bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urotherapy in children with dysfunctional voiding and the responsiveness of two condition‐specific questionnaires
Authors: Noordhoff Toscane C. , 't Hoen Lisette A. , van den Hoek Joop , Verhallen‐Dantuma Jacintha T. C. M. , van Ledden‐Klok Marjan J. , Blok Bertil F. M. , Scheepe Jeroen R.
Published: February 2018

Aims

We sought to establish the responsiveness of the Dutch Vancouver Symptom Score for Dysfunctional Elimination Syndrome (VSSDES) and Pediatric urinary incontinence Quality of life (PinQ) questionnaires. Secondary, we evaluated the outcome of urotherapy extended for children with dysfunctional voiding (DV).

Methods

This cross‐sectional multicenter study was done in one tertiary and two community hospitals. Children with DV were included, also when refractory to previous urotherapeutic treatment. The questionnaires were completed before and after urotherapy. The primary outcome measure was the responsiveness of the Dutch VSDESS and PinQ. Secondary outcome was the initial success (defined by the International Children's Continence Society) of extended urotherapy.

Results

Between June 2014 and May 2016, 64 children (median age 7 years, IQR 6‐10) received urotherapy (median 18 weeks, IQR 11‐28). In contrast to the VSSDES, the PinQ showed good responsiveness. For children and parents, respectively, the area under the ROC‐curve was 0.79 (P = 0.01) and 0.72 (P = 0.03) for the PinQ and 0.50 (P = 0.98) and 0.55 (P = 0.62) for the VSSDES. Fifty children received extended urotherapy, 27 had complete, and 14 had partial response. Sixteen children had been refractory to previous treatment; four showed complete, and six showed partial response.

Conclusion

The PinQ is able to detect clinically important changes in continence‐specific quality of life after treatment. We support the use of the VSSDES questionnaire in addition to the current diagnostics for the diagnosis of DV. Extended urotherapy showed to be a successful treatment for children with DV, also for those who had received previous unsuccessful treatment.
Local Fourier analysis of block‐structured multigrid relaxation schemes for the Stokes equations
Authors: He Yunhui , MacLachlan Scott P.
Published: February 2018

Multigrid methods that use block‐structured relaxation schemes have been successfully applied to several saddle‐point problems, including those that arise from the discretization of the Stokes equations. In this paper, we present a local Fourier analysis of block‐structured relaxation schemes for the staggered finite‐difference discretization of the Stokes equations to analyze their convergence behavior. Three block‐structured relaxation schemes are considered: distributive relaxation, Braess–Sarazin relaxation, and Uzawa relaxation. In each case, we consider variants based on weighted‐Jacobi relaxation, as is most suitable for parallel implementation on modern architectures. From this analysis, optimal parameters are proposed, and we compare the efficiency of the presented algorithms with these parameters. Finally, some numerical experiments are presented to validate the two‐grid and multigrid convergence factors.
Computing the diffusion state distance on graphs via algebraic multigrid and random projections
Authors: Lin Junyuan , Cowen Lenore J. , Hescott Benjamin , Hu Xiaozhe
Published: February 2018

In this paper, we consider efficient and robust algorithms for computing the diffusion state distance (DSD) metric on graphs developed recently. In order to efficiently compute DSD, we reformulate the problem into graph Laplacians and use unsmoothed aggregation algebraic multigrid to solve the resulting linear system of equations. To further reduce the computational cost, we approximate DSD by using random projections based on the Johnson–Lindenstrauss lemma. Numerical results for real‐world protein–protein interaction networks are presented to demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed new approaches.
Marriage Prestations, Gift Making, and Identity in Urban East Timor
Authors: Silva Kelly
Published: February 2018

This article addresses the current praxis and controversies framing marriage prestations in urban East Timor. Drawing on data related to practices, narratives, and social location of agents who stand for and against barlake (the local name for a part or the whole of marriage prestations), it suggests how the association of marriage transactions with different regimes of exchange – namely, gift and commodity – is a means for producing prestige and social distinction between ema Dili and ema foho. The lack of consensus about a single meaning for barlake allows everyone to reproduce their commitments with local and global expectations of modernity. Such phenomena result from ascribing marriage prestations to the gift regime of exchange, regardless of the number or the kind of gift functions implied in them. The controversies surrounding barlake entail a moral narrative of modernity structured by anxieties related to: (1) fixing ontological boundaries between people and things; (2) the alliance effects people search for when carrying out their marriage; (3) the social history and politics of custom associated with Dili as a place of civilized/assimilated people, and, finally; (4) people's historical period of migration to the city.
Correlation between failure and local material property in chopped carbon fiber chip‐reinforced sheet molding compound composites under tensile load
Authors: Tang Haibin , Chen Zhangxing , Zhou Guowei , Li Yang , Avery Katherine , Guo Haiding , Kang Hongtae , Zeng Danielle , Su Xuming
Published: February 2018

To develop further understanding towards the role of a heterogeneous microstructure on tensile crack initiation and failure behavior in chopped carbon fiber chip‐reinforced composites, uni‐axial tensile tests are performed on coupons cut from compression molded plaque with varying directions. Experimental results indicate that failure initiation is relevant to the strain localization, and a new criterion with the nominal modulus to predict the failure location is proposed based on the strain analysis. Furthermore, optical microscopic images show that the nominal modulus is determined by the chip orientation distribution. At the area with low nominal modulus, it is found that chips are mostly aligning along directions transverse to loading direction and/or less concentrated, while at the area with high nominal modulus, more chips are aligning to tensile direction. On the basis of failure mechanism analysis, it is concluded that transversely oriented chips or resin‐rich regions are easier for damage initiation, while longitudinally oriented chips postpone the fracture. Good agreement is found among failure mechanism, strain localization and chip orientation distribution. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E962–E974, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Compressibility measurement of composite reinforcements for flow simulation of vacuum infusion
Authors: George Andrew , Hannibal Paul , Morgan Michael , Hoagland David , Stapleton Scott E.
Published: February 2018

In flow simulation of liquid composite molding under a flexible cover, such as vacuum infusion (VI), the accuracy can be improved by accounting for the compressibility of the reinforcement. The compressibility has been predominately measured using a universal testing machine (UTM) but discrepancies have been observed between the compressibility determined by UTM testing and that in situ during VI processing. The differences between the two are thought to be due to (1) differences in hydrodynamic loading and (2) precision difficulties related to the small displacements being measured. In situ VI compressibility characterization is more difficult and requires specialized equipment. This study aims to validate the use of UTM‐measured compressibility in VI flow simulation, by investigating the agreement between the two measurement methods, and to develop an experimental methodology to optimize that agreement. Wet UTM testing was instrumented with pressure sensors, which allowed for a thorough investigation of the validity of model predictions of the fluid pressure. Matching the test conditions, as well as careful thickness calibration, resulted in good agreement between dry UTM and VI compressibility. Dry UTM testing resulted in better agreement with VI than wet UTM testing. This suggests that dry UTM measurement of the compressibility is sufficient and wet testing is ultimately unnecessary for the purposes of flow simulation. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:961–973, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Proteomics Analysis of the Adhesion Activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 Upon Growth in an Intestine‐Like pH Environment
Authors: Wu Zhen , Wang Gang , Wang Wenwen , Pan Daodong , Peng Liuyang , Lian Liwei
Published: February 2018

Many health effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus are desirable among these the adhesion ability is vital to enhance the possibility of colonization and stabilization associated with the gut mucosal barrier. In this study, the growth characteristics and the adhesion activity of L. acidophilus in the intestine‐like pH environment (pH 7.5) are identified. The number of bacteria adhering to the HT‐29 cells is found with a gradual increase trend (pH 5.5–7.5). This also leads to the morphological changes of L. acidophilus after exposure to different pH environments. Furthermore, with the help of the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) proteomic analysis, 207 proteins are detected differentially expressed at pH of 7.5. The use of GO analysis and KEGG analysis indicates three essential pathways related to the cell envelope peptide‐glycan biosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and amino acid metabolism are obviously changed. Adhesion related surface protein fmtB and PrtP are upregulated in pH 7.5 group. While the moonlight proteins like pyruvate kinase, which binds specifically to the mucin layer and inhibits the adhesive activity of L. acidophilus, is found downregulated. These results could be useful to understand the adhesion mechanism of L. acidophilus adapting for the gut mucosal barrier in the intestinal environment.
Molecular weight dependent structure and charge transport in MAPLE‐deposited poly(3‐hexylthiophene) thin films
Authors: Dong Ban Xuan , Smith Mitchell , Strzalka Joseph , Li Huanghe , McNeil Anne J. , Stein Gila E. , Green Peter F.
Published: February 2018

In this work, poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) films prepared using the matrix‐assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique are shown to possess morphological structures that are dependent on molecular weight (MW). Specifically, the structures of low MW samples of MAPLE‐deposited film are composed of crystallites/aggregates embedded within highly disordered environments, whereas those of high MW samples are composed of aggregated domains connected by long polymer chains. Additionally, the crystallite size along the side‐chain (100) direction decreases, whereas the conjugation length increases with increasing molecular weight. This is qualitatively similar to the structure of spin‐cast films, though the MAPLE‐deposited films are more disordered. In‐plane carrier mobilities in the MAPLE‐deposited samples increase with MW, consistent with the notion that longer chains bridge adjacent aggregated domains thereby facilitating more effective charge transport. The carrier mobilities in the MAPLE‐deposited simples are consistently lower than those in the solvent‐cast samples for all molecular weights, consistent with the shorter conjugation length in samples prepared by this deposition technique. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018, 56, 652–662
A rapid fluorogenic GPCR–β‐arrestin interaction assay
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Zheng Yao‐Wu , Coughlin Shaun R. , Shu Xiaokun
Published: February 2018

Detection of protein–protein interactions involved in signal transduction in live cells and organisms has a variety of important applications. We report a fluorogenic assay for G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR)–β‐arrestin interaction that is genetically encoded, generalizes to multiple GPCRs, and features high signal‐to‐noise because fluorescence is absent until its components interact upon GPCR activation. Fluorescence after protease‐activated receptor‐1 activation developed in minutes and required specific serine–threonine residues in the receptor carboxyl tail, consistent with a classical G protein‐coupled receptor kinase dependent β‐arrestin recruitment mechanism. This assay provides a useful complement to other in vivo assays of GPCR activation.
Fosfomycin as a potential therapy for the treatment of systemic infections: a population pharmacokinetic model to simulate multiple dosing regimens
Authors: Ortiz Zacarías Natalia V. , Dijkmans Anneke C. , Burggraaf Jacobus , Mouton Johan W. , Wilms Erik B. , van Nieuwkoop Cees , Touw Daan J. , Kamerling Ingrid M. C. , Stevens Jasper
Published: February 2018

Fosfomycin has emerged as a potential therapy for multidrug‐resistant bacterial infections. In most European countries, the oral formulation is only approved as a 3 g single dose for treatment of uncomplicated cystitis. However, for the treatment of complicated systemic infections, this dose regimen is unlikely to reach efficacious serum and tissue concentrations. This study aims to investigate different fosfomycin‐dosing regimens to evaluate its rationale for treatment of systemic infections. Serum concentration‐time profiles of fosfomycin were simulated using a population pharmacokinetic model based on published pharmacokinetic parameter values, their uncertainty, inter‐individual variability and covariates. The model was validated on published data and used to simulate a wide range of dosing regimens for oral and intravenous administration of fosfomycin. Finally, based on the minimum inhibitory concentration for E. coli, surrogate pharmacodynamic indices were calculated for each dosing regimen. This is the first population pharmacokinetic model to describe the oral pharmacokinetics of fosfomycin using data from different literature sources. The model and surrogate pharmacodynamic indices provide quantitative evidence that a dosing regimen of 6–12 g per day divided in 3 doses is required to obtain efficacious exposure and may serve as a first step in the treatment of systemic multi‐drug‐resistant bacterial infections.
Single‐ and double‐electron reductions of CO2 by using superalkalis: An ab initio study
Authors: Srivastava Ambrish Kumar
Published: February 2018

CO2, a major contributor to global warming, can be balanced by converting it into fuels. The reduction of CO2 has been difficult due to its extremely high stability. Recently, single‐electron reduction of CO2 by superalkalis has been proposed using quantum chemical methods. Herein, we report a systematic study on the single‐reduction of CO2 by using typical superalkalis. Superalkalis are hypervalent species possessing lower ionization energies than alkali atoms. We have studied the interaction of CO2 with FLi2, OLi3, and NLi4 superalkalis using ab initio MP2 calculations. We notice that this interaction leads to stable superalkali‐CO2 complexes in which the structure of CO2 is bent due to electron transfer from superalkalis. This clearly reveals that the CO2 can successfully be reduced to the
anion. It has been also noticed that the size of superalkalis plays a crucial in the single‐electron reduction of CO2. For instance, the binding energy of superalkali‐CO2 complex and charge transfer to CO2 decreases monotonically with the increase in the size of superalkali. We have also proposed that CO2 can be further reduced to
in case of the anionic complex such as (FLi2CO2)‾. Thus, FLi2 superalkali is also capable of double‐electron reduction of CO2. These findings should provide new insights into CO2‐activation as well as motivate further research in this direction.
Beliefs about learning and enacted instructional practices: An investigation in postsecondary chemistry education
Authors: Gibbons Rebecca E. , Villafañe Sachel M. , Stains Marilyne , Murphy Kristen L. , Raker Jeffrey R.
Published: February 2018

While research on and development of evidence‐based instructional practices (EBIPs) in STEM education has flourished, implementation of these practices classrooms has not been as prolific. Using the teacher‐centered systemic reform model as a framework, we explore the connection between chemistry instructors’ beliefs about teaching and learning and self‐efficacy beliefs, and their enacted classroom practices. Postsecondary chemistry faculty present a unique population for the study because of their role in teaching prerequisite courses, such as general and organic chemistry, which are key to many science major fields. A measure of teacher beliefs and self‐efficacy was administered to a national survey of postsecondary chemistry faculty members. Instructional practices used in a chemistry course were also collected via self‐report. While instructional practices were not directly observed, a cluster analysis of our data mirrors patterns of instructional practices found in observation‐based studies of chemistry faculty. Significant differences are found on teacher thinking and self‐efficacy measures based on enacted instructional practices. Results support the hypothesized connection between beliefs and instructional practice on a larger scale than in previous studies of this relationship, bolstering the evidence for the importance of this relationship over previously criticized results. These results present a call for reform efforts on fostering change from its core, that is, the beliefs of those who ultimately adopt EBIPs. Dissemination and design should incorporate training and materials that highlight the process by which faculty members interpret reformed practices within their belief system, and explore belief change in the complex context of education reform.
Advances in catalytic transformations of carbohydrates and lignin in ionic liquids and mechanistic studies
Authors: Yang Yiwen , Zhang Cheng , Zhang Z. Conrad
Published: February 2018

In biomass refinery, ionic liquids (ILs) enable more efficient conversion and higher product selectivity at milder conditions compared with conventional molecular solvents. Carbohydrates and lignin are the dominating components in biomass. The aim of this article is to update the recent progresses of ionic liquids‐based catalytic systems for lignocellulosic biomass conversions based on the published works mostly in the last 5 years. Mechanistic understanding of the catalytic processes in converting biomass to renewable chemicals and fuels is critically important for the design of superior catalysts. Apart from theoretical approaches, two recently developed characterization techniques, in situ far infrared spectroscopy and two‐dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance have been applied in the molecular level understanding of both catalysts and catalyzed reactions during biomass conversions in ILs. The major challenges and opportunities involved in the large‐scale production of biomass platform chemicals are also discussed.

This article is categorized under:

Bioenergy > Science and Materials
Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections at a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Rwanda: Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Mortality
Authors: Mpirimbanyi Christophe , Rickard Jennifer , Furaha Charles , Ntirenganya Faustin
Published: February 2018

Background

Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) are emergency surgical conditions with severe physiologic and metabolic derangement. These infections are associated with increased rates of mortality and morbidity worldwide, particularly in developing countries if not diagnosed and treated early.

Methods

This prospective, observational cohort study includes all patients aged 12 and above who presented at Department of Surgery, University Teaching Hospital of Kigali from April 2016 to January 2017 with NSTI. We describe epidemiology, operative management, and outcomes of care. We determined risk factors for mortality using multivariate logistic regression.

Results

We identified 175 patients with confirmed diagnosis of NSTI. The majority of patients (53%) were male, and the mean age was 44 years. The median duration of symptoms was 8 days [interquartile range (IQR) 5–14]. The median length of hospital stay was 23 days (IQR 8–41). The overall mortality was 26%. Multivariate regression analysis revealed four independent predictors of mortality: presence of shock at admission [odds ratio (OR) 14.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96–208.01, p = 0.050], renal failure (OR 8.92, 95% CI 1.55–51.29, p = 0.014), infection located on the trunk (OR 5.60, 95% CI 0.99–31.62, p = 0.050), and presence of skin gangrene (OR 4.04, 95% CI 1.18–13.76, p = 0.026).

Conclusion

In Rwanda, NSTI mortality is high and associated with advanced disease. It is imperative that efforts are focused on early consultation, diagnosis, and surgical management to prevent adverse outcomes.
Reifying Common Sense: Writing the 6–12 Missouri Social Studies Content Standards
Authors: Cuenca Alexander , Hawkman Andrea M.
Published: February 2018

The construction of content standards has become one of the most politicized processes in K-12 public education as those who determine the value of knowledge(s) also shape who retains or gains political power (Placier, Walker, & Foster, 2002; Sleeter, 2002; Heilig, Brown, & Brown, 2012). In this study, authors examine the process of crafting secondary social studies standards in the state of Missouri. Findings indicate that common sense was deployed in three areas: committee selection, standards writing, and committee decorum. As a result, the standards generated through this process served to reify the neoconservative/neoliberal status quo and failed to include reference to content beyond the scope of traditional knowledge, values, and intentions of conservative social studies. Authors also call for the adoption of a critical common sense which insists that the status quo of old-fashioned common sense is challenged.
The UNGPs in the European Union: The Open Coordination of Business and Human Rights?
Authors: AUGENSTEIN Daniel , DAWSON Mark , THIELBÖRGER Pierre
Published: February 2018

The article examines the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in the European Union via National Action Plans (NAPs). We argue that some of the shortcomings currently observed in the implementation process could effectively be addressed through the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) – a governance instrument already used by the European Union (EU) in other policy domains. The article sketches out the polycentric global governance approach envisaged by the UNGPs and discusses the institutional and policy background of their implementation in the EU. It provides an assessment of EU member states’ NAPs on business and human rights, as benchmarked against international NAP guidance, before relating experiences with the existing NAP process to the policy background and rationale of the OMC and considering the conditions for employing the OMC in the business and human rights domain. Building on a recent opinion of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, the article concludes with a concrete proposal for developing an OMC on business and human rights in the EU.
The Management of the Khan Al-Assal Chemical Attack in Aleppo University Hospital (AUH)
Authors: Kaadan M. Ihsan , Cranmer Hilarie
Published: February 2018

On March 19, 2013, Khan al-Assal was attacked with chemical weapons. In total, 20 people were killed and an additional 124 were injured; 63 people were cared for at Aleppo University Hospital on that day, where 14 died, all of them were civilians; 7 men, 6 women, and 1 child. This is a brief first hand report, for what has now become a more frequent, more deadly and horrific event in the lives of many Syrians. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:663–665)
NUMBER SYSTEMS WITH SIMPLICITY HIERARCHIES: A GENERALIZATION OF CONWAY’S THEORY OF SURREAL NUMBERS II
Authors: EHRLICH PHILIP , KAPLAN ELLIOT
Published: February 2018

In [16], the algebraico-tree-theoretic simplicity hierarchical structure of J. H. Conway’s ordered field ${\bf{No}}$ of surreal numbers was brought to the fore and employed to provide necessary and sufficient conditions for an ordered field to be isomorphic to an initial subfield of ${\bf{No}}$, i.e., a subfield of ${\bf{No}}$ that is an initial subtree of ${\bf{No}}$. In this sequel to [16], analogous results for ordered abelian groups and ordered domains are established which in turn are employed to characterize the convex subgroups and convex subdomains of initial subfields of ${\bf{No}}$ that are themselves initial. It is further shown that an initial subdomain of ${\bf{No}}$ is discrete if and only if it is a subdomain of ${\bf{No}}$’s canonical integer part ${\bf{Oz}}$ of omnific integers. Finally, making use of class models the results of [16] are extended by showing that the theories of nontrivial divisible ordered abelian groups and real-closed ordered fields are the sole theories of nontrivial densely ordered abelian groups and ordered fields all of whose models are isomorphic to initial subgroups and initial subfields of ${\bf{No}}$.
Sclerocollum saudii Al-Jahdali, 2010 (Acanthocephala: Cavisomidae) as a sentinel for heavy-metal pollution in the Red Sea
Authors: Hassanine R.M. El-S. , Al-Hasawi Z.M. , Hariri M.S. , Touliabah H. El-S.
Published: February 2018

Currently, fish helminth parasites, especially cestodes and acanthocephalans, are regarded as sentinel organisms to elucidate metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Here, 34 specimens of the fish Siganus rivulatus were collected in the Red Sea, from a seriously polluted, small lagoon named Sharm-Elmaya Bay, at Sharm El-Sheikh, South Sinai, Egypt; 22 (64.7%) were infected by Sclerocollum saudii (Acanthocephala: Cavisomidae). Thus, 22 natural infrapopulations (26–245 individuals) of this parasite were collected from infected fish. Samples of water and sediments from the bay, samples of muscle, intestine and liver from each fish, and samples from the parasite were taken for analysis of heavy metals (cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb)). Both Cd and Pb concentrations in sediments were higher than those in water. The concentration of these metals were significantly higher in tissues (intestine, liver and muscle) of non-infected fish than those in infected fish, with Pb concentrations consistently higher than those of Cd, and both were drastically decreased in the order: liver > intestine > muscle. Metal concentrations in this acanthocephalan were much higher than those in its fish host. There were strong negative relationships between metal concentrations in tissues (intestine, liver and muscle) of infected fish and infrapopulation size, and between metal concentrations in the acanthocephalan and its infrapopulation size. These relationships strongly suggest competition for these metals between the fish host and its acanthocephalan parasite, and intraspecific competition among acanthocephalan individuals for available metals in the fish intestine. Bioconcentration factors were relatively high, since the mean Cd concentration in S. saudii was 239, 68 and 329 times higher than those in intestine, liver and muscle tissues, respectively, of its fish host. Also, mean Pb concentration was 55, 13 and 289 times higher than those in these tissues, respectively. The host–parasite system described here seems to be promising for biomonitoring of metal pollution in the Red Sea.
Using MALDI-TOF MS to identify mosquitoes collected in Mali and their blood meals
Authors: Tandina Fatalmoudou , Niaré Sirama , Laroche Maureen , Koné Abdoulaye K , Diarra Adama Z , Ongoiba Abdoulaye , Berenger Jean Michel , Doumbo Ogobara K , Raoult Didier , Parola Philippe
Published: February 2018

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been recently described as an innovative and effective tool for identifying arthropods and mosquito blood meal sources. To test this approach in the context of an entomological survey in the field, mosquitoes were collected from five ecologically distinct areas of Mali. We successfully analysed the blood meals from 651 mosquito abdomens crushed on Whatman filter paper (WFPs) in the field using MALDI-TOF MS. The legs of 826 mosquitoes were then submitted for MALDI-TOF MS analysis in order to identify the different mosquito species. Eight mosquito species were identified, including Anopheles gambiae Giles, Anopheles coluzzii, Anopheles arabiensis, Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex neavei, Culex perexiguus, Aedes aegypti and Aedes fowleri in Mali. The field mosquitoes for which MALDI-TOF MS did not provide successful identification were not previously available in our database. These specimens were subsequently molecularly identified. The WFP blood meal sources found in this study were matched against human blood (n = 619), chicken blood (n = 9), cow blood (n = 9), donkey blood (n = 6), dog blood (n = 5) and sheep blood (n = 3). This study reinforces the fact that MALDI-TOF MS is a promising tool for entomological surveys.
Dying for the group: Towards a general theory of extreme self-sacrifice
Authors: Whitehouse Harvey
Published: February 2018

Whether upheld as heroic or reviled as terrorism, people have been willing to lay down their lives for the sake of their groups throughout history. Why? Previous theories of extreme self-sacrifice have highlighted a range of seemingly disparate factors, such as collective identity, outgroup hostility, and kin psychology. In this paper, I attempt to integrate many of these factors into a single overarching theory based on several decades of collaborative research with a range of special populations, from tribes in Papua New Guinea to Libyan insurgents and from Muslim fundamentalists in Indonesia to Brazilian football hooligans. These studies suggest that extreme self-sacrifice is motivated by identity fusion, a visceral sense of oneness with the group, resulting from intense collective experiences (e.g., painful rituals or the horrors of frontline combat) or from perceptions of shared biology. In ancient foraging societies, fusion would have enabled warlike bands to stand united despite strong temptations to scatter and flee. The fusion mechanism has often been exploited in cultural rituals, not only by tribal societies but also in specialized cells embedded in armies, cults, and terrorist organizations. With the rise of social complexity and the spread of states and empires, fusion has also been extended to much larger groups, including doctrinal religions, ethnicities, and ideological movements. Explaining extreme self-sacrifice is not only a scientific priority but also a practical challenge as we seek a collective response to suicide, terrorism, and other extreme expressions of outgroup hostility that continue to bedevil humanity today.
Comparison of trace element levels after cardiopulmonary bypass between cyanotic and acyanotic patients
Authors: Altin Firat H. , Kurt Bahar Ozturk , Tanidir Ibrahim C. , Kaya Mehmet , Yildiz Okan , Kahraman Meliha Z. , Celebi Sinem B. , Ozturk Erkut , Ozdemir Semra
Published: February 2018

Trace elements are essential micronutrients for the human body. In this study, we evaluated the alterations in copper, chromium, manganese, selenium, magnesium, zinc, iron, arsenic, boron, and silicon levels in children with cyanotic and acyanotic CHD who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Participants were divided into the following three groups: patients acyanotic CHDs (n=34), patients with cyanotic CHDs (n=30), and healthy controls (n=30). Blood samples were collected before the surgery and 1 hour after the sternum was closed. Serum trace elements were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer-ICAP 6000. The baseline serum arsenic, manganese, and zinc levels of both patient groups were lower compared with controls, but there was no significant difference between baseline serum trace element levels of cyanotic and acyanotic patients. In both the patient groups, there was a significant decrease in postoperative serum arsenic, boron, copper, and zinc levels, and a significant increase in postoperative serum iron and magnesium levels. Silicon levels increased in cyanotic patients. Alterations in trace element levels were in the same direction in cyanotic and acyanotic patients. Copper, zinc, and manganase replacement may be needed after on-pump cardiac surgery.
Suspected necrotising enterocolitis after surgery for CHD: an opportunity to improve practice and outcomes
Authors: Schuchardt Eleanor L. , Kaufman Jon , Lucas Bridget , Tiernan Kendra , Lujan Suzanne Osorio , Barrett Cindy
Published: February 2018

Infants with CHD are at increased risk of necrotising enterocolitis, which can interfere with the achievement of adequate nutrition and, ultimately, growth and development. Necrotising enterocolitis is classified by severity as suspected, confirmed, and advanced. We sought to quantify the incidence of all types of necrotising enterocolitis among infants who underwent surgery, with a particular focus on suspected necrotising enterocolitis. This is a retrospective review of all infants <6 months of age who underwent cardiac surgery during 2012 and 2013 at Children’s Hospital Colorado. We examined the hospital course of 265 hospitalisations (n=251 patients) and found 18 patients (19 hospitalisations) with suspected necrotising enterocolitis and 16 patients (16 hospitalisations) with confirmed or advanced necrotising enterocolitis. Single-ventricle physiology, lower weight, and younger age were associated with necrotising enterocolitis. Patients with all types of necrotising enterocolitis experienced prolonged length of hospital stay. We found suspected necrotising enterocolitis to be as common as confirmed necrotising enterocolitis, and it frequently occurred early in the post-operative course. We speculate that suspected necrotising enterocolitis may often be overlooked in research owing to a reliance on billing codes. Nevertheless, suspected necrotising enterocolitis poses a substantial barrier to post-operative progression of the CHD patient, as does confirmed necrotising enterocolitis. Following the diagnosis of all types of necrotising enterocolitis, there was wide variability in practice patterns. In response to this variability, we developed care guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of necrotising enterocolitis in this population.
Birth weight is associated with dietary factors at the age of 6–8 years: the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study
Authors: Eloranta Aino-Maija , Jääskeläinen Jarmo , Venäläinen Taisa , Jalkanen Henna , Kiiskinen Sanna , Mäntyselkä Aino , Schwab Ursula , Lindi Virpi , Lakka Timo A
Published: February 2018

Objective

Low and high birth weight have been associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and CVD. Diet could partly mediate this association, e.g. by intra-uterine programming of unhealthy food preferences. We examined the association of birth weight with diet in Finnish children.

Design

Birth weight standard deviation score (SDS) was calculated using national birth register data and Finnish references. Dietary factors were assessed using 4 d food records. Diet quality was defined by the Finnish Children Healthy Eating Index (FCHEI).

Setting

The Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study.

Subjects

Singleton, full-term children (179 girls, 188 boys) aged 6–8 years.

Results

Birth weight was inversely associated (standardized regression coefficientβ; 95 % CI) with FCHEI (−0·15; −0·28, −0·03) in all children and in boys (−0·27; −0·45, −0·09) but not in girls (−0·01; −0·21, 0·18) after adjusting for potential confounders (P=0·044 for interaction). Moreover, higher birth weight was associated with lower fruit and berries consumption (−0·13; −0·25, 0·00), higher energy intake (0·17; 0·05, 0·29), higher sucrose intake (0·19; 0·06, 0·32) and lower fibre intake (−0·14; −0·26, −0·01). These associations were statistically non-significant after correction for multiple testing. Children with birth weight >1 SDS had higher sucrose intake (mean; 95 % CI) as a percentage of energy intake (14·3 E%; 12·6, 16·0 E%) than children with birth weight of −1 to 1 SDS (12·8 E%; 11·6, 14·0 E%) or <−1 SDS (12·4 E%; 10·8, 13·9 E%;P=0·036).

Conclusions

Higher birth weight may be associated with unhealthy diet in childhood.
Parenting Support Policy in Finland: Responsibility and Competence as Key Attributes of Good Parenting in Parenting Support Projects
Authors: Sihvonen Ella
Published: February 2018

In Finland, parenting-related anxiety increased in the 1990s during a deep economic recession and subsequent widespread cutbacks to family services. Despite these cutbacks, resources allocated to services underlining the role of parents – namely, parenting support – increased, manifesting in the establishment of family support projects in the 2000s. Employing positioning theory and pragmatic modalities, I explore how key attributes of good parenting – responsibility and competence – are discussed within family support projects (n = 310). Given discussions regarding the relationship between parenting-related anxiety and the increasing number of parenting-related experts, this article explores parents’ positions within such discussions and overall parenting support in Finland. The analysis of projects clarifies the role of the parenting-related experts, but also provides a nuanced view of the position of parents. In some projects, for instance, parents are positioned as experts whose parenting responsibilities and competence are strengthened within peer-parent relationships and shared within the surrounding community.
IS RUNNING A MARATHON A VIRTUE?
Authors: Sarajlic Eldar
Published: February 2018

Should we congratulate runners who participate and finish a marathon without winning it? Although it might seem that all who muster the will to do so deserve praise, this article questions whether self-regarding virtues, such as running a marathon, deserve it.
Religious Liberty, Same-Sex Marriage and Public Accommodations
Authors: Thomas George
Published: February 2018

Against the legal recognition of same-sex marriage, many advocates of religious liberty argue that those who adhere to “traditional” understandings of marriage should not be forced to “recognize” same-sex marriages. This includes exempting individual business owners engaged in commercial activity from anti-discrimination laws. I argue that such exemptions overreach. Equal access to the commercial arena is an essential feature of life in America’s commercial republic, which means that public accommodations should not be given exemptions on religious grounds. Yet this does not require business owners to morally approve of same-sex marriage; nor does it require them to grant same-sex marriages “equal concern and respect.” Rather, it requires simple toleration, which is compatible with moral disapproval. Indeed, I argue that this is the very sort of toleration at the foundation of religious liberty in America. Efforts to grant religious exemptions to anti-discrimination laws invite the return of religious conflict and discrimination. Prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in public accommodations is necessary not only for equal citizenship, but to maintain the regime of toleration that undergirds religious liberty in a pluralistic democracy.
Coalitions Matter: Citizenship, Women, and Quota Adoption in Africa
Authors: Kang Alice J. , Tripp Aili Mari
Published: February 2018

We provide new theory and evidence of the role of domestic women’s coalitions in the adoption of gender quotas. Previous research has shown the importance of women’s movements to policy change. We show that specific types of mobilization, often multiethnic in character, are a more precise way of describing these influences. Using a new dataset of coalitions in 50 countries in Africa (1989–2014), we first examine where coalitions are likely to emerge. Controlling for factors that correlate with their formation, we find that when domestic women’s organizations form a coalition for quotas, governments are more likely to adopt them and do so more quickly. This correlation holds when controlling for international aid, involvement of international women’s movements, and whether countries recently emerged out of major armed conflict, complementing recent scholarship that highlights global influences. A comparative case study of the adoption of a gender quota in Senegal and non-adoption in Benin helps illustrate the nuances of the theory.
The Developing World’s “New Middle Classes”: Implications for Political Research
Authors: Wietzke Frank-Borge , Sumner Andy
Published: February 2018

Rapid middle-income growth over the past decades has led to increasing public interest in the developing world’s “new middle classes”. However, these transformations have received less attention in the comparative democratization and welfare-state regime literature. In this review article, we aim to fill this gap by identifying emerging evidence and new directions for research about the social and political consequences of lower-middle income growth. We note that, while socio-cultural and political transformations traditionally associated with expanding middle classes are unlikely to materialize at current levels of socio-economic wellbeing in most developing countries, new pressures for reform may arise out of demands to better protect modest increases in private assets and from improved educational outcomes among lower-middle income groups. We also identify signs of increased distributional conflicts between economically vulnerable lower-middle income groups and more-affluent middle classes that may undermine the transition to stable democracy and more inclusive social policy systems.
14-3-3ζ delivered by hepatocellular carcinoma-derived exosomes impaired anti-tumor function of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes
Authors: Wang Xiaochen , Shen Haiyuan , Zhangyuan Guangyan , Huang Ruyi , Zhang Wenjie , He Qifeng , Jin Kangpeng , Zhuo Han , Zhang Zechuan , Wang Jincheng , Sun Beicheng , Lu Xiaojie
Published: February 2018

Increasing evidence shows that the anti-tumor functions of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TILs) were inhibited significantly, but the underlying mechanisms remain not fully understood. In this study, we found that 14-3-3ζ expression was up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and in TILs. TILs with 14-3-3ζ high-expression (14-3-3ζhigh) exhibited impaired activation (CD69), proliferation (Ki67) and anti-tumor functions compared to 14-3-3ζ low expression (14-3-3ζlow) TILs. Flow cytometry assay showed that compared with 14-3-3ζlow CD8+T cells, 14-3-3ζhigh ones exhibited higher frequency of exhausted phenotypes as measured by inhibitory receptors such as PD-1, TIM-3, LAG3, and CTLA-4. 14-3-3ζ overexpression inhibited the activity and proliferation of peripheral blood CD3+ T cells, deviated the differentiation of naive T cells from effector T cells to regulatory T cells. Moreover, we found that 14-3-3ζ expression levels in TILs correlated positively with those in HCC cells. Naive T cells co-cultured with HCC cells or the visible components of culture medium of HCC cells exhibited increased 14-3-3ζ expression. Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) and confocal assay showed that 14-3-3ζ-containing exosomes derived from HCC cells could be swallowed by T cells, suggesting that 14-3-3ζ might be transmitted from HCC cells to TILs at least partially through exosomes. In conclusion, our study for the first time demonstrated that 14-3-3ζ is up-regulated in and inhibited the anti-tumor functions of tumor-infiltrating T cells in HCC microenvironment and that 14-3-3ζ might be transmitted from HCC cells to T cells at least partially through exosomes.
Oncogenic HSP60 regulates mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to support Erk1/2 activation during pancreatic cancer cell growth
Authors: Zhou Chao , Sun Hongwei , Zheng Chen , Gao Jing , Fu Qingzi , Hu Nianqi , Shao Xiaoli , Zhou Yingying , Xiong Jingting , Nie Ke , Zhou Huaibin , Shen Lijun , Fang Hezhi , Lyu Jianxin
Published: February 2018

HSP60 is a mitochondrial localized quality control protein responsible for maintaining mitochondrial function. Although HSP60 is considered both a tumor suppressor and promoter in different types of cancer, the role of HSP60 in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that HSP60 was aberrantly expressed in human pancreatic cancer tissues and cell lines. Analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas database revealed that HSP60 expression is positively correlated with pancreatic cancer. Further, knockdown of HSP60 attenuated pancreatic ductal cancer cell proliferation and migration/invasion, whereas ectopic expression of HSP60 increased tumorigenesis. Using an in vivo tumorigenicity assay, we confirmed that HSP60 promoted the growth of pancreatic ductal cancer cells. Functional analyses demonstrated that HSP60 plays a key role in the regulation of mitochondrial function. Mechanistically, both HSP60 knockdown and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibition by metformin decreased Erk1/2 phosphorylation and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, whereas Erk1/2 reactivation with EGF promoted cell proliferation. Intriguingly, in vitro ATP supplementation partially restored Erk1/2 phosphorylation and promoted proliferation in PDAC cells with HSP60 knockdown and OXPHOS inhibition. These results suggest that mitochondrial ATP is an important sensor of Erk1/2 regulated apoptosis and the cell cycle in PDAC cells. Thus, our findings indicate for the first time that HSP60 may serve as a novel diagnostic target of human pancreatic cancer, and that inhibition of mitochondrial function using drugs such as metformin may be a beneficial therapeutic strategy targeting pancreatic cancer cells with aberrant function of the HSP60/OXPHOS/Erk1/2 phosphorylation axis.
UHRF1 depletion sensitizes retinoblastoma cells to chemotherapeutic drugs via downregulation of XRCC4
Authors: He Heng , Lee Chunsik , Kim Jong Kyong
Published: February 2018

UHRF1 (ubiquitin-like with PHD and ring finger domains 1) is highly expressed in various human cancers including retinoblastoma, and associated with tumor-promoting effects such as inhibition of apoptosis and high proliferation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor-promoting functions of UHRF1 in retinoblastoma still remain elusive. Here, we show that stable knockdown of UHRF1 renders retinoblastoma cells sensitized to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs such as etoposide and camptothecin, resulting in enhanced DNA damage and apoptotic cell death. We found that UHRF1-depleted retinoblastoma cells can recognize DNA damages normally but have markedly low expression of XRCC4 (X-ray repair cross complementing 4) among the components of nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair complex. Conversely, overexpression of UHRF1 increased the XRCC4 expression and stable knockdown of XRCC4 sensitized retinoblastoma cells to etoposide treatment, suggesting that XRCC4 is a key mediator for the drug sensitivity upon UHRF1 depletion in retinoblastoma cells. Consistent with the findings, chromatin association of DNA ligase IV in response to acute DNA damage was found to be significantly reduced in UHRF1-depleted retinoblastoma cells and functional complementation for XRCC4 in UHRF1-depleted cells attenuated the drug sensitivity, demonstrating that XRCC4 downregulation in UHRF1-depleted cells impaired DNA repair and consequently induced robust apoptosis upon genotoxic drug treatment. In human primary retinoblastoma, high expression of UHRF1 and XRCC4 could be detected, and elevated XRCC4 expression correlated with reduced apoptosis markers, implying that UHRF1-mediated XRCC4 upregulation under pathophysiological conditions triggered by RB1 gene inactivation may confer protection against endogenous DNA damages that arise during retinoblastoma development. Taken together, these results present a new mechanistic insight into how UHRF1 mediates its tumor-promoting functions in retinoblastoma, and also provide a basis for UHRF1 targeting to improve the efficacy of current chemotherapy for retinoblastoma treatment.