bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Retrospective Study of Erectile Function and Use of Erectile Aids in Prostate Cancer Patients After Radical Prostatectomy in Denmark
Authors: Haahr Martha Kirstine , Azawi Nessn H. , Andersen Line Grønbaek , Carlson Steen , Lund Lars
Published: August 2017

Introduction

Radical prostatectomy (RP) offers a good long-term cancer control for clinically localized prostate cancer. However, complications such as erectile dysfunction and substantial decreases quality of life of the afflicted men and their sexual partners. Identification of pre-, per-, and postoperative factors that correlate with poor postoperative erectile status must be considered an important step to improving penile rehabilitation.

Aim

To describe postoperative erectile function after RP in a Danish cohort.

Methods

The medical records of 1,127 patients undergoing RP from March 2003 through September 2014 were reviewed retrospectively with a 12-month follow-up after surgery. In all, 704 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the final analysis. Recovery was defined as self-reported erection sufficient for intercourse (ESI) with or without usage of erectile aids.

Main Outcome Measures

Subjective reporting of erectile function and usage erectile aids 12 months after RP.

Results

ESI with or without erectile aids was reported by 226 men (32.1%), among whom 109 (48.2%) required erectile aids. Erectile dysfunction (ED) was reported by 478 men (67.9%) and by 121 (25.3%) despite use of erectile aids. Of men with ED, 155 (22%) stated not being interested in penile rehabilitation, 26 (3.7%) stated not having resumed their sex life 12 months after RP, and 241 (34.2%) had ED and were unsatisfied with the condition. We found that 134 of 445 men (30.1%) who underwent non–nerve-sparing RP had ESI 12 months after RP. Age older than 60.5 years, a high body mass index, comorbidity, and a high American Society of Anesthesiologists score were negative predictors of erectile function 12 months after RP.

Conclusion

Twelve months after RP, 32.1% of men had ESI; half these men required the use of erectile aids. Age older than 60.5 years, a high body mass index, comorbidity, and a high American Society of Anesthesiologists score were negative predictors for ED 12 months after RP.

Haahr MK, Azawi NH, Andersen LG, et al. A Retrospective Study of Erectile Function and Use of Erectile Aids in Prostate Cancer Patients After Radical Prostatectomy in Denmark. Sex Med 2017;5:e156–e162.
Beyond US Hegemony in International Development
Authors: Xu Jiajun
Published: August 2017

China's initiative to establish the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), attracting membership from G7 countries against the vocal opposition of the United States, has been recognised as a significant moment in an ongoing hegemonic transition. This book examines how power transitions have played out in the World Bank over the last five decades, offering the first authentic account of the international diplomacy behind donor financing of the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA). Jiajun Xu decodes how the United States amplified its influence at the World Bank despite its flagging financial contributions to IDA. She further demonstrates that the widening influence-to-contribution disparity provoked other donors into taking 'exit/voice' measures, contesting the hegemon's legitimacy. A rising China initially decided to become an IDA donor, seeking influence from within. However, the entrenched hegemonic position of the United States in World Bank governance drove China to initiate the AIIB and New Development Bank, putting competitive pressures on the US-centred multilateral institutions to adapt.
Kantian Ethics, Dignity and Perfection
Authors: Formosa Paul
Published: August 2017

In this volume Paul Formosa sets out a novel approach to Kantian ethics as an ethics of dignity by focusing on the Formula of Humanity as a normative principle distinct from the Formula of Universal Law. By situating the Kantian conception of dignity within the wider literature on dignity, he develops an important distinction between status dignity, which all rational agents have, and achievement dignity, which all rational agents should aspire to. He then explores constructivist and realist views on the foundation of the dignity of rational agents, before developing a compelling account of who does and does not have status dignity and of what kind of achievement dignity or virtue we, as vulnerable rational agents, can and should strive for. His study will be highly valuable for those interested in Kant's ethical, moral and political philosophies.
CALCINED BONE AS A RELIABLE MEDIUM FOR RADIOCARBON DATING: A TEST USING PAIRED NORTH AMERICAN SAMPLES
Authors: Chatters James C. , Brown James W. , Hackenberger Steven , McCutcheon Patrick , Adler Jonathan
Published: August 2017

Radiocarbon dating using charcoal and bone collagen, two standards of archaeological chronology, can be difficult to impossible in environments where natural burning is common and bone does not preserve well. In such settings, charcoal ages cannot always be trusted and collagen is unavailable. Calcined bone can be a viable alternative medium in these situations but it has rarely been exploited in the Americas. One area that could benefit from its use is the forested Pacific Northwest. We compare calcined bone ages with charcoal and/or collagen dates from individual features or discrete cultural strata in 10 Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia sites dating between 9000 and 100 B.P. Resulting radiocarbon age estimates based on calcined bone closely match those based on charcoal and/or collagen in nearly all cases. We obtained calcined bone dates from three additional Holocene-aged sites that had not previously produced accurate results, obtaining findings consistent with estimates based on cross dating. Preserving well where all other organic media of cultural origin are lost or unreliable, calcined bone holds promise for dating sites in conifer forests and other acidic soil settings, and can allow researchers to refine archaeological sequences that have long defied accurate chronometric analysis.
A FEMINIST CRITIQUE OF CHACOAN ARCHAEOLOGY: COMMENT ON HEITMAN'S (2016) FEMINIST SCIENCE AND CHACOAN ARCHAEOLOGY
Authors: Ware John
Published: August 2017

Heitman's (2016) feminist critique of Chacoan archaeology omits consideration of matrilineal descent theory.
Unreliable Narration in Law and Fiction
Authors: Del Gobbo Daniel
Published: August 2017

This article revisits long-standing debates about objective interpretation in the common law system by focusing on a crime novel by Agatha Christie and judicial opinion by the Ontario High Court. Conventions of the crime fiction and judicial opinion genres inform readers’ assumption that the two texts are objectively interpretable. This article challenges this assumption by demonstrating that unreliable narration is often, if not always, a feature of written communication. Judges, like crime fiction writers, are storytellers. While these authors might intend for their stories to be read in certain ways, the potential for interpretive disconnect between unreliable narrators and readers means there can be no essential quality that marks a literary or legal text’s meaning as objective. Taken to heart, this demands that judges try to narrate their decisions more reliably so that readers are able to interpret the texts correctly when it matters most.
Remodeling Just Compensation: Applying Restorative Justice to Takings Law Doctrine
Authors: Stern Shai
Published: August 2017

Compensation for expropriation in most western jurisdictions aims to provide justice. Yet, while this quest for justice is inherent in expropriation laws, they nevertheless say little, if any, about the underlying conception of justice or how justice should be pursued. A closer examination of courts’ judgments, as well as scholarly discourse on the quest for justice in expropriations reveals a muddled dialogue in which divergent justifications pull one towards different normative and positive conclusions. Currently, expropriation doctrine purports to incorporate a sense of fair dealings with those who become victim to legal devices such as eminent domain. However, based on current case law, the reality of expropriation laws fails to reflect any true practice of justice.

This Article suggests a conceptual change in expropriation laws’ remedial scheme by embracing restorative justice as the underlying concept of what constitutes justice in expropriation law. By establishing expropriation law on a restorative conception of justice, a coherent framework will emerge that is circumstances attentive and will provide practical instruments to overcome some of current law’s most significant challenges. This opens a new venue for both expropriation law and restorative justice. Equally important, the Article provides a novel opportunity to consider restorative justice beyond the borders of criminal law.
The Limits of Positivist Legal Ethics: A Brief History, a Critique, and a Return to Foundations
Authors: Wendel W. Bradley
Published: August 2017

The “positivist turn” in legal ethics has found many scholars in the Anglo-American common-law world relating the duties of lawyers to the rights and duties assigned by the law to their clients. On this view, the role of lawyers should be understood as contributing to the law’s function of resolving conflict and establishing a framework for cooperation in a pluralist society. Critics of positivist legal ethics have suggested that it is impossible for lawyers to avoid resorting to moral considerations when representing clients. These critics claim that the guidance provided by law runs out at critical moments, leaving a lawyer no choice but to fall back on the moral considerations supposedly pre-empted by positive law. In particular they argue that the law cannot determine its own application, and normative questions remain regarding the interpretive attitude lawyers ought to take when representing clients. This paper responds to critics of positivist legal ethics by returning to foundations, specifically the values underpinning the rule of law as a practice of giving reasons based on norms established in the name of the political community.
Preparing for the Surge: A Half-Day Emergency Preparedness Training Course for the “Second Front”
Authors: Scott Lancer A. , Madden Layne A. , Wahlquist Amy E. , Fisher Daniel W.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Clinical disaster medicine requires providers working collaboratively to care for multiple patients, yet many clinicians lack competency-based training. A 5-hour emergency preparedness training (EPT) curriculum was created using didactics, small group discussion, and scenario-based learning. The goal was to evaluate the effect of a short course on improving clinical-provider knowledge, confidence and skill.

Methods

Participants were enrolled in a medical university between 2011 and 2014. The course consisted of didactic lectures, small group exercises, and live mass-casualty training scenarios. Core competencies and performance objectives were developed by a task force and assessed via facilitator observation, pre- and posttesting, and a course evaluation.

Results

A total of 708 participants were trained, including 49.9% physicians, 31.9% medical students, 7.2% nurses, and 11% allied health personnel. The average percentage of correct answers increased from 39% to 60% (P<0.01). Following didactics, trainees met 73% and 96% of small group performance objectives. Trainees also met 68.5% and 61.1% of the mass-casualty performance objectives. Average trainee self-assessment of disaster-preparedness skill improved from 36 to 73 points out of 100.

Conclusion

A brief, intensive EPT course can improve the disaster knowledge and comfort level of a diverse group of clinical providers as well as foster disaster-performance skills. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:121–126)
Summer activity patterns for mosses and lichens in Maritime Antarctica
Authors: Schroeter Burkhard , Green T.G. Allan , Pintado Ana , Türk Roman , Sancho Leopoldo G.
Published: August 2017

Within Antarctica there are large gradients both in climate and in vegetation which offer opportunities to investigate links between the two. The activity (% total time active) of lichens and bryophytes in hydric and xeric environments was monitored at Livingston Island (62°39'S). This adds a northern site with a maritime, cloudy climate to previous studies in the southern Antarctic Peninsula and the Dry Valleys (78°S). Annual activity increases northwards from less than 1% to nearly 100%. There is a major and consistent difference between hydric sites which, with snow melt, can be 100% active in summer months even in the Dry Valleys, and xeric sites which, depending on precipitation, rarely exceed 80% activity even at Livingston Island. Mosses dominate hydric sites and lichens the xeric sites all along the gradient. Mean temperatures when active are 2–4°C at all sites, as liquid water is required. Light is a potential major stress reaching 880 µmol m-2s-1when active in continental sites. The lack of extremes in temperatures and light combined with high activity levels means that summer at Livingston Island is one of the better sites for lichen and bryophyte growth in the world.
Correlation Bounds for Distant Parts of Factor of IID Processes
Authors: BACKHAUSZ ÁGNES , GERENCSÉR BALÁZS , HARANGI VIKTOR , VIZER MÁTÉ
Published: August 2017

We study factor of i.i.d. processes on the d-regular tree for d ≥ 3. We show that if such a process is restricted to two distant connected subgraphs of the tree, then the two parts are basically uncorrelated. More precisely, any functions of the two parts have correlation at most $k(d-1) / (\sqrt{d-1})^k$, where k denotes the distance between the subgraphs. This result can be considered as a quantitative version of the fact that factor of i.i.d. processes have trivial 1-ended tails.
FORM: AN APOLLONIAN MODERNITY
Authors: BEHRENT MICHAEL C.
Published: August 2017

History, Georg Simmel tells us, consist of a conflict between life and form. Life—the physical and biological basis of existence—is, in itself, bereft of culture and devoid of form. Through culture, however, the energies life harbors can become manifest. “We speak of culture,” Simmel writes, “whenever life produces certain forms in which it expresses and realizes itself; works of art, religions, sciences, technologies, laws, and innumerable others.” Life, in this way, produces something related to yet different from itself: “Life as such is formless, yet incessantly generates forms for itself.” Though form proceeds from life, conflict between them is unavoidable. Form struggles to liberate itself from the “pulse of life,” while life attempts to draw form back into its own “immediacy,” in a gambit to reduce culture's achievements to “direct manifestations of life.” The unprecedented character of modern culture, Simmel maintained, lies in the fact that life's forces were henceforth targeting the very “principle of form.” In the latest and most radical round of this conflict, life's cultural partisans assert that they no longer need the opaque and alien resources of form to express life's energies; form can be jettisoned, mediation dispensed with, and life can exist and relish its powers in their most unalloyed purity.
Developing and evaluating psychological provision in the acute hospital setting for patients with chronic respiratory disease
Authors: Thew Graham R , MacCallam Jackie , Salkovskis Paul M , Suntharalingam Jay
Published: August 2017

Physical health outcomes for patients with long-term conditions can be significantly affected by their psychological wellbeing; those experiencing psychological difficulties are less able to manage symptoms, have a poorer quality of life, and more frequent hospital admissions. National guidance recommends the assessment and treatment of psychological difficulties secondary to respiratory disease, but implementation of this across services is inconsistent. Here, we describe the process and findings of a 9-month study integrating psychological assessment and intervention into an acute respiratory department. The aim of this provision was to provide appropriate interventions for both in-patients and out-patients with identified psychological needs, and to evaluate the impact of these across a range of outcome domains. Psychological assessment and intervention was flexibly implemented as clinically appropriate within the context of the wider multidisciplinary team. Hospital admissions data were collated, and feedback obtained from both patients and staff. Results highlighted that psychological provision was well received by both patients and staff, and was associated with improved patient experiences and a greater focus on holistic care. Of the 73 patients receiving psychology input with at least 1 month of follow-up data, 75% showed a reduction in their admission frequency following intervention. The estimated savings to the wider NHS exceeded the costs of providing psychology input. In light of existing literature, national guidance, and the present findings, we highlight the need for those commissioning and managing respiratory services to consider the various potential benefits of integrating psychological provision for a patient group with high levels of psychological need.
Taking Far-Right Claims Seriously and Literally: Anthropology and the Study of Right-Wing Radicalism
Authors: Pasieka Agnieszka
Published: August 2017

Departing from an overview of current mass media discourse on the far right, this article suggests why and how social scientists could contribute to a better understanding of current socio-political changes. In presenting an anthropological perspective, it discusses methodological, conceptual, and ethical challenges to conducting research on and with radical right-wing activists and supporters.
Trump, Putin, and the Future of US-Russian Relations
Authors: Rutland Peter
Published: August 2017

This article traces the structural roots of the current crisis in US-Russia relations (the weakening of US hegemony and the resurgence of Russian power), and chronicles the series of contingencies that accompanied Donald Trump's rise to the presidency and his chaotic first few months in office. The details of Russia's influence over the results of the election through the release of hacked Democratic Party emails, and over the composition and policy of the new Trump Administration, are still emerging. The chances of a “grand bargain” between Trump and Putin look increasingly remote, however. Russia's efforts to dabble in American politics seem to have blown back, and made rapprochement between Moscow and Washington more difficult. This is unfortunate, since cooperation between the two sides to resolve a number of pressing global problems, from the wars in Ukraine and Syria to climate change, is urgently needed.
Grit
Authors: Tyumeneva Yulia , Kardanova Elena , Kuzmina Julia
Published: August 2017

Abstract. The Grit scale is a popular measure of achievement-striving behavior. Consisting of two subscales, Consistency of Interests (CI) and Perseverance of Effort (PE), this scale has been repeatedly demonstrated to have high reliability and validity. At the same time, an increasing number of studies explicitly report a low correlation between the subscales and distinct patterns of associations with external measures that each subscale forms. We explored whether there is psychometric evidence that a substantive single grit construct underlies the scale. To answer this question, we investigated the scale structure in a more robust framework than the classical test theory and factor analyses could previously provide. The Russian version of the Grit scale was developed and implemented on a representative sample of high school students ( n = 2,269), and different models of item response theory (IRT), both unidimensional and multidimensional, were compared to find the best fitting model. The results confirmed that the subscales reflect related but independent constructs rather than the whole grit construct. The psychometric properties of the subscales were analyzed with the two-dimensional Partial Credit Model. Both subscales of the Russian version of the Grit scale are unidimensional, have good psychometric properties, and can be used to estimate respondents’ ability.
The Family Relationships Index (FRI)
Authors: Margola Davide , Fenaroli Valentina , Sorgente Angela , Lanz Margherita , Costa Giulio
Published: August 2017

Abstract. Factor analysis of nested data is a challenge for researchers when they need to accurately identify the most appropriate latent configuration of self-report instruments. The present study used a multilevel framework to evaluate the factor structure underlying the 12-item three-factor Family Relationships Index (FRI), while adapting this instrument to the Italian context. By way of separating the two sources of variance (within and between families), results from 231 family members nested in 77 family triads supported a three-factor model (i.e., family cohesion, communication, and conflict resolution). Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) corroborated this model at the family level in particular. A one-factor model was also tested but resulted in being less suitable at both the individual (within) and family (between) level of analysis. Finally, we consider challenges in using such statistical techniques, while taking into account the FRI’s briefness and easiness to complete and score it in a practice-oriented assessment perspective.
The ancestral flower of angiosperms and its early diversification
Authors: Sauquet Hervé , von Balthazar Maria , Magallón Susana , Doyle James A. , Endress Peter K. , Bailes Emily J. , Barroso de Morais Erica , Bull-Hereñu Kester , Carrive Laetitia , Chartier Marion , Chomicki Guillaume , Coiro Mario , Cornette Raphaël , El Ottra Juliana H. L. , Epicoco Cyril , Foster Charles S. P. , Jabbour Florian , Haevermans Agathe , Haevermans Thomas , Hernández Rebeca , Little Stefan A. , Löfstrand Stefan , Luna Javier A. , Massoni Julien , Nadot Sophie , Pamperl Susanne , Prieu Charlotte , Reyes Elisabeth , dos Santos Patrícia , Schoonderwoerd Kristel M. , Sontag Susanne , Soulebeau Anaëlle , Staedler Yannick , Tschan Georg F. , Wing-Sze Leung Amy , Schönenberger Jürg
Published: August 2017

Recent advances in molecular phylogenetics and a series of important palaeobotanical discoveries have revolutionized our understanding of angiosperm diversification. Yet, the origin and early evolution of their most characteristic feature, the flower, remains poorly understood. In particular, the structure of the ancestral flower of all living angiosperms is still uncertain. Here we report model-based reconstructions for ancestral flowers at the deepest nodes in the phylogeny of angiosperms, using the largest data set of floral traits ever assembled. We reconstruct the ancestral angiosperm flower as bisexual and radially symmetric, with more than two whorls of three separate perianth organs each (undifferentiated tepals), more than two whorls of three separate stamens each, and more than five spirally arranged separate carpels. Although uncertainty remains for some of the characters, our reconstruction allows us to propose a new plausible scenario for the early diversification of flowers, leading to new testable hypotheses for future research on angiosperms.
A pluripotent stem cell-based model for post-implantation human amniotic sac development
Authors: Shao Yue , Taniguchi Kenichiro , Townshend Ryan F. , Miki Toshio , Gumucio Deborah L. , Fu Jianping
Published: August 2017

Development of the asymmetric amniotic sac—with the embryonic disc and amniotic ectoderm occupying opposite poles—is a vital milestone during human embryo implantation. Although essential to embryogenesis and pregnancy, amniotic sac development in humans remains poorly understood. Here, we report a human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-based model, termed the post-implantation amniotic sac embryoid (PASE), that recapitulates multiple post-implantation embryogenic events centered around amniotic sac development. Without maternal or extraembryonic tissues, the PASE self-organizes into an epithelial cyst with an asymmetric amniotic ectoderm-epiblast pattern that resembles the human amniotic sac. Upon further development, the PASE initiates a process that resembles posterior primitive streak development in a SNAI1-dependent manner. Furthermore, we observe asymmetric BMP-SMAD signaling concurrent with PASE development, and establish that BMP-SMAD activation/inhibition modulates stable PASE development. This study reveals a previously unrecognized fate potential of human pluripotent stem cells and provides a platform for advancing human embryology.
Ensa controls S-phase length by modulating Treslin levels
Authors: Charrasse Sophie , Gharbi-Ayachi Aicha , Burgess Andrew , Vera Jorge , Hached Khaled , Raynaud Peggy , Schwob Etienne , Lorca Thierry , Castro Anna
Published: August 2017

The Greatwall/Ensa/PP2A-B55 pathway is essential for controlling mitotic substrate phosphorylation and mitotic entry. Here, we investigate the effect of the knockdown of the Gwl substrate, Ensa, in human cells. Unexpectedly, Ensa knockdown promotes a dramatic extension of S phase associated with a lowered density of replication forks. Notably, Ensa depletion results in a decrease of Treslin levels, a pivotal protein for the firing of replication origins. Accordingly, the extended S phase in Ensa-depleted cells is completely rescued by the overexpression of Treslin. Our data herein reveal a new mechanism by which normal cells regulate S-phase duration by controlling the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation of Treslin in a Gwl/Ensa-dependent pathway.
Erratum: Catalyzed Synthesis of Zinc Clays by Prebiotic Central Metabolites
Authors: Zhou Ruixin , Basu Kaustuv , Hartman Hyman , Matocha Christopher J. , Sears S. Kelly , Vali Hojatollah , Guzman Marcelo I.
Published: August 2017

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Leveraging neural dynamics to extend functional lifetime of brain-machine interfaces
Authors: Kao Jonathan C. , Ryu Stephen I. , Shenoy Krishna V.
Published: August 2017

Intracortical brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) aim to restore lost motor function to people with neurological deficits by decoding neural activity into control signals for guiding prostheses. An important challenge facing BMIs is that, over time, the number of neural signals recorded from implanted multielectrode arrays will decline and result in a concomitant decrease of BMI performance. We sought to extend BMI lifetime by developing an algorithmic technique, implemented entirely in software, to improve performance over state-of-the-art algorithms as the number of recorded neural signals decline. Our approach augments the decoder by incorporating neural population dynamics remembered from an earlier point in the array lifetime. We demonstrate, in closed-loop experiments with two rhesus macaques, that after the loss of approximately 60% of recording electrodes, our approach outperforms state-of-the-art decoders by a factor of 3.2× and 1.7× (corresponding to a 46% and 22% recovery of maximal performance). Further, our results suggest that neural population dynamics in motor cortex are invariant to the number of recorded neurons. By extending functional BMI lifetime, this approach increases the clinical viability of BMIs.
Mutations in the C-terminus of HBoV NS1 affect the function of NP1
Authors: Zhang Junmei , Bai Yan , Zhu Bing , Hao Sujuan , Chen Zhen , Wang Hanzhong , Guan Wuxiang
Published: August 2017

Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) is an autonomous parvovirus in the Bocaparvovirus genus. The multifunctional nuclear protein NP1 is involved in viral replication. In the present study, we found that the mutations in the C-terminus of NS1 affected NP1 function in viral replication. Knocking out NP1 expression in the recombinant infectious clone, on which the C-terminus of NS1 was mutated based on the clinical samples from nasopharyngeal aspirates, resulted in different degrees of decreased replication. The result suggested that NP1 facilitated the replication of viral genome but was not necessary, which is different from the minute virus of canines, where NP1 is essential for viral replication. Further studies showed that clinical mutations in the NP1 region did not affect viral genome replication, and UP1 promoted viral DNA replication. Our results suggested that the C-terminus of NS1 is important for viral replication and may be a target for regulating the replication of the viral genome.
Phenothiazines Enhance Mild Hypothermia-induced Neuroprotection via PI3K/Akt Regulation in Experimental Stroke
Authors: An Hong , Duan Yunxia , Wu Di , Yip James , Elmadhoun Omar , Wright Joshua C. , Shi Wenjuan , Liu Kaiyin , He Xiaoduo , Shi Jingfei , Jiang Fang , Ji Xunming , Ding Yuchuan
Published: August 2017

Physical hypothermia has long been considered a promising neuroprotective treatment of ischemic stroke, but the treatment’s various complications along with the impractical duration and depth of therapy significantly narrow its clinical scope. In the present study, the model of reversible right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 h was used. We combined hypothermia (33–35 °C for 1 h) with phenothiazine neuroleptics (chlorpromazine & promethazine) as additive neuroprotectants, with the aim of augmenting its efficacy while only using mild temperatures. We also investigated its therapeutic effects on the Phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/Protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) apoptotic pathway. The combination treatment achieved reduction in ischemic rat temperatures in the rectum, cortex and striatum significantly (P < 0.01) faster than hypothermia alone, accompanied by more obvious (P < 0.01) reduction of brain infarct volume and neurological deficits. The combination treatment remarkably (P < 0.05) increased expression of p-Akt and anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL), while reduced expression of pro-apoptotic proteins (AIF and Bax). Finally, the treatment’s neuroprotective effects were blocked by a p-Akt inhibitor. By combining hypothermia with phenothiazines, we significantly enhanced the neuroprotective effects of mild hypothermia. This study also sheds light on the possible molecular mechanism for these effects which involves the PI3K/Akt signaling and apoptotic pathway.
The Risk Factors and Neonatal outcomes of Isolated Single Umbilical Artery in Singleton Pregnancy: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Luo Xiaohua , Zhai Shanshan , Shi Na , Li Mei , Cui Shihong , Xu Yajuan , Ran Limin , Ren Lidan , Hong Teng , Liu Rui
Published: August 2017

The current meta-analysis aims to evaluate the risk factors and neonatal outcomes of isolated Single Umbilical Artery (iSUA) in singleton pregnancy. Standard Mean Difference (SMD) or Weighted Mean Difference (WMD) was pooled for the maternal age, gravidity and parity, neonate birth weight and Apgar score one and five minutes after birth. We also pooled the odds ratios (ORs) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for maternal smoking status, the rate of neonate delivery before 37 or 34 weeks, Cesarean section (CS), the rate of being admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the serious adverse neonate outcome. Results show that maternal primigravidity [OR: −0.082, CI (−0.152, −0.011), p = 0.023] and female sex of the neonate [OR: 0.805, CI (0.673, 0.963), p = 0.017] were associated with higher risks of iSUA. As compared to normal neonates, the neonates with iSUA had lower birth weight, worse Apgar score, increased risk of delivery before the normal gestational age, increased rate of CS due to fetal distress, increased rate of admission to NICU and prolonged NICU stay. However, no difference in neonatal mortality was observed. Maternal primigravidity and female neonate might associate with increased risk of iSUA. Identification of iSUA is of great importance for prenatal diagnosis and may improve neonatal outcomes.
Modulation of piglets’ microbiota: differential effects by a high wheat bran maternal diet during gestation and lactation
Authors: Leblois Julie , Massart Sébastien , Li Bing , Wavreille José , Bindelle Jérôme , Everaert Nadia
Published: August 2017

Reaching a beneficial intestinal microbiota early in life is desirable for piglets, as microbiota will impact their future health. One strategy to achieve this is the addition of prebiotics to sows’ diet, as their microbiota will be transferred. Transmission of microbiota to the offspring occurs at birth and during lactation but a transfer might also occur during gestation. The objectives of this study were to determine whether and when (before and/or after birth) a maternal transfer of the microbiota occurs, and to observe the impact of wheat bran (WB) in sows’ diet on their faecal microbiota, their offspring’s microbiota and fermentation profile. Sequencing was performed on DNA extracted from umbilical cord blood, meconium, sows’ faeces and piglets’ colon content. Short-chain fatty acid production was determined in piglets’ distal gut. Different bacteria (mostly Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes) were found in the umbilical cord blood, suggesting a maternal transfer occurring already during gestation. Less butyrate was produced in the caecum of WB piglets and a lower concentration of valerate was observed in all intestinal parts of WB piglets. Maternal wheat bran supplementation affected microbiota of sows and piglets differently.
Radiological imaging characteristics of intramammary hematological malignancies: results from a german multicenter study
Authors: Wienbeck Susanne , Meyer Hans Jonas , Uhlig Johannes , Herzog Aimee , Nemat Sogand , Teifke Andrea , Heindel Walter , Schäfer Fritz , Kinner Sonja , Surov Alexey
Published: August 2017

To assess radiological procedures and imaging characteristics in patients with intramammary hematological malignancies (IHM). Radiological imaging studies of histopathological proven IHM cases from ten German University affiliated breast imaging centers from 1997–2012 were retrospectively evaluated. Imaging modalities included ultrasound (US), mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Two radiologists blinded to the histopathological diagnoses independently assessed all imaging studies. Imaging studies of 101 patients with 204 intramammary lesions were included. Most patients were women (95%) with a median age of 64 years. IHM were classified as Non Hodgkin lymphoma (77.2%), plasmacytoma (11.9%), leukemia (9.9%), and Hodgkin lymphoma (1%). The mean lesion size was 15.8 ± 10.1 mm. Most IHM presented in mammography as lesions with comparable density to the surrounding tissue, and a round or irregular shape with indistinct margins. On US, most lesions were of irregular shape with complex echo pattern and indistinct margins. MRI shows lesions with irregular or spiculated margins and miscellaneous enhancement patterns. Using US or MRI, IHM were more frequently classified as BI-RADS 4 or 5 than using mammography (96.2% and 89.3% versus 75.3%). IHM can present with miscellaneous radiological patterns. Sensitivity for detection of IHM lesions was higher in US and MRI than in mammography.
PIK3R1Met326Ile germline mutation correlates with cysteine-rich protein 61 expression and poor prognosis in glioblastoma
Authors: Otani Yoshihiro , Ishida Joji , Kurozumi Kazuhiko , Oka Tetsuo , Shimizu Toshihiko , Tomita Yusuke , Hattori Yasuhiko , Uneda Atsuhito , Matsumoto Yuji , Michiue Hiroyuki , Tomida Shuta , Matsubara Takehiro , Ichikawa Tomotsugu , Date Isao
Published: August 2017

Despite therapeutic advances, glioblastoma represents a lethal brain tumor. Recently, research to identify prognostic markers for glioblastoma has intensified. Our previous study demonstrated that median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with high cysteine-rich protein 61 (CCN1) expression was significantly shorter than that of patients with low CCN1 expression. To understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate CCN1 expression, we examined 147 tumour samples from 80 patients with glioblastoma and 67 patients with lower grade glioma. Next-generation and Sanger sequencing showed that PIK3R1Met326Ile was more frequent in the CCN1 high expression group (10/37 cases, 27.0%) than the CCN1 low expression group (3/38 cases, 7.9%) in glioblastoma. This mutation was also detected in corresponding blood samples. In multivariate analysis, high CCN1 expression and PIK3R1Met326Ile in glioblastoma patients were prognostic factors for OS [HR = 2.488 (1.298–4.769), p = 0.006] and [HR = 2.089 (1.020–4.277), p = 0.0439], respectively. Thus, the PIK3R1Met326Ile germline appears to be correlated with CCN1 expression and poor prognosis in glioblastoma.
Genetic variation in compensatory feeding for dietary dilution in a generalist caterpillar
Authors: Lee Kwang Pum
Published: August 2017

Increasing the rate of food consumption is a common adaptive strategy that allows herbivores to compensate for declines in nutrient concentrations in plant tissues. Herbivores that are better able to compensate for dietary dilution may have selective advantages under nutritionally poor conditions. In order for compensatory feeding to respond to selection, there must be standing heritable variation for this trait. However, empirical data substantiating the adaptive significance and genetic variability of compensatory feeding are rare. By employing a full-sib, split-brood design, this study presents quantitative genetic analyses on the nutrient consumption rates of the generalist caterpillar, Spodoptera exigua, raised on semi-synthetic diets differing in nutrient concentrations. When encountering a diluted diet, caterpillars exhibited a compensatory increase in food consumption rate, but the extent of this increase was not sufficient to fully compensate for dietary dilution. A significant gene-environment interaction for consumption rate indicated that the capacity of caterpillars to compensate for dietary dilution varied across genotypes. The broad-sense heritability of compensatory feeding was 0.51. Caterpillar genotypes with a higher compensatory capacity suffered lower performance losses on the diluted diet than did those with a lower capacity. This study has implications for understanding how herbivores can evolutionarily respond to nutritional challenges.
E-Liquid Autofluorescence can be used as a Marker of Vaping Deposition and Third-Hand Vape Exposure
Authors: Davis Eric S. , Sassano M. Flori , Goodell Henry , Tarran Robert
Published: August 2017

In the past 5 years, e-cigarette use has been increasing rapidly, particularly in youth and young adults. Due to the novelty of e-cigarettes (e-cigs) and e-cigarette liquids (e-liquids), research on their chemo-physical properties is still in its infancy. Here, we describe a previously unknown and potentially useful property of e-liquids, namely their autofluorescence. We performed an emission scan at 9 excitation wavelengths common to fluorescent microscopy and found (i) that autofluorescence differs widely between e-liquids, (ii) that e-liquids are most fluorescent in the UV range (between 350 and 405 nm) and (iii) fluorescence intensity wanes as the emission wavelength increases. Furthermore, we used the autofluorescence of e-liquids as a marker for tracking e-cig aerosol deposition in the laboratory. Using linear regression analysis, we were able to quantify the deposition of a “vaped” e-liquid onto hard surfaces. Using this technique, we found that every 70 mL puff of an e-cigarette deposited 0.019% e-liquid (v/v) in a controlled environment. Finally, we vaped a surface in the laboratory and used our method to detect e-cig aerosol third-hand exposure. In conclusion, our data suggest that e-cigarette autofluorescence can be used as a marker of e-cigarette deposition.
Single-impurity-induced Dicke quantum phase transition in a cavity-Bose-Einstein condensate
Authors: Yuan Ji-Bing , Lu Wang-Jun , Song Ya-Ju , Kuang Le-Man
Published: August 2017

We present a new generalized Dicke model, an impurity-doped Dicke model (IDDM), by the use of an impurity-doped cavity-Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). It is shown that the impurity atom can induce Dicke quantum phase transition (QPT) from the normal phase to superradiant phase at a critic value of the impurity population. It is found that the impurity-induced Dicke QPT can happen in an arbitrary field-atom coupling regime while the Dicke QPT in the standard Dicke model occurs only in the strong coupling regime of the cavity field and atoms. This opens the possibility to realize the control of quantum properties of a macroscopic-quantum system (BEC) by using a microscopic quantum system (a single impurity atom).
Field-based assessment of the mechanism of maize yield enhancement by Azospirillum lipoferum CRT1
Authors: Rozier Camille , Hamzaoui Jihane , Lemoine Damien , Czarnes Sonia , Legendre Laurent
Published: August 2017

Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) of the genus Azospirillum are known to enhance root growth and yield in many plant species including cereals. To probe the underlying mechanisms, correlations between modifications of yield and 6-leaf plantlet characteristics were estimated on maize in four fields with contrasting soil properties over two consecutive years using the commercial isolate A. lipoferum CRT1. In both years, plantlet metabolome, photosynthetic potential and organ morphology were found to display field- and inoculation-specific signatures. Metabolomic analyses revealed that A. lipoferum CRT1 mostly affected sugar metabolism with no suggested impact on N and P assimilation. Mineral nitrogen feeding increased yield but did not affect yield enhancement by the bacterial partner. However, greater improvements of leaf photosynthetic potential correlated with yield diminutions and larger plantlets in all of their proportions correlated with yield enhancements. Bacterial inoculation restored proper seed-to-adult plant ratio when it accidentally dropped below 80%. Only in these cases did it raise yield. All in all, securing mature plant density is hypothesized as being the primary driver of A. lipoferum CRT1-mediated yield enhancement in maize fields.
Associations among oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) DNA methylation in adulthood, exposure to early life adversity, and childhood trajectories of anxiousness
Authors: Gouin J. P. , Zhou Q. Q. , Booij L. , Boivin M. , Côté S. M. , Hébert M. , Ouellet-Morin I. , Szyf M. , Tremblay R. E. , Turecki G. , Vitaro F.
Published: August 2017

Recent models propose deoxyribonucleic acid methylation of key neuro-regulatory genes as a molecular mechanism underlying the increased risk of mental disorder associated with early life adversity (ELA). The goal of this study was to examine the association of ELA with oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation among young adults. Drawing from a 21-year longitudinal cohort, we compared adulthood OXTR methylation frequency of 46 adults (23 males and 23 females) selected for high or low ELA exposure based on childhood socioeconomic status and exposure to physical and sexual abuse during childhood and adolescence. Associations between OXTR methylation and teacher-rated childhood trajectories of anxiousness were also assessed. ELA exposure was associated with one significant CpG site in the first intron among females, but not among males. Similarly, childhood trajectories of anxiousness were related to one significant CpG site within the promoter region among females, but not among males. This study suggests that females might be more sensitive to the impact of ELA on OXTR methylation than males.
A bis-corannulene based molecular tweezer with highly sensitive and selective complexation of C70 over C60
Authors: Yang Deng-Chen , Li Meng , Chen Chuan-Feng
Published: August 2017

A corannulene-based tweezer-like receptor was conveniently synthesized, which showed highly sensitive and selective complexation of C70 over C60.
Rational design of thermo-responsive adsorbents: demand-oriented active sites for the adsorption of dyes
Authors: Jiang Yao , Shan Shu-Feng , Liu Wei , Zhu Jing , He Qiu-Xia , Tan Peng , Cheng Lei , Liu Xiao-Qin , Sun Lin-Bing
Published: August 2017

A smart adsorbent is fabricated by incorporating a di-block copolymer through the combination of thermo-responsive groups and demand-oriented active sites into mesoporous silica for temperature swing adsorption of dyes.
Structure prediction of aluminum nitride combining data mining and quantum mechanics
Authors: Zagorac J. , Zagorac D. , Rosić M. , Schön J. C. , Matović B.
Published: August 2017

This study covers the experimentally observed modifications of AlN, investigates their relations and searches for new possible modifications combining data mining andab initiomethods.
A first principles study of p-type defects in LaCrO3
Authors: Dabaghmanesh Samira , Sarmadian Nasrin , Neyts Erik C. , Partoens Bart
Published: August 2017

The electronic and structural properties of various point defects in LaCrO3 have been investigated using first principles calculations.
Beam-profile-compensated quantum yield measurements of upconverting nanoparticles
Authors: Mousavi Monirehalsadat , Thomasson Björn , Li Meng , Kraft Marco , Würth Christian , Resch-Genger Ute , Andersson-Engels Stefan
Published: August 2017

The UCNP luminescence signal depends non-linearly on the excitation power density, making beam profiling essential in quantum yield measurements. The 2D Gaussian and its squared profile illustrates this concept.
Triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion kinetics of C60–Bodipy dyads as organic triplet photosensitizers
Authors: Wei Yaxiong , Zhou Miaomiao , Zhou Qiaohui , Zhou Xiaoguo , Liu Shilin , Zhang Song , Zhang Bing
Published: August 2017

Three new triplet photosensitizers consisting of a bodipy derivative and C60 moieties were synthesized for triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion of perylene.
The low populated folding intermediate of a mutant of the Fyn SH3 domain identified by a simple model
Authors: Wu Jing , Chen Guojun , Zhang Zhuqing , Zhang Ping , Chen Tao
Published: August 2017

The low populated on-pathway folding intermediate of the A39V/N53P/V55L Fyn SH3 domain is captured by a native-centric model augmented by sequence-dependent nonnative hydrophobic interactions.
Role of intrinsic hydrogen bonds in the assembly of perylene imide derivatives in solution and at the liquid–solid interface
Authors: Guo Zongxia , Wang Kun , Yu Ping , Zhang Shengyue , Sun Kai , Li Zhibo
Published: August 2017

The impact of hydrogen bond formation on the supramolecular assembly of two perylene imide-based derivatives was systematically investigated.
Synthesis of CO2-responsive cellulose nanocrystals by surface-initiated Cu(0)-mediated polymerisation
Authors: Arredondo Joaquin , Jessop Philip G. , Champagne Pascale , Bouchard Jean , Cunningham Michael F.
Published: August 2017

CNC was converted into a CO2-responsive composite nanomaterial by grafting PDMAEMA and PDEAEMA on its surface using a grafting-from approach via surface-initiated copper(0)-mediated polymerisation.
Probing T1–T2 interactions and their imaging implications through a thermally responsive nanoprobe
Authors: Gallo J. , Harriss B. I. , Hernández-Gil J. , Bañobre-López M. , Long N. J.
Published: August 2017

A dual T1–T2 MRI probe in which the distance between paramagnetic and superparamagnetic species can be modulated externally via temperature variations.
Mimicking wettability alterations using temperature gradients for water nanodroplets
Authors: Bakli Chirodeep , P. D. Sree Hari , Chakraborty Suman
Published: August 2017

A sessile water droplet moves from colder to warmer regions on a hydrophobic substrate, guided by the coupled effects of wettability and evaporation, demonstrating ‘reverse-Marangoni effect’.
Probing nanoscale functionalities of metal–organic framework nanocrystals
Authors: Sun Yao , Hu Zhigang , Zhao Dan , Zeng Kaiyang
Published: August 2017

We report the nanoscale piezo- and ferro-electric properties and elasticity as a function of temperature for NUS-6-based MOF nanocrystals.