bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome Sequence of Anoxybacillus flavithermus Strain AK1, a Thermophile Isolated from a Hot Spring in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Khalil Amjad , Sivakumar Neelamegam , Qarawi Sami
Published: June 2015

Anoxybacillus flavithermus
strain AK1 was isolated from Al-Ain Alhara, a thermal hot spring located 50 km southeast of the city of Gazan, Saudi Arabia (16°56ʹN, 43°15ʹE). The sequenced and annotated genome is 2,630,664 bp and encodes 2,799 genes.
Bovine Staphylococcus aureus Secretes the Leukocidin LukMF′ To Kill Migrating Neutrophils through CCR1
Authors: Vrieling M. , Koymans K. J. , Heesterbeek D. A. C. , Aerts P. C. , Rutten V. P. M. G. , de Haas C. J. C. , van Kessel K. P. M. , Koets A. P. , Nijland R. , van Strijp J. A. G.
Published: June 2015

AlthoughStaphylococcus aureusis best known for infecting humans, bovine-specific strains are a major cause of mastitis in dairy cattle. The bicomponent leukocidin LukMF′, exclusively harbored byS. aureusof ruminant origin, is a virulence factor associated with bovine infections. In this study, the molecular basis of the host specificity of LukMF′ is elucidated by identification of chemokine receptor CCR1 as its target. Bovine neutrophils, the major effector cells in the defense against staphylococci, express significant cell surface levels of CCR1, whereas human neutrophils do not. This causes the particular susceptibility of bovine neutrophils to pore formation induced by LukMF′. BovineS. aureusstrains produce high levels of LukMF′in vitro. In culture supernatant of the mastitis field isolate S1444, LukMF′ was the most important cytotoxic agent for bovine neutrophils. In a fibrin gel matrix, the effects of thein situsecreted toxins on neutrophils migrating towardS. aureuswere visualized. Under these physiologicalex vivoconditions, bovineS. aureusS1444 efficiently killed approaching neutrophils at a distance through secretion of LukMF′. Altogether, our findings illustrate the coevolution of pathogen and host, provide new targets for therapeutic and vaccine approaches to treat staphylococcal diseases in the cow, and emphasize the importance of staphylococcal toxins in general.

IMPORTANCEThis study explains the mechanism of action of LukMF′, a bicomponent toxin found in bovine lineages ofS. aureusthat is associated with mastitis in cattle. At a molecular level, we describe how LukMF′ can specifically kill bovine neutrophils. Here, we demonstrate the contribution of toxins in the determination of host specificity and contribute to the understanding of mechanisms of coevolution of pathogen and host. Our study provides new targets that can be used in therapeutic and vaccine approaches to treat staphylococcal diseases in the cow. We also demonstrate the importance of toxins in specific elimination of immune cells, which has broader implications, especially in human infections.
National treatment practices in the management of infectious intracranial aneurysms and infective endocarditis
Authors: Singla Amit , Fargen Kyle , Blackburn Spiros , Neal Dan , Martin Tomas D. , Hess Phillip J , Beaver Thomas M , Klodell Charles T , Hoh Brian
Published: June 2015

Introduction

There is an absence of widely accepted guidelines for the management of infectious intracranial aneurysms (IIAs) owing to a dearth of high-quality evidence in the literature.

Objective

To better define the incidence of IIAs, treatment practices, and patient outcomes by performing a Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database query.

Methods

We queried the NIS database from 2002 to 2011 for all patients with theprimary diagnosisof infectious endocarditis (IE), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), or unruptured cerebral aneurysm by ICD-9-CM codes. ICD-9 procedure codes were used to identify patients undergoing neurosurgical or cardiothoracic procedures.

Results

The query identified 393 patients withprimary diagnosisof IE, SAH or unruptured cerebral aneurysm treated during 2002–2011. The mean age of the patients was 53.5 years; 244 (62%) were male. The majority of patients presented with SAH (361; 91.9%). Only 73 (18.6%) patients underwent neurosurgical coiling or clipping for IIA. Of patients undergoing a neurosurgical procedure, 65 had SAH (constituting only 18% of patients with SAH) and 8 had unruptured aneurysms (constituting only 25% patients with unruptured aneurysms). Cardiac procedures were performed in only 72/393 patients (18.3%) patients. Only 67 (18.6%) of the patients with SAH and 5 (15.6%) with unruptured aneurysms underwent a cardiac corrective surgical procedure. Mortality was significantly higher in those patients managed conservatively (26.7%) than in those who underwent clipping or embolization (15.1%; p<0.001).

Conclusions

In this NIS database study, the majority of patients with IIAs were managed non-operatively, regardless of rupture status. Further investigation is warranted to standardize the management of these lesions.
Do questions help? The impact of audience response systems on medical student learning: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Mains Tyler E , Cofrancesco Joseph , Milner Stephen M , Shah Nina G , Goldberg Harry
Published: June 2015

Background

Audience response systems (ARSs) are electronic devices that allow educators to pose questions during lectures and receive immediate feedback on student knowledge. The current literature on the effectiveness of ARSs is contradictory, and their impact on student learning remains unclear.

Objectives

This randomised controlled trial was designed to isolate the impact of ARSs on student learning and students’ perception of ARSs during a lecture.

Methods

First-year medical student volunteers at Johns Hopkins were randomly assigned to either (i) watch a recorded lecture on an unfamiliar topic in which three ARS questions were embedded or (ii) watch the same lecture without the ARS questions. Immediately after the lecture on 5 June 2012, and again 2 weeks later, both groups were asked to complete a questionnaire to assess their knowledge of the lecture content and satisfaction with the learning experience.

Results

92 students participated. The mean (95% CI) initial knowledge assessment score was 7.63 (7.17 to 8.09) for the ARS group (N=45) and 6.39 (5.81 to 6.97) for the control group (N=47), p=0.001. Similarly, the second knowledge assessment mean score was 6.95 (6.38 to 7.52) for the ARS group and 5.88 (5.29 to 6.47) for the control group, p=0.001. The ARS group also reported higher levels of engagement and enjoyment.

Conclusions

Embedding three ARS questions within a 30 min lecture increased students’ knowledge immediately after the lecture and 2 weeks later. We hypothesise that this increase was due to forced information retrieval by students during the learning process, a form of the testing effect.
The SLq(2) extension of the standard model
Authors: Finkelstein Robert J.
Published: June 2015

The idea that the elementary particles might have the symmetry of knots has had a long history. In any modern formulation of this idea, however, the knot must be quantized. The present review is a summary of a small set of papers that began as an attempt to correlate the properties of quantized knots with empirical properties of the elementary particles. As the ideas behind these papers have developed over a number of years, the model has evolved, and this review is intended to present the model in its current form. The original picture of an elementary fermion as a solitonic knot of field, described by the trefoil representation of SUq(2), has expanded into its present form in which a knotted field is complementary to a composite structure composed of three preons that in turn are described by the fundamental representation of SLq(2). Higher representations of SLq(2) are interpreted as describing composite particles composed of three or more preons bound by a knotted field. This preon model unexpectedly agrees in important detail with the Harari–Shupe model. There is an associated Lagrangian dynamics capable in principle of describing the interactions and masses of the particles generated by the model.
Does the nontrivially deformed field–antifield formalism exist?
Authors: Batalin Igor A. , Lavrov Peter M.
Published: June 2015

We reformulate the Lagrange deformed field–antifield BV-formalism suggested, in terms of the general Euler vector field N generated by the antisymplectic potential. That N generalizes, in a natural anticanonically-invariant manner, the usual power-counting operator. We provide for the "usual" gauge-fixing mechanism as applied to the deformed BV-formalism.
Multiferroic properties of S = 1∕2 chain cuprates LiCuVO4: Comparison with LiCu2O2
Authors: Apostolov A. T. , Apostolova I. N. , Bahoosh S. G. , Trimper S. , Georgieva M. T. , Wesselinowa J. M.
Published: June 2015

We propose a microscopic model in order to study the multiferroic (MF) properties of [Formula: see text] (LCVO) taking into account the competing nearest and next-nearest magnetic interactions, frustration and a linear magnetoelectric (ME) coupling. We obtain for [Formula: see text]. The temperature and magnetic field dependence of the polarization [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is observed. It is shown that the dielectric constant [Formula: see text] has a kink near the magnetic phase transition [Formula: see text] K which disappears with increasing of the external magnetic field. Some differences in the MF behavior between [Formula: see text] (LCO) and LCVO are discussed.
Kaluza–Klein reduction and Bergmann–Wagoner bi-scalar general action of scalar–tensor gravity
Authors: Bamba Kazuharu , Momeni Davood , Myrzakulov Ratbay
Published: June 2015

We examine the Kaluza–Klein (KK) dimensional reduction from higher dimensional space-time and the properties of the resultant Bergmann–Wagoner general action of scalar–tensor theories. With the analysis of the perturbations, we also investigate the stability of the anti-de Sitter (AdS) space-time in the (D ∈ 𝒩)-dimensional Einstein gravity with the negative cosmological constant. Furthermore, we derive the conditions for the dimensional reduction to successfully be executed and present the KK compactification mechanism.
DFT study of the potential energy surfaces towards the searching of the stable self-assembled phthalocyanine dimers
Authors: Tolbin Alexander Yu. , Tomilova Larisa G.
Published: June 2015

We have applied the density functional theory (DFT) to find stable dimeric structures on the potential energy surfaces (PESs) of slippage, tilting and rotation of the macrocycles of monohydroxy magnesium phthalocyanine complex. Gradual changing of a distance between Mg 2+ ions and oxygen atoms of the OH -groups, as well as the dihedral angles between the planes passing through the isoindoline nitrogen atoms of different macrocycles has allowed finding of six stable dimeric structures that differ from each other by the spatial arrangement of the macrocycles. The most stable structure was found for the dimer in which two equivalent low-symmetry phthalocyanine macrocycles are double fixed by the coordination bonds between the complexing metal ions and oxygen of the OH -groups. This result is in agreement with our earlier experimental data.
Studies on PEGylated Gold Nanoparticles Loaded with 5-Hydroxydecanoate for Chemo-Photothermal Therapy of Human Lung AdenocarcinomasIn Vitro
Authors: Zhuge Fu-Yan , Zhang Cong-Wang , Zeng Chang-Chun , Liu Han-Ping
Published: June 2015

Gold nanoparticles ( Au NPs) have promising applications in the fields of drug delivery and photothermal therapy. 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD) is a kind of highly selective mitochondrial ATP sensitive potassium (mitoKATP) channel blocker. In this research, firstly, 5-HD was studied whether it could induce human lung adenocarcinomas (A549) cells apoptosis; secondly, PEGylated gold nanoparticles loaded with 5-HD ( Au NPs-PEG-5-HD) were prepared to develop a new chemotherapy and photothermal therapy in one system under the irradiation of green light-emitting diode (LED). Subsequently, in vitro cytotoxicity test was analyzed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), the change of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was determined by immunofluorescence microscopy with R-123 fluorescence, and cell apoptosis and necrosis rate were detected by flow cytometry. The results of CCK8 revealed that the inhibition rates of A549 cells were all greatly increased when cells were treated with free 5-HD, free 5-HD +LED irradiation, Au NPs-PEG-5-HD and Au NPs-PEG-5-HD+LED irradiation, and Au NPs-PEG-5-HD had enhanced cell-killing effect compared with 5-HD, furthermore, the Au NPs-PEG-5-HD and LED irradiation played a very great synergy effect. The immunofluorescence microscopy data also exhibited a reduction of Δψm correspondingly. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the apoptosis rate of cells that were incubated with free 5-HD, 5-HD+LED irradiation, Au NPs-PEG-5-HD or Au NPs–PEG–5-HD+LED irradiation significantly increased to about 9.2%, 10.7%, 18.3% or 12.4% and the percentage of necrosis cells increased to around 8.8%, 9.7%, 48.0% or 69.8%, respectively. In a word, all the results indicated that the 5-HD had shown the ability to induce A549 cells apoptosis as a chemotherapy agent, and its ability would be improved when 5-HD is loaded on PEGylated Au NPs, as well as Au NPs-PEG-5-HD exhibited significantly enhanced photothermal effects for treatment of lung adenocarcinomas.
Two self-dual codes with larger lengths over ℤ9
Authors: Gao Jian , Wang Xianfang , Fu Fang-Wei
Published: June 2015

In this paper, we introduce new definitions of the Gray weight and the Gray map for linear codes over ℤ9 + uℤ9 with u2 = u. Some results on self-dual codes over this ring are investigated. Further, the structural properties of quadratic residue codes are also considered. Two self-dual codes with new parameters [22, 11, 5] and [24, 12, 9] over ℤ9 are obtained.
Metallogeny and its link to orogenic style during the Nuna supercontinent cycle
Authors: Pehrsson Sally J. , Eglington Bruce M. , Evans David A. D. , Huston David , Reddy Steven M.
Published: June 2015

The link between observed episodicity in ore deposit formation and preservation and the supercontinent cycle is well established, but this general framework has not, however, been able to explain a lack of deposits associated with some accretionary orogens during specific periods of Earth history. Here we show that there are intriguing correlations between styles of orogenesis and specific mineral deposit types, in the context of the Nuna supercontinent cycle. Using animated global reconstructions of Nuna's assembly and initial breakup, and integrating extensive databases of mineral deposits, stratigraphy, geochronology and palaeomagnetism we are able to assess spatial patterns of deposit formation and preservation. We find that lode gold, volcanic-hosted-massive-sulphide and nickel–copper deposits peak during closure of Nuna's interior ocean but decline during subsequent peripheral orogenesis, suggesting that accretionary style is also important. Deposits such as intrusion-related gold, carbonate-hosted lead-zinc and unconformity uranium deposits are associated with the post-assembly, peripheral orogenic phase. These observations imply that the use of plate reconstructions to assess orogenic style, although challenging for the Precambrian, can be a powerful tool for mineral exploration targeting.

Supplementary material:

Supplementary material including (1) tables (S1–S3) of Euler poles and palaeopoles used, summary of Nuna orogens; (2) a figure (S1) of modelled plate velocities; (3) mp4 files (S1 & S2) of the model with age data; ore deposits and VGPs; and (4) a zip file (S1) of the Gplates model is available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18822
.
Kyphectomy and Pedicular Screw Fixation with Posterior-Only Approach in Pediatric Patients with Myelomeningocele
Authors: Kaplan Sümeyye Çoruh , Ekşi Murat Şakir , Bayri Yaşar , Toktaş Zafer Orkun , Konya Deniz
Published: June 2015

Purpose: Defective posterior spinal arch and paraspinal musculature lead to progressive kyphosis in patients with myelomeningocele. Kyphosis decreases the patients' functional status and quality of life. To correct or prevent further deterioration, different surgical techniques have been introduced. Our aim is to present our clinical experience in kyphectomy and pedicle screw fixation with a posterior-only approach in pediatric patients with myelomeningocele and to discuss the technique with a review of the literature. Materials and Methods: Four patients with lumbar and 2 patients with thoracolumbar kyphosis (female:male ratio = 1:5) secondary to myelomeningocele were operated between January 2009 and October 2012. The median age was 5.5 years (range = 3-10 years). The criteria of the patient selection for the procedure were progression of kyphosis angle, impaired truncal balance and cosmetic deformity. In this retrospective study, we performed chart reviews for demographic and clinical data. We measured the pre- and postoperative kyphosis angles by using the Cobb method on lateral x-rays. Results: The mean preoperative kyphosis angle was 114.3° (range = 91-136°). The mean operative time was 171.7 min (range = 110-220 min). The mean intraoperative blood loss was 450 cc (range = 300-700 cc). The postoperative mean kyphosis angle was 28.2° (range = 13-33°). Five patients had skin breakdown. After osteofusion was established, those 5 patients' instrumentations were explanted. No acute or immediate postoperative complications occurred. Other complications were pneumonia and urinary tract infection. In the long term, 2 patients died due to pneumonia and slit-ventricle syndrome, respectively. Conclusions: Kyphectomy and pedicle screw instrumentation with the posterior-only approach dramatically reduces the kyphosis angle that develops in patients with myelomeningocele. The method itself is less time-consuming and leads to less intraoperative blood loss compared to other methods used for this patient population. Skin breakdown is the most common short-term complication.
Pancreatic Metastases from Tumors in the Urogenital Tract
Authors: Strobel Oliver , Büchler Markus W.
Published: June 2015

Background: Isolated pancreatic metastases or pancreatic metastases with limited extrapancreatic disease are uncommon and account for only 2-4% of resected malignant pancreatic lesions in surgical series. However, clear-cell renal cell carcinoma is the predominant primary tumor and accounts for more than 60% of cases with isolated pancreatic metastases. Pancreatectomy is the treatment of choice for most patients with isolated pancreatic metastases from renal cell cancer. Summary: This review provides an overview of clinical presentation and diagnosis as well as surgical management, including patient selection for surgery and surgical technique for pancreatic metastases of renal cell carcinoma. Key Message: Although there is no high-level evidence that surgical resection of pancreatic metastases improves survival, the survival results of several observational series and of systematic reviews are promising and support pancreatic resection as part of a multimodal treatment. The reported median survival and 5-year survival rates after pancreatic resection range from 6 to 10 years and from 55 to 75%, respectively. Pancreatic resection is effective for local control. However, extrapancreatic progression frequently occurs. With the introduction of novel systemic therapy options such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, the prognosis of metastatic renal cell carcinoma has improved, and this will affect the role of pancreatic resection for metastases. Practical Implications: Pancreatic resection for isolated renal cell carcinoma is safe and effective, may confer a survival benefit and should, therefore, be considered in patients for whom no contraindication for surgery exists.
Management of Borderline Ovarian Tumors Based on Patient and Tumor Characteristics
Authors: Black Jonathan D. , Altwerger Gary H. , Ratner Elena , Lu Lingeng , Silasi Dan-Arin , Azodi Masoud , Santin Alessandro D. , Schwartz Peter E. , Rutherford Thomas J.
Published: June 2015

Background: Borderline ovarian tumors are staged similarly to invasive ovarian tumors. Aims: We wanted to better understand which tumors were associated with disease recurrence. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis at a single institution between 1984 and 2005. Cases were confirmed by pathology report. Multivariate analysis was done to evaluate factors associated with recurrence. Results: 143 cases were identified. Mean follow-up was 73.5 months. The overall risk of recurrence was 12%. The hazard ratio for risk of recurrence was highest among seromucinous tumors at 4.04 and lowest among mucinous tumors at 0.53. Only 4% of mucinous tumors, 15.5% of serous tumors and 28.6% of seromucinous tumors recurred. 2% of mucinous tumors had an appendix positive for metastasis. No mucinous tumor had nodal disease. Conclusions: Based on our data, a low rate of appendiceal or lymph node involvement was observed in mucinous tumors, as was a low risk of recurrence. Less aggressive staging may be considered if a mucinous tumor is identified on frozen section with a normal-appearing appendix in the absence of pseudomyxoma peritonei. In patients with a serous or a seromucinous tumor, complete surgical staging is recommended.
Damage thresholds and population dynamics of Meloidogyne chitwoodi on carrot (Daucus carota) at different seed densities
Authors: Heve William K. , Been Thomas H. , Schomaker Corrie H. , Teklu Misghina G.
Published: June 2015

Yield loss of carrot (Daucus carota) cv. Nerac caused by Meloidogyne chitwoodi and population dynamics of this nematode were studied using a range of 13 nematode densities at three seed densities (2, 4, 18 seeds pot−1) in a climate-controlled glasshouse. Yield and quality data were fitted to Seinhorst’s yield models. Final population densities were fitted to the population dynamic models for sedentary and free-living nematodes. The tolerance limits for yield loss were 0.34, 0.62 and 0.50, while that of quality were 0.012, 0.142 and 0.813 second-stage juveniles (J2) (g dry soil)−1 at increasing seed densities, respectively. The minimum yield (m), increased with seed density: 0.25, 0.30 and 0.50; the minimum quality yield was 0.10, 0.08 and 0.15 J2 (g dry soil)−1 at increasing seed densities, respectively. Both maximum multiplication rates and maximum population densities increased with increasing seed density but were generally low. Carrot cv. Nerac can be considered a bad host for M. chitwoodi.
The number of generations of Heterodera schachtii completed on oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) during the UK growing season
Authors: Kakaire Stephen , Grove Ivan G. , Haydock Patrick P.J.
Published: June 2015

The number of generations completed by a UK field population of Heterodera schachtii on winter and spring oilseed rape (OSR; Brassica napus L.) during the growing season of 2010/2011 was investigated. The experiments were conducted in pots outdoor using UK OSR winter cultivars (cvs) Flash and Castille and spring cvs Belinda and Heros. The results indicated that temperature was crucial in determining the number of generations completed on OSR during the growing season. At least one generation was completed on cv. Castille, whilst two generations were completed on cvs Flash, Belinda and Heros during the growing season. Development of H. schachtii was faster on hybrid OSR cvs Flash and Belinda, suggesting that the hybrids were better hosts of H. schachtii than the conventional cvs Castille and Heros. Cultivar Flash was more susceptible to H. schachtii infection than cv. Castille, while cv. Belinda was more susceptible than cv. Heros. However, no major plant growth differences were observed between the cvs investigated. This is the first report on the number of generations of H. schachtii completed on current cultivars of OSR in the UK.
Protecting the Best Interests of the Child: International Child Abduction and the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Keller Helen , Heri Corina
Published: June 2015

In its case law on international child abduction, the European Court of Human Rights (ecthr) seeks to interpret the European Convention on Human Rights (echr) in conformity with the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Both instruments safeguard the best interests of abducted children, but in different ways. This article explores the progress made by the ecthr in harmonising the conflict between the Hague Convention and Article 8 echr. While the ecthr’s approach to the abducted child’s best interests in Neulinger and Shuruk v. Switzerland was met with strong criticism, the Court seems to have found a viable approach in X. v. Latvia. The ecthr’s current tactic allows it to continue its dialogue with national authorities and international bodies by imposing procedural requirements, thereby contributing to a harmonised approach appropriate to the best interests of abducted children without negatively impacting the functioning of the Hague Convention.
Child Labour and the Global Economy: Abolition or Acceptance?
Authors: Dillon Sara
Published: June 2015

This article traces the evolution of international attitudes toward child labour, and outlines its relationship to the global economy. It examines the way in which international treaties promulgated by the International Labor Organization (ilo) have conceived of child labour over time. At the national level, the most extreme pro-child labour position may be found in recent Bolivian legislation that recognizes work performed by children as young as ten years old. Much has been written on the problem of conflicting global values on child labour, but all agree that exploitative forms should be eliminated. The author updates her earlier recommendation that the World Trade Organization should place conditions on participation in the global economy by requiring its member states to honour core ilo standards. Eliminating exploitative child labour could thus be linked indirectly to the global economy, by requiring the elimination of children’s work detrimental to the child’s full development.
Chinese Multinational Companies in Africa: The Human Rights Discourse
Authors: Bu Qingxiu
Published: June 2015

In this century, human rights have been transformed into a mainstream issue for multinational companies with a global presence. It is likely that a multipronged mechanism will imminently be demanded to ensure the accountability of economic actors responsible for human rights abuse. This paper places particular stress on the ostensibly prioritized objectives within international human rights arenas. A highly contentious debate revolves around whether China’s approach to ensuring human rights is in tandem with the West’s in helping Africa move forward or whether it will complicate the current playing field and even undermine the West’s long-standing credibility in relation to the protection of human rights. Relying heavily on instruments like the Alien Tort Statute (ats) has proved inadequate. A more promising path seems to be a comprehensive framework of hard law and soft law initiatives, along with other incentives.
An annotated checklist of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of Iran
Authors: AKRAMI MOHAMMAD ALI
Published: June 2015

Oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) are one of the largest and dominating groups of soil inhabitants that play an important role in the formation and fertilization processes of the soils. In the present paper, a list of oribatid mites of Iran (excluding Astigmata) is present based mainly on the collected and identified species and on literature records since 1961. In total, 380 species belonging to 191 genera and 86 families have been recorded and these are listed along with their known geographical distributions and localities in Iran. The following seven species Sellnickochthonius cricoides (Weis-Fogh, 1948), Hypochthoniella minutissima (Berlese, 1904), Nothrus silvestris Nicolet, 1855, Hemileius (Hemileius) initialis (Berlese, 1908), Punctoribates (Punctoribates) punctum (C. L. Koch, 1839), Ceratozetes conjunctus Mihelčič, 1956, Eupelops tardus (C. L. Koch, 1835) and Pelopsis Hall, 1911 are recorded for the first time from Iran. The closing date for publications included in this list was 15 January 2015.
A taxonomic review of the polymorphic assassin bug genus Rihirbus Stål (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae)
Authors: GAO FENG , ZHAO PING , WEBB MICK , CAI WANZHI
Published: June 2015

Two species in the genus Rihirbus Stål are recognized, redescribed and illustrated. The diagnosis of the genus is slightly modified. The deposition information of Miller’s type specimens is corrected. Rihirbus trochantericus Stål is newly recorded from Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. A key for the identification of species of Rihirbus is provided. The sexual dimorphism and polymorphism of this genus are briefly noted.
Review of the species of Pelodiaetodes Moore (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidiini: Anillina) of New Zealand
Authors: SOKOLOV IGOR M.
Published: June 2015

Four new species of the formerly monotypic genus Pelodiaetodes are described from New Zealand. Three of them: P. constricticollis, sp. n., P. moorei, sp. n., and P. aldermensis, sp. n., occurring on the North Island, are morphologically similar to the type species, P. prominens Moore. The fourth species, P. nunni, sp. n., occurring on the South Island, is morphologically distinct from the nominotypical species group. A new subgenus, Monosetodes, subgen.n., is proposed to accommodate P. nunni within Pelodiaetodes. Redescriptions of the genus and the type species are given based on new morphological data, and a taxonomic key as well as a distribution map for all known species are provided. Some biogeographical aspects of the evolutionary history of Pelodiaetodes and its morphological relatives from Madagascar, Australia and New Zealand are discussed.
Risiophlebia guentheri sp. nov. (Odonata, Libellulidae) from southeastern Indochina
Authors: KOSTERIN OLEG E.
Published: June 2015

Risiophlebia guentheri sp. nov. (holotype: Cambodia, Mondulkiri Province, Dak Dam village environs, a tall grass forest swamp, 12°25' N 107°19' E, ~780 m a.s.l., 16 June 2014, RMNH), the second species in its genus, is described from Central Plateau of the Annamese Mountains. The new species is most probably separated from R. dohrni by a 1000-km gap of the range of the genus in Thailand and most of Cambodia.
Cyrtodactylus rosichonariefi sp. nov. (Squamata: Gekkonidae), a new swamp-dwelling bent-toed gecko from Bunguran Island (Great Natuna), Indonesia
Authors: RIYANTO AWAL , GRISMER L. LEE , WOOD PERRY L.JR.
Published: June 2015

Cyrtodactylus rosichonariefi sp. nov. is the second newly described species of Bent-toed gecko from Bunguran Island (Great Natuna), Indonesia. This species occurs in the Sekunyam Forest and is differentiated from all other species of the C. semenanjungensis species group of the Thai-Malay Peninsula by having the following unique combination of characteristics: intermediate size (SVL of adult male holotype 54.6 mm); enlarged femoral scales, femoral pores, no precloacal groove, enlarged precloacal scales, no precloacal pores; subcaudals not enlarged; and dorsal pattern blotched but lacking paired, dark, semilunar-shaped blotches on upper nape. The new species is the sister species of C. majulah Grismer, Wood & Lim.
A revision of the genus Euseboides Gahan, 1893 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), with description of two new species
Authors: HUANG GUI-QIANG , LI ZHU , CHEN LI
Published: June 2015

A taxonomic revision of the genus Euseboides Gahan is presented. Two new species, E. motuoensis sp. nov. and E. reni sp. nov., are described from China; habitus, male terminalia and aedeagus are illustrated. E. gorodinskii and E. tonkinensis are newly recorded from China. The male terminalia and aedeagus of E. gorodinskii, E. matsudai and E. punctatissimus are described for the first time. A new combination, Mimozotale (Parazotale) truncatipennis (Breuning, 1949) comb. nov., is proposed. Euseboides is redescribed and a key to Euseboides species presented.
Reassessment of multiple species of Gymnelus (Teleostei: Zoarcidae) in Pacific Arctic and boreal regions
Authors: MECKLENBURG CATHERINE W. , ANDERSON M. ERIC
Published: June 2015

Recently described new nominal species and resurrected species in the eelpout genus Gymnelus Reinhardt 1834 were reassessed for validity using fresh material collected in Pacific Arctic regions and a large body of data from a previous systematic review of the genus. The analysis reported here included both DNA barcodes and morphology. Only two species were validated: G. viridis (Fabricius 1780) and G. hemifasciatus Andriashev 1937. The latter species occurred as two morphotypes for which there is some evidence of difference in ecological preference, but the available environ-mental data are not robust enough to firmly identify or verify ecophenotypes.
A new species of Hyponephele Muschamp, 1915 from Tajikistan (Lepidoptera: Satyridae)
Authors: KORB STANISLAV K.
Published: June 2015

Hyponephele Muschamp, 1915 is a Palaearctic genus comprising 39 species (Eckweiler, Bozano, 2011), with most distributed in the Central Asiatic region. During the course of faunistic studies on the butterflies of Tajikistan, a new member of this genus was found; it is described herein as new. It is closely related and sympatric to H. hilaris (Staudinger, 1886) so compared to this one.
Systematic placement of some taxa in the family Galumnidae (Acari, Oribatida)
Authors: ERMILOV SERGEY G. , BAYARTOGTOKH BADAMDORJ
Published: June 2015

Based on the recent ascertaining studies of type specimens, the new systematic placement for one subgenus and three species of oribatid mites of the family Galumnidae (Acari, Oribatida) are proposed, resulting in the following taxonomic proposals: Pergalumna (Bigalumna) Mahunka & Mahunka-Papp, 2009 stat. nov., P. (B.) rimosa (Mahunka & Mahunka-Papp, 2009) comb. nov., Allogalumna quadrimaculata (Mahunka, 1988) comb. nov. and A. brevisetosa (Bayartogtokh & Weigmann, 2005) comb. nov. The initial taxonomic position of the species, Galumna scripta Balogh & Mahunka, 1966, is supported. Some details on important morphological characters of these species are provided.
The Role of Intergovernmental Organizations in Cross-border Knowledge Transfer and Innovation
Authors: Jandhyala Srividya , Phene Anupama
Published: June 2015

Nonmarket organizations play a supportive role in knowledge transfer and innovation domestically, but national differences between them can create barriers to cross-border knowledge transfer. Internationally oriented nonmarket organizations—ones that develop international ties and partnerships—may generate commonalities among participants and promote a set of similar rules, expectations, and norms across different countries and thus may be effective in supporting cross-border knowledge transfer and innovation. We focus on one such kind of organization, the intergovernmental organization (IGO), as a country’s connectedness to learning-oriented IGOs may have a positive influence on national innovation. Using an illustrative caselet on one IGO, the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, and an empirical analysis spanning 83 countries from 1996 to 2006, we find that the extent of connectedness to the learning-oriented IGO network enables national innovation. But countries differ in the extent to which they can leverage external knowledge for innovation because of the variation in relationships among local constituencies.
Images of poverty in a selection of the Polish daily press
Authors: Lepianka Dorota
Published: June 2015

The social construction of poverty constitutes an important aspect of a country’s welfare culture. Still amidst studies on poverty measurement, dynamics, causes and consequences, enquiry into the social or cultural (re-)presentations of poverty remains relatively infrequent, especially in Continental Europe. The current study addresses the issue of social/cultural representations of poverty by investigating the media portrayal of poverty in Poland. Qualitative analysis of three dailies published in three research periods (2005–2007–2010) revealed marginalization of poverty in press reports. In the course of investigation, five dominant frames, each conveying a specific image of the poor and featuring them in a particular (social) role, were identified. The two primary frames were the injustice frame and the solidarity frame; the two secondary normality frames were the heroic and anti-heroic frames; the fifth – the instrumental frame proved rather marginal. The (social policy) implications of the media portrayal of the poor are discussed. Parallels between the poverty frames uncovered in Polish media and those revealed in other countries are sketched.
Processed as an Adult
Authors: Loeffler Charles E. , Grunwald Ben
Published: June 2015

Objectives:

Test whether processing non-transfer-eligible juvenile arrestees as adults has any effect on their likelihood of criminal recidivism.

Methods:

A regression discontinuity design is used to analyze the effect of processing juveniles as adults on a four-year felony rearrest measure using a sample of 78,142 felony drug arrests.

Results:

For the felony drug offenders in this sample, processing juveniles as adults reduced the probability of recidivism by 3 to 5 percent. Based on the rapid onset and limited change in size of these effects over the duration of a four-year follow-up as well as the concentration of the effect within a subpopulation having the least risk of incarceration, we attribute this finding to a combination of enhanced deterrence and incapacitation in the adult system.

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that processing juveniles in the adult system may not uniformly increase offending and may reduce offending in some circumstances. Our findings also highlight the utility of quasi-experimental research designs for estimating the life-course effects of contact with the criminal justice system.
When pitch Accents Encode Speaker Commitment: Evidence from French Intonation
Authors: Michelas Amandine , Portes Cristel , Champagne-Lavau Maud
Published: June 2015

Recent studies on a variety of languages have shown that a speaker’s commitment to the propositional content of his or her utterance can be encoded, among other strategies, by pitch accent types. Since prior research mainly relied on lexical-stress languages, our understanding of how speakers of a non-lexical-stress language encode speaker commitment is limited. This paper explores the contribution of the last pitch accent of an intonation phrase to convey speaker commitment in French, a language that has stress at the phrasal level as well as a restricted set of pitch accents. In a production experiment, participants had to produce sentences in two pragmatic contexts: unbiased questions (the speaker had no particular belief with respect to the expected answer) and negatively biased questions (the speaker believed the proposition to be false). Results revealed that negatively biased questions consistently exhibited an additional unaccented F0 peak in the preaccentual syllable (an H+!H* pitch accent) while unbiased questions were often realized with a rising pattern across the accented syllable (an H* pitch accent). These results provide evidence that pitch accent types in French can signal the speaker’s belief about the certainty of the proposition expressed in French. It also has implications for the phonological model of French intonation.
Optimal Management of Proliferative Verrucous Leukoplakia
Authors: Abadie Wesley M. , Partington Erin J. , Fowler Craig B. , Schmalbach Cecelia E.
Published: June 2015

Objective

Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) is a rare and recalcitrant form of leukoplakia. The purpose of this review is to further characterize the risk factors, clinical course, and optimal treatment for this highly aggressive, premalignant lesion.

Data Sources

Twenty‐six articles on PVL with a total of 329 PVL cases.

Review Methods

A systematic review of the literature using Ovid, PubMed, Cochrane Database, and gray literature was conducted of all PVL cases reported between 1985 and 2014. Inclusion criteria required reporting of patient follow‐up and recurrence rates. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Student t test and Fisher exact test were used to identify factors associated with malignant transformation.

Results

The mean patient age was 63.9 years. Most patients were female (66.9%) and nontobacco users (65.22%). Mean follow‐up was 7.4 years, with an average of 9.0 biopsies per patient during this period. Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia exhibited histopathologic features along a progressive spectrum, evolving from leukoplakia to verrucous hyperplasia and ultimately invasive carcinoma. Surgery was the most common treatment implemented, but recurrence rates among 222 patients reached 71.2%. Subgroup analysis of 277 patients identified a 63.9% malignant transformation rate, and 39.6% of patients died of their disease. Age, sex, and tobacco use were not identified as risk factors associated with progression to cancer.

Conclusions

Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia is a rare form of leukoplakia with a high rate of malignant transformation. It necessitates high clinical suspicion, to include a lifetime of close follow‐up and repeat biopsies by a health care provider well versed in oral carcinoma.
Noninjured Knees of Patients With Noncontact ACL Injuries Display Higher Average Anterior and Internal Rotational Knee Laxity Compared With Healthy Knees of a Noninjured Population
Authors: Mouton Caroline , Theisen Daniel , Meyer Tim , Agostinis Hélène , Nührenbörger Christian , Pape Dietrich , Seil Romain
Published: June 2015

Background:

Excessive physiological anterior and rotational knee laxity is thought to be a risk factor for noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and inferior reconstruction outcomes, but no thresholds have been established to identify patients with increased laxity.

Purpose:

(1) To determine if the healthy contralateral knees of ACL-injured patients have greater anterior and rotational knee laxity, leading to different laxity profiles (combination of laxities), compared with healthy control knees and (2) to set a threshold to help discriminate anterior and rotational knee laxity between these groups.

Study Design:

Case-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 171 healthy contralateral knees of noncontact ACL-injured patients (ACL-H group) and 104 healthy knees of control participants (CTL group) were tested for anterior and rotational laxity. Laxity scores (measurements corrected for sex and body mass) were used to classify knees as hypolax (score <–1), normolax (between −1 and 1), or hyperlax (>1). Proportions of patients in each group were compared using χ2 tests. Receiver operating characteristic curves were computed to discriminate laxity between the groups. Odds ratios were calculated to determine the probability of being in the ACL-H group.

Results:

The ACL-H group displayed greater laxity scores for anterior displacement and internal rotation in their uninjured knee compared with the CTL group ( P < .05). Laxity profiles were different between the groups for the following associations: normolax in anterior displacement/hypolax in internal rotation (6% [ACL-H] vs 15% [CTL]; P = .02) and hyperlax in anterior displacement/normolax in internal rotation (27% [ACL-H] vs 10% [CTL]; P < .01). The laxity score thresholds were 0.75 for anterior laxity and −0.55 for internal rotation. With both scores above these thresholds, a patient was 3.18-fold more likely to be in the ACL-H group (95% CI, 1.74-5.83).

Conclusion:

The healthy contralateral knees of patients with noncontact ACL injuries display different laxity values both for internal rotation and anterior displacement compared with healthy control knees. The identification of knee laxity profiles may be of relevance for primary and secondary prevention programs of noncontact ACL injuries.
Is there less gender inequality in the service sector? The gender wage-gap in knowledge-intensive services
Authors: Dueñas-Fernández Diego , Iglesias-Fernández Carlos , Llorente-Heras Raquel
Published: June 2015

The expansion of services and the dissemination of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are identified as important factors for improving employment opportunities for women, reducing labour differences by gender. The objective of the study is to determine to what extent services, and especially those most closely linked with knowledge and ICTs such as knowledge-intensive services (KIS), are changing some of the basics of labour gender differences. To do this, first we measure and characterize employment related to the service sector and KIS, comparing the existing gender wage-gap in these activities with the one observed in the overall economy. Then we carry out an analysis of decomposition over these gaps (in term of total distribution of wages and by quantiles). Our results indicate that, although KIS improve the wage situation of women, they are unable substantially to reduce gender wage inequality in the Spanish labour market, perhaps because the same gendered structures of the workplace are replicated in the KIS activities.
Effects of jute fabric structures on the performance of jute-reinforced polypropylene composites
Authors: Arju Sharfun N , Afsar AM , Khan Mubarak A , Das Dipak K
Published: June 2015

This paper presents a comparative study among different jute fabric structures in jute-reinforced polypropylene composites. Knitted and woven fabrics of different structures are produced, which are subsequently consolidated into composite materials using a heat-press method. The variation of mechanical properties and water absorption characteristics of different jute fabrics alone are evaluated and described. The effects of fabric structures on the performance of resulting composites are investigated. Composites having twill structure fabrics had the highest value of tensile strength (48 MPa), which was 134% higher than that of composites having plain structure fabrics. Water uptake of composites having rib structure fabrics was found to be 58% less than that of the composites having plain structure fabrics.
Differential expression profile of membrane proteins in L-02 cells exposed to trichloroethylene
Authors: Hong Wen-Xu , Huang Aibo , Lin Sheng , Yang Xifei , Yang Linqing , Zhou Li , Huang Haiyan , Wu Desheng , Huang Xinfeng , Xu Hua , Liu Jianjun
Published: June 2015

Trichloroethylene (TCE), a halogenated organic solvent widely used in industries, is known to cause severe hepatotoxicity. However, the mechanisms underlying TCE hepatotoxicity are still not well understood. It is predicted that membrane proteins are responsible for key biological functions, and recent studies have revealed that TCE exposure can induce abnormal levels of membrane proteins in body fluids and cultured cells. The aim of this study is to investigate the TCE-induced alterations of membrane proteins profiles in human hepatic L-02 liver cells. A comparative membrane proteomics analysis was performed in combination with two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 15 proteins were identified as differentially expressed (4 upregulated and 11 downregulated) between TCE-treated cells and normal controls. Among this, 14 of them are suggested as membrane-associated proteins by their transmembrane domain and/or subcellular location. Furthermore, the differential expression of β subunit of adenosine triphosphate synthase (ATP5B) and prolyl 4-hydroxylase, β polypeptide (P4HB) were verified by Western blot analysis in TCE-treated L-02 cells. Our work not only reveals the association between TCE exposure and altered expression of membrane proteins but also provides a novel strategy to discover membrane biomarkers and elucidate the potential mechanisms involving with membrane proteins response to chemical-induced toxic effect.