bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of adiponectin gene variants and plasma fatty acids on systemic inflammation state association–A cross‐sectional population‐based study, São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Maintinguer Norde Marina , Oki Érica , de Castro Inar Alves , Pacheco Souza José Maria , Teixeira Damasceno Nágila Raquel , Mara Fisberg Regina , Lobo Marchioni Dirce Maria , Macedo Rogero Marcelo
Published: September 2015

Scope

Interactions between adiponectin genetic variants and plasma fatty acid profile can modulate plasma inflammatory biomarker concentration and the risk for metabolic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between single nucleotide polymorphisms of the adiponectin gene and plasma fatty acid profile in modulating the odds for systemic inflammation in a cross‐sectional population‐based study.

Methods and results

Inflammatory patterns comprised 11 inflammatory biomarkers. Among participants of the Health Survey of São Paulo, 262 adults (19–59 years) met the inclusion criteria. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, plasma inflammatory biomarker concentration, and fatty acid profile were measured and five single nucleotide polymorphisms of the adiponectin gene (rs2241766, rs1501299, rs16861209, rs17300539, and rs266729) genotyped. Individuals in the upper 50th percentile for plasma araquidonic acid, n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acid and estimated delta‐5‐desaturase activity, had reduced odds of being in the inflammatory cluster (OR (95% CI) = 0.55 (0.32–0.95), 0.50 (0.28–0.88) and 0.48 (0.28–0.83), respectively). Gene‐plasma fatty acid profile interaction was found between rs2241766 and n‐3 (p = 0.019), rs16861209 and araquidonic acid and docosapentaenoic acid (p = 0.044, p = 0.037, respectively), and rs17300539 and saturated fatty acid (p = 0.019).

Conclusion

Plasma fatty acid profile can interact with adiponectin gene variants to modulate the risk for systemic inflammatory state.
Dynamics of pelvic floor muscle functional parameters and their correlations with urinary incontinence in men after radical prostatectomy
Authors: Zachovajevienė Brigita , Šiupšinskas Laimonas , Zachovajevas Pavelas , Milonas Daimantas
Published: September 2015

Aims

To evaluate the dynamics of pelvic floor muscle strength, endurance, and urinary incontinence in a 6‐month period in men after radical prostatectomy and to determine correlations between pelvic floor muscle strength, endurance, and urinary incontinence.

Methods

Forty‐two men with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy participated in the study. Pelvic floor muscles parameters were evaluated using the anal perineometer. An 8‐hour pad test was used with the catheter removed.

Results

The greatest change in strength occurred during the last 3 months, i.e., from the third to the sixth month following surgery (P ≤ 0.05). The average amount of urinary incontinence on the day of catheter removal was approximately 311 g per 8 hr. Urinary incontinence decreased by 93.6% from the day of catheter removal 6 months later. A strong correlation (P ≤ 0.001) of reverse dependence was determined between pelvic floor muscle strength before surgery and the amount of urinary incontinence 6 months following surgery.

Conclusion

The greatest change of pelvic floor muscles strength and endurance occurred during the third to the sixth month following surgery. The greatest change in urinary incontinence occurred during the first month following surgery. Pelvic floor muscle strength causes a greater decrease in urinary incontinence than endurance. The greater the pelvic floor muscle strength before surgery, the lower the amount of urinary incontinence. Age also affects pelvic floor muscle strength and endurance; this relation gradually weakens and with age disappears. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:126–131, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Diameter constrained reliability: Complexity, distinguished topologies and asymptotic behavior
Authors: Canale Eduardo , Cancela Héctor , Robledo Franco , Romero Pablo , Sartor Pablo
Published: September 2015

Let be a simple graph with vertices and edges, a subset of terminals, a vector and a positive integer , called the diameter. We assume vertices are perfect but edges fail stochastically and independently, with probabilities . The diameter constrained reliability (DCR) is the probability that the terminals of the resulting subgraph remain connected by paths composed of or fewer edges. This number is denoted by . The general DCR computation problem belongs to the class of ‐hard problems. The contributions of this article are threefold. First, the computational complexity of DCR‐subproblems is discussed in terms of the number of terminal vertices and the diameter . Either when or when and is fixed, the DCR problem belongs to the class of polynomial‐time solvable problems. The DCR problem becomes ‐hard when is a fixed input parameter and . The cases where or is a free input parameter and is fixed have not been studied in the prior literature. Here, the ‐hardness of both cases is established. Second, we categorize certain classes of graphs that allow the DCR computation to be performed in polynomial time. We include graphs with bounded corank, graphs with bounded genus, planar graphs, and in particular, Monma graphs, which are relevant in robust network design. Third, we introduce the problem of analyzing the asymptotic properties of the DCR measure in networks that grow infinitely following given probabilistic rules. We introduce basic results for Gilbert's random graph model. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 66(4), 296–305 2015
Projection‐based model reduction for contact problems
Authors: Balajewicz Maciej , Amsallem David , Farhat Charbel
Published: September 2015

To be feasible for computationally intensive applications such as parametric studies, optimization, and control design, large‐scale finite element analysis requires model order reduction. This is particularly true in nonlinear settings that tend to dramatically increase computational complexity. Although significant progress has been achieved in the development of computational approaches for the reduction of nonlinear computational mechanics models, addressing the issue of contact remains a major hurdle. To this effect, this paper introduces a projection‐based model reduction approach for both static and dynamic contact problems. It features the application of a non‐negative matrix factorization scheme to the construction of a positive reduced‐order basis for the contact forces, and a greedy sampling algorithm coupled with an error indicator for achieving robustness with respect to model parameter variations. The proposed approach is successfully demonstrated for the reduction of several two‐dimensional, simple, but representative contact and self contact computational models. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The complexity of epigenetic diseases
Authors: Brazel Ailbhe Jane , Vernimmen Douglas
Published: September 2015

Over the past 30 years, a plethora of pathogenic mutations affecting enhancer regions and epigenetic regulators have been identified. Coupled with more recent genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) and epigenome‐wide association studies (EWAS) implicating major roles for regulatory mutations in disease, it is clear that epigenetic mechanisms represent important biomarkers for disease development and perhaps even therapeutic targets. Here, we discuss the diversity of disease‐causing mutations in enhancers and epigenetic regulators, with a particular focus on cancer. © 2015 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
A typology of people who tamper with pharmaceutical opioids: responses to introduction of a tamper‐resistant formulation of controlled‐release oxycodone
Authors: Peacock Amy , Degenhardt Louisa , Larance Briony , Cama Elena , Lintzeris Nicholas , Ali Robert , Bruno Raimondo
Published: September 2015

Purpose

In April 2014, a tamper‐resistant controlled‐release oxycodone formulation was released in Australia. We aimed to determine whether there are latent classes of people who tamper with pharmaceutical opioids based on frequency of opioid and illicit drug use, the demographic and clinical profiles of these groups, and if there were changes in use and harms following the introduction.

Methods

A prospective cohort of 606 people who regularly tamper with pharmaceutical opioids was interviewed January to March 2014 (Wave 1) and May to August 2014 (Wave 2). Latent class analysis identified groups based on non‐prescribed opioid, illicit drug and prescribed opioid substitution therapy (OST) use at Wave 1. Regression models examined whether group membership predicted use and harms at Wave 2.

Results

Four groups were identified: frequent OST group (39%), mixed OST/heroin group (7%), infrequent pharmaceutical opioid and heroin group (44%) and frequent oxycodone group (25%). Compared with the frequent OST group, the infrequent pharmaceutical opioid/heroin group was more likely to report non‐everyday pain and risky alcohol use, and the frequent oxycodone group had higher odds of homelessness. At Wave 2, oxycodone use decreased across groups (odds ratios (OR) ≤ 0.18, p < 0.001, particularly for the frequent oxycodone group: OR ≤ 0.05, p < 0.001), with reductions in days of use (g ≥ 0.35, p < 0.050). Non‐prescribed pharmaceutical opioid use, illicit drug use and harms remained stable or decreased.

Conclusions

Despite heterogeneity among people who tamper with pharmaceutical opioids, the tamper‐resistant formulation was followed by reductions in oxycodone tampering among high‐frequency and low‐frequency users. There was no evidence of increased use of other opioids or illicit drugs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hole‐buffer polymer composed of alternating p‐terphenyl and tetraethylene glycol ether moieties: Synthesis and application in polymer light‐emitting diodes
Authors: Chou Sheng‐Ying , Chen Yun
Published: September 2015

Carrier balance is essential to obtain efficient emission in polymer light‐emitting diodes (PLEDs). A new polymer 3P5O composed of alternating p‐terphenyl and tetraethylene glycol ether segments is designed and synthesized by the Suzuki coupling reaction and successfully employed as hole‐buffer layer to improve carrier balance. Multilayer PLEDs [ITO/PEDOT:PSS/3P5O/SY/LiF/Al], with Super Yellow (SY) as the emitting layer and 3P5O as the hole‐buffer layer, reveal maximum luminance (17,050 cd/m2) and maximum current efficiency (6.6 cd/A) superior to that without the hole‐buffer layer (10,017 cd/m2, 3.0 cd/A). Moreover, it also shows better performance than that using conventional BCP as hole‐blocking layer [ITO/PEDOT:PSS/SY/BCP/LiF/Al (80 nm): 13,639 cd/m2, 4.1 cd/A]. The performance enhancement has been attributed to hole‐buffering characteristics of 3P5O that results in improved carrier recombination ratio and wider carrier recombination region. Current results indicate that the 3P5O is a promising hole‐buffer polymer to enhance the performance of optoelectronic devices. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 785–794
Synergistic Inhibition of Tumor Cell Proliferation by Cold Plasma and Gemcitabine
Authors: Masur Kai , von Behr Magdalena , Bekeschus Sander , Weltmann Klaus‐Dieter , Hackbarth Christine , Heidecke Claus‐Dieter , von Bernstorff Wolfram , von Woedtke Thomas , Partecke Lars Ivo
Published: September 2015

In the field of plasma medicine, cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) is applied to biological matter for a therapeutic benefit. The latter is mediated by CAP‐generated reactive species which treatment time‐dependently either stimulate cells or induce their apoptosis. Accordingly, antitumor effects of plasma have been observed previously, but only few studies have included proper controls to compare the plasma's cytotoxicity. We here present results that murine cancer cells are more susceptible to CAP treatment compared to non‐malignant fibroblasts in vitro. Additional challenge with the chemotherapeutic Gemcitabine significantly enhanced tumor cell but not fibroblast metabolic inhibition, suggesting potential combinatory effects in anticancer therapy.
Multidisciplinary care of children with repaired esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula
Authors: DeBoer Emily M. , Prager Jeremy D. , Ruiz Amanda G. , Jensen Emily L. , Deterding Robin R. , Friedlander Joel A. , Soden Jason
Published: September 2015

Objectives

Children with congenital esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) require complex medical and surgical care, but few guidelines exist to guide the long term care of this population. The purpose of this study is to describe the findings and initial management of a comprehensive aerodigestive team in order to understand the ongoing needs of children with repaired TEF.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed on children with TEF who were seen in the multidisciplinary Aerodigestive Clinic at Children's Hospital Colorado. Diagnostic studies were ordered based on physician discretion.

Results

Twenty‐nine children with TEF were evaluated (mean age 3.8 years) between 2010 and 2014. All children had symptoms attributed to breathing, swallowing, and digestive difficulties. Less than half of the children had seen a pulmonary or gastrointestinal specialist in the past year. Tracheomalacia was diagnosed in all children who had a bronchoscopy (23/23), and the presence of dysphagia was correlated with severe tracheomalacia. 7/25 children who had a swallow study had aspiration. 7/25 children had a diagnosis of active reflux despite current management. Four patients were diagnosed with bronchiectasis as a result of the multidisciplinary evaluation.

Conclusion

Although all children had persistent aerodigestive symptoms, over 50% had not been seen by an appropriate subspecialist in the year prior to the clinic visit. The multidisciplinary evaluation resulted in new diagnoses of bronchiectasis and active reflux, which can both lead to long‐term morbidity and mortality. Children with TEF require evaluation by multiple subspecialists to manage not only current symptoms but also long term risks. Ongoing care should be guided by protocols based on known risks. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2016;51:576–581. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Notes on generalized global symmetries in QFT
Authors: Sharpe Eric
Published: September 2015

It was recently argued that quantum field theories possess one‐form and higher‐form symmetries, labelled ‘generalized global symmetries.’ In this paper, we describe how those higher‐form symmetries can be understood mathematically as special cases of more general 2‐groups and higher groups, and discuss examples of quantum field theories admitting actions of more general higher groups than merely one‐form and higher‐form symmetries. We discuss analogues of topological defects for some of these higher symmetry groups, relating some of them to ordinary topological defects. We also discuss topological defects in cases in which the moduli ‘space’ (technically, a stack) admits an action of a higher symmetry group. Finally, we outline a proposal for how certain anomalies might potentially be understood as describing a transmutation of an ordinary group symmetry of the classical theory into a 2‐group or higher group symmetry of the quantum theory, which we link to WZW models and bosonization.
Magnetoelastic properties of Co‐based amorphous ferromagnetic microwires
Authors: Gudoshnikov Sergey , Ignatov Andrey , Tarasov Vadim , Gorbunov Sergey , Molokanov Vyacheslav , Chueva Tatyana , Usov Nikolay
Published: September 2015

Vibrational magnetometry and small‐angle magnetization rotation methods have been used to study magnetoelastic properties of glass‐coated Co‐rich microwires of composition Co69Fe4Cr4Si12B11 with metallic nucleus diameter d = 55 μm and total diameter D = 80 μm. The saturation wire magnetization has been found to be Ms = 590 emu cm−3, the magnetostriction constant λs = −0.49 × 10−7, and the bare anisotropy field Ha = 0.24 Oe. The average value of the residual quenching stress has been estimated to be Δσ ≈ 137 MPa. The diagonal Zφφ component of the giant magnetoimpedance tensor turns out to be significantly dependent on the position along the wire axis. This can be attributed to a non uniformity of the residual stress distribution. It is shown that the measurement of the magnetic characteristics of the microwire enables one to estimate quantitatively the magnitude of the applied mechanical stress.
New interpolation solution and application in system modeling and optimal control with prescribed distance to instability
Authors: Stefanovski Jovan D.
Published: September 2015

We present a system theoretic interpretation of a two‐sided interpolation problem with a stable rational matrix U (interpolant) without constraints on its norm. It is known that all solutions U of that problem can be expressed as U = Uh+Up, where Uh ranges in the set of all solutions of the associated homogeneous problem, and Up is a particular solution. We present a new solution for Up and prove that it is actually the minimal
‐norm interpolant in the set of all interpolants.

We apply these results in system modeling and in optimal
control of one‐block plants, with a prescribed bound on the distance to instability of the closed‐loop system. The applications are illustrated by examples. Interesting connections to the augmented basic interpolation problem, to Nehari's problem, and to the stability of one‐block plants with multiple unstable invariant zeros are given. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Does health insurance decrease health expenditure risk in developing countries? The case of China
Authors: Jung Juergen , Liu Streeter Jialu
Published: September 2015

This article studies the impact of health insurance on individual out‐of‐pocket health expenditures in China. Using China Health and Nutrition Survey data between 1991 and 2006, we apply two‐part and sample selection models to address issues caused by censored data and selection on unobservables. We find that, although the probability of accessing health care increases with the availability of health insurance, the level of out‐of‐pocket health expenditure decreases. Our results from a selection model with instrumental variables suggest that having health insurance reduces the expected out‐of‐pocket health expenditure of an individual by 29.42% unconditionally. Meanwhile, conditional on being subjected to positive health expenditure, health insurance helps reduce out‐of‐pocket spending by 44.38%. This beneficial effect of health insurance weakens over time, which may be attributable to increases in the coinsurance rates of health insurances in China.
Complementary not competing quality standards
Authors: Rees Jonathan
Published: September 2015

The recently published NICE Prostate Cancer Quality Standard differs from the quality statements developed by Tackle Prostate Cancer and described in the previous article. Jonathan Rees explains how the two are complementary and can sit comfortably alongside each other.
Radioisotopes reborn: radium‐223 and its role in the management of prostate cancer
Authors: Parker Chris , O'Sullivan Joe , Heath Catherine
Published: September 2015

This report is based on a seminar held during the 11th Annual Meeting of the British Uro‐oncology Group (BUG) in London, 12–13 September 2014. The seminar discussed the development of radium‐223 and its role in the management of prostate cancer, including an overview of the ALSYMPCA (ALpharadin in SYMptomatic Prostate CAncer) trial and practical issues around the integration of radium‐223 into clinical practice.
Uncertainty of power curve measurement with a two‐beam nacelle‐mounted lidar
Authors: Wagner Rozenn , Courtney Michael Stephen , Pedersen Troels F. , Davoust Samuel
Published: September 2015

Nacelle lidars are attractive for offshore measurements since they can provide measurements of the free wind speed in front of the turbine rotor without erecting a met mast, which significantly reduces the cost of the measurements. Nacelle‐mounted pulsed lidars with two lines of sight (LOS) have already been demonstrated to be suitable for use in power performance measurements. To be considered as a professional tool, however, power curve measurements performed using these instruments require traceable calibrated measurements and the quantification of the wind speed measurement uncertainty. Here we present and demonstrate a procedure fulfilling these needs.

A nacelle lidar went through a comprehensive calibration procedure. This calibration took place in two stages. First with the lidar on the ground, the tilt and roll readings of the inclinometers in the nacelle lidar were calibrated. Then the lidar was installed on a 9m high platform in order to calibrate the wind speed measurement. The lidar's radial wind speed measurement along each LOS was compared with the wind speed measured by a calibrated cup anemometer, projected along the LOS direction. The various sources of uncertainty in the lidar wind speed measurement have been thoroughly determined: uncertainty of the reference anemometer, the horizontal and vertical positioning of the beam, the lack of homogeneity of the flow within the probe volume, lidar measurement mean deviation and standard uncertainty. The resulting uncertainty lies between 1 and 2% for the wind speed range between cut‐in and rated wind speed.

Finally, the lidar was mounted on the nacelle of a wind turbine in order to perform a power curve measurement. The wind speed was simultaneously measured with a mast‐top mounted cup anemometer placed two rotor diameters upwind of the turbine. The wind speed uncertainty related to the lidar tilting was calculated based on the tilt angle uncertainty derived from the inclinometer calibration and the deviation of the measurement height from hub height. The resulting combined uncertainty in the power curve using the nacelle lidar was less than 10% larger on average than that obtained with the mast mounted cup anemometer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
LeafArea: an R package for rapid digital image analysis of leaf area
Authors: Katabuchi Masatoshi
Published: September 2015

Measuring leaf area is essential to quantifying other leaf functional traits. This paper introduces a new R package, LeafArea, which allows one to conveniently run ImageJ (http://imagej.nih.gov/ij/) within R. The functions in this package analyze multiple scanned leaf images in the target directory, generate multiple output files containing the leaf area of each leaf image, and then process and combine these files into a single file in a format that is convenient for subsequent analyses. Leaf area data from multiple images from the same sample can be combined automatically. This function allows users to cut large leaves into several pieces during scanning. The package provides a user‐friendly, automated tool for measuring leaf area from scanned images.
Simultaneous progression patterns of scoliosis, pelvic obliquity, and hip subluxation/dislocation in non-ambulatory neuromuscular patients: An approach to deformity documentation
Authors: Patel Janki , Shapiro Frederic
Published: September 2015

Background

A triad of deformities—thoracolumbar scoliosis, pelvic obliquity, and femoral head (hip) subluxation/dislocation—occurs frequently in non-ambulatory neuromuscular patients, but their close inter-relationship is infrequently appreciated or quantified. We propose a deformity documentation approach to assess each component simultaneously.

Methods

The documentation assesses each component for maximal functional level, deformity, and flexibility/rigidity: deformity from antero-posterior radiographs (scoliosis—maximal functional position, pelvic obliquity—sitting, hip position—supine) and flexibility/rigidity from extent of repositioning on supine (spine, pelvis) and frog lateral (hip) radiographs. The approach was applied in 211 patients: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (110), spinal muscular atrophy (49), cerebral palsy (26), and other neuromuscular disorders (26).

Results

Measurement of 2124 radiological data points allowed for deformity (mild to moderate to severe) and flexibility/rigidity (fully reducible to partially to non-reducible) gradations for scoliosis, pelvic obliquity, and hip subluxation/dislocation. The charting documented: (1) numerical deformity and flexibility/rigidity changes [ x-axis: age; y-axis: angulation (scoliosis and pelvic obliquity) and percent coverage (hip subluxation or dislocation) from 0–120]; and (2) grade deformity and flexibility/rigidity changes [ x-axis: age; y-axis: deformity and flexibility/rigidity, following conversion of numerical measurements to a 1–5 grade scale]. In subgroups with the most extensive documentation, thoracolumbar and lumbar scoliosis extended into the sacrum with 98 % (114/116) accompanied by pelvic obliquity; and scoliosis developed more rapidly than hip deformity in 44 % (28/63), scoliosis and hip deformity developed at the same time in 40 % (25/63), and hip deformity developed more rapidly than scoliosis in 16 % (10/63) (Pearson's chi-squared test p = 0.0501, almost significant).

Conclusion and significance

Documentation of the triad of neuromuscular deformities is applicable to all diagnoses; it outlines maximal functional level, deformity, and flexibility/rigidity at each site; and it shows the relationship between spine, pelvic, and hip deformation. Prospective charting will enhance both clinical management and clinical research into neuromuscular deformity.
Fetal Thrombotic Vasculopathy
Authors: Marsden Lily , Comstock Jessica
Published: September 2015

Fetal thrombotic vasculopathy (FTV) is the term used to encompass the histologic findings identified in placentas with fetal thrombotic lesions: occlusive and nonocclusive chorionic vessel thrombi, avascular villi in the distribution of a single villous tree, intramural vascular fibrin, and hemorrhagic endovasculitis. The underlying etiology of FTV is largely unknown though hypercoagulability and circulatory stasis have been the main focuses in the literature to explain the hemostatic abnormalities. This article reviews the literature in both defining and discussing, potential etiologies of FTV, as well as neonatal outcomes.
Demographic and developmental differences in the content and sequence of adolescents' ideal romantic relationship behaviors
Authors: Choukas‐Bradley Sophia , Goldberg Shoshana K. , Widman Laura , Reese Bianka M. , Halpern Carolyn T.
Published: September 2015

This study utilizes data from 18,392 respondents (aged 12–19) in Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to provide a detailed descriptive analysis of U.S. adolescents' desired behaviors in their ideal romantic relationships. Age, gender, and ethnic group differences in the desire for—and preferred sequence of—a set of activities that could occur in a hypothetical romantic relationship were explored within subsets of heterosexual (n = 17,274) and sexual minority adolescents (n = 1118). Non‐sexual behaviors were more commonly desired compared to sexual behaviors. The typical desired behavioral sequence was: holding hands, going out alone, telling others they were a couple, kissing, saying “I love you,” sexual touching, and finally having sex. Overall, more similarities than differences emerged across groups, with some notable differences in the percentages who desired sexual behaviors. Results provide a nuanced picture of adolescent relationship scripts, with implications for education and prevention.
A historic and scientific review of breast cancer: The next global healthcare challenge
Authors: Becker Sven
Published: September 2015

Breast cancer is fast becoming the leading cause of oncologic morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. Demographic changes in Asia, Southeast Asia, and South America will further accelerate this trend. Different specialties are involved in the treatment of breast cancer patients: gynecology, surgery, pathology, hematology/oncology, radiology, radiation oncology, and nuclear medicine. Optimal results are seen in countries providing standardized breast cancer care in certified breast centers. The present article provides an overview of current state‐of‐the‐art treatment strategies and explains the contributions of different specialties to optimal and individualized care for breast cancer patients. Breast cancer will be one of the most important health issues facing physicians involved with women's health and a basic understanding of current treatment objectives will be essential medical knowledge for everyone taking care of female patients.
Mobile Devices for Tertiary Study – Philosophy Meets Pragmatics for Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women
Authors: Townsend Philip
Published: September 2015

This paper outlines PhD research which suggests mobile learning fits the cultural philosophies and roles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are preservice teachers in the very remote Australian communities where the research was conducted. The problem which the research addresses is the low completion rates for two community-based Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs in South Australia (SA) and Queensland (Qld). Over the past decade, the national completion rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in teacher training was 36 per cent, and in these two community-based programs it was less than 15 per cent. This paper identifies the perceptions of the benefits of using mobile devices by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are preservice teachers in very remote communities. They report ways in which mobile learning supports their complex roles and provides pragmatic positive outcomes for their tertiary study in remote locations. The paper describes the apparent alignment between mobile learning and cosmology, ontology, epistemology and axiology, which may underpin both the popularity of mobile devices and the affordances of mobile learning.
Randomised controlled trial of the effect of long-term selenium supplementation on plasma cholesterol in an elderly Danish population
Authors: Cold Frederik , Winther Kristian H. , Pastor-Barriuso Roberto , Rayman Margaret P. , Guallar Eliseo , Nybo Mads , Griffin Bruce A. , Stranges Saverio , Cold Søren
Published: September 2015

Although cross-sectional studies have shown a positive association between Se and cholesterol concentrations, a recent randomised controlled trial in 501 elderly UK individuals of relatively low-Se status found that Se supplementation for 6 months lowered total plasma cholesterol. The Danish PRECISE (PREvention of Cancer by Intervention with Selenium) pilot study (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01819649) was a 5-year randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial with four groups (allocation ratio 1:1:1:1). Men and women aged 60–74 years (n491) were randomised to 100 (n124), 200 (n122) or 300 (n119) μg Se-enriched yeast or matching placebo-yeast tablets (n126) daily for 5 years. A total of 468 participants continued the study for 6 months and 361 participants, equally distributed across treatment groups, continued for 5 years. Plasma samples were analysed for total and HDL-cholesterol and for total Se concentrations at baseline, 6 months and 5 years. The effect of different doses of Se supplementation on plasma lipid and Se concentrations was estimated by using linear mixed models. Plasma Se concentration increased significantly and dose-dependently in the intervention groups after 6 months and 5 years. Total cholesterol decreased significantly both in the intervention groups and in the placebo group after 6 months and 5 years, with small and nonsignificant differences in changes in plasma concentration of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol and total:HDL-cholesterol ratio between intervention and placebo groups. The effect of long-term supplementation with Se on plasma cholesterol concentrations or its sub-fractions did not differ significantly from placebo in this elderly population.
L’hommage de Stephen Jay Gould à l’évolutionnisme de Nietzsche
Authors: STIEGLER BARBARA
Published: September 2015

En 2002, le paléontologue américain Stephen Jay Gould a rendu un surprenant hommage à l’évolutionnisme de Nietzsche. J’explique ici leur proximité critique, déjà annoncée par Daniel Dennett en 1995, de trois façons différentes. Je montre d’abord qu’elle permet à Gould de se départir du partage dualiste entre sciences de la nature et sciences humaines et sociales, dans lequel Dennett essaie de l’enfermer. Je montre ensuite qu’elle ouvre, loin de toute tentation d’instaurer de nouveaux «crochets célestes», des voies fécondes et inattendues pour repenser l’hypothèse de la volonté de puissance. Je soutiens enfin qu’elle apporte des gages solides à l’ensemble de la critique nietzschéenne du darwinisme.
Polynomial partitioning for a set of varieties
Authors: GUTH LARRY
Published: September 2015

Given a set Γ of low-degree k-dimensional varieties in$\mathbb{R}$n, we prove that for anyD⩾ 1, there is a non-zero polynomialPof degree at mostDso that each component of$\mathbb{R}$n\Z(P) intersectsO(Dk−n|Γ|) varieties of Γ.
Evidence supporting vertical transmission of Salmonella in dairy cattle
Authors: HANSON D. L. , LONERAGAN G. H. , BROWN T. R. , NISBET D. J. , HUME M. E. , EDRINGTON T. S.
Published: September 2015

We set out to investigate whether Salmonella enterica could be recovered from various tissues of viable neonatal calves immediately following parturition. Eleven samples were aseptically collected from each of 20 calves and consisted of both left and right subiliac and prescapular lymph nodes (LN), mesenteric LN, spleen and liver, as well as intestinal tissue (including luminal contents) from the small intestine, caecum, spiral colon and rectum. In addition, a faecal sample was collected from 19 of the dams. Salmonella was recovered from at least one sample from 10 of the 20 neonates. Across all calves, Salmonella was recovered from 12·7% of all samples and from LN in particular, Salmonella was recovered from 10·0%, 5·0%, and 5·0% of subiliac, prescapular, and mesenteric LN, respectively. Within calves, Salmonella was recovered from 0% to 73% of samples and across tissues, estimates of Salmonella prevalence were greatest in the caecum (30%) but was never recovered from the right pre-scapular LN. These data provide evidence of vertical transmission from a dam to her fetus such that viable calves are born already infected and thereby not requiring faecal–oral exposure for transmission. This new knowledge ought to challenge – or at least add to – existing paradigms of Salmonella transmission dynamics within cattle herds.
The potential role of modern radiotherapy techniques in the treatment of malignant spinal cord compression: a dose planning study
Authors: Fog Lotte S. , Schut Deborah , Sjøgren Per , Aznar Marianne C.
Published: September 2015

Aim

To investigate the doses given to the kidneys and the small intestines for three radiation therapy techniques [anterior–posterior (APPA) fields, three fields and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT)] for spinal cord compression (SCC) patients with metastatic disease in the lower thoracic or lumbar spine and to monitor the time spent by clinicians and dose planners.

Introduction

Radiation therapy is one of the main treatment modalities for SCC. Typical palliative radiation therapy techniques have used APPA fields or a three-field technique.

However, as delivery techniques have evolved dramatically over the past decades, VMAT has gained wide acceptance. VMAT allows for a dose reduction in the organs at risk. Such a dose reduction may result in less toxicity.

The use of the VMAT technique may require more time for contouring and planning compared with the APPA and three-field techniques. Any potential dosimetric benefit of VMAT must not be outweighed by large amounts of extra time spent by clinicians and dose planners.

Materials and methods

For 20 patients treated with radiation therapy for SCC at our hospital, we created a VMAT plan, and the more traditionally used APPA and three-field plans. The mean kidney doses and the volume of bowel, which received 20 Gy, were extracted for each plan. The correlations between parameters for three techniques were determined.

Furthermore, the time required for contouring targets for five patients; and the time required to plan five patients, was recorded.

Results

VMAT lead to the most conformal distributions: the high-dose areas were restricted to the target volume, whereas the healthy tissue, especially the bowel, received a lower dose. In contrast, the APPA plan lead to a larger volume of bowel being irradiated, whereas the three-field technique spared the bowel at the expense of a higher dose to the kidneys.

The average contouring time was 16 minutes, the average planning time was 38 minutes.

Conclusion

Patients treated for SCC in the lower thoracic or lumbar region may benefit from VMAT treatment, as it reduces the dose to the bowel and kidneys compared with APPA or three-field treatments.
Conservation agriculture and drought-tolerant germplasm: Reaping the benefits of climate-smart agriculture technologies in central Mozambique
Authors: Thierfelder Christian , Rusinamhodzi Leonard , Setimela Peter , Walker Forbes , Eash Neal S.
Published: September 2015

Conservation agriculture (CA) based on minimum soil disturbance, crop residue retention and crop rotations is considered as a soil and crop management system that could potentially increase soil quality and mitigate the negative effects of climate variability. When CA is combined with drought-tolerant (DT) maize varieties, farmers can reap the benefits of both—genetic improvement and sustainable land management. New initiatives were started in 2007 in Mozambique to test the two climate-smart agriculture technologies on farmers' fields. Long-term trends showed that direct seeded manual CA treatments outyielded conventional tillage treatments in up to 89% of cases on maize and in 90% of cases on legume in direct yield comparisons. Improved DT maize varieties outyielded the traditional control variety by 26–46% (695–1422 kg ha−1) on different tillage treatment, across sites and season. However a direct interaction between tillage treatment and variety performance could not be established. Maize and legume grain yields on CA plots in this long-term dataset did not increase with increased years of practice due to on-site variability between farmer replicates. It was evident from the farmers' choice that, beside taste and good milling quality, farmers in drought-prone environments considered the potential of a variety to mature faster more important than larger potential yields of long season varieties. Population growth, labor shortage to clear new land areas and limited land resources in future will force farmers to change toward more permanent and sustainable cropping systems and CA is a viable option to improve their food security and livelihoods.
Humility, Autonomy, and Birth as a Site of Politics
Authors: Rushing Sara
Published: September 2015

Western political thought, from the classical Greek era to our own time, is notorious for its relegation of bodily and family matters to the private sphere. Contemporary feminist and critical political theorists have taken measures to counter this impulse. Yet even as these discourses acknowledge the centrality of the body, vulnerability, and relationality for social and political theory, they continue to functionally disavow giving birth as an important cultural institution in which to engage political and ethical questions.
The effect of political trust and trust in European citizens on European identity
Authors: Verhaegen Soetkin , Hooghe Marc , Quintelier Ellen
Published: September 2015

In the literature, two approaches toward the development of a European identity can be distinguished. Society-based approaches assume that the most important foundation for the development of a European identity is trust toward other European citizens as this allows Europeans to identify with the European Union as a community of citizens and values. The institutional approach, on the other hand, assumes that a shared European identity is predominantly based on trust in political institutions. In this paper, we use the results of the IntUne Mass Survey 2009 (n=16,613 in 16 EU member states) to test the relationship between social and political trust on the one hand, and European identity on the other. The results suggest that trust in other European citizens is positively associated with European identity, but trust in the European political institutions has a stronger relation with European identity. This could imply that efforts to strengthen European identity cannot just rely on a bottom-up approach, but should also pay attention to the effectiveness and the visibility of the EU institutions and the way they are being perceived by European citizens.
Wie gesund ist und verhält man(n) sich?
Authors: Hämmig Oliver , Puhan Milo A.
Published: September 2015

Zusammenfassung. Männer standen hierzulande bisher nicht im Fokus kantonaler Gesundheitsberichterstattung und sind eine eher vernachlässigte Zielgruppe staatlicher Präventionsbemühungen. Zu Unrecht. Denn bei Männern besteht ein erhebliches Präventionspotenzial in Bezug auf die Gesundheit, das Gesundheitsverhalten und die Inanspruchnahme von Gesundheitsleistungen, wie dem jüngst erschienenen zweibändigen Zürcher Globalbericht zu entnehmen ist. Männer weisen eine im Vergleich mit Frauen nach wie vor geringere Lebenserwartung und mitunter deutlich höhere Sterblichkeit in Bezug auf stark verhaltensassoziierte chronische Krankheiten sowie im Hinblick auf Verkehrsunfälle und Suizide auf. Sie zeigen auch ein vergleichsweise ungünstiges Gesundheitsverhalten sowie eine geringere Inanspruchnahme von Gesundheitsleistungen und Vorsorgeuntersuchungen. Das starke, aber eben auch weniger gesunde und sich weniger gesund verhaltende Geschlecht sollte deshalb künftig verstärkt in den Fokus von Gesundheitsberichterstattung und -monitoring rücken.
Knoten am Hals
Authors: Bass Annatina , Husner Alexander , Metternich Frank
Published: September 2015

Zusammenfassung. Maligne periphere Nervenscheidentumore (MPNST) sind selten. Insbesondere bei Patienten mit bekannter Neurofibromatose Typ 1 (von Recklinghausen), sollte jedoch an diese Entität von Tumoren gedacht werden. Die Indikation für eine offene Biopsie oder Exzision sollte grosszügig gestellt werden. Im Folgenden berichten wir über einen raren Fall eines MPNST, der die Wichtigkeit der schnellen Diagnostik und Therapie aufzeigt.
Duly Receives 2015 Basu United States Early Career Award for Research Excellence in Sun-Earth Systems Science
Authors:   AGU
Published: September 2015

Timothy Duly will receive the 2015 Basu United States Early Career Award for Research Excellence in Sun-Earth Systems Science at the 2015 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 14–18 December in San Francisco, Calif. This award is given annually to one early-career scientist (no more than 3 years postdegree) from the United States in recognition of significant work that shows the focus and promise of making outstanding contributions to research in Sun-Earth systems science that further the understanding of both plasma physical processes and their applications for the benefit of society.
Subducting seamounts control interplate coupling and seismic rupture in the 2014 Iquique earthquake area
Authors: Geersen Jacob , Ranero César R. , Barckhausen Udo , Reichert Christian
Published: September 2015

To date, the parameters that determine the rupture area of great subduction zone earthquakes remain contentious. On 1 April 2014, the Mw 8.1 Iquique earthquake ruptured a portion of the well-recognized northern Chile seismic gap but left large highly coupled areas un-ruptured. Marine seismic reflection and swath bathymetric data indicate that structural variations in the subducting Nazca Plate control regional-scale plate-coupling variations, and the limited extent of the 2014 earthquake. Several under-thrusting seamounts correlate to the southward and up-dip arrest of seismic rupture during the 2014 Iquique earthquake, thus supporting a causal link. By fracturing of the overriding plate, the subducting seamounts are likely further responsible for reduced plate-coupling in the shallow subduction zone and in a lowly coupled region around 20.5°S. Our data support that structural variations in the lower plate influence coupling and seismic rupture offshore Northern Chile, whereas the structure of the upper plate plays a minor role.
Towards a table-top microscope for nanoscale magnetic imaging using picosecond thermal gradients
Authors: Bartell J. M. , Ngai D. H. , Leng Z. , Fuchs G. D.
Published: September 2015

Research advancement in magnetoelectronics is challenged by the lack of a table-top magnetic measurement technique with the simultaneous temporal and spatial resolution necessary for characterizing magnetization dynamics in devices of interest, such as magnetic memory and spin torque oscillators. Although magneto-optical microscopy provides superb temporal resolution, its spatial resolution is fundamentally limited by optical diffraction. To address this challenge, we study heat rather than light as a vehicle to stroboscopically transduce a local magnetic moment into an electrical signal while retaining picosecond temporal resolution. Using this concept, we demonstrate spatiotemporal magnetic microscopy using the time-resolved anomalous Nernst effect (TRANE). Experimentally and with supporting numerical calculations, we find that TRANE microscopy has temporal resolution below 30 ps and spatial resolution determined by the area of thermal excitation. Based on these findings, we suggest a route to exceed the limits imposed by far-field optical diffraction.
Genetic diversity and evolutionary insights of respiratory syncytial virus A ON1 genotype: global and local transmission dynamics
Authors: Duvvuri Venkata R. , Granados Andrea , Rosenfeld Paul , Bahl Justin , Eshaghi Alireza , Gubbay Jonathan B.
Published: September 2015

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A ON1 genotype, first detected in 2010 in Ontario, Canada, has been documented in 21 countries to date. This study investigated persistence and transmission dynamics of ON1 by grouping 406 randomly selected RSV-positive specimens submitted to Public Health Ontario from August 2011 to August 2012; RSV-A-positive specimens were genotyped. We identified 370 RSV-A (181 NA1, 135 NA2, 51 ON1 3 GA5) and 36 RSV-B positive specimens. We aligned time-stamped second hypervariable region (330 bp) of G-gene sequence data (global, n = 483; and Ontario, n = 60) to evaluate transmission dynamics. Global data suggests that the most recent common ancestor of ON1 emerged during the 2008–2009 season. Mean evolutionary rate of the global ON1 was 4.10 × 10−3substitutions/site/year (95% BCI 3.1–5.0 × 10−3), not significantly different to that of Ontario ON1. The estimated mean reproductive number (R0 = ∼ 1.01) from global and Ontario sequences showed no significant difference and implies stability among global RSV-A ON1. This study suggests that local epidemics exhibit similar underlying evolutionary and epidemiological dynamics to that of the persistent global RSV-A ON1 population. These findings underscore the importance of continual molecular surveillance of RSV in order to gain a better understanding of epidemics.