bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Upcoming SIGWEB supported conferences
Authors: Samuel Hamman
Published: July 2016

The Special Interest Group on Hypertext and the Web, SIGWEB was created in 1989 to support the community participating in the annual ACM Hypertext Conference. Now in its third decade, SIGWEB has grown considerably and now sponsors seven annual conferences of different sizes and covering a wide range of topics. SIGWEB supports several specialized conferences, short courses, and workshops, as well as the Annual Hypertext Conference. SIGWEB sponsored conferences focus on timely topics in applied and computational hypertext and Web disciplines and provide a place for members and the entire applied Hypermedia and Web community to exchange ideas and to meet with and expand their network of colleagues. In this article, we provide a brief overview of SIGWEB sponsored conferences, in addition to events that are in cooperation with SIGWEB.
Oxidized fish oil in rat pregnancy causes high newborn mortality and increases maternal insulin resistance
Authors: Albert Benjamin B. , Vickers Mark H. , Gray Clint , Reynolds Clare M. , Segovia Stephanie A. , Derraik José G. B. , Lewandowski Paul A. , Garg Manohar L. , Cameron-Smith David , Hofman Paul L. , Cutfield Wayne S.
Published: July 2016

Fish oil is commonly taken by pregnant women, and supplements sold at retail are often oxidized. Using a rat model, we aimed to assess the effects of supplementation with oxidized fish oil during pregnancy in mothers and offspring, focusing on newborn viability and maternal insulin sensitivity. Female rats were allocated to a control or high-fat diet and then mated. These rats were subsequently randomized to receive a daily gavage treatment of 1 ml of unoxidized fish oil, a highly oxidized fish oil, or control (water) throughout pregnancy. At birth, the gavage treatment was stopped, but the same maternal diets were fed ad libitum throughout lactation. Supplementation with oxidized fish oil during pregnancy had a marked adverse effect on newborn survival at day 2, leading to much greater odds of mortality than in the control (odds ratio 8.26) and unoxidized fish oil (odds ratio 13.70) groups. In addition, maternal intake of oxidized fish oil during pregnancy led to increased insulin resistance at the time of weaning (3 wks after exposure) compared with control dams (HOMA-IR 2.64 vs. 1.42; P = 0.044). These data show that the consumption of oxidized fish oil is harmful in rat pregnancy, with deleterious effects in both mothers and offspring.
Thermal conditions experienced during differentiation affect metabolic and contractile phenotypes of mouse myotubes
Authors: Little Alex G. , Seebacher Frank
Published: July 2016

Central pathways regulate metabolic responses to cold in endotherms to maintain relatively stable internal core body temperatures. However, peripheral muscles routinely experience temperatures lower than core body temperature, so that it would be advantageous for peripheral tissues to respond to temperature changes independently from core body temperature regulation. Early developmental conditions can influence offspring phenotypes, and here we tested whether developing muscle can compensate locally for the effects of cold exposure independently from central regulation. Muscle myotubes originate from undifferentiated myoblasts that are laid down during embryogenesis. We show that in a murine myoblast cell line (C2C12), cold exposure (32°C) increased myoblast metabolic flux compared with 37°C control conditions. Importantly, myotubes that differentiated at 32°C compensated for the thermodynamic effects of low temperature by increasing metabolic rates, ATP production, and glycolytic flux. Myotube responses were also modulated by the temperatures experienced by “parent” myoblasts. Myotubes that differentiated under cold exposure increased activity of the AMP-stimulated protein kinase (AMPK), which may mediate metabolic changes in response cold exposure. Moreover, cold exposure shifted myosin heavy chains from slow to fast, presumably to overcome slower contractile speeds resulting from low temperatures. Adjusting thermal sensitivities locally in peripheral tissues complements central thermoregulation and permits animals to maintain function in cold environments. Muscle also plays a major metabolic role in adults, so that developmental responses to cold are likely to influence energy expenditure later in life.
Cognitive dysfunction in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a possible role for neuromodulatory immune molecules
Authors: Rae Mark G. , O'Malley Dervla
Published: July 2016

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X chromosome-linked disease characterized by progressive physical disability, immobility, and premature death in affected boys. Underlying the devastating symptoms of DMD is the loss of dystrophin, a structural protein that connects the extracellular matrix to the cell cytoskeleton and provides protection against contraction-induced damage in muscle cells, leading to chronic peripheral inflammation. However, dystrophin is also expressed in neurons within specific brain regions, including the hippocampus, a structure associated with learning and memory formation. Linked to this, a subset of boys with DMD exhibit nonprogressing cognitive dysfunction, with deficits in verbal, short-term, and working memory. Furthermore, in the genetically comparable dystrophin-deficient mdx mouse model of DMD, some, but not all, types of learning and memory are deficient, and specific deficits in synaptogenesis and channel clustering at synapses has been noted. Little consideration has been devoted to the cognitive deficits associated with DMD compared with the research conducted into the peripheral effects of dystrophin deficiency. Therefore, this review focuses on what is known about the role of full-length dystrophin (Dp427) in hippocampal neurons. The importance of dystrophin in learning and memory is assessed, and the potential importance that inflammatory mediators, which are chronically elevated in dystrophinopathies, may have on hippocampal function is also evaluated.
Personal, Master, and Alternative Narratives: An Integrative Framework for Understanding Identity Development in Context
Authors: McLean Kate C. , Syed Moin
Published: July 2016

In this paper we propose a model for examining personal identity development that moves attention from a relatively exclusive examination of the individual to an examination of the intersection between self and society. We propose that a master narrative model of identity development allows researchers to: (a) align the study of culture and individual on the same metric of narrative, (b) investigate the processes of negotiating personal and cultural narratives, the latter of which are embedded within the structures of society, and (c) investigate the internalization of those structures in personal identities. In laying out this model we define a narrative approach to identity development, five principles for defining master narratives (ubiquity, utility, invisibility, rigidity, and their compulsory nature), three types of master narratives (life course, structural, and episodic), and case examples of each type. This model brings attention to the interaction between self and society, as well as to the constraints on individual agency to construct a personal identity. We conclude by raising questions that emerge out of this framework that we hope will inspire future work on the relationship between self and society in the study of identity development.
The Importance of Amoxicillin and Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Determinants in the Diagnosis of Immediate Allergic Reactions to β-Lactams
Authors: Confino-Cohen Ronit , Rosman Yossi , Lachover Idit , Meir Shafrir Keren , Goldberg Arnon
Published: July 2016

Background: Immediate allergic reactions to β-lactam antibiotics are considered to be one of the most important drug hypersensitivities. A positive skin test (ST) with a combination of major and minor penicillin determinants is usually sufficient to recommend avoidance of the culprit drug, whereas a negative ST is usually followed by an oral challenge test (OCT). Recently, concern has been raised regarding the role of amoxicillin (AMX) ST in the diagnosis of AMX allergy. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the additive value of AMX determinants in STs of patients with immediate hypersensitivity reactions to AMX or AMX-clavulanate (AMX-C). Methods: Patients with a history of immediate AMX or AMX-C allergy underwent an ST using a combination of penicilloyl-polylysine (PPL) and minor determinants as well as AMX. An ST with AMX-C was added when appropriate. Results: Thirty-one patients were evaluated. Eight patients, all of them with a history of AMX allergy, had positive reactions only to the AMX component. Two patients with AMX-C allergy had a positive ST reaction only to the AMX-C component. Moreover, only 14 patients (13 with AMX and 1 with AMX-C allergy) had a positive reaction to PPL, whereas most patients (54.8%) had positive reactions to other determinants. One patient, who was positive for AMX, developed several urticarial lesions after the test. Conclusions: Skin testing with AMX and AMX-C is mandatory in patients with immediate allergy to these drugs. Failure to perform it may result in a false-negative ST jeopardizing these patients with anaphylactic reactions during a hazardous OCT.
A Young Woman with Ischemic Stroke: Should We Pay More Attention to Varicella Zoster Infection
Authors: Borbinha Cláudia , Marto João Pedro , Calado Sofia , Viana-Baptista Miguel
Published: July 2016

Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke are recognized complications of Varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections, although uncommon and poorly documented. The authors report the case of a 31-year-old woman admitted with acute ischemic stroke of the right posterior cerebral artery and a history of a thoracic rash 1 month before. Aspirin and simvastatin were prescribed, but the patient suffered a stepwise deterioration the following days, with new areas of infarction on brain imaging. Despite no evidence of cardiac or large vessel embolic sources, anticoagulation was started empirically 6 days after stroke onset. One week later, symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation occurred. The diagnosis of VZV vasculopathy was then considered, and treatment with acyclovir and prednisolone was started with no further vascular events. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis and digital subtraction angiography findings corroborated the diagnosis. The patient was discharged to the rehabilitation center with a modified Rankin scale (mRS) score of 4. On the 6-month follow-up, she presented only a slight disability (mRS score 2). In conclusion, VZV vasculopathy needs to be considered in young adults with stroke. A high index of suspicion and early treatment seem to be important to minimize morbidity and mortality. Anticoagulation should probably be avoided in stroke associated with VZV vasculopathy.
Dietary Zinc Intake and Plasma Zinc Concentrations in Children with Short Stature and Failure to Thrive
Authors: Yazbeck Nadine , Hanna-Wakim Rima , El Rafei Rym , Barhoumi Abir , Farra Chantal , Daher Rose T. , Majdalani Marianne
Published: July 2016

Background: The burden of zinc deficiency on children includes an increased incidence of diarrhea, failure to thrive (FTT) and short stature. The aim of this study was to assess whether children with FTT and/or short stature have lower dietary zinc intake and plasma zinc concentrations compared to controls. Methods: A case-control study conducted at the American University of Beirut Medical Center included 161 subjects from 1 to 10 years of age. Results: Cases had a statistically significant lower energy intake (960.9 vs. 1,135.2 kcal for controls, p = 0.010), lower level of fat (30.3 vs. 36.5 g/day, p = 0.0043) and iron intake (7.4 vs. 9.1 mg/day, p = 0.034). There was no difference in zinc, copper, carbohydrate and protein intake between the 2 groups. The plasma zinc concentration did not differ between the cases and controls (97.4 vs. 98.2 μg/dl, p = 0.882). More cases had mild-to-moderate zinc deficiency when compared to controls with 10.3 vs. 3.6%, p = 0.095. Conclusion: Our study did not show statistically significant difference in dietary zinc intake and plasma zinc concentrations between children with FTT and/or short stature compared to healthy controls. A prospective study is planned to assess the effect of zinc supplementation on growth parameters in FTT children.
Smoking Is a Risk Factor for Severe Acute Kidney Injury in Hantavirus-Induced Nephropathia Epidemica
Authors: Kitterer Daniel , Segerer Stephan , Dippon Juergen , Alscher M. Dominik , Braun Niko , Latus Joerg
Published: July 2016

Background/Aims: Hantaviruses are zoonotic pathogens causing emerging diseases worldwide. Patients typically present with fever, acute kidney injury (AKI) and thrombocytopenia. Puumala virus (PUUV) that causes nephropathia epidemica (NE) is common in Germany. Recently, a study from Finland revealed an association between nicotine consumption and the severity of AKI in NE. Differences between individuals in Finland and Germany might modulate the effect; therefore, the aim of our study was to prove that smoking is a risk factor for a severe course of NE in Germany. Methods: A cross-sectional prospective survey of 485 patients with hantavirus infections was performed. Clinical and laboratory data during the acute course of the disease were obtained from medical reports and files, while follow-up (including smoking status) data were collected prospectively. Results: Smoking information was available for 298 out of 485 patients (61%). Male was the predominant gender (67%), median age at the time of diagnosis was 50 (interquartile range, IQR 41-60) years and 34% of patients were current smokers during the phase of acute NE. Patients in the smoking group were significantly younger than in the non-smoking group (p < 0.0001). Peak serum creatinine levels were significantly higher in the smoking group than in the non-smoking patients (median 301 (IQR 186-469 μmol/l) vs. median 240 (IQR 137-469 μmol/l), p < 0.05). In addition, severe AKI (stages 2 and 3 using KDIGO criteria) was more common in current smokers (80%) than in the non-smokers (68%, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Current smoking is a risk factor for severity of AKI in patients with acute PUUV infection in Germany. Therefore, information about smoking habits needs to be an integral part of the documentation in patients with suspected acute PUUV infection, and increased monitoring of kidney function should be done in NE patients who are current smokers.
Association between anti-apolipoprotein A-1 antibodies and cardiovascular disease in the general population
Authors: Marques-Vidal Pedro , Virzi Julien , Pagano Sabrina , Satta Nathalie , Bastardot François , Hartley Oliver , Montecucco Fabrizio , Mach François , Waeber Gerard , Antiochos Panagiotis , Vollenweider Peter , Vuilleumier Nicolas
Published: July 2016

We aimed to determine the association between autoantibodies against apolipoprotein A-1 (anti-apoA-1 IgG) and prevalent cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) as well as markers of CV risk in the general population. Cross-sectional data were obtained from 6649 subjects (age 52.6 ± 10.7 years, 47.4 % male) of the population-based CoLaus study. CVD was defined as myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, percutaneous revascularisation or bypass grafting for ischaemic heart disease stroke or transient ischaemic attack, and was assessed according to standardised medical records. Anti-apoA-1 IgG and biological markers were measured by ELISA and conventional automated techniques, respectively. Prevalence of high anti-apoA-1 IgG levels in the general population was 19.9 %. Presence of anti-apoA-1 IgG was significantly associated with CVD [odds ratio 1.34, 95 % confidence interval (1.05–1.70), p=0.018], independently of established CV risk factors (CVRFs) including age, sex, hypertension, smoking, diabetes, low and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The n=455 (6.8 %) study participants with a history of CVD (secondary prevention subgroup) presented higher median anti-ApoA-1 IgG values compared with subjects without CVD (p=0.029). Among patients in the secondary prevention subgroup, those with positive anti-apoA-1 IgG levels had lower HDL (p=0.002) and magnesium (p=0.001) levels, but increased uric acid and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (p=0.022, and p<0.001, respectively) compared to patients with negative anti-apoA-1 IgG levels. In conclusion, anti-apoA-1 IgG levels are independently associated with CVD in the general population and also related to CV biomarkers in secondary prevention. These findings indicate that anti-apoA-1 IgG may represent a novel CVRF and need further study in prospective cohorts.
The prowess of platelets in immunity and inflammation
Authors: Koenen Rory R.
Published: July 2016

Platelets not only serve as essential haemostatic cells, they also have important roles in immune defence and inflammation. Despite not having a nucleus, platelets contain physiologically relevant amounts of RNA, which can be spliced and translated into functional proteins. In addition, platelets have the ability to bind to numerous other cells, such as leukocytes and vascular cells. During those interactions, platelets can modulate cellular responses, resulting in e. g. inflammatory activation or apoptosis. Recent studies have demonstrated that platelets can influence the outcomes of bacterial and viral infection, as well as the extent of tissue injury after ischaemia. Platelets also carry considerable amounts of cytokines and growth factors in their secretory granules, preformed for rapid secretion. Those properties in combination with the sheer amount of platelets circulating in the blood stream make them an important force in the immune response during health and disease. In this overview, recent findings concerning those interesting properties of platelets beyond haemostasis are discussed.
Pregnancy outcome in patients exposed to direct oral anticoagulants - and the challenge of event reporting
Authors: Michalski Franziska , Tittl Luise , Middeldorp Saskia , Cohen Hannah , Kadir Rezan Abdul , Arachchillage Deepa Jayakody , Arya Roopen , Ay Cihan , Marten Sandra , Beyer-Westendorf Jan
Published: July 2016

Today, direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) are widely used alternatives to Vitamin-K antagonists (VKA). Women of reproductive age may become pregnant during anticoagulation and, while VKA carry an embryotoxic potential, the risk of DOAC embryopathy is unknown. As a result, some patients elect to terminate pregnancy for fear of DOAC embryotoxicity. To assess the risk of DOAC embryopathy, we reviewed cases of DOAC exposure in pregnancy collected from physicians, literature and pharmacovigilance systems of drug authorities and manufacturers. A total of 357 reports including duplicates were available from which 233 unique cases could be identified. Information on pregnancy outcome was available in only 137/233 cases (58.8 %): 67 live births (48.9 %); 31 miscarriages (22.6 %); 39 elective pregnancy terminations (28.5 %). In 93 cases (39.9 %) no outcome data were available (including 3 cases of ongoing pregnancy). Of the 137 pregnancies with reported outcomes, seven showed abnormalities (5.1 %) of which three (2.2 %) could potentially be interpreted as embryopathy: live birth with facial dysmorphism; miscarriage in week 10 with limb abnormality; elective pregnancy termination due to a foetal cardiac defect in a woman who had to terminate a previous pregnancy due to Fallot tetralogy. Within its limitations (small numbers, incomplete outcome data) our results do not indicate that DOAC exposure in pregnancy carries a high risk of embryopathy or that DOAC exposure per se should be used to direct patient counselling towards pregnancy termination. Pregnancy outcome data are inconsistently captured in pharmacovigilance databases indicating the strong need for a more robust system of reporting.

Supplementary Material to this article is available online at www.thrombosis-online.com.
Noninvasive Molecular Imaging of Disease Activity in Atherosclerosis
Authors: Dweck Marc R. , Aikawa Elena , Newby David E. , Tarkin Jason M. , Rudd James H.F. , Narula Jagat , Fayad Zahi A.
Published: July 2016

Major focus has been placed on the identification of vulnerable plaques as a means of improving the prediction of myocardial infarction. However, this strategy has recently been questioned on the basis that the majority of these individual coronary lesions do not in fact go on to cause clinical events. Attention is, therefore, shifting to alternative imaging modalities that might provide a more complete pan-coronary assessment of the atherosclerotic disease process. These include markers of disease activity with the potential to discriminate between patients with stable burnt-out disease that is no longer metabolically active and those with active atheroma, faster disease progression, and increased risk of infarction. This review will examine how novel molecular imaging approaches can provide such assessments, focusing on inflammation and microcalcification activity, the importance of these processes to coronary atherosclerosis, and the advantages and challenges posed by these techniques.
Transcathether Valve Replacement and Valve Repair
Authors: Hahn Rebecca T.
Published: July 2016

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement for treatment of aortic stenosis has now become an accepted alternative to surgical valve replacement for some patients. In addition, transcatheter mitral valve repair is also routinely used in high surgical risk patients with mitral regurgitation. Other transcatheter procedures are in rapid development. The current review attempts to summarize the procedures and echocardiographic imaging used for transcatheter valve replacement or valve repair.
Identification of the Mtus1 Splice Variant as a Novel Inhibitory Factor Against Cardiac Hypertrophy
Authors: Ito Shin , Asakura Masanori , Liao Yulin , Min Kyung‐Duk , Takahashi Ayako , Shindo Kazuhiro , Yamazaki Satoru , Tsukamoto Osamu , Asanuma Hiroshi , Mogi Masaki , Horiuchi Masatsugu , Asano Yoshihiro , Sanada Shoji , Minamino Tetsuo , Takashima Seiji , Mochizuki Naoki , Kitakaze Masafumi
Published: July 2016

Background

In cardiac hypertrophy and failure, there is a widespread alteration in
mRNA
splicing, but the role of splice variants in cardiac hypertrophy has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we used an exon array to identify novel splice variants associated with cardiac hypertrophy.

Methods and Results

We performed genome‐wide exon array analysis and developed a splicing profile in murine hearts with hypertrophy induced by transverse aortic constriction for 8 weeks. Following global analysis of splice variants using the Mouse Exon 1.0
ST
Array, we identified 46 spliced genes and narrowed our focus to 1 gene, mitochondrial tumor suppressor 1 (
Mtus1
), whose splice variants were registered in the
NCBI
RefSeq database. Notably, one of the splice variants
Mtus1A
was specifically upregulated, although the total expression of the
Mtus1
gene remained unchanged. We showed that Mtus1A was localized in the mitochondria, and its expression level increased with the degree of cardiac hypertrophy. In cultured cardiomyocytes, Mtus1A overexpression reduced phenylephrine‐induced reactive oxygen species production and consequent
ERK
phosphorylation, resulting in a decrease in both cell size and protein synthesis. In vivo, cardiac‐specific Mtus1A transgenic mice showed left ventricle wall thinning and a reduced hypertrophic response to pressure overload and phenylephrine treatment.

Conclusions

We found that
Mtus1
is specifically spliced in hypertrophic hearts and that the Mtus1A variant has an inhibitory effect on cardiac hypertrophy. Mtus1A is, therefore, a possible diagnostic and therapeutic target for cardiac hypertrophy and failure.
Cardamine kuankuoshuiense (Brassicaceae), a new species from Guizhou, China
Authors: AN MING-TAI , LIN YUN , YU LI-FEI , YANG YAN-BIN , CHENG GUANG-PING , LI JI-QIANG
Published: July 2016

A new species of the genus Cardamine Linn.(Brassicaceae), Cardamine kuankuoshuiense M. T. An, Yun Lin & Y. B. Yang is described, illustrated and photographed from Suiyang County, Guizhou Province, SW China. This species was found growing on damp precipice or between moist rock crevices in evergreen broad-leaved forests or mixed needle-leaved and evergreen broad-leaved forests in carst mountains at altitudes of 1400–1430 m. The new species is related to both Cardamine griffithii J. D. Hook. & Thomson and Cardamine multijuga Franch., but differs from both of them by herbs 15–25 cm tall, scapose, with a few stolons, stems terete, cauline leaves absent.
The Filistatidae in the Caribbean region, with a description of the new genus Antilloides, revision of the genus Filistatoides F. O. P.-Cambridge and notes on Kukulcania Lehtinen (Arachnida, Araneae)
Authors: BRESCOVIT ANTONIO D. , RUIZ ALEXANDER SÁNCHEZ , GARCIA GIRALDO ALAYÓN
Published: July 2016

A synopsis of Caribbean filistatid diversity is recorded herein. A new genus, Antilloides, is proposed for five new species exclusively found in the Antilles: A. abeli n. sp., A. cubitas n. sp., and A. mesoliticus n. sp. from Cuba; A. haitises n. sp. from the Dominican Republic; and A. zozo n. sp. from the U. S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The genus Filistatoides is revised and includes four species: the type species F. insignis F.O.P. Cambridge, which occurs only in Guatemala; the female is described here for the first time; F. polita Franganillo sp. reval., comb. nov., which occurs only in Cuba; F. xichu n. sp. described from Mexico; and F. milloti (Zapfe) which does not appear to belong to the genus based on morphological structures. Additionally, Kukulcania isolinae Alayón is synonymized with Kukulcania hibernalis (Hentz), and new records of its distribution are included for the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
Venezuelan geckos (Gekkonidae, Phyllodactylidae, Sphaerodactylidae) in the collection of the Universidad de Concepción in Chile, with description of the type series of Gonatodes ligiae and Gonatodes petersi (Sphaerodactylidae)
Authors: BARRIO-AMORÓS CESAR L. , ORTÍZ JUAN C.
Published: July 2016

Herein we catalogue all geckos (Gekkonidae, Phyllodactylidae and Sphaerodactylidae) collected by Roberto Donoso-Barros in Venezuela between 1963 and 1964, deposited in the Universidad de Concepción in Chile. Donoso-Barros did not provide detailed descriptions of two species of Gonatodes named by him, despite both being valid species. We take the opportunity to do so and the type series of Gonatodes ligiae and G. petersi are described for the first time. We also present images in life of all species collected by Donoso-Barros in Venezuela.
Petrosaltator gen. nov., a new genus replacement for the North African sengi Elephantulus rozeti (Macroscelidea; Macroscelididae)
Authors: DUMBACHER JOHN P.
Published: July 2016

In 2003, a molecular phylogeny was published that examined the role of the Sahara Desert as a vicariant event in the evolution of sengis (also known as elephant-shrews.) The phylogeny included a single sample from the North African sengi, Elephantulus rozeti (Duvernoy, 1833), which was found to be more closely related to the sengi genus Petrodromus Peters, 1846 than to other Elephantulus. Here we independently test the monophyly of Elephantulus using an additional specimen of E. rozeti and similar phylogenetic analyses, and discuss additional morphological and behavioral data that support the phylogeny. We propose a revised taxonomy that reflects the current paraphyly of Elephantulus and the sister relationship of E. rozeti and Petrodromus, including a new genus name for the North African sengi, Petrosaltator rozeti gen. nov., nov. comb. We additionally define two tribes within the subfamily Macroscelidinae, the Macroscelidini (including Macroscelides, Petrodromus, and Petrosaltator), and the Elephantulini (including all other members of Elephantulus).
Kwestia narodu bułgarskiego i ,,bułgarskiej duszy” w świetle ,,nauki” Petyra Dynowa o ewolucji, rasie i ludzkim postępie
Authors: Ciesielska Ida
Published: July 2016

The issue of the Bulgarian nation and “Bulgarian soul” in the light of Peter Deunov’s teachings of evolution, race and human progressThe aim of this article is to reflect on the categories of the Bulgarian nation as well as the “Bulgarian soul” in the teachings of Peter Deunov. These categories are presented in the context of such notions as evolution, race and human progress. The paper also attempts to denote the transfer of certain Western ideas and the nature of their reception in Bulgaria. Two collections of homilies by Beinsa Douno have been subjected to thorough analysis – The Bulgarian soul (Българската душа) and Bulgarians (Българите). These texts constitute a synthesis of dispersed ideas and views that were espoused by Deunov over different periods of time, and which pertain to the issues in question.The concepts of the Bulgarian nation and “Bulgarian soul” that appear in Beinsa Douno’s teachings may be interpreted as an attempt to create an original hermetic national mythology. Its embedment in a scientific context (reference to such notions as race, evolution and human progress) was supposed to render it – according to Deunov’s intention – undeniable truth rooted in empiricism. Kwestia narodu bułgarskiego i ,,bułgarskiej duszy” w świetle ,,nauki” Petyra Dynowa o ewolucji, rasie i ludzkim postępieCelem niniejszego artykułu jest refleksja nad kategorią narodu bułgarskiego i ,,bułgarskiej duszy” w ,,nauce” Petyra Dynowa. Kategorie te zostaną przedstawione w perspektywie takich pojęć jak ewolucja, rasa i postęp. Tekst jest jednocześnie próbą wskazania na przepływ niektórych zachodnich idei oraz specyfikę ich bułgarskiej recepcji. Analizie zostały poddane dwa zbiory homilii Beinsa Duno – Bułgarska dusza (Българската душа) oraz Bułgarzy (Българите). Teksty te stanowią syntezę rozproszonych i wygłaszanych w różnym okresie poglądów Dynowa na interesujące mnie kwestie. Pojawiające się w ,,nauce” Beinsa Duno koncepcje narodu bułgarskiego i ,,bułgarskiej duszy” można interpretować jako próbę stworzenia oryginalnej hermetycznej mitologii narodowej. Mitologia ta, dzięki osadzeniu jej w kontekście naukowym (odwołania do takich kategorii jak rasa, ewolucja i postęp), miała stać się – zgodnie z zamysłem Dynowa – niepodważalną, zakorzenioną w empirii prawdą.
Met Office Unified Model Tropical Cyclone Performance Following Major Changes to the Initialization Scheme and a Model Upgrade
Authors: Heming Julian T.
Published: July 2016

The Met Office has used various schemes to initialize tropical cyclones (TCs) in its numerical weather prediction models since the 1980s. The scheme introduced in 1994 was particularly successful in reducing track forecast errors in the model. Following modifications in 2007 the scheme was still beneficial, although to a lesser degree than before. In 2012 a new trial was conducted that showed that the scheme now had a detrimental impact on TC track forecasts. As a consequence of this, the scheme was switched off. The Met Office Unified Model (MetUM) underwent a major upgrade in 2014 including a new dynamical core, changes to the model physics, an increase in horizontal resolution, and changes to satellite data usage. An evaluation of the impact of this change on TC forecasts found a positive impact both on track and particularly intensity forecasts. Following implementation of the new model formulation in 2014, a new scheme for initialization of TCs in the MetUM was developed that involved the assimilation of central pressure estimates from TC warning centers. A trial showed that this had a positive impact on both track and intensity predictions from the model. Operational results from the MetUM in 2014 and 2015 showed that the combined impact of the model upgrade and new TC initialization scheme was a dramatic cut in both TC track forecast errors and intensity forecast bias.
DPSCs from Inflamed Pulp Modulate Macrophage Function via the TNF-α/IDO Axis
Authors: Lee S. , Zhang Q.Z. , Karabucak B. , Le A.D.
Published: July 2016

Human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can be isolated from inflamed pulp derived from carious teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (I-DPSCs), which possess stemness and multidifferentiation potentials similar to DPSCs from healthy pulp. Since macrophages—essential cell players of the pulpal innate immunity—can regulate pulpal inflammation and repair, the authors investigated the immunomodulatory effects of DPSCs/I-DPSCs on macrophage functions and their underlying mechanisms. Similar to DPSCs, I-DPSCs were capable of colony-forming efficiency and adipogenic and osteo/dentinogenic differentiation under in vitro induction conditions. I-DPSCs also expressed a similar phenotypic profile of mesenchymal stem cell markers, except a relatively higher level of CD146 as compared with DPSCs. Coculture of DPSCs or I-DPSCs with differentiated THP-1 cells, the human monocyte cell line, markedly suppressed tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) secretion in response to stimulation with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and/or nigericin. However, unlike TNF-α, the secreted level of interleukin 1β was not affected by coculture with DPSCs or I-DPSCs. Furthermore, DPSC/I-DPSC-mediated inhibition of TNF-α secretion by macrophages was abolished by pretreatment with 1-methyl-D-tryptophan, a specific inhibitor of indoleamine-pyrrole 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), but not by NSC-398, a specific inhibitor of COX-2, suggesting IDO as a mediator. Interestingly, IDO expression was significantly augmented in macrophages and mesenchymal stromal cells in inflamed human pulp tissues. Collectively, these findings show that I-DPSCs, similar to DPSCs, possess stem cell properties and suppress macrophage functions via the TNF-α/IDO axis, thereby providing a physiologically relevant context for their innate immunomodulatory activity in the dental pulp and their capability for pulp repair.
Prediction of spunbonded nonwoven filtration performance from structural parameter reducts using rough set theory and support vector machine
Authors: Jin Guanxiu , Zhu Chengyan
Published: July 2016

A novel approach to predicting the filtration performance of spunbonded nonwoven using a rough set theory- and support vector machine-based model is presented. The meso-structure of spunbonded nonwoven was characterized using a structural parameter set (Os) containing nine parameters. Four reducts were extracted from Os using rough set theory. Twenty models, each based on either a support vector machine (SVM) or a back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN), were established to predict the filtration performance (under varying filtration velocity and particle size) of spunbonded nonwoven by taking the parameters of each reduct and Os as inputs. The results show that the prediction accuracy of the model that takes thickness, fiber diameter, and pore size as its input parameters is higher than that of any other model, regardless of the model type. Moreover, the predictive power of the SVM-based model was found to exceed that of the BP-ANN-based model.
A novel reactive anti-ultraviolet finishing of cotton fabric based on N-dihydroxy ethylene cyanoguanidine
Authors: Feng Yajuan , Li Daikun , Zhang Fengxiu , Zhang Guangxian
Published: July 2016

This study reports a novel ultraviolet (UV) absorber, N-dihydroxy ethylene cyanoguanidine (NDEC), which was synthesized from dicyandiamide and glyoxal. The NDEC compound was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectrum and nuclear magnetic resonance. NDEC was grafted onto cotton fabric through covalent bonding by the pad–dry cure method. The optimal finishing conditions were that the mass concentration of NDEC was 5 g/L, baking time 240 s and temperature 140℃. The UPF value of cotton fabric treated under optimal finishing conditions reached 50+ and was minimally reduced (to 47) after 50 laundry cycles. The breaking strength and thermostability of the original cotton fabric were preserved after treatment. Successful grafting of – C≡N and –C=N groups onto the treated fabric was confirmed in the Fourier-transform infrared spectrum. Meanwhile, the finished cotton fiber remained smooth, as confirmed by scanning electronic microscopy.
A social recommender system by combining social network and sentiment similarity: A case study of healthcare
Authors: Yang Donghui , Huang Chao , Wang Mingyang
Published: July 2016

Social recommender systems aim to support user preferences and help users make better decisions in social media. The social network and the social context are two vital elements in social recommender systems. In this contribution, we propose a new framework for a social recommender system based on both network structure analysis and social context mining. Exponential random graph models (ERGMs) are able to capture and simulate the complex structure of a micro-blog network. We derive the prediction formula from ERGMs for recommending micro-blog users. Then, a primary recommendation list is created by analysing the micro-blog network structure. In the next step, we calculate the sentiment similarities of micro-blog users based on a sentiment feature set which is extracted from users’ tweets. Sentiment similarities are used to filter the primary recommendation list and find users who have similar attitudes on the same topic. The goal of those two steps is to make the social recommender system much more precise and to satisfy users’ psychological preferences. At the end, we use this new framework deal with big real-world data. The recommendation results of diabetes accounts of Weibo show that our method outperforms other social recommender systems.
Discursive Legitimation of a Contested Actor Over Time: The Multinational Corporation as a Historical Case (1964–2012)
Authors: Luyckx Joost , Janssens Maddy
Published: July 2016

In this study, we explicitly engage with the historical dimension of discursive legitimation to understand how a sense of legitimacy is maintained for a controversial actor over a long period of time. Analyzing articles in The Economist that address opposition against multinational corporations during the current wave of globalization, we identify and situate the different multinational corporation-related controversies and discursive legitimation strategies in their specific historical context. Our historical interpretation suggests three phases, each representing the discursive creation of particular actor images that either legitimize multinational corporations or de-legitimize its opponents. From our findings, we propose that, over time, the nature of discursive legitimation changes and introduce ‘discursive antagonism’ and ‘discursive co-optation’ as two different forms of legitimation. We further reflect on our present understanding of multinational corporations, reinterpreting their current political role as a historical product of the legitimacy process over time.
Hos in the garden: Staging and resisting neoliberal creativity
Authors: McLean Heather
Published: July 2016

This article takes up the challenge of extending and enhancing the literature on arts interventions and creative city policies by considering the role of feminist and queer artistic praxis in contemporary urban politics. Here I reflect on the complicities and potentialities of two Toronto-based arts interventions: Dig In and the Dirty Plotz cabaret. I analyse an example of community based arts strategy that strived to ‘revitalise’ one disinvested Toronto neighbourhood. I also reflect on my experience performing drag king urban planner, Toby Sharp. Reflecting on these examples, I show how market-oriented arts policies entangle women artists in the cultivation of spaces of depoliticised feminism, homonormativity and white privilege. However, I also demonstrate how women artists are playfully and performatively pushing back at hegemonic regimes with the radical aesthetic praxis of cabaret. I maintain that bringing critical feminist arts spaces and cabaret practice into discussions about neoliberal urban policies uncovers sites of feminist resistance and solidarity, interventions that challenge violent processes of colonisation and privatisation on multiple fronts.
Whose reproductive futures? Race-biopolitics and resistance in the Black infant mortality reduction campaigns in Milwaukee
Authors: Sziarto Kristin M
Published: July 2016

This paper contributes to Foucauldian population geographies by examining an infant mortality reduction campaign in Milwaukee. The infant mortality rate for Milwaukee’s Black community is about three times that for whites and higher than rates for other racialized groups. This paper asks how Milwaukee’s public health interventions came to focus on sleep deaths, when population data show that preterm birth and congenital abnormalities are the leading causes of all infant deaths in the city, and the greatest contributor to the racial gap. The City of Milwaukee Health Department and partners drew on contradictory biopolitical logics and practices: On one hand, they located the problem of the “gap” in particular segregated neighborhoods-in-crisis, and on the other hand, they used an ostensibly “race-blind” strategy of promoting safe sleep environments. These spatializations together shifted blame for the crisis onto “failing” parents, especially Black parents. Tracing instances of resistance through the development and implementation of the campaign suggests possibilities for an anti-racist biopolitics.
Emergence of geo-enabled research in social sciences: The case of societal higher education issues
Authors: Fombuena Arnau
Published: July 2016

The rapid expansion of global trends and the internationalization of higher education are increasingly requiring the consideration of the geospatial factor for better-informed inquiries on the related societal challenges. The article’s findings point to the need to overcome education researchers’ general lack of interest in the geospatial dimension because it offers great opportunities for social scientists in a wide range of disciplines to take advantage of geo-enabled research capabilities to spatially analyze socio-educational issues and thus to benefit from the availability of an emerging perspective for enriching the current methodological practices in the social sciences in general.
A Qualitative Approach to Increasing HIV Prevention in Primary Care Settings for Older Adults: Perspectives From Primary Care Providers
Authors: Davis Tracy , Teaster Pamela B. , Watkins John F. , Thornton Alice C. , Alexander Linda , Zanjani Faika
Published: July 2016

The purpose of this research was to explore primary care providers’ willingness and ability to increase HIV prevention efforts among older adults and to gain recommendations for improving HIV prevention in primary care settings. Data were collected through 24 semistructured interviews with primary care providers. The results of the study reveal that the majority of providers find it necessary to increase HIV prevention efforts in primary care settings and are willing to do so; however, they cannot do so without assistance. Providers suggested strategies to increase HIV prevention in primary care, for instance, expanding the use of electronic reminders to include HIV prevention and increasing collaboration among providers of different specialties. As a result of the interviews, additional recommendations for increasing HIV prevention have been identified. These findings will aid in improving the quality of care provided to individuals older than 50 in primary care settings.
Spinal Infections Among Patients With Long‐Term Central Venous Catheters for Home Parenteral Nutrition
Authors: Topan Rabia , Ambrose Tim , Small Mia , Lightman Elewys , Nightingale Jeremy , Gabe Simon M.
Published: July 2016

Spinal infections are a rare yet serious metastatic complication of bacteremia among patients with long‐term central venous catheters (CVCs) for which clinicians must remain vigilant. We performed a retrospective review of all cases of spinal infection occurring in the context of a CVC for long‐term parenteral nutrition (PN) managed in our department between January 2010 and October 2013, a cohort of 310 patients over this time period. Six patients were identified (mean age, 65 years; 5 male). One hundred percent of patients presented with spinal pain (5/6 cervical, 1/6 thoracic). Organisms were cultured from the CVC in 5 of 6 patients. In all cases, the white blood cell count was normal, and in 5 of 6, C‐reactive protein was normal. All diagnoses were confirmed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and in 3 of 6 cases, an MRI was repeated (on the advice of neurosurgical colleagues) to confirm resolution of changes after a period of antimicrobial therapy. There was no clear correlation between duration of PN or number of days following CVC insertion and onset of infection. The CVC was replaced in 4 of 6 patients at the time of diagnosis, delayed removal in 1 of 6, and salvaged in the remaining case. Although rare, a high index of suspicion is needed in patients receiving long‐term PN who present with spinal pain. Peripheral inflammatory markers may not be elevated. MRI should be performed and patients should be treated with antibiotics alongside involvement of local microbiology and neurosurgical teams. Multidisciplinary discussion on CVC salvage in these cases is important, especially in cases of challenging vascular anatomy.
Empirical modeling of compressive residual stress profile in shot peening TC17 alloy using characteristic parameters and sinusoidal decay function
Authors: Tan Liang , Yao Changfeng , Zhang Dinghua , Ren Junxue
Published: July 2016

This article introduces two comprehensive experimental models to predict the compressive residual stress profile induced in TC17 alloy after shot peening. Experiments are carried out utilizing one of experimental design techniques based on response surface methodology. Shot peening intensity and coverage are considered as two input parameters affecting compressive residual stress profile. The characteristic parameters model is created by regression analysis, which has the capability of predicting the four main characteristic parameters of a typical compressive residual stress profile. Based on this model, the absolute sensitivity of characteristic parameters with respect to shot peening intensity and coverage is analyzed. The sinusoidal decay function model is created with a proposition of that the compressive residual stress profile is a sinusoidal decay function of the depth beneath surface and the coefficients of this function are, in turn, functions of the two input shot peening parameters. The main advantage of sinusoidal decay function model over characteristic parameters model is that it provides the effect of shot peening parameters on the shape of the compressive residual stress profile. The two models have been checked for accuracy by two extra tests. The results show that the prediction errors of the four main characteristic parameters are within 20%, and the compressive residual stress profiles predicted by the sinusoidal decay function model are in consistent with experimental data.