bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Obesity and Kidney Disease
Authors: Kovesdy Csaba P. , Furth Susan L. , Zoccali Carmine ,   on behalf of the World Kidney Day Steering Committee
Published: March 2017

Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, and its prevalence has been projected to grow by 40% in the next decade. This increasing prevalence has implications for the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and also for chronic kidney disease (CKD). A high body mass index is one of the strongest risk factors for new-onset CKD. In individuals affected by obesity, a compensatory hyperfiltration occurs to meet the heightened metabolic demands of the increased body weight. The increase in intraglomerular pressure can damage the kidneys and raise the risk of developing CKD in the long term. The incidence of obesity-related glomerulopathy has increased 10-fold in recent years. Obesity has also been shown to be a risk factor for nephrolithiasis, and for a number of malignancies including kidney cancer. This year the World Kidney Day promotes education on the harmful consequences of obesity and its association with kidney disease, advocating healthy lifestyle and health policy measures that make preventive behaviors an affordable option.
How Socioeconomic Status Affects Patient Perceptions of Health Care: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Arpey Nicholas C. , Gaglioti Anne H. , Rosenbaum Marcy E.
Published: March 2017

Introduction: Clinician perceptions of patients with low socioeconomic status (SES) have been shown to affect clinical decision making and health care delivery in this group. However, it is unknown how and if low SES patients perceive clinician bias might affect their health care. Methods: In-depth interviews with 80 enrollees in a state Medicaid program were analyzed to identify recurrent themes in their perceptions of care. Results: Most subjects perceived that their SES affected their health care. Common themes included treatment provided, access to care, and patient-provider interaction. Discussion: This study highlights complex perceptions patients have around how SES affects their health care. These results offer opportunities to reduce health care disparities through better understanding of their impact on the individual patient-provider relationship. This work may inform interventions that promote health equity via a multifaceted approach, which targets both providers and the health care system as a whole.
Variation in lung function as a marker of adherence to oral and inhaled medication in cystic fibrosis
Authors: White Helen , Shaw Nicola , Denman Sarah , Pollard Kim , Wynne Sarah , Peckham Daniel Gavin
Published: March 2017

The aim of this study was to characterise adherence in an adult population with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to investigate if variation in lung function was a predictor of adherence to treatment.

The adherence of patients aged ≥16 years from an adult CF centre was measured by medication possession ratio (MPR) and self-report. Patients were assigned to one of three adherence categories (<50%, 50 to <80%, ≥80%) by their composite score (MPR). Ordinal regression was used to identify predictors of adherence, including coefficient variation measures for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), weight and C-reactive protein concentration, measured from 6 months and 12 months before baseline.

MPR data for 106 of 249 patients (mean age 29.8±9.2 years) was retrieved, indicating a mean adherence of 63%. The coefficient of variation for FEV1was inversely related to adherence and was a univariate predictor of adherence (6 months: OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87–0.98, p=0.005; 12 months: OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.93–0.99, p=0.03) and remained significant in the final models. The coefficient of variation of weight and C-reactive protein were not predictive of adherence.

The coefficient of variation of FEV1was identified as an objective predictor of adherence. Further evaluation of this potential marker of adherence is now required.
Tropism and innate host responses of influenza A/H5N6 virus: an analysis ofex vivoandin vitrocultures of the human respiratory tract
Authors: Hui Kenrie P. Y. , Chan Louisa L. Y. , Kuok Denise I. T. , Mok Chris K. P. , Yang Zi-feng , Li Run-feng , Luk Geraldine S. M. , Lee Elaine F. , Lai Jimmy C. C. , Yen Hui-ling , Zhu Huachen , Guan Yi , Nicholls John M. , Peiris J. S. Malik , Chan Michael C. W.
Published: March 2017

Since their first isolation in 2013, influenza A/H5N6 viruses have spread amongst poultry across multiple provinces in China and to Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar. So far, there have been 14 human H5N6 infections with 10 fatalities.

We investigated the tropism, replication competence and cytokine induction of one human and two avian H5N6 isolates inex vivoandin vitrocultures derived from the human respiratory tract. Virus tropism and replication were studied inex vivocultures of human nasopharynx, bronchus and lung. Induction of cytokines and chemokines was measuredin vitroin virus-infected primary human alveolar epithelial cells.

Human H5N6 virus replicated more efficiently than highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus and as efficiently as H1N1pdm inex vivohuman bronchus and lung and was also able to replicate inex vivocultures of human nasopharynx. Avian H5N6 viruses replicated less efficiently than H1N1pdm in human bronchial tissues and to similar titres as HPAI H5N1 in the lung. While the human H5N6 virus had affinity for avian-like receptors, the two avian isolates had binding affinity for both avian- and human-like receptors. All three H5N6 viruses were less potent inducers of pro-inflammatory cytokines compared with H5N1 virus.

Human H5N6 virus appears better adapted to infect the human airways than H5N1 virus and may pose a significant public health threat.
Subcellular Energetics and Metabolism: Potential Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Thiele Robert H.
Published: March 2017

Part I of this review discussed the similarities between embryogenesis, mammalian adaptions to hypoxia (primarily driven by hypoxia-inducible factor-1 [HIF-1]), ischemia-reperfusion injury (and its relationship with reactive oxygen species), hibernation, diving animals, cancer, and sepsis, and it focused on the common characteristics that allow cells and organisms to survive in these states. Part II of this review describes techniques by which researchers gain insight into subcellular energetics and identify potential future tools for clinicians. In particular, P31 nuclear magnetic resonance to measure high-energy phosphates, serum lactate measurements, the use of near-infrared spectroscopy to measure the oxidation state of cytochrome aa3, and the ability of the protoporphyrin IX-triplet state lifetime technique to measure mitochondrial oxygen tension are discussed. In addition, this review discusses novel treatment strategies such as hyperbaric oxygen, preconditioning, exercise training, therapeutic gases, as well as inhibitors of HIF-1, HIF prolyl hydroxylase, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors.
Hildebrand Gurlitt and His Dealings with German Museums During the “Third Reich”
Authors: Hoffmann Meike
Published: March 2017

With the unexpected discovery of the “Munich Art Trove” in November 2013, the name of Hildebrand Gurlitt became famous overnight through media stories around the world. Spanning four periods of German history, Gurlitt started as an art historian in the late-period German Reich. During the Weimar Republic, he became a driving force behind a museum reform movement promoting a policy for arts and culture that supported the collection of contemporary art in German museums. After Adolf Hitler's rise to power, Gurlitt had to step down from his museum role. He started a career as an art dealer, first independently and later on behalf of Hitler himself. The extensive, international art network Gurlitt had developed beforehand became trade routes for looted and seized art, as well as the hedge for his comeback in post–World War II Germany. They are the fine lines between merits, crime, and repression in the professional and biographical journey of Hildebrand Gurlitt.
The Restitution of Nazi-Looted Art and Other Cultural Property: Have We Gone Too Far or Not Far Enough?
Authors: Kaye Lawrence M.
Published: March 2017

This article examines the problems associated with the restitution of Nazi-looted art in the United States by focusing on some of the leading cases. Although some legal battles have been won by the heirs of Holocaust victims and others are ongoing, many have been unsuccessful. The thesis is that the United States has not gone far enough in addressing appropriate remedies for the restitution of Nazi-looted art. In contemplating the best ways for claimants to achieve a “fair and just solution,” the article argues in favor of alternative remedies to settle disputes and calls on the US government to play a larger role in adopting policies and legislation to aid claimants.
Aztlán Unprotected
Authors: Minich Julie Avril
Published: March 2017

“Aztlán Unprotected: Reading Gil Cuadros in the Aftermath of HIV/AIDS” examines what the gay Chicano writer Gil Cuadros, whose work depicts queer and Chicana/o communities living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles during the late 1980s and early 1990s, teaches us today, in a historical moment when the virus remains an urgent health concern among young, queer Latino men even as the dominant culture locates the crisis in the past. Challenging health care inequities and interrogating conceptions of “healthy” sexuality, Cuadros's 1994 collection of prose and poetry, City of God, is profoundly relevant at a time when comprehensive health care access for vulnerable populations remains tenuous. Reading Cuadros in the purported aftermath of HIV/AIDS prompts us to face who can access the protection of a recognized political community (whether Aztlán or white gay communities) and who is left unprotected.
Exchanging Hours
Authors: Rohy Valerie
Published: March 2017

H.D.'s Tribute to Freud, a 1956 account of her analysis in the 1930s, posits two kinds of time. One is an intractable temporality that she calls “clock-time,” the unceasing movement of history toward a traumatic future—above all, the threat of Sigmund Freud's impending death and the encroachment of the Nazis on Vienna. Against this murderous imposition, the memoir embraces a temporality defined by brevity and contingency—we might call it momentary time or ephemeral time. As such, this queer text speaks to queer theory's oppositions between normative and nonnormative time and their attendant modes of reading—for example, in Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's essay “Paranoid Reading and Reparative Reading,” which compares rigid, knowing-in-advance interpretation with an affectively rich, temporally fluid hermeneutics. Reparative reading offers one way to understand Tribute to Freud, but H.D. can also hone our understanding of “Paranoid Reading” because both texts demonstrate the collapse of distinctions between ephemeral time and historical time.
Paracrine signals regulate human liver organoid maturation from iPSC
Authors: Asai Akihiro , Aihara Eitaro , Watson Carey , Mourya Reena , Mizuochi Tatsuki , Shivakumar Pranavkumar , Phelan Kieran , Mayhew Christopher , Helmrath Michael , Takebe Takanori , Wells James , Bezerra Jorge A.
Published: March 2017

A self-organizing organoid model provides a new approach to study the mechanism of human liver organogenesis. Previous animal models documented that simultaneous paracrine signaling and cell-to-cell surface contact regulate hepatocyte differentiation. To dissect the relative contributions of the paracrine effects, we first established a liver organoid using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) as previously reported. Time-lapse imaging showed the iPSC-derived hepatic endoderm (HE-iPSC) self-assembled into three-dimensional organoids, resulting in hepatic gene induction. Progressive differentiation was demonstrated by hepatic protein production after in vivo organoid transplantation. To assess the paracrine contributions, we employed a transwell system in which HE-iPSC were separately co-cultured with MSC and/or HUVEC. Although the three-dimensional structure did not form, their soluble factors induced a hepatocyte-like phenotype in HE-iPSC, resulting in the expression of bile salt export pump. In conclusion, the mesoderm-derived paracrine signals promote hepatocyte maturation in liver organoids, but organoid self-organization requires cell-to-cell surface contact. Our in vitro model demonstrated a novel approach to identify developmental paracrine signals regulating the differentiation of human hepatocytes.
Determination of Ultra Trace Cr(III) and Cr(VI) Species by Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry after Simultaneous Magnetic Solid Phase Extraction with the Aid of a Novel Imidazolium-Functionalized Magnetite Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite
Authors: Sarikhani Zohreh , Manoochehri Mahboobeh
Published: March 2017

Herein, a novel imidazolium-functionalized magnetic graphene oxide (GO@magnetite@Im) composite was synthesized and utilized for speciation analysis of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) via determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The nanosorbent was characterized with various techniques. This material is illustrated to represent a viable sorbent for separation and removal of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) ions. GO@magnetite@Im sorbent exhibited selectivity toward Cr(VI) species at pH = 2.0 through electrostatic interaction with imidazolium rings, while Cr(III) and Cr(V) species were sorbed on the active sites of the sorbent at pH = 6.0, simultaneously. No preoxidation or prereduction step was performed. Experimental design methodology was employed to find the best extraction conditions by exploring the affecting parameters on extraction procedure. Under the best optimized extraction conditions the linearity was 4–350 ng L−1 for Cr(VI) and 5–400 ng L−1 for total chromium. Detection limit and relative standard deviation for Cr(VI) were 1.2 ng L−1, and 6.8%, respectively, while these values for total chromium were 1.9 ng L−1 and 8.0%, respectively. The accuracy of the developed method was confirmed by analyzing two certified reference materials. Ultimately, this method was utilized for rapid extraction and speciation analysis of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in water samples and food samples.
Electroantennogram response of the parasitoid, Microplitis croceipes to host-related odors: The discrepancy between relative abundance and level of antennal responses to volatile compound
Authors: Morawo Tolulope , Burrows Matthew , Fadamiro Henry
Published: March 2017

Herbivores emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) after feeding on plants. Parasitoids exploit these VOCs as odor cues to locate their hosts. In nature, host-related odors are emitted as blends of various compounds occurring in different proportions, and minor blend components can sometimes have profound effects on parasitoid responses. In a previous related study, we identified and quantified VOCs emitted by cotton plant-fed Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae, an herbivore host of the parasitoid Microplitis croceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). In the present study, the olfactory response of female M. croceipes to synthetic versions of 15 previously identified compounds was tested in electroantennogram (EAG) bioassays. Using M. croceipes as a model species, we further asked the question: does the relative abundance of a volatile compound match the level of antennal response in parasitoids? Female M. croceipes showed varying EAG responses to test compounds, indicating different levels of bioactivity in the insect antenna. Eight compounds, including decanal, 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanone, 2-ethylhexanol, tridecane, tetradecane, α-farnesene and bisabolene, elicited EAG responses above or equal to the 50th percentile rank of all responses. Interestingly, decanal, which represented only 1% of the total amount of odors emitted by cotton-fed hosts, elicited the highest (0.82 mV) EAG response in parasitoids. On the other hand, (E)-β-caryophyllene, the most abundant (29%) blend component, elicited a relatively low (0.17 mV) EAG response. The results suggest that EAG response to host-related volatiles in parasitoids is probably more influenced by the ecological relevance or functional role of the compound in the blend, rather than its relative abundance.
Recent advances in plant-herbivore interactions
Authors: Burkepile Deron E. , Parker John D.
Published: March 2017

Plant-herbivore interactions shape community dynamics across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats. From amphipods to elephants and from algae to trees, plant-herbivore relationships are the crucial link generating animal biomass (and human societies) from mere sunlight. These interactions are, thus, pivotal to understanding the ecology and evolution of virtually any ecosystem. Here, we briefly highlight recent advances in four areas of plant-herbivore interactions: (1) plant defense theory, (2) herbivore diversity and ecosystem function, (3) predation risk aversion and herbivory, and (4) how a changing climate impacts plant-herbivore interactions. Recent advances in plant defense theory, for example, highlight how plant life history and defense traits affect and are affected by multiple drivers, including enemy pressure, resource availability, and the local plant neighborhood, resulting in trait-mediated feedback loops linking trophic interactions with ecosystem nutrient dynamics. Similarly, although the positive effect of consumer diversity on ecosystem function has long been recognized, recent advances using DNA barcoding to elucidate diet, and Global Positioning System/remote sensing to determine habitat selection and impact, have shown that herbivore communities are probably even more functionally diverse than currently realized. Moreover, although most diversity-function studies continue to emphasize plant diversity, herbivore diversity may have even stronger impacts on ecosystem multifunctionality. Recent studies also highlight the role of risk in plant-herbivore interactions, and risk-driven trophic cascades have emerged as landscape-scale patterns in a variety of ecosystems. Perhaps not surprisingly, many plant-herbivore interactions are currently being altered by climate change, which affects plant growth rates and resource allocation, expression of chemical defenses, plant phenology, and herbivore metabolism and behavior. Finally, we conclude by noting that although the field is advancing rapidly, the world is changing even more rapidly, challenging our ability to manage these pivotal links in the food chain.
Molecular signature of anastasis for reversal of apoptosis
Authors: Tang Ho Man , Talbot Jr C. Conover , Fung Ming Chiu , Tang Ho Lam
Published: March 2017

Anastasis (Greek for "rising to life") is a cell recovery phenomenon that rescues dying cells from the brink of cell death. We recently discovered anastasis to occur after the execution-stage of apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Promoting anastasis could in principle preserve injured cells that are difficult to replace, such as cardiomyocytes and neurons. Conversely, arresting anastasis in dying cancer cells after cancer therapies could improve treatment efficacy. To develop new therapies that promote or inhibit anastasis, it is essential to identify the key regulators and mediators of anastasis – the therapeutic targets. Therefore, we performed time-course microarray analysis to explore the molecular mechanisms of anastasis during reversal of ethanol-induced apoptosis in mouse primary liver cells. We found striking changes in transcription of genes involved in multiple pathways, including early activation of pro-cell survival, anti-oxidation, cell cycle arrest, histone modification, DNA-damage and stress-inducible responses, and at delayed times, angiogenesis and cell migration. Validation with RT-PCR confirmed similar changes in the human liver cancer cell line, HepG2, during anastasis. Here, we present the time-course whole-genome gene expression dataset revealing gene expression profiles during the reversal of apoptosis. This dataset provides important insights into the physiological, pathological, and therapeutic implications of anastasis.
The cyanobacterial nitrogen fixation paradox in natural waters
Authors: Paerl Hans
Published: March 2017

Nitrogen fixation, the enzymatic conversion of atmospheric N (N2) to ammonia (NH3), is a microbially mediated process by which “new” N is supplied to N-deficient water bodies. Certain bloom-forming cyanobacterial species are capable of conducting N2fixation; hence, they are able to circumvent N limitation in these waters. However, this anaerobic process is highly sensitive to oxygen, and since cyanobacteria produce oxygen in photosynthesis, they are faced with a paradoxical situation, where one critically important (for supporting growth) biochemical process is inhibited by another.

N2-fixing cyanobacterial taxa have developed an array of biochemical, morphological, and ecological adaptations to minimize the “oxygen problem”; however, none of these allows N2fixation to function at a high enough efficiency so that it can supply N needs at the ecosystem scale, where N losses via denitrification, burial, and advection often exceed the inputs of “new” N by N2fixation. As a result, most marine and freshwater ecosystems exhibit chronic N limitation of primary production. Under conditions of perpetual N limitation, external inputs of N from human sources (agricultural, urban, and industrial) play a central role in determining ecosystem fertility and, in the case of N overenrichment, excessive primary production or eutrophication. This points to the importance of controlling external N inputs (in addition to traditional phosphorus controls) as a means of ensuring acceptable water quality and safe water supplies.

Nitrogen fixation, the enzymatic conversion of atmospheric N2to ammonia (NH3) is a  microbially-mediated process by which “new” nitrogen is supplied to N-deficient water bodies.  Certain bloom-forming cyanobacterial species are capable of conducting N2fixation; hence they are able to circumvent nitrogen limitation in these waters. However, this anaerobic process is highly sensitive to oxygen, and since cyanobacteria produce oxygen in photosynthesis, they are faced with a paradoxical situation, where one critically-important (for supporting growth) biochemical process is inhibited by another. Diazotrophic cyanobacterial taxa have developed an array of biochemical, morphological and ecological adaptations to minimize the “oxygen problem”; however, none of these allows N2fixation to function at a high enough efficiency so that it can supply N needs at the ecosystem scale, where N losses via denitrification, burial and advection often exceed the inputs of “new” N by N2fixation. 

As a result, most marine and freshwater ecosystems exhibit chronic N-limitation of primary production.  Under conditions of perpetual N limitation, external inputs of N from human sources (agricultural, urban, industrial) play a central role in determining ecosystem fertility and in the case of N-overenrichment, excessive primary production, or eutrophication. This points to the importance of controlling external N inputs (in addition to traditional phosphorus controls) as a means of ensuring acceptable water quality and safe water supplies.
Recent advances in the management of dry age-related macular degeneration: A review
Authors: Bandello Francesco , Sacconi Riccardo , Querques Lea , Corbelli Eleonora , Cicinelli Maria Vittoria , Querques Giuseppe
Published: March 2017

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most important cause of vision loss in elderly people, is a degenerative disorder of the central retina with a multifactorial etiopathology. AMD is classified in dry AMD (d-AMD) or neovascular AMD depending on the presence of choroidal neovascularization. Currently, no therapy is approved for geographic atrophy, the late form of d-AMD, because no treatment can restore the damage of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) or photoreceptors. For this reason, all treatment approaches in d-AMD are only likely to prevent and slow down the progression of existing atrophy. This review focuses on the management of d-AMD and especially on current data about potential targets for therapies evaluated in clinical trials.

Numerous examinations are available in clinics to monitor morphological changes in the retina, RPE and choroid of d-AMD patients. Fundus autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography (OCT) are considered the most useful tools in the diagnosis and follow-up of d-AMD alterations, including the monitoring of atrophy area progression. Instead, OCT-angiography is a novel imaging tool that may add further information in patients affected by d-AMD.

Several pathways, including oxidative stress, deposits of lipofuscin, chronic inflammation and choroidal blood flow insufficiency, seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of d-AMD and represent possible targets for new therapies. A great number of treatments for d-AMD are under investigation with promising results in preliminary studies. However, only few of these drugs will enter the market, offering a therapeutic chance to patients affected by the dry form of AMD and help them to preserve a good visual acuity. Further studies with a long-term follow-up would be important to test the real safety and efficacy of drugs under investigation.
Growth performance and feed utilization of keureling fish Tor tambra (Cyprinidae) fed formulated diet supplemented with enhanced probiotic.
Authors: Muchlisin Zainal A. , Murda Tanzil , Yulvizar Cut , Dewiyanti Irma , Fadli Nur , Afrido Fardin , Siti-Azizah Mohd Nor , Muhammadar Abdullah A.
Published: March 2017

Background

The objective of the present study was to determine the optimum dosage of probiotic in the diet of keureling fish (Tor tambra) fry.

Methods

Lactobacillus casei from Yakult® was used as a starter, and enhanced with Curcuma xanthorrhiza, Kaempferia galanga and molasses. The mixture was fermented for 7 days prior to use as probiotic in a formulated diet containing 30% crude protein. Four levels of probiotic dosage; 0 ml kg-1 (control), 5 ml kg-1, 10 ml kg-1 and 15 ml kg-1 were tested in this study. The fish was fed twice a day at 08.00 AM and 06.00 PM at the ration of 5% body weight for 80 days.

Results

The results showed that growth performance and feed efficiency increased with increasing probiotic dosage in the diet from control (no probiotic) to 10 ml kg-1 of probiotic dosage and then decreased when the dosage was increased up to 15 ml kg-1.

Conclusions

The best values for all measured parameters were recorded at the dosage of 10 ml kg-1. Therefore, it was concluded that the optimum dosage of enhanced probiotic for T. tambra fry was 10 ml kg-1 of feed.
Cell growth inhibition and apoptotic effects of a specific anti-RTFscFv antibody on prostate cancer, but not glioblastoma, cells
Authors: Nejatollahi Foroogh , Bayat Payam , Moazen Bahareh
Published: March 2017

Background: Single chain antibody (scFv) has shown interesting results in cancer immunotargeting approaches, due to its advantages over monoclonal antibodies. Regeneration and tolerance factor (RTF) is one of the most important regulators of extracellular and intracellular pH in eukaryotic cells. In this study, the inhibitory effects of a specific anti-RTF scFv were investigated and compared between three types of prostate cancer and two types of glioblastoma cells. Methods: A phage antibody display library of scFv was used to select specific scFvs against RTF using panning process. The reactivity of a selected scFv was assessed by phage ELISA. The anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of the antibody on prostate cancer (PC-3, Du-145 and LNCaP) and glioblastoma (U-87 MG and A-172) cell lines were investigated by MTT and Annexin V/PI assays. Results: A specific scFv with frequency 35% was selected against RTF epitope. This significantly inhibited the proliferation of the prostate cells after 24 h. The percentages of cell viability (using 1000 scFv/cell) were 52, 61 and 73% for PC-3, Du-145 and LNCaP cells, respectively, compared to untreated cells. The antibody (1000 scFv/cell) induced apoptosis at 50, 40 and 25% in PC-3, Du-145 and LNCaP cells, respectively. No growth inhibition and apoptotic induction was detected for U-87 and A172 glioblastoma cells. Conclusions: Anti-RTFscFv significantly reduced the proliferation of the prostate cancer cells. The inhibition of cell growth and apoptotic induction effects in PC-3 cells were greater than Du-145 and LNCaP cells. This might be due to higher expression of RTF antigen in PC-3 cells and/or better accessibility of RTF to scFv antibody. The resistance of glioblastoma cells to anti-RTF scFv offers the existence of mechanism(s) that abrogate the inhibitory effect(s) of the antibody to RTF. The results suggest that the selected anti-RTF scFv antibody could be an effective new alternative for prostate cancer immunotherapy.
Neuronal substrates for initiation, maintenance, and structural organization of sleep/wake states
Authors: Eban-Rothschild Ada , de Lecea Luis
Published: March 2017

Animals continuously alternate between sleep and wake states throughout their life. The daily organization of sleep and wakefulness is orchestrated by circadian, homeostatic, and motivational processes. Over the last decades, much progress has been made toward determining the neuronal populations involved in sleep/wake regulation. Here, we will discuss how the application of advancedin vivotools for cell type–specific manipulations now permits the functional interrogation of different features of sleep/wake state regulation: initiation, maintenance, and structural organization. We will specifically focus on recent studies examining the roles of wake-promoting neuronal populations.
Crude childhood vaccination coverage in West Africa: Trends and predictors of completeness
Authors: Kazungu Jacob S. , Adetifa Ifedayo M.O.
Published: March 2017

Background: Africa has the lowest childhood vaccination coverage worldwide. If the full benefits of childhood vaccination programmes are to be enjoyed in sub-Saharan Africa, all countries need to improve on vaccine delivery to achieve and sustain high coverage. In this paper, we review trends in vaccination coverage, dropouts between vaccine doses and explored the country-specific predictors of complete vaccination in West Africa. 

Methods: We utilized datasets from the Demographic and Health Surveys Program, available for Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, to obtain coverage for Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, polio, measles, and diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) vaccines in children aged 12 – 23 months. We also calculated the DPT1-to-DPT3 and DPT1-to-measles dropouts, and proportions of the fully immunised child (FIC). Factors predictive of FIC were explored using Chi-squared tests and multivariable logistic regression. 

Results: Overall, there was a trend of increasing vaccination coverage. The proportion of FIC varied significantly by country (range 24.1-81.4%, mean 49%). DPT1-to-DPT3 dropout was high (range 5.1% -33.9%, mean 16.3%). Similarly, DPT1-measles dropout exceeded 10% in all but four countries. Although no single risk factor was consistently associated with FIC across these countries, maternal education, delivery in a health facility, possessing a vaccine card and a recent post delivery visit to a health facility were the key predictors of complete vaccination. 

Conclusions: The low numbers of fully immunised children and high dropout between vaccine doses highlights weaknesses and the need to strengthen the healthcare and routine immunization delivery systems in this region. Country-specific correlates of complete vaccination should be explored further to identify interventions required to increase vaccination coverage. Despite the promise of an increasing trend in vaccination coverage in West African countries, more effort is required to attain and maintain global vaccination coverage targets.
AUDIT OF HR PROCESSES AS A TOOL FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ASSESSMENT
Authors: Катковская  , Katkovskaya Irina
Published: March 2017

The article describes the essence of the audit of HR processes organization. Concepts «audit», «human resources audit», «audit of personnel potential», «social audit», «audit of HR processes» are studied in details. The tendencies in the market of audit and consulting services in the field of personnel management. The main directions and content HR - audit. The expediency of consideration of the audit of HR processes as a separate management. The relation types of audit in the organization of personnel management system and possible regularities of their functioning. Proposed levels of audit of HR processes of completeness study. Determine the relevance of research in the field of audit of HR processes of the organization. This article is based on materials of the author´s term papers and results of graduation thesis relating to the problem.
Introduction propaedeutic course visual geometry to ensure the requirements of the FSES
Authors: Маскина  , Maskina Mariya
Published: March 2017

The article is about the need of introducing a propaedeutic course of visual or combinatorial geometry, which precedes the systematic study of geometry to resolve children´s problems related to the axiomatic method. The author approves the importance of this course in the formation of geometric preliminary concepts, the development of visual-figurative thinking, positive motivation to study mathematics and the "awakening of thought" among the most gifted schoolchildren. The thematic planning of elective course "Task on Graph Paper", the basic features of solving these tasks and the two possible levels of achievement of the result on a specific example are presented.
THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO THE DEFINITION OF MOTIVATION OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY OF PUBLIC SERVANTS
Authors: Вашаломидзе  , Vashalomidze E.
Published: March 2017

The relevance of the chosen article’s theme are conditioned by the existence of problems in scientific-methodical maintenance of increase of productivity of the state civil service of the Russian Federation in the light of the execution of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated August 11, 2016 № 403 of the completion of the measures to improve the system of material incentives for civil servants, as well as the structure of their pay. In the first part of the article the author gives a brief analysis and an assessment of the current system of material incentives and the structure of salaries of civil servants. In the second part of the article in accordance with the results of relevant research some scientific and methodological approaches to optimize the structure of salaries of civil servants and recommendations to enhance the effective promotion of their professional performance are suggested. The aim of the article is to provide guidance to the scientific and educational institutions, as well as public authorities, to address the problems of implementing the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, dated 11 August 2016 of the establishment of effective mechanisms to improve the economic performance of the Russian Federation Civil Service system by improving material stimulation of professional activity of civil servants of the Russian Federation. The methodological basis of this work are such methods as: a comparative complex analysis; systems approach; peer reviews; analogy method; economic and statistical analysis; sociological, historical and analytical, and others.
FORMATION FACTORS OF HUMAN CAPITAL IN UNIVERSITY OF ENTREPRENEURIAL TYPE
Authors: Карпенко  , Karpenko E. , Журавлев  , Zhuravlev P. , Альхименко  , Alkhimenko O.
Published: March 2017

Work objective. Changes in the system of higher education in Russia, which are a reflection of the socio-economic life, require the expansion of modern university functions. The development of processes of transformation of universities in universities of entrepreneurial type has identified the need to identify factors in the formation of human capital as the most important resource that can make the transition to a new quality of universities. Materials and methods. The works of domestic and foreign experts, universities, research enterprise type are studied. Result. The main directions of the entrepreneurial type of universities are given. Classification of factors influencing the formation of the human capital of the University of entrepreneurial orientation is offered. Groups of factors influencing the priority on human capital formation necessary for the implementation of certain activities of the University of enterprise type are given. Conclusion. The results can be used in the formation of the enterprise type universities.
PERSONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS A TOOL FOR THE FORMATION OF STAFFING IN THE TAX AREA
Authors: Викторова  , Viktorova Natalya , Евстигнеев  , Evstigneev Evgeniy
Published: March 2017

The article deals with contemporary approaches to the creation of personalized learning environments (PLE) participants in the educational process on the financial and fiscal discipline through the use of information and communications technology (ICT) resources and Internet services. Subject of research — the definition, content, structure and filling of the teacher’s and student’s PLE in the context of the technology development. Topics of the article covered include the analysis of the personal environment as a self-organizing forms of training for financial and tax spheres. Purpose this work — to identify the main problems of the PLE development considering the requirements of the information society, global trends in the formation of advanced technological structures. The paper reflects the promising areas of ICT in Russian education until 2030, marked the challenges of the modern world in the subject area. In this regard it outlined the scientific and practical approach to the development of personalized learning environments: the definition given in the narrow and broad sense; the structure of the PLE on tax courses. The study was conducted on the basis of a systematic approach, using structural analysis and synthesis techniques. As a result the conclusion about importance of the PLE construction by members of the educational process, the need to incorporate potential of Web 2.0, cloud, mobile and other technologies, as well as massive open online courses. In this case, the PLE can be considered as an instrument of continuing professional education in the field of finance and taxation. A training of creative personnel is the basis of the transition Russian economy, and its part — the tax system — in a new progressive technological way.
Johnson Quantile-Parameterized Distributions
Authors: Hadlock Christopher C. , Bickel J. Eric
Published: March 2017

It is common decision analysis practice to elicit quantiles of continuous uncertainties and then fit a continuous probability distribution to the corresponding probability-quantile pairs. This process often requires curve fitting and the best-fit distribution will often not honor the assessed points. By strategically extending the Johnson Distribution System, we develop a new distribution system that honors any symmetric percentile triplet of quantile assessments (e.g., the 10th-50th-90th) in conjunction with specified support bounds. Further, our new system is directly parameterized by the assessed quantiles and support bounds, eliminating the need to apply a fitting procedure. Our new system is practical, flexible, and, as we demonstrate, able to match the shapes of numerous commonly named distributions.
Diabetes series, 6. Diabetes and bladder dysfunction
Authors: Nazarko Linda
Published: March 2017

Around half of all people with diabetes develop lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The person with diabetes can develop an underactive or an overactive bladder ( Arrellano-Valdez et al, 2014 ). This article explains how diabetes affects bladder function, ways to minimise the risk of bladder dysfunction and available treatments.
A tale of two countries: enrolled nurses in the UK and Gibraltar
Authors: Peate Ian , Lane Jane
Published: March 2017

This article considers and describes the preparation for reintroduction of the second-level nurse (enrolled nurse—EN) in Gibraltar, providing the reader with insight into this level of nurse that in the UK has been discontinued. The role of the EN in Gibraltar and UK has undergone change over the past 30 years, with the UK disestablishing EN training and Gibraltar restoring it in 2013.

The article offers an overview of the programme and experiences in the Gibraltar setting. The programme is run in conjunction with practitioners and clinicians at the Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) and academic staff within the Gibraltar School of Health Studies.
Effect of antiseptic irrigation on infection rates of traumatic soft tissue wounds: a longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Roth B. , Neuenschwander R. , Brill F. , Wurmitzer F. , Wegner C. , Assadian O. , Kramer A.
Published: March 2017

Objective:

Acute traumatic wounds are contaminated with bacteria and therefore an infection risk. Antiseptic wound irrigation before surgical intervention is routinely performed for contaminated wounds. However, a broad variety of different irrigation solutions are in use. The aim of this retrospective, non-randomised, controlled longitudinal cohort study was to assess the preventive effect of four different irrigation solutions before surgical treatment, on wound infection in traumatic soft tissue wounds.

Method:

Over a period of three decades, the prophylactic application of wound irrigation was studied in patients with contaminated traumatic wounds requiring surgical treatment, with or without primary wound closure. The main outcome measure was development of wound infection. From 1974–1983, either 0.04 % polihexanide (PHMB), 1 % povidone-iodine (PVP-I), 4 % hydrogen peroxide, or undiluted Ringer's solution were concurrently in use. From 1984–1996, only 0.04 % PHMB or 1 % PVP-I were applied. From 1997, 0.04 % PHMB was used until the end of the study period in 2005.

Results:

The combined rate for superficial and deep wound infection was 1.7 % in the 0.04 % PHMB group (n=3264), 4.8 % in the 1 % PVP-I group (n=2552), 5.9 % in the Ringer's group (n=645), and 11.7 % in the 4 % hydrogen peroxide group (n=643). Compared with all other treatment arms, PHMB showed the highest efficacy in preventing infection in traumatic soft tissue wounds (p<0.001). However, compared with PVP-I, the difference was only significant for superficial infections.

Conclusion:

The large patient numbers in this study demonstrated a robust superiority of 0.04 % PHMB to prevent infection in traumatic soft tissue wounds. These retrospective results may further provide important information as the basis for power calculations for the urgently needed prospective clinical trials in the evolving field of wound antisepsis.
Trigeminal-mediated headshaking in horses
Authors: Naylor Rosie J
Published: March 2017

Idiopathic headshaking is a frustrating condition to manage. Affected horses are believed to experience facial pain caused by a hypersensitivity of the trigeminal nerve, hence the term trigeminal-mediated headshaking has been proposed. Headshaking is characterised by a sharp, usually vertical, movement of the head, although rotatory or horizontal headshaking is occasionally seen. The condition is often seasonal. A number of treatments have been proposed; these are aimed at minimising specific trigger factors or desensitising the trigeminal nerve. Treatment response is variable but generally success rates are low to moderate, with strategies aimed at managing the clinical signs rather than achieving long-term cure.
Acute poisoning in horses: part 1
Authors: Bates Nicola
Published: March 2017

Poisoning in horses is rarely reported compared with poisoning in companion animals and food-producing animals. They are potentially at risk of exposure to numerous pesticide products and chemicals, various plants and snake bite. Diagnosis will involve determining the case history, and interpreting clinicopathological and chemical investigations to determine the source and cause of poisoning. Clinical signs and treatment of horses poisoned with herbicides, rodenticides, metaldehyde, lead and adder envenomation are described. Poisonous plant exposure in horses will be discussed in a later article.
An update on rumen dysfunction — what are the new thoughts on SARA?
Authors: Russell Stuart
Published: March 2017

Impressive increases in the genetic potential of dairy cows have driven equally substantial improvements in management and nutrition. There appears to be a conflict between supplying the nutrient requirements of high yielding dairy cows and maintaining healthy rumen function. Research into optimising rumen function has demonstrated an incredible capacity for nutrient production given suitable rumen conditions. Nutrition models based on this research have been used to feed herds with average milk yields above 45 kg/cow/day with minimal loss of body condition, even on diets with crude protein concentrations below 15%. Such a diet requires exceptional rumen function to maximise microbial energy and protein production and demonstrates the significant advances in scientific understanding in recent years.
Grassland management and helminth control on livestock farms
Authors: Forbes Andrew
Published: March 2017

Most species of gastrointestinal and pulmonary parasitic nematodes of cattle and sheep are host specific and farmers with mixed livestock farms can take advantage of this aspect of parasite biology to mitigate and control pasture-associated parasite infections through mixed or co-grazing. However, some common parasites, such as liver and rumen fluke, are generalists and can parasitise a wide range of mammalian hosts, nevertheless, differences in host responses have the potential to be used to manage high-risk fields, without compromising health or performance. Current research is exploring the possible role of bioactive plants in the control of parasites.
Herb and clover mixes for New Zealand sheep and cattle grazing systems
Authors: Cranston Lydia
Published: March 2017

Perennial ryegrass/white clover (rye/wc) pasture provides the predominate pasture source for sheep and beef cattle farming systems in New Zealand. However, during summer limited rainfall often results in soil moisture deficits and when combined with high air temperatures, rye/wc can have low growth rates and be of poor quality. Farmers are sowing summer active perennial herb and clover mixes in order to combat this problem and improve animal performance. This article describes the pasture yield and quality attributes of herb and clover mixes, the potential improvement to animal performance and the optimum grazing management regimen necessary to maximise both the pasture and animal performance.
Identifying and treating different phenotypes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Bostock-Cox Beverley
Published: March 2017

Research into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has identified different phenotypes, which require a variety of approaches to treatment. As a result, the Global Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines group has updated its advice on the diagnosis and management of COPD. The 2017 GOLD guidelines offer a fresh approach to the identification and management of these COPD phenotypes, so that inhaled therapies and other treatments can be offered appropriately both in stable and acute exacerbations of COPD. This article reviews the treatment options as suggested by the GOLD guidelines group and discusses the rationale for taking a risk: benefit approach to treatment decisions.