bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A COGNITIVE LOAD VIEW AND EMPIRICAL TEST OF COLLABORATION NETWORK STRUCTURE VERSUS LEARNING RATES IN NEW SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
Authors: COLAZO JORGE
Published: June 2015

This study explores whether characteristics of the collaboration structure in software development teams affect development learning rates, with a secondary goal of testing product complexity as a moderator. We develop suitable hypotheses under the theoretical lens of cognitive load theory. The empirical study uses archival data on an ordinary least squares model to find significant associations between collaboration structure, product complexity and the learning rates exhibited by 230 development teams producing open source software. Results show two distinct subgroups of projects: The first subgroup exhibits an average 78% learning rate, and the other subgroup “unlearned”, i.e., productivity deteriorated over time instead of improved. In the learning subgroup, collaboration network density negatively impacted learning, while product complexity interacted with collaboration network centralisation and boundary spanning activity. In the unlearning subgroup, only network density impacted learning rates and no moderating effects were found. Practical implications and future opportunities for research are discussed.
Solving the Maximum Weighted Clique Problem Based on Parallel Biological Computing Model
Authors: Wang Zhaocai , Qin Jiangfeng , Ji Zuwen , Huang Dongmei , Li Lei
Published: June 2015

The maximum weighted clique (MWC) problem, as a typical NP-complete problem, is difficult to be solved by the electronic computer algorithm. The aim of the problem is to seek a vertex clique with maximal weight sum in a given undirected graph. It is an extremely important problem in the field of optimal engineering scheme and control with numerous practical applications. From the point of view of practice, we give a parallel biological algorithm to solve the MWC problem. For the maximum weighted clique problem withmedges andnvertices, we use fixed length DNA strands to represent different vertices and edges, fully conduct biochemical reaction, and find the solution to the MVC problem in certain length range withO(n2)time complexity, comparing to the exponential time level by previous computer algorithms. We expand the applied scope of parallel biological computation and reduce computational complexity of practical engineering problems. Meanwhile, we provide a meaningful reference for solving other complex problems.
Fractional Dynamics in Calcium Oscillation Model
Authors: Suansook Yoothana , Paithoonwattanakij Kitti
Published: June 2015

The calcium oscillations have many important roles to perform many specific functions ranging from fertilization to cell death. The oscillation mechanisms have been observed in many cell types including cardiac cells, oocytes, and hepatocytes. There are many mathematical models proposed to describe the oscillatory changes of cytosolic calcium concentration in cytosol. Many experiments were observed in various kinds of living cells. Most of the experimental data show simple periodic oscillations. In certain type of cell, there exists the complex periodic bursting behavior. In this paper, we have studied further the fractional chaotic behavior in calcium oscillations model based on experimental study of hepatocytes proposed by Kummer et al. Our aim is to explore fractional-order chaotic pattern in this oscillation model. Numerical calculation of bifurcation parameters is carried out using modified trapezoidal rule for fractional integral. Fractional-order phase space and time series at fractional order are present. Numerical results are characterizing the dynamical behavior at different fractional order. Chaotic behavior of the model can be analyzed from the bifurcation pattern.
Pregnancy and Vaginal Delivery after Sacrohysteropexy
Authors: Balsak Deniz , Eser Ahmet , Erol Onur , Deniz Altıntaş Derya , Aksin Şerif
Published: June 2015

Pregnancy and birth after a Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) surgery is a rare condition and less is known about the method for delivery. A 31-year-old women with gravida 3 para 3 underwent abdominal sacrohysteropexy and transobturatuar tape (TOT) procedures for stage III prolapse who delivered via vaginal birth and showed no relapse. Sacrohysteropexy is a good option for women with POP who desire fertility with a long term follow-up period.
Antiangiogenic Therapies and Extracranial Metastasis in Glioblastoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Khattab Mohamed H. , Marciscano Ariel E. , Lo Simon S. , Lim Michael , Laterra John J. , Kleinberg Lawrence R. , Redmond Kristin J.
Published: June 2015

We present a case report of a patient with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) complicated by extracranial metastasis (ECM) whose survival of nearly four years surpassed the anticipated life expectancy given numerous negative prognostic factors including EGFRvIII-mutation, unmethylated MGMT promoter status, and ECM. Interestingly, while this patient suffered from locally aggressive disease with multiple intracranial recurrences, the proximal cause of death was progressive extracranial disease and complications related to pulmonary metastases. Herein, we review potential mechanisms of ECM with an emphasis upon glioblastoma molecular and genetic profiles and the potential implications of targeted agents such as bevacizumab.
The Thermal Sensitivity Test in Evaluating Outcome after Peripheral Nerve Injury
Authors: Ceynowa Marcin , Mazurek Tomasz , Pankowski Rafał , Rocławski Marek , Treder Mariusz
Published: June 2015

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability to discriminate temperatures in patients following peripheral nerve injury. Knowing that temperature sensibility is mediated by different receptors, the scores were compared to other functional hand scores in order to determine whether the ability to discriminate temperatures is restored to a different extent compared with other commonly evaluated hand function modalities. The test was performed using the NTE-2 device (Physitemp Instruments Inc., 154 Huron Avenue, Clifton, New Jersey, USA). Out of 57 patients, 27 had normal thermal discrimination scores, and 9 could not tell the temperatures apart in the differences set on the measuring device. Overall, patients with better thermal discrimination had also better hand function as evaluated with different methods. However, some patients who did regain the ability to differentiate temperatures correctly did not have any measurable return of hand function in other tests. Thermal discrimination scores correlated similarly with different functional scores, except for vibration sensibility, which did not show any significant correlation. The development and severity of cold intolerance seem to be unrelated to temperature sense.
Hypercalcemia, Anemia, and Acute Kidney Injury: A Rare Presentation of Sarcoidosis
Authors: Sharma Neeraj , Tariq Hassan , Uday Kalpana , Skaradinskiy Yevgeniy , Niazi Masooma , Chilimuri Sridhar
Published: June 2015

We discuss a case of a 61-year-old woman who presented with substernal chest pain. She was found to have elevated calcium levels, anemia, and acute kidney injury. The hypercalcemia persisted despite therapy with fluids and bisphosphonates. She was found to have nonparathyroid hormone (PTH) mediated hypercalcemia. The chest X-ray did not reveal any pathology. Our Initial impression was likely underlying hematologic malignancy such as lymphoma or multiple myeloma. A bone marrow biopsy was performed that revealed nonnecrotizing granulomatous inflammation. Further workup revealed elevated vitamin 1,25 dihydroxy level, beta-two microglobulin level, and ACE levels. Noncontrast computed tomography (CT) scan of chest showed bilateral apical bronchiectasis, but did not show any lymphadenopathy or evidence of malignancy. Subsequently, a fiber optic bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy showed nonnecrotizing granulomatous inflammation consistent with sarcoidosis. After initiating glucocorticoid therapy, the patient’s hypercalcemia improved and her kidney function returned to baseline.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Oxygen Seepage in Coal Mine Goaf with Gas Drainage
Authors: Shi Guo-Qing , Liu Mao-xi , Wang Yan-Ming , Wang Wen-Zheng , Wang De-Ming
Published: June 2015

Mine fires mainly arise from spontaneous combustion of coal seams and are a global issue that has attracted increasing public attention. Particularly in china, the closure of coal workfaces because of spontaneous combustion has contributed to substantial economic loss. To reduce the occurrence of mine fires, the spontaneous coal combustion underground needs to be studied. In this paper, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed for coal spontaneous combustion under goaf gas drainage conditions. The CFD model was used to simulate the distribution of oxygen in the goaf at the workface in a fully mechanized cave mine. The goaf was treated as an anisotropic medium, and the effects of methane drainage and oxygen consumption on spontaneous combustion were considered. The simulation results matched observational data from a field study, which indicates CFD simulation is suitable for research on the distribution of oxygen in coalmines. The results also indicated that near the workface spontaneous combustion was more likely to take place in the upper part of the goaf than near the bottom, while further from workface the risk of spontaneous combustion was greater in the lower part of the goaf. These results can be used to develop firefighting approaches for coalmines.
Solving Single Machine Total Weighted Tardiness Problem with Unequal Release Date Using Neurohybrid Particle Swarm Optimization Approach
Authors: Cakar Tarik , Koker Rasit
Published: June 2015

A particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) has been used to solve the single machine total weighted tardiness problem (SMTWT) with unequal release date. To find the best solutions three different solution approaches have been used. To prepare subhybrid solution system, genetic algorithms (GA) and simulated annealing (SA) have been used. In the subhybrid system (GA and SA), GA obtains a solution in any stage, that solution is taken by SA and used as an initial solution. When SA finds better solution than this solution, it stops working and gives this solution to GA again. After GA finishes working the obtained solution is given to PSO. PSO searches for better solution than this solution. Later it again sends the obtained solution to GA. Three different solution systems worked together. Neurohybrid system uses PSO as the main optimizer and SA and GA have been used as local search tools. For each stage, local optimizers are used to perform exploitation to the best particle. In addition to local search tools, neurodominance rule (NDR) has been used to improve performance of last solution of hybrid-PSO system. NDR checked sequential jobs according to total weighted tardiness factor. All system is named as neurohybrid-PSO solution system.
Vision‐Augmented Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Nanoindentation
Authors: Al-Sayegh Rajab , Makatsoris Charalampos
Published: June 2015

We present a user‐friendly vision‐augmented technique to carry out atomic simulation using hand gestures. The system is novel in its concept as it enables the user to directly manipulate the atomic structures on the screen, in 3D space using hand gestures, allowing the exploration and visualisation of molecular interactions at different relative conformations. The hand gestures are used to pick and place atoms on the screen allowing thereby the ease of carrying out molecular dynamics simulation in a more efficient way. The end result is that users with limited expertise in developing molecular structures can now do so easily and intuitively by the use of body gestures to interact with the simulator to study the system in question. The proposed system was tested by simulating the crystal anisotropy of crystalline silicon during nanoindentation. A long‐range (Screened bond order) Tersoff potential energy function was used during the simulation which revealed the value of hardness and elastic modulus being similar to what has been found previously from the experiments. We anticipate that our proposed system will open up new horizons to the current methods on how an MD simulation is designed and executed.
Analysis of the Long-Term Corrosion Behavior of X80 Pipeline Steel in Acidic Red Soil Using Electrical Resistance Test Technique
Authors: Wang Shuaixing , Liu Daoxin , Du Nan , Zhao Qing , Xiao Jinhua
Published: June 2015

The long-term corrosion rate of X80 steel in an acidic red soil was monitored in situ by using a precise electrical resistance (ER) test system. The corrosion characteristics of X80 steel were examined via SEM, EDS, and XRD. The results indicated that the corrosion rate determined from ER test was very similar to that obtained from the mass loss test. The ER test technique made it possible to predict the long-term corrosion rate of steel in soil in situ. The corrosion rate of X80 steel in acidic red soil was about 0.0902 mm/a at 38 weeks, but the corrosion rate was dropped to 0.0226 mm/a after 5 years. The final corrosion product layer was composed mainly of FeOOH,γ-Fe2O3, and FeCO3.
CASC15-S Is a Tumor Suppressor lncRNA at the 6p22 Neuroblastoma Susceptibility Locus
Authors: Russell Mike R. , Penikis Annalise , Oldridge Derek A. , Alvarez-Dominguez Juan R. , McDaniel Lee , Diamond Maura , Padovan Olivia , Raman Pichai , Li Yimei , Wei Jun S. , Zhang Shile , Gnanchandran Janahan , Seeger Robert , Asgharzadeh Shahab , Khan Javed , Diskin Sharon J. , Maris John M. , Cole Kristina A.
Published: June 2015

Chromosome 6p22 was identified recently as a neuroblastoma susceptibility locus, but its mechanistic contributions to tumorigenesis are as yet undefined. Here we report that the most highly significant single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associations reside within CASC15, a long noncoding RNA that we define as a tumor suppressor at 6p22. Low-level expression of a short CASC15 isoform (CASC15-S) associated highly with advanced neuroblastoma and poor patient survival. In human neuroblastoma cells, attenuating CASC15-S increased cellular growth and migratory capacity. Gene expression analysis revealed downregulation of neuroblastoma-specific markers in cells with attenuated CASC15-S, with concomitant increases in cell adhesion and extracellular matrix transcripts. Altogether, our results point to CASC15-S as a mediator of neural growth and differentiation, which impacts neuroblastoma initiation and progression. Cancer Res; 75(15); 3155–66. ©2015 AACR.
Palbociclib for the Treatment of Estrogen Receptor–Positive, HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Morikawa Aki , Henry N. Lynn
Published: June 2015

Palbociclib is a selective inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 that acts by reducing phosphorylation of the tumor suppressor gene retinoblastoma. When added to the aromatase inhibitor letrozole in a randomized phase II trial for first-line therapy of estrogen receptor–positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer, palbociclib significantly increased progression-free survival compared with letrozole alone [palbociclib + letrozole: 20.2 months; 95% confidence interval (CI), 13.8–27.5; letrozole: 10.2 months; 95% CI, 5.7–12.6; HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.32–0.75; P = 0.0004]. On the basis of these results, the drug was recently granted accelerated approval by the FDA, and confirmatory studies are ongoing. Because this drug has a rational target in an oncologic pathway, concurrent biomarker development is of interest. In breast cancer, the most useful predictive biomarkers identified thus far are estrogen receptor and HER2 receptor status, although additional studies are ongoing. In this article, we review the development of palbociclib and its use in treatment of hormone receptor–positive metastatic breast cancer in the context of other FDA-approved agents in this setting. Clin Cancer Res; 21(16); 3591–6. ©2015 AACR.
Mitochondrial Methylenetetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase (MTHFD2) Overexpression Is Associated with Tumor Cell Proliferation and Is a Novel Target for Drug Development
Authors: Tedeschi Philip M. , Vazquez Alexei , Kerrigan John E. , Bertino Joseph R.
Published: June 2015

Rapidly proliferating tumors attempt to meet the demands for nucleotide biosynthesis by upregulating folate pathways that provide the building blocks for pyrimidine and purine biosynthesis. In particular, the key role of mitochondrial folate enzymes in providing formate for de novo purine synthesis and for providing the one-carbon moiety for thymidylate synthesis has been recognized in recent studies. We have shown a significant correlation between the upregulation of the mitochondrial folate enzymes, high proliferation rates, and sensitivity to the folate antagonist methotrexate (MTX). Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large-cell lymphoma tumor specimens have the highest levels of mitochondrial folate enzyme expression and are known to be sensitive to treatment with MTX. A key enzyme upregulated in rapidly proliferating tumors but not in normal adult cells is the mitochondrial enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (MTHFD2). This perspective outlines the rationale for specific targeting of MTHFD2 and compares known and generated crystal structures of MTHFD2 and closely related enzymes as a molecular basis for developing therapeutic agents against MTHFD2. Importantly, the development of selective inhibitors of mitochondrial methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase is expected to have substantial activity, and this perspective supports the investigation and development of MTHFD2 inhibitors for anticancer therapy. Mol Cancer Res; 13(10); 1361–6. ©2015 AACR.
Role of Prophylactic Bilateral Tonsillectomy as a Cancer Preventive Strategy
Authors: Misiukiewicz Krzysztof , Posner Marshall
Published: June 2015

The rate of vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) among adolescent girls and boys over the past few years has been stagnant in spite of the increase in incidence of HPV-positive oropharyngeal (OPX) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The indirect relationship between HPV cancer incidence and preventive vaccination poses a public health concern and has caused clinicians to search for other methods toward eradicating the ongoing oropharyngeal carcinoma epidemic. This alarming increase in OPX is motivating a search for therapeutic prevention strategies, including biomarker discovery, risk assessment, therapeutic vaccines, immunotherapy, and surgery. The current Danish Cancer Registry study by Fakhry and colleagues (in this issue) is the first to investigate the impact of prior tonsillectomy on the development of HPV OPX. They report that remote tonsillectomy resulted in a decreased incidence of tonsillar SCC. While thought-provoking, this study has a small sample size. Also, tonsillectomy does not address all anatomic sites at risk; there is lack of well-defined precancerous lesions or biomarkers to identify high-risk patients, and cost and morbidity make it impractical to justify prophylactic tonsillectomy as a cancer preventive strategy at present. The provocative clinical signal reported in this study supports further research and strategies that employ surgery when the technology and epidemiology can reliably be used to identify high-risk subjects. Cancer Prev Res; 8(7); 580–2. ©2015 AACR.

See related article by Fakhry et al., p. 583
Radiographic Profiling of Immune-Related Adverse Events in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with Ipilimumab
Authors: Tirumani Sree Harsha , Ramaiya Nikhil H. , Keraliya Abhishek , Bailey Nancy D. , Ott Patrick A. , Hodi F. Stephen , Nishino Mizuki
Published: June 2015

Ipilimumab is a promising novel immunotherapy agent and is associated with a variety of immune-related adverse events (irAE). The purpose of this study was to investigate the manifestations of irAEs on body imaging in patients with advanced melanoma treated with ipilimumab. One-hundred forty-seven patients with advanced melanoma (59 women, 88 men; median age, 64.5 years) treated with ipilimumab were studied. All patients had the baseline and at least one follow-up chest/abdomen/pelvis CT or PET/CT during therapy, which were reviewed by a consensus of two radiologists blinded to the clinical data. Findings indicative of individual types of irAEs were assessed, including thyroiditis, sarcoid-like lymphadenopathy, pneumonitis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, and colitis. Among the 147 patients, 46 (31%) had radiologically identified irAEs. The time interval from the initiation of therapy to the development of irAEs was less than 3 months in 76% (35 of 46) of the patients (range, 0.2–9.1 months). Clinical characteristics did not differ between patients with and without irAEs (P > 0.18). Among the individual types of irAEs, colitis was most common (n = 28; 19%), followed by sarcoid-like lymphadenopathy (n = 8; 5%) and pneumonitis (n = 8; 5%). Hepatitis (n = 3), thyroiditis (n = 2), and pancreatitis (n = 1) were less common. The resolution of irAEs was noted in 32 of 36 patients (89%) with further follow-up scans, with a median time of 2.3 months after the detection of irAE. In conclusion, irAEs were noted on body imaging in 31% of patients with melanoma treated with ipilimumab. Colitis was the most common, followed by sarcoid-like lymphadenopathy and pneumonitis. The results call for an increased awareness of irAEs, given the expanding role of cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Res; 3(10); 1185–92. ©2015 AACR.
Histopathology of the Human Inner Ear in Alström's Syndrome
Authors: Nadol Jr Joseph B. , Marshall Jan D. , Bronson Roderick T.
Published: June 2015

Alström's syndrome is an autosomal recessive syndromic genetic disorder caused by mutations in the ALMS1 gene. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs in greater than 85% of patients. Histopathology of the inner ear abnormalities in the human has not previously been fully described. Histopathology of the inner ear in Alström's syndrome is presented in 2 genetically confirmed cases. The predominant histopathologic correlates of the sensorineural loss were degeneration of the organ of Corti, both inner and outer hair cells, degeneration of spiral ganglion cells, and atrophy of the stria vascularis and spiral ligament.
Pump Up the Volume: Could Excessive Neural Gain Explain Tinnitus and Hyperacusis?
Authors: Brotherton Hannah , Plack Christopher J. , Maslin Michael , Schaette Roland , Munro Kevin J.
Published: June 2015

Naturally occurring stimuli can vary over several orders of magnitude and may exceed the dynamic range of sensory neurons. As a result, sensory systems adapt their sensitivity by changing their responsiveness or ‘gain'. While many peripheral adaptation processes are rapid, slow adaptation processes have been observed in response to sensory deprivation or elevated stimulation. This adaptation process alters neural gain in order to adjust the basic operating point of sensory processing. In the auditory system, abnormally high neural gain may result in higher spontaneous and/or stimulus-evoked neural firing rates, and this may have the unintended consequence of presenting as tinnitus and/or sound intolerance, respectively. Therefore, a better understanding of neural gain, in health and disease, may lead to more effective treatments for these aberrant auditory perceptions. This review provides a concise summary of (i) evidence for changes in neural gain in the auditory system of animals, (ii) physiological and perceptual changes in adult human listeners following an acute period of enhanced acoustic stimulation and/or deprivation, (iii) physiological evidence of excessive neural gain in tinnitus and hyperacusis patients, and (iv) the relevance of neural gain in the clinical treatment of tinnitus and hyperacusis.
Polymorphism within a Neuronal Activity-Dependent Enhancer of NgR1 Is Associated with Corpus Callosum Morphology in Humans
Authors: Isobe Masanori , Tanigaki Kenji , Muraki Kazue , Miyata Jun , Takemura Ariyoshi , Sugihara Genichi , Takahashi Hidehiko , Aso Toshihiko , Fukuyama Hidenao , Hazama Masaaki , Murai Toshiya
Published: June 2015

The human Nogo-66 receptor 1 (NgR1) gene, also termed Nogo receptor 1 or reticulon 4 receptor (RTN4R) and located within 22q11.2, inhibits axonal growth and synaptic plasticity. Patients with the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome show multiple changes in brain morphology, with corpus callosum (CC) abnormalities being among the most prominent and frequently reported. Thus, we hypothesized that, in humans, NgR1 may be involved in CC formation. We focused on rs701428, a single nucleotide polymorphism of NgR1, which is associated with schizophrenia. We investigated the effects of the rs701428 genotype on CC structure in 50 healthy participants using magnetic resonance imaging. Polymorphism of rs701428 was associated with CC structural variation in healthy participants; specifically, minor A allele carriers had larger whole CC volumes and lower radial diffusivity in the central CC region compared with major G allele homozygous participants. Furthermore, we showed that the NgR1 3′ region, which contains rs701428, is a neuronal activity-dependent enhancer, and that the minor A allele of rs701428 is susceptible to regulation of enhancer activity by MYBL2. Our results suggest that NgR1 can influence the macro- and microstructure of the white matter of the human brain.
Customized versus Population-Based Birth Weight References for Predicting Fetal and Neonatal Undernutrition
Authors: Fernández-Alba Juan Jesús , González-Macías Carmen , León del Pino Raquel , Prado Fernandes Fabiana , Lagares Franco Carolina , Moreno-Corral Luis Javier , Torrejón Cardoso Rafael
Published: June 2015

Objectives: The aim of our study was to construct a model of customized birth weight curves based on a Spanish population and to compare the ability of this customized model to our population-based chart to predict a neonatal ponderal index (PI) <10th percentile. Methods: We developed a model that can predict the 10th percentile for a fetus according to gestational age and gender as well as maternal weight, height, and age. We compared the ability of this customized model to that of our own population-based model to predict a neonatal PI <10th percentile. Data from a large database were used (32,854 live newborns, from 1993 through 2012). Only singleton pregnancies with a gestational age at delivery of 32-42 weeks were included. Results: In the entire pregnant population, the customized method was superior to the population-based method for detecting newborns with a PI <10th percentile (sensitivity: 55 vs. 40.96%; specificity: 99.6 vs. 91.23%; positive predictive value: 11.49 vs. 9.55%, and negative predictive value: 98.84 vs. 98.55%, respectively). In pregnant women with a BMI >90th percentile, the sensitivity was 75%, compared to 50% in the population-based method. In pregnant women with a height >90th percentile, the sensitivity was almost as high as in the population-based method (61.53 vs. 33.33%). Conclusion: The customized birth weight curve is superior to the population-based method for the detection of newborns with a PI <10th percentile. This is especially the case in women in the higher scales of height and weight as well as in preterm babies.
Usability and Validity of a Battery of Computerised Cognitive Screening Tests for Detecting Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Scanlon Lorraine , O'Shea Emma , O'Caoimh Rónán , Timmons Suzanne
Published: June 2015

Background: Computerised cognitive screening (CCS) has the potential to detect cognitive impairment in the community, which is important for the early diagnosis of dementia. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of older adults with dementia to engage with smart phone and tablet technologies and to determine the accuracy of a battery of CCS tasks to detect cognitive impairment in comparison with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Methods: Patients with mild-moderate dementia (n = 40) attending a university-linked day hospital and normal controls (n = 20) completed (i) a questionnaire detailing the frequency and breadth of their technology use, (ii) three commercially available CCS tasks, and (iii) the MoCA. Results: The three CCS tasks were completed by 85% (n = 34) of the patients with dementia and all controls; only 4 reported the task as ‘hard'. Those with dementia scored significantly lower on the CCS than controls (p < 0.001). CCS scores correlated with total MoCA scores (r = 0.78, p < 0.01). Further, the CCS scores significantly predicted MoCA scores, controlling for the effects of age, gender, educational attainment, and frequency of technology use (β = 0.71, p < 0.001), explaining 65.2% of the variance. Total CCS and MoCA scores (cut-off score <24) had similar sensitivity (94 and 95%, respectively) and accuracy (area under the curve 0.94 and 0.99, respectively, p = 0.5) in discriminating dementia from controls, though the CSS had lower specificity (60 vs. 100% for the MoCA). Conclusion: The participants had little difficulty self-administering the CCS, which is an oft-cited barrier to computerised testing in this population. Our results support the criterion and construct validity of a CCS versus the commonly used MoCA. Although further research is required, CCS for cognitive impairment may be useful in the community and, by prompting referral to specialist services, could lead to an earlier diagnosis of dementia.
Targeted Therapies in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Marmé Frederik , Schneeweiss Andreas
Published: June 2015

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease comprised of several biologically distinct subtypes. However, treatment is currently mainly relying on chemotherapy as there are no targeted therapies specifically approved for TNBC. Despite initial responses to chemotherapy, resistance frequently and rapidly develops and metastatic TNBC has a poor prognosis. New targeted approaches are, therefore, urgently needed. Currently, bevacizumab, a monoclonal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A antibody, is the only targeted agent with an approval for the therapy of metastatic breast cancer, but does not provide a specific benefit in the TNBC subtype. This review discusses the current clinical developments in targeted approaches for TNBC, including anti-angiogenic therapies, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and platinum salts, as well as novel strategies using immune-checkpoint inhibitors, which have recently demonstrated first promising results. Strategies focusing on specific subtypes of TNBC like anti-androgenic therapies for the luminal androgen receptor subtype (LAR) and others are also discussed.
Remodeling of Afferent Arterioles From Mice With Oxidative Stress Does Not Account for Increased Contractility but Does Limit Excessive Wall Stress
Authors: Li Lingli , Feng Di , Luo Zaiming , Welch William J. , Wilcox Christopher S. , Lai En Yin
Published: June 2015

Because superoxide dismutase (SOD) knockout enhances arteriolar remodeling and contractility, we hypothesized that remodeling enhances contractility. In the isolated and perfused renal afferent arterioles from SOD wild type (+/+) and gene-deleted mice, contractility was assessed from reductions in luminal diameter with perfusion pressure from 40 to 80 mm Hg (myogenic responses) or angiotensin II (10
–6
mol/L), remodeling from media:lumen area ratio, superoxide (O
2
·−
) and hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) from fluorescence microscopy, and wall stress from wall tension/wall thickness. Compared with +/+ strains, arterioles from SOD1−/−, SOD2+/−, and SOD3−/− mice developed significantly (
P
<0.05) more O
2
·−
with perfusion pressure and angiotensin II and significantly increased myogenic responses (SOD1−/−: −20.7±2.2% versus −12.7±1.6%; SOD2+/−: −7.4±1.3% versus −12.6±1.4%; and SOD3−/−: −9.1±1.9% versus −15.8±2.2%) and angiotensin II contractions and ≈2-fold increased media:lumen ratios. Media:lumen ratios correlated with myogenic responses (
r
2
=0.23;
P
<0.01), angiotensin II contractions (
r
2
=0.57;
P
<0.0001), and active wall tension (
r
2
=0.19;
P
<0.01), but not with active wall stress (
r
2
=0.08; NS). Differences in myogenic responses among SOD3 mice were abolished by bath addition of SOD and were increased 3 days after inducing SOD3 knockout (−26.9±1.7% versus −20.1±0.7%;
P
<0.05), despite unchanged media:lumen ratios (2.01±0.09 versus 2.02±0.03; NS). We conclude that cytosolic, mitochondrial, or extracellular O
2
·−
enhance afferent arteriolar contractility and remodeling. Although remodeling does not enhance contractility, it does prevent the potentially damaging effects of increased wall stress.
Activation of Central PPAR-γ Attenuates Angiotensin II–Induced Hypertension
Authors: Yu Yang , Xue Bao-Jian , Wei Shun-Guang , Zhang Zhi-Hua , Beltz Terry G. , Guo Fang , Johnson Alan Kim , Felder Robert B.
Published: June 2015

Inflammation and renin–angiotensin system activity in the brain contribute to hypertension through effects on fluid intake, vasopressin release, and sympathetic nerve activity. We recently reported that activation of brain peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR)-γ in heart failure rats reduced inflammation and renin–angiotensin system activity in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and ameliorated the peripheral manifestations of heart failure. We hypothesized that the activation of brain PPAR-γ might have beneficial effects in angiotensin II–induced hypertension. Sprague–Dawley rats received a 2-week subcutaneous infusion of angiotensin II (120 ng/kg per minute) combined with a continuous intracerebroventricular infusion of vehicle, the PPAR-γ agonist pioglitazone (3 nmol/h) or the PPAR-γ antagonist GW9662 (7 nmol/h). Angiotensin II+vehicle rats had increased mean blood pressure, increased sympathetic drive as indicated by the mean blood pressure response to ganglionic blockade, and increased water consumption. PPAR-γ mRNA in subfornical organ and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus was unchanged, but PPAR-γ DNA-binding activity was reduced. mRNA for interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, cyclooxygenase-2, and angiotensin II type 1 receptor was augmented in both nuclei, and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus neuronal activity was increased. The plasma vasopressin response to a 6-hour water restriction also increased. These responses to angiotensin II were exacerbated by GW9662 and ameliorated by pioglitazone, which increased PPAR-γ mRNA and PPAR-γ DNA-binding activity in subfornical organ and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Pioglitazone and GW9662 had no effects on control rats. The results suggest that activating brain PPAR-γ to reduce central inflammation and brain renin–angiotensin system activity may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of angiotensin II–dependent hypertension.
Language Membership Identification Precedes Semantic Access: Suppression during Bilingual Word Recognition
Authors: Hoversten Liv J. , Brothers Trevor , Swaab Tamara Y. , Traxler Matthew J.
Published: June 2015

Previous research suggests that bilingual comprehenders access lexical representations of words in both languages nonselectively. However, it is unclear whether global language suppression plays a role in guiding attention to target language representations during ongoing lexico-semantic processing. To help clarify this issue, this study examined the relative timing of language membership and meaning activation during visual word recognition. Spanish–English bilinguals performed simultaneous semantic and language membership classification tasks on single words during EEG recording. Go/no-go ERP latencies provided evidence that language membership information was accessed before semantic information. Furthermore, N400 frequency effects indicated that the depth of processing of words in the nontarget language was reduced compared to the target language. These results suggest that the bilingual brain can rapidly identify the language to which a word belongs and subsequently use this information to selectively modulate the degree of processing in each language accordingly.
Autobiographical Planning and the Brain: Activation and Its Modulation by Qualitative Features
Authors: Spreng R. Nathan , Gerlach Kathy D. , Turner Gary R. , Schacter Daniel L.
Published: June 2015

To engage in purposeful behavior, it is important to make plans, which organize subsequent actions. Most studies of planning involve “look-ahead” puzzle tasks that are unrelated to personal goals. We developed a task to assess autobiographical planning, which involves the formulation of personal plans in response to real-world goals, and examined autobiographical planning in 63 adults during fMRI scanning. Autobiographical planning was found to engage the default network, including medial-temporal lobe and midline structures, and executive control regions in lateral pFC and parietal cortex and caudate. To examine how specific qualitative features of autobiographical plans modulate neural activity, we performed parametric modulation analyses. Ratings of plan detail, novelty, temporal distance, ease of plan formulation, difficulty in goal completion, and confidence in goal accomplishment were used as covariates in six hierarchical linear regression models. This modeling procedure removed shared variance among the ratings, allowing us to determine the independent relationship between ratings of interest and trial-wise BOLD signal. We found that specific autobiographical planning, describing a detailed, achievable, and actionable planning process for attaining a clearly envisioned future, recruited both default and frontoparietal brain regions. In contrast, abstract autobiographical planning, plans that were constructed from more generalized semantic or affective representations of a less tangible and distant future, involved interactions among default, sensory perceptual, and limbic brain structures. Specific qualities of autobiographical plans are important predictors of default and frontoparietal control network engagement during plan formation and reflect the contribution of mnemonic and executive control processes to autobiographical planning.
The Thin Line between Failure and Success
Authors: Saari Sinikukka
Published: June 2015

Rather than attempt to change its decision-making procedures and aim at strengthened normativity, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (osce) should embrace its original purpose and design. This article argues that the Organisation is both competent and capable in conflict management. In particular in conflict management and resolution, the Organisation is both competent and capable in conflict management. As the case of alleged failure in Georgia demonstrates, the misses the osce had arrived not from the institutional design or decision-making procedures but rather from the weakness of its analytical capability and communication. Even if the osce Mission finished its work in Georgia in 2009, the organisation has continued to work on the conflict resolution on the local and on the political level, and it has succeeded in passing its expertise and knowledge to the European Union Monitoring Mission to Georgia.
A Contested Consensus Rule
Authors: Zagorski Andrei
Published: June 2015

The article tests the wisdom of amending the osce rule of consensus against past experiences of introducing a “consensus minus one” procedure, establishing mandatory cooperative “mechanisms” which can be triggered by a qualified minority of states, or introducing autonomously operating institutions. It argues that amending the consensus rule does not per se lead to a stronger Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. While the participating states could benefit from more independent osce institutions, decisions leading in that direction would need time to mature, particularly in the current political environment marked by the very low level of mutual trust within the osce.
One century after: a reappraisal of the gnathos (sensu Pierce, 1914)
in Larentiinae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)
Authors: SCHMIDT OLGA
Published: June 2015

One century ago, F.N. Pierce in his well-known monograph on the genitalia of Geometridae (Lepidoptera), divided the family into two major subdivisions, the Gnathoi and the Agnathoi, depending on the presence or absence of the gnathos in males. In his study, Pierce assigned the Larentiinae to the Agnathoi based on the apparent absence of the gnathos in this subfamily. A re-examination of the male genitalic characters of numerous larentiine species representing 14 different tribes provided, contrary to Pierce’s results, evidence for the presence of the gnathos in Larentiinae. Illustrations of the gnathos (or its remnants) in male genitalia of selected species are provided and the value of the uncus and gnathos for inferring phylogenetic relationships is discussed.
Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Marker of In-Hospital and Long-Term Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Ozcan Cetin Elif Hande , Cetin Mehmet Serkan , Aras Dursun , Topaloglu Serkan , Temizhan Ahmet , Kisacik Halil Lutfi , Aydogdu Sinan
Published: June 2015

We assessed the prognostic value of the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) on in-hospital and long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) in a large prospective study. Patients (n = 1938) admitted with acute STEMI within 12 hours of symptom onset and who underwent pPCI between January 2010 and January 2015 were followed up for 31.6 ± 16.2 months. During the in-hospital and long-term follow-up period, MACE, the prevalence of stent thrombosis, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and mortality were higher in the third PLR tertile group. A PLR in the third tertile had 2.4-fold increased risk of in-hospital MACE and 2.8-fold risk of long-term MACE. The PLR was significantly and positively correlated with peak creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) levels (r = 0.562, P < .001) and Gensini score (r = 0.408, P < .001). Kaplan-Meier analysis of long-term MACE-free survival revealed a higher occurrence of MACE in the third PLR tertile group compared to the other tertiles. In conclusion, the PLR may be a marker of inflammatory and prothrombotic status and predicted in-hospital and long-term MACE in a population with STEMI.
Work Reorganization in an Era of Restructuring: Trends in Diffusion and Effects on Employee Welfare
Authors: Osterman Paul
Published: June 2015

High Performance Work Organizations (HPWOs) took root in the early 1990s but then faced an environment of organizational turmoil and restructuring. This paper, drawing on a second-round survey of employers that replicated and extended a 1992 survey, addresses two questions: whether HPWO practices continued to spread, and whether their productivity and quality gains redounded to employees' benefit. The results show that HPWO practices continued to diffuse at a rapid rate between the 1992 and 1997 survey dates, although more slowly for self-managed teams than for other practices. With regard to the second question, however, the author finds that adoption of HPWO practices in 1992 was associated with increased layoff rates in subsequent years and no compensation gains. In addition, HPWO practices are linked to employment reorganization, such as reductions in contingent and managerial employment.
Organized Labor's Images of Multinational Enterprise: Divergent Foreign Investment Ideologies in Argentina, South Korea, and Spain
Authors: Guillén Mauro F.
Published: June 2015

This paper conceptualizes how organized labor in newly industrialized countries both responds to and shapes the presence of foreign multinationals. Four images of multinationals—as “villains,” “necessary evils,” “arm's length collaborators,” and “partners”—are documented and compared using evidence drawn from three countries during the 1950–99 period. Organized labor flatly opposed foreign multinationals early on, under authoritarian regimes, in all three countries—Argentina, South Korea, and Spain—but that stance shifted over time in divergent rather than convergent ways. In Argentina, organized labor alternately viewed multinationals as villains and as a necessary evil, and in Korea it deemed them fit for limited, arm's length collaboration. In Spain, by contrast, unions gradually shifted toward a willing acceptance of multinationals as partners. Organized labor's images of multinationals are found to have resulted from two key factors: democratic versus authoritarian political regimes, and modernizing versus populist labor union mentalities.
Reflections on the “High Performance” Paradigm's Implications for Industrial Relations as a Field
Authors: Godard John , Delaney John T.
Published: June 2015

Over the past decade, several leading U.S. scholars have advanced a new industrial relations paradigm, according to which “high performance” work and human resource management (HRM) practices have replaced unions and collective bargaining as the innovative force in industrial relations. Although this model fundamentally challenges the traditional focus of the field of industrial relations in the United States, research on it has centered on the diffusion and performance effects of HRM innovations, with surprisingly little systematic reflection on either the underlying tenets of the new paradigm or its implications for the future of the field. Drawing on work of British and U.S. scholars, the authors identify critical aspects of the literature on this subject that deserve careful scrutiny, and suggest several criteria (such as industrial democracy) that need to be used in addition to measures of firm performance in evaluating the new paradigm.
When Can an Employee Refuse Unsafe Work and Expect to Be Protected from Discipline? Evidence from Canada
Authors: Harcourt Mark , Harcourt Sondra
Published: June 2015

This paper examines 272 Canadian arbitration and labor relations board decisions involving employees who, when they refused work on the grounds that the work was unsafe, were disciplined by their employers. The authors' hypothesis is that boards treat the right to refuse unsafe work as secondary to management's right to manage. The results of the study confirm that the right to refuse was very restricted. Employees had to satisfy many rigid conditions to qualify for protection from discipline. These conditions appear to have been based on the notions that health and safety are properly management's prerogative and that obedience to management authority is essential to efficient production.
Prevailing Wage Laws and Construction Laborc Markets
Authors: Kessler Daniel P. , Katz Lawrence F.
Published: June 2015

Prevailing wage laws, which require that construction workers employed by private contractors on public projects be paid wages and benefits at least equal to those “prevailing” for similar work in or near the locality in which the project is located, have been the focus of an extensive policy debate. The authors, analyzing Current Population Survey data and Census data, find that the relative wages of construction workers decline slightly after the repeal of a state prevailing wage law. However, the small overall impact of law repeal masks substantial differences in outcomes for different groups of construction employees. Repeal is associated with a sizable reduction in the union wage premium and an appreciable narrowing of the black/non-black wage differential for construction workers.