bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In IgA Nephropathy, Glomerulosclerosis Is Associated with Increased Urinary CD80 Excretion and Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor-Positive Podocyturia
Authors: Trimarchi Hernán , Canzonieri Romina , Schiel Amalia , Costales-Collaguazo Cristian , Stern Aníbal , Paulero Matías , Rengel Tatiana , Andrews José , Iotti Alejandro , Forrester Mariano , Lombi Fernando , Pomeranz Vanesa , Iriarte Romina , Muryan Alexis , Zotta Elsa
Published: May 2017

Background: Podocyturia may determine the evolution to podocytopenia, glomerulosclerosis, and renal failure. According to the Oxford classification of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), the S1 lesion describes glomerulosclerosis. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) participates in podocyte attachment, while CD80 increases in glomerulosclerosis. We measured uPAR-positive urinary podocytes and urinary CD80 (uCD80) in controls and in IgAN subjects with M1E0S0T0 and M1E0S1T0 Oxford scores to assess a potential association between podocyturia, inflammation, and glomerulosclerosis. Methods: The groups were as follows: controls (G1), n = 20 and IgAN group (G2), n = 39, subdivided into M1E0S0T0 (G2A), n = 21 and M1E0S1T0 (G2B), n = 18. Among the included variables, we determined uPAR-positive podocytes/gram of urinary creatinine (gUrCr) and uCD80 ng/gUrCr. Biopsies with interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy <10% were included. Results: Groups were not different in age and gender; urinary protein-creatinine (uP/C) ratio, Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation, uPAR-positive podocytes/gUrCr, and uCD80 were significantly increased in G2 versus G1. G2A and G2B were not different in age, gender, hypertension, and follow-up. G2B displayed significantly higher uP/C, uPAR-positive podocytes, uCD80, and lower CKD-EPI versus G2A. Strong significant correlations were encountered between uCD80 and podocyturia in G2A and G2B. However, when G1 was compared to G2A and G2B separately, the differences with respect to uP/C, uPAR-positive podocytes, and podocyturia were significantly stronger versus G2B than versus G2A. Conclusions: IgAN presents elevated uCD80 excretion and uPAR-positive podocyturia, while CD80 correlates with podocyturia. Glomerulosclerosis (S1) at the time of biopsy is associated with higher uP/C, lower renal function, increased uPAR-positive podocyturia, and CD80 excretion, and is independent of M1. In IgAN, uPAR may participate in podocyte detachment.
1-CMDb: A Curated Database of Genomic Variations of the One-Carbon Metabolism Pathway
Authors: Bhat Manoj K. , Gadekar Veerendra P. , Jain Aditya , Paul Bobby , Rai Padmalatha S. , Satyamoorthy Kapaettu
Published: May 2017

Background: The one-carbon metabolism pathway is vital in maintaining tissue homeostasis by driving the critical reactions of folate and methionine cycles. A myriad of genetic and epigenetic events mark the rate of reactions in a tissue-specific manner. Integration of these to predict and provide personalized health management requires robust computational tools that can process multiomics data. The DNA sequences that may determine the chain of biological events and the endpoint reactions within one-carbon metabolism genes remain to be comprehensively recorded. Hence, we designed the one-carbon metabolism database (1-CMDb) as a platform to interrogate its association with a host of human disorders. Methods: DNA sequence and network information of a total of 48 genes were extracted from a literature survey and KEGG pathway that are involved in the one-carbon folate-mediated pathway. The information generated, collected, and compiled for all these genes from the UCSC genome browser included the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), CpGs, copy number variations (CNVs), and miRNAs, and a comprehensive database was created. Furthermore, a significant correlation analysis was performed for SNPs in the pathway genes. Results: Detailed data of SNPs, CNVs, CpG islands, and miRNAs for 48 folate pathway genes were compiled. The SNPs in CNVs (9670), CpGs (984), and miRNAs (14) were also compiled for all pathway genes. The SIFT score, the prediction and PolyPhen score, as well as the prediction for each of the SNPs were tabulated and represented for folate pathway genes. Also included in the database for folate pathway genes were the links to 124 various phenotypes and disease associations as reported in the literature and from publicly available information. Conclusion: A comprehensive database was generated consisting of genomic elements within and among SNPs, CNVs, CpGs, and miRNAs of one-carbon metabolism pathways to facilitate (a) single source of information and (b) integration into large-genome scale network analysis to be developed in the future by the scientific community. The database can be accessed at http://slsdb.manipal.edu/ocm/.
Descriptive Epidemiology of Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Greece: A Study of 152 Cases
Authors: Katoulis Alexandros C. , Liakou Aikaterini I. , Rotsiamis Nikolaos , Bonovas Stefanos , Bozi Evangelia , Rallis Efstathios , Christodoulou Christos , Rigopoulos Dimitrios
Published: May 2017

Background/Objective: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that remarkably affects the patients' quality of life. A prospective study of 152 HS patients was conducted in order to depict the clinico-epidemiological characteristics of HS patients in Greece. Materials and Methods: From February 2015 to August 2016, 152 patients attended the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Outpatient Clinic of our department. The most important clinico-epidemiological data of the patients were registered. Descriptive statistics and an ordered logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: Of the 152 patients, 60.5% were females. Their median age was 37 years. A total of 26.3% of the patients suffered from Hurley stage I, 44.7% from Hurley stage II, and 29.0% from Hurley stage III. The median duration of disease was 9 years. The most common site of involvement was the groins. The mean Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was higher for Hurley stage III. In multivariable analysis, only the body mass index was found to independently predict the disease severity. Conclusion: Among the factors examined, the body mass index appears to independently predict the disease severity. Quality of life evaluation revealed a stronger impact compared to the international experience. To our knowledge, this is the first descriptive epidemiological study among HS patients in Greece.
Donor-Specific Anti-Human Leukocyte Antigens Antibodies, Acute Rejection, Renal Function, and Histology in Kidney Transplant Recipients Receiving Tacrolimus and Everolimus
Authors: Ferreira Alexandra , Felipe Claudia , Cristelli Marina , Viana Laila , Basso Geovana , Stopa Suelen , Mansur Juliana , Ivani Mayara , Bessa Adrieli , Ruppel Priscila , Aguiar Wilson , Campos Erika , Gerbase-DeLima Maria , Proença Henrique , Tedesco-Silva Helio , Medina-Pestana José
Published: May 2017

Background: This analysis compared efficacy, renal function, and histology in kidney transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus (TAC) combined with everolimus (EVR) or mycophenolate (MPS). Methods: This was a retrospective analysis from a randomized trial in kidney transplant recipients who received a single 3 mg/kg dose of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (r-ATG), TAC, EVR, and prednisone (PRED; r-ATG/EVR, n = 85), basiliximab (BAS), TAC, EVR, and PRED (BAS/EVR, n = 102) or BAS, TAC, MPS, and PRED (BAS/MPS, n = 101). We evaluated the incidence of de novo donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigens antibodies (DSA) and histology on protocol biopsies at 12 months, and the incidence of acute rejection, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria at 36 months. Results: At 12 months, there were no differences in de novo DSA (6.4 vs. 3.4 vs. 5.5%) or in subclinical inflammation (2.0 vs. 4.8 vs. 10.2%), interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (57.1 vs. 58.5 vs. 53.8%) and C4d deposition (2.0 vs. 7.3 vs. 2.6%). At 36 months, there were no differences in the incidence of treatment failure (19.0 vs. 27.7 vs. 27.7%, p = 0.186), first biopsy-proven acute rejection (9.5 vs. 21.8 vs. 16.8%, p = 0.073), and urine protein/creatinine ratios (0.53 ± 1.05 vs. 0.62 ± 0.75 vs. 0.71 ± 1.24). eGFR was lower in the BAS/EVR compared to that in the BAS/MPS group (53.4 ± 20.9 vs. 50.8 ± 19.5 vs. 60.7 ± 21.2 mL/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.017) but comparable using a sensitive analysis (49.5 ± 23 vs. 47.5 ± 22.6 vs. 53.6 ± 27.8 mL/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.207). Conclusion: In this cohort, the use of EVR and reduced TAC concentrations were associated with comparable efficacy, renal function, and histological parameters compared to the standard-of-care immunosuppressive regimen.
Contemporary Trends in Oral Anticoagulant Prescription in Atrial Fibrillation Patients at Low to Moderate Risk of Stroke After Guideline-Recommended Change in Use of the CHADS
2
to the CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc Score for Thromboembolic Risk Assessment
Authors: Katz David F. , Maddox Thomas M. , Turakhia Mintu , Gehi Anil , O’Brien Emily C. , Lubitz Steven A. , Turchin Alexander , Doros Gheorghe , Lei Lanyu , Varosy Paul , Marzec Lucas , Hsu Jonathan C.
Published: May 2017

Background—

Use of the CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc score instead of the CHADS
2
score for thromboembolic risk stratification and initiation of oral anticoagulation (OAC) was recommended in the 2014 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Heart Rhythm Society atrial fibrillation (AF) guidelines. We sought to define the proportion of patients with AF qualifying for and receiving OAC in contemporary practice by applying the CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc score to patients with a low CHADS
2
score.

Methods and Results—

Among patients with AF enrolled in the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry’s outpatient Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence registry (2008–2014) CHADS
2
score of 0 or 1, we calculated the impact of adoption of the CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc score on the proportion of patients with an indication for OAC. We examined trends in prescription of OAC overall, direct OAC (dabigatran/rivaroxaban/apixaban), and multivariable associations between clinical characteristics and OAC use. Of 346 068 patients with AF aged 65±12 years, 61% were men and 65% were white. In total, 24% of those with CHADS
2
=0 and 81% of those with a CHADS
2
=1 were reclassified as having a definite indication for OAC (CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc score ≥2). OAC use increased from 37% to 48% during the study period, and direct OAC use increased from 5% to 30%. Increasing CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc score (odds ratio, 2.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.97–2.19 for score of 4 versus 0) and rhythm control strategy (odds ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.30–1.39) were associated with increased OAC use.

Conclusions—

Adoption of the CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc score reclassifies 64.5% of patients with AF with low CHADS
2
scores into a class I indication for OAC prescription. Overall OAC prescription increased between 2011 and 2014.
Protein-Truncating Variants at the Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein Gene and Risk for Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Nomura Akihiro , Won Hong-Hee , Khera Amit V. , Takeuchi Fumihiko , Ito Kaoru , McCarthy Shane , Emdin Connor A. , Klarin Derek , Natarajan Pradeep , Zekavat Seyedeh M. , Gupta Namrata , Peloso Gina M. , Borecki Ingrid B. , Teslovich Tanya M. , Asselta Rosanna , Duga Stefano , Merlini Piera A. , Correa Adolfo , Kessler Thorsten , Wilson James G. , Bown Matthew J. , Hall Alistair S. , Braund Peter S. , Carey David J. , Murray Michael F. , Kirchner H. Lester , Leader Joseph B. , Lavage Daniel R. , Manus J. Neil , Hartze Dustin N. , Samani Nilesh J. , Schunkert Heribert , Marrugat Jaume , Elosua Roberto , McPherson Ruth , Farrall Martin , Watkins Hugh , Juang Jyh-Ming J. , Hsiung Chao A. , Lin Shih-Yi , Wang Jun-Sing , Tada Hayato , Kawashiri Masa-aki , Inazu Akihiro , Yamagishi Masakazu , Katsuya Tomohiro , Nakashima Eitaro , Nakatochi Masahiro , Yamamoto Ken , Yokota Mitsuhiro , Momozawa Yukihide , Rotter Jerome I. , Lander Eric S. , Rader Daniel J. , Danesh John , Ardissino Diego , Gabriel Stacey , Willer Cristen J. , Abecasis Goncalo R. , Saleheen Danish , Kubo Michiaki , Kato Norihiro , Ida Chen Yii-Der , Dewey Frederick E. , Kathiresan Sekar
Published: May 2017

Rationale
:

Therapies that inhibit CETP (cholesteryl ester transfer protein) have failed to demonstrate a reduction in risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). Human DNA sequence variants that truncate the
CETP
gene may provide insight into the efficacy of CETP inhibition.

Objective:

To test whether protein-truncating variants (PTVs) at the
CETP
gene were associated with plasma lipid levels and CHD.

Methods and Results:

We sequenced the exons of the
CETP
gene in 58 469 participants from 12 case–control studies (18 817 CHD cases, 39 652 CHD-free controls). We defined PTV as those that lead to a premature stop, disrupt canonical splice sites, or lead to insertions/deletions that shift frame. We also genotyped 1 Japanese-specific PTV in 27561 participants from 3 case–control studies (14 286 CHD cases, 13 275 CHD-free controls). We tested association of
CETP
PTV carrier status with both plasma lipids and CHD. Among 58 469 participants with
CETP
gene-sequencing data available, average age was 51.5 years and 43% were women; 1 in 975 participants carried a PTV at the
CETP
gene. Compared with noncarriers, carriers of PTV at
CETP
had higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (effect size, 22.6 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval, 18–27;
P
<1.0×10
−4
), lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−12.2 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval, −23 to −0.98;
P
=0.033), and lower triglycerides (−6.3%; 95% confidence interval, −12 to −0.22;
P
=0.043).
CETP
PTV carrier status was associated with reduced risk for CHD (summary odds ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.54–0.90;
P
=5.1×10
−3
).

Conclusions:

Compared with noncarriers, carriers of PTV at
CETP
displayed higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lower triglycerides, and lower risk for CHD.
Elevated Adenosine Induces Placental DNA Hypomethylation Independent of A2B Receptor Signaling in Preeclampsia
Authors: Huang Aji , Wu Hongyu , Iriyama Takayuki , Zhang Yujin , Sun Kaiqi , Song Anren , Liu Hong , Peng Zhangzhe , Tang Lili , Lee Minjung , Huang Yun , Ni Xin , Kellems Rodney E. , Xia Yang
Published: May 2017

Preeclampsia is a prevalent pregnancy hypertensive disease with both maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Emerging evidence indicates that global placental DNA hypomethylation is observed in patients with preeclampsia and is linked to altered gene expression and disease development. However, the molecular basis underlying placental epigenetic changes in preeclampsia remains unclear. Using 2 independent experimental models of preeclampsia, adenosine deaminase–deficient mice and a pathogenic autoantibody-induced mouse model of preeclampsia, we demonstrate that elevated placental adenosine not only induces hallmark features of preeclampsia but also causes placental DNA hypomethylation. The use of genetic approaches to express an adenosine deaminase minigene specifically in placentas, or adenosine deaminase enzyme replacement therapy, restored placental adenosine to normal levels, attenuated preeclampsia features, and abolished placental DNA hypomethylation in adenosine deaminase–deficient mice. Genetic deletion of CD73 (an ectonucleotidase that converts AMP to adenosine) prevented the elevation of placental adenosine in the autoantibody-induced preeclampsia mouse model and ameliorated preeclampsia features and placental DNA hypomethylation. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that elevated placental adenosine–mediated DNA hypomethylation predominantly occurs in spongiotrophoblasts and labyrinthine trophoblasts and that this effect is independent of A2B adenosine receptor activation in both preeclampsia models. Extending our mouse findings to humans, we used cultured human trophoblasts to demonstrate that adenosine functions intracellularly and induces DNA hypomethylation without A2B adenosine receptor activation. Altogether, both mouse and human studies reveal novel mechanisms underlying placental DNA hypomethylation and potential therapeutic approaches for preeclampsia.
Studying Religion and Trying Theological Applications
Authors: Oviedo Lluis
Published: May 2017

John Shook’s paperAre People Born to be Believers?raises many questions, for the scientific study of religion and for philosophy and theology. For reasons of convenience this response distinguishes in the target article between three quite different issues and deals with them separately: first issue concerns the supposed innateness of religious beliefs, or some precursor of them; second, the possible theological application that such thesis could entail; and third, a more general and methodological issue, concerns the feasibility of a scientific knowledge about religion that can be disentangled from other sources of religious insight
Lucky Triune Brain
Authors: Pogliano Claudio
Published: May 2017

The triune brain idea has been rated as the most influential in post-war neuroscience. The first part of this article seeks to retrace its genesis and development through the vicissitudes of the research conducted by Paul D. MacLean (1913–2007). Ten years have passed since his death: despite the loss of scientific credit, the apparent simplicity of his tripartite theory continues to exert a certain popular appeal. In the second part of the article an attempt is made to figure out how the transfer from the laboratory to public fruition could happen. The man initially responsible for the operation was MacLean himself, then aided by a few followers who had the means to spread his message of salvation. Against the background of the Cold War, and while Western culture started to realize the threat posed by overpopulation, pollution, and the exhaustion of critical resources, they deluded themselves that “knowing the brain” might suggest new and more effective approaches to the troubles of the oncoming end of the century. Consulting MacLean’s papers in the archives at the National Library of Medicine (Bethesda, MD) has been essential to this historical reconstruction.
It Blinks, It Thinks?
Authors: Lysen Flora
Published: May 2017

This article traces attempts in the 1930s to create a spatio-temporal model of the active, living brain. Images and models of electric, illuminated displays – derived from electro-technology and engineering – allowed for a changing imaginary of a brain that was immediately accessible. The example of the Luminous Brain Model, a three-dimensional science education model, demonstrates how the visual language of illumination could serve as a flexible rhetorical tool that offered sensations of liveliness to modern viewers and promised to show a transparent view of a dynamic brain. Alternatively, various scientists in the 1930s used the analogy of the brain as an illuminated electric news ticker to conceptualize temporal patterns of changing brain activity, thus drawing the brain into a new metropolitan sphere of material surfaces with real-time mediation. These two historical imaginaries of blinking brains reveal new trajectories of the ‘metaphorical circuits’ through which technology and cerebral biology are mutually articulated.
A New Ceratostylis (Orchidaceae) Species From Bukidnon, Philippines
Authors: DE LEON MIGUEL DAVID , NAIVE MARK ARCEBAL , COOTES JIM
Published: May 2017

A new Ceratostylis species from the Kalatungan Mountain Range, one of the mountains of Bukidnon that needs further exploration, is described and illustrated. Morphological diagnostic characters of related species of the genus are discussed. Though similar to C. elmeri, the new species is clearly distinguished by the size of the flower and by its uniquely small size labellum. It is also similar to C. philippinensis, however, it can be recognized by having a marked difference in the shape of the lip, sepals, and petals.
New combinations in Agave (Asparagaceae): A. amica, A. nanchititlensis, and A. quilae
Authors: THIEDE JOACHIM , GOVAERTS RAFAËL
Published: May 2017

Phylogenetic studies of Agave Linnaeus (1753: 323) and related genera (Asparagaceae, Agavoideae) thus far published were based either on molecular (Bogler & Simpson 1996; Bogler et al. 2006; Good-Ávila et al. 2006; Scheinvar et al. 2017) or on morphological data (Hernández-Sandoval 1995; Tambutti in Eguiarte et al. 2006). Most studies showed that the genera Manfreda Salisbury (1866: 78), Polianthes Linnaeus (1753: 316) and Prochnyanthes Watson (1887: 457) are nested within the large genus Agave, thus rendering Agave as traditionally circumscribed (= Agave s.str.) paraphyletic. The sole study in which Manfreda, Polianthes and Prochnyanthes grouped separate from and not nested within Agave is the molecular AFLP study of Gil-Vega et al. (2007).
Morphology of Adlafia taxa (Bacillariophyta, Cymbellaceae), with proposition of two new species from Brazil
Authors: TUSSET EDUARDO A. , TREMARIN PRISCILA I. , STRAUBE ARIELLI , LUDWIG THELMA A.V.
Published: May 2017

Six species of Adlafia Moser, Lange-Bertalot et Metzeltin from Brazilian freshwater environments were investigated under light and electron microscopes. Two new taxa are described. Adlafia decora Tusset, Tremarin & T. Ludwig is characterized mainly by linear-lanceolate valves and rostrate ends, and A. triundulata Tusset, Tremarin & T. Ludwig shows triundulate linear valves contour and subcapitate apices.
Water beetles from the Bokkeveld Plateau: a semi-arid hotspot of freshwater biodiversity in the Northern Cape of South Africa
Authors: BILTON DAVID T.
Published: May 2017

The Bokkeveld Plateau in the Northern Cape of South Africa supports a complex transition zone between the fynbos and succulent karoo biomes on the margins of Namaqualand. A combination of regular winter rainfall, geology and strong rainfall gradients mean that the region supports a diverse and highly endemic flora. Recent sampling of aquatic beetles in the Bokkeveld demonstrates that this region also has a diverse freshwater fauna, including a number of apparent endemics. Five new species of Hydraenidae (Pterosthetops chrysomallus sp. nov., Parastetops porcellus sp. nov., Mesoceration castaneum sp. nov., M. chasmum sp. nov., and M. sabulosum sp. nov.) are described from the Bokkeveld, and new records provided for 68 other water beetle taxa recorded during recent fieldwork in the region, 28 of which are new to Northern Cape Province. Most of the newly described species are relatively common in the region, suggesting that additional taxa may remain undetected in this apparent hotspot of freshwater diversity.
A new species of Trachylepis (Squamata: Scincidae) from Central Africa and a key to the Trachylepis of West and Central Africa
Authors: ALLEN KAITLIN E. , N. WALTER P. TAPONDJOU , WELTON LUKE J. , BAUER AARON M.
Published: May 2017

A new species of skink, Trachylepis gonwouoi sp. nov. is described from Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo. It differs from all other species of Trachylepis in Central-West Africa by a combination of number of keels on dorsal scales (3–5); moderate SVL (maximum size of 80 mm); number of scale rows at midbody (28–34); number of supracilliaries (6–10); a well defined lateral white stripe, bordered by black, extending from under the eye to the insertion of the hind limb; and a ventral color in life of bright blue-green. Trachylepis gonwouoi sp. nov. was found in association with disturbed forest at elevations from 50 to 1050m. This species is syntopic with T. affinis and T. maculilabris. In order to aid in the identification of Trachylepis in West and Central Africa with the addition of T. gonwouoi sp. nov., we provide an updated key to the Trachylepis found from Mauritania through the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This key combines previous literature that treated Western and Central African taxa separately and represents the most comprehensive key for Trachylepis in West-Central Africa to date.
Los phisicos modernos quasi todos son copernicanos: Copernicanism and its Discontents in Colonial Río De La Plata
Authors: de Asúa Miguel
Published: May 2017

This paper distinguishes four perspectives in the process of reception of Copernicanism in colonial Rio de la Plata: (1) the discussion of the systems of the world in the University of Córdoba by the Jesuits until 1767, (2) the treatment of this topic by the Franciscans in Córdoba and in their convent school in Buenos Aires, (3) the teaching by the secular clergy in the Colegio de San Carlos in the same city, and (4) the celebration of Copernicus by the enlightened naval engineer Pedro Cerviño in the Nautical School of the Consulado de Buenos Aires. The examination of these cases on the basis of manuscript sources and colonial printings shows that the reception of Copernican theory was an erratic process rich in incidences.
“I Still Continue Convinced”: Expecting the Great Comet of 1848
Authors: Carter Christopher
Published: May 2017

Historical data play a crucial role in fields such as astronomy, providing accounts of past celestial phenomena that may not be predictable such as the appearance of novae, meteors and comets. Astronomers have made use of such information in their efforts to reconstruct past events; however, the reliability of these data and the willingness of astronomers to accept them have created difficulties. The expected comet of 1848 provides an example of the tendency of astronomers to utilize only the medieval data which fit their preexisting theories while discarding observations that challenged their assumptions. The resulting failure of the predicted comet to appear demonstrates the limitation of this selective use of historical data.
The Scientific Culture of the Baltic Mathematician, Physician, and Calendar-Maker Laurentius Eichstadt (1596–1660)
Authors: Daniel Omodeo Pietro
Published: May 2017

This paper is devoted to Laurentius Eichstadt, a Baltic astronomer of the generation between Tycho and Hevelius. As a calendar-maker, Eichstadt used and tested the astronomical tables and the planetary theories of his elder contemporaries, Longomontanus and Kepler; as a town physician and gymnasium professor, he taught mathematics and astronomy alongside medicine and natural philosophy in Stettin and Gdańsk. Eichstadt’s indefatigable engagement with theory, practice, and teaching is marked by his continuous reassessment, adjustment, and revision of views in astronomy, physics, and metaphysics, aimed at bringing these fields in better agreement with each other and with empirical observation. Eichstadt’s critical attitude did not prevent him from remaining committed to his scholastic legacy. As a matter of fact, his creative reworking and teaching of astronomy and philosophy bear witness to the long vitality of the northern European scientific tradition rooted in Melanchthonian literacy and Aristotelian philosophy. The work and conceptions of this participant in the astronomical debates of the early seventeenth century offers us an insight into the complex interplay of technical astronomy and metaphysical discourse in a time of transition from a geometrical approach to planetary theory resting on Aristotelian metaphysics to a post-Keplerian physical–mathematical science unifying heavens and earth.
History and Critical Analysis of Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century Nautical Tables
Authors: van der Werf Siebren
Published: May 2017

Analysis of fifteenth- and sixteenth-century solar tables which have been used in navigation, and of declination tables derived from them, reveals that much of the accepted history needs revision. In particular, the celebrated astronomical tables of Abraham Zacut contain systematic and accidental errors by which later tables may be identified as derived from them. The tables of Pedro Nunez and Martín Cortes are not their own, but have been copied from those of Philipp Imsser, which are usually, but incorrectly, attributed to his predecessor Johannes Stöffler. William Bourne used an incorrect conversion table to calculate his declinations and had to manipulate his data to hide it. Pedro de Medina’s Dutch translation by Marten Everaert has declination tables that fit neither the Alfonsine nor the Copernican scheme and are inconsistent within themselves. Also, the declination tables of Lucas Jansz. Waghenaer need amendment and those of Willem Jansz Blaeu are older than he suggests himself. The absolute accuracy of declination tables is assessed in retrospect by comparison with modern celestial mechanics programmes.
Critiquing Un/Critical Pedagogies to Move Toward a Pedagogy of Responsibility in Teacher Education
Authors: Berchini Christina N.
Published: May 2017

Transformative work with teacher candidates relies on a critique of the tenets of Critical Pedagogy and subsequent Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS). I employ analyses of extant scholarship to argue that these specific domains, as popularly framed, might be responsible for uncritical examinations of the White teacher education students who devotedly enroll in our courses and trust their teachers to treat them fairly, responsibly, and with care. I then entwine relevant research on White privilege pedagogies with my own narrative to argue that taking on the problem of Whiteness in teacher education seems to have inspired an uncritical pedagogy of harmful generalizations. To conclude, I reconceptualize the application of White privilege pedagogies for more complex, systemic examination, and argue that if we are to move beyond a pedagogy of dismantling students, more work which openly and honestly grapples with paradoxes, double binds, and contexts of Whiteness is needed.
Spatial mismatch beyond black and white: Levels and determinants of job access among Asian and Hispanic subpopulations
Authors: Easley Janeria
Published: May 2017

United States (US) based research suggests that distance between residency and employment constrains labour market outcomes for black Americans. Work on this phenomenon, termed spatial mismatch, suggests that residential segregation from whites shapes labour market outcomes among blacks by restricting access to job-dense suburbs. However, few studies examine patterns and drivers of spatial mismatch among Asian and Hispanic subpopulations. Using data on job counts from the 2010 Zip Code Business Patterns data set and on population counts from the 2010 US decennial Censuses, I estimate spatial mismatch for the largest ethnoracial groups in the USA: black, white, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese Americans. To measure spatial mismatch, I create indices of dissimilarity between jobs and residency for all Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) with available data. Estimates of spatial mismatch based on panethnic categories mask subpopulation heterogeneity. Most subgroups experience higher spatial mismatch than indicated by the panethnic category. The results also show novel racial differences: the average Vietnamese and Cuban American experience higher spatial mismatch than the average black American. Segregation from whites is a central predictor of exposure to spatial mismatch across all minority groups, though findings suggest that this relationship is not driven by suburbanisation.
Looking for big ‘fry’: The motives and methods of middle-class international property investors
Authors: Ho Hang Kei , Atkinson Rowland
Published: May 2017

Anxieties about the effects of international property investment in world cities like London have mainly focused on super-rich investors and corporate vehicles that have generated price inflation of assets and accelerated exclusion from an already expensive market. In fact, many international investors in the city’s housing market are middle-class individuals, and focusing on Hong Kong as an emblematic example of such processes, we examine their motives and the products offered to them by important investment intermediaries. We find that an important rationale for these investments lies in local class-based uncertainties and existential anxieties concerning the future of Hong Kong itself. We focus on the cultural roots of these investor rationalities but also consider the role of investment intermediaries who have helped bolster confidence while shielding investors from the consequences of their aggregated market power – concerns in London over household displacement from foreign investment. We suggest that what may seem to be the predatory search to ‘fry’ property (炒樓), a Hongkonger colloquialism referring to the search for high performing investments, should also be understood as actions anchored in and generated by the habitus of the Hong Kong middle class whose lives have been moulded by historical geopolitical uncertainty and worries about its longer-term social positioning and security.
Networking South Korea: Internet, nation, and new subjects
Authors: Yang Sunyoung
Published: May 2017

Korea is one of a few jurisdictions which set up the Internet domestically in the early days of Internet development and has since continued to be a breeding ground for global Internet trends. In this article, I challenge attempts to construct a coherent narrative of Korea’s Internet prowess by looking at the locatable sources from which different subject positions emerged. My analysis focuses on the ways that coherent national histories emerged with mediatized subjects. I first analyze nationalist popular discourse, focusing on the media discourses of becoming an information-based society through a process of ‘informatization’ ( chŏngbohwa) from a leading national newspaper. Second, I examine a counter-subject that emerged through online communities. The phenomenon of the ‘Internet freak’ ( int’ŏnet p’yein) drew attention to Koreans who had been called on to become Internet users, but who had failed to comply with the circulated image of the successful Internet user. I argue that the reflexivity of Internet freaks as ambivalent subjects enables us to intervene in attempts to project Korean Internet development in terms of a coherent narrative emphasizing national prosperity and rose-tinted promises of the information society.
Electoral authoritarianism and weak states in Africa: The role of parties versus presidents in Tanzania and Cameroon
Authors: Morse Yonatan L
Published: May 2017

State capacity is arguably an essential factor that stabilizes electoral authoritarian rule. Yet, in the context of sub-Saharan Africa many measures of state capacity are generally weak. What therefore explains the persistence of electoral authoritarianism in Africa? This study provides a comparison of Tanzania and Cameroon to highlight two divergent reactions to the problem of power consolidation in Africa. In Cameroon, a centralized presidency and comparatively large coercive apparatus underpinned a strong patrimonial state. By contrast, in Tanzania the ruling party became an institution that integrated elites and appeared to subsume the state. These regime configurations stabilized electoral authoritarianism in unique ways, and led to different dependence on the state during elections. The study sheds new light on contemporary Africa, and the diverse sources of authoritarian resilience in the face of multiparty elections.
Cluster Analysis in Nursing Research: An Introduction, Historical Perspective, and Future Directions
Authors: Dunn Heather , Quinn Laurie , Corbridge Susan J. , Eldeirawi Kamal , Kapella Mary , Collins Eileen G.
Published: May 2017

The use of cluster analysis in the nursing literature is limited to the creation of classifications of homogeneous groups and the discovery of new relationships. As such, it is important to provide clarity regarding its use and potential. The purpose of this article is to provide an introduction to distance-based, partitioning-based, and model-based cluster analysis methods commonly utilized in the nursing literature, provide a brief historical overview on the use of cluster analysis in nursing literature, and provide suggestions for future research. An electronic search included three bibliographic databases, PubMed, CINAHL and Web of Science. Key terms were cluster analysis and nursing. The use of cluster analysis in the nursing literature is increasing and expanding. The increased use of cluster analysis in the nursing literature is positioning this statistical method to result in insights that have the potential to change clinical practice.
School Adjustment and Substance Use in Early Adolescent Boys: Association With Paternal Alcoholism With and Without Dad in the Home
Authors: Carbonneau Rene , Vitaro Frank , Tremblay Richard E.
Published: May 2017

The present study examined the association of paternal alcoholism with early adolescent boys’ school adjustment and substance use, and its moderation by paternal absence, controlling for parents’ socioeconomic resources. A community sample of 653 urban, low socioeconomic status (SES) families from Montreal, Canada, was assessed and information collected from parents, teachers, and adolescents’ self-reports, and school records. Paternal alcoholism was significantly associated with boys’ lower academic performance, lower grades, higher frequency of tobacco, marijuana and hard drugs use, of getting drunk, and using a variety of hard drugs. However, the separation from the alcoholic father represented a significant factor of moderation in regard to boys’ substance use: Sons of alcoholic fathers living with their dad in intact families were more likely to use tobacco and marijuana, to get drunk, and to use a variety of hard drugs than their peers not living with their alcoholic father, whether in single-mother or stepfamilies.
Revisiting the Relationship Between Marketing Education and Marketing Career Success
Authors: Bacon Donald R.
Published: May 2017

In a replication of a classic article by Hunt, Chonko, and Wood, regression analysis was conducted using data from a sample of 864 marketing professionals. In contrast to Hunt, Chonko, and Wood, an undergraduate degree in marketing was positively related to income in marketing jobs, but surprisingly, respondents with some nonmarketing majors earned about the same as marketing majors in marketing jobs. Satisfaction with a marketing career was not significantly related to academic major. The income regression model explained 30% of the variance in marketing income, which is an improvement over the earlier study, but also indicates that most of the variance in marketing success is not explained by education. Implications are discussed.
Performance-Based Outcomes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Professional Athletes Differ Between Sports
Authors: Mai Harry T. , Chun Danielle S. , Schneider Andrew D. , Erickson Brandon J. , Freshman Ryan D. , Kester Benjamin , Verma Nikhil N. , Hsu Wellington K.
Published: May 2017

Background:

Excellent outcomes have been reported for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) in professional athletes in a number of different sports. However, no study has directly compared these outcomes between sports.

Purpose:

To determine if differences in performance-based outcomes exist after ACLR between professional athletes of each sport.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Baseball (MLB) athletes undergoing primary ACLR for an acute rupture were identified through an established protocol of injury reports and public archives. Sport-specific performance statistics were collected before and after surgery for each athlete. Return to play (RTP) was defined as a successful return to the active roster for at least 1 regular-season game after ACLR.

Results:

Of 344 professional athletes who met the inclusion criteria, a total of 298 (86.6%) returned to play. NHL players had a significantly higher rate of RTP (95.8% vs 83.4%, respectively; P = .04) and a shorter recovery time (258 ± 110 days vs 367 ± 268 days, respectively; P < .001) than athletes in all the other sports. NFL athletes experienced significantly shorter careers postoperatively than players in all the other sports (2.1 vs 3.2 years, respectively; P < .001). All athletes played fewer games ( P ≤ .02) 1 season postoperatively, while those in the NFL had the lowest rate of active players 2 and 3 seasons postoperatively (60%; P = .002). NBA and NFL players showed decreased performance at season 1 after ACLR ( P ≤ .001). NFL players continued to have lower performance at seasons 2 and 3 ( P = .002), while NBA players recovered to baseline performance.

Conclusion:

The data indicate that NFL athletes fare the worst after ACLR with the lowest survival rate, shortest postoperative career length, and sustained decreases in performance. NHL athletes fare the best with the highest rates of RTP, highest survival rates, longest postoperative career lengths, and no significant changes in performance. The unique physical demand that each sport requires is likely one of the explanations for these differences in outcomes.
Areas of Control Desired by Patients and Families Referred to Hospice Care: Perspectives of Hospice Admissions Staff
Authors: Noh Hyunjin
Published: May 2017

Sense of control in end-of-life (EOL) care plays a critical role in the patient’s well-being. However, little is known about the areas of control essential to patients and families at a specific time point in the illness trajectory: when patients stop curative treatments and are referred to hospice. This study qualitatively explored such areas. Sixteen admissions staff members from four hospice agencies were interviewed about their perceptions of areas in which patients and families worried about losing control by accepting hospice. The thematic analysis revealed four areas of control: changes to medical care, health care provider changes, use of life-sustaining treatments, and daily life. Participants of this study put a great emphasis on consistently communicating their willingness to honor patients’ and families’ control over their care decisions and lives. Future research should examine control in EOL care among diverse populations and effectiveness of hospice staff’s strategies to address desire for control.
The Virtual Short Physical Performance Battery: Psychometric Properties and Validation in Older Adults With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Bollaert Rachel E. , Marsh Anthony P. , Cutter Gary R. , Motl Robert W.
Published: May 2017

Background: There are increasing numbers of older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) who undergo declines in physical function that require attention of clinicians and researchers. Objective and perceived measures of disablement feasible for clinical and residential settings, such as the Short Physical Performance Battery and its virtual counterpart (vSPPB), are critical for defining the degree of disablement. Objective: We evaluated the psychometric properties and validity of the vSPPB as a measure of perceived lower extremity physical function in older adults with MS (age ≥60 years). Method: The sample included 35 older adults with MS and 35 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (age ≥60 years) who completed a battery of assessments, including the vSPPB. Results: The vSPPB performed satisfactorily in older adults with MS regarding data quality, scaling assumptions, and acceptability (i.e., psychometrics). The vSPPB further demonstrated criterion, known-groups, convergent, and discriminant construct validity. Conclusion: This report provides evidence for the validity of vSPPB scores as a measure of perceived lower extremity physical function in older adults with MS.
Elevation of Serum PARK7 and IL-8 Levels Is Associated With Acute Lung Injury in Patients With Severe Sepsis/Septic Shock
Authors: Liu Xiao-Wei , Ma Tao , Cai Quan , Wang Li , Song Hong-Wei , Liu Zhi
Published: May 2017

Objective:

Methods containing only clinical information fail to meet the needs of prediction of acute lung injury (ALI) because of the relatively low positive predictive value. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using biomarkers as predictors of ALI in populations with severe sepsis/septic shock and to explore difference among biomarkers after adjustment for potential confounders.

Methods:

Serum specimens were collected from patients with severe sepsis/septic shock (n = 172) presented to the emergency department. Patients should be ruled out from the study if they were already suffering from ALI or if they deteriorated into ALI within 6 hours after specimen collection. The development of ALI of the remaining patients was tracked.

Results:

Of all patients with severe sepsis/septic shock who encountered ALI more than 6 hours succeeding to specimen collection, 19 deteriorated into ALI. Elevation in serum interleukin 8 (IL-8) and Parkinson disease 7 (PARK7) levels had significant connection with higher risk of developing ALI ( P = .006; P = .0001). Sepsis treatment and vasopressor application led to a robust connection between PARK7 and succeeding ALI development. Patients who deteriorated into ALI were distinguished accurately from patients who avoided ALI using PARK7 or Lung Injury Prediction Score (LIPS; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC], 0.73 and 0.72 for each). Combination of PARK7 and LIPS ameliorated AUROC to 0.86 (vs 0.73, P = .05). On the contrary, serum soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products and von Willebrand factor made no contribution to the prediction of ALI development.

Conclusions:

Patients with PARK7 or IL-8 levels above normal are more vulnerable to ALI. Patients vulnerable to ALI can be distinguished with the combination of serum biomarkers and clinical prediction scores. In addition, the early rise in PARK7 emphasizes the importance of endothelial injury in the early pathogenesis of ALI.
Violence Against Women: Placing Evidence From a European Union–Wide Survey in a Policy Context
Authors: Goodey Joanna
Published: May 2017

In the European Union, there continues to be a lack of comprehensive and comparable data on violence against women that can serve to inform policy. In response, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), which undertakes primary data collection across all 28 EU Member States, published the first European Union–wide survey on violence against women in 2014, which interviewed 42,000 respondents. The findings, which show the extent of violence against women—ranging from intimate partner violence through to sexual harassment—can underpin a renewed policy response to violence at the level of the European Union, based on evidence. Having outlined the survey’s approach to data collection, including the methodological challenges of undertaking quantitative survey research across 28 countries, the article briefly describes some of the survey’s main findings and follows this by focusing on the realities of nonreporting to different services, which illustrates how the survey’s data can be usefully employed to inform policy and practical responses to abuse. The article does not adopt a standard academic journal format for reporting and discussing the analysis of data, but instead focuses on the EU policy backdrop that serves to contextualize the survey and its findings, and which underpins other articles in this special issue that draw in detail on FRA’s survey results with respect to specific manifestations of violence against women.