bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Geography of Investment Management Contracts: The UK, Europe, and the Global Financial Services Industry
Authors: Clark Gordon L , Monk Ashby H B
Published: March 2014

Contract is crucial for governing the relationships between asset owners and the many types of agents that underpin the production of financial services. We distinguish between discrete contracts for financial services and investment management contracts that are better described as relational in the sense that they are open ended and subject to renegotiation between the parties. Emphasis is placed upon the significance of risk and uncertainty in financial markets and the ways in which the parties to contracts adapt to these conditions. This provides the backdrop for understanding three different types of contractual arrangements apparent in the investment management industry, bringing to the fore the significance of the choice of jurisdiction when writing contracts for investment services. We explain how and why the UK is a favoured destination for European institutions just as offshore jurisdictions, such as the Cayman Islands, may be the favoured ‘home’ jurisdictions for certain types of UK and global investment managers. At the heart of the relationship between asset owners and asset managers is the power of these parties when choosing the type of contract and the jurisdiction which is the favoured location for formalising these relationships.
Deconstructing Supermarket Intervention Effects on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Areas of Limited Retail Access: Evidence from the Seacroft Study
Authors: Gill Len , Rudkin Simon
Published: March 2014

Concern about diet and access to healthy foodstuffs is felt worldwide. The introduction of large retailers, with low prices and wide product ranges, to poor access areas has been seen as a solution. We apply quantile regression to data related to one such opening, the Seacroft Intervention Study in the United Kingdom, allowing consideration at different levels of the fruit and vegetable consumption distribution. For residents with easy access to the new store, captured using Ordnance Survey Integrated Transport Network for improved representation of shoppers' journeys, a significant average increase of half a portion per day was found, increasing to 0.7 portions or more for households with no car access. However moving away from the average effects considered in the literature thus far, shopping at the new store is significant only for those at the top end of the distribution and, importantly, not for those whose diets were previously poor. Attitudes to healthy eating, relative cost of fruit and vegetables, and deprivation are shown to be key factors at lower intake levels. Access remains a significant determinant of consumption. Hence we urge caution in accepting the conclusion that new supermarkets can benefit all, and suggest that policy makers should consider more targeted measures to help improve the worst diets.
An Integrative Theoretical Model for Improving Resident-City Identification
Authors: Zenker Sebastian , Petersen Sibylle
Published: March 2014

Research from social and environmental psychology has shown that identification by residents with a place leads to numerous desirable outcomes like increased commitment and residential satisfaction. Thus, in the competition for residents, cities focus on building a favorable identity of a place to increase identification with the place. However, little is known regarding the predictors of resident-city identification and their link to desirable outcomes. We thus present an interdisciplinary model which outlines determinants and outcomes of identification and which integrates theories from geography, psychology, and organizational science to introduce a new theoretical perspective to the field of urban research. We propose that a strong resident-city identification results from a fit between the city prototype and the resident's self-concept. In this relationship, perceived place complexity is a central variable. We develop research propositions and suggest an agenda for testing the model empirically. Finally, we discuss how increasing resident-city identification by using a more complex communication can benefit both the city and its inhabitants.
‘Measurementality’ in Biodiversity Governance: Knowledge, Transparency, and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Ipbes)
Authors: Turnhout Esther , Neves Katja , de Lijster Elisa
Published: March 2014

Current policies and practices in biodiversity conservation have been increasingly influenced by neoliberal approaches since the 1990s. The authors focus on the principle of transparency as a self-proclaimed basis of neoliberal environmental governance, and on the role of standardized science-based measurements which it purportedly affords. The authors introduce the term ‘measurementality’ to signify the governance logic that emerges when transparency comes to stand next to effectiveness and efficiency as neoliberal principles and to highlight the connections that are forged between economic, managerial, and technocratic discourses. The example of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is used to discuss the role of measurementality in global biodiversity governance. The analysis suggests that IPBES aims to coordinate the science–policy interface in order to optimize the generation of user-friendly knowledge of those elements of biodiversity that are considered politically and economically relevant: At the current economic juncture, these being in essence ecosystem services. Based on these findings, the authors proceed by critically reflecting on the ways in which the measurementality logic of IPBES may not only result in an impoverishment of the biodiversity research agenda, but also in an impoverished understanding of biodiversity itself. To conclude, the authors argue that measurementality is part and parcel of the neoliberal paradigm in which science produces the raw materials for subsequent control and exchange and that, as a result, the intersection of science, discourse, policy, and economics within these governance systems requires sustained critical scrutiny.
Bridging Gaps: Governing Conflicts between Transport and Environmental Policies
Authors: Busscher Tim , Zuidema Christian , Tillema Taede , Arts Jos
Published: March 2014

Developing new road infrastructure can be problematic in the face of environmental quality ambitions. These conflicts can even undermine the development of such new infrastructure, as occurred, for example, in the Netherlands in the mid-2000s as a result of European Union air quality standards. To govern the conflict between transport policies and air quality regulations, a National Cooperation Programme on Air Quality (NSL) was developed in The Netherlands. This programme relies on a collaborative governance approach between various government agencies on national, regional, and local levels. As such, it involves a relative shift away from central government coordination towards a reliance on more decentralized governance networks. Within these networks, coordination is expected to result from bottom-up self-governance processes by interacting actors that emerge from either competition and market processes or active actor participation. Theory shows two important risks of such a shift: (i) actors might behave opportunistically, and (ii) in case of problems, assigning problem ownership and responsibility to specific actors may be difficult. This paper aims to gain insight into the NSL's response to these risks. We monitored the NSL from 2009 to 2012, mainly through a series of interviews and expert workshops. Our research shows that the NSL contains the kind of ‘checks and balances’ that allows it to respond to the first risk. However, we will show that these mechanisms are merely expressions of intent. Furthermore, the NSL proves to be prone to the second identified risk, in that it is unclear who is responsible for the follow-up on these intentions, while rewards or sanctions are nonexistent. As it is, the NSL teaches us that, in order for more collaborative and decentralized forms of governance to function, involved actors on both central and lower levels of government paradoxically require coordinative instruments to enable coordination, to hold each other accountable for their performance, and to establish rules and sanctions.
Explanations of a Changing Landscape: A Critical Examination of the British Columbia Bark Beetle Epidemic
Authors: Petersen Brian , Stuart Diana
Published: March 2014

This paper focuses on an unprecedented bark beetle epidemic in British Columbia, Canada. The epidemic has killed vast areas of forests, with significant impacts to ecosystems and timber-dependent communities. Explanations of this outbreak continue to overlook or underemphasize important actors and relationships. This paper offers a more detailed explanation of the actors and processes involved in the outbreak and associated responses. Political ecology was applied to guide this analysis, emphasizing both the ecological and social factors involved. Research methods entailed an extensive literature review and over seventy interviews with scientists, policy makers, land managers, and elected officials. Findings illustrate how the outbreak involved many actors, beyond bark beetles and trees, and resulted from complex interactions between ecological and social factors. This study also reveals how actors that prioritized short-term economic gains shaped the conditions that fostered the outbreak and continue to constrain responses. This study illustrates how applications of political ecology that give increased attention to ecology are necessary to fully understand the drivers of environmental change.
Thermal-safety margins and the necessity of thermoregulatory behavior across latitude and elevation
Authors: Sunday Jennifer M. , Bates Amanda E. , Kearney Michael R. , Colwell Robert K. , Dulvy Nicholas K. , Longino John T. , Huey Raymond B.
Published: March 2014

Significance

We find that most terrestrial ectotherms are insufficiently tolerant of high temperatures to survive the warmest potential body temperatures in exposed habitats and must therefore thermoregulate by using shade, burrows, or evaporative cooling. Our results reveal that exposure to extreme heat can occur even at high elevations and latitudes and show why heat-tolerance limits are relatively invariant in comparison with cold limits. To survive climate warming, ectotherms in most areas may need to rely on behaviors—and have access to habitats—that provide a reprieve from extreme operative temperatures.
Universals in Second Scholasticism
Authors: Heider Daniel
Published: March 2014

This study aims to present a comparative analysis of philosophical theories of universals espoused by the foremost representatives of the three main schools of early modern scholastic thought. The book introduces the doctrines of Francisco Suárez, S.J. (1548–1617), the Thomist John of St. Thomas, O.P. (1589–1644), and the Scotists Bartolomeo Mastri da Meldola, O.F.M. Conv. (1602–1673) and Bonaventura Belluto, O.F.M. Conv. (1600–1676). The author examines in detail their mutual doctrinal delineation as well as the conceptualist tenet of the Jesuit Pedro Hurtado de Mendoza (1578–1641), whose thought constitutes an important systematic point of comparison especially with Suárez’s doctrine. The book offers the first comparative elaboration of the issue of universals, in both its metaphysical and its epistemological aspects, in the era of second scholasticism.
Testimonies of LGBTIQ refugees as cartographies of political, sexual and emotional borders
Authors: Ricard Nathalie
Published: March 2014

To be granted status, refugee claimants have to testify at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). This liminal space is charged with both the promise of liberation and the threat of deportation. Adding to the challenge are the governmental measures that constrain the right to asylum. This paper suggests answers to the question: What language and other discursive features do LGBTIQ claimants have to use to be recognized as refugees? This ethnography is based on fieldwork conducted in Toronto and Vancouver. I will present two vignettes of claimants I accompanied to their hearings. Contrary to heterosexuals, queer asylum seekers have to prove their sexual orientation and/or their gender identity. Truth about their sexuality and persecution is evaluated through the lens of legal technologies, and stereotypes are still common. However, extralegal forms of communication also come into play. New avenues for justice are being fostered by grassroots organizations.
“Being gay has been a curse for me”
Authors: Afzal Ahmed
Published: March 2014

In this essay, I draw on ethnographic research with South Asian Muslim American gay men of Pakistani descent in Houston to explore everyday negotiations of religion, race, sexuality and transnationalism. The essay highlights three intersecting registers that situate gay Muslim American sexual cultural formations in local, transnational and cultural contexts. Drawing on participant observation and oral life history interviews, this essay examines: (a) culturally constructed male sexualities that are informed by the scripts, language, and cultural idioms of homo-sociality and same-sex eroticism, love and relationships in the homeland; (b) the increasing centrality of belonging to a transnational Muslimummah; and (c) the appropriation of western terminologies and categories of sexuality in constructing a gay identity. The narratives examined in this essay contribute to cultural analyses of transnational sexual cultures, and ethnographies of Muslim Americans and LGBTQIA immigrant communities in the West.
Urban commemoration and literature in post-Soviet L'viv: a comparative analysis with the Polish experience
Authors: Blacker Uilleam
Published: March 2014

This article analyzes how the Poles and Jews who disappeared from the western Ukrainian city of L'viv as a result of the Second World War are remembered in the city today. It examines a range of commemorative practices, from monuments and museums to themed cafes and literature, and analyzes how these practices interact to produce competing mnemonic narratives. In this respect, the article argues for an understanding of the city as a complex text consisting of a diverse range of mutually interdependent mnemonic media produced by a range of actors. The article focuses in particular on the ways in which Ukrainian nationalist narratives interact with the memory of the city's “lost others.” The article also seeks to understand L'viv‘s memory culture through comparison with a range of Polish cities that have faced similar problems with commemorating vanished communities, but have witnessed a deeper recognition of these communities than has been the case in L'viv. The article proposes reasons for the divergences between the memory cultures of L'viv and that found in Polish cities, and attempts to outline the gradual processes by which L'viv‘s Polish and Jewish pasts might become more widely integrated into the city's memory culture.
On positive type initial profiles for the KdV equation
Authors: Grudsky Sergei , Rybkin Alexei
Published: March 2014

We show that the KdV flow evolves any real locally integrable initial profile

q
q

of the form

q
=

r

′

+

r

2

q=r^{\prime }+r^{2}

, where

r
∈

L

loc

2

r\in L_{\operatorname {loc}}^{2}

,

r

|

R

+

=
0

r|_{\mathbb {R}_{+}}=0

into a meromorphic function with no real poles.
Characterization of directed differentiation by high-throughput single-cell RNA-Seq
Authors: Soumillon Magali , Cacchiarelli Davide , Semrau Stefan , van Oudenaarden Alexander , Mikkelsen Tarjei S
Published: March 2014

Directed differentiation of cells in vitro is a powerful approach for dissection of developmental pathways, disease modeling and regenerative medicine, but analysis of such systems is complicated by heterogeneous and asynchronous cellular responses to differentiation-inducing stimuli. To enable deep characterization of heterogeneous cell populations, we developed an efficient digital gene expression profiling protocol that enables surveying of mRNA in thousands of single cells at a time. We then applied this protocol to profile 12,832 cells collected at multiple time points during directed adipogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells in vitro. The resulting data reveal the major axes of cell-to-cell variation within and between time points, and an inverse relationship between inflammatory gene expression and lipid accumulation across cells from a single donor.
Robust structure and morphology parameters for CdS nanoparticles by combining small-angle X-ray scattering and atomic pair distribution function data in a complex modeling framework
Authors: Farrow Christopher L. , Shi Chenyang , Juhás Pavol , Peng Xiaogang , Billinge Simon J. L.
Published: March 2014

In this work, the concept of complex modeling (CM) is tested by carrying out a co-refinement of the atomic pair distribution function and small-angle X-ray scattering data from CdS nanoparticles. It is shown that, compared with either single technique alone, the CM approach yields a more accurate and robust structural insight into the atomic structure and morphology of nanoparticles. This work opens the door for the application of CM to a wider class of nanomaterials and for the incorporation of additional experimental and theoretical techniques into these studies.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder in children born to mothers with thyroid dysfunction: a Danish nationwide cohort study
Authors: Andersen SL , Laurberg P , Wu CS , Olsen J
Published: March 2014

Objective

To examine the association between maternal hyper‐ and hypothyroidism and the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the child.

Design

A population‐based cohort study.

Setting

Singletons liveborn in Denmark between 1991 and 2004.

Population

A total of 857 014 singletons alive and living in Denmark at the age of 3 years.

Methods

Information on the diagnosis and/or treatment of maternal thyroid disease and the neurodevelopmental disorders ADHD and ASD in the child was obtained from Danish nationwide registers. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for risk of ADHD and ASD in children born to mothers with thyroid dysfunction, adjusting for potential confounding factors.

Main outcome measures

ADHD and ASD in the child.

Results

Altogether, 30 295 singletons (3.5%) were born to mothers with thyroid dysfunction. Maternal hyperthyroidism diagnosed and treated for the first time after the birth of the child increased the risk of ADHD in the child (adjusted HR 1.23; 95% CI 1.05–1.44), whereas hypothyroidism increased the risk of ASD (adjusted HR 1.34; 95% CI 1.14–1.59). No significant association was seen for maternal diagnosis and treatment prior to the birth of the child.

Conclusions

Children born to mothers diagnosed and treated for the first time for thyroid dysfunction after their birth may have been exposed to abnormal levels of maternal thyroid hormone already present during the pregnancy, and this untreated condition could increase the risk of specific neurodevelopmental disorders in the child.
Positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging and rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Wang Shi‐Cun , Xie Qiang , LV Wei‐Fu
Published: March 2014

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a phenotypically heterogeneous, chronic, destructive inflammatory disease of the synovial joints. A number of imaging tools are currently available for evaluation of inflammatory conditions. By targeting the upgraded glucose uptake of infiltrating granulocytes and tissue macrophages, positron emission tomography/computed tomography with fluorine‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F‐FDG PET/CT) is available to delineate inflammation with high sensitivity. Recently, several studies have indicated thatFDGuptake in affected joints reflects the disease activity ofRA. In addition, usage ofFDG PETfor the sensitive detection and monitoring of the response to treatment has been reported. CombinedFDG PET/CTenables the detailed assessment of disease in large joints throughout the whole body. These unique capabilities ofFDG PET/CTimaging are also able to detectRA‐complicated diseases. Therefore,PET/CThas become an excellent ancillary tool to assess disease activity and prognosis inRA.
Magnitude of efficacy measurements in grass allergy immunotherapy trials is highly dependent on pollen exposure
Authors: Durham S. R. , Nelson H. S. , Nolte H. , Bernstein D. I. , Creticos P. S. , Li Z. , Andersen J. S.
Published: March 2014

Background

The objective was to evaluate the association between grass pollen exposure, allergy symptoms and impact on measured treatment effect after grass sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)‐tablet treatment.

Methods

The association between grass pollen counts and total combined rhinoconjunctivitis symptom and medication score (TCS) was based on a post hoc analysis of data collected over six trials and seven grass pollen seasons across North America and Europe, including 2363 subjects treated with grass SLIT‐tablet or placebo. Daily pollen counts were obtained from centralized pollen databases. The effect of treatment on the relationship between the TCS and pollen counts was investigated, and the relative difference between grass SLIT‐tablet and placebo as a function of average grass pollen counts was modelled by linear regression.

Results

The magnitude of treatment effect based on TCS was greater with higher pollen exposure (P < 0.001). The relative treatment effect in terms of TCS for each trial was correlated with the average grass pollen exposure during the first period of the season, with predicted reduction in TCS = 12% + 0.35% × pollen count (slope significantly different from 0, P = 0.003; R2 = 0.66). Corresponding correlations to the entire grass pollen season and to the peak season were equally good, whereas there was a poor correlation between difference in measured efficacy and pollen exposure during the last part of the season.

Conclusions

In seasonal allergy trials with grass SLIT‐tablet, the observed treatment effect is highly dependent on pollen exposure with the magnitude being greater with higher pollen exposure. This is an important relationship to consider when interpreting individual clinical trial results.
Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor promotes angiogenic tube formation through generation of oxidative stress in human vascular endothelial cells
Authors: Usui T. , Naruo A. , Okada M. , Hayabe Y. , Yamawaki H.
Published: March 2014

Aim

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a major type of neurotrophins, plays a role in the regulation of synaptic function. Recent studies suggest that BDNF promotes angiogenesis through its specific receptor, tropomyosin‐related kinase B (TrkB). However, the detailed mechanisms for this still remain to be determined. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation contributes to the regulation of angiogenesis. Thus, we investigated the mechanisms by which BDNF regulates angiogenesis with focusing on ROS in cultured human vascular endothelial cells (ECs).

Methods and results

In human umbilical vein ECs, BDNF increased ROS generation as measured fluorometrically using 2′ 7′‐dichlorofluorescein diacetate as well as NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity as measured by lucigenin assay. BDNF‐induced ROS generation and NOX activity were inhibited by K252a, a TrkB receptor inhibitor. BDNF induced phosphorylation of p47 phox, a regulatory component of NOX, which was inhibited by K252a as measured by Western blotting. BDNF increased angiogenic tube formation in ECs, which was completely inhibited by K252a or gp91ds‐tat, a NOX inhibitor. BDNF caused Akt phosphorylation in ECs, which was inhibited by K252a or gp91ds‐tat.

Conclusion

The present results for the first time demonstrate that BDNF induces NOX‐derived ROS generation through activation of p47 phox in a TrkB receptor‐dependent manner, which leads to the promotion of angiogenic tube formation possibly via Akt activation.
The ameliorative effect of ascorbic acid on the oxidative status, live weight and recovery rate in road transport stressed goats in a hot humid tropical environment
Authors: Nwunuji Tanko Polycarp , Mayowa Opeyemi Onilude , Yusoff Sabri Mohd , Bejo Siti‐Khairani , Salisi Shahrom , Mohd Effendy Abd. Wahid
Published: March 2014

The ameliorative effect of ascorbic acid (AA) on live weight following transportation is vital in animal husbandry. This study investigated the influence ofAAon live weight, rectal temperature (rt), and oxidative status of transport stressed goats in a hot humid tropical environment. Twenty‐four goats were divided into four groups,A,B,CandDof six animals each. GroupAwere administeredAA100 mg/kg intramuscularly 30 min prior to 3.5 h transportation. GroupBwas administeredAAfollowing transportation. GroupCwere transported but not administeredAAas positive controls while groupDwere not transported but were administered normal saline as negative controls. Live weight, rt and blood samples were collected before, immediately post‐transport (pt), 24 h, 3 days, 7 days and 10 days pt. Plasma was used for malondialdehyde (MDA) analysis while hemolysates were used for superoxide dismutase (SOD) analysis. There was minimal live weight loss in group A compared to groupsBandC. GroupArecorded reducedMDAactivities and increasedSODactivities compared to groupsBandCwhich recorded significantly highMDAactivities. This study revealed thatAAadministration ameliorated the stress responses induced by transportation in animals in hot humid tropical environments. The administration ofAAto goats prior to transportation could ameliorate stress and enhance productivity.
Contribution of environmental filtering and dispersal limitation to species turnover of temperate deciduous broad‐leaved forests in China
Authors: Liu Yining , Tang Zhiyao , Fang Jingyun
Published: March 2014

Questions

How and to what extent do environmental filtering and dispersal limitation affect species turnover among sites in the temperate deciduous broad‐leaved forests of China? Do different life forms respond to environmental filtering and dispersal limitation in the same way?

Location

Seventeen mountains (31°8′–44°22′N, to 104°42′–128°8′E) in China.

Methods

We measured the plant species composition of 495 plots. We calculated the Jaccard's similarity (SJac) of species composition, geographic distance (Dg) and environmental divergence (De) for each plot pair for trees, shrubs and herbs. Three plot pair groups were distinguished: (1) plot pairs with both plots from the same mountain; (2) plot pairs with two plots from different mountains but with a similar environment; (3) plot pairs with two plots from different mountains and with a heterogeneous environment. We analysed the relationship between SJac, Dg and De for all three groups, and performed partial redundancy analysis. We also calculated beta‐diversity of mountains, and explored latitudinal and climatic patterns of beta‐diversity.

Results

SJac decreases significantly with both De and Dg for all three plot pair groups. Environmental and geographic variables together explain 13.8%, 11.6% and 11.1% of variance in species composition of trees, shrubs and herbs, respectively. For all life forms, environment explains more variance than geography, and environment and geography have strong co‐varying effects. The beta‐diversity for each mountain decreases with latitude, but increases with mean annual temperature (MAT).

Conclusion

Environmental filtering rather than dispersal limitation predominantly regulates patterns of species turnover in the temperate deciduous broad‐leaved forests of China. Furthermore, the increases of beta‐diversity along MAT also support the effects of environment on species turnover. These results indicate that environment might influence the distribution of most species in temperate forests of China. However, dispersal limitation still independently accounts for a small amount of variance in species turnover. We therefore conclude that environmental filtering and dispersal limitation have both combined and independent effects, but environmental filtering is more important in shaping the community assembly of temperate deciduous broad‐leaved forests of China.
The impact of androgen‐deprivation therapy (ADT) on the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with non‐metastatic prostate cancer: a population‐based study
Authors: Gandaglia Giorgio , Sun Maxine , Popa Ioana , Schiffmann Jonas , Abdollah Firas , Trinh Quoc‐Dien , Saad Fred , Graefen Markus , Briganti Alberto , Montorsi Francesco , Karakiewicz Pierre I.
Published: March 2014

Objective

To examine and quantify the contemporary association between androgen‐deprivation therapy (ADT) and three separate endpoints: coronary artery disease (CAD), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and sudden cardiac death (SCD), in a large USA contemporary cohort of patients with prostate cancer.

Patients and Methods

In all, 140 474 patients diagnosed with non‐metastatic prostate cancer between 1995 and 2009 within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)‐Medicare linked database were abstracted. Patients treated with ADT and those not receiving ADT were matched using propensity score methodology. The 10‐year CAD, AMI, and SCD rates were estimated. Competing‐risks regression analyses tested the association between the type of ADT (GnRH agonists vs bilateral orchidectomy) and CAD, AMI, and SCD, after adjusting for the risk of dying during follow‐up.

Results

Overall, the 10‐year rates of CAD, AMI, and SCD were 25.9%, 15.6%, and 15.8%, respectively. After stratification according to ADT status (ADT‐naïve vs GnRH agonists vs bilateral orchidectomy), the CAD rates were 25.1% vs 26.9% vs 23.2%, the AMI rates were 14.8% vs 16.6% vs 14.8%, and the SCD rates were 14.2% vs 17.7% vs 16.4%, respectively. In competing‐risks multivariable regression analyses, the administration of GnRH agonists (all P < 0.001), but not bilateral orchidectomy (all P ≥ 0.7), was associated with higher risk of CAD, AMI, and SCD.

Conclusions

The administration of GnRH agonists, but not orchidectomy, is still associated with a significantly increased risk of CAD, AMI, and, especially, SCD in patients with non‐metastatic prostate cancer. Alternative forms of ADT should be considered in patients at higher risk of CV events.
Retinoic acid receptor stimulation ameliorates experimental autoimmune optic neuritis
Authors: Keino Hiroshi , Watanabe Takayo , Sato Yasuhiko , Shudo Koichi , Kitaoka Yasushi , Harada Takayuki , Okada Annabelle A
Published: March 2014

Background

To determine whether all‐trans retinoic acid or a synthetic retinoic acid receptor‐α/β‐specific agonist, Am80, can reduce the degree of experimental autoimmune optic neuritis in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Methods

Optic neuritis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by immunizing them with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein35‐55. All‐trans retinoic acid (350 μg/mouse/time point) or Am80 (5 mg/kg/time point) was administered every other day from day 0 to day 20. The degree of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis was scored and histopathological analysis of the optic neuritis was performed on day 22 after the immunization. In vivo‐primed draining lymph node cells obtained from vehicle‐treated or all‐trans retinoic acid‐treated mice were stimulated with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein35‐55, and the culture supernatant was collected for assays of interferon‐γ and interleukin‐17.

Results

All‐trans retinoic acid treatment significantly reduced the clinical score of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and the severity of the optic neuritis by histopathological analysis. The production of interferon‐γ and interleukin‐17 was significantly reduced in all‐trans retinoic acid‐treated mice compared with vehicle‐treated mice. Am80 treatment also significantly decreased the severity of the optic neuritis in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that all‐trans retinoic acid and Am80 treatment were able to reduce the severity of optic neuritis in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Activation of retinoic acid receptor‐α/β may be a molecular target for the treatment of autoimmune optic neuritis induced by Th1 or Th17‐dominated immune responses.
Radiation‐inducible HtrA2 gene enhances radiosensitivity of uveal melanoma OCM‐1 cells in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Zhang Fan , Yu Tian , Yi Cheng‐la , Sun Xu‐fang
Published: March 2014

Background

To explore an effective approach for the treatment of patients with uveal melanomas, we designed a strategy that combines HtrA2 gene therapy and radiation therapy.

Methods

pIRES‐Egr1‐Omi/HtrA2 (pEgr1‐HtrA2) recombinant plasmids were constructed and transfected into human uveal melanoma cells (OCM‐1) in vitro. The transfected cells were exposed to irradiation. HtrA2 messenger RNA and protein level was detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Combined with radiation, assays that evaluated the apoptotic inducibility caused by HtrA2 gene therapy was performed by flow cytometry. Followingly, the effects of HtrA2 overexpression on the in vitro radiosensitivity of uveal melanoma cells were investigated by clonogenic formation assay. The in vivo effects of HtrA2 gene therapy combined with radiation therapy were evaluated in different groups.

Results

The recombinant plasmids could be successfully transferred into OCM‐1 cells, and transfection of pEgr1‐HtrA2 plasmids combined with radiotherapy caused dramatically elevation of HtrA2 compared with non‐irradiated cells in messenger RNA and protein levels, which was associated with increased apoptosis. Furthermore, we observed that the transfection of pEgr1‐HtrA2 could significantly enhance radiosensitivity of OCM‐1 cell in vitro. In mice bearing xenograft tumours, pEgr1‐HtrA2 combined with radiation therapy significantly inhibited tumour growth compared with the other treatment groups (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that radiation‐inducible gene therapy may have potential to be a more effective and specific therapy for uveal melanoma because the therapeutic gene can be spatially or temporally controlled by exogenous radiation.
Genetic predictors of cardiovascular morbidity in Bardet–Biedl syndrome
Authors: Forsythe E. , Sparks K. , Hoskins B.E. , Bagkeris E. , McGowan B.M. , Carroll P.V. , Huda M.S.B. , Mujahid S. , Peters C. , Barrett T. , Mohammed S. , Beales P.L.
Published: March 2014

Bardet–Biedl syndrome is a rare ciliopathy characterized by retinal dystrophy, obesity, intellectual disability, polydactyly, hypogonadism and renal impairment. Patients are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Mutations in BBS1 and BBS10 account for more than half of those with molecular confirmation of the diagnosis. To elucidate genotype–phenotype correlations with respect to cardiovascular risk indicators 50 patients with mutations in BBS1 were compared with 19 patients harbouring BBS10 mutations. All patients had truncating, missense or compound missense/truncating mutations. The effect of genotype and mutation type was analysed. C‐reactive protein was higher in those with mutations in BBS10 and homozygous truncating mutations (p = 0.013 and p = 0.002, respectively). Patients with mutations in BBS10 had higher levels of C peptide than those with mutations in BBS1 (p = 0.043). Triglyceride levels were significantly elevated in patients with homozygous truncating mutations (p = 0.048). Gamma glutamyl transferase was higher in patients with homozygous truncating mutations (p = 0.007) and heterozygous missense and truncating mutations (p = 0.002) than those with homozygous missense mutations. The results are compared with clinical cardiovascular risk factors. Patients with missense mutations in BBS1 have lower biochemical cardiovascular disease markers compared with patients with BBS10 and other BBS1 mutations. This could contribute to stratification of the clinical service.
Magnetite formation from ferrihydrite by hyperthermophilic archaea from Endeavour Segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge hydrothermal vent chimneys
Authors: Jennifer Lin T. , Breves E. A. , Dyar M. D. , Ver Eecke H. C. , Jamieson J. W. , Holden J. F.
Published: March 2014

Hyperthermophilic iron reducers are common in hydrothermal chimneys found along the Endeavour Segment in the northeastern Pacific Ocean based on culture‐dependent estimates. However, information on the availability of Fe(III) (oxyhydr) oxides within these chimneys, the types of Fe(III) (oxyhydr) oxides utilized by the organisms, rates and environmental constraints of hyperthermophilic iron reduction, and mineral end products is needed to determine their biogeochemical significance and are addressed in this study. Thin‐section petrography on the interior of a hydrothermal chimney from the Dante edifice at Endeavour showed a thin coat of Fe(III) (oxyhydr) oxide associated with amorphous silica on the exposed outer surfaces of pyrrhotite, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite in pore spaces, along with anhydrite precipitation in the pores that is indicative of seawater ingress. The iron sulfide minerals were likely oxidized to Fe(III) (oxyhydr) oxide with increasing pH and Eh due to cooling and seawater exposure, providing reactants for bioreduction. Culture‐dependent estimates of hyperthermophilic iron reducer abundances in this sample were 1740 and 10 cells per gram (dry weight) of material from the outer surface and the marcasite‐sphalerite‐rich interior, respectively. Two hyperthermophilic iron reducers, Hyperthermus sp. Ro04 and Pyrodictium sp. Su06, were isolated from other active hydrothermal chimneys on the Endeavour Segment. Strain Ro04 is a neutrophilic (pHopt 7–8) heterotroph, while strain Su06 is a mildly acidophilic (pHopt 5), hydrogenotrophic autotroph, both with optimal growth temperatures of 90–92 °C. Mössbauer spectroscopy of the iron oxides before and after growth demonstrated that both organisms form nanophase (<12 nm) magnetite [Fe3O4] from laboratory‐synthesized ferrihydrite [Fe10O14(OH)2] with no detectable mineral intermediates. They produced up to 40 mm Fe2+ in a growth‐dependent manner, while all abiotic and biotic controls produced <3 mm Fe2+. Hyperthermophilic iron reducers may have a growth advantage over other hyperthermophiles in hydrothermal systems that are mildly acidic where mineral weathering at increased temperatures occurs.
Analytical Interpretation of Slug Test in a Vertical Cutoff Wall
Authors: Lim Jeehee , Lee Dongseop , Zlotnik Vitaly A. , Choi Hangseok
Published: March 2014

An analysis method for slug tests performed in a partially penetrating well within a vertical cutoff wall is presented. A steady‐state shape factor for evaluating hydraulic conductivity of the material within the wall was derived by applying the method of images to the previously developed analytical solution of Zlotnik et al. (2010) for an infinite aquifer. Two distinct boundary conditions were considered: constant‐head boundary for the case of direct contact between the wall and the aquifer, and no‐flux boundary representing an impermeable filter cake on the sides of the wall. The constant‐head and no‐flux boundary conditions yield significantly higher and lower shape factors, respectively, than those for the infinite aquifer. Consequently the conventional line‐fitting method for slug test analysis would yield an inaccurate estimate of the hydraulic conductivity of a vertical cutoff wall.
Accelerating Groundwater Flow Simulation in MODFLOW Using JASMIN‐Based Parallel Computing
Authors: Cheng Tangpei , Mo Zeyao , Shao Jingli
Published: March 2014

To accelerate the groundwater flow simulation process, this paper reports our work on developing an efficient parallel simulator through rebuilding the well‐known software MODFLOW on JASMIN (J Adaptive Structured Meshes applications Infrastructure). The rebuilding process is achieved by designing patch‐based data structure and parallel algorithms as well as adding slight modifications to the compute flow and subroutines in MODFLOW. Both the memory requirements and computing efforts are distributed among all processors; and to reduce communication cost, data transfers are batched and conveniently handled by adding ghost nodes to each patch. To further improve performance, constant‐head/inactive cells are tagged and neglected during the linear solving process and an efficient load balancing strategy is presented. The accuracy and efficiency are demonstrated through modeling three scenarios: The first application is a field flow problem located at Yanming Lake in China to help design reasonable quantity of groundwater exploitation. Desirable numerical accuracy and significant performance enhancement are obtained. Typically, the tagged program with load balancing strategy running on 40 cores is six times faster than the fastest MICCG‐based MODFLOW program. The second test is simulating flow in a highly heterogeneous aquifer. The AMG‐based JASMIN program running on 40 cores is nine times faster than the GMG‐based MODFLOW program. The third test is a simplified transient flow problem with the order of tens of millions of cells to examine the scalability. Compared to 32 cores, parallel efficiency of 77 and 68% are obtained on 512 and 1024 cores, respectively, which indicates impressive scalability.
Correlating Precursory Declines in Groundwater Radon with Earthquake Magnitude
Authors: Kuo T.
Published: March 2014

Both studies at the Antung hot spring in eastern Taiwan and at the Paihe spring in southern Taiwan confirm that groundwater radon can be a consistent tracer for strain changes in the crust preceding an earthquake when observed in a low‐porosity fractured aquifer surrounded by a ductile formation. Recurrent anomalous declines in groundwater radon were observed at the Antung D1 monitoring well in eastern Taiwan prior to the five earthquakes of magnitude (Mw): 6.8, 6.1, 5.9, 5.4, and 5.0 that occurred on December 10, 2003; April 1, 2006; April 15, 2006; February 17, 2008; and July 12, 2011, respectively. For earthquakes occurring on the longitudinal valley fault in eastern Taiwan, the observed radon minima decrease as the earthquake magnitude increases. The above correlation has been proven to be useful for early warning local large earthquakes. In southern Taiwan, radon anomalous declines prior to the 2010 Mw 6.3 Jiasian, 2012 Mw 5.9 Wutai, and 2012 ML 5.4 Kaohsiung earthquakes were also recorded at the Paihe spring. For earthquakes occurring on different faults in southern Taiwan, the correlation between the observed radon minima and the earthquake magnitude is not yet possible.
ListingAnalyst: A Program for Analyzing the Main Output File from MODFLOW
Authors: Winston Richard B. , Paulinski Scott
Published: March 2014

ListingAnalyst is a Windows® program for viewing the main output file from MODFLOW‐2005, MODFLOW‐NWT, or MODFLOW‐LGR. It organizes and displays large files quickly without using excessive memory. The sections and subsections of the file are displayed in a tree‐view control, which allows the user to navigate quickly to desired locations in the files. ListingAnalyst gathers error and warning messages scattered throughout the main output file and displays them all together in an error and a warning tab. A grid view displays tables in a readable format and allows the user to copy the table into a spreadsheet. The user can also search the file for terms of interest.
Optimisation of secondary prevention of stroke: a qualitative study of stroke patients’ beliefs, concerns and difficulties with their medicines†
Authors: Souter Caroline , Kinnear Anne , Kinnear Moira , Mead Gillian
Published: March 2014

Objectives

The objectives of this study are to explore stroke patients’ and carers’ beliefs and concerns about medicines and identify the barriers to medication adherence for secondary stroke prevention.

Methods

Qualitative semistructured one-on-one interviews were conducted with 30 patients with diagnosis of stroke. Interviews were analysed using the framework approach.

Key findings

The study suggests that stroke patients’ and carers’ perceptions of their medicines may influence medicine-taking behaviour. In some cases when beliefs outweighed concerns, practical barriers prevented participants taking their medicines. Negative beliefs about a medicine were strong enough to prevent some participants starting a new medicine. Participants’ actions were influenced by the perceived consequences of not taking the medicine and the impact of the adverse effect on their quality of life. Concerns lessened with time with no adverse effects. The importance of the role of the carer and of a medicine-taking routine was evident. Participants reported the inadequacy of information provision and the desire to have more written and verbal information. Some reported total lack of contact with their general practitioner or community pharmacist after hospital discharge.

Conclusions

Many of the difficulties stroke patients have adhering to secondary prevention strategies are potentially preventable with tailored information provision and appropriate monitoring and follow-up by primary healthcare professionals. We have designed an intervention addressing the identified barriers to medicine taking, the impact of which is currently being measured in a randomised controlled trial of a pharmacist-led home-based clinical medication review in stroke patients.
Development and Validation of a Reproductive Autonomy Scale
Authors: Upadhyay Ushma D. , Dworkin Shari L. , Weitz Tracy A. , Foster Diana Greene
Published: March 2014

No validated measures are currently available to assess women's ability to achieve their reproductive intentions, also referred to as “reproductive autonomy.” We developed and validated a multidimensional instrument that can measure reproductive autonomy. We generated a pool of 26 items and included them in a survey that was conducted among 1,892 women at 13 family planning and 6 abortion facilities in the United States. Fourteen items were selected through factor analysis and grouped into 3 subscales to form a Reproductive Autonomy Scale: freedom from coercion; communication; and decision‐making. Construct validity was demonstrated by a mixed‐effects model in which the freedom from coercion subscale and the communication subscale were inversely associated with unprotected sex in the past three months. This new Reproductive Autonomy Scale offers researchers a reliable instrument with which to assess a woman's power to control matters regarding contraceptive use, pregnancy, and childbearing, and to evaluate interventions to increase women's autonomy domestically and globally.