bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Characterization of a New Biodegradable FeMnSi Alloy Coated with Hydroxyapatite-Zirconia by PLD Technique
Authors: Cimpoeşu Nicanor , Trincă Lucia Carmen , Dascălu Georgiana , Stanciu Sergiu , Gurlui Silviu Octavian , Mareci Daniel
Published: February 2016

Biodegradable alloys are very attractive biomaterials. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and linear potentiodynamic polarization (LPP) techniques were used for the study of the electrochemical behavior of uncoated FeMnSi and coated FeMnSi with hydroxyapatite + zirconia (HA-ZrO2) through pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Experiments were carried out using Hank’s balanced salt solution (HBSS). It has been shown that in HBSS the impedance for uncoated FeMnSi was mainly characterized by one capacitive effect, which related to the alloy charge transfer control. The charge transfer resistance increases for HA-ZrO2-coated FeMnSi alloy. The equivalent circuits simulating the electrochemical behavior of both uncoated and HA-ZrO2-coated FeMnSi alloys in HBSS were proposed. From LPP the corrosion resistance was evaluated by means of the zero current potential (ZCP) and corrosion current density (jcorr). The surface morphology of both uncoated and HA-coated FeMnSi alloys in HBSS obtained after LPP was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Differential Roles of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-αand Receptor-γon Renal Crystal Formation in Hyperoxaluric Rodents
Authors: Taguchi Kazumi , Okada Atsushi , Hamamoto Shuzo , Unno Rei , Kobayashi Takahiro , Ando Ryosuke , Tozawa Keiichi , Gao Bing , Kohri Kenjiro , Yasui Takahiro
Published: February 2016

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and related inflammatory and oxidative molecule expression were investigated in a hyperoxaluric rodent model to evaluate thein vivoefficacy of PPAR agonists in preventing renal crystal formation. PPAR expression was examined in a mouse hyperoxaluria kidney stone model induced by daily intra-abdominal glyoxylate injection. Therapeutic effects of the PPARαagonist fenofibrate and PPARγagonist pioglitazone were also assessed in a 1% ethylene glycol-induced rat model of hyperoxaluria. Crystal formation, inflammation, cell injury, apoptosis, and oxidative stress were compared to those of vehicle-treated controls. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed that PPARαand PPARγexpression decrease and increase, respectively, during crystal formation in hyperoxaluric kidneys. In addition, PPARαlocalized to the cytoplasm of both proximal and distal tubular cells, whereas PPARγaccumulated in the nucleus of proximal tubular cells. Furthermore, renal crystal formation was significantly less prevalent in pioglitazone-treated rats but higher in the fenofibrate-treated and fenofibrate/pioglitazone-cotreated groups compared to controls, thus indicating that pioglitazone, but not fenofibrate, markedly decreased cell inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Collectively, the results demonstrated that PPARγsuppressed renal crystal formation via its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects; however, the renotoxicity of PPARαmay elicit the opposite effect.
Effect of a Balanced Concentration of Hydrogen on Graphene CVD Growth
Authors: Chaitoglou S. , Pascual E. , Bertran E. , Andujar J. L.
Published: February 2016

The extraordinary properties of graphene make it one of the most interesting materials for future applications. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is the synthetic method that permits obtaining large areas of monolayer graphene. To achieve this, it is important to find the appropriate conditions for each experimental system. In our CVD reactor working at low pressure, important factors appear to be the pretreatment of the copper substrate, considering both its cleaning and its annealing before the growing process. The carbon precursor/hydrogen flow ratio and its modification during the growth are significant in order to obtain large area graphene crystals with few defects. In this work, we have focused on the study of the methane and the hydrogen flows to control the production of single layer graphene (SLG) and its growth time. In particular, we observe that hydrogen concentration increases during a usual growing process (keeping stable the methane/hydrogen flow ratio) resulting in etched domains. In order to balance this increase, a modification of the hydrogen flow results in the growth of smooth hexagonal SLG domains. This is a result of the etching effect that hydrogen performs on the growing graphene. It is essential, therefore, to study the moderated presence of hydrogen.
Cyclin E Associates with the Lipogenic Enzyme ATP-Citrate Lyase to Enable Malignant Growth of Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Lucenay Kimberly S. , Doostan Iman , Karakas Cansu , Bui Tuyen , Ding Zhiyong , Mills Gordon B. , Hunt Kelly K. , Keyomarsi Khandan
Published: March 2016

Cyclin E is altered in nearly a third of invasive breast cancers where it is a powerful independent predictor of survival in women with stage I–III disease. Full-length cyclin E is posttranslationally cleaved into low molecular weight (LMW-E) isoforms, which are tumor-specific and accumulate in the cytoplasm because they lack a nuclear localization sequence. We hypothesized that aberrant localization of cytosolic LMW-E isoforms alters target binding and activation ultimately contributing to LMW-E–induced tumorigenicity. To address this hypothesis, we used a retrovirus-based protein complementation assay to find LMW-E binding proteins in breast cancer, identifying ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY), an enzyme in the de novo lipogenesis pathway, as a novel LMW-E–interacting protein in the cytoplasm. LMW-E upregulated ACLY enzymatic activity, subsequently increasing lipid droplet formation, thereby providing cells with essential building blocks to support growth. ACLY was also required for LMW-E–mediated transformation, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells in vitro along with tumor growth in vivo. In clinical specimens of breast cancer, the absence of LMW-E and low expression of adipophilin (PLIN2), a marker of lipid droplet formation, associated with favorable prognosis, whereas overexpression of both proteins correlated with a markedly worse prognosis. Taken together, our findings establish a novel relationship between LMW-E isoforms of cyclin E and aberrant lipid metabolism pathways in breast cancer tumorigenesis, warranting further investigation in additional malignancies exhibiting their expression. Cancer Res; 76(8); 2406–18. ©2016 AACR.
New Strategies in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: The Evolving Genetic and Therapeutic Landscape
Authors: Patel Ami B. , Vellore Nadeem A. , Deininger Michael W.
Published: March 2016

The classical BCR–ABL1-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) include essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), and myelofibrosis (MF). Although these clonal disorders share certain clinical and genetic features, MF in particular is distinct for its complex mutational landscape, severe disease phenotype, and poor prognosis. The genetic complexity inherent to MF has made this disease extremely challenging to treat. Pharmacologic JAK inhibition has proven to be a transformative therapy in MPNs, alleviating symptom burden and improving survival, but has been hampered by off-target toxicities and, as monotherapy, has shown limited effects on mutant allele burden. In this review, we discuss the genetic heterogeneity contributing to the pathogenesis of MPNs, focusing on novel driver and epigenetic mutations and how they relate to combination therapeutic strategies. We discuss results from ongoing studies of new JAK inhibitors and report on new drugs and drug combinations that have demonstrated success in early preclinical and clinical trials, including type II JAK inhibitors, antifibrotic agents, and telomerase inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res; 22(5); 1037–47. ©2016 AACR.
PRAME as an Independent Biomarker for Metastasis in Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Field Matthew G. , Decatur Christina L. , Kurtenbach Stefan , Gezgin Gülçin , van der Velden Pieter A. , Jager Martine J. , Kozak Kaleigh N. , Harbour J. William
Published: March 2016

Purpose: Uveal melanoma (UM) can be classified by gene expression profiling (GEP) into Class 1 (low metastatic risk) and Class 2 (high metastatic risk), the latter being strongly associated with mutational inactivation of the tumor suppressor BAP1. Nevertheless, a small percentage of Class 1 tumors give rise to metastatic disease. The purpose of this study was to identify biomarkers of metastasis in Class 1 tumors.

Experimental Design: A total of 389 consecutive patients with UM were assigned to Class 1 or Class 2 using a prospectively validated 12-gene prognostic classifier. Selected tumors were further analyzed using global GEP and single nucleotide polymorphism microarrays. PRAME (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma) mRNA expression was analyzed in 64 Class 1 tumors by qPCR.

Results: Among Class 1 UMs, the most significant predictor of metastasis was PRAME mRNA expression (P = 0.0006). The 5-year actuarial rate of metastasis was 0% for Class1PRAME−, 38% for Class1PRAME+, and 71% for Class 2 tumors. Median metastasis-free survival for Class1PRAME+ patients was 88 months, compared to 32 months for Class 2 patients. Findings were validated using three independent datasets, including one using disomy 3 to identify low-risk UM. Chromosome copy number changes associated with Class1PRAME+ tumors included gain of 1q, 6p, 8q, and 9q and loss of 6q and 11q. PRAME expression was associated with larger tumor diameter (P = 0.05) and SF3B1 mutations (P = 0.003).

Conclusions: PRAME is an independent prognostic biomarker in UM, which identifies increased metastatic risk in patients with Class 1 or disomy 3 tumors. This finding may further enhance the accuracy of prognostic testing and precision medicine for UM. Clin Cancer Res; 22(5); 1234–42. ©2016 AACR.
Autoimmune Bullous Skin Disorders with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Targeting PD-1 and PD-L1
Authors: Naidoo Jarushka , Schindler Katja , Querfeld Christiane , Busam Klaus , Cunningham Jane , Page David B. , Postow Michael A. , Weinstein Alyona , Lucas Anna Skripnik , Ciccolini Kathryn T. , Quigley Elizabeth A. , Lesokhin Alexander M. , Paik Paul K. , Chaft Jamie E. , Segal Neil H. , D'Angelo Sandra P. , Dickson Mark A. , Wolchok Jedd D. , Lacouture Mario E.
Published: March 2016

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) targeting immune checkpoint pathways such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death 1 (PD-1) may confer durable disease control in several malignancies. In some patients, immune checkpoint mAbs cause cutaneous immune-related adverse events. Although the most commonly reported cutaneous toxicities are mild, a subset may persist despite therapy and can lead to severe or life-threatening toxicity. Autoimmune blistering disorders are not commonly associated with immune checkpoint mAb therapy. We report a case series of patients who developed bullous pemphigoid (BP), an autoimmune process classically attributed to pathologic autoantibody formation and complement deposition. Three patients were identified. Two patients developed BP while receiving the anti–PD-1 mAb nivolumab, and one while receiving the anti–PD-L1 mAb durvalumab. The clinicopathologic features of each patient and rash, and corresponding radiologic findings at the development of the rash and after its treatment, are described. Patients receiving an anti–PD-1/PD-L1 mAb may develop immune-related BP. This may be related to both T-cell– and B-cell–mediated responses. Referral to a dermatologist for accurate diagnosis and management is recommended. Cancer Immunol Res; 4(5); 383–9. ©2016 AACR.
Sonographic Evaluation of Fetal Conus Medullaris and Filum Terminale
Authors: Mottet Nicolas , Saada Julien , Jani Jacques , Martin Alain , Riethmuller Didier , Zerah Michel , Benachi Alexandra
Published: March 2016

Background: Sonographic evaluation of the fetal conus medullaris (CM) level is not reproducible. The objectives of this study were to determine the normal position of the fetal CM during pregnancy as well as the normal intradural filum terminale (FT) length and to evaluate their use in detecting tethered cord. Methods: This is a prospective evaluation of normal singleton pregnancies examined by sonography from 17 weeks of gestation to term. Each sonographer had to identify the top of the first sacral vertebra (S1) to measure the distance between it and the conus extremity (CM-S1 distance). The intradural FT distance was measured with 5- to 8-MHz probes. Results: 194 consecutive pregnant women were included. The CM and intradural FT were demonstrated clearly in 164 (84%) cases. The mean CM-S1 distance was 20.6 mm (range 0.5-42). The mean intradural FT distance was 27.9 mm (range 6.6-49.3). Linear regression analysis showed a significant association between both those distances and gestational age (p < 0.05). In cases of tethered cord, the mean CM-S1 distance and the mean intradural FT distance were both below the 5th percentile. Conclusion: Prenatal evaluation of the CM and the intradural FT is feasible and reproducible and seems useful in detecting tethered cord.
Can Staining of Damaged Proteins in Urine Effectively Predict Preeclampsia?
Authors: Sammar Marei , Syngelaki Argyro , Sharabi-Nov Adi , Nicolaides Kypros , Meiri Hamutal
Published: March 2016

Objectives: To assess Congo red urine test in the first trimester for preeclampsia (PE) prediction. Sample: A Congo red test was developed with a cohort of 81 pregnant women in Bnai Zion hospital, Israel, at 26-41 weeks of gestation (12 PE cases). The test was then applied to a first-trimester cohort of 642 women at King's College Hospital, UK (105 subsequently developed PE, 21 early, i.e., <34 weeks; 537 controls). Methods: Urine samples were spotted onto nitrocellulose membranes, stained with Congo red, de-stained, dried and quantified with imager and densitometry. Results: At PE signs and symptoms, the detection rate (DR) was 93% and the false-positive rate (FPR) 4%. However, with first-trimester urine samples, the DR was 33.3%, 16.1% and 20% for early, late and all PE cases, respectively, at 12.8% FPR. The odds ratio (OR) for PE by Congo red alone (including adjusted OR) was superior to body mass index and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) but inferior to previous PE and black ethnicity. Combining all five parameters generated an adjusted OR of 13.92 for PE (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Congo red urine test at PE verifies the disorder. In the first trimester, it adds accuracy for PE prediction in obese, black women, who had previous PE and over-average MAP.
Вплив блокування м1-холінорецепторів асоціативної кори дорослих щурів на автономну регуляцію серцевого ритму при гіпоксичному впливі
Authors: Volkova N. M.
Published: March 2016

Резюме. Моделювання атмосферної гіпоксії в експерименті на щурах дозволяє більш детально дослідити участь речовин медіаторної дії у формуванні адаптації регуляторних систем мозку до гіпоксичного впливу. Метою експерименту було виявити функціональні наслідки блокування м1-холінорецепторів в асоціативній корі дорослих щурів у гіпоксичному середовищі за умов зниженого атмосферного тиску. За умов експериментальної гіпоксії спостерігали функціональну перебудову включення холінергічних структур до механізмів автономного контролю серцевого ритму. Інкубація дорослих щурів у гіпоксичному середовищі за умов зниженого атмосферного тиску, аналогічному природним умовам ІІІ типу погоди, призводить до активації холінергічної регуляції серцевого ритму.

 

Ключові слова: блокування м1-холінорецепторів, асоціативна кора, знижений атмосферний тиск.
ПОРУШЕННЯ ІМУННОГО ГОМЕОСТАЗУ В РАННІЙ ПЕРІОД РОЗВИТКУ ЕКСПЕРИМЕНТАЛЬНОЇ ПНЕВМОНІЇ
Authors: Reheda S. M. , Furdychko L. O. , Reheda-Furdychko M. M.
Published: March 2016

Резюме. В експерименті на морських свинках показано, що пневмонія супроводжується порушеннями показників імунної системи, які проявлялися поступовим зростанням вмісту В-лімфоцитів і циркулюючих імунних комплексів (ЦІК) на 4-у і 8-у доби на тлі зниження рівня Т-лімфоцитів у крові на 8-у добу розвитку запального процесу в легенях.

 
КЛЮЧОВІ СЛОВА: експериментальна пневмонія, циркулюючі імунні комплекси, Т і В-лімфоцити.
Переваги малотравматичної аутодермопластики з використанням трансплантатів ультратонкого зрізу у хворих з опіками
Authors: Kovalchuk A. О. , OLIYNYK N. YU.
Published: March 2016

У статті проведено дослідження ефективності пластичного закриття опікових ран тонкими та ультратонкими аутодермотрансплантатами. На прикладі 2 груп хворих доведено переваги  малотравматичної аутодермопластики  над класичним методом пластики ран. Доведено, що застосування розщеплених шкірних трансплантатів ультратонкого зрізу при проведенні аутодермопластики в обпечених хворих значно скорочує тривалість регенерації донорських ран, знижує об’єм післяопераційної крововтрати, покращує загальний стан пацієнтів та скорочує середній ліжко-день перебування пацієнтів у стаціонарі.
Influence of acute stress on biligenic function of the liver in the condіtions of local skin cryodestruction in the experiment
Authors: Svan O. B.
Published: March 2016

In animals with local сryodestruction 10 % of the surface of the skin without xenodermoplast acute stress
significantly deepens the violation of biligenic liver function values of total bile acids and the degree of conjugation
of bilirubin in the bile, which is faster at least – after 7 days, whereas animals in non-stress – after 14 days.
Further performance increases and non-stress animals reach the level of the control group. Amid cryotrauma
using xenodermoplast in stress animals reach a minimum level of performance in 7 days post-traumatic period.
Subsequently, they increased and normalized in 28 days. In non-stress animal figures are gradually declining from
1 to 21 days. At the time they reach minimum value and are significantly lower than in stress animals. Before 28
days indexes do not reach the level of control.
Nanoparticles: importance today, class ification, use in medicine, toxicity
Authors: Bandas I. A. , Krynytska I. Ya. , Kulitska M. I. , Korda M. M.
Published: March 2016

In recent years research in various areas of nanoscience in the world and in Ukraine is rapidly developing. According
to scientific publications and internet resources authors had analyzed the state of research in various fields
of nanotechnology, nanomedicine, nanotoxicology, nanochemistry of metals. The authors drew attention to the need
for in-depth study of the physiological, biochemical and physical-chemical mechanisms of nanoparticles’ on living
organism in order to prevent their possible toxic effects.
Effects of selenium-zinc-lipid substances from Chlorella vulgaris Biej. on oxidative and tnergy status of rats
Authors: Vinyarska H. B. , Lykhatskyi P. H. , Bodnar O. I. , Fira L. S. , Grubinko V. V.
Published: March 2016

There were obtained and allocated stable selen-lipid and selen-zinc-lipid substances in a result of incubationof unicellular algae Chlorella vulgaris Biej. In aquaculture with sodium selenite and zinc sulfate their influence on oxidative and energetic status of healthy rat was investigated. There were suppressed prooxidative processes,activated antioxidant status, succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase activity and glutamate dehydrogenase way of formation of glutamate were increased when substance at a dose of 0.4 mcg of selenium, 2.5 mcg of zinc
and 0.5 mg of lipid per 1 ml of 1 % starch-water suspensions was introduced in organisme of healthy rats. Also it contributed of formation and functioning of the active components of the antioxidant system – catalase, ceruloplasmin,
reduction glutathione in a liver and in a blood serum of experimental animals.
Investigation of element composition Spinacia oleracea L. Chenopodiaceae family
Authors: Kernychna I. Z. , Ivanusa I. B. , Mykhalkiv M. M.
Published: March 2016

By atomic absorption spectroscopy there was determined the elemental composition of leaves of Spinacia
oleracea L. (family Chenopodiaceae). 4 macroelements (Mg, Ca, Na, K) and 6 microelements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni,
Co) were determined. There was revealed a selective ability to accumulate individual elements in the raw material
studied plant.
A new small golden frog of the genus Pristimantis (Anura: Craugastoridae) from an Andean cloud forest of Colombia
Authors: Rivera-Correa Mauricio , Lamadrid-Feris Faride , Crawford Andrew J.
Published: March 2016

A new species ofPristimantisis described from an Andean cloud forest at 2650 m in the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia.Pristimantis doradosp. nov. is similar to and could be closely related toP. acutirostris, but can be readily distinguished from this latter species by the absence of a tympanic annulus, vocal slits, vocal sac and reticulations on concealed surfaces, and by having a metallic gold iris with a brown horizontal streak. The phylogenetic position of the new species is recovered and we provide its advertisement call, which this species manages to emit despite lacking a vocal sac and vocal slits. This discovery reminds us that despite the extensive research on the alpha-taxonomy ofPristimantisin Colombia, fieldwork in high montane forests continues to yield previously unknown species.
A systematic review of the subfamily Syringophilinae (Acari: Syringophilidae) of the Nearctic region. Part 1: quill mites associated with passerines (Aves: Passeriformes)
Authors: SKORACKI MACIEJ , SPICER GREG S. , OCONNOR BARRY M.
Published: February 2016

Quill mites belonging to the subfamily Syringophilinae Lavoipierre, 1953 associated with the Nearctic passeriform birds are revised. All of the 49 known species, which are grouped in seven genera, are recorded. Among them, four new species are described: Syringophiloidus audubioni sp. nov. from Spizella breweri (Cassini) (Emberizidae), Syringophilopsis catesbyi sp. nov. from Vireo olivaceus (Linnaeus) (Vireonidae), S. wilsoni sp. nov. from Pheucticus melanocephalus (Swainson) (Cardinalidae), and S. bartrami sp. nov. from Spizella passerina (Bechstein) (Emberizidae). The species Syringophilopsis hylocichlae Clark, 1964 syn. nov. is synonymized with Syringophilopsis turdus (Fritsch, 1958), and Syringophiloidus zonotrichia syn. nov. is synonymized with Betasyringophiloidus seiuri (Clark, 1964) comb. nov. Six species are recorded from the Nearctic region for the first time: Syringophiloidus delichonum Bochkov, 2001, S. glandarii (Fritsch, 1958), S. weiszii Skoracki et al., 2001, S. bombycillae Skoracki, 2002, Syringophilopsis mimidus Sikora et al., 2011, and Torotrogla merulae Skoracki et al., 2000. Data on Nearctic syringophiline species, their hosts and distribution are summarized and the keys to all species are constructed.
Historical analysis of the type species of the genus Trichobilharzia Skrjabin et Zakharov, 1920 (Platyhelminthes: Schistosomatidae)
Authors: Aldhoun Jitka , Kment Petr , HORÁK PETR
Published: February 2016

Trichobilharzia Skrjabin & Zakharov, 1920 is known as the most species-rich genus of the blood fluke family Schistosomatidae. To date, more than 40 species have been described, even though validity of some of them is questionable (Horák et al. 2002). Members of the genus use various birds as final hosts, but they attract attention mostly as causative agents of hypersensitive skin reaction (cercarial dermatitis or swimmer’s itch) in mammals including humans. As this is one of the
Erections of Changa gen. nov. and Songga gen. nov. of Aolina (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadinae: Dundubiini) with taxonomic notes and a synonymization
Authors: LEE YOUNG JUNE
Published: February 2016

Two new genera, Changa gen. nov. and Songga gen. nov., are erected in the subtribe Aolina Boulard, 2012, with the designations of Cosmopsaltria sita Distant, 1881 and Pomponia scitula Distant, 1888 as the type species, respectively. Khimbya sita (Distant, 1881) becomes Changa sita (Distant, 1881) comb. nov. Haphsa scitula (Distant, 1888) becomes Songga scitula (Distant, 1888) comb. nov. Haphsa jsguillotsi (Boulard, 2005) is transferred to Changa to become Changa jsguillotsi (Boulard, 2005) comb. nov. Haphsa stellata Lee, 2009 syn. nov. is synonymized with Changa sita. Haphsa sulaeyai (Boulard, 2005) is transferred to Macrosemia Kato, 1925 to become Macrosemia sulaeyai (Boulard, 2005) comb. nov. A revised key to the genera of Aolina is provided.
Parathelphusa pardus, a new species of lowland freshwater crab from swamps in central Sumatra, Indonesia (Crustacea: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae)
Authors: NG PETER K. L. , RIADY RIKHI , WINDARTI WINDARTI
Published: February 2016

A new species of gecarcinucid freshwater crab of the genus Parathelphusa H. Milne Edwards, 1853, is described from freshwater swamp habitats in Pekanbaru, Riau Province, in central-eastern Sumatra, Indonesia. Parathelphusa pardus sp. nov., has a very distinctive colour pattern, and in this respect, resembles P. maindroni (Rathbun, 1902) from Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia; P. batamensis Ng, 1992, from Batam Island, Indonesia; P. reticulata Ng, 1990, from Singapore; and P. oxygona Nobili, 1901, from western Sarawak. It can be distinguished from these species and congeners by a suite of carapace, ambulatory leg, thoracic sternal and most importantly, male first gonopod characters.
Mesoplophoroidea (Acari, Oribatida) of China
Authors: LIU DONG
Published: February 2016

The oribatid mite superfamily Mesoplophoroidea (Acari, Oribatida) is reviewed. Seven species in four genera of Mesoplophoroidea from China, including a new species, Mesoplophora (Mesoplophora) heterotricha sp. nov. from Hainan Province, are identified. Tritonymph of Apoplophora pantotrema (Berlese, 1913) is described based on material from China. A comprehensive, fully referenced checklist of all known species and keys to all known species worldwide are provided to facilitate the further study on this group.
The Mimallonidae (Lepidoptera, Mimallonoidea) of the Caribbean Basin,
with the descriptions of two new species
Authors: LAURENT RYAN A. ST. , MCCABE TIMOTHY L.
Published: February 2016

Mimallonidae of the Caribbean Basin are discussed, with attention primarily given to species endemic to the Caribbean islands and the northern coast of Venezuela. The Caribbean Basin is a political term for tropical regions circumscribed by the Gulf of Mexico. Cicinnus bahamensis sp. n. is described from the Bahamas, the first species of Mimallonidae from this country. The Cuban species Cicinnus packardii (Grote, 1865), the closest relative of C. bahamensis sp. n., is figured and compared. A third, similar, species from northern coastal Venezuela, C. falcoargenteus sp. n., is described and compared to the previous two species.
Taxonomy of 'Euconnus complex'. Part VII. Glabriconnus, a new subgenus of Euconnus from Madagascar (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)
Authors: JAŁOSZYŃSKI PAWEŁ
Published: February 2016

A new subgenus of Euconnus Thomson is described, Glabriconnus subgen. n., to accommodate four Madagascan species: Euconnus banari sp. n. (type species of Glabriconnus), E. andranomenaus sp. n., E. februarius sp. n. and E. aterrimus Franz (transferred from Euconnus s. str.). Morphological structures of the new taxa are illustrated and described in detail, and possible relationships of Glabriconnus are discussed. The new subgenus is most similar to Tetramelus Motschulsky and Paratetramelus Franz in gradually thickened antennae and reduction of wings and associated structures, but the four species included in Glabriconnus share a unique synapomorphy, a hypomeral groove at each side of pronotum. They also have a broad, short and flattened 'anthiciform' head; nearly glabrous head, pronotum and elytra, except for thick bristles on genae, postgenae (but not tempora) and along anterior and lateral pronotal margins, and pronotum with one pair of distinct lateral pits.
Severnsia strombeulima n. gen. & sp. from Hawaii (Mollusca, Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda: Eulimidae)
Authors: GEIGER DANIEL L.
Published: February 2016

The malacofauna of Hawaii is rather well-known, owing to Kay (1979) and Severns (2011). Both works stand out because they include a large number of the generally under-represented micromollusks (<5 mm). Here a striking new genus and species of a microsnail is reported from that region.
Prestonellinae—validation of the name as a new subfamily of Bothriembryontidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Orthalicoidea)
Authors: BRUGGEN A.C. VAN , HERBERT DAVID G. , BREURE ABRAHAM S.H.
Published: February 2016

The affinities of the enigmatic South African land snail genus Prestonella Connolly, 1929 were discussed by Herbert (2007) and Herbert & Mitchell (2009), who showed, on the basis of morphological and molecular data, that the genus is referable to the superfamily Orthalicoidea. Currently, the three described species of Prestonella are the only known African representatives of this diverse superfamily. Earlier, van Bruggen (1978) had recognized that these species formed a distinct group and had placed them in the (new) family Prestonellidae. However, as noted by Bouchet & Rocroi (2005: 140), no diagnosis was provided by van Bruggen; the name Prestonellidae thus does not meet the requirements of ICZN Art. 13.1, and is not an available name. In this paper we will redress this issue, also taking into account more recent research which has shed light on the systematic position of this genus within the Orthalicoidea.
A new species of the thorid genus Paralebbeus Bruce & Chace, 1986 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) from the deep sea of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean
Authors: XU PENG , LIU FENG , DING ZHONGJUN , WANG CHUNSHENG
Published: March 2016

During recent dives by the Chinese manned submersible “Jiaolong”, some shrimp specimens were sampled from the deep sea of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. A new species of the caridean family Thoridae, Paralebbeus jiaolongi sp. nov., is described and illustrated in this study. The rostrum armed with only one subterminal ventral tooth can easily distinguish the new species from its congeners.
Two new species of Lamiinae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from the Neotropical Region
Authors: BEZARK LARRY G. , GALILEO MARIA HELENA M. , SANTOS-SILVA ANTONIO
Published: March 2016

Two new species of Cerambycidae are described from the Neotropical Region: Estoloderces obliquus sp. nov. from Costa Rica and Stereomerus swifti sp. nov. from Ecuador.
Rallus nanus nomen novum: a replacement name for Rallus minutus Alcover et al. 2015
Authors: ALCOVER JOSEP ANTONI , PIEPER HARALD , PEREIRA FERNANDO , RANDO JUAN CARLOS
Published: March 2016

In a recent paper, we described five new species of rails from the Macaronesian islands (Alcover et al., 2015). We proposed the name of Rallus minutus to designate the São Jorge rail. One day after its publication, Fred Ruhe (via e-mail) pointed out to us that the name was preoccupied, making Rallus minutus Alcover, Pieper, Pereira & Rando 2015 a primary homonym, which in turn makes it permanently invalid.
Descriptions of three new species of Strattis Pascoe, 1883 (Coleoptera:
Curculionidae: Cryptorhynchinae) from the Indian subcontinent
Authors: DEVI SALAM RITA , RAY D. C. , RAMAMURTHY V. V.
Published: March 2016

The cryptorhynchine genus Strattis Pascoe originally described from Sri Lanka is recorded from India with the descriptions of three new species: S. pascoei sp. nov., S. maculatus sp. nov., and S. srilankaiensis sp. nov. from the Indian subcontinent. Strattis biguttatus is designated as type species for the genus. A key to species is provided. The character of a presumable stridulatory structure between the meta-femur and the first abdominal ventrite is discussed.
Sensitivity of Satellite-Derived Tropospheric Temperature Trends to the Diurnal Cycle Adjustment
Authors: Mears Carl A. , Wentz Frank J.
Published: March 2016

Temperature sounding microwave radiometers flown on polar-orbiting weather satellites provide a long-term, global-scale record of upper-atmosphere temperatures, beginning in late 1978 and continuing to the present. The focus of this paper is the midtropospheric measurements made by the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) channel 2 and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) channel 5. Previous versions of the Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) dataset have used a diurnal climatology derived from general circulation model output to remove the effects of drifting local measurement time. This paper presents evidence that this previous method is not sufficiently accurate and presents several alternative methods to optimize these adjustments using information from the satellite measurements themselves. These are used to construct a number of candidate climate data records using measurements from 15 MSU and AMSU satellites. The new methods result in improved agreement between measurements made by different satellites at the same time. A method is chosen based on an optimized second harmonic adjustment to produce a new version of the RSS dataset, version 4.0. The new dataset shows substantially increased global-scale warming relative to the previous version of the dataset, particularly after 1998. The new dataset shows more warming than most other midtropospheric data records constructed from the same set of satellites. It is also shown that the new dataset is consistent with long-term changes in total column water vapor over the tropical oceans, lending support to its long-term accuracy.
How Has the Secret Garden of Politics Changed in Italy (1994-2015)?
Authors: Cerruto Maurizio , Facello Chiara , Raniolo Francesco
Published: February 2016

The goal of this article is to assess changes in the candidate selection methods in Italy starting from elections of 1994, when the selection process dominated by party has failed, and new recruitment techniques emerged both at national and regional level. This article provides an overview of intraparty candidate selection methods occurring at two levels analyzing formal rules and survey data on attitudes held by middle-level party elite (national) and councilors (regional). Has there been a real democratization (in terms of more inclusiveness and more decentralization) of the candidates’ selection? How effective is the selection process on gender representation? The findings show that national elite has a strong hold on party recruitment despite the introduction of democratic procedures in the candidate selection for public office and leadership of some parties; at regional level, individual representation acquires a powerful role in comparison with party representation.
Participation in Voluntary Associations and Social Contact of Immigrants in Canada
Authors: Fong Eric , Shen Jing
Published: February 2016

We explore how participation by immigrants in voluntary groups is related to their social contact patterns. Our discussion is guided by the structural integration and the homophily perspectives. Drawing from the 2008 Canadian General Social Survey, the findings in general support the structural integration perspective. The findings also show that frequency of participation in voluntary groups and number of voluntary associations participated have independent and significant positive relationships with socioeconomic range of contact and number of high-status contacts, except that the number of voluntary associations involved does not relate to the number of high-status contacts among immigrants. In addition, the findings show that receiving education overseas does not relate to the range of contact and high-status contact. However, visible minority immigrants significantly has lower socioeconomic range of contact than other immigrants even controlling for voluntary association participation.
The Integration Paradox
Authors: Verkuyten Maykel
Published: February 2016

The integration paradox refers to the phenomenon of the more highly educated and structurally integrated immigrants turning away from the host society, rather than becoming more oriented toward it. This article provides an overview of the empirical evidence documenting this paradox in the Netherlands. In addition, the theoretical arguments and the available findings about the social psychological processes involved in this paradox are considered. The existing evidence for the integration paradox and what might explain it form the basis for making suggestion for future theoretical work and empirical research, and for discussing possible policy implications.
“My First Victim Was a Hurling Player . . . ”
Authors: Bairner Alan
Published: February 2016

Much of the recent literature on sport, political violence, and terrorism has been focused on security issues and, more critically, their potentially damaging implications for civil liberties. Far less attention, however, has been paid to the place of sport in the lives of the so-called terrorists themselves. This article draws heavily on personal experience of interaction with loyalist and republican prisoners in the Maze between March 1996 and October 1999. The main focus of the article is on the ways in which these prisoners talked about and related to sport and the insights that discussions with them offered in terms of their wider political views. Sport was never dismissed by any of the prisoners I met as being of secondary importance to other matters—a diversion from the real world of politics. In fact, as our discussions revealed, politics was often presented as being intimately bound up with and embodied in sport cultures. On the other hand, their interest in sport also highlighted the fact that these were rather ordinary men, some of whom had shown themselves to be capable of committing seemingly extraordinary crimes.
Critical Issues That Need to Be Addressed to Improve Outcomes for Patients With Carotid Stenosis
Authors: Abbott Anne
Published: February 2016

Significant improvement in outcomes for patients with carotid stenosis requires liberation from the historic fixation with randomization and a procedurally based, late-stage, reactive approach to medical care. We require a multipronged and multidisciplinary approach that includes all of the following: (i) removal of overreliance on, and biased use of, randomized trial data; (ii) using accurate ways to rank evidence quality and relevance; (iii) improved research reporting standards; (iv) building quality assurance and other research capability into routine practice; (v) producing evidence-true rather than evidence-based guidelines; (vi) bringing current optimal medical treatment to the community and measuring its effectiveness; (vii) funding only interventions known to help patients when and where they are treated and use the savings to fund vital research, including quality assurance in routine practice; and (viii) recognize that making the indication for carotid procedures obsolete is a good thing.
Analysis of Serum Endothelial Cell-Specific Molecule 1 (Endocan) Level in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus With Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and its Correlation
Authors: Qiu Chong-Rong , Fu Qiang , Sui Jian , Zhang Qian , Wei Peng , Wu Yan , Zhu Ke , Lu Yi , Wan Peng
Published: March 2016

Endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 (ESM-1; endocan) is expressed by endothelial cells, and it can be overexpressed in diabetic patients. However, little is known concerning diabetic patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Therefore, we assessed serum ESM-1 level in patients having type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) STEMI; 72 patients with DM (38 with and 34 without vascular disease) and 33 individuals as a control group were included. There was a significant difference in serum ESM-1 level between the T2DM group and the control group ( P = .03). There was also a significant difference in serum ESM-1 level between the T2DM with STEMI group and newly diagnosed T2DM group without vascular disease ( P = .01). In patients with T2DM, serum ESM-1 levels correlated positively with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio ( r = .321, P = .006 and r = .320, P = .006). Our findings suggest that serum ESM-1 level may be a novel endothelial dysfunction biomarker and it may be related to vascular disease in T2DM.
Towards a Model of Teacher Leadership in ELT: Authentic Leadership in Classroom Practice
Authors: Greenier Vincent T. , Whitehead George E.K.
Published: March 2016

This study investigates how the model of Authentic Leadership applies to language teaching and its implications for future directions in teacher education programmes. Data was collected from 56 native-speaking English teachers through an online survey consisting of specific open-ended and short answer type questions. The results of the study suggest that currently the concept of classroom leadership is not at the forefront of teachers’ conscious thought, but is, to some extent, embedded in various teaching practices and characteristics. This could be attributed to the absence of explicit discussion of teacher leadership in teacher education programmes despite principles of leadership being strongly connected to the act of teaching itself. It is argued that a clear model of leadership would better help teachers face the unique challenges of EFL teaching and the model of Authentic Leadership provides an excellent framework for this context as the principles of self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing, and internalized moral/ethical perspective have direct links to core concepts in ELT. This article contends that by applying the principles of Authentic Leadership in classroom practice, both novice and experienced teachers will be better able to manage the challenges of language teaching, enhance and enrich their skillsets, and achieve greater professional success.
Optimizing layouts of initial refueling stations for alternative-fuel vehicles and experiments with agent-based simulations
Authors: Zhao Jiangjiang , Ma Tieju
Published: March 2016

There are a limited number of initial refueling stations for AFVs (alternative-fuel vehicles). With different layouts for these initial refueling stations, potential AFV adopters will have different concerns regarding the availability of refueling facilities, which will result in different starting points for the diffusion of AFVs. This paper explores the issue of optimizing layouts of initial AFV refueling stations to provide a better starting point for the diffusion of AFVs. This paper first puts forward the optimization models in terms of minimizing drivers’ total concern in two situations: in the first situation, the number of initial AFV refueling stations is fixed, and in the second situation, the number of initial AFV refueling stations is flexible within a certain scope. The paper then introduces a genetic algorithm to find nearly optimal solutions for the optimization models. Finally, experiments are conducted with agent-based simulations for the case of Shanghai, which shows that the close-to-optimal layouts generated using the models can promote the diffusion of AFVs.
Mission in evolving cultures: Constructively managing music-related conflict in cross-cultural church planting contexts
Authors: Dunaetz David R.
Published: February 2016

The choice of music, an essential element of worship and church life, must be addressed in cross-cultural church planting contexts. As cultures evolve, church planters are faced with choices about musical styles that may lead to interpersonal conflicts within the church. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine factors that may enable cross-cultural church planters to constructively manage music-related conflicts when they arise. Members of church plants, like all people, have various goals when entering into such conflicts. They are concerned about the content of the conflict (i.e., the musical style) and thus have content goals. They are also concerned about social elements of the conflict (e.g., their relationships, their identity and values, and the process used to resolve the conflict) and thus have social goals. The results of this study of 276 evangelical Christians indicate that achieving both content goals and social goals contributes to overall satisfaction across various conflict outcomes. Moreover, the evidence indicates that achieving only a social goal leads to greater satisfaction with the conflict outcome than achieving only the content goal in music-related conflict. This implies that church planters, when faced with music-related conflict, should strive to meet the gospel-congruent social goals of people with whom they are in conflict in order to maximize satisfaction with the conflict outcome.
Lies in the Eye of the Beholder: Asymmetric Beliefs about One’s Own and Others’ Deceptiveness in Mediated and Face-to-Face Communication
Authors: Toma Catalina L. , Jiang L. Crystal , Hancock Jeffrey T.
Published: February 2016

This article examines how people’s beliefs about deception in text-based media (i.e., email, instant messenger) and face-to-face communication are distorted by two biases: (a) a self-other asymmetry, whereby people believe themselves to be more honest than their peers across communication contexts; and (b) a media intensification effect, whereby the perceived gap between one’s own and others’ deceptiveness is increased in text-based media, whose affordances (e.g., reduced nonverbal cues) are believed to facilitate deception. We argue that these biases stem from a desire for self-enhancement, or for seeing oneself as good, moral, capable, and impervious to negative media influence. Support for these propositions emerged across a college student sample (Study 1) and a national sample of U.S. adults (Study 2). The results offer a theoretical framework for the distortions in people’s beliefs about mediated deception, and have important practical implications.
Are Special Education Labels Accurate for Black Children? Racial Differences in Academic Trajectories of Youth Diagnosed With Specific Learning and Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Graves Scott L. , Ye Fei Fei
Published: March 2016

The purpose of this study was to understand if special education labels are accurate for Black children. The study examined differences in academic achievement growth trajectories of children diagnosed with learning and intellectual disabilities. Utilizing the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study database, a nationally representative sample of students with disabilities, results indicated that significant differences in academic trajectories were present between children who were diagnosed with learning and intellectual disabilities. However, between-group racial differences were evident in academic categories and growth rates. While special education programs are touted to be helpful for student development, these results suggest that Black students are not getting the equal treatment, instruction, and academic benefits as their peers. Consequently, more academic intervention resources should be aimed at Black students to increase their academic growth rates. Implications are discussed in terms of assessment practices for identifying Black children for special education.
Robust adaptive dynamic programming based online tracking control algorithm for real wheeled mobile robot with omni-directional vision system
Authors: Luy Nguyen Tan
Published: March 2016

This paper proposes a new method to design an online robust adaptive dynamic programming algorithm (RADPA) for a wheeled mobile robot which is equipped with an omni-directional vision system. To integrate kinematic and dynamic controllers into the unique controller, we transform the strict feedback system dynamics into tracking error dynamics. Then, we propose a control scheme which uses only one neural network rather than three proposed in the actor-critic-based control schemes for the two-player zero-sum game problem. A neural network weight update law is designed for approximating the solution of the Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs equation without knowing knowledge of internal system dynamics. To implement the scheme, we propose the online RADPA, in which control and disturbance laws are updated simultaneously in an iterative loop. The convergence and stability of the online RADPA are proven by Lyapunov techniques. Simulations and experiments on a wheeled mobile robot testbed are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.