Scale) administered to injured soldiers. The participants were classified into three groups according to the PainDETECT questionnaire: non‐neuropathic pain, possible neuropathic pain and definite neuropathic pain.

Results

Fifty‐three participants were included. The Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist‐Civilian score was in median (interquartile range) 26 (22–31), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score was 4 (2–6.5) and 2 (1–5) for anxiety and depression respectively. Evidence of neuropathic pain correlated positively with the Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist‐Civilian score (rho = 0.469, P < 0.001) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale subscale for anxiety score (rho = 0.357, P = 0.009), and inversely with the EuroQOL Visual Analogue Scale score (rho = −0.361, P = 0.008). In multivariate regression analyses, the associations remained when adjusting for socio‐demographics and clinical characteristics.

Conclusions

The results from the present study suggest that neuropathic pain is related to increased psychological distress and deterioration in self‐rated health in injured soldiers.
A systems approach to reducing maternal obesity: The Health in Preconception, Pregnancy and Postbirth (HIPPP) Collaborative
Authors: Skouteris Helen , Huang Terry , Millar Lynne , Kuhlberg Jill , Dodd Jodie , Callaway Leonie , Forster Della , Collins Clare , Hills Andrew , Harrison Paul , Nagle Cate , Moodie Marj , Teede Helena
Published: June 2015

Obesity in our childbearing population has increased to epidemic proportions in developed countries; efforts to address this issue need to focus on prevention. The Health in Preconception, Pregnancy and Postbirth (HIPPP) Collaborative – a group of researchers, practitioners, policymakers and end‐users – was formed to take up the challenge to address this issue as a partnership. Application of systems thinking, participatory systems modelling and group model building was used to establish research questions aiming to optimise periconception lifestyle, weight and health. Our goal was to reduce the burden of maternal obesity through systems change.
Association of cord blood vitamin D at delivery with postpartum depression in Australian women
Authors: Gould Jacqueline F. , Anderson Amanda J. , Yelland Lisa N. , Smithers Lisa G. , Skeaff C. Murray , Gibson Robert A. , Makrides Maria
Published: June 2015

Background

Observational studies have implicated low serum vitamin D (25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)) levels in the development of mood disorders. Postpartum depression (PPD) is an important public health issue, although little is known about its association with serum 25(OH)D.

Aims

To determine the association between 25(OH)D at delivery and the subsequent risk of PPD at six weeks and six months postpartum in a large cohort of Australian women.

Materials and Methods

Cord blood samples from 1040 women participating in the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to Optimise Maternal Infant Outcome randomised controlled trial were analysed for 25(OH)D by mass spectroscopy. Maternal PPD was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at six weeks and six months postpartum. The association between standardised 25(OH)D and PPD was assessed, taking into account DHA treatment, social and demographic variables.

Results

There was no association between cord blood 25(OH)D concentration at delivery and PPD at either six weeks or six months postpartum. Cord blood 25(OH)D 25–50 and >50 nmol/L at delivery was associated with decreased risk of PPD at six weeks postpartum compared with 25(OH)D <25 nmol/L in the control group, but not the DHA group. There was no association between cord blood 25(OH)D <25 nmol/L at delivery and PPD at six months postpartum.

Conclusions

This largest study to date of 25(OH)D levels at delivery and PPD did not reveal a consistent link with PPD.
A randomised controlled trial of oral zinc sulphate for primary dysmenorrhoea in adolescent females
Authors: Zekavat Omid R. , Karimi Mohammad Y. , Amanat Aida , Alipour Farzaneh
Published: June 2015

Background

Primary dysmenorrhoea, the most common gynaecologic problem of adolescent females, is commonly treated with nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs or oral contraceptive pills.

Aim

To compare the effect of zinc sulphate with that of placebo on the control of pain severity and duration in adolescent girls with primary dysmenorrhoea.

Materials and Methods

In a three‐month randomised double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trial, 120 adolescent females with primary dysmenorrhoea were randomly divided into two groups of sixty: an intervention group (zinc) and a control group (placebo). Zinc was administered in the form of a capsule containing 50 mg/day zinc sulphate beginning on the first day of menses and continuing until three days prior to the end of menses. Each month, the duration and severity of primary dysmenorrhoea were determined. Severity scoring was performed by using a 0–10 scaling system.

Results

In the first month, the duration of pain was significantly lower in the zinc group compared with the placebo group (P‐value = 0.044), while there was no significant difference in pain severity between the groups (P‐value = 0.497). In the second and third month, pain severity and duration in the zinc group were significantly lower than the placebo group (P‐value <0.001).

Conclusion

Both pain duration and pain severity were decreased by taking oral zinc. The results of our interventional study suggests that zinc may be used to treat primary dysmenorrhoea in adolescents.
Anaerobic blood culture isolates in a Norwegian university hospital: identification by MALDI‐TOF MS vs 16S rRNA sequencing and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles
Authors: Handal Nina , Bakken Jørgensen Silje , Smith Tunsjø Hege , Johnsen Bjørn Odd , Leegaard Truls Michael
Published: June 2015

We investigated 197 anaerobic isolates recovered from blood cultures in the period 2009–2013. The isolates included were Bacteroides spp., Clostridium spp., Prevotella spp., Fusobacterium spp. and Gram‐positive anaerobic cocci (GPAC). Identification results by MALDI‐TOF MS were compared to those obtained by 16S rRNA sequencing, and the MICs of benzylpenicillin, clindamycin, piperacillin‐tazobactam, meropenem and metronidazole were determined by Etests. The MALDI‐TOF MS correctly identified 94.9% of the anaerobes to the genus level, and 86.8% to the species level, with errors mainly among the non‐fragilis Bacteroides spp. and GPAC. About 73.3% of the isolates were non‐susceptible to penicillin, mainly due to high resistance rates in the Bacteroides spp. (99.2%) and Prevotella spp. (69.2%). About 18.5% of the isolates were clindamycin resistant. Piperacillin‐tazobactam had an excellent activity against all anaerobes except the non‐fragilis Bacteroides spp., of which 43.8% were non‐susceptible. The clinical significance of such a high resistance rate is unclear. Meropenem and metronidazole were the most active antibiotics, with 96.9% and 97.9% of the isolates being susceptible.
The Chronology of Settlements with Pre‐Inca and Inca Occupations Superimposed: the Case of Pucará de Tilcara (Humahuaca Gorge, Argentina)
Authors: Greco C. , Otero C.
Published: June 2015

The region of the Central and South Andes was, in about the ninth and 15th centuries ad, the stage for the development of political systems tending towards demographic centralization in villages with defensive structures, known as Pucará. The chronological accuracy for these phenomena still remains uncertain, mainly because it involves intervals of long and superimposed occupations, masked by the Inca domination. Thus, this paper analyses the history of the occupation at Pucará de Tilcara, one of the biggest populated centres of the Humahuaca Gorge (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Argentina). Twenty‐five radiocarbon dates are critically evaluated to judge its reliability. The Bayesian statistics show that all the dated spaces were used on a long‐term basis. The most ancient signs are in the middens and relate at least to the 10th century ad, and the occupation of the housing areas could be calculated to the 13th and 16th centuries. A phase of higher intensity of occupation is observed during the Inca period. This redefinition of this site occupation shows the need to statistically analyse the dates in order to differentiate the phases of occupation.
Grazing‐induced changes in muscle microRNA‐206 and ‐208b expression in association with myogenic gene expression in cattle
Authors: Horikawa Akihiko , Ogasawara Hideki , Okada Kaito , Kobayashi Misato , Muroya Susumu , Hojito Masayuki
Published: June 2015

To investigate the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in muscle type conversion, the effects of 4 months of grazing on the expression levels of miRNAs and mRNAs associated with skeletal muscle development were analyzed by quantitative RT‐PCR using the Biceps femoris muscle of Japanese Shorthorn cattle. After 4 months of grazing, the expression of muscle fiber type‐associated miR‐208b was higher in the grazed cattle than in the housed. In concordance with the pattern in miR‐208b expression, the expression of MyoD, a myogenic regulatory factor associated with the shifting of muscle property to the fast type, was lower in the grazed cattle after 4 months of grazing than in the housed cattle. In addition, the expression of MyHC‐2x (a fast type) was higher in the housed cattle than in the grazed, after 4 months of grazing. During the grazing period, miR‐206 expression decreased in the housed cattle, whereas expression in the grazed cattle did not change, but rather remained higher than that of the housed cattle even at 3 months after the grazing ended. These miRNAs including miR‐206 persisting with muscles of grazed cattle may be associated with regulation of muscle gene expression during skeletal muscle adaptation to grazing.
TP53 overexpression is an independent adverse prognostic factor in de novo myelodysplastic syndromes with fibrosis
Authors: Loghavi Sanam , Al‐Ibraheemi Alyaa , Zuo Zhuang , Garcia‐Manero Guillermo , Yabe Mariko , Wang Sa A. , Kantarjian Hagop M. , Yin Cameron C. , Miranda Roberto N. , Luthra Raja , Medeiros L. Jeffrey , Bueso‐Ramos Carlos E. , Khoury Joseph D.
Published: June 2015

Bone marrow (BM) fibrosis is associated with poor prognosis in patients with de novo myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). TP53 mutations and TP53 (p53) overexpression in MDS are also associated with poor patient outcomes. The prevalence and significance of TP53 mutations and TP53 overexpression in MDS with fibrosis are unknown. We studied 67 patients with de novo MDS demonstrating moderate to severe reticulin fibrosis (MDS‐F). Expression of TP53 was evaluated in BM core biopsy specimens using dual‐colour CD34/TP53 immunohistochemistry with computer‐assisted image analysis. Mutation analysis was performed using next‐generation sequencing, or Sanger sequencing methods. TP53 mutations were present in 47·1% of cases. TP53 mutation was significantly associated with TP53 expression (P = 0·0294). High levels of TP53 expression (3 +  in ≥10% cells) were associated with higher BM blast counts (P = 0·0149); alterations of chromosomes 5 (P = 0·0009) or 7 (P = 0·0141); complex karyotype (P = 0·0002); high‐ and very‐high risk IPSS‐R groups (P = 0·009); and TP53 mutations (P = 0·0003). High TP53 expression independently predicted shorter overall survival (OS) by multivariate analysis (P = <0·001). Expression of TP53 by CD34‐positive cells was associated with shorter OS and leukaemia‐free survival (P = 0·0428). TP53 overexpression is a predictor of poor outcome in patients with MDS‐F.
Young Children's Thinking About the Future
Authors: Atance Cristina M.
Published: June 2015

Thinking about the future has become a focus of study in both adult and childhood cognition. Of special interest is the capacity to mentally pre‐experience future events that involve the self (or episodic future thinking) and how this capacity relates to other aspects of cognition, including memory. In this article, I review developmental psychologists’ approaches to exploring this construct in preschool‐age children. I highlight the strengths and limits of these approaches and suggest ways to further develop tasks that test future thinking. I then provide a brief overview of theories arguing for close links between episodic future thinking and memory, and episodic future thinking and theory of mind, along with relevant developmental data. I conclude by discussing challenges and directions in this area of research, including the need to identify more clearly the behaviors that reflect future thinking ability and when these develop.
Toll-like receptor 3 expression and function in childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome
Authors: Jamin A , Dehoux L , Dossier C , Fila M , Heming N , Monteiro R C , Deschênes G
Published: June 2015

The efficacy of steroids and immunosuppressive treatments in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) hints at the implication of immune cells in the pathophysiology of the disease. Toll-like receptor (TLR) dysfunctions are involved in many kidney diseases of immune origin, but remain little described in INS. We investigated the expression and function of TLRs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of INS children, including 28 in relapse, 23 in remission and 40 controls. No child had any sign of infection, but a higher Epstein–Barr virus viral load was measured in the PBMC of relapsing patients. TLR-3 expression was increased in B cells only during INS remission. There was a negative correlation between proteinuria and TLR-3 expression in total and the main subsets of PBMC from INS patients. The expression of TLR-8 was also increased in both CD4+ T cells and B cells in INS remission. There was a negative correlation between proteinuria and TLR-8 expression in total PBMC, CD4+ T cells and B cells of INS patients. Nevertheless, TLR-3 and TLR-8 expression was normalized in all PBMC subsets in an additional group of 15 INS patients in remission with B cell repletion after rituximab therapy. Paradoxically, interferon (IFN) regulatory factor 3 transactivation was increased in PBMC of all INS patients. In-vitro secretion of IFN-α and interleukin 6 were increased spontaneously in PBMC of INS remission patients, whereas PBMC from all INS patients displayed an impaired IFN-α secretion after TLR-3 stimulation. Thus, TLR-3 pathway dysfunctions may be closely involved in INS pathogenesis.
A New VMAT‐2 Inhibitor NBI‐641449 in the Treatment of Huntington Disease
Authors: Chen Sheng , Zhang Xiao‐Jie , Xie Wen‐Jie , Qiu Hong‐Yan , Liu Hui , Le Wei‐Dong
Published: June 2015

Aims

To evaluate the effectiveness of a new VMAT‐2 inhibitor NBI‐641449 in controlling hyperkinetic movements of Huntington disease (HD) and to investigate its possible therapeutic effects.

Methods

We applied three different doses of NBI‐641449 (1, 10, 100 mg/kg/day) for 2 weeks in 4‐month‐old YAC128 mice and wild‐type (WT) mice. Rotarod performance and locomotive activities were tested during the administration of the drug. The concentration of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites was quantified in the striatal tissues by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Neuron survival in striatum and huntingtin protein aggregates were assessed with immunostaining. Expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress proteins were detected by immunoblotting.

Results

Rotarod performance was significantly improved after treatment with low or middle dose of NBI‐641449 in YAC128 mice. Open field test showed that NBI‐641449 treatment could attenuate the increased horizontal activity (HACTV), total vertical movement, moving time, and moving distance in YAC128 mice. High dose of NBI‐641449 might cause sedative effects in WT and YAC128 mice. HPLC showed that NBI‐641449 caused a dose‐dependent decrease of DA, 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and homovanillic acid levels in the striatum. NeuN and DARPP‐32 immunostaining revealed that NBI‐641449 had no significant effect on the neuron survival in the striatum. However, NBI‐641449 treatment reduced the huntingtin protein aggregates in the cortex of YAC128 mice. In addition, the levels of ER stress proteins were increased in YAC128 mice, which can be suppressed by NBI‐641449.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that this new VMAT‐2 inhibitor NBI‐641449 may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of HD.
Future habitat loss and extinctions driven by land‐use change in biodiversity hotspots under four scenarios of climate‐change mitigation
Authors: Jantz Samuel M. , Barker Brian , Brooks Thomas M. , Chini Louise P. , Huang Qiongyu , Moore Rachel M. , Noel Jacob , Hurtt George C.
Published: June 2015

Numerous species have been pushed into extinction as an increasing portion of Earth's land surface has been appropriated for human enterprise. In the future, global biodiversity will be affected by both climate change and land‐use change, the latter of which is currently the primary driver of species extinctions. How societies address climate change will critically affect biodiversity because climate‐change mitigation policies will reduce direct climate‐change impacts; however, these policies will influence land‐use decisions, which could have negative impacts on habitat for a substantial number of species. We assessed the potential impact future climate policy could have on the loss of habitable area in biodiversity hotspots due to associated land‐use changes. We estimated past extinctions from historical land‐use changes (1500–2005) based on the global gridded land‐use data used for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report and habitat extent and species data for each hotspot. We then estimated potential extinctions due to future land‐use changes under alternative climate‐change scenarios (2005–2100). Future land‐use changes are projected to reduce natural vegetative cover by 26‐58% in the hotspots. As a consequence, the number of additional species extinctions, relative to those already incurred between 1500 and 2005, due to land‐use change by 2100 across all hotspots ranged from about 220 to 21000 (0.2% to 16%), depending on the climate‐change mitigation scenario and biological factors such as the slope of the species–area relationship and the contribution of wood harvest to extinctions. These estimates of potential future extinctions were driven by land‐use change only and likely would have been higher if the direct effects of climate change had been considered. Future extinctions could potentially be reduced by incorporating habitat preservation into scenario development to reduce projected future land‐use changes in hotspots or by lessening the impact of future land‐use activities on biodiversity within hotspots.
Aortic and Mitral Calcification Is Marker of Significant Carotid and Limb Atherosclerosis in Patients with First Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Sannino Anna , Losi Maria‐Angela , Giugliano Giuseppe , Canciello Grazia , Toscano Evelina , Giamundo Alessandra , Scudiero Fernando , Brevetti Linda , Scudiero Laura , Prastaro Maria , Perrino Cinzia , Perrone‐Filardi Pasquale , Galderisi Maurizio , Trimarco Bruno , Esposito Giovanni
Published: June 2015

Purpose

Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease and coronary artery disease is frequently associated with peripheral artery disease. As aortic and mitral valvular calcification (VC) share some etiopathogenetic mechanisms with atherosclerosis, we analyzed the risk profile and the echocardiographic characteristics of patients admitted for first acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to investigate whether the presence of VC could be a marker of asymptomatic hemodynamically significant peripheral atherosclerosis.

Methods

A total of 151 patients admitted for ACS without previous history of cardiovascular disease were consecutively enrolled. The presence of VC was identified by echocardiography; a carotid stenosis ≥50% by ultrasound identified carotid artery disease (CarAD); an ankle–brachial index ≤0.9 or ≥1.4 identified lower extremity artery disease (LEAD). Significant peripheral atherosclerosis was defined by the presence of CarAD and/or LEAD.

Results

Peripheral atherosclerosis was diagnosed in 82 (54.3%) patients; isolated CarAD in 24, isolated LEAD in 20, both diseases in 38 patients. VC was present in 103 (68.2%) patients. By multivariate analysis, age (OR = 1.059, 95% CI 1.007–1.113, P = 0.025), diabetes mellitus (OR = 5.068, 95% CI 1.480–17.351, P = 0.010), VC (OR = 7.422, 95% CI 2.421–22.880, P < 0.001), and multivessel CAD (OR = 3.317, 95% CI 1.281–8.586, P = 0.013) were the only independent predictors of having peripheral atherosclerosis. C‐statistic for VC was not inferior to that obtained by age (0.728, 95% CI 0.649–0.797 vs. 0.800, 95% CI 0.727–0.861, P = 0.101) and to that obtained by the combination of multivessel CAD with diabetes (0.750; 95% CI 0.673–0.817, P = 0.635), and, furthermore, it was higher than that obtained by diabetes alone (0.620, 95% CI 0.538–0.698, P = 0.036).

Conclusion

Ruling out the presence of significant peripheral atherosclerosis should be routinely considered in patients with ACS showing VC at echocardiography.
Estimating thermal exposure of adult summer steelhead and fall Chinook salmon migrating in a warm impounded river
Authors: Keefer Matthew L. , Caudill Christopher C.
Published: June 2015

Rising river temperatures in western North America have increased the vulnerability of many Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) populations to lethal and sublethal risks. There is a growing need to predict and manage such risks, especially for populations whose life history or geography increases the likelihood of warm‐water exposure. We estimated thermal exposure of adult summer steelhead (O. mykiss) and fall‐run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) as they migrated through a warm (often > 20 °C), 157‐km reach of the impounded Snake River, Washington. Archival temperature loggers and radiotelemetry were used to reconstruct thermal histories for 50 steelhead and 21 salmon. Encountered temperature maxima were mostly inside dam fishways and ranged from 15.8 to 24.0 °C (mean = 19.6 °C) for steelhead and from 18.0 to 21.6 °C (19.9 °C) for salmon. Behavioural thermoregulation was evident for ~50% of steelhead and ~30% of salmon in one of three reservoirs. Degree days (DDs) calculated from archival tags ranged from 74 to 973 DDs (median = 130) for steelhead and from 56 to 220 DDs (133) for salmon. Models using river temperature data and fish migration times accurately estimated total DDs for both species except some steelhead with extended thermoregulation. In a predictive application, we estimated exposure for 10,104 steelhead and 9071 Chinook salmon with passive integrated transponder‐tag detections at dams and found considerable DD variability across individuals, species and years. This estimation method, combined with baseline thermal surveys and existing monitoring infrastructure, can help to address long‐standing questions about how warm‐water exposure affects Snake River salmon and steelhead phenology, bioenergetics, physiology, survival and reproductive success.
How important were formalized charity and social spending before the rise of the welfare state? A long‐run analysis of selected westernEuropean cases, 1400–1850
Authors: van Bavel Bas , Rijpma Auke
Published: June 2015

Poor relief in the pre‐industrial period is a much‐investigated topic, but we still lack an idea of its quantitative importance and development, especially in a comparative perspective. This article estimates the magnitude of the various kinds of formalized relief for three present‐day countries (Italy,England, and theNetherlands) in the very long run (1400–1850). The results show that in this period a substantial share ofGDP, up to 3 per cent, could be spent on formal relief, offering subsistence to up to 8–9 per cent of the population, with a gradual rise over time and the highest figures being reached in theNetherlands in the eighteenth century. The three cases show a steep decline around 1800, a pattern found more generally inEurope. Next, these results are placed in a broader geographical perspective. This highlights the sharp differences within countries—which could be even larger than those between countries—and the high levels reached in the regions bordering the southern shores of theNorthSea. In the last section, the results are used to discuss the possible causes underlying these long‐run patterns and geographical differences, including urbanization, wealth, religion, and social‐organizational features.
Occupational structure in the Czech lands under the second serfdom
Authors: Klein Alexander , Ogilvie Sheilagh
Published: June 2015

This article presents an analysis of occupational structure, a key component of the ‘Little Divergence’, in an eastern‐central European economy under the second serfdom, using data on 6,983 Bohemian villages in 1654. Non‐agricultural activity was lower than in western Europe, but varied positively with village size, pastoral agriculture, sub‐peasant strata, Jews, freemen, female headship, and mills, and negatively with arable agriculture and towns. It showed a curvilinear relationship with the ‘second serfdom’, as proxied by landlord presence on village holdings. Landlord presence in serf villages also reversed the positive effects of female headship and mills on non‐agricultural activities. Under the second serfdom, landlords encouraged serf activities from which they could extract rents, while stifling others which threatened manorial interests.
Epistemic Justice and Democratic Legitimacy
Authors: Dieleman Susan
Published: June 2015

The deliberative turn in political philosophy sees theorists attempting to ground democratic legitimacy in free, rational, and public deliberation among citizens. However, feminist theorists have criticized prominent accounts of deliberative democracy, and of the public sphere that is its site, for being too exclusionary. Iris Marion Young, Nancy Fraser, and Seyla Benhabib show that deliberative democrats generally fail to attend to substantive inclusion in their conceptions of deliberative space, even though they endorse formal inclusion. If we take these criticisms seriously, we are tasked with articulating a substantively inclusive account of deliberation. I argue in this article that enriching existing theories of deliberative democracy with Fricker's conception of epistemic in/justice yields two specific benefits. First, it enables us to detect instances of epistemic injustice, and therefore failures of inclusion, within deliberative spaces. Second, it can act as a model for constructing deliberative spaces that are more inclusive and therefore better able to ground democratic legitimacy.
Consequences of Eye Color, Positioning, and Head Movement for Eye‐Tracking Data Quality in Infant Research
Authors: Hessels Roy S. , Andersson Richard , Hooge Ignace T. C. , Nyström Marcus , Kemner Chantal
Published: June 2015

Eye tracking has become a valuable tool for investigating infant looking behavior over the last decades. However, where eye‐tracking methodology and achieving high data quality have received a much attention for adult participants, it is unclear how these results generalize to infant research. This is particularly important as infants behave different from adults in front of the eye tracker. In this study, we investigated whether eye physiology, positioning, and infant behavior affect measures of eye‐tracking data quality: accuracy, precision, and data loss. We report that accuracy and precision are lower, and more data loss occurs for infants with bluish eye color compared to infants with brownish eye color. Moreover, accuracy was lower for infants positioned in a high chair or in the parents' lap compared to infants positioned in a baby seat. Finally, precision decreased and data loss increased as a function of time. We highlight the importance of data quality when comparing multiple groups, as differences in data quality can affect eye‐tracking measures. In addition, we investigate how two different measures to quantify infant movement influence eye‐tracker data quality. These findings might help researchers with data collection and help manufacturers develop better eye‐tracking systems for infants.