bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical features of Korean patients with rhinophyma
Authors: Kim Na Hee , Yun Sook Jung , Lee Jee‐Bum
Published: December 2016

Rhinophyma results from hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands and connective tissue. Clinical features in Asian rhinophyma patients are largely underreported. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical features of rhinophyma in Korean patients. We reviewed clinical photos and medical records of 39 Korean patients diagnosed with rhinophyma and assessed the severity and clinical course by using the classical National Rosacea Society index. The male : female ratio was 6.8:1, and over 90% of the patients were older than 40 years. The mild‐grade rhinophyma was the most dominant (46.1%), followed by the moderate (41.0%) and severe (12.8%) grades. Disease progression to severe grade occurred over an average of 8.2 years. Furthermore, 70% of all cases revealed lesion distribution limited to the nose. As disease severity progressed to higher grades, the extent of nasal involvement increased (Pearson correlation coefficient, 0.685). Rhinophyma is a slowly progressing disease showing male predominance unrelated to specific trigger factors. In many cases, this disease often exclusively affects the nose in Asian patients.
Positive correlation of vanilloid receptor subtype1 and prostaglandin E2 expression with pain in leiomyomas
Authors: Kagimoto Yoshiko , Yamasaki Kenshi , Shimada‐Ohmori Ryoko , Nan Liu , Numata Yukikazu , Aiba Setsuya
Published: December 2016

Cutaneous leiomyomas are benign smooth muscle tumors that are occasionally painful. The mechanism of pain related to leiomyoma is not fully understood. To investigate the possible involvement of algoneic factors in pain from cutaneous leiomyomas. We present a case of cutaneous leiomyoma with severe, diffused pain in a large area and collected 10 more specimens of cutaneous leiomyoma with or without pain in patient histories. We immunohistochemiacally examined the expression of algoneic factors: serotonin, histamin, Substance P, PGE2, BDKRB2, VR1 and CGRP. We compared the pain area and expression of algoneic factors to reveal possible correlations. We describe here a patient with a cutaneous leiomyoma 1‐cm in diameter, which caused severe pain diffused throughout an area of 20‐cm around the tumor. The pain completely resolved after surgical excision of the leiomyoma. We observed that the leiomyoma cells expressed CGRP, PGE2 and VR1 in this case. We found a positive correlation between VR1 and PGE2 expression in the leiomyoma cells and areas with pain around the tumors among 11 specimens in total. VR1 and PGE2 might be key algogenic substances in painful leiomyoma.
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms are a biological disturbance to Western Lake Erie bacterial communities
Authors: Berry Michelle A. , Davis Timothy W. , Cory Rose M. , Duhaime Melissa B. , Johengen Thomas H. , Kling George W. , Marino John A. , Den Uyl Paul A. , Gossiaux Duane , Dick Gregory J. , Denef Vincent J.
Published: December 2016

Human activities are causing a global proliferation of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs), yet we have limited understanding of how these events affect freshwater bacterial communities. Using weekly data from western Lake Erie in 2014, we investigated how the cyanobacterial community varied over space and time, and whether the bloom affected non‐cyanobacterial (nc‐bacterial) diversity and composition. Cyanobacterial community composition fluctuated dynamically during the bloom, but was dominated byMicrocystisandSynechococcusOTUs. The bloom's progression revealed potential impacts to nc‐bacterial diversity. Nc‐bacterial evenness displayed linear, unimodal, or no response to algal pigment levels, depending on the taxonomic group. In addition, the bloom coincided with a large shift in nc‐bacterial community composition. These shifts could be partitioned into components predicted by pH, chlorophylla, temperature, and water mass movements.ActinobacteriaOTUs showed particularly strong correlations to bloom dynamics. AcI‐C OTUs became more abundant, while acI‐A and acI‐B OTUs declined during the bloom, providing evidence of niche partitioning at the sub‐clade level. Thus, our observations in western Lake Erie support a link between CHABs and disturbances to bacterial community diversity and composition. Additionally, the short recovery of many taxa after the bloom indicates that bacterial communities may exhibit resilience to CHABs.
Uptake‐release dynamics of the inorganic and organic carbon pool mediated by planktonic prokaryotes in the deep Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Celussi Mauro , Malfatti Francesca , Ziveri Patrizia , Giani Michele , Del Negro Paola
Published: December 2016

Understanding the ecosystem functioning in the dark portion of the ocean is a challenge that microbial ecologists are still facing. Due to the large volume, the global deep Ocean plays a central role in the regulation of climate, possibly buffering the rise of atmospheric carbon dioxide if processes of CO2 fixation compensate for respiration. We investigated the rates of several prokaryotic activities (dissolved and particulate primary production, heterotrophic carbon production and respiration) in meso‐ and bathypelagic waters of the Mediterranean Sea, covering all sub‐basins. Chemosynthesis was the main process for C uptake. The rates of organic C (OC) excretion (or viral‐induced cell lysis) inferred from the dissolved primary production measurements were noteworthy, being comparable to particulate primary production, and possibly contributing to the formation of non‐sinking particulate organic matter. Inorganic C fixation rates were significantly higher than those reported for other deep‐sea systems, probably as a consequence of the persistently higher temperature of dark Mediterranean waters or to phylogenetically diverse communities involved in the process. Primary production was negatively correlated with dissolved organic carbon concentration and showed an inverse pattern to heterotrophic carbon production, indicating a niche partitioning between heterotrophs and autotrophs. In sum, the deep Mediterranean Sea harbors active autotrophic communities able to fix inorganic carbon faster than the heterotrophic carbon production rates.
Embodiment and reflective practices: conjoint therapy for psychological intimate partner violence
Authors: Vall Berta , Seikkula Jaakko , Laitila Aarno , Holma Juha
Published: December 2016

The idea of meta‐dialogue has evolved over the past twenty years. The study reported here focuses on meta‐dialogue, analysing the importance of reflective practices for thoughtfulness and embodiment in couple therapy for psychological Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). The study also sought to determine whether, in a case of psychological IPV, reflective practices helped the couple to acquire a new, shared understanding of violence. The results showed that the use of both meta‐dialogue and of a reflective team was related to clients' use of the reflexive mode. Moreover, embodiment could be understood as a precursor of reflectivity and reflective practices. Finally, the results indicated that it was possible to discuss the issue of violence through the use of meta‐dialogue, and that, through the therapists' reflective dialogue, the clients were able to reflect on their own relational patterns. The importance of meta‐dialogue and embodiment for conjoint therapy in psychological IPV is discussed.

Practitioner points

Meta‐dialogue is present in therapy as: (a) reflective practices (therapists' strategies to promote a reflective stance); and (b) reflectivity (i.e. action of reflecting)

Consider the importance of therapist sensitivity to embodiment in conjoint therapy for IPV in helping to reflect on what is happening in therapy, thus promoting use of meta‐dialogue
A brief family intervention for depression in primary care
Authors: Niv Noosha , Frousakis Nikki , Zucker Bonnie G. , Glynn Shirley , Dixon Lisa
Published: December 2016

This study tested the feasibility and outcomes of a brief psychoeducational intervention for family members of depressed veterans in primary care. Family members of veterans enrolled in TIDES, a VA collaborative care programme for depression in primary care, were invited to participate. High enrolment rates, high treatment retention and completion, and high levels of satisfaction with the intervention indicate that the programme is feasible and acceptable to family members. Veterans showed a decrease in depression severity, improvements in symptom and occupational global functioning, and an increase in general life satisfaction. Family members' attitudes about antidepressant medication use became more positive, and their knowledge of depression increased. There were no changes in behavioural activation or in family functioning. Overall, family members and clinical staff rated the intervention very positively. Staff members did note some obstacles to implementation and made suggestions to overcome identified obstacles.

Practitioner points

The use of Motivational Interviewing was an important contributor to generating interest in the family programme

Family members involved in depression treatment evidence gains in positive attitudes towards medication use and an increased knowledge of depression

Systematic training and ongoing contact with clinicians are key factors in improving their confidence and skills in working with families and increasing their commitment to implementing the intervention
The Progressive Dilemma Revisited
Authors: Gamble Andrew
Published: December 2016

In his book of the same title, David Marquand identified the progressive dilemma faced by many intellectuals since the beginning of the twentieth century as a question of whether it was better to work through a political party or through civil society to achieve reform. This dilemma was sharpened by the emergence of the Labour party as the main challenger to the Conservatives, because the party was so closely identified with the defence of a particular interest. This hindered the creation of the kind of broad electoral coalition that could win general elections. Throughout most of its history, Labour has failed to realise its promise and sustain reforming governments. In this article, the history of the Labour party over the past hundred years is outlined, in particular the three cycles 1931–51, 1951–79 and 1979–2010 and the divisions and recriminations that have followed each period in government. The current predicament of the party is then briefly assessed.
English Radicalism and the Annihilation of the ‘Progressive Dilemma’
Authors: Hunt Tristram , Lockey Alan
Published: December 2016

The rise of political nationalism in the early twenty‐first century threatens to subsume the ‘progressive dilemma’ as identified by David Marquand. The labourist tradition is collapsing culturally, the liberal tradition intellectually. In the face of a new politics of nativism across Europe and America, the labour movement needs to put the debate over the progressive dilemma behind it and find a new source of philosophical inspiration in the English radical tradition.
Accented Clitics in Hittite?
Authors: Sideltsev Andrei V.
Published: December 2016

Hittite attests two distinct second positions, occupied by: (a) Wackernagel enclitics; (b) non‐Wackernagel enclitics ‐(m)a, ‐(y)aas well as stressed indefinite and correlative pronouns. I argue that Hittite provides novel data on the syntax‐prosody interface as reflected in the operation of the second position constraint: the words belonging to group (b) combine properties which are typically ascribed to stressed and unstressed second position constituents. These findings show that the boundary between the stressed, syntactically conditioned second position exemplified by Germanic verb‐second and the unstressed, phonologically conditioned second position of Wackernagel enclitics is much more blurred than is commonly acknowledged.
Dative Alternation and Dative Case Syncretism in Greek: The Use of Dative, Accusative and Prepositional Phrases in Documentary Papyri
Authors: Stolk Joanne Vera
Published: December 2016

This paper explores the evidence for dative case syncretism with personal pronouns in post‐Classical Greek based on documentary papyri (300BCE–800CE). Three alternative encodings are examined for the animate goal of transfer verbs: the prepositionsprósandeis(with accusative) and the bare accusative case. It is shown that the dative case and the prepositionprósare in complementary distribution dependent on the animacy of the object and the conceptualization of the event. The prepositioneisis only used for animate goals in the specialized meaning ‘on account of’. The bare accusative case is occasionally found as a replacement for the dative case, but not in the same constructions as those in which the prepositions are attested. Therefore, based on the encoding of the animate goal in Greek papyrus letters, there is no reason to assume that a change in the use of these prepositions led to the merger of dative and accusative cases.
Patient, Physician, and Health‐System Factors Influencing the Quality of Antidepressant and Sedative Prescribing for Older, Community‐Dwelling Adults
Authors: Extavour Rian Marie , Perri Matthew
Published: December 2016

Objective

To identify determinants of potentially inappropriate (PI) antidepressant and anxiolytic/sedative prescribing for older, community‐dwelling adults.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Office visits from the 2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

Study Design

A cross‐sectional study measuring associations between various patient and physician factors and prescribing of PI antidepressants, and PI sedatives among elderly, using Beers 2012/2015 criteria, a clinical decision model, and multivariate logistic regressions.

Data Collection

Visits by older adults (≥65 years) involving medications were extracted to identify visits with antidepressants and sedatives.

Principal Findings

Black race, asthma, depression, osteoporosis, payment type, consultation time, and computer systems with prescribing support were associated with reduced odds of PI antidepressant prescribing among users. Income, chronic renal failure, diabetes, and obesity were associated with reduced odds of PI sedative prescribing. Female sex, white race, depression, increasing number of medications, and physician specialty were associated with increased odds of PI sedative prescribing.

Conclusions

Various patient and health‐system factors influence the quality of antidepressant and sedative prescribing for older community‐dwelling adults. Longer consultations and the use of computer systems with prescribing support may minimize potentially inappropriate antidepressant prescribing. As medication numbers increase, exposure to PI sedatives is more likely, requiring medication review and monitoring.
Real Estate Returns by Strategy: Have Value‐Added and Opportunistic Funds Pulled Their Weight?
Authors: Pagliari Joseph L.
Published: December 2016

Real estate strategies broadly fall into three categories: core, value‐added and opportunistic. This empirical examination of net returns from these three strategies indicates that, on a risk‐adjusted basis, the value‐added funds have strongly underperformed and the returns from opportunistic funds have weakly underperformed the returns available from core funds. In so concluding, this article departs from standard asset‐pricing models in two important respects: the total risk is used and the cost of borrowing increases as leverage increases. While the first departure has no substantive effect, the second departure lowers the estimate of the underperformance of noncore funds.
Molecular elements of pheromone detection in the female moth, Heliothis virescens
Authors: Zielonka Monika , Breer Heinz , Krieger Jürgen
Published: December 2016

Pheromones play pivotal roles in the reproductive behavior of moths, most prominently for the mate finding of male moths. Accordingly, the molecular basis for the detection of female‐released pheromones by male moths has been studied in great detail. In contrast, little is known about how females can detect pheromone components released by themselves or by conspecifics. In this study, we assessed the antenna of female Heliothis virescens for elements of pheromone detection. In accordance with previous findings that female antennae respond to the sex pheromone component (Z)‐9‐tetradecenal, we identified olfactory sensory neurons that express its cognate receptor, the receptor type HR6. All HR6 cells coexpressed the “sensory neuron membrane protein 1” (SNMP1) and were associated with supporting cells expressing the pheromone‐binding proteins PBP1 and PBP2. These features are reminiscent to male antennae and point to congruent mechanisms for pheromone detection in the two sexes. Further analysis of the SNMP1‐expressing cells revealed a higher number in females compared to males. Moreover, in females, the SNMP1 neurons were arranged in clusters, which project their dendrites into a common sensillum, whereas in males there were only solitary SNMP1‐neurons and only 1 per sensillum. Not all SNMP1 positive cells in female antennae expressed HR6 but instead the putative pheromone receptors HR11 and HR18, respectively. Neurons expressing 1 of the 3 receptor types were assigned to different sensilla. Together the data indicate that on the antenna of females, sensory neurons in a subset of sensilla trichodea are equipped with molecular elements, which render them responsive to pheromones.
Numerical and Qualitative Contrasts of Two Statistical Models for Water Quality Change in Tidal Waters
Authors: Beck Marcus W. , Murphy Rebecca R.
Published: December 2016

Two statistical approaches, weighted regression on time, discharge, and season and generalized additive models, have recently been used to evaluate water quality trends in estuaries. Both models have been used in similar contexts despite differences in statistical foundations and products. This study provided an empirical and qualitative comparison of both models using 29 years of data for two discrete time series of chlorophyll‐a (chl‐a) in the Patuxent River estuary. Empirical descriptions of each model were based on predictive performance against the observed data, ability to reproduce flow‐normalized trends with simulated data, and comparisons of performance with validation datasets. Between‐model differences were apparent but minor and both models had comparable abilities to remove flow effects from simulated time series. Both models similarly predicted observations for missing data with different characteristics. Trends from each model revealed distinct mainstem influences of the Chesapeake Bay with both models predicting a roughly 65% increase in chl‐a over time in the lower estuary, whereas flow‐normalized predictions for the upper estuary showed a more dynamic pattern, with a nearly 100% increase in chl‐a in the last 10 years. Qualitative comparisons highlighted important differences in the statistical structure, available products, and characteristics of the data and desired analysis.
Role of CCN5 (WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 2) in pancreatic islets
Authors: Liu Jun‐Li , Kaddour Nancy , Chowdhury Subrata , Li Qing , Gao Zu‐hua
Published: December 2016

In search of direct targets of insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐1 action, we discovered CCN5 (WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 2 [WISP2]) as a novel protein expressed in pancreatic β‐cells. As a member of the “CCN” (
C
ysteine‐rich angiogenic inducer 61 [Cyr61],
C
onnective tissue growth factor [CTGF in humans], and
N
ephroblastoma overexpressed [Nov; in chickens]) family, the expression of CCN5/WISP2 is stimulated by IGF‐1 together with Wnt signaling. When overexpressed in insulinoma cells, CCN5 promotes cell proliferation and cell survival against streptozotocin‐induced cell death. The cell proliferation effect seems to be caused by AKT phosphorylation and increased cyclin D1 levels. These properties resemble those of CCN2/CTGF, another isoform of the CCN family, although CCN5 is the only one within the family of six proteins that lacks the C‐terminal repeat. Treatment of primary mouse islets with recombinant CCN5 protein produced similar effects to those of gene transfection, indicating that either as a matricellular protein or a secreted growth factor, CCN5 stimulates β‐cell proliferation and regeneration in a paracrine fashion. This review also discusses the regulation of CCN5/WISP2 by estrogen and its involvement in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis.
The New Resilience of Emerging and Developing Countries: Systemic Interlocking, Currency Swaps and Geoeconomics
Authors: Antoniades Andreas
Published: December 2016

The vulnerability/resilience nexus that defined the interaction between advanced and developing economies in the post‐WWII era is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Yet, most of the debate in the current literature is focusing on the structural constraints faced by the emerging and developing countries (EDCs) and the lack of changes in the formal structures of global economic governance. This article challenges this literature and its conclusions by focusing on the new conditions of systemic interlocking between advanced and emerging economies, and by analysing how large EDCs have built and are strengthening their economic resilience. We find that a significant redistribution of ‘policy space’ between advanced and emerging economies have taken place in the global economy. We also find that a number of seemingly technical currency swap agreements among EDCs have set in motion changes in the very structure of global trade and finance. These developments do not signify the end of EDCs’ vulnerability towards advanced economies. They signify however that the economic and geoeconomic implications of this vulnerability have changed in ways that constrain the options available to advanced economies and pose new challenges for the post‐WWII economic order.
HLA Alleles are Genetic Markers for Susceptibility and Resistance towards Leprosy in a Mexican Mestizo Population
Authors: Aguilar‐Medina Maribel , Escamilla‐Tilch Monica , Frías‐Castro Luis Octavio , Romero‐Quintana Geovanni , Estrada‐García Iris , Estrada‐Parra Sergio , Granados Julio , Arambula Meraz Eliakym , Sánchez‐Schmitz Guzman , Khader Shabaana Abdul , Rangel‐Moreno Javier , Ramos‐Payán Rosalío
Published: December 2016

Despite the use of multidrug therapy, leprosy remains endemic in some countries. The association of several human leucocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and gene polymorphisms with leprosy has been demonstrated in many populations, but the major immune contributors associated to the spectrum of leprosy have not been defined yet. In this study, genotyping of HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐DR, and ‐DQ alleles was performed in leprosy patients (n = 113) and control subjects (n = 117) from the region with the highest incidence for the disease in México. The odds of developing leprosy and lepromatous subtype were 2.12‐ and 2.74‐fold higher in carriers of HLA‐A*28, and 2.48‐ and 4.14‐fold higher for leprosy and dimorphic subtype in carriers of DQB1*06. Interestingly, DQB1*07 was overrepresented in healthy individuals, compared to patients with leprosy (OR = 0.08) and the lepromatous subtype (OR = 0.06). These results suggest that HLA‐A*28 is a marker for predisposition to leprosy and the lepromatous subtype and DQB1*06 to leprosy and the dimorphic subtype, while DQB1*07 might be a resistance marker in this Mestizo population.
Evaluation of the accuracy of common weight estimation formulae in a Zambian paediatric surgical population
Authors: Bowen L. , Zyambo M. , Snell D. , Kinnear J. , Bould M. D.
Published: December 2016

Limited resources and access to healthcare in sub‐Saharan Africa are associated with high rates of malnourished children, although many countries globally are demonstrating increasing childhood obesity. This study evaluated how well current age‐ or height‐based formulae estimate the weight of children undergoing surgery in Zambia. All children under 14 years of age presenting for elective surgery at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, had both height and weight measured. Their actual weight was compared against estimated weight from various formulae. The Broselow tape outperformed all the age‐based formulae, demonstrating the lowest median percentage error of −5.8%, with 46.0% of estimates falling within 10% of the actual measured weight (p < 0.001). Of the 1111 children who were eligible for World Health Organization growth standard appraisal, 88 (8%) met the weight criteria for severe acute malnutrition. Our results are consistent with other studies in finding that the Broselow tape is the best estimator of weight in a lower middle‐income country, followed by the original Advanced Paediatric Life Support formula if the Broselow tape is unavailable.
Atopic dermatitis is associated with a fivefold increased risk of polysensitisation in children
Authors: Broeks Suzanne A. , Brand Paul L. P.
Published: December 2016

Aim

It has been hypothesised that in atopic dermatitis, the dysfunctional skin barrier facilitates the transcutaneous presentation of allergens to the immune system. This study examined whether atopic dermatitis increased the likelihood of polysensitisation, namely sensitisation to five or more allergens.

Methods

We examined the electronic hospital charts of 1743 children aged 0–17 years who had visited primary or secondary care physicians with allergic symptoms, whose blood was examined for the presence of specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) to the 10 most common inhaled and food allergens and whose files contained documentation of the presence of atopic dermatitis and other skin disorders. Sensitisation was defined as a specific IgE level of ≥0.35 kU/L.

Results

Polysensitisation was more common in children with atopic dermatitis (268/1197, 22.4%) than those without (30/546, 5.5%, p < 0.001). This remained significant after adjustment for gender and age in a multiple logistic regression model (odds ratio: 5.63, 95% confidence interval 3.77–8.40). Other skin disorders did not show an increased risk of polysensitisation (5/97, 5.2%).

Conclusion

Polysensitisation was considerably more common in children with atopic dermatitis than those without. This supports the hypothesis that sensitisation occurs through a defective skin barrier and appears to be specific for atopic dermatitis.
Beyond ‘voting with your chopsticks’: Community organising for safe food in China
Authors: Schumilas Theresa , Scott Steffanie
Published: December 2016

This paper describes the recent emergence of alternative food networks in China in the context of widespread food quality concerns. Drawing on interviews and public blog posts, we illustrate how participants in these networks are moving beyond instrumental market relations and developing the collective agency necessary to participate in shaping China's food system. We argue that the initiators and participants in these alternative food networks are not only individual shoppers who ‘vote with their chopsticks’, but are also nascent activists deploying grassroots community organising strategies. We reveal how these networks are using inclusive and reflexive processes to build diverse networks, how they are using internet communications to extend their reach, voice dissent and engage in nascent ‘bottom up’ policy formation, and how they are building influential connections and actively, but unofficially, expanding linkages to broader emancipatory spaces of global and social justice movements.
Return migrants, mini‐tours and rural regeneration: A study of local food movement in Taiwan
Authors: Cheng Eric Siu‐kei
Published: December 2016

Since the turn of the century, food safety has been one of the most significant social issues in Taiwan. In face of a series of alarming food‐poisoning scares, which pushed many Taiwanese to search for good safe food, the Taiwanese authorities have initiated a variety of strategies to handle food production issues. At county level, government sponsored projects, such as rural regeneration projects, have coincided with a wave of return migration, in which young city dwellers have returned to rural towns in order to engage in sustainable food production. There is also a popularising trend of ‘mini‐tours’, a leisurely activity that sees urban tourists visiting rural regions in search of ‘authentic’ traditions, such as those around food. This confluence of food safety concerns, official rural regeneration schemes, civil movements for sustainable food production, local tourism and emerging discourses on authentic food and food localism has fashioned an interesting food scene in Taiwan. This paper will examine the impacts of these joint forces. It will also illustrate how local food producers have struggled to construct a new food producer–consumer relationship that also contributes to the sustainable development of Taiwan.
The spatio‐temporal change of China's net floating population at county scale from 2000 to 2010
Authors: Qiao Luyin , Li Yurui , Liu Yansui , Yang Ren
Published: December 2016

China's total floating population exceeded 245 million at the end of 2013 and is the largest mobile population in the world. This paper explores the spatial distribution pattern and change characteristics of the net floating population at county scale from 2000 to 2010 using census data. The results show the following: (1) the net floating population increased by 120 million over 10 years, and the mobility of the population had enhanced in this period; (2) the floating population migrated to the three economic zones and provincial capital cities, while the traditional agricultural regions with dense populations experienced continuous outflow of population (which altered spatial agglomeration patterns); (3) eastern China has a high level of natural environment suitability and was a major destination area, but more pressures were placed on the carrying capacity of big cities; and (4) western China, with a relatively weak carrying capacity for resources and environment, was a net outflow region in 2010 – although five provinces had small‐scale net inflow because of western‐style development strategies. This study is offered as a contribution to understanding the features of China's floating population and will be useful for those shaping policies that guide population migration.
Sacralizing Liberals and Fair‐Minded Conservatives: Ideological Symmetry in the Moral Motives in the Culture War
Authors: Frimer Jeremy A. , Tell Caitlin E. , Motyl Matt
Published: December 2016

Political arguments may endure seemingly into perpetuity because the conflicted combatants view the issues in different ways, with one side decrying unfairness and the other side decrying attacks on the sacrosanct. We tested whether both conservatives and liberals rely on protecting the sacrosanct when justifying their attitudes on some contentious moral issues. In four studies, we examine how liberals and conservatives justify their political attitudes on the issues of same‐sex marriage and the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Liberals supported same‐sex marriage rights primarily in the name of fairness and equality; conservatives primarily opposed same‐sex marriage rights as a matter of protecting the sanctity of traditional marriage. Symmetrically, liberals primarily opposed the development of the Keystone XL oil pipeline as a matter of protecting the sanctity of the Earth; conservatives supported the development of the pipeline as a matter of promoting fairness (e.g., corporate rights; as well as citing economic and foreign policy implications). Like conservatives, liberals also bring sacred thinking to moral issues. The culture war is mired in stalemate partly because each side considers some matters to be sacrosanct, and other matters as suitable for revision in the name of fairness.
Transcriptomic gene profiling of porcine muscle tissue depending on histological properties
Authors: Ropka‐Molik Katarzyna , Bereta Anna , Żukowski Kacper , Piórkowska Katarzyna , Gurgul Artur , Żak Grzegorz
Published: December 2016

In pig, the histological profile of muscle tissue, especially the proportion of individual fiber types, is one of the main factors affecting meat quality properties. In the present research, RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) by using next generation sequencing method was applied to estimate the whole gene expression profile of Longissimus lumborum muscle of pigs (Large White breed) differing in the percentage of two fiber types (slow‐twitch (type I) fibers and fast‐twitch glycolytic (type IIB) fibers). The RNA‐seq approach allowed us to identify 355 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) indicated as significant (false discovery rate‐adjusted P < 0.05) using three types of software: DESeq2, edgeR and baySeq. Detected genes and pathways deregulated in muscle depending on tissue microstructure were associated with: metabolic processes – 158 genes; cellular processes – 122; biological regulation – 62; localization – 51; and 35 genes with developmental processes. The DEGs were included in: PI3K‐Akt; FoxO and MAPK signaling pathways, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, lysine degradation and insulin signaling pathway as well as mTOR and Hippo signaling pathways. These results highlight the mainly metabolic pathways related to glucose metabolism and contraction processes of muscle cells. Detection of genes involved in variation of fiber‐type distribution will be useful in understanding of the genetic factors affecting muscle structure, metabolic process and indirectly, meat quality traits.
Identification of serum protein markers for early diagnosis of pregnancy in buffalo
Authors: Buragohain Lukumoni , Nanda Trilok , Ghosh Arnab , Ghosh Mayukh , Kumar Rajesh , Kumar Sunil , Gupta Sambhu Sharan , Bharali Arpita , Mohanty Ashok K. , Singh Inderjeet , Balhara Ashok Kumar
Published: December 2016

Improper or delayed pregnancy diagnosis has significant impact over animal production, particularly in buffaloes which inherently suffer from several reproductive inefficiencies. Thus the present study has undertaken to identify serum protein markers pertaining to early pregnancy diagnosis in buffaloes. Serum samples were collected from 10 pregnant Murrah Buffalo heifers at weekly intervals from days 0‐35 post‐artificial insemination and from 12 inseminated non‐pregnant cyclic buffalo heifers on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. Two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and densitometric analysis revealed the presence of five protein spots showing average density fold change of ≥4 during early pregnancy. Mass spectrometry analysis identified these up‐regulated proteins as anti‐testosterone antibody light chain, apolipoprotein A‐II precursor, serum amyloid A, cytokeratin type II, component IV isoform 1, which are have established roles in embryogenesis, but over‐expression of the fifth identified protein immunoglobulin lambda light chain in pregnancy has been elucidated as a novel finding in the current study. Further, with bioinformatics analysis, potential antigenic B‐cell epitopes were predicted for all these five proteins. An antibody cocktail‐based approach involving antibodies against all these five up‐regulated entire proteins or their epitopes could be developed for early detection of pregnancy in buffaloes. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science
The Effect of Board Diversity on Earnings Quality: An Empirical Study of Listed Firms in Vietnam
Authors: Hoang Trang Cam , Abeysekera Indra , Ma Shiguang
Published: December 2016

Previous studies have established that firms’ effectiveness can differ based on the differences among directors within a board, and between boards. However, studies have yet to establish the effectiveness of the diverse attributes of the board on firms’ quality of earnings in an emerging market setting such as Vietnam. This study investigates the effect of board diversity on earnings quality in a sample of Vietnamese listed firms. The two dimensions of board diversity measures in this study cover a wide range of structural and demographic attributes of board of directors, using a diversity‐of‐boards index (dissimilarities among firm boards, i.e., board structure) and a diversity‐in‐boards index (dissimilarities among directors within a board, i.e., demographic attributes of board members). Earnings quality is an aggregate measure compiled from four accounting‐based measures of earnings quality: accruals quality, earnings persistence, earnings predictability and earnings smoothness. We find a significant, positive linear relationship between diversity of boards and earnings quality, while the relationship between diversity in boards and earnings quality is non‐linear, with a U‐shaped curve.
Why is Helping Behavior Declining in the United States But Not in Canada?: Ethnic Diversity, New Technologies, and Other Explanations
Authors: Hampton Keith N.
Published: December 2016

This paper explores whether there has been a recent decline in helping behavior in the United States. In a lost letter experiment, 7,466 letters were “lost” in 63 urban areas in the United States and Canada in 2001 and 2011. There has been a 10 percent decline in helping behavior in the United States, but not in Canada. Two arguments anticipate change in the level of help provided to strangers: the rise of new technologies, and neighborhood racial and ethnic diversity. Findings exclude increased privatism as a source for the decline in helping. In 2001 there was no variation in altruistic behavior based on neighborhood diversity. However, areas of the United States where the proportion of noncitizens increased since 2001 experienced reduced helping; the opposite was found in Canada. Possible explanations include changing attitudes toward noncitizens, and differences in public policy related to economic inequality, social inclusion, and the acceptance of multiculturalism.
Public Housing Transgression
Authors: Smith Janet L.
Published: December 2016

Fraser and Oakley have provided a compelling review of the hazards of the current public housing transformation project. I really appreciate their critical read on both the policy framework and its assumptions and how it has been implemented along with some specific guidance. On this last point, I particularly think it is important to consider the gravity of their observation that the “relationship between the state and the academy has been truncated as alternative perspectives offered by urban scholars critical of such initiatives have been largely dismissed or marginalized in policy circles.” As such an urban scholar, I agree with the statement. However, I do not think the authors have pushed this point nearly far enough if their goal really is “decoupling housing as a right from one's position in a capitalist society.” To do that I argue that we as urban scholars need to not only be critical of policy but also of the policy research that sustains this relationship as well.
Recent Pangolin Seizures in China Reveal Priority Areas for Intervention
Authors: Cheng Wenda , Xing Shuang , Bonebrake Timothy C.
Published: December 2016

All pangolin species globally are now listed under Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) due to escalating demand for their meat and scales, often for use in traditional medicine. While China has introduced pangolin trade restrictions, the country continues to represent the largest market and destination for pangolin products. We summarize pangolin seizure data reported in public media from 2008 to 2016, incorporating often neglected small seizures reported in Chinese. During that period, the equivalent of 65,849 pangolin individuals (23,109 individuals and 21,377 kg of scales) was recorded in 206 seizures in China. Using social network analysis, Guangzhou, Fangchenggang, and Kunming were identified as key nodes of the illegal pangolin market. Our work highlights the scale and scope of pangolin trade in China, applies novel methods for analyzing trade patterns, and offers guidance for future law enforcement and policy interventions for combatting wildlife trade internationally.
Metabolic responses to exercise on land and in water following glucose ingestion
Authors: Kurobe Kazumichi , Kousaka Ayaka , Ogita Futoshi , Matsumoto Naoyuki
Published: December 2016

Although aerobic exercise after a meal decreases postprandial blood glucose, the differences in glucose response between land and aquatic exercise are unclear. Thus, we examined the effect of different modes of exercise with same energy expenditure following glucose ingestion on carbohydrate metabolism. Ten healthy sedentary men (age, 22 ± 1 years) participated in this study. All subjects performed each of three exercise modes (cycling, walking and aquatic exercise) for 30 min after ingestion of a 75‐g glucose solution with 1–2 weeks between trials. The exercise intensity was set at 40% of the maximum oxygen uptake that occurred during cycling. The velocity during walking and the target heart rate during aquatic exercise were predetermined in a pretest. The plasma glucose concentration at 30 min after exercise was significantly lower with aquatic exercise compared to that with cycling and walking (P<0·05). However, there were no significant differences among the three exercise modes in respiratory exchange ratio. On the other hand, serum free fatty acid concentration with aquatic exercise was significantly higher at 120 min after exercise compared with that after walking (P<0·05). These results suggest that aquatic exercise reduces postprandial blood glucose compared with both cycling and walking with the same energy expenditure. Aquatic exercise shows potential as an exercise prescription to prevent postprandial hyperglycaemia.
Prognostic evaluation by oxygenation with positive end‐expiratory pressure in acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Suzuki Atsushi , Taniguchi Hiroyuki , Ando Masahiko , Kondoh Yasuhiro , Kimura Tomoki , Kataoka Kensuke , Matsuda Toshiaki , Yokoyama Toshiki , Sakamoto Koji , Hasegawa Yoshinori
Published: December 2016

Introduction

Acute exacerbation (AE) is a severe complication of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), which shares some common pathological features with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The new definition of ARDS requires positive end‐expiratory pressure (PEEP) to assess gas exchange and has better predictive validity for short‐term mortality compared with the previous definition.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic utility of oxygenation with PEEP in AE‐IPF.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study using the data of AE‐IPF patients between 2007 and 2015. At the time of diagnosis, PaO2/FiO2 was evaluated before and 30 minutes after PEEP. We evaluated the prognostic utility of PaO2/FiO2 with PEEP after including other candidate prognostic factors. Considering the definition of ARDS, patients with AE‐IPF were classified into a severe group (PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300 with PEEP) and a non‐severe group (PaO2/FiO2 > 300 with PEEP).

Results

We identified 62 consecutive patients with AE‐IPF. All patients were treated with mechanical ventilation on the first day. The median PaO2/FiO2 before and 30 minutes after PEEP was significantly increased (237.5‐425.5, P < .001). In multivariate Cox proportional analysis, Krebs von den Lungen‐6 (KL‐6) (HR 1.239; 95%CI 1.050‐1.461; P = .011), D‐dimer (HR 1.039; 95%CI 1.015‐1.064; P = .001), % neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (HR 1.015; 95%CI 1.003‐1.027; P = .017), and being in the severe group (HR 3.233; 95%CI 1.503‐6.957; P = .003) had significant impacts on survival up to 90 days.

Conclusion

Evaluation of oxygenation with PEEP may provide useful information for predicting short‐term mortality in patients with AE‐IPF.
Clinical and hemodynamic characteristics of pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease in China
Authors: Wang Lan , Zhao Qin‐Hua , Pudasaini Bigyan , Jiang Rong , Gong Su‐Gang , He Jing , Yuan Ping , Liu Jin‐Ming
Published: December 2016

Background

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an important complication of interstitial lung disease (ILD). The aim of the present study was to investigate characteristics and prognosis of ILD associated PH in a predominantly Chinese patient cohort.

Methods

Consecutive patients with ILD associated PH, confirmed by right heart catheterization at shanghai pulmonary hospital were included in the study. Characteristics at baseline and during follow‐up, as well as survival, were analyzed.

Results

This observational study was conducted in 26 patients with a mean age of 60.0 ± 12.2 y old. The 6‐min walking distance was 335.0 ± 190.9 m. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was 42.9 ± 10.9 mmHg, cardiac output was 4.4 ± 1.0 L/min, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was 8.6 ± 4.1 Wood Units. The mean PAP was ≥35 mmHg in 69.2% of cases. There were no difference in lung function parameters between ILD with PH and ILD without PH. The overall survival rate was 92% at 1 y, 82% at 3 y, and 62% at 5 y. PVR was the only variable significantly associated with death.

Conclusions

Severe hemodynamic impairment along with PH can occur in patients with ILD. These patients have more severely impaired exercise capacity and cardiac function than ILD patients without PH. PVR was the only prognostic factor identified in this group of patients.
An alternative approach to modelling HbA1c trajectories in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: McEwan Phil , Bennett Hayley , Qin Lei , Bergenheim Klas , Gordon Jason , Evans Marc
Published: December 2016

Aims

Time‐dependent HbA1c trajectories in health economic models of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are typically informed by the UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS). However, this approach may not accurately predict HbA1c progression in patients who do not conform to the demographic profile of the original UKPDS cohort. This study aimed to develop an alternative mathematical model (MM) to simulate HbA1c progression in T2DM.

Materials and methods

A systematic literature review identified studies, published between 2005 and 2015, that reported HbA1c in adult T2DM patients over a minimum duration of 18 months. Pooled data from eligible studies were used to develop an alternative MM equation for HbA1c progression, which was then contrasted with the UKPDS 68 progression equation in illustrative scenarios.

Results

A total of 68 studies were eligible for data extraction (mean follow‐up time 4.1 years). HbA1c progression was highly heterogeneous across studies, varying with baseline HbA1c, treatment group and patient age. The MM equation was fitted with parameters for mean baseline HbA1c (8.3%), initial change in HbA1c (−0.62%) and upper quartile of maximum observed HbA1c (9.3%). Differences in HbA1c trajectories between the MM and UKPDS approaches altered the timing of therapy escalation in illustrative scenarios.

Conclusions

The MM represents an alternative approach to simulate HbA1c trajectories in T2DM models, as UKPDS data may not adequately reflect the heterogeneity of HbA1c profiles observed in clinical studies. However, the choice of approach should ultimately be determined by the characteristics of individual patients under consideration and the clinical face validity of the modelled trajectories.