bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advanced Containment With Triple Innominate Osteotomy in Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease: A Viable Option Even in Severe Cases
Authors: Stepanovich Matthew , Upasani Vidyadhar V. , Bomar James D. , Wenger Dennis R.
Published: December 2015

Background:

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD), in its severe form, remains a challenge. More recent classifications, particularly the modified Elizabethtown classification, have highlighted the chronologic stage of LCPD and its effect on surgical outcome. Hip severity and age of disease onset have also been shown to be powerful determinants of outcome. This study was performed to determine whether disease stage, disease severity, or patient age, are absolute indicators of whether a patient can benefit from surgical containment with triple innominate osteotomy (TIO).

Methods:

All patients with LCPD treated with TIO between 1995 and 2011 were collected. Only those patients with a minimum of 2-year radiographic follow-up and no previous or concomitant femoral realignment surgery were included. Fifty-four patients (56 hips) met our inclusion criteria. The modified Elizabethtown classification was used to classify disease stage as early (<IIb) or late (≥IIb). Catterall and lateral pillar classifications were used to classify disease severity, and the Stulberg classification was utilized for radiographic outcome, defined as good (I/II) or poor (III/IV/V).

Results:

Fifty-one males and 3 females with a mean chronological age at surgery of 8.2±1.8 years were included (2 bilateral cases). Mean follow-up was 72.8±30.2 months. There was no significant difference in the proportion of Stulberg good versus poor outcomes when comparing hips that were graded as early or late stage (P=0.842), or Catterall I and II versus III and IV (P=0.304). Although not statistically significant, patients with lateral pillars B and BC (P=0.076) and patients who were aged 8.0 and younger trended toward doing better compared with lateral pillar C and over age 8.0 (P=0.085), respectively.

Conclusions:

Radiographic results demonstrate that good outcomes are not entirely dependent on the stage of disease in LCPD when containment is performed with TIO. As expected, TIO appears to be more effective in younger patients with less severe disease. We conclude that even severely involved LCPD hips, independent of age, should be offered surgical containment. The failure rate in this group is higher, as expected, but many achieve good results and there are treatment methods available to those who fail containment.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV.
Modelling of bone fracture and strength at different length scales: a review
Authors: Sabet Fereshteh A. , Raeisi Najafi Ahmad , Hamed Elham , Jasiuk Iwona
Published: December 2015

In this paper, we review analytical and computational models of bone fracture and strength. Bone fracture is a complex phenomenon due to the composite, inhomogeneous and hierarchical structure of bone. First, we briefly summarize the hierarchical structure of bone, spanning from the nanoscale, sub-microscale, microscale, mesoscale to the macroscale, and discuss experimental observations on failure mechanisms in bone at these scales. Then, we highlight representative analytical and computational models of bone fracture and strength at different length scales and discuss the main findings in the context of experiments. We conclude by summarizing the challenges in modelling of bone fracture and strength and list open topics for scientific exploration. Modelling of bone, accounting for different scales, provides new and needed insights into the fracture and strength of bone, which, in turn, can lead to improved diagnostic tools and treatments of bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
Continuum theory of fibrous tissue damage mechanics using bond kinetics: application to cartilage tissue engineering
Authors: Nims Robert J. , Durney Krista M. , Cigan Alexander D. , Dusséaux Antoine , Hung Clark T. , Ateshian Gerard A.
Published: December 2015

This study presents a damage mechanics framework that employs observable state variables to describe damage in isotropic or anisotropic fibrous tissues. In this mixture theory framework, damage is tracked by the mass fraction of bonds that have broken. Anisotropic damage is subsumed in the assumption that multiple bond species may coexist in a material, each having its own damage behaviour. This approach recovers the classical damage mechanics formulation for isotropic materials, but does not appeal to a tensorial damage measure for anisotropic materials. In contrast with the classical approach, the use of observable state variables for damage allows direct comparison of model predictions to experimental damage measures, such as biochemical assays or Raman spectroscopy. Investigations of damage in discrete fibre distributions demonstrate that the resilience to damage increases with the number of fibre bundles; idealizing fibrous tissues using continuous fibre distribution models precludes the modelling of damage. This damage framework was used to test and validate the hypothesis that growth of cartilage constructs can lead to damage of the synthesized collagen matrix due to excessive swelling caused by synthesized glycosaminoglycans. Therefore, alternative strategies must be implemented in tissue engineering studies to prevent collagen damage during the growth process.
Experimental studies of bone mechanoadaptation: bridging
in vitro
and
in vivo
studies with multiscale systems
Authors: Brown Genevieve N. , Sattler Rachel L. , Guo X. Edward
Published: December 2015

Despite advancements in technology and science over the last century, the mechanisms underlying Wolff's law—bone structure adaptation in response to physical stimuli—remain poorly understood, limiting the ability to effectively treat and prevent skeletal diseases. A challenge to overcome in the study of the underlying mechanisms of this principle is the multiscale nature of mechanoadaptation. While there exist
in silico
systems that are capable of studying across these scales, experimental studies are typically limited to interpretation at a single dimension or time point. For instance, studies of single-cell responses to defined physical stimuli offer only a limited prediction of the whole bone response, while overlapping pathways or compensatory mechanisms complicate the ability to isolate critical targets in a whole animal model. Thus, there exists a need to develop experimental systems capable of bridging traditional experimental approaches and informing existing multiscale theoretical models. The purpose of this article is to review the process of mechanoadaptation and inherent challenges in studying its underlying mechanisms, discuss the limitations of traditional experimental systems in capturing the many facets of this process and highlight three multiscale experimental systems which bridge traditional approaches and cover relatively understudied time and length scales in bone adaptation.
Collagen network strengthening following cyclic tensile loading
Authors: Susilo Monica E. , Paten Jeffrey A. , Sander Edward A. , Nguyen Thao D. , Ruberti Jeffrey W.
Published: December 2015

The bulk mechanical properties of tissues are highly tuned to the physiological loads they experience and reflect the hierarchical structure and mechanical properties of their constituent parts. A thorough understanding of the processes involved in tissue adaptation is required to develop multi-scale computational models of tissue remodelling. While extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling is partly due to the changing cellular metabolic activity, there may also be mechanically directed changes in ECM nano/microscale organization which lead to mechanical tuning. The thermal and enzymatic stability of collagen, which is the principal load-bearing biopolymer in vertebrates, have been shown to be enhanced by force suggesting that collagen has an active role in ECM mechanical properties. Here, we ask how changes in the mechanical properties of a collagen-based material are reflected by alterations in the micro/nanoscale collagen network following cyclic loading. Surprisingly, we observed significantly higher tensile stiffness and ultimate tensile strength, roughly analogous to the effect of work hardening, in the absence of network realignment and alterations to the fibril area fraction. The data suggest that mechanical loading induces stabilizing changes internal to the fibrils themselves or in the fibril–fibril interactions. If such a cell-independent strengthening effect is operational
in vivo
, then it would be an important consideration in any multiscale computational approach to ECM growth and remodelling.
A technique for determining the deuterium/hydrogen contrast map in neutron macromolecular crystallography
Authors: Chatake Toshiyuki , Fujiwara Satoru
Published: December 2015

A difference in the neutron scattering length between hydrogen and deuterium leads to a high density contrast in neutron Fourier maps. In this study, a technique for determining the deuterium/hydrogen (D/H) contrast map in neutron macromolecular crystallography is developed and evaluated using ribonuclease A. The contrast map between the D2O-solvent and H2O-solvent crystals is calculated in real space, rather than in reciprocal space as performed in previous neutron D/H contrast crystallography. The present technique can thus utilize all of the amplitudes of the neutron structure factors for both D2O-solvent and H2O-solvent crystals. The neutron D/H contrast maps clearly demonstrate the powerful detectability of H/D exchange in proteins. In fact, alternative protonation states and alternative conformations of hydroxyl groups are observed at medium resolution (1.8 Å). Moreover, water molecules can be categorized into three types according to their tendency towards rotational disorder. These results directly indicate improvement in the neutron crystal structure analysis. This technique is suitable for incorporation into the standard structure-determination process used in neutron protein crystallography; consequently, more precise and efficient determination of the D-atom positions is possible using a combination of this D/H contrast technique and standard neutron structure-determination protocols.
Social media: is this the new organizational stepchild?
Authors: Choi Youngtae , Thoeni Andrew
Published: December 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate what activities allow the firm to efficiently and effectively integrate social media into its strategic marketing activities.

Design/methodology/approach

– As the current research investigates a new area of focus in the literature, an exploratory study consistent with the adoption of new technology in a firm was used to identify salient activities. In-depth interviews with those who oversee their firm’s social media strategies were conducted to discover and assess organizational activities.

Findings

– Findings suggest that many firms did not adopt organizational activities important for effective social media execution, leading us to the view social media as the “step-child” of corporate functions, not receiving resources more traditional functions would receive; those responsible for the social media function, an exercise in external communications, may be hampered by poor internal communications; and few firms have defined and measured goals for social media where employees are held accountable for supporting an overall marketing strategy.

Practical implications

– The findings point the way for future confirmatory empirical research of organizational activities, top management team support and effective internal communication in the rapid-response environment of social media. Findings also provide implications for marketing practitioners for the use and measurement of social media to achieve marketing objectives.

Originality/value

– The current research is meaningful and unique in that it approaches social media from the organizational process perspective, which has received little attention in the social media literature.
Culture studies in international business: paradigmatic shifts
Authors: Rohlfer Sylvia , Zhang Yingying
Published: December 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to unfold the path of how the complexity of culture issues leads to a rising pressure for paradigm changes in the research on culture in international management. In terms of academic debate about culture, the crucial paradigm shift has not yet happened. Research and writing are still dominated by a mechanistic-rational approach which does not quite know to handle cultural phenomena which by nature are mutuable, often transient and invariably context-specific. Rising pressure is observed for paradigm changes through three main trends: integration of West-East dichotomy, coexistence of convergence and divergence; and dynamic vs static perspectives. It is argued that the unresolved debate on the culture construct and its measurement, the epistemological stance by researchers and associated methodological choices in culture studies reinforce these trends pressuring for a paradigm shift.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper reviews the knowledge based on culture studies to establish the contributions of culture studies in international business and the foundation of its knowledge base. The conceptual foundation of culture, its multi-level and multi-dimensionality and critical issues in research epistemology and methodology are analyzed to discuss emerging trends in the process of an imminent paradigm change.

Findings

– By unfolding the nature of abstract and high-order definition of culture, the focus is on deciphering the complex construct and multi-level and multi-dimensionality in measurement, which, in turn, interact with the epistemology of culture researchers and the choice of methodology used to carry out culture studies. Eventually the interaction of the three studied elements drives the proposed three paradigmatic changes in the evolving business environment.

Research limitations/implications

– The identified trends in existing culture research keep the importance of culture studies in international business management thriving as we point to their relevance for the envisaged paradigm shift.

Practical implications

– The three paradoxes discussed challenge researchers who aim to contribute to the knowledge base of culture in international business. In addition, the debate cannot be ignored by international business managers as culture is a key informal institutional driver that influences international business performance.

Originality/value

– The review of the knowledge base on culture studies in management contributes to a better understanding of the envisaged paradigmatic shift of the discipline. The debate on the complexity of culture studies is extended to three tendencies for potential paradigmatic change, with implications discussed to suggest future research.
Examining knowledge gap and Psychic Distance Paradox interdependence
Authors: Mandrinos Symeon , Nik Mahdi Nik Malini
Published: December 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the Knowledge Gap (KG) and Psychic Distance Paradox and to explain the three dominant factors; experiential knowledge, information and learning myopia.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper uses an inductive multiple case study methodological approach.

Findings

– This research found that the KG has an interdependent relationship with the Psychic Distance Paradox; however, this interdependence does not exist in isolation; rather there is a distinct “time-continuum” nexus running through and enveloping these two theoretical frameworks and the three factors of experiential knowledge, information and learning myopia.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper provides a deeper understanding to the existing body of knowledge on the relationship between the KG and Psychic Distance Paradox and the emerging factors.

Originality/value

– This study is the first to examine the interdependence between the three factors of experiential knowledge, information and learning myopia and KG and Psychic Distance Paradox. This examination provides new ideas to practitioners and researchers relating to the advancement of export process in neighbour countries.
The gender dimension in knowledge and technology transfer – the German case
Authors: Best Kathinka , Sinell Anna , Heidingsfelder Marie Lena , Schraudner Martina
Published: December 2015

Purpose

– Knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) and particularly academic entrepreneurship (Klofsten and Jones-Evans, 2000) are indispensable for economic growth and wealth creation. In many European countries including Germany, substantially fewer women than men participate in KTT. Recently, decision makers from scientific, political, and commercial organisations have increased their attention to the gender dimension (e.g. Moser, 2007; Schiebinger, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to evaluate in what ways and to what degree gender is currently integrated in German KTT.

Design/methodology/approach

– By following an abductive approach (Suddaby, 2006) and building upon existing models (Klofsten and Jones-Evans, 2000; Carlssonet al., 2002; Lundvall, 2010), the authors developed an analytical framework for evaluating the position of the gender dimension in KTT, conducted a comprehensive literature review, and 22 key informant interviews.

Findings

– The findings indicate that the gender dimension is barely integrated in German KTT, which particularly manifests itself through the fact that there are fewer than 10 per cent women among academic entrepreneurs. Current organisational practices and attitudes of decision makers continue to reinforce traditional gender roles and “typically male” approaches and behaviours (Connell, 2005; Redien-Collot, 2009).

Originality/value

– The authors were the first to synthesise a variety of sources into one unified framework and to rigorously analyse the gender dimension in German KTT – both quantitatively and qualitatively and on different levels. This framework can help decisions makers, both in- and outside of Germany, re-envision KTT practices, and create new opportunities for its diverse participants.
Prey state alters trait‐mediated indirect interactions in rocky tide pools
Authors: Gravem Sarah A. , Morgan Steven G.
Published: December 2015

Several studies on trait‐mediated indirect interactions (TMIIs) have shown that predators can initiate trophic cascades by altering prey behaviour. Although it is well recognized that individual prey state alters antipredator and foraging behaviour, few studies explore whether this state‐dependent prey behaviour can alter the strength of the ensuing tritrophic cascade. Here, we link state‐dependent individual behaviour to community processes by experimentally testing whether hunger level and body size of prey altered antipredator behaviour and thus changed the strength of trophic cascades between predators and primary producers.

In rocky intertidal tide pools on the California Coast, waterborne cues from the predatory seastar Leptasterias spp. (Stimpson) can cause the herbivorous snail Tegula (Chlorostoma) funebralis (A. Adams) to reduce grazing and flee tide pools, resulting in positive indirect effects on tide pool microalgae.

However, we show that the strength of this behaviourally‐mediated cascade may be contingent on prey hunger level and body size. During short field experiments at low tide, medium‐sized snails that were either newly collected from the field or fed for 1 week in the laboratory mediated strong TMIIs because they grazed less when seastars were present. In contrast, no TMIIs occurred when medium‐sized snails had been starved for 1 week because they continued grazing regardless of seastar presence. Newly collected small snails fled from seastars but did not mediate cascades because they ate little algae. Despite reaching an apparent size refuge from predation, many newly collected large snails fled from seastars, but those individuals that remained tended to graze the algae more quickly, resulting in unexpected negative indirect effects of seastars on algae cover. The implication of this pattern for the natural system is unclear.

Because average hunger level and size of snails vary over time and space in nature, a mosaic of TMII strength may exist.

Overall, the strength of tritrophic TMIIs in tide pools depended on individual prey state, supporting model predictions and adding to sparse empirical evidence. This outcome suggests that patterns occurring system‐wide over the long term may be influenced by the state‐dependent decisions made by the individuals present.
Development of a Cropland Management Dataset to Support U.S. Swat Assessments
Authors: White Michael , Gambone Marilyn , Yen Haw , Daggupati Prasad , Bieger Katrin , Deb Debjani , Arnold Jeff
Published: December 2015

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is widely used in the United States (U.S.) to simulate hydrology and water quality simulation. Process‐based models like SWAT require a great deal of data to accurately represent the natural world, including topography, land use, soils, weather, and management. With the exception of management, all these data are available nationally from multiple sources. To date, credible SWAT studies in the U.S. have assembled suitable management data (operation scheduling, fertilization application rates, and plant growth parameterization). In this research, we develop a national management database for SWAT using existing U.S. Department of Agriculture data sources. These data are compatible with existing SWAT interfaces and are relatively easy to use. Although management data from local sources is preferred, these data are not always available. This work is intended to fill this void with more reasonable management data than the existing defaults. This national database covers all major cultivated crops and should facilitate improved SWAT applications in the U.S. These data were tested in two case studies and found to produce satisfactory SWAT predictions. The database developed in this research is freely available on the web.
Saving Private Hegel — Australian Liberalism and the 1914–1918 War
Authors: Moore Tod
Published: December 2015

In this essay I explore the pamphlet literature and related sources, in order to assess the effects of the 1914–1918 War on liberal political ideas in Australia. The main focus of the study is the WEA intellectuals in Sydney and Brisbane, and the core group of Deakinite liberals in Melbourne as represented by the overlapping membership of the Boobooks Club and the Round Table. Themes of compulsion, Progressivism, industrial relations, citizenship, and internationalism are examined. In particular the tension which wartime experiences produced within the high idealism of Kantian and Hegelian new liberal political philosophy is investigated. The bitterness caused by the war and the doubts raised about German philosophy help us to understand the decline of statist and idealist elements within liberal thought in Australia.

It seems impossible, during the present war, to write any book or to deliver a sermon or an address which does not in some way refer to the war.

H.B. Higgins, Socrates, the State and War, p.7
A Common Appeal: Anglo‐British Nationalism and Opposition to Europe, 1970–1975
Authors: Vines Emma
Published: December 2015

Debates over European integration allow the articulation of an English nationalism based upon an Anglo‐British identity committed to Parliamentary sovereignty and British exceptionalism. This was seen during debates over entry to the European Economic Community between 1970 and 1975, which ended with a referendum. Tony Benn and Enoch Powell emerged as leaders of the campaign. With Benn a leading figure of the Labour Left and Powell a prominent yet contradictory figure on the right, they presented unlikely allies. However, since European integration conflicted with their Anglo‐British identity, partisan politics were secondary to nationalist sentiments. By examining Benn and Powell's anti‐Market rhetoric, this article considers 1970–1975 as the period in which the paradox of Anglo‐British nationalism was affirmed: that its populist expression can be used to reinforce parliamentary sovereignty.
Is the era of intravenous proton pump inhibitors coming to an end in patients with bleeding peptic ulcers? Meta‐analysis of the published literature
Authors: Jian Zhixiang , Li Hui , Race Nicholas S. , Ma Tingting , Jin Haosheng , Yin Zi
Published: December 2015

Aims

Oral and intravenous proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are equipotent in raising gastric pH. However, it is not known whether oral PPIs can replace intravenous PPIs in patients with bleeding peptic ulcers.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare oral and intravenous PPIs among patients with peptic ulcer bleeding. A search of all major databases and relevant journals from inception to April 2015, without a restriction on languages, was performed.

Results

A total of 859 patients from seven randomized controlled trials were included in the meta‐analysis. Similar pooled outcome measures were demonstrated between the two groups in terms of oral PPIs vs. intravenous PPIs in the rate of recurrent bleeding within the 30‐day follow‐up period [risk ratio = 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.58, 1.39; P = 0.62; I2 = 0%). In terms of the rate of mortality, both oral and intravenous PPIs showed similar outcomes, and the pooled risk ratio was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.29, 2.71; P = 0.82; I2 = 0%). Likewise, no significant difference was detected in the need for blood transfusion and length of hospital stay; the pooled mean differences were −0.14 (95% CI: –0.39, 0.12; P = 0.29; I2 = 32%) and −0.60 (95% CI: –1.42, 0.23; P = 0.16; I2 = 79%), respectively.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that oral PPIs are a feasible, safe alternative to intravenous PPIs in patients with bleeding peptic ulcers, and may be able to replace intravenous PPIs as the treatment of choice in these patients.
Quantifying the response of structural complexity and community composition to environmental change in marine communities
Authors: Ferrari Renata , Bryson Mitch , Bridge Tom , Hustache Julie , Williams Stefan B. , Byrne Maria , Figueira Will
Published: December 2015

Habitat structural complexity is a key factor shaping marine communities. However, accurate methods for quantifying structural complexity underwater are currently lacking. Loss of structural complexity is linked to ecosystem declines in biodiversity and resilience. We developed new methods using underwater stereo‐imagery spanning 4 years (2010–2013) to reconstruct 3D models of coral reef areas and quantified both structural complexity at two spatial resolutions (2.5 and 25 cm) and benthic community composition to characterize changes after an unprecedented thermal anomaly on the west coast of Australia in 2011. Structural complexity increased at both resolutions in quadrats (4 m2) that bleached, but not those that did not bleach. Changes in complexity were driven by species‐specific responses to warming, highlighting the importance of identifying small‐scale dynamics to disentangle ecological responses to disturbance. We demonstrate an effective, repeatable method for quantifying the relationship among community composition, structural complexity and ocean warming, improving predictions of the response of marine ecosystems to environmental change.
Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation analysis of benign, malignant and reactive urothelial lesions reveals a subpopulation of inverted papilloma with immortalizing genetic change
Authors: Cheng Liang , Davidson Darrell D , Wang Mingsheng , Lopez‐Beltran Antonio , Montironi Rodolfo , Wang Lisha , Tan Puay‐Hoon , MacLennan Gregory T , Williamson Sean R , Zhang Shaobo
Published: December 2015

Aims

To understand more clearly the genetic ontogeny of inverted papilloma of urinary bladder, we analysed telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation status in a group of 26 inverted papillomas in comparison with the mutation status of urothelial carcinoma with inverted growth (26 cases), conventional urothelial carcinoma (36 Ta non‐invasive urothelial carcinoma, 35 T2 invasive urothelial carcinoma) and cystitis glandularis (25 cases).

Methods and results

TERT promoter mutations in inverted papilloma, urothelial carcinoma with inverted growth, urothelial carcinoma and cystitis glandularis were found in 15% (four of 26), 58% (15 of 26), 63% (45 of 71) and 0% (none of 25), respectively. C228T mutations were the predominant mutations (97%) found in bladder tumours, while C250T aberrations occurred in approximately 3% of bladder tumours. In the inverted papilloma group, TERT mutation occurred predominantly in female patients (P = 0.006). Among urothelial carcinomas, TERT promoter mutation status did not correlate with gender, histological grade or pathological stage.

Conclusions

TERT promoter mutations were found in 15% of inverted papillomas. Our data suggest that there is a subpopulation of inverted papilloma that shares a carcinogenetic pathway with urothelial carcinoma with inverted growth and conventional urothelial carcinomas. Caution is warranted in exploring TERT promoter mutation status as a screening or adjunct diagnostic test for bladder cancer.
Prevention and management of obinutuzumab‐associated toxicities: Australian experience
Authors: Snowden Alicia , Hayden Ingrid , Dixon Joanna , Gregory Gareth
Published: December 2015

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) are typically diagnosed at an advanced age and may have multiple co‐existing conditions, augmenting the challenges of treating their CLL. Aggressive cytotoxic therapies are often poorly tolerated in this patient population.

Obinutuzumab is a glycoengineered type II anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibody indicated in combination with chlorambucil for previously untreated CLL. The approval of this drug was based on the pivotal CLL11 trial, which demonstrated longer progression‐free survival vs. rituximab/chlorambucil and chlorambucil alone in patients with significant co‐existing medical conditions and/or poor renal function. However, a higher risk of infusion‐related reactions (IRRs) was demonstrated with obinutuzumab‐based therapy.

We highlight important nursing care considerations to help prevent and successfully manage IRRs and other important adverse events, to improve the treatment experience of patients receiving obinutuzumab infusions and to enable them to complete their treatment and receive optimal benefit. Premedication, drug handling, dosing, administration, monitoring and documentation are discussed.
Socio‐Cultural Incorporation of Skilled Migrants at Work: Employer and Migrant Perspectives
Authors: van Riemsdijk Micheline , Basford Scott , Burnham Alana
Published: December 2015

Migration studies have predominantly investigated the socio‐cultural incorporation of low‐skilled migrants and refugees, fuelled by concerns that these migrants may pose a burden on the state and a threat to social cohesion. Few studies have investigated the socio‐cultural incorporation of skilled migrants, perhaps assuming that they will fare well in a country of destination. Using the petroleum industry in Norway as a case study, this article examines the workplace as a key site of transmission of norms and values of the host society. We investigate firm initiatives for the socio‐cultural incorporation of skilled migrants and analyse the challenges that these workers experience in the workplace. We then discuss the roles of non‐state actors in the incorporation process and offer suggestions that may enhance the socio‐cultural incorporation of skilled migrants into the host society.
Axial allometry in a neutrally buoyant environment: effects of the terrestrial‐aquatic transition on vertebral scaling
Authors: Jones K. E. , Pierce S. E.
Published: December 2015

Ecological diversification into new environments presents new mechanical challenges for locomotion. An extreme example of this is the transition from a terrestrial to an aquatic lifestyle. Here, we examine the implications of life in a neutrally buoyant environment on adaptations of the axial skeleton to evolutionary increases in body size. On land, mammals must use their thoracolumbar vertebral column for body support against gravity and thus exhibit increasing stabilization of the trunk as body size increases. Conversely, in water, the role of the axial skeleton in body support is reduced, and, in aquatic mammals, the vertebral column functions primarily in locomotion. Therefore, we hypothesize that the allometric stabilization associated with increasing body size in terrestrial mammals will be minimized in secondarily aquatic mammals. We test this by comparing the scaling exponent (slope) of vertebral measures from 57 terrestrial species (23 felids, 34 bovids) to 23 semi‐aquatic species (pinnipeds), using phylogenetically corrected regressions. Terrestrial taxa meet predictions of allometric stabilization, with posterior vertebral column (lumbar region) shortening, increased vertebral height compared to width, and shorter, more disc‐shaped centra. In contrast, pinniped vertebral proportions (e.g. length, width, height) scale with isometry, and in some cases, centra even become more spool‐shaped with increasing size, suggesting increased flexibility. Our results demonstrate that evolution of a secondarily aquatic lifestyle has modified the mechanical constraints associated with evolutionary increases in body size, relative to terrestrial taxa.
Effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide on gastric acid secretion
Authors: Sun Hongzhao , Zhang Jing , Shi Yuan , Gao Yan , Shi Guiyan , Wang Xin , Guo Peng , Huang Yu , Ren Yuning , Zheng Shan
Published: December 2015

Background and Aim

H2S is an important gasotransmitter in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of exogenous H2S on gastric acid secretion.

Methods

Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into physiological saline (PS) group, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS; 50, 100, and 150 µmol/kg body weight) group, glibenclamide + NaHS group, and SQ22536 + NaHS group. PH of gastric juice before injection and after injection were determined by a PH meter.

Results

The results showed that NaHS, an exogenous H2S donor, injected into the enterocoelia significantly reduced the PH of gastric juice, the same volume of PS administered similarly did not change PH of gastric juice, the promotional effect of NaHS on gastric acid secretion could be abolished by glibenclamide, an ATP‐sensitive potassium channel K(ATP) blocker SQ22536, an inhibitor of adenyl cyclase.

Conclusions

The data from these experiments suggest that exogenous H2S promoted gastric acid secretion, which may occur via K(ATP) channels and activate AC‐cAMP pathway.
Cytochrome P450 promiscuity leads to a bifurcating biosynthetic pathway for tanshinones
Authors: Guo Juan , Ma Xiaohui , Cai Yuan , Ma Ying , Zhan Zhilai , Zhou Yongjin J. , Liu Wujun , Guan Mengxin , Yang Jian , Cui Guanghong , Kang Liping , Yang Lei , Shen Ye , Tang Jinfu , Lin Huixin , Ma Xiaojing , Jin Baolong , Liu Zhenming , Peters Reuben J. , Zhao Zongbao K. , Huang Luqi
Published: December 2015

Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) play a key role in generating the structural diversity of terpenoids, the largest group of plant natural products. However, functional characterization of CYPs has been challenging because of the expansive families found in plant genomes, diverse reactivity and inaccessibility of their substrates and products.

Here we present the characterization of two CYPs, CYP76AH3 and CYP76AK1, which act sequentially to form a bifurcating pathway for the biosynthesis of tanshinones, the oxygenated diterpenoids from the Chinese medicinal plant Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza).

These CYPs had similar transcription profiles to that of the known gene responsible for tanshinone production in elicited Danshen hairy roots. Biochemical and RNA interference studies demonstrated that both CYPs are promiscuous. CYP76AH3 oxidizes ferruginol at two different carbon centers, and CYP76AK1 hydroxylates C‐20 of two of the resulting intermediates. Together, these convert ferruginol into 11,20‐dihydroxy ferruginol and 11,20‐dihydroxy sugiol en route to tanshinones. Moreover, we demonstrated the utility of these CYPs by engineering yeast for heterologous production of six oxygenated diterpenoids, which in turn enabled structural characterization of three novel compounds produced by CYP‐mediated oxidation.

Our results highlight the incorporation of multiple CYPs into diterpenoid metabolic engineering, and a continuing trend of CYP promiscuity generating complex networks in terpenoid biosynthesis.
Are bidirectional associations of obesity and depression already apparent in childhood and adolescence as based on high‐quality studies? A systematic review
Authors: Mühlig Y. , Antel J. , Föcker M. , Hebebrand J.
Published: December 2015

Our aim was to evaluate bidirectional associations of obesity and depression in cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies with initial assessments in childhood or adolescence. The clarification of these relationships may support the development of innovative interventions, e.g. based on nutrition and mental health. A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE. Main inclusion criteria were (i) assessment of subjects <18 years at baseline, (ii) use of validated psychometric instruments and (iii) elicitation of objectively measured anthropometric data at least at one time point. Twenty‐four studies met our inclusion criteria. Out of 19, 14 cross‐sectional studies confirmed a significant association of obesity and depression. Three out of eight longitudinal studies reported associations between obesity and subsequent depression in female children and adolescents only, and three out of nine studies obtained evidence in favour of the other direction with two studies revealing significant results only for female and one only for male children and adolescents. Evidence is mixed, and secure conclusions are hampered by the methodological variance of the included studies. Relationships are seemingly more readily detectable in female children adolescents and in the cross‐sectional compared with the longitudinal analyses. Possibly, the joint development of obesity and depression in predisposed subjects accounts for the latter discrepancy.
CD4 T‐cell hyporesponsiveness induced by schistosome larvae is not dependent upon eosinophils but may involve connective tissue mast cells
Authors: Prendergast C. T. , Sanin D. E. , Mountford A. P.
Published: December 2015

In areas endemic for schistosomiasis, people can often be in contact with contaminated water resulting in repeated exposures to infective Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. Using a murine model, repeated infections result in IL‐10‐dependent CD4+ T‐cell hyporesponsiveness in the skin‐draining lymph nodes (sdLN), which could be caused by an abundance of eosinophils and connective tissue mast cells at the skin infection site. Here, we show that whilst the absence of eosinophils did not have a significant effect on cytokine production, MHC‐II+ cells were more numerous in the dermal cell exudate population. Nevertheless, the absence of dermal eosinophils did not lead to an increase in the responsiveness of CD4+ T cells in the sdLN, revealing that eosinophils in repeatedly exposed skin did not impact on the development of CD4+ T‐cell hyporesponsiveness. On the other hand, the absence of connective tissue mast cells led to a reduction in dermal IL‐10 and to an increase in the number of MHC‐II+ cells infiltrating the skin. There was also a small but significant alleviation of hyporesponsiveness in the sdLN, suggesting that mast cells may have a role in regulating immune responses after repeated exposures of the skin to S. mansoni cercariae.
To Stroop or not to Stroop: Sex‐related differences in brain‐behavior associations during early childhood
Authors: Cuevas Kimberly , Calkins Susan D. , Bell Martha Ann
Published: December 2015

Executive functions (EFs) are linked with optimal cognitive and social‐emotional development. Despite behavioral evidence of sex differences in early childhood EF, little is known about potential sex differences in corresponding brain‐behavior associations. The present study examined changes in 4‐year‐olds’ 6–9 Hz EEG power in response to increased executive processing demands (i.e., “Stroop‐like” vs. “non‐Stroop” day‐night tasks). Although there were no sex differences in task performance, an examination of multiple scalp electrode sites revealed that boys exhibited more widespread changes in EEG power as compared to girls. Further, multiple regression analyses controlling for maternal education and non‐EF performance indicated that individual differences in boys’ and girls’ EF performance were associated with different frontal neural correlates (i.e., different frontal scalp sites and different measures of EEG power). These data reveal valuable information concerning sex differences in the neural systems underlying executive processing during early childhood.
Neurocognitive development in socioeconomic context: Multiple mechanisms and implications for measuring socioeconomic status
Authors: Ursache Alexandra , Noble Kimberly G.
Published: December 2015

Socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked to functioning across a variety of neurocognitive domains including language, memory, executive functioning, and social‐emotional processing. We review these findings and discuss the ways in which socioeconomic context may shape neural processes such that these skills are supported by different neurobiological pathways in children from lower versus higher SES backgrounds. Moreover, we consider the mechanisms by which SES may be related to specific neurocognitive functions. Specifically, we focus on linguistic exposure and stress as two main pathways through which SES could influence neurocognitive processes and shape relations between the neural and behavioral levels of functioning. Finally, suggestions for conceptualizing and measuring SES in future work are offered.
Diversity and representation: Key issues for psychophysiological science
Authors: Gatzke‐Kopp Lisa M.
Published: December 2015

This Special Issue is devoted to the illustration and discussion of three key demographic variables (sex/gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status) that have been shown to moderate associations between psychophysiological processes and behavior. The introduction to the issue discusses the role of phenotypic plasticity in the emergence of different neural processes that achieve the same behavioral outcome, with emphasis on how these relatively stable developmental contexts affect brain/behavior associations without necessarily resulting in difference in behavior. These findings have profound significance for the implications of generalization and call into question the presumption that diverse samples produce an average result that is appropriately reflective of the individuals themselves. Increasing diversity within psychophysiological research is critical in elucidating mechanisms by which the human brain can accomplish cognitive and affective behaviors. This article further examines the logistical and ethical challenges faced in achieving this goal.
Characterization of Th17 and FoxP3+ Treg Cells in Paediatric Psoriasis Patients
Authors: Zhang L. , Li Y. , Yang X. , Wei J. , Zhou S. , Zhao Z. , Cheng J. , Duan H. , Jia T. , Lei Q. , Huang J. , Feng C.
Published: December 2015

Psoriasis is one of the most common inflammatory skin conditions affecting both children and adults. Growing evidence indicates that T‐helper 17 (Th17) cells and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. However, the relationship between Th17 and Treg cells and their dynamic variations in paediatric psoriasis remain unclear. In this study, we found that both Th17 and FoxP3+ Treg cells and the ratio of Th17 to Treg cell frequency in the peripheral circulation were increased in patients with paediatric psoriasis and were positively correlated with the disease severity. The function of Treg to suppress CD4+CD25− T cell proliferation and IFN‐γ secretion was impaired during the onset of psoriasis. After disease remission, both the Th17 and Treg cell frequencies were decreased, and the suppressive function of the Treg cells was obviously restored. However, neither Treg cells from the disease onset nor those after remission can regulate IL‐17 secretion by CD4+ T cells. These findings will further our understanding of the associations between Th17 and Treg cells in paediatric psoriasis and their influence on disease severity.
Increases in core temperature counterbalance effects of haemoconcentration on blood viscosity during prolonged exercise in the heat
Authors: Buono Michael J. , Krippes Taylor , Kolkhorst Fred W. , Williams Alexander T. , Cabrales Pedro
Published: December 2015

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of exercise‐induced haemoconcentration and hyperthermia on blood viscosity.

What is the main finding and its importance?

Exercise‐induced haemoconcentration, increased plasma viscosity and increased blood aggregation, all of which increased blood viscosity, were counterbalanced by increased red blood cell (RBC) deformability (e.g. RBC membrane shear elastic modulus and elongation index) caused by the hyperthermia. Thus, blood viscosity remained unchanged following prolonged moderate‐intensity exercise in the heat.

Previous studies have reported that blood viscosity is significantly increased following exercise. However, these studies measured both pre‐ and postexercise blood viscosity at 37°C even though core and blood temperatures would be expected to have increased during the exercise. Consequently, the effect of exercise‐induced hyperthermia on mitigating change in blood viscosity may have been missed. The purpose of this study was to isolate the effects of exercise‐induced haemoconcentration and hyperthermia and to determine their combined effects on blood viscosity. Nine subjects performed 2 h of moderate‐intensity exercise in the heat (37°C, 40% relative humidity), which resulted in significant increases from pre‐exercise values for rectal temperature (from 37.11 ± 0.35 to 38.76 ± 0.13°C), haemoconcentration (haematocrit increased from 43.6 ± 3.6 to 45.6 ± 3.5%) and dehydration (change in body weight = −3.6 ± 0.7%). Exercise‐induced haemoconcentration significantly (P < 0.05) increased blood viscosity by 9% (from 3.97 to 4.33 cP at 300 s−1), whereas exercise‐induced hyperthermia significantly decreased blood viscosity by 7% (from 3.97 to 3.69 cP at 300 s−1). When both factors were considered together, there was no overall change in blood viscosity (from 3.97 to 4.03 cP at 300 s−1). The effects of exercise‐induced haemoconcentration, increased plasma viscosity and increased red blood cell aggregation, all of which increased blood viscosity, were counterbalanced by increased red blood cell deformability (e.g. red blood cell membrane shear elastic modulus and elongation index) caused by the hyperthermia. Thus, blood viscosity remained unchanged following prolonged moderate‐intensity exercise in the heat.
Mach stem formation in outdoor measurements of acoustic shocks
Authors: Leete Kevin M. , Gee Kent L. , Neilsen Tracianne B. , Truscott Tadd T.
Published: December 2015

Mach stem formation during outdoor acoustic shock propagation is investigated using spherical oxyacetylene balloons exploded above pavement. The location of the transition point from regular to irregular reflection and the path of the triple point are experimentally resolved using microphone arrays and a high-speed camera. The transition point falls between recent analytical work for weak irregular reflections and an empirical relationship derived from large explosions.