bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Workplace Bullying in the Portuguese Banking Sector: Incidence Levels and Risk Groups
Authors: Verdasca Ana , Baillien Elfi
Published: December 2019

This study aims to analyze the incidence rate of workplace bullying in the Portuguese banking sector and to shed light on the most frequent bullying behaviors encountered in this understudied setting. In line with the idea of “powerlessness,” these aspects are contrasted in terms of gender and organizational position. A questionnaire-based survey using two different but complementary strategies was conducted, to measure both the subjective perception of workplace bullying and the objective dimension of the concept. Results (N = 561) showed an incidence rate of 5.9% targets of bullying, according to the self-labeling method. Following the two-act criterion, 23.4% of the targets were found through the behavioral experience method. The respondents who indicated to be a target of bullying based on the self-labeling method reported mainly work-related negative acts (e.g., being exposed to an unmanageable workload, their opinions and views are ignored and their work is excessively monitored) in the behavioral experience method. In contrast to our expectations, not the bottom staff but the middle and top managers were mostly exposed to bullying acts. Regarding gender, men were more at risk of being a target of bullying behaviors at work than women, contrary to our hypothesis and to the general idea in the literature. In addition, there was an interaction effect of position and gender in the prevalence of bullying. Although this study has limitations due to its focus exclusively in the banking sector, the findings seem to have important implications in terms of designing intervention policies. In addition, it provides new insights about workplace bullying in a sector and a country that has been largely absent from research carried out so far in Europe. Finally, the results challenge and contextualize the dominant idea in the literature that the weaker and defenseless worker is the most likely target of bullying.
A fault-tolerant attitude tracking control of spacecraft using an anti-unwinding robust nonlinear disturbance observer
Authors: Amrr Syed Muhammad , Nabi M , Tiwari Pyare Mohan
Published: December 2019

This paper investigates the application of an integral sliding mode control with a robust nonlinear disturbance observer to obtain an anti-unwinding spacecraft attitude tracking response with robustness against external disturbances, inertia matrix uncertainties, and actuator faults. In the controller design, external disturbances, uncertainties, and actuator faults are lumped together and estimated by the robust nonlinear disturbance observer. The proposed robust nonlinear disturbance observer guarantees the convergence of estimated lumped disturbance error to origin in finite time. The estimated disturbance is then used in the controller as a feed-forward compensator. Further, an adaptive law is also incorporated in the proposed controller to ensure additional robustness. The stability of the overall system and anti-unwinding characteristic are proved using the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, numerical simulation analysis is performed in the presence of all the sources of lumped disturbances. It is observed that the proposed control strategy is ensuring higher accuracy, good steady-state precision, and eliminates the unwinding phenomenon.
Forecasting a Fatal Decision: Direct Replication of the Predictive Validity of the Suicide–Implicit Association Test
Authors: Tello Nina , Harika-Germaneau Ghina , Serra Wilfried , Jaafari Nematollah , Chatard Armand
Published: December 2019

A previous study by Nock et al. (2010) suggested that people’s implicit identification with “death” or “suicide” can accurately predict whether they will attempt suicide several months in advance. We report the first direct and independent replication of this promising finding. Participants were 165 patients seeking treatment at a psychiatric unit in France. At baseline, patients completed the Suicide–Implicit Association Test (S–IAT), a semistructured interview, and a self-report measure of suicide ideation. Six months later, we contacted participants by phone and examined their hospital medical records to determine whether they had made a new suicide attempt. Results showed that the S–IAT did not distinguish between patients who were admitted to the hospital following suicide attempts and those who were admitted for other reasons. As in the original study, however, the S–IAT predicted suicide attempts within the 6-month follow-up period beyond well-known predictors. The test correctly classified 85% of patients (95% confidence interval = [76.91, 91.53]), supporting its diagnostic value for identifying who will make a suicide attempt.
Modalization of movement: The problem of sensus communis and the limits of phenomenology
Authors: Levin Kasper , Køppe Simo , Roald Tone
Published: December 2019

One of the most persistent problems in accounting for the constitution of subjective experience is the question of the unity of consciousness. In the phenomenological tradition this question is often approached through concepts such as ipseity, pre-reflective consciousness, ownership, and first-person perspective. Since Aristotle, the question of unity in an experiencing subject has been associated with the notion of “common sensibles” and the concept of “ sensus communis” as that which joins the proper sense modalities in a single center. In this article it is argued that both the classical and the phenomenological solutions to the problem of unity point to the central challenge of how to account for the experience of movement and it is questioned whether a phenomenology of movement gets us closer to an understanding of sensus communis as a primordial relational force in the body–world formation.
Eco-Citizen Science for Social Good: Promoting Child Well-Being, Environmental Justice, and Inclusion
Authors: Makuch Karen E. , Aczel Miriam R.
Published: December 2019

This article examines the benefits and challenges of engaging children in environmental citizen science, defined as science conducted by nonspecialists under the direction of professional scientists, to promote social good. Citizen science addresses two central elements of the social good model—environmental justice and inclusion with particular attention to diversity in age, gender, race/ethnicity, and social class in addressing environmental injustice that is more prevalent in underrepresented communities. This article evaluates how participation in citizen science projects focused on the environment (eco-citizen science) benefits the child’s development, contributes to science, and leads to commitment to environmental stewardship and justice as adults. Our work offers a novel contribution to the discourse on social good and social justice through explicitly calling for children to be included in environmental citizen science projects. We examine the benefits and challenges of involving children in scientific projects and discuss implications for policy, practice, and future research.
Supporting Service Dogs in the Classroom
Authors: Davidson Julia J. , Cumming Therese M. , Strnadová Iva
Published: December 2019

With the rising use of service dogs to support students with disabilities, it is important that teachers are knowledgeable about how they can be incorporated into their classroom. A recent ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court has highlighted the legal responsibility of schools to allow access to the service dogs of students. However, information focusing on the preparation of teachers for this possibility is lacking. This article provides both general and special education teachers with guidelines for including service dogs in their classroom. Background information regarding service dogs is included in addition to practical considerations concerning students, the classroom, the service dog, and planning process.
Using Graphic Novels to Engage Students With Learning Disabilities During Fluency Instruction
Authors: Fenty Nicole S. , Brydon Melissa
Published: December 2019

Strong oral reading fluency skills are an important indication of good reading. In addition, reading engagement is often correlated with reading success. Unfortunately, students with learning disabilities (LD) often struggle to read fluently and engage with text. Incorporating graphic novels as part of a comprehensive reading program may help support student engagement with text during reading fluency instruction. This article outlines how teachers can use graphic novels as part of a comprehensive reading program to help engage students with LD in reading during fluency instruction. A brief summary of the literature surrounding comprehensive fluency instruction and the use of graphic novels is provided. In addition, a scenario is provided to illustrate guidelines for fluency planning and instruction using graphic novels. Finally, conclusions are summarized.
The damage and healing of quartz under radiation at high temperatures
Authors: Zhou Shuai , Ju J Woody
Published: December 2019

The effect of radiation on silica has attracted significant attention due to its potential application where radiation exists. However, the nature of the atomistic defects of quartz formed during the radiation-induced damage at high temperatures has not been fully elucidated. Molecular dynamics is adopted to investigate the damage-healing behavior of the quartz at high temperatures in this research. The ensuing diffusion and recovery of point defects in the irradiated specimen at high temperatures are simulated. The high temperature reduces the number of point defects. At 1400 K, all point defects are removed, while only some point defects are erased at 700 K. It is illustrated that the over-coordinated atoms are the main source of point defects at 300 K and 700 K. The temperature influences the configuration of point defects. The healing variable of the molecular dynamics model is subsequently developed to describe the healing process. The healing mechanisms of the irradiated specimen at high temperatures are summarized by analyzing the trajectories of atoms in detail. These results are helpful to understand the nature of radiation damage in quartz at high temperatures.
Jean W Keeling
Authors: Khong TY , Malcomson RDG
Published: December 2019

This is a short appreciation of Jean W Keeling as a pediatric pathologist.
The psychosocial benefits of providing non-kin childcare in older adults: A longitudinal study with older New Zealanders
Authors: Szabó Ágnes , Neely Eva , Stephens Christine
Published: December 2019

Community grandparenting may promote the well-being of older adults. We examined the impact of non-kin and grandparental childcare on quality of life and loneliness using longitudinal data from 2653 older New Zealanders collected over 2 years. Providing both non-kin and grandparental childcare predicted greater self-realisation for women only and was associated with reduced levels of control and autonomy for men. Non-kin childcare was also associated with reduced social loneliness over time independent of gender. Findings suggest that non-kin grandparenting has psychosocial benefits for older adults. Surrogate grandparenting offers promising avenues for those without grandchildren to experience the benefits of grandparenting.
Outcomes of real-world social interaction for autistic adults paired with autistic compared to typically developing partners
Authors: Morrison Kerrianne E , DeBrabander Kilee M , Jones Desiree R , Faso Daniel J , Ackerman Robert A , Sasson Noah J
Published: December 2019

Differences in social communication and interaction styles between autistic and typically developing have been studied in isolation and not in the context of real-world social interaction. The current study addresses this “blind spot” by examining whether real-world social interaction quality for autistic adults differs when interacting with typically developing relative to autistic partners. Participants (67 autism spectrum disorder, 58 typically developing) were assigned to one of three dyadic partnerships (autism–autism: n = 22; typically developing–typically developing: n = 23; autism–typically developing: n = 25; 55 complete dyads, 15 partial dyads) in which they completed a 5-min unstructured conversation with an unfamiliar person and then assessed the quality of the interaction and their impressions of their partner. Although autistic adults were rated as more awkward, less attractive, and less socially warm than typically developing adults by both typically developing and autistic partners, only typically developing adults expressed greater interest in future interactions with typically developing relative to autistic partners. In contrast, autistic participants trended toward an interaction preference for other autistic adults and reported disclosing more about themselves to autistic compared to typically developing partners. These results suggest that social affiliation may increase for autistic adults when partnered with other autistic people, and support reframing social interaction difficulties in autism as a relational rather than an individual impairment.
Luxury consumption as identity markers in Tallinn: A study of Russian and Estonian everyday identity construction through consumer citizenship
Authors: Polese Abel , Seliverstova Oleksandra
Published: December 2019

While the importance of consumption of luxury goods as a mechanism accompanying upwards movement in a social hierarchy has been well acknowledged, attention to the role and perceptions of luxury in multicultural societies has been scarce so far. It is nonetheless intriguing that ethnic groups inhabiting the same territory, and exposed to a same culture, might develop substantially different notions of luxury, which may end up affecting the integration, or isolation, of one of the groups. Our article addresses this deficiency in the literature by exploring the case of Estonia, a multi-ethnic society where Russians make up almost one-fourth of the population. Much has been written about the integration, and lack thereof, of ethnic Russians into Estonian society. We contrast these views by looking at inter-ethnic relations in the country from a different angle and by a) looking at consumption of luxury in the country through the concept of ‘conspicuous consumption'; b) endorsing Foster's concept of consumer citizenship. This allows us to shed light on an under-explored tendency and maintain here that, in a significant number of cases, ordinary citizens challenge official identity narratives by the state through counter-narratives centred around consumption of luxury at the everyday level. The identified counter-narratives end up translating into (consumer behaviour) instructions for those Russians willing to assert their Estonianness thus allowing them to seek integration into the majority group by simply consuming luxury items that they perceive as appreciated among Estonians, or associated with Estonian high status. By doing this, we make a case for expanding the parameters for academic scrutiny of social integration to include more ‘banal' forms of consumer practices through which top- down narratives and macro studies may be challenged.
How do educational reforms change the share of students in special education? Trends in special education in Finland
Authors: Pulkkinen Jonna , Räikkönen Eija , Jahnukainen Markku , Pirttimaa Raija
Published: December 2019

Recent European and global trends in education have been to promote inclusive education and expand education, resulting in the increased provision of special education. In promoting inclusive education, recent special education reforms have also aimed to curtail the rise in identification rates for students in special education, for example, by focusing more on early support and discontinuing fiscal incentives to identify students with special educational needs. Using official special education statistics, we studied how Finland’s special education system reforms changed the share of students in special education. In addition, we examined variations in special education provisions among municipalities before and after the reforms, and identified municipal-level predictors of variations. This study utilised piecewise linear latent growth curve modelling to analyse changes, thereby providing an example of how this method can be applied in policy reform studies. The results indicated, in particular, that the funding reform has incentivised municipalities to decrease identification rates for students in special education and to diminish special education provision. However, different municipalities have different special education provisions and have changed these provisions in varied ways. In particular, we found that small and large municipalities differ in special education practices and reform implementation.
The incomplete reception error in acoustic analogy integral with source time domain algorithm
Authors: Mu Yongfei , Li Jie
Published: December 2019

There are two algorithms to solve the retarded time equation in the acoustic analogy. One is the classic retarded time method, and the other is the source time domain algorithm or the advanced time approach. The latter is more effective and simple than the former. However, difficulties may arise in the reconstruction of the acoustic signal in the observer time domain. The signal interpolation in every observer time step and a completeness check at the end are necessary for the reconstruction. In addition, two error regions which cannot to be ignored in frequency domain are generated by the latter. They are called the incomplete reception error. It is the main purpose of present work to analyze the formation process and characteristics of the incomplete reception error. Then the analysis is tested with a simplified model and the numerical results show that there are some spurious numerical oscillations in frequency domain if the incomplete reception regions are not removed. Finally, the difference between the method of directly removing the incomplete reception regions and the standard acoustic signal post-processing method is compared. The comparison results show that the method of removing incomplete reception regions directly is better.
Do Interviewer Assessments of Respondents’ Performance Accurately Reflect Response Behavior?
Authors: Jacobs Laura , Loosveldt Geert , Beullens Koen
Published: December 2019

A growing body of literature points to the possibilities offered by postsurvey interviewer observations as a source of paradata to obtain insights into data quality. However, their utility in predicting actual behavior of respondents has attracted limited scholarly attention so far. Using data from Round 7 of the European Social Survey, we aim to clarify the relationship between interviewer observations and response styles (straightlining, item nonresponse, use of middle and extreme categories). We contribute to previous research by empirically verifying whether interviewer observations in face-to-face interviews can be effectively used as accurate predictors of data quality. Findings suggest that interviewers’ assessments of response behavior to some extent reflect response styles and can potentially be a valuable tool for the evaluation and improvement of survey data quality, although this seems mainly restricted to the most overt (i.e., easily observable) response styles.
The Bicentennial and the Battle over DC’s Downtown Redevelopment during the 1970s
Authors: Pearlman Lauren
Published: December 2019

Few studies of post–World War II, Washington, DC, focus on the development decisions local black officials made following the passage of limited home rule measures during the 1960s–1970s. This article uses the 1976 Bicentennial as a lens to study the divisions that urban development sowed locally while the city’s government was in transition. It focuses on one of the most deeply divisive projects contested during the Bicentennial, the construction of a convention center in Downtown DC, and argues that a new coalition of stakeholders used the Bicentennial to implement a prodevelopment agenda at the expense of the city’s black residents.
Targeting Approaches of Nanomedicines in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Huang Xiao , Lin Hai , Huang Feng , Xie Yuning , Wong Ka Hong , Chen Xiaoyu , Wu Dongyue , Lu Aiping , Yang Zhijun
Published: December 2019

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy, which is commonly associated with high incidence and mortality among adult patients. The standard induction regimen for AML has been substantially unchanged over the past 40 years, for which novel nanomedicines have represented a promising strategy in AML therapies. Despite developments of multiple nanoparticles formulated with drugs or genes, less there is not much information available about approaches in AML is available. This review presents an overview of nanomedicines currently being evaluated in AML. First, it briefly summarized conventional chemotherapies in use. Second, nanomedicines presently ongoing in clinical trials or preclinical researches were classified and described, with illustrative examples from recent literatures. Finally, limitations and potential safety issues concerns in clinical translation of AML treatment were discussed as well.
The Association Between Early Postoperative Leg Pain Intensity and Disability at 1-Year and 2-Year Follow-Up After First-Time Lumbar Discectomy
Authors: Ziegler Dorthe Schoeler , Jensen Rikke Krüger , Storm Lisbeth , Carreon Leah , Andersen Mikkel Oesterheden
Published: December 2019

Study Design:

Longitudinal cohort study.

Objectives:

To investigate whether a cutoff point in leg pain intensity measured preoperatively or at early follow-up could identify patients at risk of poor outcomes in terms of disability at 1-year and 2-year follow-up after first-time lumbar discectomy, and to identify the characteristics associated with early postoperative leg pain intensity.

Methods:

From 2010 to 2013, 556 patients underwent lumbar discectomy. Leg pain intensity was measured preoperatively and at early postoperative follow-up and dichotomized according to an established cutoff point on a 0 to 100 visual analogue scale (mild <30, moderate/severe ≥30). The outcome measurement was Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Generalized estimating equations modelling established the association between leg pain intensity and ODI. Characteristics associated with early postoperative leg pain intensity were identified using common hypothesis tests.

Results:

Moderate/severe leg pain intensity at early follow-up showed a statistically significant association with higher ODI at 1-year and 2-year follow-up compared to mild leg pain intensity (median [interquartile range]: 24 [26] and 26 [26] versus 12 [18] and 10 [20], respectively). Patients reporting moderate/severe leg pain intensity were more often smokers, were more prone to receive social benefits, and were more prone to have chronic back pain. The preoperative measurement of leg pain intensity showed inferior associations.

Conclusion:

The proposed cutoff point in leg pain intensity at early follow-up can identify patients at risk of disability at both 1-year and 2-year follow-up after first-time discectomy. Future research should be undertaken to investigate whether patients with moderate/severe leg pain intensity at early postoperative follow-up could benefit from additional or more intensive postoperative interventions.
Economic Impact of Introducing the RTS,S Malaria Vaccine: Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Impact Analysis in 41 Countries
Authors: Sauboin Christophe , Van Bellinghen Laure-Anne , Van De Velde Nicolas , Van Vlaenderen Ilse
Published: December 2019

Background. Malaria is a major public health burden in sub-Saharan Africa. This study estimated the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of adding four-dose malaria vaccination in infants or children to existing interventions in 41 endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods. A static Markov cohort model followed a simulated 2017 birth cohort (36.5 million children) for 15 years in 5-day cycles, comparing three strategies: child vaccination (doses at ages 6, 7.5, 9, and 27 months); infant vaccination (doses at ages 6, 10, and 14 weeks and 21 months); no malaria vaccination. The base-case analysis was conducted from the health system perspective with vaccine price assumed at USD5/dose and annual discounting of 3% for costs and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Efficacy was based on the Phase III RTS,S clinical trial. Results. The model projected that 24.6 million children, or 26.2 million infants, would be vaccinated. Compared with no vaccination, child (infant) vaccination was projected to avert 16.8 million (16 million) cases of malaria and 113,000 (107,000) malaria deaths in the birth cohort over the 15-year period. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was USD200/DALY averted (USD225/DALY averted) for child (infant) vaccination, which represents 14% (17%) of the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita threshold. The estimated budget impact was overall larger for infant vaccination but mixed situations occurred across countries. Vaccine price, discount rate, and parasite prevalence had the largest effect on cost-effectiveness. Conclusions. Child vaccination with RTS,S would be more cost-effective than infant vaccination across countries. Adding RTS,S malaria vaccination to existing interventions would be cost-effective assuming one GDP per capita threshold for both child and infant vaccination in all examined countries except for 6 countries with lower transmission.
An Analysis of Primary Care Clinician Communication About Risk, Benefits, and Goals Related to Chronic Opioid Therapy
Authors: Danielson Elizabeth C. , Mazurenko Olena , Andraka-Christou Barbara T. , DiIulio Julie , Downs Sarah M. , Hurley Robert W. , Harle Christopher A.
Published: December 2019

Background. Safe opioid prescribing and effective pain care are particularly important issues in the United States, where decades of widespread opioid prescribing have contributed to high rates of opioid use disorder. Because of the importance of clinician-patient communication in effective pain care and recent initiatives to curb rising opioid overdose deaths, this study sought to understand how clinicians and patients communicate about the risks, benefits, and goals of opioid therapy during primary care visits. Methods. We recruited clinicians and patients from six primary care clinics across three health systems in the Midwest United States. We audio-recorded 30 unique patients currently receiving opioids for chronic noncancer pain from 12 clinicians. We systematically analyzed transcribed, clinic visits to identify emergent themes. Results. Twenty of the 30 patient participants were females. Several patients had multiple pain diagnoses, with the most common diagnoses being osteoarthritis ( n = 10), spondylosis ( n = 6), and low back pain ( n = 5). We identified five themes: 1) communication about individual-level and population-level risks, 2) communication about policies or clinical guidelines related to opioids, 3) communication about the limited effectiveness of opioids for chronic pain conditions, 4) communication about nonopioid therapies for chronic pain, and 5) communication about the goal of the opioid tapering. Conclusions. Clinicians discuss opioid-related risks in varying ways during patient visits, which may differentially affect patient experiences. Our findings may inform the development and use of more standardized approaches to discussing opioids during primary care visits.
Focal Choroidal Excavation and Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Following Choroidal Neovascularization: A Longitudinal Case Study
Authors: Wiryasaputra S. , Wong J. G.
Published: December 2019

Purpose:

This report describes the development of focal choroidal excavation (FCE) and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) following the treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) years earlier.

Methods:

A case report is presented.

Results:

A 30-year-old man previously treated for an active CNV returned several years later with subacute metamorphopsia. Optical coherence tomography and angiography demonstrated no recurrence of the CNV but instead found an FCE and associated CSCR in its place.

Conclusion:

Longitudinal follow-up with multimodal imaging demonstrated FCE with recurrent CSCR as possible sequelae of treated CNV.
Sulfur-bearing monazite-(Ce) from the Eureka carbonatite, Namibia: oxidation state, substitution mechanism, and formation conditions
Authors: Broom-Fendley Sam , Smith Martin P , Andrade Marcelo B , Ray Santanu , Banks David A , Loye Edward , Atencio Daniel , Pickles Jonathan R , Wall Frances
Published: December 2019

Sulfur-bearing monazite-(Ce) occurs in silicified carbonatite at Eureka, Namibia, forming rims up to ~0.5 mm thick on earlier-formed monazite-(Ce) megacrysts. We present X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data demonstrating that sulfur is accommodated predominantly in monazite-(Ce) as sulfate, via a clino-anhydrite-type coupled substitution mechanism. Minor sulfide and sulfite peaks in the X-ray photoelectron spectra, however, also indicate that more complex substitution mechanisms incorporating S2–and S4+are possible. Incorporation of S6+through clino-anhydrite-type substitution results in an excess ofM2+cations, which previous workers have suggested is accommodated by auxiliary substitution of OH–for O2–. However, Raman data show no indication of OH–, and instead we suggest charge imbalance is accommodated through F–substituting for O2–. The accommodation of S in the monazite-(Ce) results in considerable structural distortion that may account for relatively high contents of ions with radii beyond those normally found in monazite-(Ce), such as the heavy rare earth elements, Mo, Zr and V. In contrast to S-bearing monazite-(Ce) in other carbonatites, S-bearing monazite-(Ce) at Eureka formed via a dissolution–precipitation mechanism during prolonged weathering, with S derived from an aeolian source. While large S-bearing monazite-(Ce) grains are likely to be rare in the geological record, formation of secondary S-bearing monazite-(Ce) in these conditions may be a feasible mineral for dating palaeo-weathering horizons.
Complement activity and complement regulatory gene mutations are associated with thrombosis in APS and CAPS
Authors: Chaturvedi Shruti , Braunstein Evan M. , Yuan Xuan , Yu Jia , Alexander Alice , Chen Hang , Gavriilaki Eleni , Alluri Ravi , Streiff Michael B. , Petri Michelle , Crowther Mark A. , McCrae Keith R. , Brodsky Robert A.
Published: December 2019

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, including anti-β2-glycoprotein-I (anti-β2GPI), that are considered central to APS pathogenesis. Based on animal studies showing a role of complement in APS-related clinical events, we used the modified Ham (mHam) assay (complement-dependent cell killing) and cell-surface deposition of C5b-9 to test the hypothesis that complement activation is associated with thrombotic events in APS. A positive mHam (and corresponding C5b-9 deposition) were present in 85.7% of catastrophic APS (CAPS), 35.6% of APS (and 68.5% of samples collected within 1 year of thrombosis), and only 6.8% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) sera. A positive mHam assay was associated with triple positivity (for lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin, and anti-β2GPI antibodies) and recurrent thrombosis. Patient-derived anti-β2GPI antibodies also induced C5b-9 deposition, which was blocked completely by an anti-C5 monoclonal antibody, but not by a factor D inhibitor, indicating that complement activation by anti-β2GPI antibodies occurs primarily through the classical complement pathway. Finally, patients with CAPS have high rates of rare germline variants in complement regulatory genes (60%), compared with patients with APS (21.8%) or SLE (28.6%) or normal controls (23.3%), and have mutations at a rate similar to that of patients with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (51.5%). Taken together, our data suggest that anti-β2GPI antibodies activate complement and contribute to thrombosis in APS, whereas patients with CAPS have underlying mutations in complement regulatory genes that serve as a “second hit,” leading to uncontrolled complement activation and a more severe thrombotic phenotype.
Efficacy of two dosing schemes of a liquid containing ivy leaves dry extract EA 575versusplacebo in the treatment of acute bronchitis in adults
Authors: Schaefer Axel , Ludwig Fanny , Giannetti Bruno M. , Bulitta Michael , Wacker Anja
Published: December 2019

Introduction

The results of a clinical trial published in 2016 showed the efficacy of ivy leaves dry extract EA 575versusplacebo in the treatment of patients suffering from acute cough. A clinical trial with a very similar design was conducted to not only show the reproducibility of former results but also to investigate an alternative dosing scheme.

Methods

This randomised, placebo-controlled, multicentre, double-blind clinical trial was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of a liquid containing EA 575 in the treatment of acute bronchitis. A total of 209 patients were treated with a liquid containing EA 575 as an active investigational medicinal product (verum) either two (7.5 mL) or three (5 mL) times a day or placebo in the respective dosing scheme for 1 week, with a total observational period of 2 weeks. The primary efficacy outcome was a change in Bronchitis Severity Score (BSS) of the pooled placebo and pooled verum groups between visits 1 and 5. Additional secondary parameters were assessed, including, for example, change in cough severity as assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Verbal Category Descriptive (VCD) score.

Results

Superiority of verum over placebo was during and at the end of treatment, as measured by BSS. No significant differences between the dosing schemes were observed. VCD scores and VAS measurements also showed the superiority of verum over placebo.

Conclusion

The existing data on the clinical efficacy of EA 575 were confirmed. Furthermore, a new dosing scheme was shown to be noninferior to the currently used scheme while maintaining the safety and tolerability of the well-established cough liquid containing EA 575.
Impact ofAchromobacter xylosoxidansisolation on the respiratory function of adult patients with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Tetart Macha , Wallet Frederic , Kyheng Maeva , Leroy Sylvie , Perez Thierry , Le Rouzic Olivier , Wallaert Benoit , Prevotat Anne
Published: December 2019

Background

The prevalence ofAchromobacter xylosoxidanslung isolation in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients has increased, but the impact on lung function is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects ofA. xylosoxidansisolation on respiratory function of adult patients with CF in the first 3 years after identification ofA. xylosoxidansisolation.

Methods

This was a case–control retrospective study performed at a single CF centre in Lille, France. Data for 36 patients with CF who had at least one sputum culture positive forA. xylosoxidans(Ax+) were evaluated and compared with control CF patients uninfected byA. xylosoxidans(Ax−). Respiratory function and exacerbation frequency were evaluated between 1 year prior to and 3 years afterA. xylosoxidansisolation.

Results

Compared with theAx− group, theAx+group had a lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) at baseline (median (interquartile range): 55.2% (50.6–59.8%)versus73.8% (67.2–80.4%); p=0.005), a greater decline in FEV1(±se) in the first year afterA. xylosoxidansidentification (−153.6±16.1 mL·year−1versus−63.8±18.5 mL·year−1; p=0.0003), and more exacerbations in the first 3 years afterA. xylosoxidansidentification (9 (7–12)versus7 (5–10); p=0.03).Ax+patients co-colonised withPseudomonas aeruginosa(n=27, 75%) had a greater FEV1decline (p=0.003) and more exacerbations in the year afterA. xylosoxidansidentification (p=0.037) compared with patients colonised withA. xylosoxidansalone. Patients with chronicA. xylosoxidansisolation (n=23, 64%) had more exacerbations than intermittently colonised patients in the 3 years afterA. xylosoxidansidentification (p=0.012).

Conclusion

A. xylosoxidansisolation is associated with a decline in respiratory function in patients with CF. ChronicA. xylosoxidansisolation andP. aeruginosaco-isolation may be markers of more severe respiratory disease inAx+ patients.
Prevalence of chronic wet cough and protracted bacterial bronchitis in Aboriginal children
Authors: Laird Pamela , Totterdell James , Walker Roz , Chang Anne B. , Schultz André
Published: December 2019

Background

Chronic wet cough, the most common symptom of a disease spectrum that encompasses protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) and bronchiectasis, is common among Aboriginal children. In the absence of any community prevalence data, and with the high burden of respiratory disease and the European Respiratory Society task force's recommendation to identify disease burden, we determined the prevalence of chronic wet cough and PBB in young Aboriginal children in four remote communities in north Western Australia.

Methods

A whole-population, prospective study was conducted. Aboriginal children aged ≤7 years were clinically assessed for chronic wet cough by paediatric respiratory clinicians between July 2018 and May 2019. Where children had a wet cough but parents reported a short or uncertain cough duration, children were followed up 1 month later. A medical record audit 6 weeks to 3 months later was used to determine those children with chronic wet cough who had PBB (based on response to antibiotics).

Results

Of the 203 children, 191 (94%; median age 3.5 years, range 0–7 years) were enrolled. At the initial visit, chronic wet cough was present in 21 (11%), absent in 143 (75%) and unknown in 27 (14%). By follow-up, the total prevalence of chronic wet cough was 13% (95% CI 8–19%) and 10% (95% CI 7–17%) for PBB. Chronic wet cough was more common in the two communities with unsealed roads (19%) compared to the two with sealed roads (7%).

Conclusion

Given the relatively high prevalence, strategies to address reasons for and treatment of chronic wet cough and PBB in young Aboriginal children in remote north Western Australia are required.
Prevalence of comorbidities and impact on pulmonary rehabilitation outcomes
Authors: Butler Stacey J. , Li Lok Sze Katrina , Ellerton Lauren , Gershon Andrea S. , Goldstein Roger S. , Brooks Dina
Published: December 2019

Background

The presence of comorbid conditions could impact performance in pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programmes. We aimed to compare the comorbidity prevalence among those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) and evaluate the impact on PR response.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study, recording comorbidities for all patients with COPD or ILD referred to PR. Participants were classified as responders to PR if they met the minimal important difference for exercise capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The prevalence of comorbidities and impact on PR outcomes were compared by lung disease and by sex using a univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

The mean number of comorbidities was similar among those with COPD (3.3±2.1, n=242) and ILD (3.2±1.9, n=66) (p>0.05). Females had a higher number of comorbidities than males in both COPD (p=0.001) and ILD (p=0.017) populations. Circulatory (64%) and endocrine/metabolic (45%) conditions were most common in COPD. In ILD, digestive (55%) and circulatory (53%) comorbidities were most prevalent. In people with ILD, those over 65 years, with musculoskeletal/connective tissue disease or circulatory disease were less likely to obtain meaningful improvements in exercise capacity. There was no impact of comorbidities on exercise capacity in COPD or on HRQoL in ILD.

Conclusions

The majority of patients with COPD or ILD enrolled in PR programmes have multiple comorbidities that may affect improvements in exercise capacity. PR programmes may be less effective for older adults with ILD and comorbid circulatory or musculoskeletal disease.
Intrinsically disordered domains deviate significantly from random sequences in mammalian proteins
Authors: Teraguchi Shunsuke , Patil Ashwini , Standley Daron M
Published: December 2019

Background

In order to characterize mammalian intrinsically disordered domains (IDDs) we examined the patterns in their amino acid abundance as well as overrepresented local sequence motifs. We considered IDDs from mouse proteins associated with innate immune responses as well as a set of generic human genes. These sets were compared with artificially generated random sequences with the same overall amino acid abundance and length distributions. IDDs were then clustered by amino acid abundance, and further analyzed in terms of co-occurrence of clusters with functionally characterized Pfam domains.

Results

Overall, IDDs were very different from randomly generated sequences. The deviation from random distributions was at least as great as that for ordered domains, for which the deviation can be rationalized in terms of strong evolutionary pressure for structure and function. The co-occurrence of certain Pfam domains with specific IDD clusters was found to be significant (p-value < 0.01). Local sequence motifs that were over-represented in the innate immune set consisted mostly of low complexity fragments, primarily characterized by amino acid repeats, and could not be assigned an obvious functional role.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that IDDs are constrained within a narrow subset of possible sequences. This is most likely a result of biophysical restraints that have yet to be elucidated. More detailed examination of the functional relationship between the IDDs and associated Pfam domains is one possible avenue of investigation.
Prediction and analysis of protein solubility using a novel scoring card method with dipeptide composition
Authors: Huang Hui-Ling , Charoenkwan Phasit , Kao Te-Fen , Lee Hua-Chin , Chang Fang-Lin , Huang Wen-Lin , Ho Shinn-Jang , Shu Li-Sun , Chen Wen-Liang , Ho Shinn-Ying
Published: December 2019

Background

Existing methods for predicting protein solubility on overexpression in Escherichia coli advance performance by using ensemble classifiers such as two-stage support vector machine (SVM) based classifiers and a number of feature types such as physicochemical properties, amino acid and dipeptide composition, accompanied with feature selection. It is desirable to develop a simple and easily interpretable method for predicting protein solubility, compared to existing complex SVM-based methods.

Results

This study proposes a novel scoring card method (SCM) by using dipeptide composition only to estimate solubility scores of sequences for predicting protein solubility. SCM calculates the propensities of 400 individual dipeptides to be soluble using statistic discrimination between soluble and insoluble proteins of a training data set. Consequently, the propensity scores of all dipeptides are further optimized using an intelligent genetic algorithm. The solubility score of a sequence is determined by the weighted sum of all propensity scores and dipeptide composition. To evaluate SCM by performance comparisons, four data sets with different sizes and variation degrees of experimental conditions were used. The results show that the simple method SCM with interpretable propensities of dipeptides has promising performance, compared with existing SVM-based ensemble methods with a number of feature types. Furthermore, the propensities of dipeptides and solubility scores of sequences can provide insights to protein solubility. For example, the analysis of dipeptide scores shows high propensity of α-helix structure and thermophilic proteins to be soluble.

Conclusions

The propensities of individual dipeptides to be soluble are varied for proteins under altered experimental conditions. For accurately predicting protein solubility using SCM, it is better to customize the score card of dipeptide propensities by using a training data set under the same specified experimental conditions. The proposed method SCM with solubility scores and dipeptide propensities can be easily applied to the protein function prediction problems that dipeptide composition features play an important role.

Availability

The used datasets, source codes of SCM, and supplementary files are available at http://iclab.life.nctu.edu.tw/SCM/.
ChemEx: information extraction system for chemical data curation
Authors: Tharatipyakul Atima , Numnark Somrak , Wichadakul Duangdao , Ingsriswang Supawadee
Published: December 2019

Background

Manual chemical data curation from publications is error-prone, time consuming, and hard to maintain up-to-date data sets. Automatic information extraction can be used as a tool to reduce these problems. Since chemical structures usually described in images, information extraction needs to combine structure image recognition and text mining together.

Results

We have developed ChemEx, a chemical information extraction system. ChemEx processes both text and images in publications. Text annotator is able to extract compound, organism, and assay entities from text content while structure image recognition enables translation of chemical raster images to machine readable format. A user can view annotated text along with summarized information of compounds, organism that produces those compounds, and assay tests.

Conclusions

ChemEx facilitates and speeds up chemical data curation by extracting compounds, organisms, and assays from a large collection of publications. The software and corpus can be downloaded from http://www.biotec.or.th/isl/ChemEx.
Predicting glioblastoma prognosis networks using weighted gene co-expression network analysis on TCGA data
Authors: Xiang Yang , Zhang Cun-Quan , Huang Kun
Published: December 2019

Background

Using gene co-expression analysis, researchers were able to predict clusters of genes with consistent functions that are relevant to cancer development and prognosis. We applied a weighted gene co-expression network (WGCN) analysis algorithm on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) data obtained from the TCGA project and predicted a set of gene co-expression networks which are related to GBM prognosis.

Methods

We modified the Quasi-Clique Merger algorithm (QCM algorithm) into edge-covering Quasi-Clique Merger algorithm (eQCM) for mining weighted sub-network in WGCN. Each sub-network is considered a set of features to separate patients into two groups using K-means algorithm. Survival times of the two groups are compared using log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier curves. Simulations using random sets of genes are carried out to determine the thresholds for log-rank test p-values for network selection. Sub-networks with p-values less than their corresponding thresholds were further merged into clusters based on overlap ratios (>50%). The functions for each cluster are analyzed using gene ontology enrichment analysis.

Results

Using the eQCM algorithm, we identified 8,124 sub-networks in the WGCN, out of which 170 sub-networks show p-values less than their corresponding thresholds. They were then merged into 16 clusters.

Conclusions

We identified 16 gene clusters associated with GBM prognosis using the eQCM algorithm. Our results not only confirmed previous findings including the importance of cell cycle and immune response in GBM, but also suggested important epigenetic events in GBM development and prognosis.