bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insular epilepsy surgery
Authors: Laoprasert Pramote , Ojemann Jeffrey G. , Handler Michael H.
Published: April 2017

Since it was originally described nearly 70 years ago, insular epilepsy has been increasingly recognized and may explain failures after apparently well‐planned operations. We review the history of awareness of the phenomenon, techniques for its assessment, and its surgical management. Insular epilepsy can mimic features of frontal, parietal, or temporal seizures. It should be considered when a combination of somatosensory, visceral, and motor symptoms is observed early in a seizure. Extraoperative intracranial recordings are required to accurately diagnose insular seizures. Stereo–electroencephalography (EEG) or craniotomy with implantation of surface and depth electrodes have been used successfully to identify insular onset of seizures. Surgical resection of an insular focus may be performed with good success and acceptable risk.
Stereo‐EEG–guided radiofrequency thermocoagulations
Authors: Cossu Massimo , Cardinale Francesco , Casaceli Giuseppe , Castana Laura , Consales Alessandro , D'Orio Piergiorgio , Lo Russo Giorgio
Published: April 2017

The rationale and the surgical technique of stereo‐electroencephalography (SEEG)–guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF‐TC) in the epileptogenic zone (EZ) of patients with difficult‐to‐treat focal epilepsy are described in this article. The application of the technique in pediatric patients is also detailed. Stereotactic ablative procedures by RF‐TC have been employed in the treatment of epilepsy since the middle of the last century. This treatment option has gained new popularity in recent decades, mainly because of the availability of modern imaging techniques, which allow accurate targeting of intracerebral epileptogenic structures. SEEG is a powerful tool for identifying the EZ in the most challenging cases of focal epilepsy by recording electrical activity with tailored stereotactic implantation of multilead intracerebral electrodes. The same recording electrodes may be used to place thermocoagulative lesions in the EZ, following the indications provided by intracerebral monitoring. The technical details of SEEG implantation and of SEEG‐guided RF‐TC are described herein, with special attention to the employment of the procedure in pediatric cases. SEEG‐guided RF‐TC offers a potential therapeutic option based on robust electroclinical evidence with acceptable risks and costs. The procedure may be performed in patients who, according to SEEG recording, are not eligible for resective surgery, and it may be an alternative to resective surgery in a small subset of operable patients.
Pinus taeda forest growth predictions in the 21st century vary with site mean annual temperature and site quality
Authors: Gonzalez‐Benecke Carlos A. , Teskey Robert O. , Dinon‐Aldridge Heather , Martin Timothy A.
Published: April 2017

Climate projections from 20 downscaled global climate models (GCMs) were used with the 3‐PG model to predict the future productivity and water use of planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) growing across the southeastern United States. Predictions were made using Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5. These represent scenarios in which total radiative forcing stabilizes before 2100 (RCP 4.5) or continues increasing throughout the century (RCP 8.5). Thirty‐six sites evenly distributed across the native range of the species were used in the analysis. These sites represent a range in current mean annual temperature (14.9–21.6°C) and precipitation (1,120–1,680 mm/year). The site index of each site, which is a measure of growth potential, was varied to represent different levels of management. The 3‐PG model predicted that aboveground biomass growth and net primary productivity will increase by 10%–40% in many parts of the region in the future. At cooler sites, the relative growth increase was greater than at warmer sites. By running the model with the baseline [CO2] or the anticipated elevated [CO2], the effect of CO2 on growth was separated from that of other climate factors. The growth increase at warmer sites was due almost entirely to elevated [CO2]. The growth increase at cooler sites was due to a combination of elevated [CO2] and increased air temperature. Low site index stands had a greater relative increase in growth under the climate change scenarios than those with a high site index. Water use increased in proportion to increases in leaf area and productivity but precipitation was still adequate, based on the downscaled GCM climate projections. We conclude that an increase in productivity can be expected for a large majority of the planted loblolly pine stands in the southeastern United States during this century.
The Determinants of Regional Freight Transport: A Spatial, Semiparametric Approach
Authors: Krisztin Tamás
Published: April 2017

In the context of modeling regional freight the four‐stage model is a popular choice. The first stage of the model, freight generation and attraction, however, suffers from three shortcomings: first of all, it does not take spatial dependencies among regions into account, thus potentially yielding biased estimates. Second, there is no clear consensus in the literature as to the choice of explanatory variables. Second, sectoral employment and gross value added are used to explain freight generation, whereas some recent publications emphasize the importance of variables which measure the amount of logistical activity in a region. Third, there is a lack of consensus regarding the functional form of the explanatory variables. Multiple recent studies emphasize nonlinear influences of selected variables. This article addresses these shortcomings by using a spatial variant of the classic freight generation and attraction models combined with a penalized spline framework to model the explanatory variables in a semiparametric fashion. Moreover, a Bayesian estimation approach is used, coupled with a penalized Normal inverse‐Gamma prior structure, to introduce uncertainty regarding the choice and functional form of explanatory variables. The performance of the model is assessed on a real‐world example of freight generation and attraction of 258 European NUTS‐2 level regions, covering 25 European countries.
Environmental drivers of roosting body mass variation in boreal Great Tits Parus major
Authors: Broggi Juli , Koivula Kari , Hohtola Esa , Orell Markku
Published: April 2017

Small wintering passerines adaptively modulate daily body mass acquisition as part of their energy management policy. However, whether birds optimize overnight mass loss or body mass at dawn remains poorly understood. We studied environmental correlates of individual variation in body mass at dusk, overnight mass loss and body mass at dawn in a wild population of Great Tits Parus major wintering in northern Fennoscandia. Body mass at dusk, overnight mass loss and body mass at dawn were independent of prevailing conditions despite extremely low night ambient temperatures. Body mass at dusk was higher in males than in females, and decreased throughout winter and when snowfall was higher in the previous month. Overnight mass loss increased with precipitation during the previous week and tended to be higher in mid‐winter, when nights were longest. However, birds reduced overnight mass loss with higher temperatures in the previous week and higher precipitation in the previous 2 weeks. Dawn body mass was strongly correlated with dusk body mass and overnight mass loss, and showed only mild associations with weather variables once dusk mass was accounted for. Body mass in roosting boreal Great Tits seems to be constrained by recent snowfall as the winter progresses, but otherwise appears to be mostly unaffected by previous and current temperatures, suggesting a regular use of facultative hypothermia.
Brood size manipulations reveal relationships among physiological performance, body condition and plumage colour in Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus nestlings
Authors: Musgrove Annessa B. , Wiebe Karen L. , Parker Clare E. , Romero L. Micheal
Published: April 2017

Visual signals of quality in offspring, such as plumage colour, should honestly advertise need and/or body condition, but links between nutritional status, physiological performance and the expression of colours are complex and poorly understood. We assess how food stress during rearing affected two physiological measures (T‐cell‐mediated immune function and corticosterone level in feathers: CORTf) and how these two variables were related to carotenoid and melanin coloration in Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus nestlings. We were also interested in how these two physiological measures were influenced by the sex of the nestling. We experimentally manipulated brood size to alter levels of food availability to nestlings during development. We measured carotenoid‐based colour (chroma and brightness) in wing feathers and the size of melanin spots on breast feathers. In agreement with our prediction, nestlings in the reduced brood treatment had better body condition and stronger immune responses than those in the control and brood enlargement treatments. This supports the hypothesis that immune responses are energetically costly. In contrast, CORTf was not related to nestling body condition or sex and was unaffected by brood size manipulation. Nestlings of both sexes with stronger T‐cell‐mediated immune responses had larger melanin spots but only males with higher immune responses also had brighter flight feathers. Feather brightness decreased with increasing CORTf levels. Our study is one of the few to examine the relationship between multiple physiological and plumage measures in nestlings and shows that plumage colour and immune function signalled body condition of nestlings, but that feather corticosterone levels did not.
Water lily in a subcutaneous plane ‐ preventing complications of unplanned excision
Authors: Madura Chandraiah , Shenoy Chaithra , Girish Malavalli Lakshminarasimhaiha , Chandrashekar Byalakere Shivanna
Published: April 2017

Human cysticercosis is caused by the larval form of Taenia solium (T. solium) and is a condition more commonly seen in tropical countries. The infestation can present with varied symptoms depending upon the site of infection, e.g. intramuscular, subcutaneous, intracerebral, or elsewhere. Diagnosing cysticercosis, although fairly easy, becomes challenging in unusual cases. Unplanned excisions can lead to catastrophic complications.
Improving primary level home and community care services for older people: The case of Hong Kong
Authors: Fu Yuan Yuan , Chui Ernest Wing Tak , Kan Wing Shan , Ko Lisanne
Published: April 2017

The aims of this study were to assess the impairment levels of users and waitlisted applicants for Hong Kong's Integrated Home Care Services (Ordinary Cases) (IHCS [OC]), reveal their possible hidden needs and potential demand for higher level services, assess their unmet needs for IHCS (OC) and explore whether not using IHCS (OC) was associated with any deterioration in impairment. In all, 567 respondents were clinically assessed twice, over a 6‐month interval, by the Minimal Data Set Home Care questionnaire. The results showed that some moderately or severely impaired respondents had only limited access to higher level services. Some respondents with either no impairment or only low‐level impairment had applied for higher level services. Most waitlisted applicants had not received any IHCS (OC), even after 6 months of waiting. Using IHCS (OC) or not had no significant impact on the deterioration in impairment. Several ways of improving home and community care services are discussed.
Safety first: terrestrial predators drive selection of highly specific nesting sites in colonial‐breeding birds
Authors: Natusch Daniel J. D. , Lyons Jessica A. , Shine Richard
Published: April 2017

Nesting is a critical yet hazardous life stage for many birds. For colonial‐breeding birds, the conspicuousness of the colony to predators suggests immense pressure to select optimal colonial nesting sites. But what drives selection of those sites? As with solitary nesting birds, reducing access by predators may be the single most important factor. If so, knowledge of the predators involved and the attributes of different potential colony sites can allow us to predict the features that make a site especially safe. We examined the attributes of trees used by breeding colonies of metallic starlings Aplonis metallica in tropical Australia, and experimentally tested if those attributes prevented nest access by predatory snakes. Our surveys confirmed that tree choice by starling nesting colonies is highly non‐random, with all colonies located in tall trees in rainforest clearings, with no low branches and smooth bark. Experimental tests demonstrated that the climbing ability of predatory snakes depends upon bark rugosity, and that colony access by snakes depends on tree attributes such as bark rugosity and canopy connectivity. Our study confirms that colonial‐nesting starlings select colony sites that provide a safe refuge from predation. Intense predation pressure may have driven the evolution of stringent breeding habitat criteria in many other species of colonial‐breeding birds.
A novel pH‐controlled hydrogen sulfide donor protects gastric mucosa from aspirin‐induced injury
Authors: Yang Chun‐tao , Lai Zhen‐zhen , Zheng Ze‐hang , Kang Jian‐ming , Xian Ming , Wang Rui‐yu , Shi Kun , Meng Fu‐hui , Li Xiang , Chen Li , Zhang Hui
Published: April 2017

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) serves as a vital gastric mucosal defence under acid condition. Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among widely prescribed medications with effects of antipyresis, analgesia and anti‐inflammation. However, their inappropriate use causes gastric lesions and endogenous H2S deficiency. In this work, we reported the roles of a novel pH‐controlled H2S donor (JK‐1) in NSAID‐related gastric lesions. We found that JK‐1 could release H2S under mild acidic pH and increase solution pH value. Intragastrical administration of aspirin (ASP), one of NSAIDs, to mice elicited significant gastric lesions, evidenced by mucosal festering and bleeding. It also led to infiltration of inflammatory cells and resultant releases of IL‐6 and TNF‐α, as well as oxidative injury including myeloperoxidase (MPO) induction and GSH depletion. In addition, the ASP administration statistically inhibited H2S generation in gastric mucosa, while up‐regulated cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2 and cystathionine gamma lyase (CSE) expression. Importantly, these adverse effects of ASP were prevented by the intragastrical pre‐administration of JK‐1. However, JK‐1 alone did not markedly alter the property of mouse stomachs. Furthermore, in vitro cellular experiments showed the exposure of gastric mucosal epithelial (GES‐1) cells to HClO, imitating MPO‐driven oxidative injury, decreased cell viability, increased apoptotic rate and damaged mitochondrial membrane potential, which were reversed by pre‐treatment with JK‐1. In conclusion, JK‐1 was proved to be an acid‐sensitive H2S donor and could attenuate ASP‐related gastric lesions through reconstruction of endogenous gastric defence. This work indicates the possible treatment of adverse effects of NSAIDs with pH‐controlled H2S donors in the future.
Fitness effects of mutation: testing genetic redundancy in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Rutter M. T. , Wieckowski Y. M. , Murren C. J. , Strand A. E.
Published: April 2017

Screens of organisms with disruptive mutations in a single gene often fail to detect phenotypic consequences for the majority of mutants. One explanation for this phenomenon is that the presence of paralogous loci provides genetic redundancy. However, it is also possible that the assayed traits are affected by few loci, that effects could be subtle or that phenotypic effects are restricted to certain environments. We assayed a set of T‐DNA insertion mutant lines of Arabidopsis thaliana to determine the frequency with which mutation affected fitness‐related phenotypes. We found that between 8% and 42% of the assayed lines had altered fitness from the wild type. Furthermore, many of these lines exhibited fitness greater than the wild type. In a second experiment, we grew a subset of the lines in multiple environments and found whether a T‐DNA insert increased or decreased fitness traits depended on the assay environment. Overall, our evidence contradicts the hypothesis that genetic redundancy is a common phenomenon in A. thaliana for fitness traits. Evidence for redundancy from prior screens of knockout mutants may often be an artefact of the design of the phenotypic assays which have focused on less complex phenotypes than fitness and have used single environments. Finally, our study adds to evidence that beneficial mutations may represent a significant component of the mutational spectrum of A. thaliana.
Effects of ovarian fluid and genetic differences on sperm performance and fertilization success of alternative reproductive tactics in Chinook salmon
Authors: Lehnert S. J. , Butts I. A. E. , Flannery E. W. , Peters K. M. , Heath D. D. , Pitcher T. E.
Published: April 2017

In many species, sperm velocity affects variation in the outcome of male competitive fertilization success. In fishes, ovarian fluid (OF) released with the eggs can increase male sperm velocity and potentially facilitate cryptic female choice for males of specific phenotypes and/or genotypes. Therefore, to investigate the effect of OF on fertilization success, we measured sperm velocity and conducted in vitro competitive fertilizations with paired Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) males representing two alternative reproductive tactics, jacks (small sneaker males) and hooknoses (large guarding males), in the presence of river water alone and OF mixed with river water. To determine the effect of genetic differences on fertilization success, we genotyped fish at neutral (microsatellites) and functional [major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II ß1] markers. We found that when sperm were competed in river water, jacks sired significantly more offspring than hooknoses; however, in OF, there was no difference in paternity between the tactics. Sperm velocity was significantly correlated with paternity success in river water, but not in ovarian fluid. Paternity success in OF, but not in river water alone, was correlated with genetic relatedness between male and female, where males that were less related to the female attained greater paternity. We found no relationship between MHC II ß1 divergence between mates and paternity success in water or OF. Our results indicate that OF can influence the outcome of sperm competition in Chinook salmon, where OF provides both male tactics with fertilization opportunities, which may in part explain what maintains both tactics in nature.
Enhancing Quality of Provider Practices for Older Adults in the Emergency Department (EQUiPPED)
Authors: Stevens Melissa , Hastings Susan N. , Markland Alayne D. , Hwang Ula , Hung William , Vandenberg Ann E. , Bryan William , Cross Dewayne , Powers James , McGwin Gerald , Fattouh Noor , Ho William , Clevenger Carolyn , Vaughan Camille P.
Published: April 2017

EQUiPPED is a multicomponent quality improvement initiative combining education, electronic clinical decision support, and individual provider feedback to influence prescribing and improve medication safety for older adults. The objective here was to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of EQUiPPED to reduce the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), as defined by the American Geriatrics Society 2012 Beers Criteria, prescribed to older Veterans at the time of emergency department (ED) discharge. This evaluation represents a pre‐ and post‐intervention comparison of PIM prescriptions at 4 urban Veteran Affairs (VA) Medical Center EDs. Poisson regression was used to compare the number of PIMs prescribed to Veterans 65 years or older discharged from the ED for at least 6 months prior to the first EQUiPPED intervention at each site and for at least 12 months following the final EQUiPPED intervention. The implementation timeline varied by site depending on local resources. All 4 sites showed a significant and sustained reduction in use of PIMs. The proportion of PIMs at site one decreased from 11.9% (SD 1.8) pre‐EQUiPPED to 5.1% (SD 1.4) post‐EQUiPPED (P < .0001); site 2 from 8.2% (SD 0.8) pre to 4.5% (SD 1.0) post (P < .0001); site 3 from 8.9% (SD 1.9) pre to 6.1% (SD 1.7) post (P = .0007); and site 4 from 7.4% (SD 1.7) pre to 5.7% (SD 0.8) post (P = .04). These results suggest a multicomponent program to influence provider prescribing behavior leads to safer prescribing for older adults discharged from the ED and is sustainable across multiple VA ED sites.
Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Cultural Competence Assessment
Authors: Chae Duckhee , Kang Kyeong‐Hwa , Benkert Ramona , Doorenbos Ardith Z.
Published: April 2017

Aim

The 25 item Cultural Competence Assessment assesses the cultural competence of multiple types of healthcare providers. This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the questionnaire (KCCA) and to determine the need for changes to improve its validity and reliability.

Methods

Data from 161 hospital nurses were used for the item analysis and to assess the reliability and construct validity of the KCCA before and after the deletion of nine items.

Results

The KCCA did not demonstrate acceptable construct validity and subscale internal reliability. Nine items with high interitem correlations, high modification indices, and relatively lower factor loadings were deleted. The 16 item Modified KCCA showed improved construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and reliability.

Conclusion

While further psychometric evaluation of the Modified KCCA should be undertaken with larger samples and diverse professionals, the study's data provide evidence that the Modified KCCA might be a more suitable measure for use among Korean healthcare providers.
Self‐report of temporomandibular joint clicking and psychological factors: is there an association?
Authors: Ukra A. , Foster Page L. A. , Thomson W. M. , Knight R. G. , Farella M.
Published: April 2017

The objectives of this study were to test the hypothesis that self‐reported TMJ clicking sounds in adolescents are positively associated with non‐specific somatic symptoms, self‐perception of body image and care‐seeking behaviour. A cross‐sectional study was carried out in 353 young adolescents (48·4% females) recruited from community (N = 272) and orthodontic clinic (N = 81) settings. Assessments included self‐reported TMJ clicking, non‐specific physical symptoms, body image concerns and for the clinic sample only, the source of motivation for treatment. TMJ sounds were self‐reported by 19% of the sample and were associated with higher scores for non‐specific physical symptoms and body image concerns (P < 0·001). Adolescents who were self‐motivated to seek orthodontic treatment had greater scores for non‐specific physical symptoms, more body image concerns and tended to report TMJ sounds more often (26·3% and 7·7% respectively; P = 0·41) than those who were solely parent/family‐motivated to seek treatment. Self‐reported TMJ sounds in adolescents were associated with a propensity to somatisation and concerns with body image. Care‐seeking adolescents have greater non‐specific physical symptoms and body image concerns and tend to report more frequent TMJ sounds.
Influence of Post Space Preparation on the Apical Leakage of Calamus, Single‐Cone and Cold Lateral Condensation Obturation Techniques: A Computerized Fluid Filtration Study
Authors: Özkurt‐Kayahan Zeynep , Barut Güher , Ulusoy Zuhal , Oruçoğlu Hasan , Kayahan Mehmet Baybora , Kazazoğlu Ender , Haznedaroğlu Faruk
Published: April 2017

Purpose

Apical microleakage between the root canal and periapical tissues is considered a common cause of endodontic failure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the apical microleakage of various obturation techniques after immediate post space preparations with different drills.

Materials and Methods

One hundred twenty human single‐rooted teeth were selected for this study. The coronal portions were removed to achieve a uniform length of 15 mm. All root canals were instrumented with ProTaper Next rotary files using crown‐down technique. The 120 roots were randomly assigned to 3 experimental groups according to obturation technique (n = 40). The root canals were obturated with lateral condensation in group 1, single‐cone technique in group 2, and Calamus 3D obturation system in group 3. Each group was divided into two subgroups (n = 20) according to drill types (Gates Glidden and Peeso drills) leaving 5 mm of apical gutta‐percha. The apical microleakage was measured using the computerized fluid filtration meter method. The results were evaluated using Kruskal‐Wallis test with Bonferroni Corrected Mann‐Whitney U multiple comparison post hoc tests.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference between obturation techniques after post space preparation with Peeso drills (p > 0.05). In Gates Glidden drill groups, single‐cone technique demonstrated higher leakage (0.0051 ± 0.0037 μl x min−1 × cmH2O−1) than Calamus techniques (0.0019 ± 0.0012 μl x min−1 × cmH2O−1) (p < 0.017).

Conclusions

Gates Glidden drills caused the highest apical leakage in teeth obturated with single‐cone technique.
The benefit of punishment sensitivity on motor performance under pressure
Authors: Manley Harry , Beattie Stuart , Roberts Ross , Lawrence Gavin P. , Hardy Lew
Published: April 2017

Objective

Humans are often required to perform demanding cognitive and motor tasks under pressure. However, in such environments there is considerable interindividual variability in the ability to successfully execute actions. Here, we consider how individual differences in self‐reported sensitivity to punishment influence skilled motor performance under pressure and whether this relationship is moderated by the temporal detection of threat.

Method

Across two studies, 160 UK participants (Study 1: N = 80, Mage = 21.6, 52 males; Study 2: N = 80, Mage = 24.95, 45 males) performed a precision‐grip task and received either early or late warning of an upcoming stressful manipulation involving social evaluation and performance‐dependent incentives.

Results

In both studies, we report an interaction where punishment sensitivity was adaptive for motor performance only when threats were detected early and there was opportunity to prepare for the upcoming stressor. Further, our results suggest that the benefits of punishment sensitivity are likely underpinned by the effective use of cognitive strategies.

Conclusion

Heightened sensitivity to punishment is adaptive for performance under pressure, provided threats are detected early and effective cognitive strategies are implemented.
Exit site care in the Netherlands: the use of guidelines in practice
Authors: Hoekstra Bettie P. , de Vries‐Hoogsteen Anneke , Winkels Bieneke , Zevenbergen‐Osinga Helma , Thijssen‐Broers Ingrid , Bellemakers Trian ,   SIG PD, V&VN Dialysis & Nephrology
Published: April 2017

Background

The aim of this paper is to describe the quality of exit site care by evaluating the use of the Dutch exit site guideline over a period of 15 years.

Method

The special interest group (SIG) for peritoneal dialysis (PD) analysed results of three surveys concerning general exit site care among members of the Dutch Association for nurses and carers (V&VN), the dialysis and nephrology section.

Results

In 2002 (when no guidelines were available) the survey showed huge diversity in practice, with no definition of the post‐operative period after catheter placement and no uniform monitoring of the exit site. There was a difference in use of dressings and exit site care. In 2009, the survey showed that most dialysis centres worked with the first guideline of the V&VN (2006) and exit site classification (2006). However, at this time, there was still diversity in the way exit site care was undertaken. In 2016, there was widespread use of guidelines and classification alongside a more individual approach to practice. Differences occured in use of disinfectant, antimicrobial ointment, swimming and going to the sauna.

Conclusion

The exit site guideline has been widely used in the Netherlands, improving quality in care and utilising a more individual patient approach in care. However, there are still differences identified in practice for which the evidence‐base and evaluation will be undertaken to supplement the guideline and attribute to exit site care practice.
Physical punishment: Sanctioned violence against children
Authors: Forbes David
Published: April 2017

Australian society continues to support physical punishment of children and is currently conducting a Royal Commission unto violence against children in custody. By contrast, New Zealand has banned physical punishment of children. Australian society needs to address this issue.
Prevalence in Visual Search: From the Clinic to the Lab and Back Again
Authors: Horowitz Todd S.
Published: April 2017

One of the most important applications of visual search is in the interpretation of medical images. Like many applications of visual search, medical image interpretation is typically characterized as a low “prevalence” context, meaning that targets are relatively rare. Breast cancer screening, for example, has a prevalence of around 0.5%. In this review, I present a survey of research on the effects of prevalence on visual search from both the medical image perception and basic psychological science perspectives. In order to provide some quantitative rigor, I include a meta‐analysis of the effects of low prevalence on visual search performance. I synthesize findings from both fields, and identify both the practical suggestions for clinical practice and theoretical insights for cognitive psychologists.
Intellectual property and development—narratives and their empirical validity
Authors: Peukert Alexander
Published: April 2017

The article gives an overview of the relationship between intellectual property (IP) and development. The first section shows that the dominant assumption in the history of IP was that IP rights are generally favorable to socio‐economic progress. The second section explains that economic and historical research has proven this linear expansionist narrative to be untenable. In doing so, the article compares the arguments of IP optimists with counterarguments of IP pessimists in the light of empirical studies. The final section addresses the consequences of these findings for the future of the international IP system.
Calling for Collaboration: Women and Public Service in Dorothy Moore's Transnational Protestant Correspondence
Authors: Maxwell Felicity Lyn
Published: April 2017

The study of early modern letters has flourished in the last 15 years, producing an abundance of literature and digital projects. Studies of women's letters and of the male‐dominated republic of letters have tended to self‐segregate, but thanks to Carol Pal'sRepublic of Womenand the groundbreaking work of several other specialists, prominent women in the republic of letters are now regaining their reputations. The ‘star of Utrecht’ Anna Maria van Schurman and the ‘incomparable’ Lady Ranelagh are indeed stellar examples. Within their constellation, Dorothy Moore, a relative of Ranelagh and fellow member of the Hartlib circle, engaged in correspondence with leading intellectuals in Ireland, London, and the Dutch Republic, in hopes of clarifying together how educated women could serve the transnational Protestant public of which they were members.

Through examining key letters, this article argues that Moore used correspondence not to promote pre‐formed ideas or pursue a particular career, but rather to engage in collaborative problem solving and unofficial public service. Moore's letters demonstrate that she felt called to serve the public but, lacking literal ‘calls’ (appointments) and a steady income, required innovative advice and practical assistance. Although Moore's brief but intense correspondence with André Rivet helped develop her theory of women's vocation, it did not identify new ways for women to serve the Protestant public as a whole. Nevertheless, Moore could use strategic circulation of letters addressed to Ranelagh as a means of edifying select audiences, while collaborating with and eventually marrying John Dury provided further opportunities.
British Authors Published Abroad
Authors: Stevenson Jane
Published: April 2017

My present work is a study of British authors published abroad. In the seventeenth century, English and Scots had a negligible readership outside the British Isles. The principal languages of Europe were Latin, the language of the clerisy and of scientific exchange, and French, the language of chivalry and diplomacy. It follows that British authors could make an impression abroad only if they wrote in Latin or if their work underwent translation. The quantity and significance of the resultant literature is little understood. Additionally, because there is so little translation of literary texts, the importance of translation out of English is often underestimated. A huge amount of political and theological writing was published in Dutch translation: There is also an important phenomenon of “onward translation” from Dutch to German, and from German to the Scandinavian languages, Polish, and other tongues, without reference to the original English texts (there is also a smaller, but significant “onward” process from French to other romance languages). The Elizabethan puritans in particular have a major presence in Continental translation. There is also a political dimension to publication abroad: The English state attempted to remedy propaganda disasters by having recourse to foreign presses, and dissident writers attempted to sway opinion both at home and abroad. Furthermore, significant quantities of writing were produced within diaspora communities; the most salient being the separatist Protestant churches in the Netherlands that included the Pilgrim Fathers, and the Catholic seminaries and monasteries. Many of these had well‐developed networks of international communication.
Reliability and Validity of the Quality of Life Questionnaire in Iranian Patients with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Authors: POURMOMENY Abbas Ali. , ZARGHAM Mahtab , FANI Maedeh
Published: April 2017

Objectives

The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Iranian version of the Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaire in patients with urinary incontinence (UI).

Methods

The English questionnaire on lower urinary tract symptoms was initially translated into Persian, and then back‐translated into English. Final modifications were made after testing the questionnaire on Iranian patients with UI. To validate the translated questionnaire, the following tests were undertaken: content/face validity, internal consistency/reliability and construct validity.

Results

The Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life (LUTS–QoL) questionnaire showed good internal consistency, content validity, and criterion validity, as measured by correlation with scores on the Short‐Form 36 Health Survey (SF‐36). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.951, indicating a high internal consistency. Concerning criterion validity, correlations between the LUTS–QoL and subscales of the SF‐36 were 0.563–0.193. The highest correlation was found between the LUTS–QoL and the social function subscale of the SF‐36.

Conclusion

The Iranian version of the LUTS–QoL questionnaire is a valid and robust instrument that can be used reliably in clinical settings and in research.
Hypoxia‐enhanced adhesion of red blood cells in microscale flow
Authors: Kim Myeongseop , Alapan Yunus , Adhikari Anima , Little Jane A. , Gurkan Umut A.
Published: April 2017

Objectives

The advancement of microfluidic technology has facilitated the simulation of physiological conditions of the microcirculation, such as oxygen tension, fluid flow, and shear stress in these devices. Here, we present a micro‐gas exchanger integrated with microfluidics to study RBC adhesion under hypoxic flow conditions mimicking postcapillary venules.

Methods

We simulated a range of physiological conditions and explored RBC adhesion to endothelial or subendothelial components (FN or LN). Blood samples were injected into microchannels at normoxic or hypoxic physiological flow conditions. Quantitative evaluation of RBC adhesion was performed on 35 subjects with homozygous SCD.

Results

Significant heterogeneity in RBC adherence response to hypoxia was seen among SCD patients. RBCs from a HEA population showed a significantly greater increase in adhesion compared to RBCs from a HNA population, for both FN and LN.

Conclusions

The approach presented here enabled the control of oxygen tension in blood during microscale flow and the quantification of RBC adhesion in a cost‐efficient and patient‐specific manner. We identified a unique patient population in which RBCs showed enhanced adhesion in hypoxia in vitro. Clinical correlates suggest a more severe clinical phenotype in this subgroup.
Epsilonproteobacterial hydroxylamine oxidoreductase (εHao): characterization of a ‘missing link’ in the multihaem cytochrome c family
Authors: Haase Doreen , Hermann Bianca , Einsle Oliver , Simon Jörg
Published: April 2017

Members of the multihaem cytochrome c family such as pentahaem cytochrome c nitrite reductase (NrfA) or octahaem hydroxylamine oxidoreductase (Hao) are involved in various microbial respiratory electron transport chains. Some members of the Hao subfamily, here called εHao proteins, have been predicted from the genomes of nitrate/nitrite‐ammonifying bacteria that usually lack NrfA. Here, εHao proteins from the host‐associated Epsilonproteobacteria Campylobacter fetus and Campylobacter curvus and the deep‐sea hydrothermal vent bacteria Caminibacter mediatlanticus and Nautilia profundicola were purified as εHao‐maltose binding protein fusions produced in Wolinella succinogenes. All four proteins were able to catalyze reduction of nitrite (yielding ammonium) and hydroxylamine whereas hydroxylamine oxidation was negligible. The introduction of a tyrosine residue at a position known to cause covalent trimerization of Hao proteins did neither stimulate hydroxylamine oxidation nor generate the Hao‐typical absorbance maximum at 460 nm. In most cases, the εHao‐encoding gene haoA was situated downstream of haoC, which predicts a tetrahaem cytochrome c of the NapC/NrfH family. This suggested the formation of a membrane‐bound HaoCA assembly reminiscent of the menaquinol‐oxidizing NrfHA complex. The results indicate that εHao proteins form a subfamily of ammonifying cytochrome c nitrite reductases that represents a ‘missing link’ in the evolution of NrfA and Hao enzymes.
Novel conformation‐selective alpha‐synuclein antibodies raised against different in vitro fibril forms show distinct patterns of Lewy pathology in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Covell D. J. , Robinson J. L. , Akhtar R. S. , Grossman M. , Weintraub D. , Bucklin H. M. , Pitkin R. M. , Riddle D. , Yousef A. , Trojanowski J. Q. , Lee V. M.‐Y.
Published: April 2017

Aims

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that different conformations of misfolded α‐synuclein (α‐syn) are present in Parkinson's disease (PD) brain.

Methods

Using two previously characterized conformations of α‐syn fibrils, we generated new conformation‐selective α‐syn monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We then interrogated multiple brain regions in a well‐characterized autopsy cohort of PD patients (n = 49) with these mAbs, Syn7015 and Syn9029.

Results

Syn7015 detects Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs) formed by pathological α‐syn in all brain regions tested, and is particularly sensitive to LNs and small Lewy dots, inclusions believed to form early in the disease. Further, we observed colocalization between Syn7015 and an early marker of α‐syn pathology formation, phospho‐Ser129‐α‐syn, and a lack of extensive colocalization with markers of more mature pathology. In comparison, Syn9029 detects Lewy pathology in all regions examined, but indicates significantly fewer LNs than Syn7015. In addition, colocalization of Syn9029 with later markers of α‐syn pathology maturation (ubiquitin and P62) suggests that the pathology detected by Syn9029 is older. Semiquantitative scoring of both LN and LB pathology in nine brain regions further established this trend, with Syn7015 LN scores consistently higher than Syn9029 LN scores.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that different conformations of α‐syn pathology are present in PD brain and correspond to different stages of maturity for Lewy pathology. Regional analysis of Syn7015 and Syn9029 immunostaining also provides support for the Braak hypothesis that α‐syn pathology advances through the brain.
Practical issues in using eculizumab for children with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome in the acute phase: A review of four patients
Authors: Terano Chikako , Ishikura Kenji , Hamada Riku , Yoshida Yasuhiro , Kubota Wataru , Okuda Yusuke , Shinozuka Shunsuke , Harada Ryoko , Iyoda Sunao , Fujimura Yoshihiro , Hamasaki Yuko , Hataya Hiroshi , Honda Masataka
Published: April 2017

Aim

Recently eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody to C5, was found to improve the disease course of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) and has been recommended as the first line treatment by an international consensus guideline. However, several practical issues in the use of eculizumab for the acute phase of aHUS have yet to be resolved.

Methods

Children who received eculizumab with diagnosis of aHUS between March 2010 and December 2015 at Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center were enrolled. aHUS was diagnosed according to the haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) criteria after excluding Shiga toxin‐inducing Escherichia coli (STEC) ‐associated HUS and thrombocytopaenic purpura. We retrieved and analyzed data from the electronic medical records at our institution.

Results

We reviewed four patients with suspected aHUS. Eculizumab was discontinued in one patient in whom STEC‐HUS was later diagnosed. Treatment was continued in the remaining three patients without recurrence. Practical issues included difficulty in diagnosing aHUS, particularly in the acute phase, risk of infection by encapsulated organisms, especially Neisseria meningitis, and infusion reaction. In addition to issues relating to the acute phase, discontinuing eculizumab in stable patients in the chronic phase must be considered.

Conclusion

Eculizumab, the first line treatment for children with aHUS, is usually effective. However, certain problems associated with its use require caution to be exercised. As clinical information on eculizumab are still very limited, and the rationale for its long‐term use has yet to be established, physicians are advised to exercise care when using eculizumab to manage aHUS.
Philosophical Analysis: The Concept Grounding View
Authors: Horvath Joachim
Published: April 2017

Philosophical analysis was the central preoccupation of 20th‐century analytic philosophy. In the contemporary methodological debate, however, it faces a number of pressing external and internal challenges. While external challenges, like those from experimental philosophy or semantic externalism, have been extensively discussed, internal challenges to philosophical analysis have received much less attention. One especially vexing internal challenge is that the success conditions of philosophical analysis are deeply unclear. According to the standard textbook view, a philosophical analysis aims at a strict biconditional that captures the necessary and sufficient conditions for membership in the relevant category. The textbook view arguably identifies a necessary condition on successful philosophical analyses, but understood as a sufficient condition it is untenable, as I will argue in this paper. To this end, I first uncover eight conditions of adequacy on successful philosophical analyses, some of which have rarely been spelled out in detail. As we shall see, even sophisticated alternatives to the textbook view fail to accommodate some of these conditions. I then propose theconcept grounding viewas a more promising account of philosophical analysis. According to this view, successful philosophical analyses require necessary biconditionals that are constrained by grounding relations among the concepts involved. Apart from providing a satisfactory account of philosophical analysis in its own right, the concept grounding view is also able to meet the challenge that the success conditions of philosophical analysis are problematically unclear.
Infinite Value and the Best of All Possible Worlds
Authors: Climenhaga Nevin
Published: April 2017

A common argument for atheism runs as follows: God would not create a world worse than other worlds he could have created instead. However, if God exists, he could have created a better world than this one. Therefore, God does not exist. In this paper I challenge the second premise of this argument. I argue that if God exists, our world will continue without end, with God continuing to create value‐bearers, and sustaining and perfecting the value‐bearers he has already created. Given this, if God exists, our world—considered on the whole—is infinitely valuable. I further contend that this theistic picture makes our world's value unsurpassable. In support of this contention, I consider proposals for how infinitely valuable worlds might be improved upon, focusing on two main ways—adding value‐bearers and increasing the value in present value‐bearers. I argue that neither of these can improve our world. Depending on how each method is understood, either it would not improve our world, or our world is unsurpassable with respect to it. I conclude by considering the implications of my argument for the problem of evil more generally conceived.
Comparative analyses of H2 photoproduction in magnesium‐ and sulfur‐starved Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cultures
Authors: Volgusheva Alena A. , Jokel Martina , Allahverdiyeva Yagut , Kukarskikh Galina P. , Lukashev Eugeni P. , Lambreva Maya D. , Krendeleva Tatayana E. , Antal Taras K.
Published: April 2017

Magnesium (Mg)‐deprived Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells are capable to sustain hydrogen (H2) photoproduction at relatively high photosystem II (PSII) activity levels for an extended time period as compared with sulfur (S)‐deprived cells. Herein, we present a comparative study of H2 photoproduction induced by Mg and S shortage to unravel the specific rearrangements of the photosynthetic machinery and cell metabolism occurring under the two deprivation protocols. The exhaustive analysis of photosynthetic activity and regulatory pathways, respiration and starch metabolism revealed the specific rearrangements of the photosynthetic machinery and cellular metabolism, which occur under the two deprivation conditions. The obtained results allowed us to conclude that the expanded time period of H2 production upon Mg‐deprivation is due to the less harmful effects that Mg‐depletion has on viability and metabolic performance of the cells. Unlike S‐deprivation, the photosynthetic light and dark reactions in Mg‐deprived cells remained active over the whole H2 production period. However, the elevated PSII activity in Mg‐deprived cells was counteracted by the operation of pathways for O2 consumption that maintain anaerobic conditions in the presence of active water splitting.