bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Phase II Study of Irinotecan for Patients with Previously Treated Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Kondo Rie , Watanabe Satoshi , Shoji Satoshi , Ichikawa Kosuke , Abe Tetsuya , Baba Junko , Tanaka Junta , Tsukada Hiroki , Terada Masaki , Sato Kazuhiro , Maruyama Yoshie , Makino Masato , Hirata Akira , Tanaka Hiroshi , Koya Toshiyuki , Yoshizawa Hirohisa , Kikuchi Toshiaki
Published: February 2018

Objective: Chemotherapy with irinotecan plus cisplatin has shown promise in chemo-naïve small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. However, irinotecan treatment for relapsed or refractory SCLC has not been adequately evaluated. This phase II study evaluated the appropriate treatment schedule of irinotecan as a single agent. This study was designed to determine the antitumor activity, toxicity, and survival in previously treated SCLC patients. Methods: Previously treated SCLC patients with at least one platinum-based regimen received irinotecan (100 mg/m2) on days 1 and 8, every 3 weeks, until disease progression. The assessment of the response rate was the primary endpoint. Results: Thirty patients were enrolled, with an objective response rate of 41.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.5–59.3), and a disease control rate of 69%. Median progression-free and overall survival was 4.1 months (95% CI, 2.2–5.4) and 10.4 months (95% CI, 8.1–14), respectively. The grade 3/4 hematological toxicities were neutropenia (36.7%), thrombocytopenia (3.3%), anemia (13.3%), and febrile neutropenia (6.6%). There were no grade 4 nonhematological toxicities. Frequent grade 3 nonhematological toxicities included diarrhea (10%), anorexia (6.6%), and hyponatremia (6.6%). Conclusions: This phase II study showed a high objective response rate and long survival. Irinotecan monotherapy schedule used was well tolerated, and could be an active treatment option for these patients.
A Novel Animal Model of Parkinson’s Disease Using Optogenetics: Representation of Various Disease Stages by Modulating the Illumination Parameter
Authors: Lee Eun Jung , Yoon Hyung Ho , Park Eun Suk , Min Joongkee , Jeon Sang Ryong
Published: February 2018

Background: The classic animal model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) using neurotoxin can only simulate fixed stages of the disease by causing irreversible damage to the nigrostriatal system. Objectives: To develop an optogenetic PD model that can modulate the severity of disease by optical stimulation by introducing the halorhodopsin (NpHR) gene into the substantia nigra compacta. Methods: Fifteen rats received injections of engineered AAV with NpHR-YFP gene into the substantia nigra. They were then subjected to illumination of 590-nm light wavelengths with 3 optical stimulation conditions, i.e., frequency-width: 5 Hz-10 ms (n = 5), 5 Hz-100 ms (n = 5), and 50 Hz-10 ms (n = 5). Eleven rats received 6-hydroxydopamine injections to establish the conventional PD model. Results: The optogenetic models showed characteristic PD manifestations, similar to those of the conventional models; the severity of forelimb akinesia correlated with the total illumination value (frequency × width). The group with a low illumination value (5 Hz-10 ms) was comparable to the conventional partial model whereas the groups with high illumination values (5 Hz-100 ms and 50 Hz-10 ms) were similar to the conventional complete model. Conclusions: An optogenetic PD model has the advantage of more appropriately representing various PD stages by controlling illumination parameters.
An Overview on Renoprotective Effects of Thymoquinone
Authors: Shaterzadeh-Yazdi Hanieh , Noorbakhsh Mohammad-Foad , Samarghandian Saeed , Farkhondeh Tahereh
Published: February 2018

Background: Kidneys as vital organs remove waste material from blood. Additionally, they may also have a role in the electrolyte balance, regulation of blood pressure, and red blood cell genesis. Kidney diseases may be caused by several factors such as ischemia/reperfusion injury, diabetes, and nephrotoxic agents. Oxidative stress and inflammation are involved in the pathogenesis and progression of kidney diseases. Traditionally, natural antioxidants are used for treatment of renal failure in various countries. Summary: People usually select natural antioxidants since they have an opinion that herbal medicine has not any important side effects. Nigella sativa is a flavoring herb that is widely used as a condiment and as a remedy for many disorders. Thymoquinone (TQ), the most important component of black seeds, mainly oil, is considered as an active agent responsible for a lot of the seed’s useful effects. This review describes the protective roles and related mechanisms of TQ against renal disorders. The search terms, including TQ, antioxidant, renal ischemia-reperfusion, diabetic nephropathy, and nephrotoxic agent were searched in scientific databases. TQ showed anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in animal and in vitro models of several renal diseases caused by inflammation and oxidative stress. Key Messages: Experimental studies have shown beneficial effects of TQ against renal diseases; however, well-designed clinical trials in humans are required to confirm these effects.
Uneventful Anterior Migration of Intravitreal Ozurdex Implant in a Patient with Iris-Sutured Intraocular Lens and Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty
Authors: Zafar Andleeb , Aslanides Ioannis M. , Selimis Vasileios , Tsoulnaras Konstantinos I. , Tabibian David , Kymionis George D.
Published: February 2018

Purpose: We report here the case of a patient with anterior segment migration of intravitreal dexamethasone implant as well as its management and outcome. Methods: The patient had the following sequence of events: complicated cataract surgery, iris-sutured intraocular lens implant, followed by cystoid macular edema treated with intravitreal Avastin, retinal vein occlusion treated with intravitreal dexamethasone implant, corneal decompensation treated with Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), and finally recurrence of macular edema treated with repeated intravitreal dexamethasone implant. Results: Dexamethasone implant had completely dissolved from the eye 12 weeks after insertion without any complication. Conclusion: A conservative approach with regular monitoring in the situation of a quiet anterior segment without any corneal decompensation can provide enough time for the implant to dissolve without causing any complication to the involved eye, avoiding any additional surgical intervention, as presented in this case report. Despite the fact that the implant was left for natural dissolution, there were no adverse effects related to the graft or the eye.
Three Novel Heterozygous COL4A4 Mutations Result in Three Different Collagen Type IV Kidney Disease Phenotypes
Authors: Li Ang , Gao Er-Zhi , Cui Ying-Xia , Liu Jian-Hong , Lv Xing , Wei Xiu-Xiu , Xia Xin-Yi , Gao Chun-Lin , Liu Feng-Xia , Xia Zheng-Kun , Asan  , Liu Zhi-Hong , Li Xiao-Jun
Published: February 2018

Thin basement membrane nephropathy (TBMN), autosomal dominant Alport syndrome (ADAS), and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are kidney diseases that differ in clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Nevertheless, they may result from the same causative genes. Here, we report 3 COL4A4 heterozygous mutations (p.Gly208Arg, p.Ser513Glufs*2, and p.Met1617Cysfs*39) that lead to 3 different collagen type IV kidney disease phenotypes, manifesting as TBMN, ADAS, and FSGS. Using bioinformatics analyses and pedigree verification, we show that these novel variants are pathogenetic and cosegregate with TBMN, ADAS, and FSGS. Furthermore, we found that the collagen type IV-associated kidney disease phenotypes are heterogeneous, with overlapping pathology and genetic mutations. We propose that COL4A4-associated TBMN, ADAS, and FSGS should be considered as collagen type IV kidney disease subtypes that represent different phases of disease progression.
Successful Treatment of Inflammatory Linear Verrucous Epidermal Nevus with Concomitant Psoriasis Using Etanercept
Authors: Saifaldeen Reda Hesham , Fatani Mohammad I. , Baltow Badee , Khan Abdulmajeed S.
Published: February 2018

Linear psoriasis is a rare form of the disease characterized by the linear distribution of lesions involving dermatome or along Blaschko’s lines. Clinically, it may resemble inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus; a combination of history, skin examination, and histopathology are required to ensure correct diagnosis and appropriate therapy. This paper describes a case of a 23-year-old male presenting with unilateral erythematous scaly plaques arranged in a linear path on the left leg. Etanercept was initiated after poor response to adalimumab. Improvement of his psoriasis was noted, with PASI 75 reduction after 24 weeks of treatment. Clinical studies have shown excellent efficacy of etanercept, and our patient well tolerated treatment with etanercept for 52 weeks without any adverse effects.
High Uric Acid Inhibits Cardiomyocyte Viability Through the ERK/P38 Pathway via Oxidative Stress
Authors: Li Zhi , Shen Yang , Chen Yingqun , Zhang Guokai , Cheng Jidong , Wang Wei
Published: February 2018

Background/Aims: Clinical studies have shown that hyperuricaemia is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. However, the molecular mechanisms of high uric acid (HUA) associated with cardiovascular disease remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of HUA on cardiomyocytes. Methods: We exposed H9c2 cardiomyocytes to HUA, then cell viability was determined by MTT assay, and reactive oxygen species’ (ROS) production was detected by a fluorescence assay. Western blot analysis was used to examine phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt. We monitored the impact of HUA on phospho-ERK and phospho-p38 levels in myocardial tissue from an acute hyperuricaemia mouse model established by potassium oxonate treatment. Results: HUA decreased cardiomyocyte viability and increased ROS production in cardiomyocytes; pre-treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a ROS scavenger, and PD98059, an ERK inhibitor, reversed HUA-inhibited viability of cardiomyocytes. Further examination of signal transduction pathways revealed HUA-induced ROS involved in activating ERK/P38 and inhibiting PI3K/Akt in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, the acute hyperuricaemic mouse model showed an increased phospho-ERK/p38 level in myocardial tissues. Conclusion: HUA induced oxidative damage and inhibited the viability of cardiomyocytes by activating ERK/p38 signalling, for a novel potential mechanism of hyperuricaemic-related cardiovascular disease.
Comparison of Three Methods Estimating Baseline Creatinine For Acute Kidney Injury in Hospitalized Patients: a Multicentre Survey in Third-Level Urban Hospitals of China
Authors: Lang Xia-bing , Yang Yi , Yang Ju-rong , Wan Jian-xin , Yu Sheng-qiang , Cui Jiong , Tang Xiao-jing , Chen Jianghua
Published: February 2018

Background/Aims: A lack of baseline serum creatinine (SCr) data leads to underestimation of the burden caused by acute kidney injury (AKI) in developing countries. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of various baseline SCr analysis methods on the current diagnosis of AKI in hospitalized patients. Methods: Patients with at least one SCr value during their hospital stay between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012 were retrospectively included in the study. The baseline SCr was determined either by the minimum SCr (SCrMIN) or the estimated SCr using the MDRD formula (SCrGFR-75). We also used the dynamic baseline SCr (SCrdynamic) in accordance with the 7 day/48 hour time window. AKI was defined based on the KDIGO SCr criteria. Results: Of 562,733 hospitalized patients, 350,458 (62.3%) had at least one SCr determination, and 146,185 (26.0%) had repeat SCr tests. AKI was diagnosed in 13,883 (2.5%) patients using the SCrMIN, 21,281 (3.8%) using the SCrGFR-75 and 9,288 (1.7%) using the SCrdynamic. Compared with the non-AKI patients, AKI patients had a higher in-hospital mortality rate regardless of the baseline SCr analysis method. Conclusions: Because of the scarcity of SCr data, imputation of the baseline SCr is necessary to remedy the missing data. The detection rate of AKI varies depending on the different imputation methods. SCrGFR-75 can identify more AKI cases than the other two methods.
Prior Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Mortality in Patients Undergoing Surgical Myocardial Revascularization
Authors: Mariscalco Giovanni , Rosato Stefano , Serraino Giuseppe F. , Maselli Daniele , Dalén Magnus , Airaksinen Juhani K.E. , Reichart Daniel , Zanobini Marco , Onorati Francesco , De Feo Marisa , Gherli Riccardo , Santarpino Giuseppe , Rubino Antonino S. , Gatti Giuseppe , Nicolini Francesco , Santini Francesco , Perrotti Andrea , Bruno Vito D. , Ruggieri Vito G. , Biancari Fausto , Ahmed Aamer , Masala Nicola , Dominici Carmelo , Nardella Saverio , Khodabandeh Sorosh , Svenarud Peter , Gulbins Helmut , Saccocci Matteo , Faggian Giuseppe , Franzese Ilaria , Bancone Ciro , Della Ratta Ester E. , Musumeci Francesco , Gazdag Laszlo , Fischlein Theodor , Mignosa Carmelo , Pappalardo Aniello , Gherli Tiziano , Salsano Antonio , Olivieri Guido , Bounader Karl , Verhoye Jean P. , Chocron Sidney , Tauriainen Tuomas , Kinnunen Eeva-Maija
Published: February 2018

Background—

The clinical impact of prior percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients requiring coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains unsettled. We sought to determine whether prior PCI is associated with adverse outcome after CABG.

Methods and Results—

Data from the prospective E-CABG (European Multicenter Study on Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting) conducted between January 2015 and March 2016 at 16 European centres were analyzed using propensity weighted methodology to adjust for confounding. A parallel systematic review/meta-analysis (MEDLINE, Embase, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library) through September 2017 was accomplished. Of a total of 3641 adult patients included in the E-CABG study, 685 (19%) patients had a history of PCI. At multivariable level, prior PCI was not associated with an increased hospital mortality in both unweighted and weighted patient groups (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.29–1.38;
P
=0.33 and odds ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.39–2.08;
P
=0.81, respectively). Subgroup analyses confirmed that prior PCI had no impact on hospital mortality and morbidity, including reexploration for bleeding, blood transfusion, hospital resource use, and neurological, renal, and cardiac complications. The systematic review provided a total of 71 366 individuals and showed a trend toward higher in-hospital/30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.99–1.70; I
2
=43.1%) in patients with prior PCI.

Conclusions—

Our prospective multicenter study showed that prior PCI was not associated with an increased risk of mortality or other adverse outcomes in patients undergoing CABG. In light of a trend toward increased mortality observed in the meta-analysis, further studies are needed to ascertain the prognostic impact of prior PCI in the outcome after CABG.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT02319083.
Accurate Depth of Radiofrequency-Induced Lesions in Renal Sympathetic Denervation Based on a Fine Histological Sectioning Approach in a Porcine Model
Authors: Sakaoka Atsushi , Terao Hisako , Nakamura Shintaro , Hagiwara Hitomi , Furukawa Toshihito , Matsumura Kiyoshi , Sakakura Kenichi
Published: February 2018

Background—

Ablation lesion depth caused by radiofrequency-based renal denervation (RDN) was limited to <4 mm in previous animal studies, suggesting that radiofrequency-RDN cannot ablate a substantial percentage of renal sympathetic nerves. We aimed to define the true lesion depth achieved with radiofrequency-RDN using a fine sectioning method and to investigate biophysical parameters that could predict lesion depth.

Methods and Results—

Radiofrequency was delivered to 87 sites in 14 renal arteries from 9 farm pigs at various ablation settings: 2, 4, 6, and 9 W for 60 seconds and 6 W for 120 seconds. Electric impedance and electrode temperature were recorded during ablation. At 7 days, 2470 histological sections were obtained from the treated arteries. Maximum lesion depth increased at 2 to 6 W, peaking at 6.53 (95% confidence interval, 4.27–8.78) mm under the 6 W/60 s condition. It was not augmented by greater power (9 W) or longer duration (120 seconds). There were statistically significant tendencies at 6 and 9 W, with higher injury scores in the media, nerves, arterioles, and fat. Maximum lesion depth was positively correlated with impedance reduction and peak electrode temperature (Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.59 and 0.53, respectively).

Conclusions—

Lesion depth was 6.5 mm for radiofrequency-RDN at 6 W/60 s. The impedance reduction and peak electrode temperature during ablation were closely associated with lesion depth. Hence, these biophysical parameters could provide prompt feedback during radiofrequency-RDN procedures in the clinical setting.
Repeated Administrations of Cardiac Progenitor Cells Are Superior to a Single Administration of an Equivalent Cumulative Dose
Authors: Tang Xian‐Liang , Nakamura Shunichi , Li Qianhong , Wysoczynski Marcin , Gumpert Anna M. , Wu Wen‐Jian , Hunt Greg , Stowers Heather , Ou Qinghui , Bolli Roberto
Published: February 2018

Background

We have recently found that 3 repeated doses (12×10
6
each) of c‐kit

POS

cardiac progenitor cells (
CPC
s) were markedly more effective than a single dose of 12×10
6
cells in alleviating postinfarction left ventricular dysfunction and remodeling. However, since the single‐dose group received only one third of the total number of
CPC
s given to the multiple‐dose group, it is unknown whether the superior therapeutic efficacy was caused by repeated treatments per se or by administration of a higher total number of
CPC
s. This issue has major clinical implications because multiple cell injections in patients pose significant challenges, which would be obviated by using 1 large injection. Accordingly, we determined whether the beneficial effects of 3 repeated
CPC
doses can be recapitulated by 1 large dose containing the same total number of cells.

Methods and Results

Rats with a 30‐day‐old myocardial infarction received 3 echo‐guided intraventricular infusions, 35 days apart, of vehicle‐vehicle‐vehicle, 36×10
6
CPC
s‐vehicle‐vehicle, or 3 equal doses of 12×10
6
CPC
s. Infusion of a single, large dose of
CPC
s (36×10
6
cells) produced an initial improvement in left ventricular function, but no further improvement was observed after the second and third infusions (both vehicle). In contrast, each of the 3 doses of
CPC
s (12×10
6
) caused a progressive improvement in left ventricular function, the cumulative magnitude of which was greater than with a single dose. Unlike the single dose, repeated doses reduced collagen content and immune cell infiltration.

Conclusions

Three repeated doses of
CPC
s are superior to 1 dose even though the total number of cells infused is the same, possibly because of greater antifibrotic and anti‐inflammatory actions.
Exclusion in Morality
Authors: Zhong Lei
Published: February 2018

Recently some philosophers (e.g. Shafer-Landau 2003; Wedgwood 2007) suggested an exclusion problem for moral non-naturalism, which is similar to the exclusion problem in philosophy of mind. In this article, the author aims to advance the discussion of exclusion in morality by investigating two influential solutions to the exclusion problem: theautonomysolution and theoverdeterminationsolution. The author attempts to show that the moral non-naturalist can solve the exclusion problem in a way that is different from the approach to solving mental-physical exclusion. First, the author argues that while the autonomy solution to mental exclusion may work, a similar autonomy approach to moral exclusion is implausible. Second, the author argues that whereas the overdetermination solution to mental exclusion fails, a similar overdetermination solution to moral exclusion is promising.
Systematic position of two Pliocene carditids with description of Akardita n. gen. and A. iberica n. sp. (Bivalvia: Carditidae)
Authors: PERNA RAFAEL LA , BRUNETTI MAURO M. , BELLA GIANO DELLA
Published: February 2018

Akardita n. gen. is described for a small Pliocene to Recent group of carditids. The type species is Cardita subrevoluta de Stefani, 1888, from the lower Pliocene of Italy. The new genus includes Akardita iberica n. sp., from the lower Pliocene of southern Spain, and Cardita (Venericardia) monodi Nicklès, 1953, an extant species from West Africa. A few additional Neogene species from Europe could turn out to be representatives of the new genus, whose disappearance from European seas seems to be related to an increasing cooling trend during the Neogene–Pleistocene interval. Because of the confused status of carditid taxonomy, about which some observations are reported in the present work, it is not possible to assign the new genus to any of the traditional subfamilies.
Characterizing the Atmospheric Conditions Leading to Large Error Growth in Volcanic Ash Cloud Forecasts
Authors: Dacre H. F. , Harvey N. J.
Published: February 2018

Volcanic ash poses an ongoing risk to safety in the airspace worldwide. The accuracy with which volcanic ash dispersion can be forecast depends on the conditions of the atmosphere into which it is emitted. In this study, meteorological ensemble forecasts are used to drive a volcanic ash transport and dispersion model for the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland. From analysis of these simulations, the authors determine why the skill of deterministic-meteorological forecasts decreases with increasing ash residence time and identify the atmospheric conditions in which this drop in skill occurs most rapidly. Large forecast errors are more likely when ash particles encounter regions of large horizontal flow separation in the atmosphere. Nearby ash particle trajectories can rapidly diverge, leading to a reduction in the forecast accuracy of deterministic forecasts that do not represent variability in wind fields at the synoptic scale. The flow‐separation diagnostic identifies where and why large ensemble spread may occur. This diagnostic can be used to alert forecasters to situations in which the ensemble mean is not representative of the individual ensemble‐member volcanic ash distributions. Knowledge of potential ensemble outliers can be used to assess confidence in the forecast and to avoid potentially dangerous situations in which forecasts fail to predict harmful levels of volcanic ash.
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
Authors: Levin Jack , Wiest Julie B.
Published: February 2018

Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Emergence of social work practice in rural China: A way forward?
Authors: Meng Qian , Gray Mel , Bradt Lieve , Roets Griet
Published: February 2018

Following massive socioeconomic reforms over the past three decades, social work in the People’s Republic of China (hereafter China) has developed at an unprecedented pace. To respond to social issues arising from accelerated economic development, the government has launched a large-scale programme to train a professional social work workforce of 1.45 million by 2020. Social work in mainland China has developed, and continues to develop, rapidly in major urban centres, while rural areas remain largely neglected. This article describes developmental issues in rural China and argues that social work requires indigenised knowledge and interventions to address context-specific problems.
Emergency Powers in Democracies and International Conflict
Authors: Rooney Bryan
Published: February 2018

Scholars argue that institutions in democracies constrain leaders and prevent international conflict. However, many democracies specify rules of governance in times of emergency that divert substantial power to the head of state. The manipulation of these “emergency powers” provides a rational motivation for conflict. Using a novel data set of emergency provisions within democracies, I test the relationship between emergency power strength and conflict propensity using several steps to achieve causal inference, including an instrumental variable analysis that exploits the specificity of the state’s constitution as a plausibly exogenous determinant of emergency power strength. I find that emergency power strength is a strong predictor of conflict onset in democracies in each test and that states with strong emergency powers are substantially more likely to enact a state of emergency due to an international conflict. I conclude with a discussion of my findings and avenues of future research using these data.
Rational Overreaction to Terrorism
Authors: Spaniel William
Published: February 2018

Some terrorist organizations provoke their targets into deploying massive countermeasures, allowing terrorists to mobilize a greater share of their audience. Why would a government pursue such a costly strategy if it only strengthens the opponent? I develop a signaling model of terrorism, counterterrorism, and recruitment. If a target government is unsure whether the terrorists’ audience is sympathetic to the cause, weaker groups sometimes bluff strength by attacking. To check this bluff, governments sometimes respond to attacks with large-scale operations, even though they know they might be overreacting. Comparative statics reveal that overreaction regret is most likely when the target is wealthy and large operations are more effective. Thus, a selection effect creates the false impression that provocation is most effective against geopolitically privileged targets.
Dental Restorative Materials Based on Thiol-Michael Photopolymerization
Authors: Huang S. , Podgórski M. , Zhang X. , Sinha J. , Claudino M. , Stansbury J.W. , Bowman C.N.
Published: February 2018

Step-growth thiol-Michael photopolymerizable resins, constituting an alternative chemistry to the current methacrylate-based chain-growth polymerizations, were developed and evaluated for use as dental restorative materials. The beneficial features inherent to anion-mediated thiol-Michael polymerizations were explored, such as rapid photocuring, low stress generation, ester content tunability, and improved mechanical performance in a moist environment. An ester-free tetrafunctional thiol and a ultraviolet-sensitive photobase generator were implemented to facilitate thiol-Michael photopolymerization. Thiol-Michael resins of varied ester content were fabricated under suitable light activation. Polymerization kinetics and shrinkage stress were determined with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy coupled with tensometery measurements. Thermomechanical properties of new materials were evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis and in 3-point bending stress-strain experiments. Photopolymerization kinetics, polymerization shrinkage stress, glass transition temperature, flexural modulus, flexural toughness, and water sorption/solubility were compared between different thiol-Michael systems and the BisGMA/TEGDMA control. Furthermore, the mechanical performance of 2 thiol-Michael composites and a control composite were compared before and after extensive conditioning in water. All photobase-catalyzed thiol-Michael polymerization matrices achieved >90% conversion with a dramatic reduction in shrinkage stress as compared with the unfilled dimethacrylate control. One prototype of ester-free thiol-Michael formulations had significantly better water uptake properties than the BisGMA/TEGDMA control system. Although exhibiting relatively lower Young’s modulus and glass transition temperatures, highly uniform thiol-Michael materials achieved much higher toughness than the BisGMA/TEGDMA control. Moreover, low-ester thiol-Michael composite systems show stable mechanical performance even after extensive water treatment. Although further resin/curing methodology optimization is required, the photopolymerized thiol-Michael prototype resins can now be recognized as promising candidates for implementation in composite dental restorative materials.
Race Differences in Linking Family Formation Transitions to Women’s Mortality
Authors: Reyes Adriana M. , Hardy Melissa , Pavalko Eliza
Published: February 2018

We examine how the timing and sequencing of first marriage and childbirth are related to mortality for a cohort of 4,988 white and black women born between 1922 and 1937 from the National Longitudinal Survey of Mature Women. We use Cox proportional hazard models to estimate race differences in the association between family formation transitions and mortality. Although we find no relationships between marital histories and longevity, we do find that having children, the timing of first birth, and the sequencing of childbirth and marriage are associated with mortality. White women who had children lived longer than those who had none, but the opposite was found for black women. The effects of birth timing also differed by race; delaying first birth to older ages was protective for white women but not black women. These results underscore the importance of social context in the study of life course transitions.
Drama for L2 Speaking and Language Anxiety: Evidence from Brazilian EFL Learners
Authors: Galante Angelica
Published: February 2018

Anxiety is a dimension of L2 speaking that has been heavily investigated over the past several decades, but there is a paucity of research investigating instruction aiming at lowering anxiety. While research suggests drama lowers L2 learners’ anxiety, it is unclear to what extent anxiety is affected by drama. This article reports results from a mixed methods study examining whether drama impacts foreign language anxiety (FLA). The participants were 24 Brazilian adolescents who took part in two distinct four-month EFL programmes: a drama and a non-drama programme. An adapted version of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) was used as pre- and post measures. Analyses from FLCAS indicate a significant reduction in FLA levels among learners in both groups over time, with a slightly better improvement among learners in the drama group. Further analysis provides evidence that drama can enhance comfort levels when speaking the L2. Implications for research and language teaching are discussed.
Managing virtual network embedding through reconfiguration and expansion
Authors: Araújo Samuel Moreira Abreu , Guidoni Daniel Ludovico , de Souza Fernanda Sumika Hojo , Mateus Geraldo Robson
Published: February 2018

Network virtualization concerns an important issue for the future internet. There have been many advances in the state of the art, but there are still challenges to be explored. The virtual network embedding problem is one of these, and is an NP-hard problem. Aiming to improve the embedding task, reconfiguration and expansion appear as possible strategies for the service provider. In this work, we explore the management of resources in order to improve the acceptance of requests deciding when and how reconfiguration and expansion shall apply. An exact approach based on integer linear programming along with a heuristic approach is evaluated. Simulation results indicate both reconfiguration and expansion strategies are able to improve the acceptance, but reconfiguration should be considered first as it can provide significant improvements in managing the fragmentation problem. Expansion comes as a secondary decision if necessary.
Board Members With Style: The Effect of Audit Committee Members and Their Personal Styles on Financial Reporting Choices
Authors: Qu Charlotte Tianshu
Published: February 2018

This article studies whether audit committee members and chairpersons exhibit individual-specific “styles” that affect corporate financial reporting practices. I track 2,941 audit committee members and 683 chairpersons across firms over time, and test whether member (chair)-specific factors explain firms’ accounting choices. I find that member and chairperson “style” (captured by fixed effects) is significant in explaining a firm’s probability of accounting misstatements and earnings management, and the effects are not explained away by observable member (chairperson) characteristics found by prior literature, or by the effects of CEOs or CFOs.
Sex differences in the relations between infant temperament and electrodermal responses in early childhood
Authors: Buthmann Jessica , Finik Jackie , Nomura Yoko
Published: February 2018

The present study examines the relationship between sex, infant temperament, and childhood psychophysiological reactivity via electrodermal activity (EDA). Both temperament and EDA are known to be relatively stable traits across the lifespan reflecting individual reactivity and regulation linked to suboptimal behavioral development and risk for psychopathology. However, little is known about the role of sex in the relationship between temperament and EDA. As a part of a larger longitudinal study of behavioral development, 125 participants were followed from birth until the age of 3 years to examine the relationship between temperament and psychophysiological reactivity in different sex groups. Measurements of temperament at age 6 months, and EDA, via skin conductance response (SCR) rate to a series of six startling auditory stimuli at 3 years of age were collected. Median splits of SCR rate and three temperament dimensions (positive affect, negative affect, and regulation) were created to designate high/low groups. Results indicate sex moderated the relationships between temperament traits and SCR rates. Specifically, low positive affect was associated with an increased risk for high psychophysiological reactivity in boys (odds ratio = 3.8), whereas high regulation was associated with an increased risk for greater reactivity in girls (odds ratio = 4.2). While preliminary, these findings suggest the importance of sex in relation to psychophysiological and temperamental reactivity, risk factors for developmental psychopathology. As our participants age, follow-up research to investigate the stability of these associations will provide valuable insights for the potential of EDA as a psychophysiological marker for developmental psychopathology risk in young children.
Influence maximisation in social networks: A target-oriented estimation
Authors: Ko Yun-Yong , Chae Dong-Kyu , Kim Sang-Wook
Published: February 2018

Influence maximisation (IM) is the problem of finding a set of k-seed nodes that could maximize the amount of influence spread in a social network. In this article, we point out that the existing methods are taking the source-oriented estimation (SOE), which is the main reason of their failure in accurately estimating the amount of potential influence spread of an individual node. We propose a novel target-oriented estimation (TOE) that understands information diffusion more accurately as well as remedies the drawback of the existing methods. Our extensive experiments on four real-world datasets demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms the existing methods consistently with respect to the quality of the selected seed set.
Interrupting the Anthropo-obScene: Immuno-biopolitics and Depoliticizing Ontologies in the Anthropocene
Authors: Swyngedouw Erik , Ernstson Henrik
Published: February 2018

This paper argues that ‘the Anthropocene’ is a deeply depoliticizing notion. This de-politicization unfolds through the creation of a set of narratives, what we refer to as ‘AnthropoScenes’, which broadly share the effect of off-staging certain voices and forms of acting. Our notion of the Anthropo-obScene is our tactic to both attest to and undermine the depoliticizing stories of ‘the Anthropocene’. We first examine how various AnthropoScenes, while internally fractured and heterogeneous, ranging from geo-engineering and earth system science to more-than-human and object-oriented ontologies, place things and beings, human and non-human, within a particular relational straitjacket that does not allow for a remainder or constitutive outside. This risks deepening an immunological biopolitical fantasy that promises adaptive and resilient terraforming, an earth system management of sorts that permits life as we know it to continue for some, while turning into a necropolitics for others. Second, we develop a post-foundational political perspective in relation to our dramatically changing socio-ecological situation. This perspective understands the political in terms of performance and, in an Arendtian manner, re-opens the political as forms of public-acting in common that subtracts from or exceeds what is gestured to hold socio-ecological constellations together. We conclude that what is off-staged and rendered obscene in ‘the AnthropoScenes’ carries precisely the possibility of a return of the political.
Relative toxicity of benzodiazepines and hypnotics commonly used for self-poisoning: An epidemiological study of fatal toxicity and case fatality
Authors: Geulayov Galit , Ferrey Anne , Casey Deborah , Wells Claudia , Fuller Alice , Bankhead Clare , Gunnell David , Clements Caroline , Kapur Navneet , Ness Jennifer , Waters Keith , Hawton Keith
Published: February 2018

The relative toxicity of anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs commonly used for self-poisoning was assessed using data on suicides, prescriptions and non-fatal self-poisonings in England, 2005–2012. Data on suicide by self-poisoning were obtained from the Office for National Statistics, information on intentional non-fatal self-poisoning was derived from the Multicentre Study of Self-harm in England and data on prescriptions in general practice from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We used two indices of relative toxicity: fatal toxicity (the number of fatal self-poisonings relative to the number of individuals prescribed each drug) and case fatality (the number of fatal relative to non-fatal self-poisonings). Diazepam was the reference drug in all analyses. Temazepam was 10 times (95% confidence interval 5.48–18.99) and zopiclone/zolpidem nine times (95% confidence interval 5.01–16.65) more toxic in overdose than diazepam (fatal-toxicity index). Temazepam and zopiclone/zolpidem were 13 (95% confidence interval 6.97–24.41) and 12 (95% confidence interval 6.62–22.17) times more toxic than diazepam, respectively (case-fatality index). Differences in alcohol involvement between the drugs were unlikely to account for the findings. Overdoses of temazepam and zopiclone/zolpidem are considerably more likely to result in death than overdoses of diazepam. Practitioners need to exercise caution when prescribing these drugs, especially for individuals who may be at risk of self-harm, and also consider non-pharmacological options.
Reward motivation in humans and its relationship to dopamine D2/3 receptor availability: A pilot study with dual [11C]-raclopride and [11C]-(+)-PHNO imaging
Authors: Caravaggio Fernando , Fervaha Gagan , Browne Caleb J , Gerretsen Philip , Remington Gary , Graff-Guerrero Ariel
Published: February 2018

Rodent studies suggest that dopamine signaling at D2/3 receptors in the ventral striatum is critical for reward motivation. Whether this is also true in humans is unclear. Positron emission tomography studies in healthy humans have generally not observed a relationship between D2/3 receptor availability in the ventral striatum and motivation. We developed the “mounting-effort for reward task” to assess high motivational demand for (a) gaining money (CS+), (b) losing money or avoiding electric shock (CS−), and (c) non-reward (Neutral). Receipt was contingent on participants making sufficient button responses relative to a “reward-threshold” determined by prior motor performance. This reward-threshold was dynamically increased if surpassed, making the task increasingly more difficult on every trial. The mounting-effort for reward task was preliminarily validated in 29 healthy volunteers (mean age: 25.83±3.58; 15 female). In this sample, %CS+ and %CS− significantly correlated with different dimensions of self-reported apathy. In a sub-sample of eight healthy volunteers (mean age: 25.75±1.91; four female), the mounting-effort for reward task demonstrated good test-retest reliability (%variance: 0.20–2.61%). Seven healthy male volunteers (mean age: 31.14±5.43) completed the mounting-effort for reward task and provided both [11C]-raclopride and [11C]-(+)-PHNO PET scans to assess D2/3 receptor availability. %CS+ and %CS− were positively correlated with [11C]-raclopride binding in the dorsal striatum. %CS+, %Cs−, and %Neutral were positively correlated with [11C]-(+)-PHNO binding in the globus pallidus. Thus, increased expression of D2 receptors in the dorsal striatum, and D3 receptors in the globus pallidus, may be related to motivation for rewards. Larger positron emission tomography studies are required to formally validate the mounting-effort for reward task and replicate our pilot findings.
Development and Validation of an Enlarged Version of the Student Agentic Engagement Scale
Authors: Mameli Consuelo , Passini Stefano
Published: February 2018

The elusive character of student agency makes it a relevant construct to be investigated and measured. An initial effort in this direction was represented by the Agentic Engagement Scale, a five-item instrument designed to assess the degree to which students constructively contribute to the flow of the instructions they receive from the teacher. Despite its merits, in its current form this scale takes into account only a part of the wide range of student agentic expressions. In the present work, we propose an extension of the Agentic Engagement Scale from five to 10 items. Compared to the original scale, the new version covers a larger variety of proactive student contributions, such as those concerning peer interactions and those communications in which learners question or challenge the teacher’s instructions. The study was conducted on 1,064 Italian high school students equally distributed between males and females. Confirmative factor analysis endorsed the adequacy of a one-factor structure of the enlarged Agentic Engagement Scale, which showed good psychometric properties as well as positive associations with student motivation to learn and the other three aspects of engagement (i.e., affective, behavioral, and cognitive). The theoretical and practical implications of a more comprehensive scale of student agentic engagement are discussed.
Examining the Effects of Afterschool Reading Interventions for Upper Elementary Struggling Readers
Authors: Roberts Garrett J. , Capin Philip , Roberts Greg , Miciak Jeremy , Quinn Jamie M. , Vaughn Sharon
Published: February 2018

We examined the efficacy of an afterschool multicomponent reading intervention for third- through fifth-grade students with reading difficulties. A total of 419 students were identified for participation based on a 90 standard score or below on a screening measure of the Test of Silent Reading Efficiency and Comprehension. Participating students were randomly assigned to a business as usual comparison condition or one of two reading treatments. All treatment students received 30 min of computer-based instruction plus 30 min of small-group tutoring for four to five times per week. No statistically significant reading comprehension posttest group differences were identified ( p > .05). The limitations of this study included high attrition and absenteeism. These findings extend those from a small sample of experimental studies examining afterschool reading interventions and provide initial evidence that more instruction, after school, may not yield the desired outcome of improved comprehension.
Lead inhalation and hepatic damage: Morphological and functional evaluation in mice
Authors: González Rendón Elena S , Cano Gumaro Gutierrez , Alcaraz-Zubeldia M , Garibay-Huarte Tania , Fortoul Teresa I
Published: February 2018

Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal that plays an unknown biological role and is very toxic even at low concentrations. The main sources of Pb are Pb-contaminated areas in industrial areas or landfills. Inhalation is one of the most common routes of exposure to this metal, but there is little information on its effect on the liver. Thirty male mice were exposed to 0.1 M Pb acetate by inhalation for 8 weeks, twice a week for 1h. A recovery group was free of exposure for 4 weeks. Histological evaluation showed an increase in the inflammatory infiltrate and in the percentage of meganuclei in the liver. This was observed since the first week and throughout the whole exposure time. A significant increase in the aspartate aminotransferase concentration was observed in the liver function tests; yet, the alanine aminotransferase concentration did not show significant changes. The 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and nitrotyrosine levels in Pb-exposed mice, identified by immunohistochemistry, showed a significant increment compared to the controls. This effect was observed throughout Pb exposure. After a 4-week period of suspended exposure, recovery time, the concentration of 4-HNE and nitrotyrosine decreased to similar levels of those previously observed in controls, this suggests a decrease in the generation of oxidative stress by Pb inhalation. Although our results suggest that the lungs are the first contact organs and filters during Pb inhalation, this metal eventually reaches the liver and might cause damage by oxidative stress. This damage can decrease in time if exposure is discontinued.
Lire en Français: Cross-Linguistic Effects of Reading Fluency Interventions in French Immersion Programs
Authors: Archambault Catherine , Mercer Sterett H. , Cheng Michèle P. , Saqui Sonja
Published: February 2018

Research on the development of reading skills in bilingual students suggests that reading skills develop interdependently across languages. The current study examined the effects of a French reading fluency intervention on the French and English reading skills of three Grade 3 students attending a French immersion program using a concurrent multiple baseline across participants single-case design. Results indicate that the intervention produced improvements in French reading fluency on instructional passages during intervention sessions and generalized improvements in English reading fluency skills. These findings provide additional support for the transferability of reading skills across languages.