bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenotypic and Signaling Consequences of a Novel Aberrantly Spliced Transcript FGF Receptor-3 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Li Ke , Shen Baiyong , Cheng Xi , Ma Ding , Jing Xiaoqian , Liu Xinyu , Yang Weiping , Peng Chenghong , Qiu Weihua
Published: June 2016

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) plays important roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, and angiogenesis. FGFR3 is abnormally upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), where it correlates positively with clinicopathologic index, HCC differentiation, and advanced nuclear grade. In this study, we describe an aberrantly spliced transcript of FGFR3, termed FGFR3Δ7-9, was identified as a high frequency even in HCC. FGFR3Δ7-9 lacks exons encoding the immunoglobulin-like III domain and promoted the proliferation, migration, and metastasis of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Coimmunoprecipation and surface plasmon resonance assays demonstrated that the binding affinity of the aberrant FGFR3Δ7-9 receptor to FGFs was significantly higher than wild-type FGFR3IIIc. Furthermore, FGFR3Δ7-9 could be self-activated by homodimerization and autophosphorylation even in the absence of ligand. Finally, FGFR3Δ7-9 more potently induced phosphorylation of the ERK and AKT kinases, leading to abnormal downstream signaling through the ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. FGFR3Δ7-9 also upregulated the metastasis-associated molecules Snail, MMP-9, and downregulated E-cadherin, which associated directly with FGFR3Δ7-9. Thus, as a ligand-dependent or -independent receptor, FGFR3Δ7-9 exerted multiple potent oncogenic functions in HCC cells, including proliferation, migration, and lung metastatic capacity. Overall, FGFR3 mRNA missplicing in HCC contributes significantly to its malignant character, with implications for therapeutic targeting. Cancer Res; 76(14); 4205–15. ©2016 AACR.
Biomarker Associations with Efficacy of Abiraterone Acetate and Exemestane in Postmenopausal Patients with Estrogen Receptor–Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Li Weimin , O'Shaughnessy Joyce , Hayes Daniel , Campone Mario , Bondarenko Igor , Zbarskaya Irina , Brain Etienne , Stenina Marina , Ivanova Olga , Graas Marie-Pascale , Neven Patrick , Ricci Deborah , Griffin Thomas , Kheoh Thian , Yu Margaret , Gormley Michael , Martin Jason , Schaffer Michael , Zelinsky Kathy , De Porre Peter , Johnston Stephen R.D.
Published: June 2016

Purpose: Abiraterone may suppress androgens that stimulate breast cancer growth. We conducted a biomarker analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues (FFPETs), and serum samples from postmenopausal estrogen receptor (ER)+ breast cancer patients to identify subgroups with differential abiraterone sensitivity.

Methods: Patients (randomized 1:1:1) were treated with 1,000 mg/d abiraterone acetate + 5 mg/d prednisone (AA), AA + 25 mg/d exemestane (AAE), or exemestane. The biomarker population included treated patients (n = 293). The CTC population included patients with ≥3 baseline CTCs (n = 104). Biomarker [e.g., androgen receptor (AR), ER, Ki-67, CYP17] expression was evaluated. Cox regression stratified by prior therapies in the metastatic setting (0/1 vs. 2) and setting of letrozole/anastrozole (adjuvant vs. metastatic) was used to assess biomarker associations with progression-free survival (PFS).

Results: Serum testosterone and estrogen levels were lowered and progesterone increased with AA. Baseline AR or ER expression was not associated with PFS in CTCs or FFPETs for AAE versus exemestane, but dual positivity of AR and ER expression was associated with improved PFS [HR, 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.16–1.07; P = 0.070]. For AR expression in FFPETs obtained <1 year prior to first dose (n = 67), a trend for improved PFS was noted for AAE versus exemestane (HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.24–1.33; P = 0.19).

Conclusions: An AA pharmacodynamic effect was shown by decreased serum androgen and estrogen levels and increased progesterone. AR and ER dual expression in CTCs and newly obtained FFPETs may predict AA sensitivity. Clin Cancer Res; 22(24); 6002–9. ©2016 AACR.
Targeting Estrogen Receptor Signaling with Fulvestrant Enhances Immune and Chemotherapy-Mediated Cytotoxicity of Human Lung Cancer
Authors: Hamilton Duane H. , Griner Lesley Mathews , Keller Jonathan M. , Hu Xin , Southall Noel , Marugan Juan , David Justin M. , Ferrer Marc , Palena Claudia
Published: June 2016

Purpose: The conversion of tumor cells from an epithelial to a mesenchymal-like phenotype, via a process designated as the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), is known to mediate tumor resistance to a variety of cell death inducers, including cytotoxic effector immune cells. The goal of this study was to identify and potentially repurpose FDA-approved compounds capable of reducing mesenchymal features of human lung carcinoma cells, which could be used in combination with immunotherapies or chemotherapeutic strategies to improve clinical responses.

Experimental Design: In the current report, we have utilized a quantitative high-throughput screening (qHTS) of a pharmaceutical collection of more than 2,000 compounds to identify clinically approved drugs capable of augmenting the sensitivity of mesenchymal-like, lung cancer cells to immune- and chemotherapy-mediated lysis, both in vitro and in vivo.

Results: The estrogen receptor antagonist fulvestrant was shown to reduce mesenchymal features of lung carcinoma cells, resulting in tumor sensitization to the cytotoxic effect of antigen-specific T cells, natural killer (NK) effector cells, and chemotherapy both in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report defining a potential role for estrogenic signaling in promoting tumor resistance to immune-mediated cytotoxicity and chemotherapy in lung cancer. Our data demonstrate a robust association between the acquisition of mesenchymal attributes, therapeutic resistance of lung carcinoma cells, and the expression of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), supporting further investigations on the role of estrogen signaling in lung cancer progression via the induction of EMT. Clin Cancer Res; 22(24); 6204–16. ©2016 AACR.
Antelope Predation by Nigerian Forest Baboons: Ecological and Behavioural Correlates
Authors: Sommer Volker , Lowe Adriana , Jesus Gonçalo , Alberts Nienke , Bouquet Yaëlle , Inglis David M. , Petersdorf Megan , van Riel Eelco , Thompson James , Ross Caroline
Published: June 2016

Baboons are well studied in savannah but less so in more closed habitats. We investigated predation on mammals by olive baboons (Papio anubis) at a geographical and climatic outlier, Gashaka Gumti National Park (Nigeria), the wettest and most forested site so far studied. Despite abundant wildlife, meat eating was rare and selective. Over 16 years, baboons killed 7 bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) and 3 red-flanked duiker (Cephalophus rufilatus), mostly still-lying ‘parked' infants. Taking observation time into account, this is 1 predation per group every 3.3 months - far lower than at other sites. Some features of meat eating resemble those elsewhere; predation is opportunistic, adult males monopolize most prey, a targeted killing bite is lacking and begging or active sharing is absent. Carcass owners employ evasive tactics, as meat is often competed over, but satiated owners may tolerate others taking meat. Other features are unusual; this is only the second study site with predation records for bushbuck and the only one for red-flanked duiker. The atypical prey and rarity of eating mammals probably reflects the difficulty of acquiring prey animals when vegetation cover is dense. Our data support the general prediction of the socioecological model that environments shape behavioural patterns, while acknowledging their intraspecific or intrageneric plasticity.
Intravenous Use of Prescription Psychostimulants; A Comparison of the Pattern and Subjective Experience between Different Methylphenidate Preparations, Amphetamine and Cocaine
Authors: Bjarnadottir Gudrun D. , Magnusson Andres , Rafnar Bjarni O. , Sigurdsson Engilbert , Steingrimsson Steinn , Johannsson Magnus , Bragadottir Helena , Haraldsson H. Magnus
Published: June 2016

Background/Aims: Methylphenidate (MPH) has been the most commonly used intravenous (i.v.) substance in Iceland in recent years. In Iceland, MPH is available in 3 forms: immediate-release (IR) tablets (MPH IR, short-acting), sustainable-release (SR) capsules (MPH SR, long-acting) and osmotic-release (OROS) tablets (MPH OROS, long-acting). The aims of the study were to compare the pattern and subjective effects of i.v. MPH use to other i.v. psychostimulants and examine whether the pattern of use differs among MPH preparations. Methods: This is a nationwide descriptive study. Information was collected from 95 i.v. substance users undergoing inpatient detoxification and reporting i.v. MPH use in the last 30 days using a semi-structured interview. Results: MPH SR was both the most commonly used (96%) and preferred i.v. psychostimulant (57%). The intensity and duration of ‘euphoria' did not differ between cocaine and MPH SR. No participant reported MPH OROS as their preferred substance even though a third had used it in the past month. Conclusions: The pattern of i.v. MPH use is similar to other psychostimulants among treatment seeking patients. MPH OROS was the least preferred i.v. psychostimulant, despite having the largest market share in Iceland. The results indicate that MPH OROS has less abuse potential than other MPH preparations.
Smoking Cessation Program for Inpatients with Substance Use Disorder: A Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trial of Feasibility and Efficacy
Authors: Rüther Tobias , Ruderer Amelie , Wirth Christina , Schuler Veronika , Lang Verena , Linhardt Andrea , Kröger Christoph B. , Pogarell Oliver
Published: June 2016

Aims: The present study investigated the feasibility, acceptance and efficacy of a newly developed cognitive behavioral program for smoking cessation/reduction (‘Rethink your Smoking' program, RSP) in inpatients with substance use disorder (SUD). Method: One hundred ninety-nine inpatients with SUD were randomly assigned to either the RSP (n = 101) or a minimal intervention (MI) program (n = 98). In addition, participants were offered optional nicotine replacement therapy. Data from a group of patients with SUD without any intervention (control group, n = 78) were included in the analyses for comparison. Assessments were performed at admission, discharge and follow-up after 3 and 6 months. Results: RSP proved to be feasible and was well accepted by participants. Patients in both interventions showed lower scores for physical nicotine dependence and number of cigarettes smoked per day and higher scores for various motivational parameters at discharge and 3 months later. Both interventions were superior to no intervention, but no differences were found between the RSP and MI. Conclusion: A smoking cessation/reduction program is feasible for substance-dependent in-patients undergoing detoxification. Although the RSP appears to be effective in terms of harm reduction in in-patients with SUD, more cost- and time-efficient programs might also be suitable for this population.
Avicenna (980-1037) on the Role of the Liver in Separating Fluid from the Blood, with Insight into the Process from E.H. Starling (1866-1907) a Millennium Later
Authors: Fine Leon G.
Published: June 2016

Background: A statement was made by Avicenna (980-1037) in his Canon of Medicine that the liver separates fluid from the blood. An explanation for this view has not been considered. Methods: Since the statement emerged from an existing English translation of the Canon (which was made from a prior Latin edition), an alternative English translation of the first Hebrew edition was made in order to verify the statement and to seek additional insight, which could explain its basis, in fact. Data Sources: The English edition of Avicenna's Canon of Medicine published in 1932, translated from the Latin. First Hebrew edition of Avicenna's Canon of Medicine published in 1491, translated from the Arabic. Subjects: None. Design: The relevant sections of the Hebrew Canon on the origin of the body fluids were translated and compared with the existing English translation. Observations: The fluid generated by the liver is likely to be protein-containing, since it was described as frothy and suggests that it is lymph. The suggestion that the liver needs a watery fluid for its action cannot be explained. Ernest Henry Starling (1866-1907) measured lymph formation, showing it to be driven by physical forces. The liver stood out as being the organ with the largest capacity for lymph formation. The vascular walls within the liver were shown to have a higher permeability to serum proteins than any other source of lymph. Data Analysis: Data are derived from Starling's publications based on individual experiments. These were not analyzed statistically. Results: The explanation for Avicenna's statement that the liver separates moisture from the blood is most likely to be the discovery by Starling, a millennium later, that the liver is the major source of lymph production. Conclusions and Implications: The liver is a major source of lymph. Distortion of the architecture of the liver in cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases lead to ascites, a condition of lymph overflow from the liver.
Unique Abnormalities in Right Ventricular Longitudinal Strain in Systemic Sclerosis Patients
Authors: Mukherjee Monica , Chung Shang-En , Ton Von Khue , Tedford Ryan J. , Hummers Laura K. , Wigley Fredrick M. , Abraham Theodore P. , Shah Ami A.
Published: June 2016

Background—

Cardiac involvement in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma [SSc]) adversely affects long-term prognosis, often remaining undetectable despite close clinical examination and 2-dimensional echocardiographic monitoring. Speckle-derived strain of the right ventricle (RV) was utilized to detect occult abnormalities in regional and global contractility in SSc patients.

Methods and Results—

A total of 138 SSc patients with technically adequate echocardiograms was studied and compared with 40 age- and sex-matched healthy non-SSc controls. Standard assessment of RV chamber function included tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and fractional area change. RV longitudinal systolic speckle-derived strain was assessed in the basal, mid, and apical free wall. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion was not different between groups (
P
=0.307). Although fractional area change was lower in SSc patients than in controls (mean, 48.9 versus 55;
P
=0.002), the mean fractional area change was still within the normal range (>35). In contrast, RV longitudinal systolic speckle-derived strain measures were significantly different between groups, both globally (−20.4% versus −17.7%;
P
=0.005) and regionally: they were decreased in the apex (−8.5% versus −17.1%;
P
<0.0001) and mid segments (−12.4% versus -20.9%;
P
<0.0001), and increased in the base (−32.2% versus −23.3%;
P
=0.0001) for the SSc group. The regional difference in the base compared with the apex was significantly greater for SSc than for controls (
P
<0.0001 for interaction). The differences observed in regional strain between SSc and control were unchanged after adjusting for RV systolic pressure.

Conclusions—

Speckle-derived strain reveals a heterogenous pattern of regional heart strain in SSc that is not detected by conventional measures of function, suggestive of occult RV myocardial disease.
Hemorrhagic Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome
Authors: Topcuoglu Mehmet A. , Singhal Aneesh B.
Published: June 2016

Background and Purpose—

To compare hemorrhagic and nonhemorrhagic reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndromes (RCVS) with a view to understand mechanisms.

Methods—

This single-center retrospective study included 162 patients with RCVS. Clinical, brain imaging, and angiography data were analyzed.

Results—

The mean age was 44±13 years, 78% women. Hemorrhages occurred in 43% including 21 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and 62 with convexal subarachnoid hemorrhage (cSAH). The frequency of triggers (eg, vasoconstrictive drugs) and risk factors (eg, migraine) were not significantly different between hemorrhagic and nonhemorrhagic RCVS or between subgroups (ICH versus non-ICH, isolated cSAH versus normal scan). Hemorrhagic lesions occurred within the first week, whereas infarcts and vasogenic edema accumulated during 2 to 3 weeks (
P
<0.001). Although all ICHs occurred before cSAH, their time course was not significantly different (
P
=0.11). ICH and cSAH occurred earlier than infarcts (
P
≤0.001), and ICH earlier than vasogenic edema (
P
=0.009). Angiogram analysis showed more severe vasoconstriction in distal versus proximal segments in all lesion types (ICH, cSAH, infarction, vasogenic edema, and normal scan). The isolated infarction group had more severe proximal vasoconstriction, and those with normal imaging had significantly less vasoconstriction. Multivariable analysis failed to uncover independent predictors of hemorrhagic RCVS; however, female sex predicted ICH (
P
=0.048), and angiographic severity predicted infarction (
P
=0.043).

Conclusions—

ICH and cSAH are common complications of RCVS. Triggers and risk factors do not predict lesion subtype but may alter central vasomotor control mechanisms resulting in centripetal angiographic evolution. Early distal vasoconstriction is associated with lobar ICH and cSAH, and delayed proximal vasoconstriction with infarction.
Effect of soil and soil bacteria on hatching activity towards potato cyst nematodes (Globodera spp.)
Authors: Lettice Eoin P. , Jones Peter W.
Published: June 2016

Soil samples taken from the ridge of field-grown potato (cv. British Queen) as well as from bulk soil of the same field were incubated with sterile potato root leachate or water. Samples were filtered and filtrates used in anin vitrobioassay to determine their effect on hatch of potato cyst nematodes (PCN)Globodera rostochiensisandG. pallida. Concurrently, an experiment was established where the sterile potato root leachate or water was incubated with a sterile soil wash. Ridge soil was shown to induce significantly more hatching than bulk soil, indicating the presence of PCN hatching factors. When a soil wash of ridge soil was used it did not increase hatch, suggesting a role for soil microorganisms in the hatching process. Greater hatch ofG. rostochiensisin bulk soil compared toG. pallidasuggests a role for soil microorganisms in spontaneous hatch of PCNin vivo.
Импортная вещь и дух консюмеризма: потребительские аспекты выездного туризма в ссср
Authors: Orlov Igor , Орлов Игорь , Popov Aleksei , Попов Алексей
Published: June 2016

In the post-Stalin period, in the USSR, there was a permanent increase in the amount of Soviet tourists who traveled abroad. These trips acquired a great popularity and a prestige among Soviet citizens, and became a channel for the illegal, or semi-legal, infiltration of foreign goods into the USSR. Despite financial, customs, administrative, and psychological barriers, as well as ideological pressure, Soviet tourists abroad acted within the concept of an “economic man” seeking to import as many things as possible. To fulfill this consumer mission, in the 1960s-1980s, Soviet tourists created a set of “shadow” consumption practices which this article examines in detail, as well as the Soviet government’s responses to combat them. The imported goods and the resulting non-Soviet consumer culture ("spirit of consumerism” or “virus of consumerism”), the article concludes, undermined the concept of Soviet superiority central to the Soviet propaganda during the Cold War era.
Rule 1: Know Your Stuff
Authors: Los Bettelou
Published: June 2016

Syntax is not the right arena to make a case for language family relationships.
Anglicized Norse, or Anything Goes?
Authors: Emonds Joseph E. , Faarlund Jan Terje
Published: June 2016

This response mostly addresses the comments, but its main point is that 11th c. “language contact” syntactic changes suggest that Norse was expanding while West Saxon was contracting.
Reis van de Razzia: Een Oral History Project Over de razzia van Rotterdam
Authors: de Jager Erik J.
Published: June 2016

On the 10th and 11th of November 1944, a mass arrest or razzia took place in the Rotterdam area. More than 52.000 residents of Rotterdam and Schiedam between the ages of 17 and 40 were deported by the German occupation troops to perform forced labour, also called the ‘Arbeitseinsatz’. The project ‘Reis van de Razzia [Road of the Razzia]’ was started because the nature and extent of this event are relatively unknown to the current residents. For this project, 76 interviews with witnesses were conducted. These interviews give insight into what happened and what remains of an individual’s freedom to act in an oppressed society. To this end, attention was paid not only to the experiences of those who were taken away, but also to the experiences of their family members and to the perceptions those who remained in this threatening situation had of each other. The report of the Den Drijver brothers was chosen as an example. The combination of their differing experiences sheds light on the dillemmas such circumstances create.
Rhoicosphenia kloseri, a new isopolar Rhoicosphenia (Bacillariophyta) species from the Antarctic with comparison to other isopolar Rhoicosphenia
Authors: THOMAS EVAN W. , LIGOWSKI RYSZARD
Published: June 2016

Rhoicosphenia is a common diatom in both freshwater and marine ecosystems and the genus can be found on nearly every continent. Despite the fact that the genus is common, few new species have been reported from outside of Europe, Asia, and North America, and only one species has been previously described from the Antarctic. Further, most Rhoicosphenia are heteropolar in valve outline, asymmetrical to the transapical axis, while few taxa are isopolar. During investigations into the epiphytes on the red alga Georgiella confluens from the South Shetland Islands, a new marine, isopolar Rhoicosphenia was discovered and is herein described and documented with both light and scanning electron microscopy. Rhoicosphenia kloseri is isopolar, and in that regard similar to other isopolar taxa, such as R. genuflexa and R. pullus, but does not fit the morphological species concept of those taxa and is thus described as new. This new species discovery is following a trend of high rates of discovery of previously ignored morphological diversity within the genus Rhoicosphenia.
Eleocharis pedrovianae, a new species of Cyperaceae from Northern Brazil (Serra dos Carajás, Pará State)
Authors: NUNES CLEBIANA DE SÁ , GIL ANDRÉ DOS SANTOS BRAGANÇA , TREVISAN RAFAEL
Published: June 2016

Eleocharis pedrovianae is a new species of Cyperaceae from the Serra dos Carajás (Pará State, Brazil), herein described and illustrated. This species lives as a submerged herb in wetlands, marshes and margins of temporary lakes and lagoons with ferric soil (canga). It is morphologically similar to Eleocharis angustispicula, differing by its stoloniferous stem system, the presence of chasmogamous basal spikelets, a perianth of 4(5) bristles, an  ellipsoid achene, and a stylopodium that is brown pyramidal, and separated from the achene body by a constriction.
Host plant shifts and transitions into new adaptive zones in leafhoppers:
the example of Macropsinae (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae)
of Russia and adjacent countries
Authors: TISHECHKIN DMITRI YU.
Published: June 2016

The modes of diversification of Palaearctic Macropsinae (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) are reconstructed based on data on their host plants and distribution in Russia and the adjacent territories. Macropsinae (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) is originally an Oriental group, which penetrated into the Palaearctic from Southeast Asia. The genus Pediopsoides and species of the genus Macropsis that feed on East Asian oaks have not dispersed beyond broadleaf forests of the Eastern Palaearctic. Apparently, Pediopsis and elm-feeding species of Macropsis initially dispersed throughout the entire broadleaf forest zone. Division of this zone into two widely separated parts in temperate areas of Europe and East Asia (nemoral disjunction), produced closely related vicariant pairs of sister species. The genus Oncopsis and species of Macropsis feeding on Salicaceae dispersed throughout the entire Palaearctic following their host plants. Both lineages penetrated into riparian forests of the foothills and midlands of Central Asia, where they produced endemic species. The Central Asian Macropsis lineage shifted from Salicaceae to trees and shrubs of unrelated families (wild roses, barberry, oleaster, and sea-buckthorn) growing in the same biotopes. Subsequent diversification on those plants produced several separate host-associated species-groups, some of which penetrated following their hosts from riparian forests into arid habitats. One such lineage apparently shifted from shrubs to wormwood species (Artemisia spp.) and thus gave rise to the genus Macropsidius. This genus underwent adaptive radiation on wormwood species in the plains of South Kazakhstan and Central Asia; advancing westward, it formed secondary centres of diversity in Transcaucasia and the Mediterranean. Finally, some lineage of Macropsidius (or its sister-group) switched from feeding on Artemisia to polyphagy, yielding the ancestral form of the genus Hephathus. In general, the evolution of the Macropsis–Macropsidius–Hephathus lineage in the Palaearctic closely followed the classical Simpsonian model: the group underwent diversification within a particular adaptive zone, then one lineage entered a new adaptive zone and secondarily diversified there, etc. Transitions into new adaptive zones by different Macropsinae lineages were probably caused by one of two factors: shift to a new plant unrelated to the original host (e.g., from Salicaceae to plants of other families) or adaptation to new microclimatic conditions (penetration from riparian forests into open arid habitats).
A new species in the genus Alectorolophus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1898 from Indonesia with discussion on its position compared to allied genera in subfamily Catantopinae (Orthoptera: Acrididae)
Authors: STOROZHENKO SERGEY YU. , KIM TAEWOO
Published: June 2016

Alectorolophus impunctus Storozhenko et Kim, sp. nov. from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, is described here. Keys to both sexes of all known species and subspecies of Alectorolophus are also provided in this report. The position of genus Alectorolophus in the systematics of grasshoppers is clarified. It belongs to subtribe Ecphantina (Catantopinae: Catantopini) consisting of nine genera distributed in Australia and Oriental regions. The diagnosis of Ecphantina is clarified and a key to genera is provided. An annotated list of the genera and species of Ecphantina is given. Moreover, the correct name of the subfamily Coptacridinae is Coptacrinae Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893.
Divergent responses to sustainability and climate change planning: The role of politics, cultural frames and public participation
Authors: Foss Ann
Published: June 2016

Cities are often touted as climate change leaders in the USA and all cities across the country are affected by climate change, but little is known about climate action in politically conservative cities. Using document analysis and interviews, an in-depth case study of two cities in the conservative Dallas-Fort Worth region of Texas examines how public participation and cultural framing contribute to sustainability and climate change planning. One city successfully adopted sustainability plans, while the other city was unable to do so. Comparison of the two cases reveals that carefully designed public participation processes and locally relevant cultural frames can help cities educate residents, build support and expand discussion of sustainability. However, economic development, competition and political controversy prevent cities from addressing climate change explicitly or in meaningful ways, raising concerns about the capacity of cities to act as climate change leaders.
Composition of Estonian infants’ expressive lexicon according to the adaptation of CDI/Words and Gestures
Authors: Schults Astra , Tulviste Tiia
Published: June 2016

The growth rate and the composition of expressive lexicon was studied in a sample of 903 infants between the age of 0;8 and 1;4 whose parents completed the Estonian adaptation of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory – Words and Gestures. As expected, older children had on average larger vocabularies compared to younger children. At the age of 1;4 the Estonian infants’ lexicon was smaller compared to the American-English children’s lexicon but larger than Italian and British-English infants’ vocabularies. The Estonian infants’ expressive lexicon has the same proportional distribution of semantic categories that other languages have been shown to have. On average, Estonian girls have larger vocabularies compared to boys. There are also some differences between boys and girls regarding the content of most frequently produced words. Results provide additional information about the rate of lexicon learning and proportional distribution of semantic categories in a language with rich morphology.
Work in and beyond the Second Machine Age: the politics of production and digital technologies
Authors: Spencer David
Published: June 2016

Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, in their widely read and politically impactful book The Second Machine Age, highlight the costs and benefits of digital technologies for the volume and quality of work and identify reforms designed to ensure that digital technologies deliver net advantages to workers and society more generally. This article offers a critique of their thesis. Specifically, it criticizes the authors for their neglect of the nexus between the politics of production and digital technologies. They fail, in short, to grasp the importance of power relations for the form, direction and outcomes of digital technologies. The article argues for an alternative view of the progress of digital technologies that is rooted in an understanding of the political economy of capitalism. In this respect, it draws on and applies ideas and concepts from Marxian political economy.
‘Rusty, invisible and threatening’: ageing, capital and employability
Authors: Bowman Dina , McGann Michael , Kimberley Helen , Biggs Simon
Published: June 2016

Levels of mature-age unemployment and under-employment are increasing in Australia, with older jobseekers spending longer unemployed than younger jobseekers. This article focuses on two key explanations of the difficulties confronting older jobseekers: human capital theory, which focuses on the obsolescence of older workers’ job skills, and ageism in employment. Drawing upon narrative interviews with older Australians, it critically engages with both these understandings. Using a Bourdieusian analysis, it shows how ageing intersects with the deployment of different forms of capital that are valued within particular labour market fields to shape older workers’ ‘employability’. By examining how class, gender and age intersect to structure experiences of marginalization, it questions conventional analyses that see older workers as discriminated against simply because they are older.
Interactive Support Effects on Career Agency and Occupational Engagement Among Young Adults
Authors: Jenkins Lyndsey , Jeske Debora
Published: June 2016

The PIC model by Gati and Asher describes three career decision making stages: pre-screening, in-depth exploration, and choice of career options. We consider the role that three different forms of support (general career support by parents, emotional/instrumental support, and informational support) may play for young adults in each of these three decision-making stages. The authors further propose that different forms of support may predict career agency and occupational engagement, which are important career decision precedents. In addition, we consider the role of personality traits and perceptions (decision-making window) on these two outcomes. Using an online survey sample ( N = 281), we found that general career support was important for career agency and occupational engagement. However, it was the combination of higher general career support with either emotional/instrumental support or informational support that was found to lead to both greater career agency and higher occupational engagement. Personality also played a role: Greater proactivity also led to greater occupational engagement, even when there was little urgency for participants to make decisions (window of decision-making was wide open and not restricted). In practical terms, the findings suggest that the learning required in each of the three PIC processes (pre-screening, in-depth exploration, choice of career options) may benefit when the learner has access to the three support measures.
Extracting and analyzing ejection fraction values from electronic echocardiography reports in a large health maintenance organization
Authors: Xie Fagen , Zheng Chengyi , Yuh-Jer Shen Albert , Chen Wansu
Published: June 2016

The left ventricular ejection fraction value is an important prognostic indicator of cardiovascular outcomes including morbidity and mortality and is often used clinically to indicate severity of heart disease. However, it is usually reported in free-text echocardiography reports. We developed and validated a computerized algorithm to extract ejection fraction values from echocardiography reports and applied the algorithm to a large volume of unstructured echocardiography reports between 1995 and 2011 in a large health maintenance organization. A total of 621,856 echocardiography reports with a description of ejection fraction values or systolic functions were identified, of which 70 percent contained numeric ejection fraction values and the rest (30%) were text descriptions explicitly indicating the systolic left ventricular function. The 12.1 percent (16.0% for male and 8.4% for female) of these extracted ejection fraction values are <45 percent. Validation conducted based on a random sample of 200 reports yielded 95.0 percent sensitivity and 96.9 percent positive predictive value.
Fidelity to a behavioral intervention to improve goals of care decisions for nursing home residents with advanced dementia
Authors: Hanson Laura C , Song Mi-Kyung , Zimmerman Sheryl , Gilliam Robin , Rosemond Cherie , Chisholm Latarsha , Lin Feng-Chang
Published: June 2016

Background/aims:

Ensuring fidelity to a behavioral intervention implemented in nursing homes requires awareness of the unique considerations of this setting for research. The purpose of this article is to describe the goals of care cluster-randomized trial and the methods used to monitor and promote fidelity to a goals of care decision aid intervention delivered in nursing homes.

Methods:

The cluster randomized trial tested whether a decision aid for goals of care in advanced dementia could improve (1) the quality of communication and decision-making, (2) the quality of palliative care, and (3) the quality of dying for nursing home residents with advanced dementia. In 11 intervention nursing homes, family decision-makers for residents with advanced dementia received a two-component intervention: viewing a video decision aid about goals of care choices and then participating in a structured decision-making discussion with the nursing home care plan team, ideally within 3 months after the decision aid was viewed. Following guidelines from the National Institutes of Health Behavior Change Consortium, fidelity was assessed in study design, in nursing home staff training for intervention implementation, and in monitoring and receipt of the intervention. We also monitored the content and timing of goals of care discussions.

Results:

Investigators enrolled 151 family decision-maker/resident dyads in intervention sites; of those, 136 (90%) received both components of the intervention, and 92%–99% of discussions addressed each of four recommended content areas—health status, goals of care, choice of a goal, and treatment planning. A total of 94 (69%) of the discussions between family decision-makers and the nursing home care team were completed within 3 months.

Conclusion:

The methods we used for intervention fidelity allowed nursing home staff to implement a goals of care decision aid intervention for advanced dementia. Key supports for implementation included design features that aligned with nursing home practice, efficient staff training, and a structured guide for goals of care discussions between family decision-makers and staff. These approaches may be used to promote fidelity to behavioral interventions in future clinical trials.
Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu decoction attenuates rheumatoid arthritis partially by reversing inflammation-immune system imbalance
Authors: Guo Qiuyan , Mao Xia , Zhang Yanqiong , Meng Shuqin , Xi Yue , Ding Yi , Zhang Xiaocun , Dai Yuntao , Liu Xia , Wang Chao , Li Yuting , Lin Na
Published: June 2016

Background

Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu decoction (GSZD) has been extensively used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapy. Marked therapeutic efficacy of GSZD acting on RA has been demonstrated in several long-term clinical trials without any significant side effects. However, its pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear due to a lack of appropriate scientific methodology.

Methods

GSZD’s mechanisms of action were investigated using an integrative approach that combined drug target prediction, network analysis, and experimental validation.

Results

A total of 77 putative targets were identified for 165 assessed chemical components of GSZD. After calculating the topological features of the nodes and edges in the created drug-target network, we identified a candidate GSZD-targeted signal axis that contained interactions between two putative GSZD targets [histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and heat shock protein 90 kDa alpha, class A member 1 (HSP90AA1)] and three known RA-related targets [NFKB2; inhibitor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells, kinase beta (IKBKB); and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)]. This signal axis could connect different functional modules that are significantly associated with various RA-related signaling pathways, including T/B cell receptor, Toll-like receptor, NF-kappa B and TNF pathways, as well as osteoclast differentiation. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects and putative molecular mechanisms of GSZD’s actions on RA were experimentally validated in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions

GSZD may partially attenuate RA by reversing inflammation-immune system imbalance and regulating the HDAC1–HSP90AA1–NFKB2–IKBKB–TNF-α signaling axis.
A AUTARQUIZAÇÃO DAS EMPRESAS ESTATAIS NA JURISPRUDÊNCIA DO SUPREMO TRIBUNAL FEDERAL: UM OBSTÁCULO PARA AS REFORMAS NA ADMINISTRAÇÃO PÚBLICA
Authors: Pinto Henrique Motta
Published: June 2016

O cumprimento adequado das funções estatais depende da realização de reformas na administração pública que alterem as leis e, frequentemente, a Constituição. Nos quadros da organização administrativa, a empresa estatal é um instrumento para a consecução de finalidades governamentais, inclusive a prestação de serviços públicos. O presente artigo avalia como a jurisprudência do Supremo Tribunal Federal vem dificultando o uso de empresas estatais para a prestação de serviços públicos com a sua autarquização. PALAVRAS-CHAVE Autarquização, empresa estatal, serviços públicos, organização administrativa, Supremo Tribunal Federal. ABSTRACT The proper discharge of state functions depends on reforms in public administration to amend the laws, and often the Constitution. In the tables of the administrative organization, a state-owned enterprise is an instrument for the achievement of governmental purposes, including the provision of public utilities. This article examines how the ruling of the Brazil´s Federal Supreme Court has strained the use of state-owned enterprises for the provision of public utilities. KEYWORDS State-owned enterprise, public utilities, administrative organization, Brazil´s Federal Supreme Court.
Universidade Pública e Inclusão Social: As Cotas para Autodeclarados Negros na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Authors: Kern Maria Cristina Lunardi , Ziliotto Denise Macedo
Published: June 2016

A implementação de cotas raciais nas universidades públicas brasileiras é um processo recente e ainda em avaliação. Com o objetivo de analisar como essa experiência está ocorrendo, especialmente em sua efetividade enquanto ação inclusiva, realizou-se uma pesquisa quali-quantitativa, de caráter exploratório e descritivo, na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Os instrumentos utilizados, analisados por meio de triangulação, foram entrevistas com servidores e alunos, participação em diversas atividades institucionais e documentos. Os resultados indicam que a inclusão dos cotistas efetiva-se gradativamente na inserção no mundo do trabalho e nas dimensões acadêmicas da pesquisa e da extensão. Entre os aspectos que merecem maior atenção estão a visibilidade dada aos cotistas e a efetiva integração destes na instituição de ensino em todos os seus segmentos. PALAVRAS-CHAVEAções afirmativas, inclusão social, políticas públicas, sistema de cotas, universidade. ABSTRACT The implementation of racial quotas in Brazilian public universities is a recent process still under evaluation. In order to analyze how this experience has been realized, particularly in its success as an inclusive action, a quali-quantitative research of an exploratory and descriptive character was carried out, at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. The research instruments used were interviews with the staff and the students, attendance to many institutional activities and documentary sources, all analyzed through triangulation. The results indicate that the inclusion of quota students is gradually actualized in their placement in the job market and in the academic realms of research and public outreach. Among the aspects that deserve further attention are the visibility given to these students and their effective integration into the institution in all its segments. KEYWORDS Inclusive action, quota system, social inclusion, public policies, university.
Mixed-Integer Rounding Enhanced Benders Decomposition for Multiclass Service-System Staffing and Scheduling with Arrival Rate Uncertainty
Authors: Bodur Merve , Luedtke James R.
Published: June 2016

We study server scheduling in multiclass service systems under uncertainty in the customer arrival volumes. Common practice in such systems is to first identify staffing levels and then determine schedules for the servers that cover these levels. We propose a new stochastic integer programming (SIP) model that integrates these two decisions, which can yield lower scheduling costs by exploiting the presence of alternative server configurations that yield similar quality of service. We find that a branch-and-cut algorithm based on Benders decomposition may fail due to the weakness of the relaxation bound. We propose a novel application of mixed-integer rounding to improve the Benders cuts used in this algorithm, a technique that is applicable to any SIP with integer first-stage decision variables. Numerical examples illustrate the computational efficiency of the proposed approach and the potential benefit of solving the integrated model compared to considering the staffing and scheduling problems separately.

This paper was accepted by Yinyu Ye, optimization.
Managing Rentals with Usage-Based Loss
Authors: Slaugh Vincent W. , Biller Bahar , Tayur Sridhar R.
Published: June 2016

Motivated by innovative rental business models, we study a rental system with random loss of inventory due to use. We utilize a discrete-time model in which the inventory level is chosen before the start of a finite rental season, and customers not immediately served are lost. Demand, rental durations, and rental unit lifetimes are stochastic; sample path coupling allows us to derive structural results that hold under limited distributional assumptions. Considering different “recirculation” rules (i.e., which unit to select to meet a demand), we prove the concavity of the expected profit function and identify the optimal recirculation rule under two different models of a rental unit’s state: the number of times rented out or its condition. We develop two upper bounds on the number of lost rental units and two heuristics for the inventory decision. Numerical study shows the following: (1) accounting for rental unit loss can increase the expected profit by 7% for a single season; (2) the optimal inventory level in response to increasing loss probability is nonmonotonic; (3) both heuristics perform well; and (4) choosing the optimal recirculation rule over a commonly used policy can increase the profit-maximizing service level by up to six percentage points.
Portobiliary fistula following laparoscopic cholecystectomy
Authors: Merrick B , Yue D , Sodergren MH , Jiao LR
Published: June 2016

The laparoscopic approach has replaced open surgery as the gold standard for cholecystectomy. This technique is, however, associated with a greater incidence of bile duct injuries (BDIs). We report a case of portobiliary fistula (PBF), a rare complication of BDI, occurring post laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). PBF has been reported after procedures such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and pathologies such as liver abscesses, but only once previously in the setting of LC. We discuss the management of this patient with apparent dual pathology, and summarise other aetiologies that may give rise to this condition.
Appendiceal mucocoele with midgut malrotation
Authors: Yap D , Hassall J , Williams GL , McKain ES
Published: June 2016

Introduction

Malrotation of the midgut and appendiceal mucocoele are both extremely rare pathological conditions in adults. To our knowledge, there are only two reported cases in the English literature with a combination of both conditions.

Case History

A 65-year-old man presented with a 10-day history of upper abdominal pain associated with abdominal bloating and weight loss. He was otherwise fit and healthy with no significant past medical history. On examination, his abdomen was soft with tenderness and palpable fullness over the left upper quadrant. The initial blood test, chest x-ray and abdominal x-ray demonstrated no significant abnormality. Computed tomography showed a 17cm x 8cm x 6cm elongated cystic mass with possible malrotation of the intestines. Histopathology showed a low grade mucinous tumour of the appendix. At 12 months following surgery, there was no evidence of recurrence or postoperative complications and the patient was discharged from the care of the colorectal team.

Conclusions

We report a patient with a combination of two rare conditions. This case illustrates how a combination of pathologies can present a challenge to the unwary general surgeon.