bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dependence of the turbulent particle flux on hydrogen isotopes induced by collisionality
Authors: Angioni C. , Fable E. , Manas P. , Mantica P. , Schneider P. A. ,   ASDEX Upgrade Team,   EUROfusion MST1 Team,   JET Contributors
Published: August 2018

The impact of the change of the mass of hydrogen isotopes on the turbulent particle flux is studied. The trapped electron component of the turbulent particle convection induced by collisionality, which is outward in ion temperature gradient turbulence, increases with decreasing thermal velocity of the isotope. Thereby, the lighter is the isotope, the stronger is the turbulent pinch, and the larger is the predicted density gradient at the null of the particle flux. The passing particle component of the flux increases with decreasing mass of the isotope and can also affect the predicted density gradient. This effect is however subdominant for usual core plasma parameters. The analytical results are confirmed by means of both quasi-linear and nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations, and an estimate of the difference in local density gradient produced by this effect as a function of collisionality has been obtained for typical plasma parameters at mid-radius. Analysis of currently available experimental data from the JET and the ASDEX Upgrade tokamaks does not show any clear and general evidence of inconsistency with this theoretically predicted effect outside the errorbars and also allows the identification of cases providing weak evidence of qualitative consistency.
Conformational preferences of Criegee intermediates: Isopropyl substituted carbonyl oxide
Authors: Cabezas Carlos , Guillemin Jean-Claude , Endo Yasuki
Published: August 2018

Three conformers of the isopropyl-substituted Criegee intermediate, (CH3)2CHCHOO, have been observed by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The transient species was produced using a pulsed electric discharge of a gas mixture of 1,1-diiodo-2-methylpropane/O2 diluted in Ar or Ne. The use of different carrier gases in the supersonic expansion reveals the difference of the collisional relaxation process between anti-conformers. The conformational relaxation pathways have been investigated theoretically and are presented as well. In light of these results, the previous study on the ethyl-substituted Criegee intermediate, where the absence of one of the four possible conformers was associated with collisional relaxation processes, has been re-examined. Here we report the detection of a new conformer of the ethyl-substituted Criegee intermediate observed using Ne as the seeding gas.
Evidence of inter-sectional chloroplast capture in Corymbia among sections Torellianae and Maculatae
Authors: Healey Adam , Lee David J. , Furtado Agnelo , Henry Robert J.
Published: August 2018

Chloroplast capture through hybridisation and introgression is well described within Eucalyptus. Despite the propensity of the Corymbia genus (eucalypts) to form hybrids from wide crosses, description of chloroplast capture in Corymbia has, until recently, been limited. In this study our aim was to investigate evidence of intersectional chloroplast capture between sections Torellianae and Maculatae. Using whole-genome next-generation sequencing data, the complete chloroplast genomes were assembled from four Corymbia taxa: Corymbia citriodora subspecies citriodora (Hook.) K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson, Corymbia citriodora subspecies variegata (F.Muell.) A.R.Bean & M.W.McDonald, Corymbia henryi (S.T.Blake) K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson, and Corymbia torelliana (F.Muell.) K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson, represented by eight genotypes. Phylogenetic analysis and comparison among Corymbia chloroplast genomes and nuclear external transcribed spacer (ETS) sequences revealed chloroplast capture among Corymbia species across distinct sections Torellianae and Maculatae within subgenus Blakella. Reticulate evolution, along with Eucalyptus, likely extends into Corymbia as evidenced by incongruent plastid and nuclear phylogenetic trees, suggestive of its importance of hybridisation and introgression during the evolution of eucalypts.
Design of Acyl Donor for Environmentally Benign Acylation of Cellulose Using an Ionic Liquid
Authors: Takeshita Tokio , Kitagawa Akihisa , Yokosu Fumiya , Matsumoto Ryo , Nokami Toshiki , Itoh Toshiyuki
Published: August 2018

Esterification is the most important derivatization to utilise cellulose as a sustainable resource for the materials industry. Homogeneous esterification is generally the most convenient means to achieve this aim. We found that N-methyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)pyrrolidinium acetate [P1ME][OAc] easily dissolved cellulose. To achieve the environmental benign acylation of cellulose, we attempted to design acyl donor molecules under strong base catalyst-free conditions. It was found that a [P1ME][OAc] solution of cellulose when mixed with 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl benzoates at 80°C afforded the corresponding cellulose benzoate with a perfect (3.0) degree of substitution (DS) value in almost quantitative yield. We also succeeded in preparing 4-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)diazenyl]benzoate or 4-[(4-methoxyphenyl)diazenyl]benzoate of the cellulose with a DS value of 2.38 or 2.67 by the same protocol, respectively; the DMSO solution prepared by the resulting compounds exhibited a photochromic property, although only a slight colour change from light yellow to colourless was obtained by UV irradiation.
FrameNet’s Using relation as a source of concept-based paraphrases
Authors: Sikos Jennifer , Padó Sebastian
Published: August 2018

Characterizing paraphrases formally has proven to be a challenging task. Hasegawa et al. (2011) pointed out the usefulness of FrameNet for
paraphrase research, focusing on paraphrases which are backed by underlying classical linguistic relationships such as synonymy or
voice alternations. This article proposes that other frame-to-frame-relations, notably Using, can serve as a source for
concept-based paraphrases – that is, paraphrases that are backed by common sense knowledge, as in he called him a
hero – he praised him for being a hero. While the predicates in these sentences are not synonymous,
we would argue that the sentences are paraphrases – albeit of a kind that involves world knowledge about the relationship between
different event classes. In this article, we propose a shallow taxonomy for the frame pairs which
instantiate Using, that is motivated by their ability to form concept-based paraphrases. Second, we analyze the subclass of Using instances which supports concept-based paraphrasing, and provide a formalization of some prominent types of side
conditions that are necessary to produce felicitous paraphrases.
The challenge of polygrammaticalization for linguistic theory
Authors: Robert Stéphane
Published: August 2018

Transcategorial morphemes share the common ability to be used synchronically across different syntactic categories (synchronic
grammaticalization). This paper first shows that transcategoriality is a general property of linguistic systems, variously
exploited by languages, then addresses the theoretical questions raised by these morphemes. A new model accounting for this
transcategorial functioning, named “fractal grammar”, is proposed and illustrated by various examples. The analysis for this
particular functioning relates the polysemy of these morphemes to their syntactic flexibility in a dynamic way: the variation of
the syntactic scope of the morpheme (“fractal functioning”) is triggered by its environment and produces its polysemy (variation
of the semantic scope). Fractal grammar is thus defined by two basic mechanisms: the construal of a common image-schema (“scale
invariance”), accounting for the unity of the morpheme, and the activation of “scale (or level) properties”, accounting for the
semantic and syntactic variations. A typological sketch of transcategoriality is then sketched, in relation to the strategies used
by linguistic systems for the distribution of grammatical information. Three types of transcategorial strategies are
distinguished: “oriented”, “generic”, and “functional” transcategoriality. The status of linguistic categories is then discussed
in the light of the analysis of these particular morphemes.
Perceptions of danger and co-occurring metaphors in Buddhist dhamma talks and Christian sermons
Authors: Richardson Peter , Nagashima Miori
Published: August 2018

This article focuses on an analysis of the perception of danger in a sample of conservative Evangelical Christian sermons and Thai Forest Tradition dhamma talks. Through the analysis of keywords, frames, conceptual metaphors, and patterns of agency in the use of metaphor, it seeks to explore how one Christian believer and one Buddhist practitioner conceptualize their ways of being religious. We argue that this specific set of dhamma talks has a primary focus on an individual actively progressing within the practice of meditation while interacting with elements that may be beneficial or harmful to that progress. In contrast, this particular sample of sermons has a primary focus on two groups or categories of people, fallen sinners and true Christians, and their strictly defined hierarchical relationship to God. Aspects of this relationship are often defined in terms of power, fear, and danger, with shifting intersections between active behavior and being acted upon by greater forces or powers. We conclude that a cognitive linguistic approach to analyzing perceptions of danger within a specified genre of religious discourse can be useful in producing a picture of how an individual religious believer within a particular context and moment in time views reality, their position within it, and their progression through it.
Wheatley, Phillis
Authors: Dudley David L.
Published: August 2018

In September 1773, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral appeared in London. Its author, Phillis Wheatley, slave to John Wheatley of Boston, thus became the first African American to publish a book. Brought to America in 1761, Wheatley had soon proved herself astonishingly precocious; she mastered English and, as Hannah Mather Crocker later recalled, “made some progress in the latin [sic].” Wheatley read the classics in translation and began writing poetry. Her book made her internationally famous and won her freedom. Nevertheless, events beyond her control—including the death of many friends and patrons, and the chaos caused by the American Revolution—plunged the young (and now free) poet into poverty. Marriage to John Peters did not provide long-lasting financial security. According to 19th-century sources, Wheatley bore, and lost, three infant children, but no records exist of any births, baptisms, or deaths. In 1784, Wheatley died alone (Peters may have been in prison for debt), and an unmarked grave received her.

The poet’s surviving canon consists of about sixty-five poems and about two dozen letters. Many other poems are now lost, yet Wheatley’s importance is enormous. Praised by some as a writer of genius, a worthy Mother of the African American literary tradition, Wheatley has also been excoriated for not demonstrating sufficient racial pride or fighting hard enough for abolition. In the late 20th century, critics began to re-evaluate her work, and in the early 21st century, Wheatley is regarded as worthy of her place in American letters—a woman who detested tyranny; a writer keenly attuned to the political, racial, and spiritual movements of her times; and an influence on the Romantic poets who followed her.
Irving, John
Authors: Champion Laurie
Published: August 2018

A major American writer, John Irving has published many novels, several of which have been adapted for film. His most popular novel is The World According to Garp, which has become both a popular and a cult classic. He is often compared to Charles Dickens, an author he admires. His novels are often political and take liberal views, confronting issues such as abortion rights, LGBT rights, and antiwar sentiments. His characters are not shy about sex and often begin sexual encounters at a young age. Major themes and subjects in his novels include the search for the father, the search for identity, looking back at one’s life, searching for one’s personal history, the difference between memory and truth, and unconventional lifestyles. The settings of his novels vary, and sometimes his characters travel both nationally and internationally. Many of his novels have been adapted for film, and he wrote screenplays for some of them. Irving became a household name in 1978, with the publication of The World According to Garp. Irving is well known for his dark sense of humor and sometimes absurd situations in which he places his characters. Many of his protagonists are older men who look back on their childhoods or adolescents who develop into men over the course of the novel. The relationship between memory and fact is often blurred as one’s memory of events trumps the actual events. Most of Irving’s protagonists are males who do not come from traditional families.
Celebrity Politics and Cultural Studies Within the United States and United Kingdom
Authors: Wheeler Mark
Published: August 2018

Celebrity politicians are having a profound impact on politics within the United States and United Kingdom in the 21st century. With the adoption of social media, celebrity and image candidates have deployed new strategies for attracting constituents. Taken together, the proliferation of celebrity politics and the ubiquity of digital platforms have fostered a political moment, wherein “outsider” candidates have launched themselves into the public spotlight. Through their digital celebrity brands, populists such as U.S. President Donald Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson established an “authenticity” in which they “occupied” a public space. Consequently, as celebrities promote political agendas among target audiences/citizens, it is necessary to reflect upon their significance in election campaigns, policymaking, and activism.
Feature Journalism
Authors: Steensen Steen
Published: August 2018

Feature journalism has developed from being a marginal and subordinate supplement to (hard) news in newspapers to becoming a significant part of journalism on all platforms. It emerged as a key force driving the popularization and tabloidization of the press.

Feature journalism can be defined as a family of genres that share a common exigence, understood as a publicly recognized need to be entertained and connected with other people on a mainly emotional level by accounts of personal experiences that are related to contemporary events of perceived public interest. This exigence is articulated through three characteristics that have dominated feature journalism from the very beginning: It is intimate, in the sense that it portrays people and milieus in close detail and that it allows the journalist to be subjective and therefore intimate with his or her audience; it is literary in the sense that it is closely connected with the art of writing, narrativity, storytelling, and worlds of fiction; and it is adventurous, in the sense that it takes the audiences on journeys to meet people and places that are interesting.

Traditional and well-established genres of feature journalism include the human-interest story, feature reportage, and the profile, which all promote subjectivity and emotions as key ingredients in feature journalism in contrast to the norm of objectivity found in professional news journalism. Feature journalism therefore establishes a conflict of norms that has existed throughout the history of journalism.

Feature journalism has become an increasingly popular part of digital news outlets. Online newspapers have experimented with digital formats for feature journalism since the late 1990s, first with technology-driven multimedia feature journalism and later with story-driven long-form feature journalism. Since 2010, podcasts and online templates for long-form journalism have increased the popularity of digital feature journalism.
Mobile Journalism and MoJos
Authors: Westlund Oscar , Quinn Stephen
Published: August 2018

Journalism and news are so much a part of our lives that most societies take them for granted. To access the news, people have traditionally had to pay for newspapers or acquire television and radio receivers with accompanying licenses or cable subscriptions. To a large extent, accessing the news has been connected to specific physical domains, especially the home. The widespread diffusion of computers, the Web, and news sites that started in the mid-1990s has made news increasingly accessible, and over the past decade, mobile news has fueled this even more. Digital technologies have become an accepted part of our lives. Access to news and information is easier than ever, with an abundance of free news via connected and ubiquitous digital platforms. News is expensive to produce, however, creating concerns about future business models to support journalism. It means we cannot take journalism for granted. News media must produce content that is valuable to society.

Mobile devices and different forms of mobile media and communication have become integral parts of contemporary societies. The nexus of mobile media and reporting has become one of the most important developments for journalism. Research into mobile news production falls into two main strands. On the one hand, we find research taking an organizational approach, with studies of intra-organizational collaborations in developments of mobile services, what mobile platforms to use, business model considerations, and so forth. On the other hand, we encounter research focusing more specifically on news production among mobile journalists (so-called MoJos). For the working journalist, the mobile device has become the key tool for gathering information, images, and video, and for communicating with colleagues and sources.
Material Culture as a Historical Source
Authors: Ross Robert
Published: August 2018

Over the last couple of centuries, there has been a profound shift in the things which Africans have around them, or in other words their material culture. At differing speeds and to different extents, depending on the part of the continent and the political and religious positioning of the people concerned, the goods of the globalized world have penetrated to the farthest reaches of Africa. Belongings, and thus identities, have taken on new forms. This, however, is not a completely new phenomenon, as Africans have been absorbing things from outsiders to the continent for as long as there have been humans outside Africa. Understanding these shifts, and analyzing the causes and consequences thereof, requires the study of a wide variety of types of sources, many of which are dealt with by historians of Africa with a rare degree of sophistication, so that the fascinating stories of material change can be fully examined.
Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura
Authors: Toledo Guzmán Liliana
Published: August 2018

The Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (INBA; National Institute of Fine Arts) was created to replace and broaden the functions of the Departamento de Bellas Artes (DBA; Department of Fine Arts), which was created in 1921 as a branch of the Ministry of Public Education in the context of a Mexico already in upheaval due to the revolutionary armed conflict. The decades leading up to the creation of the INBA were characterized by a constant discussion of how nationalism should be expressed in art. The answer was often associated with rural life and its artistic manifestations; thus research on these expressions became the center not only of the discourse, but of many artistic projects launched by the Mexican government. These expressions were brought to many arenas in public education, from creation to distribution, so that over the course of three decades they were articulated in an organized fashion as much in the rural education project of Jose Vasconcelos as in that of Moisés Sáez, and later, in the socialist education framework of Lázaro Cárdenas.

In the 1940s, the INBA inherited not only the art collections of the DBA but also its role. The promotion of nationalist art would take on new proportions, intending to reach the entire territory. The cultural bureaucracy began to gain strength with figures such as Carlos Chávez, the first director of the INBA. Nevertheless, Mexico was a different country than it had been in the 1920s. During the government of Miguel Alemán, art was strongly associated with tourism and economic dependence on the United States worsened, to some degree affecting artistic expression. Integrationist education, the creation of the Mexican collective imagination in the 1920s, and contradictions clearly seen through social inequality compared to the mythical indigenous world—all these were factors that led to an aesthetic rupture that would seem imminent, just as development, education, and research hoped to become institutionalized through the INBA.
Digital Resources: The José Guadalupe Posada Collection at the Ibero-American Institute
Authors: Musser Ricarda
Published: August 2018

The Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut Preußischer Kulturbesitz (IAI; Ibero-American Institute at the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) owns a collection of some 750 works of Mexican popular culture, the majority of which were illustrated by the printmaker and engraver José Guadalupe Posada (1851–1913) and printed by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo (1850–1917), whose company operated from the 1880s to the 1940s. The collection is comprised of a broad range of media, from chapbooks and magazines to Hojas sueltas (broadsheets). The texts of the published works cover a broad range of topics, on the one hand drawing on themes from Ibero-American—and especially Mexican—oral traditions and popular piety; and on the other hand, covering current affairs in Mexico and, to a lesser extent, abroad. The majority of the texts are in prose. Various forms of poetry, above all corridos (ballads), are also featured.

The Posada Collection continues to be systematically enlarged and forms part of the Ibero-American Institute’s exceptionally rich collections of popular culture around 1900 from Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula. Completely in open access, it is one of the IAI’s most consulted digital collections.
Black Associational Politics in 20th-Century Brazil
Authors: Domingues Petrônio
Published: August 2018

The population of African descent in Brazil has always maintained vibrant associative communities, whether in the form of mutual aid societies, confraternities, and religious brotherhoods that existed since the time of slavery or in the form of other voluntary associations that appeared later, such as recreational societies, civic centers, literary guilds, musical groups, carnival blocos, and the black press. For Afro-Brazilians, the associative experience throughout the 20th century contributed to a sense of group belonging and a consciousness of a shared identity and experience of racial discrimination. Furthermore, these relationships enabled Afro-Brazilians to begin claiming rights as citizens, protesting against what afflicted them as a community. These joint efforts fueled collective acts of resistance and self-determination that, while evident for centuries, acquired new meanings and manifestations following the abolition of slavery in 1888. Black associations did not limit themselves to denouncing problems or detecting their causes and consequences. They tried to point out ways to overcome them by proposing several solutions: the moral elevation of Afro-Brazilians, which implied a preoccupation with their image in the various sectors where they acted; improving their educational and instructional level; valorizing their race and, by extension, black identity; and emphasizing the need to react to injustices, and even to act politically. However, the main solution was the union of black Brazilians, a sine qua non for this segment of the population to strengthen and thus be able to claim and gain space in society, improve living conditions, and even overcome persistent challenges. Understanding the history of black associative life in Brazil during the 20th century is necessary in order to grasp the struggles and challenges Afro-Brazilians have faced around common interests, particularly since these collective actions are an integral part of the black experience and, in some respects, overlap with it.
III. Functions of short lifetime structures at large 9: case of nucleic acids
Authors: Nishigaki Koichi
Published: August 2018

The short lifetime structures of nucleic acids are not well studied because of the poor recognition of their importance and the methodological difficulty. In case of proteins, which are a type of single-stranded biopolymers, the essential roles of their transient structures are well established. Therefore, the role of transient structures of nucleic acids is, naturally, of great interest. There have been multiple reports on the function-related unstable (transient) structures of single-stranded nucleotides, though not as many as at present. Recent methodological advances are now enabling us to observe structures with ultra-short lifetime (less than a nanosecond). On the other hand, the biological importance of transient structures of ribonucleicacid (RNA) is increasingly recognized because of the findings of novel functional RNAs such as microRNA. Therefore, the time has come to tackle the structure and function dynamic of RNA/deoxyribonucleic acid in relation to their transient, unstable structures. The specific properties of rapidity and diversity are hypothesized to be involved in unexplored phenomena in neuroscience.
GSK3β Inhibition Restores Impaired Neurogenesis in Preterm Neonates With Intraventricular Hemorrhage
Authors: Dohare Preeti , Kidwai Ali , Kaur Japneet , Singla Pranav , Krishna Sachi , Klebe Damon , Zhang Xinmu , Hevner Robert , Ballabh Praveen
Published: August 2018

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a common complication of prematurity in infants born at 23–28 weeks of gestation. Survivors exhibit impaired growth of the cerebral cortex and neurodevelopmental sequeale, but the underlying mechanism(s) are obscure. Previously, we have shown that neocortical neurogenesis continues until at least 28 gestational weeks. This renders the prematurely born infants vulnerable to impaired neurogenesis. Here, we hypothesized that neurogenesis is impaired by IVH, and that signaling through GSK3β, a critical intracellular kinase regulated by Wnt and other pathways, mediates this effect. These hypotheses were tested observationally in autopsy specimens from premature infants, and experimentally in a premature rabbit IVH model. Significantly, in premature infants with IVH, the number of neurogenic cortical progenitor cells was reduced compared with infants without IVH, indicating acutely decreased neurogenesis. This finding was corroborated in the rabbit IVH model, which further demonstrated reduction of upper layer cortical neurons after longer survival. Both the acute reduction of neurogenic progenitors, and the subsequent decrease of upper layer neurons, were rescued by treatment with AR-A014418, a specific inhibitor of GSK3β. Together, these results indicate that IVH impairs late stages of cortical neurogenesis, and suggest that treatment with GSK3β inhibitors may enhance neurodevelopment in premature infants with IVH.
Postinfarction right ventricular wall dissection with left-to-right shunting
Authors: Okamura Homare , Arakawa Mamoru , Takeuchi Taro , Adachi Hideo
Published: August 2018

Ventricular septal rupture is an uncommon fatal complication of acute myocardial infarction. In rare cases, the rupture can extend into the right ventricular free wall and cause intramyocardial dissection. We describe the case of a patient who developed postinfarction right ventricular free wall dissection with left-to-right shunting and successfully underwent patch repair.
Intrafamilial Transmission of Parechovirus A and Enteroviruses in Neonates and Young Infants
Authors: Izumita Ryohei , Deuchi Kazuki , Aizawa Yuta , Habuka Rie , Watanabe Kanako , Otsuka Taketo , Saitoh Akihiko
Published: August 2018

Background

Parechovirus A (PeV-A) is an important cause of sepsis and meningoencephalitis in neonates and young infants. Thus, identifying the source of PeV-A is essential for prevention; however, little is known regarding the spread of PeV-A among family members of PeV-A–infected neonates and young infants.

Methods

In this prospective study, we evaluated stool samples from family members of PeV-A–infected neonates and infants younger than 4 months who presented with sepsis, meningoencephalitis, or both in Niigata, Japan, in 2016. Because of a simultaneous outbreak, enteroviruses (EVs) were also evaluated during this period. Real-time polymerase chain reaction followed by sequence analysis was used for viral diagnosis using serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid samples.

Results

Among 54 febrile patients, the stool samples of 14 (26%) and 12 (22%) patients tested positive for PeV-A and EV, respectively. Stool samples from 54 family members (38 adults and 16 children) of 12 PeV-A–infected patients were available. The rate of PeV-A positivity in these samples was higher among the children (88% [14 of 16]) than the adults (34% [13 of 38]). Among family members with a PeV-A–positive stool sample, 29% (4 of 14) of the children and 77% (10 of 13) of the adults were asymptomatic. Similarly, among 53 stool samples from family members (31 adults and 22 children) of 11 EV-infected patients, the rate of EV positivity in the stool samples was higher among the children (91% [20 of 22]) than among the adults (42% [13 of 31]). The asymptomatic-patient rates were 45% (9 of 20) among the children and 85% (11 of 13) among the adults in family members with EV-positive stool.

Conclusions

Similar to EVs, PeV-A was detected frequently in stool samples from family members of PeV-A–infected patients. Among family members with PeV-A–positive stool, adults were more likely than children to be asymptomatic and therefore could be an important source of PeV-A infection.
From Recipients of Aid to Shapers of Policies: Conceptualizing Government–United Nations Relations during the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Lebanon
Authors: Geha Carmen , Talhouk Joumana
Published: August 2018

This article explores the influence of national politics on shaping responses to refugee crises in the Middle East. The article focuses on the case of Lebanon, typically described as a weak or failed state, to explain the progression of policies the Lebanese government used to respond to the Syrian refugee crisis. By using qualitative data from interviews with political officials, the article conceptualizes the change in relations between the Lebanese government and United Nations agencies as evidence of a progression in policies by the Lebanese government. Moving from largely a policy of no-policy, as the crisis in Syria turned into a protracted conflict, we depict Lebanon as moving from a mere recipient of aid from the United Nations to a more active player in shaping crisis response policies. The main thrust of this work is to highlight how exogenous shocks can make governments more influential in shaping United Nations agencies.
Robotic Guidance for the Insertion of Posterior Pedicle Screws: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Meyers Joshua E , Khan Asham , Pollina John
Published: August 2018

Recent years have shown an increase in implementing robotics in surgical procedures. Utilizing robotic technology in spine surgery remains limited in comparison to other surgical fields. We present a surgical video of minimally invasive robotic-assisted insertion of posterior pedicle screws using the newest generation robotic technology (Mazor X, Mazor Robotics Ltd, Caesarea, Israel), in a 29-yr-old man who suffers from Grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis at L5-S1 levels and severe, right-sided foraminal stenosis. The plan was to perform anterior fusion at L5-S1 using robotic guidance with posterior pedicle screw supplementation due to his extensive smoking history. This technology has two distinct registration methods: (1) using a preoperative thin-cut computed tomography (CT) scan to create a surgical plan for screw placement; and (2) scan-and-plan using intraoperative 3-dimensional (3D) imaging to create a plan in real-time intraoperatively. We present the scan-and-plan technique. The widely used freehand technique allows the surgeon to manually direct tools and implants relying on the 6-degrees-of-freedom of the human arm. When Mazor X robotic technology is utilized, a pilot hole is drilled through a cannula docked to the bone above the entry point, which provides the surgeon with a planned trajectory and eliminates 4 of 6-degrees-of-freedom (up/down and yaw remain). This provides increased multidimensional control and reduces reliance on hand-eye coordination with simultaneous concentration on the imaging, potentially leading to increased rates of accuracy and reduction in severe complications of misplaced screws. Further prospective clinical studies are needed to determine the long-term effectiveness of this technology.

Patient consent was obtained prior to performing the procedure. Institutional board review approval is not required for the report of a single case at the University at Buffalo.
Be Wary of Those Who Ask: A Randomized Experiment on the Size and Determinants of the Enumerator Effect
Authors: Di Maio Michele , Fiala Nathan
Published: August 2018

During survey data collection, respondents’ answers may be influenced by the behavior and characteristics of the enumerator, the so-called enumerator effect. Using a large-scale experiment in Uganda in which the study randomly pairs enumerators and respondents, the study explores for which types of questions the enumerator effect may exist. It is found that the enumerator effect is minimal in many questions, but is large for political preference questions, for which it can account for over 30 percent of the variation in responses. The study then explores which enumerator characteristics, and which of their combination with respondent characteristics, could account for this effect. Finally, the conclusion provides some practical suggestions on how to minimize enumerator effects, and potential bias, in various types of data collections.
Evaluation of λ-Carrageenan, CpG-ODN, Glycine Betaine, Spirulina platensis, and Ergosterol as Elicitors for Control of Zymoseptoria tritici in Wheat
Authors: Le Mire Geraldine , Siah Ali , Marolleau Brice , Gaucher Matthieu , Maumené Claude , Brostaux Yves , Massart Sebastien , Brisset Marie-Noëlle , Jijakli M. Haissam
Published: August 2018

Wheat crops are constantly challenged by the pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici, responsible for Septoria tritici Blotch (STB) disease. The present study reports the evaluation of five elicitor compounds (λ-carrageenan, cytosine-phosphate-guanine oligodesoxynucleotide motifs [CpG ODN], glycine betaine, Spirulina platensis, and ergosterol) for the protection of wheat against STB in order to offer new alternative tools to farmers for sustainable crop protection. Screening of elicitors of wheat defenses was carried out through a succession of experiments: biocidal in vitro tests enabled checking for any fungicidal activities, glasshouse experiments allowed determination of the efficacy of a given compound in protecting wheat against STB, and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction biomolecular tests investigated the relative expression of 23 defense genes in treated versus untreated plants. Therefore, we demonstrated that λ-carrageenan, CpG-ODN, glycine betaine, S. platensis, and ergosterol are potential elicitors of wheat defenses. Foliar treatment with these compounds conferred protection of wheat by up to approximately 70% against Z. tritici under semicontrolled conditions and induced both salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid-dependent signaling pathways in the plant. These findings contribute to extending the narrow list of potential elicitors of wheat defenses against Z. tritici.
Delivery of a TNF‐α–derived peptide by nanoparticles enhances its antitumor activity by inducing cell‐cycle arrest and caspase‐dependent apoptosis
Authors: Yan Qiuxia , Chen Xueming , Gong Huizhen , Qiu Pei , Xiao Xing , Dang Shiying , Hong An , Ma Yi
Published: August 2018

Prostate cancer is the second‐most common malignancy of the male genitourinary system. TNF‐α has attracted intense attention as a potential therapeutic agent against various cancers. However, its therapeutic application is restricted by short half life and severe toxic side‐effects. In this study, we constructed a stable nanodrug called TNF‐α–derived polypeptide (P16)‐conjugated, chitosan (CTS)‐modified selenium nanoparticle (SC; SCP), which is composed of SC as a slow‐release carrier conjugated to P16. SCP had significant inhibitory effects on multiple types of tumor cells, especially DU145 prostate cancer cells, but not on RWPE‐1 normal human prostate epithelial cells. SCP could induce G0/G1 cell‐cycle arrest and apoptosis in DU145 cells more effectively than could P16 and TNF‐α. In DU145 xenograft tumor models, SCP exerted much stronger antitumor effects than P16 or estramustine (the clinical drug for prostate cancer) but caused fewer toxic side‐effects. In addition, SCP significantly inhibited proliferation and accelerated apoptosis in DU145 xenograft tumors. Further mechanistic studies revealed that SCP exerted antitumor effects via activation of the p38 MAPK/JNK pathway, thus inducing G0/G1 cell‐cycle arrest and caspase‐dependent apoptosis. These findings suggest that SCP may represent a potential long‐lasting therapeutic agent for human prostate cancer with fewer side effects.—Yan, Q., Chen, X., Gong H., Qiu, P., Xiao, X., Dang S., Hong A., Ma, Y. Delivery of a TNF‐α–derived peptide by nanoparticles enhances its antitumor activity by inducing cell‐cycle arrest and caspase‐dependent apoptosis. FASEB J. 32, 6948–6964 (2018). www.fasebj.org
Long-Term Outcomes of Drug-Eluting Stents Versus Bare-Metal Stents in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Dialysis
Authors: Khera Sahil , Villablanca Pedro A. , Kolte Dhaval , Gupta Tanush , Hasan Khan Mohammed , Velagapudi Poonam , Kalra Ankur , Kleiman Neal , Aronow Herbert D. , Abbott J. Dawn , Rosenfield Kenneth , Drachman Douglas E. , Bangalore Sripal , Bhatt Deepak L. , Naidu Srihari S.
Published: August 2018

There are no dedicated data to guide drug-eluting stent (DES) versus bare-metal stent (BMS) selection in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis (ESRD-D). It is unclear whether long-term benefits of a specific stent type outweigh risks in this population at high risk for both bleeding and ischemic events. We performed a meta-analysis of nonrandomized studies extracted from PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE, assessing the safety and effectiveness of DES versus BMS in ESRD-D patients. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed with the Mantel–Haenszel method. Random-effects model was used for all analyses. A total of 17 nonrandomized studies (N = 63,157; 41,621 DES and 21,536 BMS) met the inclusion criteria and were included for the final quantitative analysis: median follow-up of 1 year (range: 9 months to 6 years). The use of DES in ESRD-D patients was associated with lower all-cause mortality (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.64–0.89, P < 0.001) compared with BMS. The use of DES was also associated with lower rates of cardiovascular mortality (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.60–0.99, P = 0.047) and target lesion/vessel revascularization (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.64–0.94, P = 0.01). However, there were no differences in noncardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, stroke, or major bleeding in DES versus BMS. In this largest meta-analysis of long-term outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention in ESRD-D patients, DES was associated with lower rates of all-cause mortality, target lesion/vessel revascularization, and cardiovascular death.
A Case of Late Spontaneous Post–Radial Keratotomy Corneal Perforation Managed With Specialty Lenses
Authors: Van den Heurck Jonas , Boven Kim , Anthonissen Lieselotte , Van Hoey Maarten , Koppen Carina
Published: August 2018

Purpose:

To describe a case of spontaneous wound dehiscence 29 years after radial keratotomy (RK) and to illustrate how specialty contact lenses were used for tectonic support and optic correction.

Setting:

Tertiary referral center for corneal pathology.

Design:

Case report.

Results:

In November 2014, a 62-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with a spontaneous corneal perforation in her left eye. Her ocular history was significant only for uncomplicated RK surgery performed in 1985 to correct myopia (−5.50 D) in both eyes. At the slit-lamp pronounced, bullous edema was seen in the inferotemporal quadrant of the left cornea with internal opening of the 3.30- and 5-o'clock positions incisions and severe localized thinning and aqueous leakage at the 5-o'clock position incision. There was no history of trauma. A conservative approach was adopted: application of a standard bandage lens was effective in tamponading the leakage, allowing the anterior chamber to reform; a custom-made soft lens was worn for tectonic support over a period of 4 months. Finally, visual acuity was restored to 20/20—by fitting a scleral lens.

Conclusion:

Spontaneous corneal perforation is a rare but more dramatic long-term complication after RK. The pivotal role of appropriately fitted soft bandage lenses in the conservative management of this type of complex perforation is highlighted. For optical correction, a scleral lens was fitted with excellent visual result, illustrating the added value of specialty contact lenses as an alternative to surgery in the management of postrefractive corneas.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for autoimmune diseases: more than just prolonged immunosuppression
Authors: Tyndall Alan
Published: August 2018

Purpose of review

To summarize the current clinical experience in the use of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in autoimmune disease and to explore the concept of durable remission induction and tissue de-remodeling via restoration of normal niche function and “immune reset."

Recent findings

Controlled clinical trials in systemic sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and Crohn's disease as well as extensive uncontrolled trial and registry data have established the unique role of HSCT in selected cases. Although HSCT for multiple sclerosis and systemic sclerosis has recently entered several official treatment guidelines, mechanistic studies are few but indicate some possible modes of action, for example, increase of regulatory T cells. Toxicity of HSCT remains high but is improving with protocol modifications and more precise patient selection.

For the first time, it has been demonstrated that strategies exist which may permanently reprogram an autoaggressive immune system to one of self-tolerance independent of ongoing immunosuppression. In addition, some tissues have the capacity to repair damage via normal regenerative processes. The exact mechanism(s) as to how this is achieved in certain cases and not others are emerging. Such knowledge, together with adoption of recently developed less toxic and more targeted regimens from the hematology/oncology field may translate to a safer yet still effective treatment for autoimmune disease.
Construct Validity of the Multi-Source Interference Task to Examine Attention in Heart Failure
Authors: Jung Miyeon , Jonides John , Berman Marc G. , Northouse Laurel , Koelling Todd M. , Pressler Susan J.
Published: August 2018

Background

Patients with heart failure (HF) are at risk of cognitive dysfunction, including decreased directed attention. Directed attention is critical for performing daily activities including HF self-care by facilitating one to follow instructions or train-of-thought when there are interferences in which presented stimuli are in conflict with one another. The Multi-Source Interference Task (MSIT) is a computerized neuropsychological test that examines the function of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, the neurological substrate for directed attention. However, the MSIT has not been used in past HF studies.

Objective

The purpose of the study was to examine construct validity of the MSIT in HF.

Methods

Baseline data were obtained from a cognitive intervention study among patients with HF (n = 22) and age- and education-matched healthy adults (n = 20). Construct validity was evaluated using t tests to examine differences between patients with HF and healthy adults and congruent and incongruent MSIT trials. Pearson’s correlations were computed to examine relationships between the MSIT and Trail-Making Test, Stroop Test, and Attentional Function Index.

Results

Compared with healthy adults, patients with HF demonstrated worse performance (i.e., slower response times and higher error rates) on MSIT. Patients with HF had worse performance on MSIT incongruent trials than congruent trials. Interference z scores of MSIT did not correlate with Trail-Making Tests A and B and Stroop Test interference z scores, but the MSIT interference z scores correlated with perceived attention function measured by Attentional Function Index.

Discussion

Construct validity of the MSIT was supported, in part, among patients with HF. The MSIT is a sensitive measure of detecting worse directed attention among patients with HF compared with healthy adults. The preliminary findings support the use of the MSIT as a measure of directed attention in HF. Confirmation is warranted for current findings in larger samples.
Machine Learning Methods for Identifying Critical Data Elements in Nursing Documentation
Authors: Bose Eliezer , Maganti Sasank , Bowles Kathryn H. , Brueshoff Bonnie L. , Monsen Karen A.
Published: August 2018

Background

Public health nurses (PHNs) engage in home visiting services and documentation of care services for at-risk clients. To increase efficiency and decrease documentation burden, it would be useful for PHNs to identify critical data elements most associated with patient care priorities and outcomes. Machine learning techniques can aid in retrospective identification of critical data elements.

Objective

We used two different machine learning feature selection techniques of minimum redundancy–maximum relevance (mRMR) and LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) and elastic net regularized generalized linear model (glmnetin R).

Methods

We demonstrated application of these techniques on the Omaha System database of 205 data elements (features) with a cohort of 756 family home visiting clients who received at least one visit from PHNs in a local Midwest public health agency. A dichotomous maternal risk index served as the outcome for feature selection.

Application

UsingmRMRas a feature selection technique, out of 206 features, 50 features were selected with scores greater than zero, and generalized linear model applied on the 50 features achieved highest accuracy of 86.2% on a held-out test set. Usingglmnetas a feature selection technique and obtaining feature importance, 63 features had importance scores greater than zero, and generalized linear model applied on them achieved the highest accuracy of 95.5% on a held-out test set.

Discussion

Feature selection techniques show promise toward reducing public health nursing documentation burden by identifying the most critical data elements needed to predict risk status. Further studies to refine the process of feature selection can aid in informing PHNs’ focus on client-specific and targeted interventions in the delivery of care.