bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endogenous Tumor Suppressor microRNA-193b: Therapeutic and Prognostic Value in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Bhayadia Raj , Krowiorz Kathrin , Haetscher Nadine , Jammal Razan , Emmrich Stephan , Obulkasim Askar , Fiedler Jan , Schwarzer Adrian , Rouhi Arefeh , Heuser Michael , Wingert Susanne , Bothur Sabrina , Döhner Konstanze , Mätzig Tobias , Ng Michelle , Reinhardt Dirk , Döhner Hartmut , Zwaan C. Michel , van den Heuvel Eibrink Marry , Heckl Dirk , Fornerod Maarten , Thum Thomas , Humphries R. Keith , Rieger Michael A. , Kuchenbauer Florian , Klusmann Jan-Henning
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Dysregulated microRNAs are implicated in the pathogenesis and aggressiveness of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We describe the effect of the hematopoietic stem-cell self-renewal regulating miR-193b on progression and prognosis of AML.

Methods

We profiled miR-193b-5p/3p expression in cytogenetically and clinically characterized de novo pediatric AML (n = 161) via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and validated our findings in an independent cohort of 187 adult patients. We investigated the tumor suppressive function of miR-193b in human AML blasts, patient-derived xenografts, and miR-193b knockout mice in vitro and in vivo.

Results

miR-193b exerted important, endogenous, tumor-suppressive functions on the hematopoietic system. miR-193b-3p was downregulated in several cytogenetically defined subgroups of pediatric and adult AML, and low expression served as an independent indicator for poor prognosis in pediatric AML (risk ratio ± standard error, −0.56 ± 0.23; P = .016). miR-193b-3p expression improved the prognostic value of the European LeukemiaNet risk-group stratification or a 17-gene leukemic stemness score. In knockout mice, loss of miR-193b cooperated with Hoxa9/Meis1 during leukemogenesis, whereas restoring miR-193b expression impaired leukemic engraftment. Similarly, expression of miR-193b in AML blasts from patients diminished leukemic growth in vitro and in mouse xenografts. Mechanistically, miR-193b induced apoptosis and a G1/S-phase block in various human AML subgroups by targeting multiple factors of the KIT-RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK (MAPK) signaling cascade and the downstream cell cycle regulator CCND1.

Conclusion

The tumor-suppressive function is independent of patient age or genetics; therefore, restoring miR-193b would assure high antileukemic efficacy by blocking the entire MAPK signaling cascade while preventing the emergence of resistance mechanisms.
Phase I Study of DNX-2401 (Delta-24-RGD) Oncolytic Adenovirus: Replication and Immunotherapeutic Effects in Recurrent Malignant Glioma
Authors: Lang Frederick F. , Conrad Charles , Gomez-Manzano Candelaria , Yung W.K. Alfred , Sawaya Raymond , Weinberg Jeffrey S. , Prabhu Sujit S. , Rao Ganesh , Fuller Gregory N. , Aldape Kenneth D. , Gumin Joy , Vence Luis M. , Wistuba Ignacio , Rodriguez-Canales Jaime , Villalobos Pamela A. , Dirven Clemens M.F. , Tejada Sonia , Valle Ricardo D. , Alonso Marta M. , Ewald Brett , Peterkin Joanna J. , Tufaro Frank , Fueyo Juan
Published: February 2018

Purpose

DNX-2401 (Delta-24-RGD; tasadenoturev) is a tumor-selective, replication-competent oncolytic adenovirus. Preclinical studies demonstrated antiglioma efficacy, but the effects and mechanisms of action have not been evaluated in patients.

Methods

A phase I, dose-escalation, biologic-end-point clinical trial of DNX-2401 was conducted in 37 patients with recurrent malignant glioma. Patients received a single intratumoral injection of DNX-2401 into biopsy-confirmed recurrent tumor to evaluate safety and response across eight dose levels (group A). To investigate the mechanism of action, a second group of patients (group B) underwent intratumoral injection through a permanently implanted catheter, followed 14 days later by en bloc resection to acquire post-treatment specimens.

Results

In group A (n = 25), 20% of patients survived > 3 years from treatment, and three patients had a ≥ 95% reduction in the enhancing tumor (12%), with all three of these dramatic responses resulting in > 3 years of progression-free survival from the time of treatment. Analyses of post-treatment surgical specimens (group B, n = 12) showed that DNX-2401 replicates and spreads within the tumor, documenting direct virus-induced oncolysis in patients. In addition to radiographic signs of inflammation, histopathologic examination of immune markers in post-treatment specimens showed tumor infiltration by CD8+ and T-bet+ cells, and transmembrane immunoglobulin mucin-3 downregulation after treatment. Analyses of patient-derived cell lines for damage-associated molecular patterns revealed induction of immunogenic cell death in tumor cells after DNX-2401 administration.

Conclusion

Treatment with DNX-2401 resulted in dramatic responses with long-term survival in recurrent high-grade gliomas that are probably due to direct oncolytic effects of the virus followed by elicitation of an immune-mediated antiglioma response.
Self-organizing periodicity in development: organ positioning in plants
Authors: Bhatia Neha , Heisler Marcus G.
Published: February 2018

Periodic patterns during development often occur spontaneously through a process of self-organization. While reaction-diffusion mechanisms are often invoked, other types of mechanisms that involve cell-cell interactions and mechanical buckling have also been identified. Phyllotaxis, or the positioning of plant organs, has emerged as an excellent model system to study the self-organization of periodic patterns. At the macro scale, the regular spacing of organs on the growing plant shoot gives rise to the typical spiral and whorled arrangements of plant organs found in nature. In turn, this spacing relies on complex patterns of cell polarity that involve feedback between a signaling molecule – the plant hormone auxin – and its polar, cell-to-cell transport. Here, we review recent progress in understanding phyllotaxis and plant cell polarity and highlight the development of new tools that can help address the remaining gaps in our understanding.
Mapping human development at single-cell resolution
Authors: Behjati Sam , Lindsay Susan , Teichmann Sarah A. , Haniffa Muzlifah
Published: February 2018

Human development is regulated by spatiotemporally restricted molecular programmes and is pertinent to many areas of basic biology and human medicine, such as stem cell biology, reproductive medicine and childhood cancer. Mapping human development has presented significant technological, logistical and ethical challenges. The availability of established human developmental biorepositories and the advent of cutting-edge single-cell technologies provide new opportunities to study human development. Here, we present a working framework for the establishment of a human developmental cell atlas exploiting single-cell genomics and spatial analysis. We discuss how the development atlas will benefit the scientific and clinical communities to advance our understanding of basic biology, health and disease.
A ‘molecular guillotine’ reveals the interphase function of Kinesin-5
Authors: Lv Zhiyi , Rosenbaum Jan , Aspelmeier Timo , Großhans Jörg
Published: February 2018

Motor proteins are important for transport and force generation in a variety of cellular processes and in morphogenesis. Here, we describe a general strategy for conditional motor mutants by inserting a protease cleavage site into the ‘neck’ between the head domain and the stalk of the motor protein, making the protein susceptible to proteolytic cleavage at the neck by the corresponding protease. To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, we inserted the cleavage site of the tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease into the neck of the tetrameric motor Kinesin-5. Application of TEV protease led to a specific depletion and functional loss of Kinesin-5 in Drosophila embryos. With our approach, we revealed that Kinesin-5 stabilizes the microtubule network during interphase in syncytial embryos. The ‘molecular guillotine’ can potentially be applied to many motor proteins because Kinesins and myosins have conserved structures with accessible neck regions.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
The Golgi ribbon in mammalian cells negatively regulates autophagy by modulating mTOR activity
Authors: Gosavi Prajakta , Houghton Fiona J. , McMillan Paul J. , Hanssen Eric , Gleeson Paul A.
Published: February 2018

In vertebrates, individual Golgi stacks are joined into a compact ribbon structure; however, the relevance of a ribbon structure has been elusive. Here, we exploit the finding that the membrane tether of the trans-Golgi network, GCC88 (encoded by GCC1), regulates the balance between Golgi mini-stacks and the Golgi ribbon. Loss of Golgi ribbons in stable cells overexpressing GCC88 resulted in compromised mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and a dramatic increase in LC3-II-positive autophagosomes, whereas RNAi-mediated depletion of GCC88 restored the Golgi ribbon and reduced autophagy. mTOR was absent from dispersed Golgi mini-stacks whereas recruitment of mTOR to lysosomes was unaffected. We show that the Golgi ribbon is a site for localization and activation of mTOR, a process dependent on the ribbon structure. We demonstrate a strict temporal sequence of fragmentation of Golgi ribbon, loss of Golgi mTOR and subsequent increased autophagy. Golgi ribbon fragmentation has been reported in various neurodegenerative diseases and we demonstrate the potential relevance of our findings in neuronal cells using a model of neurodegeneration. Overall, this study highlights a role for the Golgi ribbon in pathways central to cellular homeostasis.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
New techniques, applications and perspectives in neuropeptide research
Authors: DeLaney Kellen , Buchberger Amanda R. , Atkinson Louise , Gründer Stefan , Mousley Angela , Li Lingjun
Published: February 2018

Neuropeptides are one of the most diverse classes of signaling molecules and have attracted great interest over the years owing to their roles in regulation of a wide range of physiological processes. However, there are unique challenges associated with neuropeptide studies stemming from the highly variable molecular sizes of the peptides, low in vivo concentrations, high degree of structural diversity and large number of isoforms. As a result, much effort has been focused on developing new techniques for studying neuropeptides, as well as novel applications directed towards learning more about these endogenous peptides. The areas of importance for neuropeptide studies include structure, localization within tissues, interaction with their receptors, including ion channels, and physiological function. Here, we discuss these aspects and the associated techniques, focusing on technologies that have demonstrated potential in advancing the field in recent years. Most identification and structural information has been gained by mass spectrometry, either alone or with confirmations from other techniques, such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and other spectroscopic tools. While mass spectrometry and bioinformatic tools have proven to be the most powerful for large-scale analyses, they still rely heavily on complementary methods for confirmation. Localization within tissues, for example, can be probed by mass spectrometry imaging, immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassays. Functional information has been gained primarily from behavioral studies coupled with tissue-specific assays, electrophysiology, mass spectrometry and optogenetic tools. Concerning the receptors for neuropeptides, the discovery of ion channels that are directly gated by neuropeptides opens up the possibility of developing a new generation of tools for neuroscience, which could be used to monitor neuropeptide release or to specifically change the membrane potential of neurons. It is expected that future neuropeptide research will involve the integration of complementary bioanalytical technologies and functional assays.
DRUID: a pipeline for transcriptome-wide measurements of mRNA stability
Authors: Lugowski Andrew , Nicholson Beth , Rissland Olivia S.
Published: February 2018

Control of messenger RNA (mRNA) stability is an important aspect of gene regulation. The gold standard for measuring mRNA stability transcriptome-wide uses metabolic labeling, biochemical isolation of labeled RNA populations, and high-throughput sequencing. However, difficult normalization procedures have inhibited widespread adoption of this approach. Here, we present DRUID (for determination of rates using intron dynamics), a new computational pipeline that is robust, easy to use, and freely available. Our pipeline uses endogenous introns to normalize time course data and yields reproducible half-lives, even with data sets that were otherwise unusable. DRUID can handle data sets from a variety of organisms, spanning yeast to humans, and we even applied it retroactively on published data sets. We anticipate that DRUID will allow broad application of metabolic labeling for studies of transcript stability.
Μετασχηματισμοί του ελληνικού συνδικαλιστικού κινήματος από τη μεταπολίτευση μέχρι την κρίση: συνέχειες και ρήξεις
Authors: Μπιθυμήτρης (Giorgos Bithymitris) Γιώργος , Κωτσονόπουλος (Loudovikos Kotsonopoulos) Λουδοβίκος
Published: February 2018

Με το παρόν άρθρο επιχειρείται μία εναλλακτική περιοδολόγηση του μεταπολιτευτικού συνδικαλισμού, επιλέγοντας, πρώτον, να οριοθετήσουμε το θεσμικό περιβάλλον υιοθετώντας μία δυναμική ανάγνωση της δομής εκπροσώπησης συμφερόντων και, δεύτερον να μελετήσουμε τον συνδικαλισμό ως προς τρεις στιγμές: την ταξική στιγμή των πρώτων μεταπολιτευτικών χρόνων, ۠τη δικαιωματική στιγμή της δεκαετίας του ’80, και την ευρωπαϊκή στιγμή, η οποία σηματοδοτεί αναβάθμιση της strictosensu οικονομικής λειτουργίας, εις βάρος της πολιτικής-κοινωνικής. Ο εργατικός ριζοσπαστισμός των αρχών της κρίσης, στερούμενος ενός συνεκτικού εγχειρήματος αναζωογόνησης, και όντας σε εχθρικό περιβάλλον, αδυνατεί να καταστεί ηγεμονικός, με αρνητικές συνέπειες και για τις τρεις λειτουργίες του συνδικαλιστικού κινήματος (οικονομική, κοινωνική, πολιτική).
Psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for the treatment of cannabis use disorder
Authors: Sabioni Pamela , Le Foll Bernard
Published: February 2018

Cannabis use has been continuously increasing, and cannabis use disorder (CUD) has become a public health issue. Some psychosocial interventions have demonstrated the ability to reduce cannabis use; however, there are no pharmacotherapies approved for the treatment of CUD. Some drugs have shown limited positive effects on use and withdrawal symptoms, but no controlled studies have been able to show strong and persistent effects on clinically meaningful outcomes. The aim of this review is to synthesize the evidence from the available literature regarding the effectiveness of psychosocial and pharmacological treatments for CUD among adults (that is, 18 years old or older). An analysis of the evidence shows that the current best psychosocial intervention to reduce cannabis use is the combination of motivational enhancement therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy, preferably accompanied by a contingency management approach. In regard to pharmacological interventions, there are mostly unclear findings. Some drugs, such as CB1 agonists, gabapentin, and N-acetylcysteine, have been shown to produce improvements in some symptoms of CUD in single studies, but these have not been replicated. Other classes of medications, including antidepressants and antipsychotics, have been unsuccessful in producing such effects. There is an imminent need for more clinical trials to develop more effective treatments for CUD.
Machine learning from fetal flow waveforms to predict adverse perinatal outcomes: a study protocol
Authors: Hoodbhoy Zahra , Hasan Babar , Jehan Fyezah , Bijnens Bart , Chowdhury Devyani
Published: February 2018

Background: In Pakistan, stillbirth rates and early neonatal mortality rates are amongst the highest in the world. The aim of this study is to provide proof of concept for using a computational model of fetal haemodynamics, combined with machine learning. This model will be based on Doppler patterns of the fetal cardiovascular, cerebral and placental flows with the goal to identify those fetuses at increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes such as stillbirth, perinatal mortality and other neonatal morbidities.

Methods: This will be prospective one group cohort study which will be conducted in Ibrahim Hyderi, a peri-urban settlement in south east of Karachi. The eligibility criteria include pregnant women between 22-34 weeks who reside in the study area. Once enrolled, in addition to the performing fetal ultrasound to obtain Dopplers, data on socio-demographic, maternal anthropometry, haemoglobin and cardiotocography will be obtained on the pregnant women.

Discussion: The machine learning approach for predicting adverse perinatal outcomes obtained from the current study will be validated in a larger population at the next stage. The data will allow for early interventions to improve perinatal outcomes.
Stage 1 Registered Report: Variation in neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with sex chromosome trisomies: protocol for a test of the double hit hypothesis
Authors: Newbury Dianne F. , Simpson Nuala H. , Thompson Paul A. , Bishop Dorothy V. M.
Published: February 2018

Background: The presence of an extra sex chromosome is associated with an increased rate of neurodevelopmental difficulties involving language. Group averages, however, obscure a wide range of outcomes.

Hypothesis: The 'double hit' hypothesis proposes that the adverse impact of the extra sex chromosome is amplified when genes that are expressed from the sex chromosomes interact with autosomal variants that usually have only mild effects. Neuroligin-4 genes are expressed from X and Y chromosomes; they play an important role in synaptic development and have been implicated in neurodevelopment. We predict that the impact of an additional sex chromosome on neurodevelopment will be correlated with common autosomal variants involved in related synaptic functions.

 We describe here an analysis plan for testing this hypothesis using existing data. The analysis of genotype-phenotype associations will be conducted after this plan is published and peer-reviewed

Methods: Neurodevelopmental data and DNA are available for 130 children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs: 42 girls with trisomy X, 43 boys with Klinefelter syndrome, and 45 boys with XYY). Children from a twin study using the same phenotype measures will form two comparison groups (Ns = 184 and 186). Three indicators of a neurodevelopment disorder phenotype will be used: (i) Standard score on a test of nonword repetition; (ii). A language factor score derived from a test battery; (iii) A general scale of neurodevelopmental challenges based on all available information. Autosomal genes were identified by literature search on the basis of prior association with (a) speech/language/reading phenotypes and (b) synaptic function. Preselected regions of two genes scoring high on both criteria, CNTNAP2 and NRXN1, will be tested for association with neurodevelopmental outcomes using Generalised Structural Component Analysis. We predict the association with one or both genes will be detectable in children with SCTs and stronger than in the comparison samples.
INFLUENCE OF MICROELEMENTS AND MINERAL FERTILIZERS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF SPRING WHEAT GRAINS
Authors: Амиров Марат , Amirov Marat
Published: February 2018

The search for optimal doses, the timing of fertilizers application, taking into account the needs of plants in macro- and microelements and its content in soil, remains topical. Our studies were devoted to the study of the effect of mineral fertilizers in combination with presowing seed treatment with microelements on the spring soft wheat productivity. Field experiments were laid on gray forest soils in 2016-2017, on the experimental field of Kazan State Agrarian University. In the years of research, the payment of one kilogram of the active ingredient of applied mineral fertilizer on the background with application of 176 kg of active ingredient per hectare on control was 6.14 kg of grain, when using Mikromak A, B it increased to 6.87 kg, when used Micromak A, B together with fungicide raised up to 7.78 kg of grain.
Barco Implements Platform-Based Product Development in Its Healthcare Division
Authors: Boute Robert N. , Van den Broeke Maud M. , Deneire Kristof A.
Published: February 2018

In this article, we present how Barco, a global technology company, used an operations research optimization model, which was supported by an efficient solution method, to implement platforms—common structures from which sets of products could be made—for the design and production of its high-tech medical displays. Our optimization model captures all cost aspects related to the use of platforms; thus, it is an objective tool that considers the input from marketing, sales, research and development (R&D), operations, and the supply chain. This comprehensive view allowed Barco to avoid the excessive costs that may result from the implementation of an incorrect platform. Our model supported Barco in determining the elements that should comprise each platform, the number of platforms to develop, and the products to derive from each platform. The results of the project led to reductions in safety stock and increased flexibility due to the use of platforms: R&D can now introduce twice as many products using the same resources, thus increasing Barco’s earnings by more than five million euros annually and reducing product introduction time by nearly 50 percent.
American Red Cross Uses Analytics-Based Methods to Improve Blood-Collection Operations
Authors: Ayer Turgay , Zhang Can , Zeng Chenxi , White Chelsea C. , Joseph V. Roshan , Deck Mary , Lee Kevin , Moroney Diana , Ozkaynak Zeynep
Published: February 2018

In this study, we describe a regional-level cryoprecipitate (cryo)-collection project at the American Red Cross Southern Region, one of the 36 Red Cross regions in the United States, which serves more than 120 hospitals in the Southern part of the country. Managing collections for cryo units is particularly challenging because producing cryo requires the collected whole blood to be processed within 8 hours after collection; for all other blood products, this time constraint is at least 24 hours. This project focuses on dynamically determining when and from which mobile collection sites the American Red Cross Southern Region should collect whole blood for cryo production, such that it meets its weekly collection targets and minimizes its collection costs. To solve this problem, we developed a new collection model, which allows different types of collections at the same collection site and developed a dynamic programming approach to solve the problem to near optimality. Analyzing the dynamic programming results led us to create a greedy-algorithm heuristic, which we implemented in a decision support tool (DST) to systematize the selection of the collection sites. The implementation of the DST in the Red Cross Southern Region resulted in an increase in the number of whole blood units that can be shipped back to the production facility and processed within eight hours after collection. During the fourth quarter of 2016, this facility processed about 1,000 more units of cryo per month (an increase of 20 percent) at a slightly lower collection cost, resulting in an approximately 40 percent reduction in the per-unit collection cost for cryo. Based on the successful implementation in the Southern Region, the American Red Cross also implemented our DST in its St. Louis facility and plans to implement it at its 10 other cryo production facilities.
A Novel Movement Planner System for Dispatching Trains
Authors: Bollapragada Srinivas , Markley Randall , Morgan Heath , Telatar Erdem , Wills Scott , Samuels Mason , Bieringer Jerod , Garbiras Marc , Orrigo Giampaolo , Ehlers Fred , Turnipseed Charlie , Brantley Jay
Published: February 2018

General Electric Company (GE) partnered with Norfolk Southern Railroad (NS) to create and implement an optimization algorithm-based software system that dispatches thousands of trains in real time, increases their average speed, and allows NS to realize annual savings in the hundreds of millions of dollars. NS handles a range of rail traffic that includes intermodal, automobile transport, manifest freight, and passenger, all with unique priorities and scheduling requirements. Previously, dispatching for each geographic area was managed manually from regional dispatch centers and did not encompass a view of the entire rail network. The algorithm that we developed incorporates data about the properties of the rail networks (e.g., track layout, speed restrictions, height and weight restrictions), data about the trains (e.g., schedules, operating costs, train characteristics), and additional activities associated with train dispatching, such as crew changes and inspections. In doing so, we created a novel system to manage all train dispatching, increased the average speed of trains by two miles per hour, and decreased operating costs, while significantly improving schedule adherence and crew expirations. Every mile-per-hour increase in average speed translates to $200 million savings in capital and operational expenses annually for NS. GE is currently implementing this system at two other railroads and is gaining additional important benefits from the project.
Liquidity, Risk Measures, and Concentration of Measure
Authors: Lacker Daniel
Published: February 2018

This paper studies curves of the form (ρ(λX))λ≥0, called risk profiles, where ρ is a convex risk measure and X a random variable. Financially, this captures the sensitivity of risk to the size of the investment in X, which the original axiomatic foundations of convex risk measures suggest to interpret as liquidity risk. The shape of a risk profile is intimately linked with the tail behavior of X for some notable classes of risk measures, namely shortfall risk measures and optimized certainty equivalents, and shares many useful features with cumulant generating functions. Exploiting this link leads to tractable necessary and sufficient conditions for pointwise bounds on risk profiles, which we call concentration inequalities. These inequalities admit useful dual representations related to transport inequalities, and this leads to efficient uniform bounds for risk profiles for large classes of X. Several interesting mathematical results emerge from this analysis, including a new perspective on nonexponential concentration estimates and some peculiar characterizations of classical transport inequalities. Lastly, the analysis is deepened by means of a surprising connection between time consistency properties of law invariant risk measures and the tensorization of concentration inequalities.
Infinite-Horizon Average Optimality of the N-Network in the Halfin–Whitt Regime
Authors: Arapostathis Ari , Pang Guodong
Published: February 2018

We study the infinite-horizon optimal control problem for N-network queueing systems, which consists of two customer classes and two server pools, under average (ergodic) criteria in the Halfin–Whitt regime. We consider three control objectives: (1) minimizing the queueing (and idleness) cost, (2) minimizing the queueing cost while imposing a constraint on idleness at each server pool, and (3) minimizing the queueing cost while requiring fairness on idleness. The running costs can be any nonnegative convex functions having at most polynomial growth. For all three problems, we establish asymptotic optimality; namely, the convergence of the value functions of the diffusion-scaled state process to the corresponding values of the controlled diffusion limit. We also present a simple state-dependent priority scheduling policy under which the diffusion-scaled state process is geometrically ergodic in the Halfin–Whitt regime, and some results on convergence of mean empirical measures, which facilitate the proofs.
Using personalized teaching and learning to improve clinical performance
Authors: Sandars John , Patel Rakesh
Published: February 2018

The intention of personalized teaching and learning to improve clinical performance is the optimization of individual performance across a variety of tasks in different environments. Educational interventions need to have a focus on the assessment and feedback of both outcome and process of performance. An essential component of the assessment and feedback on the process of performance is how ‘the will’ and ‘the skill’ are dynamically adapted by the individual through self-regulated learning processes. Microanalysis can identify the key self-regulated learning processes and the findings used to inform self-regulated learning enhanced feedback for personalized teaching and learning. The experience of the authors in using self-regulated learning enhanced feedback for optimizing performance in prescribing by junior doctors is discussed.
Customizable pre-printed consent forms: a solution in light of the Montgomery ruling
Authors: Owen Deborah , Aresti Nick , Mulligan Alex , Kosuge Dennis
Published: February 2018

Introduction:

This article presents an audit cycle supported quality improvement project addressing best practice in the consent process for lower limb arthroplasty which takes into account the new standard in surgical consent and the importance of material risks.

Methods:

50 consecutive total hip and total knee replacement consent forms over a 3-month period were reviewed for legibility and completeness. Following the introduction of a new, pre-printed but customizable consent form the review process was repeated.

Results:

The introduction of a customizable, pre-printed consent form that can be adjusted to reflect the individualized material risks of each patient increased legibility, reduced inappropriate human error variation and abolished the use of abbreviations and medical jargon.

Conclusions:

When used as part of an extended consent process, the authors feel that the use of pre-printed but customizable consent forms improves legibility, completeness and consistency and also provides the ability to highlight those complications that are of particular importance for that patient to satisfy the new accepted standard in surgical consent.
Call to use FSM history to better target Pupil Premium
Authors: Henshaw Pete
Published: February 2018

Report on education in the North recommends linking the length of time a child is on FSM to higher levels of Pupil Premium cash
Prevent: A curriculum issue?
Authors: Lundie David
Published: February 2018

Earlier this year, a report into multi-agency Prevent work suggested a shift in focus for this agenda in schools. Author Professor David Lundie sets out his findings
Teaching languages
Authors: O'Farrell Suzanne
Published: February 2018

Language education is under pressure at a time when language learning could not be more important for the next generation. Suzanne O'Farrell gives us some tips for teaching languages, and issues a rallying call…
Education and marriage: the shift from female hypergamy to hypogamy in Belgium, a 20th century cohort analysis
Authors: Nomes Eli , Van Bavel Jan
Published: February 2018

One of the key social trends of the 20th century has been the expansion of participation in education. Using detailed retrospective information from the 1981 and 2001 censuses, this paper investigates how this expansion is associated with major trends in nuptiality in Belgium. We focus specifically on the changing gender balance in education and how this is related to the likelihood and timing of marriage and to patterns of educational assortative mating. Our empirical analysis shows that marriage was getting more universal, happening at an earlier age and more often heterogamous in term of education over the cohorts born in the first half of the 20th century. In younger cohorts, when women’s levels of education caught up with men’s, the age at marriage as well as the degree of homogamy increased again. Homogamy remained dominant throughout, but while women tended to marry men who were at least as highly educated as themselves until the 1950s cohorts, in more recent cohorts, women have tended to marry men who are at most as highly educated as themselves. Hypogamy is now the second most common pattern, after homogamy. Controlling for changes in the distribution of educational attainment by applying a log-linear model, we find that part of the changes in assortative mating in Belgium may be explained by changes in mate preferences regarding education. Finally, we find that hypogamous marriages tend to be contracted at later ages than homogamous or hypergamous ones.
On Hyers–Ulam stability of fractional differential equations with Prabhakar derivatives
Authors: Derakhshan Mohammad Hossein , Ansari Alireza
Published: February 2018

In this article, we study the Hyers–Ulam stability of the linear and nonlinear fractional differential equations with the Prabhakar derivative. By using the Laplace transform, we show that the introduced fractional differential equations with the Prabhakar fractional derivative is Hyers–Ulam stable. The results generalize the stability of ordinary and fractional differential equations in the Riemann–Liouville sense.
Sustainability of Riga 21st Century Apartment Complexes
Authors: Freimane Santa
Published: February 2018

The research focuses on the sustainability of Riga 21st century apartment complexes, including the context of Riga, as well as sustainability assessment, results of the survey and SWOT analysis. Theoretical studies as well as empiric research methods were used. Research results show that there are some weaknesses, which do not allow achieving the best results, and should be improved in order to increase sustainability of residential environment and the city.
Clinical study of a patient with congenital myotonic dystrophy reveals chylothorax as neonatal presentation of the disease
Authors: Valenzuela Irene , Linés Marcos , Martínez-Sáez Elena , Cueto-González Ana , Castillo Félix , Tizzano Eduardo
Published: February 2018

Congenital myotonic dystrophy type 1 presents with severe generalized weakness, hypotonia and respiratory involvement after birth with high mortality and poor outcome among survivors. We report on a patient that prenatally showed polyhydramnios and arthrogypotic attitude. Postnatal examination was compatible with the diagnosis of congenital myopathy. A rare finding associated with the patient was chylothorax. Genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis of myotonic dystrophy. Few prenatal and neonatal cases of congenital myotonic dystrophy associated with chylothorax have been reported in the literature. We reviewed all cases reported to date showing congenital myopathic weakness in association with chylothorax to delineate the clinical manifestations that allow an early diagnosis and management of this syndrome. Possible mechanisms to explain the association between myopathy and chylothorax are also discussed.
Comparison of Decisions Quality of Heuristic Methods with Limited Depth-First Search Techniques in the Graph Shortest Path Problem
Authors: Vatutin Eduard
Published: February 2018

The article deals with the problem of analysis of effectiveness of the heuristic methods with limited depth-first search techniques of decision obtaining in the test problem of getting the shortest path in graph. The article briefly describes the group of methods based on the limit of branches number of the combinatorial search tree and limit of analyzed subtree depth used to solve the problem. The methodology of comparing experimental data for the estimation of the quality of solutions based on the performing of computational experiments with samples of graphs with pseudo-random structure and selected vertices and arcs number using the BOINC platform is considered. It also shows description of obtained experimental results which allow to identify the areas of the preferable usage of selected subset of heuristic methods depending on the size of the problem and power of constraints. It is shown that the considered pair of methods is ineffective in the selected problem and significantly inferior to the quality of solutions that are provided by ant colony optimization method and its modification with combinatorial returns.
Earth-based construction material field tests characterization in the Alto Douro Wine Region
Authors: Cardoso Rui , Pinto Jorge , Paiva Anabela , Lanzinha João Carlos
Published: February 2018

The Alto Douro Wine Region, located in the northeast of Portugal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, presents an abundant vernacular building heritage. This building technology is based on a timber framed structure filled with a composite earth-based material. A lack of scientific studies related to this technology is evident, furthermore, principally in rural areas, this traditional building stock is highly deteriorated and damaged because of the rareness of conservation and strengthening works, which is partly related to the non-engineered character of this technology and to the knowledge loosed on that technique. Those aspects motivated the writing of this paper, whose main purpose is the physical and chemical characterization of the earth-based material applied in the tabique buildings of that region through field tests. Consequently, experimental work was conducted and the results obtained allowed, among others, the proposal of a series of adequate field tests. At our knowledge, this is the first time field tests are undertaken for tabique technology. This information will provide the means to assess the suitability of a given earth-based material with regards to this technology. The knowledge from this study could also be very useful for the development of future normative documents and as a reference for architects and engineers that work with this technology to guide and regulate future conservation, rehabilitation or construction processes helping to preserve this important legacy.
Fluorescence methods for estimation of post-fire response of pine needles
Authors: Gette Irina G. , Pakharkova Nina V. , Kosov Ivan V. , Bezkorovaynaya Irina N.
Published: February 2018

Forest fire represents one of the most serious abiotic stress factors that influence the function and productivity of ecosystems globally. Siberian pine forests are often exposed to forest fires, but they are not always harmful to them. This paper discusses the possibility of using fluorescent methods to assess the thermal effects on the assimilation apparatus of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles. The assimilation apparatus of pine needles was reestablished after exposure to convective, simulating the effect of ground fire heat flow, though the recovery rate depends on the impact force. The analysis of fast and delayed fluorescence characteristics revealed differences in the thermostability of the Scots pine needles showing certain modification of physiological processes in plants under the influence of stress factors with a positive acclimation effect. The Scots pine needles grown after ground fire are more resistant to the recurrent sublethal temperature, and this effect is maintained during the next growing season. This paper suggests that reforestation planning, particularly burning (low-intensity fire), will result in improved tree physiology that will lead to an increase in Scotch pine survival rate due to repeated heat stresses. Furthermore, the fluorescence method can be used to diagnose the thermic resilience of pine needle and assess high-temperature effects.
Energy production analysis of Common Reed – Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin.
Authors: Demko Jaroslav , Machava Ján , Saniga Miroslav
Published: February 2018

Slovakia is acountry with limited natural resources, therefore its essential task is to search for new renewable sources of energy to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. The results of research confirmed that the Common Reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin.) has considerable potential of phytomass production and energy storage (calorific value reached 17,448 J g−1 d.w.). Biomass production of Common Reed under natural conditions of the lower Liptov region reached 12.702 tons of a dry mater per hectare with the calculated energy storage of 221.622 GJ ha−1. The average biogas production was 351.31 l kg−1 of a dry matter of which the methane (CH4) content represents 185.21 l kg−1 (52.72%). With regards to the values of combustion heat, a calorific value and the production of methane it can also be noted that in case of Common Reed it is more profitable to focus on direct combustion of biomass than the production of biogas and methane.
Associations between health-related quality of life and body mass index in Portuguese adolescents: LabMed physical activity study
Authors: Evaristo Sofia , Moreira Carla , Santos Rute , Lopes Luís , Abreu Sandra , Agostinis-Sobrinho César , Oliveira-Santos José , Mota Jorge
Published: February 2018

Background

In adolescence there are several biological and physiological changes associated with overweight and obesity.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to analyze the associations between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and body mass index (BMI) in adolescents.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional analysis of 957 Portuguese adolescents (446 girls and 511 boys) aged 12–18 years. A series of variables were collected: (a) HRQoL was assessed using the KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaire; (b) socioeconomic status (SES) was measured using the Family Affluence Scale; (c) body composition (weigh, height) were measured and BMI was calculated and, (d) pubertal stage was assessed with Tanner stages; (e) the 20-m shuttle-run was used to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness. Regression models and mediation analysis were performed to assess the association between HRQoL and BMI.

Results

HRQoL was significantly higher in boys than girls (p < 0.05). The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 23.5% and 6.7% in girls, and 21.3% and 5% in boys, respectively. HRQoL was inversely and significantly associated with BMI in boys (B = −0.130; p < 0.05) and girls (B = −0.148; p < 0.05) after controlling for age, pubertal stage and SES. Cardiorespiratory fitness act as a full mediator variable on the relationship between BMI and HRQoL in adolescents (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that cardiorespiratory fitness acted as a full mediator in the relationship between BMI and HRQoL, in adolescents. Public health policies targeting a wealthy weight and an improved physical fitness level could be a strategy of particular interest for improving the HRQoL of adolescents.
Relationship between adaptation and self-esteem in addicted female prisoners in the south east of Iran
Authors: Torkaman Mahya , Miri Sakineh , Farokhzadian Jamileh
Published: February 2018

Background

Reduction of the adaptation and self-esteem can be the consequence of opium addiction and imprisonment. Drug use causes inappropriate behaviors in women, which are quite different from those in men. Social deviations, prostitution, high-risk sexual behaviors, abortion, divorce and imprisonment followed by loss of self-esteem are the consequences of women’s addiction. The present study was conducted to assess the relationship between adaptation and self-esteem in addicted female prisoners.

Methods

In this descriptive analytical study, 130 addicted female prisoners were selected from a prison in the south east of Iran using census sampling. The data were collected by a demographic questionnaire, the Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale and the bell adjustment inventory (BAI).

Results

According to the results, women’s adaptation fell into the ‘very unsatisfactory’ range. The highest mean was related to the emotional dimension, while the lowest mean was in terms of the health dimension. In total, 96.4% of the participating women had low adaptation. The mean total self-esteem fell into the low range; in fact, 84.6% of the women had a low self-esteem. The results showed no significant relationships between adaptation and self-esteem in these women; however, self-esteem was significantly and inversely related to health and emotional adaptation.

Conclusion

The findings showed that the majority of the women had unsatisfactory adaptation as well as poor self-esteem. No significant relationships were observed between adaptation and self-esteem in the addicted female prisoners.
Better informed is better decided: Addressing the risks of delaying childbearing for female higher educational students
Authors: Van der Heijde Claudia M. , Collard Pascal R. , Vonk Peter , Meijman Frans J.
Published: February 2018

Objective

Delayed childbearing has gradually started to become the norm for higher educational students, with possible increased future fertility risks and psychological distress as a consequence. What do female students expect from their general practitioners (GP) and other health care providers (HCPs) with regard to delaying childbearing? We also looked into indicators that can be used by HCPs to detect female university students who have issues regarding delayed childbearing.

Methods

Cross sectional study: A total of 398 female students (mean age 21.83; SD = 2.4) from at least three different universities completed the questionnaire (distributed through the Internet and at a students’ health service). Potential predictors for having an issue regarding delayed childbearing were assessed with multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Thirteen percent of 398 female students experienced being childless as more or less problematic. Forty-nine percent thinks having children deserves more attention and 33% of the students expect attention from their GP regarding a possible desire to have children during contraceptive consultations. Four factors demonstrated significant associations with having an issue concerning delayed childbearing: age (these issues also occur in younger students), worrying about fertility, not opting for an abortion if pregnant and dissatisfaction with current contraceptive use.

Conclusion

HCPs should discuss delayed childbearing with female students, addressing both the decrease of fertility after a certain age (30), the limited range of fertility methods, and the possible negative physical and psychological consequences of postponement. These elements could be included into programmes of sexual and reproductive health training and into pre-conception care and pre-conception education.