bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ovarian cancer treatment: The end of empiricism?
Authors: Lheureux Stephanie , Karakasis Katherine , Kohn Elise C. , Oza Amit M.
Published: June 2015

The diagnosis, investigation, and management of ovarian cancer are in a state of flux—balancing ever rapid advances in our understanding of its biology with 3 decades of clinical trials. Clinical trials that started with empirically driven selections have evolved in an evidence‐informed manner to gradually improve outcome. Has this improved understanding of the biology and associated calls to action led to appropriate changes in therapy? In this review, the authors discuss incorporating emerging data on biology, combinations, dose, and scheduling of new and existing agents with patient preferences in the management of women with ovarian cancer. Cancer 2015;121:3203–3211. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Aqueous Brønsted–Lowry Chemistry of Ionic Liquid Ions
Authors: Driver Gordon W.
Published: June 2015

Ionic liquids have become commonplace materials found in research laboratories the world over, and are increasingly utilised in studies featuring water as co‐solvent. It is reported herein that proton activities, aH+, originating from auto‐protolysis of H2O molecules, are significantly altered in mixtures with common ionic liquids comprised of Cl−, [HSO4]−, [CH3SO4]−, [CH3COO]−, [BF4]−, relative to pure water. paH+ values, recorded in partially aqueous media as −log(aH+), are observed over a wide range (∼0–13) as a result of hydrolysis (or acid dissociation) of liquid salt ions to their associated parent molecules (or conjugate bases). Brønsted–Lowry acid–base character of ionic liquid ions observed is rooted in equilibria known to govern the highly developed aqueous chemistry of classical organic and inorganic salts, as their well‐known aqueous pKs dictate. Classical salt behaviour observed for both protic and aprotic ions in the presence of water suggests appropriate attention need be given to relevant chemical systems in order to exploit, or avoid, the nature of the medium formed.
Why Is the Spontaneous Deprotonation of [Cu(uracil)2]2+Complexes Accompanied by Enolization of the System?
Authors: Brea Oriana , Yáñez Manuel , Mó Otilia , Lamsabhi Al Mokhtar
Published: June 2015

The reaction‐force formalism is applied to carry out a detailed analysis of the mechanisms behind the enolization processes undergone by the complexes formed on interaction of uracil dimers with Cu2+ions after spontaneous deprotonation of the resulting complexes. These enolization processes apparently involve a single proton transfer (PT) from an NH group to a carbonyl group of the same uracil moiety, which should involve a rather high activation barrier that prevents the process occurring. However, the reaction‐force, chemical‐potential, and electronic‐flux profiles unambiguously indicate that the actual mechanism involves three low‐barrier elementary steps, and this explains why enolization of the [Cu(uracil−H)(uracil)]+complexes is a highly facile, assisted PT process. All of the observed PT processes show a typical profile for both the chemical potential and the electronic flux associated with the bond‐breaking and the bond‐formation processes.
Living with Mental Illness: A Cognitive Behavioural Group Psycho‐education Programme with Women in Secure Settings
Authors: Long C. G. , Banyard E. , Dolley O.
Published: June 2015

The provision of psycho‐educational groups for people diagnosed with schizophrenia is an important part of successful treatment. The value of such interventions is less clearly established in secure settings with no reports on women. Gender differences in the manifestation of schizophrenia highlight the importance of a gender‐specific intervention. A ‘Living with Mental Illness’ group programme for women in a secure psychiatric setting is described and evaluated. Those who completed group treatments (n = 20; 63%) showed improved knowledge of schizophrenia, decreased fear of schizophrenia, greater insight and increased optimism and perceived control of the illness. They also showed increased hope and greater self‐compassion. Pre–post group findings reflected improved ratings of compliance with drug treatments, appropriate behaviour and insight into risk. This was reflected in a decrease in risk behaviours, improved attendance at treatment sessions and a reduction in symptomatology. Group members also reported a positive group therapeutic alliance. Findings are discussed in the context of gender‐specific treatment, research, methodological issues characteristic of a real‐world evaluations and the need to assess the long‐term benefits of such treatment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Key Practitioner Message

Psycho‐educational groups for secure inpatients with schizophrenia need to address gender‐specific differences in the manifestation of the condition.

Such interventions as part of a broader treatment initiative can be associated with clinical improvement that is both illness specific and leads to improved engagement with care initiatives.

The needs of patients who do not complete treatments needs to be regularly reassessed.
Antituberculosis drugs in children
Authors: Schaaf HS , Garcia‐Prats AJ , Donald PR
Published: June 2015

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global threat to children, as it often goes undiagnosed and leads to high morbidity and mortality. Active contact tracing leading to initiation of preventive therapy and early diagnosis with immediate effective treatment, whether it is drug‐susceptible or drug‐resistant TB, could reduce mortality and morbidity. In order to achieve this it is necessary to understand the currently available drugs, their role in treatment, their doses, and adverse effects. However, there is still limited pharmacokinetic data on antituberculosis drugs in children, few child‐friendly formulations, and knowledge gaps regarding their pharmacodynamics. A discussion of the available antituberculosis drugs is presented, with a focus on their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, to provide reasoning for the currently recommended doses for children. More pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies, for both existing and novel drugs, are urgently needed to optimize dosing of antituberculosis drugs in children and for development of child‐friendly formulations.
The Challenge of Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis: A New Perspective on the Role of Nitrogen Scaling Relations
Authors: Montoya Joseph H. , Tsai Charlie , Vojvodic Aleksandra , Nørskov Jens K.
Published: June 2015

The electrochemical production of NH3 under ambient conditions represents an attractive prospect for sustainable agriculture, but electrocatalysts that selectively reduce N2 to NH3 remain elusive. In this work, we present insights from DFT calculations that describe limitations on the low‐temperature electrocatalytic production of NH3 from N2. In particular, we highlight the linear scaling relations of the adsorption energies of intermediates that can be used to model the overpotential requirements in this process. By using a two‐variable description of the theoretical overpotential, we identify fundamental limitations on N2 reduction analogous to those present in processes such as oxygen evolution. Using these trends, we propose new strategies for catalyst design that may help guide the search for an electrocatalyst that can achieve selective N2 reduction.
Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection causing eosinophilic ascites
Authors: Shukla Shailaja , Chauhan Richa , Wadhwa Shveta , Sehgal Shivali , Singh Smita
Published: June 2015

Strongyloidiasis is associated with Strongyloides stercoralis, an intestinal nematode with greater prevalence in tropical and subtropical regions. Hyperinfection syndrome with dissemination may occur in immunosuppressed individuals. However, invasion of peritoneal cavity with peritoneal effusion is rarely reported in the literature. We report a case of S. stercoralis hyperinfection in a young alcoholic patient with Diabetes mellitus, liver disease and ascites. Diagnostic paracentesis showed numerous filariform larvae of S. stercoralis against a background of eosinophils. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2015;43:731–733. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Postnatal maternal care predicts divergent weaning strategies and the development of social behavior
Authors: Franks B. , Champagne F. A. , Curley J. P.
Published: June 2015

Maternal care experienced during postnatal development predicts long‐term neurobiological and behavioral outcomes. However, the cascade of behavioral changes that emerge in response to maternal care has not been elucidated. In the current study, we examine naturally occurring variation in postnatal licking/grooming (LG) in C57BL/6J mice to determine its impact on preweaning maternal and pup behavior, the weaning process, the pace of developmental change, the emergence of social behavior, and indices of anxiety‐like behavior in adulthood. Our analyses indicate that lower postnatal LG is associated with truncated and more infrequent maternal behavior during the preweaning period. Moreover, compared to High LG dams, Low LG dams are observed to actively wean their offspring sooner and have offspring that play more frequently. The heightened pace of developmental change observed in offspring of Low LG dams suggests a more rapid transition to behavioral and nutritional independence, which could have implications for future reproductive strategies. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 57: 809–817, 2015.
Temporal autocorrelation in host density increases establishment success of parasitoids in an experimental system
Authors: Vercken Elodie , Fauvergue Xavier , Ris Nicolas , Crochard Didier , Mailleret Ludovic
Published: June 2015

Environmental variation is classically expected to affect negatively population growth and to increase extinction risk, and it has been identified as a major determinant of establishment failures in the field. Yet, recent theoretical investigations have shown that the structure of environmental variation and more precisely the presence of positive temporal autocorrelation might alter this prediction. This is particularly likely to affect the establishment dynamics of biological control agents in the field, as host–parasitoid interactions are expected to induce temporal autocorrelation in host abundance. In the case where parasitoid populations display overcompensatory dynamics, the presence of such positive temporal autocorrelation should increase their establishment success in a variable environment. We tested this prediction in laboratory microcosms by introducing parasitoids to hosts whose abundances were manipulated to simulate uncorrelated or positively autocorrelated variations in carrying capacity. We found that environmental variability decreased population size and increased parasitoid population variance, which is classically expected to extinction risk. However, although exposed to significant environmental variation, we found that parasitoid populations experiencing positive temporal autocorrelation in host abundance were more likely to persist than populations exposed to uncorrelated variation. These results confirm that environmental variation is a key determinant of extinction dynamics that can have counterintuitive effects depending on its autocorrelation structure.
Inbreeding and adaptive plasticity: an experimental analysis on predator‐induced responses in the water flea Daphnia
Authors: Swillen Ine , Vanoverbeke Joost , De Meester Luc
Published: June 2015

Several studies have emphasized that inbreeding depression (ID) is enhanced under stressful conditions. Additionally, one might imagine a loss of adaptively plastic responses which may further contribute to a reduction in fitness under environmental stress. Here, we quantified ID in inbred families of the cyclical parthenogen Daphnia magna in the absence and presence of fish predation risk. We test whether predator stress affects the degree of ID and if inbred families have a reduced capacity to respond to predator stress by adaptive phenotypic plasticity. We obtained two inbred families through clonal selfing within clones isolated from a fish pond. After mild purging under standardized conditions, we compared life history traits and adaptive plasticity between inbred and outbred lineages (directly hatched from the natural dormant egg bank of the same pond). Initial purging of lineages under standardized conditions differed among inbred families and exceeded that in outbreds. The least purged inbred family exhibited strong ID for most life history traits. Predator‐induced stress hardly affected the severity of ID, but the degree to which the capacity for adaptive phenotypic plasticity was retained varied strongly among the inbred families. The least purged family overall lacked the capacity for adaptive phenotypic plasticity, whereas the family that suffered only mild purging exhibited a potential for adaptive plasticity that was comparable to the outbred population. We thus found that inbred offspring may retain the capacity to respond to the presence of fish by adaptive phenotypic plasticity, but this strongly depends on the parental clone engaging in selfing.
Identifying signatures of sexual selection using genomewide selection components analysis
Authors: Flanagan Sarah P. , Jones Adam G.
Published: June 2015

Sexual selection must affect the genome for it to have an evolutionary impact, yet signatures of selection remain elusive. Here we use an individual‐based model to investigate the utility of genome‐wide selection components analysis, which compares allele frequencies of individuals at different life history stages within a single population to detect selection without requiring a priori knowledge of traits under selection. We modeled a diploid, sexually reproducing population and introduced strong mate choice on a quantitative trait to simulate sexual selection. Genome‐wide allele frequencies in adults and offspring were compared using weighted FST values. The average number of outlier peaks (i.e., those with significantly large FST values) with a quantitative trait locus in close proximity (“real” peaks) represented correct diagnoses of loci under selection, whereas peaks above the FST significance threshold without a quantitative trait locus reflected spurious peaks. We found that, even with moderate sample sizes, signatures of strong sexual selection were detectable, but larger sample sizes improved detection rates. The model was better able to detect selection with more neutral markers, and when quantitative trait loci and neutral markers were distributed across multiple chromosomes. Although environmental variation decreased detection rates, the identification of real peaks nevertheless remained feasible. We also found that detection rates can be improved by sampling multiple populations experiencing similar selection regimes. In short, genome‐wide selection components analysis is a challenging but feasible approach for the identification of regions of the genome under selection.
Sexual shape dimorphism accelerated by male–male competition, but not prevented by sex‐indiscriminate parental care in dung beetles (Scarabaeidae)
Authors: Kishi Shigeki , Takakura Koh‐Ichi , Nishida Takayoshi
Published: June 2015

Dimorphic sexual differences in shape and body size are called sexual dimorphism and sexual size dimorphism, respectively. The degrees of both dimorphisms are considered to increase with sexual selection, represented by male–male competition. However, the degrees of the two dimorphisms often differ within a species. In some dung beetles, typical sexual shape dimorphisms are seen in male horns and other exaggerated traits, although sexual size dimorphism looks rare. We hypothesized that the evolution of this sexual shape dimorphism without sexual size dimorphism is caused by male–male competition and their crucial and sex‐indiscriminate provisioning behaviors, in which parents provide the equivalent size of brood ball with each of both sons and daughters indiscriminately. As a result of individual‐based model simulations, we show that parents evolve to provide each of sons and daughters with the optimal amount of resource for a son when parents do not distinguish the sex of offspring and males compete for mates. This result explains why crucial and sex‐indiscriminate parental provisioning does not prevent the evolution of sexual shape dimorphism. The model result was supported by empirical data of Scarabaeidae beetles. In some dung beetles, sexual size dimorphism is absent, compared with significant sexual size dimorphism in other horned beetles, although both groups exhibit similar degrees of sexual shape dimorphism in male horns and other exaggerated traits.
Spatial interactions between sympatric carnivores: asymmetric avoidance of an intraguild predator
Authors: Grassel Shaun M. , Rachlow Janet L. , Williams Christopher J.
Published: June 2015

Interactions between intraguild species that act as both competitors and predator–prey can be especially complex. We studied patterns of space use by the black‐footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), a prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) specialist, and the American badger (Taxidea taxus), a larger generalist carnivore that competes for prairie dogs and is known to kill ferrets. We expected that ferrets would spatially avoid badgers because of the risk of predation, that these patterns of avoidance might differ between sexes and age classes, and that the availability of food and space might influence these relationships. We used location data from 60 ferrets and 15 badgers to model the influence of extrinsic factors (prairie dog density and colony size) and intrinsic factors (sex, age) on patterns of space use by ferrets in relation to space use by different sex and age categories of badgers. We documented asymmetric patterns of avoidance of badgers by ferrets based on the sex of both species. Female ferrets avoided adult female badgers, but not male badgers, and male ferrets exhibited less avoidance than female ferrets. Additionally, avoidance decreased with increasing densities of prairie dogs. We suggest that intersexual differences in space use by badgers create varying distributions of predation risk that are perceived by the smaller carnivore (ferrets) and that females respond more sensitively than males to that risk. This work advances understanding about how competing species coexist and suggests that including information on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors might improve our understanding of behavioral interactions between sympatric species.
Variation in signal–preference genetic correlations in Enchenopa treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae)
Authors: Fowler‐Finn Kasey D. , Kilmer Joseph T. , Hallett Allysa C. , Rodríguez Rafael L.
Published: June 2015

Fisherian selection is a within‐population process that promotes signal–preference coevolution and speciation due to signal–preference genetic correlations. The importance of the contribution of Fisherian selection to speciation depends in part on the answer to two outstanding questions: What explains differences in the strength of signal–preference genetic correlations? And, how does the magnitude of within‐species signal–preference covariation compare to species differences in signals and preferences? To address these questions, we tested for signal–preference genetic correlations in two members of the Enchenopa binotata complex, a clade of plant‐feeding insects wherein speciation involves the colonization of novel host plants and signal–preference divergence. We used a full‐sibling, split‐family rearing experiment to estimate genetic correlations and to analyze the underlying patterns of variation in signals and preferences. Genetic correlations were weak or zero, but exploration of the underlying patterns of variation in signals and preferences revealed some full‐sib families that varied by as much as 50% of the distance between similar species in the E. binotata complex. This result was stronger in the species that showed greater amounts of genetic variation in signals and preferences. We argue that some forms of weak signal–preference genetic correlation may have important evolutionary consequences.
Scope and Limitation of the Microwave‐Assisted Catalytic Wittig Reaction
Authors: Hoffmann Marcel , Deshmukh Sunetra , Werner Thomas
Published: June 2015

We have developed a microwave‐assisted catalytic Wittig reaction. In this paper, we give full account of the scope and limitations of this reaction. A screening of various commercially available phosphine oxides as precatalysts revealed Bu3P=O to be the most promising candidate. We tested 10 silanes for the in situ reduction of the phosphine oxide to generate Bu3P as the actual catalyst. Different epoxides were tested as masked bases. In this context, cyclohexene oxide as well as butylene oxide proved to be suitable. The reaction could be carried out at 125 °C, but higher yields and E/Z selectivities were obtained at 150 °C. Under the optimised reaction conditions, more than 40 examples for the conversion of various aldehydes into the corresponding alkenes are reported. The products were obtained in yields of up to 88 % with high E selectivities. Moreover, we also describe the further screening of several chiral phosphines as catalysts for the microwave‐assisted enantioselective catalytic Wittig reaction.
Practical Ligand‐Free Copper‐Catalysed Short‐Chain Alkoxylation of Unactivated Aryl Bromides
Authors: Guo Ying , Fan Xue‐Min , Nie Min , Liu Hong‐Wei , Liao Dao‐Hua , Pan Xian‐Dao , Ji Ya‐Fei
Published: June 2015

An efficient and practical short‐chain alkoxylation of unactivated aryl bromides has been developed with special attention focussed on the applicability of the reaction. Sodium alkoxide is used as the nucleophile, and the corresponding alcohol as the solvent. The reaction requires neither precious metals nor organic ligands. It uses a catalytic system consisting of copper(I) bromide as a catalyst, the corresponding alkyl formate as a noncontaminating cocatalyst, and lithium chloride as an additive. A wide range of substrates and test cases highlight the synthetic utility of the approach. Considering the commercial accessibility and affordability of the feedstocks, this protocol shows promise as a new alternative for the sustainable preparation of aryl alkyl ethers.
U.S. ethnic minorities' attitudes towards Whites: The role of shared reality theory in intergroup relations
Authors: Conley Terri D. , Rabinowitz Joshua L. , Matsick Jes L.
Published: June 2015

In the current research, we suggest that shared reality, the belief that one perceives the world the same way as another group, can predict attitudes towards that group. We tested shared reality theory in the context of American ethnic minority groups' (i.e., African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinas/os) attitudes towards White Americans. In surveys of two samples recruited from different geographical locations in the USA, we tested predictions derived from different theories of intergroup relations. Using mediational analysis, we defined models to assess the extent to which shared reality theory predicted—directly and indirectly—prejudicial attitudes towards Whites. We tested the model derived from shared reality theory against other theoretical alternatives. Taken together, the results of the research indicated that shared reality predicts attitudes towards White Americans among these three ethnic groups. Thus, shared reality is a relevant, though largely overlooked, factor in intergroup dynamics.
Aptamer‐based detection and quantitative analysis of human immunoglobulin E in capillary electrophoresis with chemiluminescence detection
Authors: Liu Yan‐Ming , Cao Jun‐Tao , Liu Ying‐Ying , Zhang Jing‐Jing , Zhou Min , Huang Ke‐Jing , Chen Yong‐Hong , Ren Shu‐Wei
Published: June 2015

A novel aptamer‐based CE with chemiluminescence (CL) assay was developed for highly sensitive detection of human immunoglobulin E (IgE). The IgE aptamer was conjugated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to form AuNPs‐aptamer that could specifically recognize the IgE to produce an AuNPs‐aptamer‐IgE complex. The mixture of the AuNPs‐aptamer‐IgE complex and the unbounded AuNPs‐aptamer could be effectively separated by CE and sensitively detected with luminol‐H2O2 CL system. By taking the advantage of the excellent catalytic behavior of AuNPs on luminol‐H2O2 CL system, the ultrasensitive detection of IgE was achieved. The detection limit of IgE is 7.6 fM (S/N = 3) with a linear range from 0.025 to 250 pM. Successful detection of IgE in human serum samples was demonstrated and the recoveries of 94.9–103.2% were obtained. The excellent assay features of the developed approach are its specificity, sensitivity, adaptability, and very small sample consumption. Our design provides a methodology model for determination of rare proteins in biological samples.
High‐throughput purification tools for rapid upstream process development are interchangeable for biologics
Authors: Petroff Matthew G. , Feliciano Jessika , Pollard David J. , Li Hong , Linden Thomas O. , Pollard Jennifer M.
Published: June 2015

Upstream process development of biologics is not only productivity‐driven but also quality‐driven. Typically, most quality attributes are not directly measurable in cell culture samples due to low product concentration and purity, thus requiring some level of sample purification. As higher throughput upstream technologies become available, sample purification is becoming a bottleneck in limiting the number and types of cell culture samples that can be analyzed. The application of high‐throughput, microscale protein purification techniques has the potential to address and expand this capability. In this work, the affinity capture step of an IgG1 mAb was adapted to fit resin‐plate, resin‐tip, and mini‐column formats in an attempt to approximate the packed‐column performance by optimizing parameters such as contact time, liquid/resin ratio, and loading to produce a yield of ≥70% yield. A representative cell culture supernatant was purified using both the optimized microscale and conventional techniques, and analyzed using a comprehensive panel of product quality assays. This direct comparison demonstrated that each technique generates product of equivalent purity across a wide range of feed conditions. The analytical comparability suggests that any of the conventional and high‐throughput methods are interchangeable for biologics, allowing flexible development of an end‐to‐end integrated high‐throughput strategy.
Discourage summer melt by engaging students with digital strategies
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: June 2015

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS — The Dallas County Community College District implemented Texas Completes in 2012, an initiative aimed at better aligning all Dallas County community colleges in an effort to promote completion. Immediately apparent when officials reviewed enrollment and completion numbers was that the first task at hand was to focus on summer attrition. Anyone familiar with the enrollment process is aware of the very real phenomenon known as summer melt. In 2001, Texas measured a summer melt rate of 44 percent, one of the highest figures in the nation.
Collaborate with registrar, financial aid to ensure compliance, meet enrollment goals
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: June 2015

BALTIMORE, MD. — If you and your staff members stay in the office and work hard, you can get your unit's work done. But for your institution to meet its enrollment goals and remain in compliance with the many regulations that govern its functions, officials from the Registrar's Office, admissions and financial aid need to understand what's happening in the other units — and they need to work together for results that are bigger than what they can achieve alone.
Good leadership is an art
Authors: Hodges Dawn Z.
Published: June 2015

Recently I attended a national conference on enrollment management, marketing and retention. While there I visited The Art Institute of Chicago. Walking through the museum, I began to notice a theme about the artwork. It kept reminding me of principles of leadership.
Efficient and automatic methods for flexible regression on spatiotemporal data, with applications to groundwater monitoring
Authors: Evers L. , Molinari D. A. , Bowman A. W. , Jones W. R. , Spence M. J.
Published: June 2015

Fitting statistical models to spatiotemporal data requires finding the right balance between imposing smoothness and following the data. In the context of P‐splines, we propose a Bayesian framework for choosing the smoothing parameter, which allows the construction of fully automatic data‐driven methods for fitting flexible models to spatiotemporal data. An implementation, which is highly computationally efficient and exploits the sparsity of the design and penalty matrices, is proposed. The findings are illustrated using a simulation study and two examples, all concerned with the modelling of contaminants in groundwater. This suggests that the proposed strategy is more stable that competing methods based on the use of criteria such as generalised cross‐validation and Akaike's Information Criterion. © 2015 The Authors. Environmetrics Published by John Wiley Sons Ltd.
Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE‐Q) in Norwegian Adults: Discrimination between Female Controls and Eating Disorder Patients
Authors: Rø Øyvind , Reas Deborah L. , Stedal Kristin
Published: June 2015

Objective

To determine the optimal Eating Disorder Examination‐Questionnaire (EDE‐Q) global score to discriminate between female controls and patients by eating disorder (ED) diagnosis, body mass index (BMI) and age.

Method

A sample of 1845 control participants and 620 patients from specialty ED treatment centres.

Results

Mean global EDE‐Q was 4.00 [standard deviation (SD) = 1.32] for patients and 1.25 (SD = 1.10) for controls. Receiver operating characteristic analyses demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91–0.94), with an optimal cut‐off score of 2.50 (sensitivity = 0.86; specificity = 0.86), ranging from 2.09 for anorexia nervosa, 2.62 for bulimia nervosa and 2.63 for ED otherwise not specified. Optimal cut‐off scores also varied according to BMI, ranging from 1.62 (BMI ≤ 18.0 kg/m2) to 3.26 (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), with less variability for age, ranging inversely from 2.16 (>40 years) to 2.70 (<20 years).

Discussion

The global EDE‐Q score showed high discriminant validity, and findings illustrate the particular importance of considering BMI and diagnosis when applying cut‐offs based upon the EDE‐Q. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
An M2M cognitive MAC protocol for overlaid OFDMA environments
Authors: Tarchi Daniele , Fantacci Romano , Marabissi Dania
Published: June 2015

Machine to machine (M2M) communications have gained in the last years an increasing interest due to ever growing number of machine‐type devices that are used in different application fields by allowing low cost and efficient communications among devices mainly in an autonomous manner. Even if M2M protocols need of dedicated resources, a new paradigm called cognitive M2M (CM2M) has been recently introduced in order to exploit cognitive/opportunistic radio communications. The aim of this paper is to outline a CM2M mechanism, where the primary network is based on the orthogonal frequency division multiple access technique, while the M2M communication‐based secondary network uses a novel medium access control technique, named data aided cognitive technique (DACT). The performance of the proposed DACT protocol is derived by means of suitable analytical methods under different operational conditions. Analytical predictions are also validated by comparisons with numerical results obtained through computer simulations, in order to show the effectiveness of the proposed solution in terms of throughput, delay, resource wastage and CM2M devices queue length; to this aim, the proposed DACT protocol has been implemented with different alternatives. Among them, an adaptive approach allows to optimise the system performance by increasing the overall throughput while keeping under control the system delay and the resource wastage. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Purpose‐Driven Action: The Ethical Aspect and Social Responsibility of Evaluation
Authors: Levin‐Rozalis Miri
Published: June 2015

This article raises questions concerning the boundaries of the evaluator's role and the scope of evaluation with regard to ethical issues. In a unique dialog format, a variety of thinkers are brought to the stage in order to illuminate these issues. Their collective answer is that evaluators bear a very great social responsibility: to look broadly, to look forward, to be responsible for their actions, and as far as possible, to be sure that their efforts are indeed for the benefit of those who will ultimately be affected by their work.
Evaluation Under Occupation: The Role of Evaluators in Protecting and Promoting Social Justice and Equality in Conflict‐Affected and Fragile Contexts (The Case of the Occupied Palestinian Territory)
Authors: Bitar Khalil
Published: June 2015

The article explicates the conditions in which evaluators in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) find themselves due to the realities of the occupation and the conflict‐affected and fragile context. It explains the challenges evaluators in the oPt have experienced while conducting evaluations during the last 20 years since the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994. The evolution of the role of evaluators during the past decade in light of these challenges is presented including what evaluators have been doing to protect and promote social justice, and the strategies used to do so. The article concludes with suggestions on the role evaluators can play in protecting and promoting social justice in other countries in the region and other similar contexts based on the Palestinian experience.
Slow degradation in phagocytic astrocytes can be enhanced by lysosomal acidification
Authors: Lööv Camilla , Mitchell Claire H. , Simonsson Martin , Erlandsson Anna
Published: June 2015

Inefficient lysosomal degradation is central in the development of various brain disorders, but the underlying mechanisms and the involvement of different cell types remains elusive. We have previously shown that astrocytes effectively engulf dead cells, but then store, rather than degrade the ingested material. In the present study we identify reasons for the slow digestion and ways to accelerate degradation in primary astrocytes. Our results show that actin‐rings surround the phagosomes for long periods of time, which physically inhibit the phago‐lysosome fusion. Furthermore, astrocytes express high levels of Rab27a, a protein known to reduce the acidity of lysosomes by Nox2 recruitment, in order to preserve antigens for presentation. We found that Nox2 colocalizes with the ingested material, indicating that it may influence antigen processing also in astrocytes, as they express MHC class II. By inducing long‐time acidification of astrocytic lysosomes using acidic nanoparticles, we could increase the digestion of astrocyte‐ingested, dead cells. The degradation was, however, normalized over time, indicating that inhibitory pathways are up‐regulated in response to the enhanced acidification. GLIA 2015;63:1997–2009
Apolipoprotein E and protection against hepatitis E viral infection in American non‐Hispanic blacks
Authors: Zhang Lyna , Yesupriya Ajay , Chang Man‐Huei , Teshale Eyasu , Teo Chong‐Gee
Published: June 2015

Hepatitis E viral (HEV) infection imposes a heavy health burden worldwide and is common in the United States. Previous investigations of risks addressed environmental and host behavioral/lifestyle factors, but host genetic factors have not been examined. We assessed strength of associations between antibody to HEV (anti‐HEV) immunoglobulin G seropositivity indicating past or recent HEV infection and human genetic variants among three major racial/ethnic populations in the United States, involving 2434 non‐Hispanic whites, 1919 non‐Hispanic blacks, and 1919 Mexican Americans from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1991‐1994. We studied 497 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms across 190 genes (particularly those associated with lipid metabolism). The genomic control method was used to adjust for potential population stratification. Non‐Hispanic blacks had the lowest seroprevalence of anti‐HEV immunoglobulin G (15.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 12.3%‐19.0%) compared with non‐Hispanic whites (22.3%, 95% CI 19.1%‐25.7%) and Mexican Americans (21.8%, 95% CI 19.0%‐25.3%; P < 0.01). Non‐Hispanic blacks were the only population that showed association between anti‐HEV seropositivity and functional ε3 and ε4 alleles of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene, encoding the apolipoprotein E protein that mediates lipoprotein metabolism. Seropositivity was significantly lower in participants carrying APOE ε4 (odds ratio = 0.5, 95% CI 0.4‐0.7; P = 0.00004) and ε3 (odds ratio = 0.6, 95% CI 0.4‐0.8; P = 0.001) compared to those carrying APOE ε2. No significant associations were observed between other single‐nucleotide polymorphisms and anti‐HEV seropositivity in non‐Hispanic blacks or between any single‐nucleotide polymorphisms and anti‐HEV seropositivity in non‐Hispanic whites or Mexican Americans. Conclusion: Both APOE ε3 and ε4 are significantly associated with protection against HEV infection in non‐Hispanic blacks; additional studies are needed to understand the basis of protection so that preventive services can be targeted to at‐risk persons. (Hepatology 2015;62:1346–1352)
Selecting Occupational Safety Equipment by MCDM Approach Considering Universal Design Principles
Authors: Yılmaz Kaya Burcu , Dağdeviren Metin
Published: June 2015

Occupational safety concept, which has become a major subject in all industries, has a vital importance in preventing accidents and ensuring a safe working environment. This study proposes an integrated approach to evaluate occupational safety equipment by considering universal design (UD) and technical requirements, both separately and simultaneously. UD principles are concerned with making things usable for anyone, whatever their conditions may be, without any requirements for rearrangement. Two robust multicriteria decision making (MCDM) aid methods, AHP and fuzzy PROMETHEE, are employed to handle the evaluation process in the presented study. The study also includes a demonstration of the proposed approach on a real MCDM problem. The study findings indicate that the proposed approach is valid and accurate, and the inclusion of UD principles has a positive and comprehensive effect on the selection process.
Calcium phosphate nanoparticles carrying BMP‐7 plasmid DNA induce an osteogenic response in MC3T3‐E1 pre‐osteoblasts
Authors: Hadjicharalambous Chrystalleni , Kozlova Diana , Sokolova Viktoriya , Epple Matthias , Chatzinikolaidou Maria
Published: June 2015

Functionalized calcium phosphate nanoparticles with osteogenic activity were prepared. Polyethyleneimine‐stabilized calcium phosphate nanoparticles were coated with a shell of silica and covalently functionalized by silanization with thiol groups. Between the calcium phosphate surface and the outer silica shell, plasmid DNA which encoded either for bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP‐7) or for enhanced green fluorescent protein was incorporated as cargo. The plasmid DNA‐loaded calcium phosphate nanoparticles were used for the transfection of the pre‐osteoblastic MC3T3‐E1 cells. The cationic nanoparticles showed high transfection efficiency together with a low cytotoxicity. Their potential to induce an osteogenic response by transfection was demonstrated by measuring the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium deposition with alizarin red staining. The expression of the osteogenic markers Alp, Runx2, ColIa1 and Bsp was investigated by means of real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. It was shown that phBMP‐7‐loaded nanoparticles can provide a means of transient transfection and localized production of BMP‐7 in MC3T3‐E1 cells, with a subsequent increase of two osteogenic markers, specifically ALP activity and calcium accumulation in the extracellular matrix. Future strategies to stimulate bone regeneration focus into enhancing transfection efficiency and achieving higher levels of BMP‐7 produced by the transfected cells. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 103A: 3834–3842, 2015.
Polycan suppresses osteoclast differentiation and titanium particle‐induced osteolysis in mice
Authors: Lee Young‐Eun , Park Kwang‐Soo , Park Eui‐Kyun , Im Sang‐Uk , Choi Youn‐Hee , Song Keun‐Bae
Published: June 2015

Particle‐induced osteolysis is a major issue, and it is most likely the result of enhanced osteoclast activation in the pathogenesis of various skeletal diseases. This study investigated whether the inhibitory effect that Polycan has on osteoclast differentiation can be used to treat osteolysis induced by titanium (Ti) particles. To this end, the effects of Polycan were examined in terms of the cytotoxicity, osteoclast differentiation, cytokine expression, and Ti‐induced calvarial osteolysis. Polycan had no significant cytotoxic effects on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) but instead increased BMM proliferation. High levels of interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐12, and macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF) were expressed in BMM cells in the presence of Polycan, suggesting that Polycan drives the differentiation of BMMs into M1 macrophages. Polycan significantly inhibited osteoclast differentiation induced by M‐CSF and the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa‐B ligand (RANKL). The expression levels of the osteoclast marker genes significantly decreased, and Polycan induced and maintained the expression of IL‐12, which suppressed osteoclast differentiation. In contrast, the RANKL signaling pathway was not inhibited by Polycan. An in vivo calvarial osteolysis model revealed that Polycan significantly decreased the osteoclast numbers and suppressed osteolysis. Our results suggest that the natural compound Polycan is a good candidate for therapeutic intervention against enhanced osteoclast differentiation and Ti particle‐induced osteolysis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1170–1175, 2016.
Femoral Strength Changes Faster With Age Than BMD in Both Women and Men: A Biomechanical Study
Authors: Rezaei Asghar , Dragomir-Daescu Dan
Published: June 2015

Although a large number of studies have addressed the age-related changes in bone mineral density (BMD), there is a paucity of data for the assessment of femoral strength loss with age in both genders. We determined the variation of strength with age in femurs of women and men by mechanical tests on a cohort of 100 cadaveric femurs. In addition, the age-related neck BMD loss in our cadaveric cohort was found to be similar with BMD loss of four published population-based studies. Given the strong correlation found in our cadaveric study between BMD and femoral strength, we also estimated the femoral strength of the four populations based on their reported neck BMDs. Our study showed that men's femurs in our cadaveric cohort were stronger than women's femurs by about 800 N at the same BMD level, and by 1750 N at the same age. The strength differences were not explained satisfactorily by the size difference between men's and women's bones. Similar to the findings of clinical studies, the BMD values of men at all ages were larger than that of women. The age-related loss rates in BMD and strength were not statistically different between the two genders of our cadaveric cohort. After normalization, strength decreased more than 40% faster than BMD. On average, men reached a certain BMD value about 16 years later than women, and for strength about 23 years later, which may explain the higher rate of hip fracture in postmenopausal women. In patient population cohorts men reached a similar BMD value about 16 to 25 years later than women, whereas for estimated strength, sometimes more than 40 years later. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
G‐CSF contributes at the healing of tunica media of arteriotomy‐injured rat carotids by promoting differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells
Authors: Rinaldi Barbara , Finicelli Mauro , Donniacuo Maria , Di Bernardo Giovanni , Gritti Giulia , Gaudio Stefania Del , Forte Amalia , Peluso Gianfranco , Cipollaro Marilena , Rossi Francesco , Galderisi Umberto
Published: June 2015

Restenosis is a complex pathophysiological disease whose causative mechanisms are not fully understood. Previous studies allowed us to demonstrate the efficacy of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) transplantation in limiting the pathophysiological remodeling in a model of arteriotomy‐induced (re) stenosis. In the current research we studied the effectiveness of G‐CSF treatment on male rate rats that were subjected carotid arteriotomy in order to evaluate a potentially effective non‐invasive strategy that recapitulates the MSC‐mediated recovery of injured vessels. WKY male rats were subjected carotid arteriotomy and given a nine day treatment (3 days pre‐ to 6 days post‐arteriotomy) with G‐CSF or saline. Carotids were harvested 7 and 30 days following arteriotomy (early‐ and late‐phase, respectively). Although morphometrical analysis did not reveal differences in lumen narrowing between G‐CSF‐ and PBS‐carotids 30 days following arteriotomy, we detected a noticeable conservative effect of G‐CSF treatment on vascular wall morphology. Histological and molecular analysis revealed an increase in cellularity within the tunica media with a concomitant increase of the VSMCs differentiation markers both at early‐ and late‐phases of (re) stenotic response in G‐CSF‐treated carotids (Sm22‐alpha, Myocd, and Smtn). These findings were accompanied by the downregulation of oxidative stress‐related genes in G‐CSF‐injured rats. The effect exerted by G‐CSF in our model of arteriotomy‐induced (re) stenosis seemed support the recovery of the architecture of the tunica media of injured vessels by: (i) inducing VSMCs differentiation; and (ii) limiting the oxidative‐stress response induced by arteriotomy. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 215–223, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Delphi study among internal medicine clinicians to determine which therapeutic information is essential to record in a medical record
Authors: van Unen Robert J. , Tichelaar Jelle , Nanayakkara Prabath W.B. , van Agtmael Michiel A. , Richir Milan C. , de Vries Theo P.G.M.
Published: June 2015

Several studies have demonstrated that using a template for recording general and diagnostic information in the medical record (MR) improves the completeness of MR documentation, communication between doctors, and performance of doctors. However, little is known about how therapeutic information should be structured in the MR. The aim of this study was to investigate which specific therapeutic information registrars and consultants in internal medicine consider essential to record in the MR. Therefore, we carried out a 2‐round Internet Delphi study. Fifty‐nine items were assessed on a 5‐point scale; an item was considered important if ≥80% of the respondents awarded it a score of 4 or 5. In total, 26 registrars and 30 consultants in internal medicine completed both rounds of the study. Overall, they considered it essential to include information about 11 items in the MR. Subgroup analyses revealed that the registrars considered 8 additional items essential, whereas the consultants considered 1 additional item essential to record. Study findings can be used as a starting point to develop a structured section of the MR for therapeutic information for both paper and electronic MRs. This section should contain at least 11 items considered essential by registrars and clinical consultants in internal medicine.