bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cell Signaling Model Connects Vorinostat Pharmacokinetics and Tumor Growth Response in Multiple Myeloma Xenografts
Authors: Nanavati Charvi , Ruszaj Donna , Mager Donald E.
Published: October 2017

Multiple myeloma is a fatal hematological malignancy with high rates of drug resistance and relapse. Vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, has shown promise in enhancing efficacy when combined with current myeloma therapies. In this study, temporal changes of critical proteins and cell proliferation were measured in myeloma cells exposed to vorinostat. A model linking biomarker dynamics to cell proliferation was developed that captured vorinostat effects on signal transduction and cell viability. The model structure and parameters were fixed to describe tumor dynamics in vivo, and tumor‐specific growth and death rate parameters were estimated. The signaling model captured tumor growth inhibition in murine xenografts for a range of dose levels and regimens. This model may be used as a mechanistic bridge to link vorinostat exposure to molecular events and pharmacodynamic (PD) outcomes. It may also provide a translational platform to explore vorinostat activity as a single agent and in combination regimens.
Evolution of Electrically Active Defects in n‐GaN During Heat Treatment Typical for Ohmic Contact Formation
Authors: Boturchuk Ievgen , Scheffler Leopold , Larsen Arne Nylandsted , Julsgaard Brian
Published: October 2017

Ohmic contact formation to n‐type GaN often involves high temperature steps, for example sintering at about 800 °C in the case of Ti‐based contacts. Such processing steps might cause changes in the distribution, concentration, and properties of the defects. The present work aims at contributing to the knowledge about defect evolution in GaN upon processing at different temperatures. The processing temperatures are selected according to fabrication procedures for commonly used ohmic contacts to n‐GaN: 300 °C (In‐based), 550 °C (Ta‐based), and 800 °C (Ti‐based). Properties and concentration of the defects are studied by the means of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). Changes in carrier capture kinetics are monitored with varying filling pulse duration.
Graphene‐TMDC‐Graphene Hybrid Plasmonic Metasurface for Enhanced Biosensing: A Theoretical Analysis
Authors: Jiang Li , Zeng Shuwen , Ouyang Qingling , Dinh Xuan‐Quyen , Coquet Philippe , Qu Junle , He Sailing , Yong Ken‐Tye
Published: October 2017

In this work, a plasmonic metasurface for ultra‐sensitive biosensing based on graphene‐transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC)‐graphene hybrid nanostructures are designed. The coating of the two‐dimensional nanosheets plays an important role for the sensitivity enhancement of the biosensors at the atomic scale. To achieve the maximum plasmon resonance energy transfer, different parameters of the hybrid nanostructures are systematically investigated including the material types and the number of TMDC layers. The important characteristics of plasmonic biosensors such as dark minimum reflectivity, sharp differential phase change, high sensitivity and narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM) are carefully studied in this work to demonstrate the improved surface plasmon resonance sensing performances of the TMDC‐based metasurfaces. The graphene‐TMDC‐graphene configurations with four different types of materials including MoS2/WS2/MoSe2/WSe2 are optimized respectively for potential sensing applications. Based on our theoretical analysis, the enhanced maximum sensitivity of graphene‐TMDC‐graphene hybrid nanostructure is three orders of magnitude higher than that of the conventional bare metallic substrate.
Hierarchical Archimedean copula models for the analysis of binary familial data
Authors: Deng Yihao , Chaganty N. Rao
Published: October 2017

Archimedean copulas are commonly used in a wide range of statistical models due to their simplicity, manageable analytical expressions, rich choices of generator functions, and other workable properties. However, the exchangeable dependence structure inherent to Archimedean copulas limits its application to familial data, where the dependence among family members is often different. When response variables are binary, modeling the familial associations becomes more challenging due to the stringent constraints imposed on the dependence parameters. This paper proposes hierarchical Archimedean copulas to account for the natural hierarchical dependence structure in familial data and addresses the details in the modeling of binary familial data and the inference based on maximum likelihood estimate. An example showing the flexibility of this powerful tool is also presented with possible extension to other similar studies.
Free‐Standing Polyurethane Nanofiber/Nets Air Filters for Effective PM Capture
Authors: Zuo Fenglei , Zhang Shichao , Liu Hui , Fong Hao , Yin Xia , Yu Jianyong , Ding Bin
Published: October 2017

The filtration performance and light transmittance of nanofiber air filters are restricted by their thick fiber diameter, large pore size, and substrate dependence, which can be solved by constructing substrate‐free fibrous membranes with true nanoscale diameters and ultrathin thicknesses, however, it has proven to be extremely challenging. Herein, a roust approach is presented to create free‐standing polyurethane (PU) nanofiber/nets air filters composed of bonded nanofibers and 2D nanonets for particular matter (PM) capture via combining electrospinning/netting technique and facile peel off process from designed substrates. This strategy causes widely distributed Steiner‐tree structured nanonets with diameters of ≈20 nm and bonded scaffold nanofibers to assemble into ultrathin membranes with small pore size, high porosity, and robust mechanical strength on a large scale based on ionic liquid inspiration and surface structure optimization of receiver substrates. As a consequence, the resulting free‐standing PU nanofiber/nets filters exhibit high PM1–0.5 removal efficiency of >99.00% and PM2.5–1 removal efficiency of >99.73%, maintaining high light transmittance of ≈70% and low pressure drop of 28 Pa; even achieve >99.97% removal efficiency with ≈40% transmittance for PM0.3 filtration, and robust purification capacity for real smoke PM2.5, making them promising high‐efficiency and transparent filtration materials for various filtration and separation applications.
Transcriptome analysis for UVB‐induced phototoxicity in mouse retina
Authors: An Mi‐Jin , Kim Chul‐Hong , Nam Gyu‐You , Kim Dae‐Hyun , Rhee Sangmyung , Cho Sung‐Jin , Kim Jung‐Woong
Published: October 2017

Throughout life, the human eye is continuously exposed to sunlight and artificial lighting. Ambient light exposure can lead to visual impairment and transient or permanent blindness. To mimic benign light stress conditions, Mus musculus eyes were exposed to low‐energy UVB radiation, ensuring no severe morphological changes in the retinal structure post‐exposure. We performed RNA‐seq analysis to reveal the early transcriptional changes and key molecular pathways involved before the activation of the canonical cell death pathway. RNA‐seq analysis identified 537 genes that were differentially modulated, out of which 126 were clearly up regulated (>2‐fold, P < .01) and 51 were significantly down regulated (<2‐fold, P < .01) in response to UVB irradiation in the mouse retina. Gene ontology analysis revealed that UVB exposure affected pathways for cellular stress and signaling (eg, Creb3, Ddrgk1, Grin1, Map7, Uqcc2, Uqcrb), regulation of chromatin and gene expression (eg, Chd5, Jarid2, Kat6a, Smarcc2, Sumo1, Zfp84), transcription factors (eg, Asxl2, Atf7, Per1, Phox2a, Rxra), RNA processing, and neuronal genes (eg, B4gal2, Drd1, Grm5, Rnf40, Rnps1, Usp39, Wbp4). The differentially expressed genes from the RNA‐seq analysis were validated by quantitative PCR. Both analyses yielded similar gene expression patterns. The genes and pathways identified here improve the understanding of early transcriptional responses to UVB irradiation. They may also help in elucidating the genes responsible for the inherent susceptibility of humans to UVB‐induced retinal diseases.
Understanding dissolved organic matter dynamics in urban catchments: insights from in situ fluorescence sensor technology
Authors: Khamis K. , Bradley C. , Hannah D.M.
Published: October 2017

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is critically important for catchment biogeochemical cycling, yet the DOM dynamics of many river systems remain poorly characterized. Recently, DOM mobilization and transport in forested and agricultural catchments have received increased attention; however, for urban catchments, our understanding of spatio‐temporal variability in DOM concentration and composition is very limited. This is a particular concern as urbanization can increase and alter labile DOM fluxes leading to a shift from downstream transport of stream carbon to increased microbial production and respiration of stream carbon in headwaters. Furthermore, the anthropogenic modification of the water cycle and the flashy hydrology of urban rivers have constrained attempts to characterize intra‐ and inter‐seasonal variability in DOM across the spectrum from low to storm flows. In this focus article, we synthesize the contemporary literature on urban DOM sources, flow paths, and spatio‐temporal variability and present a conceptual model to unravel system dynamics and inform future monitoring efforts. The potential of field deployable fluorescence sensor technology to overcome monitoring challenges in urban rivers is highlighted. We use a case study of a relatively well‐studied UK urban river to illustrate the potential of in situ fluorescence to reveal DOM dynamics in a system with marked inter‐event variability in DOM sources and pathways. Finally, we outline future directions for this research, particular the need to standardize field and laboratory protocols and advance new sensor development. WIREs Water 2018, 5:e1259. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1259

This article is categorized under:

Science of Water > Methods

Science of Water > Water Quality
High‐Pressure Synthesis and Single‐Crystal Structure Elucidation of the Indium Oxide‐Borate In4O2B2O7
Authors: Ortner Teresa S. , Vitzthum Daniela , Heymann Gunter , Huppertz Hubert
Published: October 2017

The indium oxide‐borate In4O2B2O7 was synthesized under high‐pressure/high‐temperature conditions at 12.5 GPa/1420 K using a Walker‐type multianvil apparatus. Single‐crystal X‐ray structure elucidation showed edge‐sharing OIn4 tetrahedra and B2O7 units building up the oxide‐borate. It crystallizes with Z = 8 in the monoclinic space group P21/n (no. 14) with a = 1016.54(3), b = 964.55(3), c = 1382.66(4) pm, and β = 109.7(1)°. The compound was also characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopy.
Margin Width of Resected Lepidic Lung Cancer Does Not Affect Recurrence After Sublobar Resection
Authors: Moon Youngkyu , Lee Kyo Young , Park Jae Kil
Published: October 2017

Background

A sufficient resection margin is required for the sublobar resection of lung cancers. However, the width of the resection margin may not be important in lepidic adenocarcinoma, because such tumors are non‐ or minimally invasive. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of resection margin width on the outcome of patients with lepidic‐dominant adenocarcinoma after sublobar resection.

Methods

This study included 133 patients with small (≤2 cm), clinical N0M0 lung cancer who underwent sublobar resection with curative intent. The patients were divided into 4 groups: Group A, lepidic tumor with margin/tumor ratio <1; Group B, lepidic tumor with margin/tumor ratio ≥1; Group C, non‐lepidic tumor with margin/tumor ratio <1; Group D, non‐lepidic tumor with margin/tumor ratio ≥1. The clinicopathological features and survival outcomes between Group A and B patients, and between Group C and D patients were compared.

Results

The 5‐year recurrence‐free survival (RFS) rates of Group A and B patients were both 100%. The 5‐year RFS rates of Group C and D patients were 49.9 and 97.1%, respectively (p = 0.009). By multivariate analysis, the margin/tumor ratio was a significant independent factor for recurrence in patients with non‐lepidic tumors (hazard ratio = 0.157, 95% confidence interval 0.027–0.898; p = 0.037).

Conclusions

Tumor recurrence after sublobar resection is not associated with short resection margins in patients with lepidic tumors. However, a short resection margin is a significant risk factor for recurrence in patients with non‐lepidic tumors.
The Primary Stability of a Bioabsorbable Poly-L-Lactic Acid Suture Anchor for Rotator Cuff Repair is Not Improved with Polymethylmethacrylate or Bioabsorbable Bone Cement Augmentation
Authors: Güleçyüz Mehmet F. , Kraus-Petersen Michael , Schröder Christian , Ficklscherer Andreas , Wagenhäuser Markus U. , Braun Christian , Müller Peter E. , Pietschmann Matthias F.
Published: October 2017

Background

The incidence of osteoporosis and rotator cuff tears increases with age. Cement augmentation of bones is an established method in orthopedic and trauma surgery.

Questions/Purposes

This study analyses if polymethylmethacrylate or bioabsorbable cement can improve the primary stability of a bioabsorbable suture anchor in vitro in comparison to a non-augmented suture anchor in osteoporotic human humeri.

Methods

The trabecular bone mineral density was measured to ensure osteopenic human specimens. Then the poly-L-lactic acid Bio-Corkscrew® FT was implanted in the greater tuberosity footprint with polymethylmethacrylate Refobacin® cement augmentation ( n = 8), with Cerament™ Bone Void Filler augmentation ( n = 8) and without augmentation ( n = 8). Using a cyclic testing protocol, the failure loads, system displacement, and failure modes were recorded.

Results

The Cerament™ augmented Bio-Corkscrew® FT yielded the highest failure loads (206.7 N), followed by polymethylmethacrylate Refobacin® augmentation (206.1 N) and without augmentation (160.0 N). The system displacement was lowest for Cerament™ augmentation (0.72 mm), followed by polymethylmethacrylate (0.82 mm) and without augmentation (1.50 mm). Statistical analysis showed no significant differences regarding the maximum failure loads ( p = 0.1644) or system displacement ( p = 0.4199). The main mode of failure for all three groups was suture slippage.

Conclusion

The primary stability of the Bio-Corkscrew® FT is not influenced by bone cement augmentation with polymethylmethacrylate Refobacin® or with bioabsorbable Cerament™ in comparison to the non-cemented anchors. The cement augmentation of rotator cuff suture anchors in osteoporotic bones remains questionable since biomechanical tests show no significant advantage.
LINES OF COMMUNICATION: MIMBRES HACHURE AND CONCEPTS OF COLOR
Authors: Russell Will G. , Klassen Sarah , Salazar Katherine
Published: October 2017

Turquoise has played an important role in the Southwest, both today and in the distant past. Increasingly, archaeologists are coming to appreciate that the mineral was likely valued for its symbolism, rather than its chemical properties or economic worth. Thus, the color blue-green and a variety of blue-green things may have been conceptually analogous, together referencing and petitioning moisture. J. J. Brody recognized that additional symbols, while not themselves blue-green, may have likewise belonged to this blue-green complex. Over a decade ago, and while testing Brody's hypothesis, Stephen Plog convincingly argued that black-on-white hachure in Gallup-Dogoszhi pottery served as a proxy for blue-green. Here, we ask whether Mimbres artists incorporated the same symbolism. Findings suggest that Mimbres hachure was likely representative of color but not necessarily blue-green. In fact, it may have referenced yellow. Yellow and blue are often paired among the Pueblos, and interregional differences in the meaning of hachure may relate to interregional complementarity.
Thermal characterisation analysis and modelling techniques for CubeSat-sized spacecrafts
Authors: Ali Anwar , Ullah Khalil , Rehman Hafeez Ur , Bari Inam , Reyneri Leonardo M.
Published: October 2017

Recently, universities and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have initiated the development of nanosatellites because of their low cost, small size and short development time. The challenging aspects for these satellites are their small surface area for heat dissipation due to their limited size. There is not enough space for mounting radiators for heat dissipation. As a result, thermal modelling becomes a very important element in designing a small satellite. The paper presents detailed and simplified generic thermal models for CubeSat panels and also for the complete satellite. The detailed model takes all thermal resistances associated with the respective layers into account, while in the simplified model, the layers with similar materials have been combined and are represented by a single thermal resistance. The proposed models are then applied to a CubeSat standard nanosatellite called AraMiS-C1, developed at Politecnico di Torino, Italy. Thermal resistance measured through both models is compared, and the results are similar. The absorbed power and the corresponding temperature differences between different points of the single panel and complete satellite are measured. In order to verify the theoretical results, thermal resistance of the AraMiS-C1 and its panels are measured through experimental set-ups. Theoretical and measured values are in close agreement.
The Hurdles to Greater Adoption of Anaerobic Digesters
Authors: Cowley Cortney , Wade Brorsen B.
Published: October 2017

Design of government policies that seek greater adoption of anaerobic digesters can benefit from a greater understanding of the motivations for adoption. Using a nationwide survey of U.S. dairy and swine producers, this study seeks to determine how policies, peer group influences, environmental beliefs, and farm characteristics affect the decision to adopt a digester. Results suggest that neighborhood effects, farm type and size, and nonmarket benefits of anaerobic digestion are important for predicting whether or not a producer willconsiderthis technology for manure management. However, the decision to actually adopt is more dependent on government policies and economic considerations.
SME resource acquisition in transition economies: power dependence and induced bribery
Authors: Wang Karen Yuan , Clegg Stewart R.
Published: October 2017

Researchers have extensively studied how large firms and SMEs use business and political ties to obtain tangible and intangible resources in transition economies. However, how SMEs establish these ties in the context of power-imbalanced dependence by using unethical and illegal “strategic practice” such as bribery remains underexplored. Furthermore, how SMEs deploy strategies to mitigate such risky actions in the process of resource acquisition is also given limited attention in the literature. Lack of exploration of these issues leaves significant gaps in our understanding of how SMEs are able to initiate and operate their ties for survival and growth despite enormous institutional constraints. We analyze the negative and positive effects of power dependence on business resource acquisition via regression analysis using survey data drawn from 232 Chinese SMEs. The findings indicate that power-imbalanced dependence among SMEs is associated with their use of bribery to establish political ties with officials for access to resources. The moderating effect of power-mutual dependence on this relationship is also examined. Theoretical significance and managerial implications of these findings for SMEs in transition economies are discussed.
Asset Literacy Following Stroke: Implications for Disaster Resilience
Authors: O’Sullivan Tracey L. , Fahim Christine , Gagnon Elizabeth
Published: October 2017

Objective

The World Stroke Organization “1 in 6” campaign aims to raise awareness that 1 in 6 persons will experience a stroke during their lifetime. With aging populations and improved survival rates, an increased number of survivors live with functional limitations and require supportive care. This has important implications for implementing an all-of-society approach to disaster risk reduction. In this study, we explore the assets that stroke survivors and caregivers consider useful in supporting their capacity to manage routine activities and independent living and to respond to a disaster.

Methods

Transcripts from interviews with stroke survivors and caregivers were analyzed by use of content analysis.

Results

Assets were categorized into 4 classes: social, physical, energy, and personal characteristics and are presented as a household map. Emergent themes suggested that understanding how to mobilize assets is complicated yet essential for building resilience. Household resilience requires people have self-efficacy and motivation to move from awareness to action. The findings informed development of a conceptual model of asset literacy and household resilience following stroke.

Conclusions

Interventions to enhance asset literacy can support an all-of-society approach to disaster risk reduction through awareness, empowerment, participation, innovation, and engagement. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018; 12: 312–320)
Politicization of the refugee crisis?: a content analysis of parliamentary debates in Italy, the UK, and the EU
Authors: Gianfreda Stella
Published: October 2017

This paper draws on the literature on party competition and issue ownership to assess whether political membership on the right-left dimension explains party stances on migration. While some scholars argue that on this issue a clear distinction between left and right exists, some more recent quantitative and fine-grained analyses show a more nuanced picture. According to them, a clear difference in narratives exists only when the salience of the issue is high, under pressure of the electoral success of a far-right party or about specific policy issues. This paper further investigates this aspect in the context of the 2015 refugee crisis. It looks at the positions held by the main centre-left, centre-right, Radical Right, and Populist Parties in the Italian, British, and European Parliaments. The content analysis shows that centre-left parties frame the refugee crisis mainly as a humanitarian emergency and held pro-European Union (EU) positions, while centre-right parties differ substantially between Italy and the United Kingdom. Both radical right and Populist Parties exploit the political-opportunity offered by the refugee crisis to foster their anti-establishment claims. Moreover, Radical Right Populist Parties stress the need to secure external borders and restore national sovereignty, against further integration. At the EU level, left- and right-wing groups (Socialist and Democrats Party, European Conservatives and Reformists Party, and European People’s Party) are cohesive, while the populist group (European Freedom and Direct Democracy Party) is not. This paper adds on the academic debate on the refugee crisis, showing how the immigration issue can impact on domestic and European party politics, challenging party identities and alliances.
Turnout and Education: Is Education Proxying for Pre-Adult Experiences Within the Family?
Authors: Gidengil Elisabeth , Tarkiainen Lasse , Wass Hanna , Martikainen Pekka
Published: October 2017

This study uses a discordant sibling-based design to assess the extent to which education is proxying for pre-adult experiences and predispositions rooted in the family. It draws on a unique data set that combines official voting records with Census data on siblings and their parents. The results show that the association between education and voting is considerably reduced when parental education, parental voting and unobserved characteristics that are shared by siblings within the same family are taken into account. This finding is confirmed by a variety of robustness checks. We end with a discussion of the benefits and limitations of sibling-based designs for testing causal hypotheses.
MORE ON A CERTAIN ARITHMETICAL DETERMINANT
Authors: LIN ZONGBING , HONG SIAO
Published: October 2017

Let $n\geq 1$ be an integer and $f$ be an arithmetical function. Let $S=\{x_{1},\ldots ,x_{n}\}$ be a set of $n$ distinct positive integers with the property that $d\in S$ if $x\in S$ and $d|x$. Then $\min (S)=1$. Let $(f(S))=(f(\gcd (x_{i},x_{j})))$ and $(f[S])=(f(\text{lcm}(x_{i},x_{j})))$ denote the $n\times n$ matrices whose $(i,j)$-entries are $f$ evaluated at the greatest common divisor of $x_{i}$ and $x_{j}$ and the least common multiple of $x_{i}$ and $x_{j}$, respectively. In 1875, Smith [‘On the value of a certain arithmetical determinant’, Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. 7 (1875–76), 208–212] showed that $\det (f(S))=\prod _{l=1}^{n}(f\ast \unicode[STIX]{x1D707})(x_{l})$, where $f\ast \unicode[STIX]{x1D707}$ is the Dirichlet convolution of $f$ and the Möbius function $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}$. Bourque and Ligh [‘Matrices associated with classes of multiplicative functions’, Linear Algebra Appl. 216 (1995), 267–275] computed the determinant $\det (f[S])$ if $f$ is multiplicative and, Hong, Hu and Lin [‘On a certain arithmetical determinant’, Acta Math. Hungar. 150 (2016), 372–382] gave formulae for the determinants $\det (f(S\setminus \{1\}))$ and $\det (f[S\setminus \{1\}])$. In this paper, we evaluate the determinant $\det (f(S\setminus \{x_{t}\}))$ for any integer $t$ with $1\leq t\leq n$ and also the determinant $\det (f[S\setminus \{x_{t}\}])$ if $f$ is multiplicative.
APPLICATIONS OF AN INTERSECTION FORMULA TO DUAL CONES
Authors: VIROSZTEK DÁNIEL
Published: October 2017

We give a succinct proof of a duality theorem obtained by Révész [‘Some trigonometric extremal problems and duality’, J. Aust. Math. Soc. Ser. A 50 (1991), 384–390] which concerns extremal quantities related to trigonometric polynomials. The key tool of our new proof is an intersection formula on dual cones in real Banach spaces. We show another application of this intersection formula which is related to integral estimates of nonnegative positive-definite functions.
Inhibitory effects of an extract from non-host plants on physiological characteristics of two major cabbage pests
Authors: Dastranj M. , Borzoui E. , Bandani A. R. , Franco O. L.
Published: October 2017

The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and small white cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapae) are the two main serious pests of cruciferous crops (Brassicaceae) that have developed resistance to chemical control methods. In order to avoid such resistance and also the adverse effects of chemical pesticides on the environment, alternative methods have usually been suggested, including the use of plant enzyme inhibitors. Here, the inhibitory effects of proteinaceous inhibitors extracted from wheat, canola, sesame, bean and triticale were evaluated against the digestive α-amylases, larval growth, development and nutritional indecs of the diamondback moth and small white cabbage butterfly. Our results indicated that triticale and wheat extracts inhibited α-amylolytic activity in an alkaline pH, which is in accordance with the moth and butterfly gut α-amylase optimum pH. Dose-dependent inhibition of two crucifer pests by triticale and wheat was observed using spectrophotometry and gel electrophoresis. Implementation of specificity studies showed that wheat and triticale-proteinaceous extract were inactive against Chinese and purple cabbage amylase. Triticale and wheat were resistant against insects’ gut proteases. Results of the feeding bioassay indicated that triticale-proteinaceous extract could cause a significant reduction in survival and larval body mass. The results of the nutritional indecs also showed larvae of both species that fed on a Triticale proteinaceous inhibitor-treated diet had the lowest values for the efficiency of conversion of ingested food and relative growth rate. Our observations suggested that triticale shows promise for use in the management of crucifer pests.
A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY: THE IRISH IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR
Authors: BIAGINI EUGENIO F.
Published: October 2017

‘The Irish are out in force’: it was a rainy summer day on the fields of the Somme, and they were very young, in their early teens, in fact. However, this was not 1916, but 2016, when the centenary of one of the bloodiest battles in history attracted an international crowd, including large contingents of school children from the Republic. In contrast to the 50th anniversary, which, in 1966, had been a ‘Unionist’ commemoration – claimed by the Northern Irish loyalists as their own, while the survivors of the Southern veterans kept their heads down and suppressed this part of their past – in 2016, the conflict was widely construed as an inclusive experience, which saw men and women giving their lives ‘for Ireland’ even when fighting ‘for King and Empire’. A generation ago this would have shocked traditional nationalists, who regarded the Great War as an ‘English’ one, in contrast to the Easter Rising and the subsequent War of Independence. However, European integration and the Peace Process gradually brought about a different mindset. Among historians, it was the late Keith Jeffery who spearheaded the revision of our perception of Ireland's standing in the war. This reassessment was further developed in 2008, with John Horne's editingOur war, a volume jointly published by RTÉ (the Irish broadcasting company) and the Royal Irish Academy, in which ten of the leading historians of the period – including Keith Jeffery, Paul Bew, David Fitzpatrick, and Catriona Pennell – presented Ireland as a protagonist, rather than merely a victim of British imperialism. By 2016, this new understanding had largely reshaped both government and public perceptions, with ‘the emergence of a more tolerant and flexible sense of Irish identity’. This has been confirmed by the largely consensual nature of the war centenary commemorations. While Dublin took the initiative, Northern Ireland's Sinn Féin leaders were ready to follow suit with the then deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness, visiting the battlefield of the Western Front to honour the memory of the Irish dead, and the Speaker of the Belfast Assembly, Mitchel McLaughlin, and his party colleague, Elisha McCallion, the mayor of Derry and Strabane, laying wreaths at the local war memorials.
Very long-chainn-3 fatty acids and human health: fact, fiction and the future
Authors: Calder P. C.
Published: October 2017

EPA and DHA appear to be the most importantn-3 fatty acids, but roles forn-3 docosapentaenoic acid are now also emerging. Intakes of EPA and DHA are usually low, typically below those recommended. Increased intakes result in higher concentrations of EPA and DHA in blood lipids, cells and tissues. Increased content of EPA and DHA modifies the structure of cell membranes and the function of membrane proteins. EPA and DHA modulate the production of lipid mediators and through effects on cell signalling can alter the patterns of gene expression. Through these mechanisms, EPA and DHA alter cell and tissue responsiveness in a way that often results in more optimal conditions for growth, development and maintenance of health. DHA has vital roles in brain and eye development and function. EPA and DHA have a wide range of physiological roles, which are linked to certain health or clinical benefits, particularly related to CVD, cancer, inflammation and neurocognitive function. The benefits of EPA and DHA are evident throughout the life course. Future research will include better identification of the determinants of variation of responses to increased intake of EPA and DHA; more in-depth dose–response studies of the effects of EPA and DHA; clearer identification of the specific roles of EPA, docosapentaenoic acid and DHA; testing strategies to enhance delivery ofn-3 fatty acids to the bloodstream; and exploration of sustainable alternatives to fish-derived very long-chainn-3 fatty acids.
Factors influencing local attitudes and perceptions regarding jaguars Panthera onca and National Park conservation in Panama
Authors: Fort Jessica L. , Nielsen Clayton K. , Carver Andrew D. , Moreno Ricardo , Meyer Ninon F. V.
Published: October 2017

Throughout its range in Latin America the jaguar Panthera onca is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and conflict with humans. Protected areas in Panama harbour some of the last remaining suitable habitat for jaguars and are vital to conservation. However, no previous studies had assessed which factors in particular affect the tolerance of rural Panamanians towards jaguars and National Park conservation, which is important to jaguar persistence. Whether these factors are consistent with previous research on human–carnivore coexistence is unclear. To address this we estimated the number of instances of depredation of cattle by jaguars, and assessed attitudes and perceptions of rural Panamanians. We conducted semi-structured interviews in two disparate study areas: Cerro Hoya National Park and Darién National Park. Depredation events were more frequent in the latter, but only residents of the former reported conflict between people and coyotes Canis latrans. Positive perceptions of jaguars and National Parks, and criticism of park management, increased with level of education and land ownership. Men were more open to receiving help on their farms to mitigate impacts of jaguars, and more tolerant of the presence of jaguars, than women. Residents from both study areas indicated high appreciation for their respective National Parks. We provide recommendations to improve community outreach and education initiatives, and suggest priority areas for future mitigation efforts concerning human–jaguar interactions in Panama.
Is paliperidone palmitate more effective than other long-acting injectable antipsychotics?
Authors: Patel R. , Chesney E. , Taylor M. , Taylor D. , McGuire P.
Published: October 2017

Background

Paliperidone palmitate is one of the most widely prescribed long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in the UK. However, it is relatively expensive and there are few data comparing its effectiveness to that of other LAI antipsychotics. We sought to address this issue by analyzing a large anonymized electronic health record (EHR) dataset from patients treated with LAI antipsychotics.

Methods

EHR data were obtained from 1281 patients in the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) who started treatment with a LAI antipsychotic between 1 April 2011 and 31 January 2015. The number of days spent as a psychiatric inpatient and the number of admissions to a psychiatric hospital were analyzed in each of the 3 years before and after LAI prescription.

Results

Patients treated with paliperidone palmitate (n = 430; 33.6%) had a greater number of inpatient days and a greater number of admissions in the year prior to treatment than those treated with other LAI antipsychotics. Nevertheless, in the 3 years after initiation there were no significant differences between paliperidone and the other LAI antipsychotics in the number of days as an inpatient (B coefficient 5.4 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) −57.3 to 68.2, p = 0.86) or number of hospital admissions (Incidence rate ratio 1.07, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.83, p = 0.82).

Conclusion

Paliperidone palmitate was more likely to be prescribed in patients with more frequent and lengthy hospital admissions prior to initiation. However, the absence of differences in outcomes after initiation indicates that paliperidone palmitate was not more effective than other cheaper LAI antipsychotics.
Is cognitive–behavioural therapy more effective than relaxation therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders? A meta-analysis
Authors: Montero-Marin Jesus , Garcia-Campayo Javier , López-Montoyo Alba , Zabaleta-del-Olmo Edurne , Cuijpers Pim
Published: October 2017

Background

It is not clear whether relaxation therapies are more or less effective than cognitive and behavioural therapies in the treatment of anxiety. The aims of the present study were to examine the effects of relaxation techniques compared to cognitive and behavioural therapies in reducing anxiety symptoms, and whether they have comparable efficacy across disorders.

Method

We conducted a meta-analysis of 50 studies (2801 patients) comparing relaxation training with cognitive and behavioural treatments of anxiety.

Results

The overall effect size (ES) across all anxiety outcomes, with only one combined ES in each study, wasg= −0.27 [95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.41 to −0.13], favouring cognitive and behavioural therapies (number needed to treat = 6.61). However, no significant difference between relaxation and cognitive and behavioural therapies was found for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and specific phobias (considering social anxiety and specific phobias separately). Heterogeneity was moderate (I2= 52; 95% CI = 33–65). The ES was significantly associated with age (p< 0.001), hours of cognitive and/or behavioural therapy (p= 0.015), quality of intervention (p= 0.007), relaxation treatment format (p< 0.001) and type of disorder (p= 0.008), explaining an 82% of variance.

Conclusions

Relaxation seems to be less effective than cognitive and behavioural therapies in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder and it might also be less effective at 1-year follow-up for panic, but there is no evidence that it is less effective for other anxiety disorders.
Workplace multilingualism in shifting contexts: A historical case
Authors: Hiss Florian
Published: October 2017

This article investigates linguistic diversity, migration, and labour in the case of a nineteenth-century copper mine in the multilingual northern periphery of Norway. Taking a historical perspective on workplace multilingualism, it reveals the dynamic relationships between the economic interests and policy-making of an industrial enterprise and the political and sociolinguistic development in a multilingual region, at a time when national authorities introduced assimilation policies. Owned and managed by British industrialists, the mine recruited almost exclusively migrant workers to a remote fjord in the Norwegian periphery, many of them Kven from northern Finland and Sweden. In a multi-layered approach, the study sketches multilingual work practices, policy-making, and the discursive positioning of diversity, and explores the company's management of the relationships between capital, community, and nation-state. It reveals the company's flexible approach towards diversity governed by economic interest. (Workplace multilingualism, mining, Kven, Norway, historical)*
EL FRUTO DE LA INSEGURIDAD. VINO, CONTRATO ÓPTIMO Y DERECHOS DE PROPIEDAD EN CATALUÑA (1898–1935)
Authors: Garrido Samuel
Published: October 2017

Most of the Catalan vineyards were cultivated by means of sharecropping contracts that granted the sharecropper ownership rights over the land. This paper maintains that the “bundle of rights” view of property is not the most appropriate for analysing situations of this kind. It shows that, from around 1900 onwards, sharecroppers’ rights became insecure, which gave rise to a series of dysfunctions that resulted in the contract no longer being optimal. It concludes that the removal of the inefficiencies arising from shared ownership was a sufficient reason to justify the agrarian reform that the Catalan Parliament sought to introduce in 1934.
Just cyber war?: Casus belli, information ethics, and the human perspective
Authors: Sleat Matt
Published: October 2017

Does the advent of cyber war require us to abandon the traditional ethical framework for thinking about the morality of warfare – just war theory – and develop principles specific to the unique nature of cyber attacks? Or can just war theory still provide an appropriate basis for thinking through the ethical issues raised by cyber weapons? This article explores these questions via the issue of whether a cyber attack can constitute a casus belli. The first half of the article critically engages with recent attempts to provide a new theory of just information warfare (JIW) that is supposedly better suited to the unique character of cyber war insofar as it is grounded the broader meta-ethical framework of information ethics (IE). Yet the article argues that not only is JIW fundamentally unsuitable as a way of thinking about cyber war, but (in the second half) that it is possible to develop a different account of how we can understand a cyber attack as constituting a casus belli in a way that is in keeping with traditional just war theory. In short, there is no need to reinvent just war theory for the digital age.
Integrable zero-Hopf singularities and three-dimensional centres
Authors: García Isaac A.
Published: October 2017

In this paper we show that the well-known Poincaré–Lyapunov non-degenerate analytic centre problem in the plane and its higher-dimensional version, expressed as the three-dimensional centre problem at the zero-Hopf singularity, have a lot of common properties. In both cases the existence of a neighbourhood of the singularity in the phase space completely foliated by periodic orbits (including equilibria) is characterized by the fact that the system is analytically completely integrable. Hence its Poincaré–Dulac normal form is analytically orbitally linearizable. There also exists an analytic Poincaré return map and, when the system is polynomial and parametrized by its coefficients, the set of systems with centres corresponds to an affine variety in the parameter space of coefficients. Some quadratic polynomial families are considered.
A stabilization theorem for Fell bundles over groupoids
Authors: Ionescu Marius , Kumjian Alex , Sims Aidan , Williams Dana P.
Published: October 2017

We study the C*-algebras associated with upper semi-continuous Fell bundles over second-countable Hausdorff groupoids. Based on ideas going back to the Packer–Raeburn ‘stabilization trick’, we construct from each such bundle a groupoid dynamical system whose associated Fell bundle is equivalent to the original bundle. The upshot is that the full and reduced C*-algebras of any saturated upper semi-continuous Fell bundle are stably isomorphic to the full and reduced crossed products of an associated dynamical system. We apply our results to describe the lattice of ideals of the C*-algebra of a continuous Fell bundle by applying Renault's results about the ideals of the C*-algebras of groupoid crossed products. In particular, we discuss simplicity of the Fell-bundle C*-algebra of a bundle over G in terms of an action, described by Ionescu and Williams, of G on the primitive-ideal space of the C*-algebra of the part of the bundle sitting over the unit space. We finish with some applications to twisted k-graph algebras, where the components of our results become more concrete.
Different Escherichia coli B2-ST131 clades (B and C) producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) colonizing residents of Portuguese nursing homes
Authors: RODRIGUES C. , MACHADO E. , FERNANDES S. , PEIXE L. , NOVAIS Â.
Published: October 2017

ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae and particularly Escherichia coli ST131 isolates producing CTX-M enzymes are commonly found colonizing the intestine of nursing home (NH) residents, but ST131 subclonal structure has been scarcely explored in this vulnerable population. Our goal was to perform a pilot study to assess the faecal carriage rate and epidemiological features of ESBL- and/or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E and CPE, respectively) among NH residents. For this purpose, faecal samples from residents at 4 different NHs in the North of Portugal (representing 9·5% of the residents’ population, July 2014) were screened for ESBL-E and/or CPE by phenotypic and genotypic methods. Clonal structure and plasmid typing of ESBL-producing E. coli (ESBL-Ec) was performed by PCR and sequencing. Four ESBL-Ec isolates (2 CTX-M-15/2 CTX-M-14) were found in 20% of the samples, all belonging to the pandemic clonal lineage B2-ST131-O25b:H4. Two different clades were identified, the C2/H30-Rx-virotype C producing CTX-M-15 and an atypical B/H22-like-virotype D5 (producing CTX-M-14 and fluoroquinolone-resistant), firstly described in Portugal. This pilot study highlights the role of NH residents as a source of different ST131 clades, besides emphasizing the importance of E. coli B2-ST131 subtyping in different clinical settings, and understanding the transmission dynamics of the different variants.
The association between diurnal temperature range and childhood hand, foot, and mouth disease: a distributed lag non-linear analysis
Authors: YIN FEI , MA YUE , ZHAO XING , LV QIANG , LIU YAQIONG , ZHANG TAO , LI XIAOSONG
Published: October 2017

In recent years, hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has been increasingly recognized as a critical challenge to disease control and prevention in China. Previous studies have found that meteorological factors such as mean temperature and relative humidity were associated with HFMD. However, little is known about whether the diurnal temperature range (DTR) has any impact on HFMD. This study aimed to quantify the impact of DTR on childhood HFMD in 18 cities in Sichuan Province. A distributed lag non-linear model was adopted to explore the temporal lagged association of daily temperature with age-, gender- and pathogen-specific HFMD. A total of 290 123 HFMD cases aged 0–14 years were reported in the 18 cities in Sichuan Province. The DTR–HFMD relationships were non-linear in all subgroups. Children aged 6–14 years and male children were more vulnerable to the temperature changes. Large DTR had the higher risk estimates of HFMD incidence in cases of EV71 infection, while small DTR had the higher risk estimates of HFMD incidence in cases of CV-A16 infection. Our study suggested that DTR played an important role in the transmission of HFMD with non-linear and delayed effects.
Strongyloides stercoralis seroprevalence in Vietnam
Authors: DIEP NGUYEN THI NGOC , THAI PHAM QUANG , TRANG NGHIEM NGUYEN MINH , JÄGER JULIA , FOX ANNETTE , HORBY PETER , PHUONG HOANG VU MAI , ANH DANG DUC , MAI LE THI QUYNH , VAN DOORN H. ROGIER , NADJM BEHZAD
Published: October 2017

Strongyloidiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the roundworm Strongyloides stercoralis affecting 30–100 million people worldwide. Many Southeast-Asian countries report a high prevalence of S. stercoralis infection, but there are little data from Vietnam. Here, we evaluated the seroprevalence of S. stercoralis related to geography, sex and age in Vietnam through serological testing of anonymized sera. Sera (n = 1710, 1340 adults and 270 children) from an anonymized age-stratified serum bank from four regions in Vietnam between 2012 and 2013 were tested using a commercial Strongyloides ratti immunoglobulin G ELISA. Seroreactivity was found in 29·1% (390/1340) of adults and 5·5% (15/270) of children. Male adults were more frequently seroreactive than females (33·3% vs. 24·9%, P = 0·001). The rural central highlands had the highest seroprevalence (42·4% of adults). Seroreactivity in the other regions was 29·9% (Hue) and 26·0% and 18·2% in the large urban centres of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, respectively. We conclude that seroprevalence of S. stercoralis was high in the Vietnamese adult population, especially in rural areas.