bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract PR08: Drugging MYCN protein stability through an allosteric transition in Aurora kinase A
Authors: Gustafson W. Clay , Meyerowitz Justin G. , Nekritz Erin A. , Charron Elise , Matthay Katherine K. , Hertz Nicholas T. , Eilers Martin , Shokat Kevan M. , Weiss William A.
Published: May 2015

MYC family proteins represent a critical node in oncogenesis across a wide range of pediatric and adult cancers. This is particularly true in neuroblastoma, where amplification of MYCN confers an especially poor prognosis. Proteolytic degradation of MYCN protein is regulated in part by a kinase-independent function of Aurora Kinase A. We describe a class of allosteric inhibitors that disrupts the native conformation of Aurora A and causes degradation of MYCN protein across MYCN-expressing neuroblastoma cell lines. We compare co-crystal structures with structure-activity relationships across multiple inhibitors and chemotypes to delineate an Aurora A conformation-specific effect on proteolytic degradation of MYCN protein, which is driven markedly by conformation disrupting inhibitors, and impacted more modestly by current clinical Aurora Kinase A inhibitors, which disrupt the kinase structure less efficiently. Using functional assays of apoptosis, cell cycle, and proliferation we further define a distinct MYCN-specific effect distinguishing it from simple inhibition of mitosis by conventional Aurora kinase inhibitors. This new class of conformation disrupting inhibitors, which block stabilizing interactions between Aurora A and MYCN, represents a novel strategy to target MYCN-driven cancers.

This abstract is also presented as Poster B46.

Citation Format: W. Clay Gustafson, Justin G. Meyerowitz, Erin A. Nekritz, Elise Charron, Katherine K. Matthay, Nicholas T. Hertz, Martin Eilers, Kevan M. Shokat, William A. Weiss. Drugging MYCN protein stability through an allosteric transition in Aurora kinase A. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pediatric Cancer at the Crossroads: Translating Discovery into Improved Outcomes; Nov 3-6, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;74(20 Suppl):Abstract nr PR08.
Charter School Expansion and Within-District Equity: Confluence or Conflict?
Authors: Baker Bruce D. , Libby Ken , Wiley Kathryn
Published: May 2015

This article explores whether two popular policy initiatives are compatible or conflicting strategies for enhancing educational equality in diverse large urban centers. These two initiatives are (1) charter school expansion and (2) improvement of resource equity across urban public school systems through policies often referred to as weighted student funding formulas. In this article, we focus on New York and Houston, two cities where districts have adopted initiatives to improve equity of the distribution of school site funding and have concurrently experienced significant expansion of charter schooling. We find that charter schools have the tendency to amplify student population differences across schools by disability, language, and low income status, and that charter schools’ access to financial resources varies widely. Nevertheless, we find that in very large urban districts like New York City, where charter market share remains small, the overall effects of charters on system-wide inequity remain small.
The Showdown That Wasn't: U.S.-Israeli Relations and American Domestic Politics, 1973–75
Authors: Jackson Galen
Published: May 2015

How influential are domestic politics on U.S. foreign affairs? With regard to Middle East policy, how important a role do ethnic lobbies, Congress, and public opinion play in influencing U.S. strategy? Answering these questions requires the use of archival records and other primary documents, which provide an undistorted view of U.S. policymakers' motivations. The Ford administration's 1975 reassessment of its approach to Arab-Israeli statecraft offers an excellent case for the examination of these issues in light of this type of historical evidence. President Gerald Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger decided, in large part because of the looming 1976 presidential election, to avoid a confrontation with Israel in the spring and summer of 1975 by choosing to negotiate a second disengagement agreement between Egypt and Israel rather than a comprehensive settlement. Nevertheless, domestic constraints on the White House's freedom of action were not insurmountable and, had they had no other option, Ford and Kissinger would have been willing to engage in a showdown with Israel over the Middle East conflict's most fundamental aspects. The administration's concern that a major clash with Israel might stoke an outbreak of anti-Semitism in the United States likely contributed to its decision to back down.
‘Like a Married Woman’
Authors: Jazdzewska Katarzyna
Published: May 2015

This contribution examines Plutarch’s depiction of the kingfisher inDe sollertia animalium982e-983e and argues that it presents the bird as embodiment of three uxorial virtues: love for husband, love for offspring, and care for household. While Plutarch clearly draws from the abundant store of Greek kingfisher-lore, his account explicates the moralizing potential of the kingfisher-exemplumin a manner unparalleled in extant earlier tradition. In his composition of the passage, Plutarch might have been inspired by the pseudo-Platonic dialogueHalcyonwith which the kingfisher-passage inDe sollertia animaliumshares numerous remarkable resemblances.
Negotiating Your Way Out of Rivalry: Unassisted Conflict Resolution Efforts in Southeast Asia
Authors: Lounsbery Marie Olson , Cook Alethia H.
Published: May 2015

While scholars have spent a good deal of time examining mediation processes, we know very little about unassisted negotiations in the midst of civil disputes. One of the primary goals of this research is to examine the factors that can bring about negotiations aimed at addressing core, underlying issues that brought about armed struggle. In order to do so, a comparative case study of Southeast Asia is presented. We find that unassisted negotiation of core issues can occur in intrastate rivalry under certain conditions. Interestingly, such efforts are unlikely to be won on the battlefield, but rather emerge following regime change or once mediation has paved the way for key issues to be addressed. Negotiations following regime change, while they tend to occur and involve core issues, continue to be influenced and challenged by the legacy of previous resolution efforts and historical memory.
Reflections on Hobbes, Nature and Artifice
Authors: Carver Terrell
Published: May 2015

In his own time Hobbes became a public intellectual even if at times a banned author. Political theorists of today will in some cases recognise similar pressures and dilemmas. As a classic author, however, Hobbes has become a trope in political theory through an overt process of anachronism. The authors in this special issue – Browning, Jaede, Boyd, Prozorov – proceed from this common and canonical content, as does Prokhovnik in her Introduction. The scholarly template, presumed in this discussion, focuses on the first two books of Leviathan, and on the life-and-death dilemmas posed there in relation to political power and obligation. The four articles thoroughly explore the concepts of nature and artifice within that reading strategy. The conclusion of this critical review of their work is that within broader commentary in political theory nature and artifice are themselves tropes, and that the natural life of humans is inherently artificial.
Adapting the Crossmodal Congruency Task for Measuring the Limits of Visual–Tactile Interactions Within and Between Groups
Authors: Poole Daniel , Poole Daniel , Couth Samuel , Poole Daniel , Couth Samuel , Gowen Emma , Poole Daniel , Couth Samuel , Gowen Emma , Warren Paul A. , Poole Daniel , Couth Samuel , Gowen Emma , Warren Paul A. , Poliakoff Ellen
Published: May 2015

The crossmodal congruency task (CCT) is a commonly used paradigm for measuring visual–tactile interactions and how these may be influenced by discrepancies in space and time between the tactile target and visual distractors. The majority of studies which have used this paradigm have neither measured, nor attempted to control, individual variability in unisensory (tactile) performance. We have developed a version of the CCT in which unisensory baseline performance is constrained to enable comparisons within and between participant groups. Participants were instructed to discriminate between single and double tactile pulses presented to their dominant hand, at their own approximate threshold level. In Experiment 1, visual distractors were presented at −30 ms, 100 ms, 200 ms and 400 ms stimulus onset asynchronies. In Experiment 2, ipsilateral visual distractors were presented 0 cm, 21 cm, and 42 cm vertically from the target hand, and 42 cm in a symmetrical, contralateral position. Distractors presented −30 ms and 0 cm from the target produced a significantly larger congruency effect than at other time points and spatial locations. Thus, the typical limits of visual–tactile interactions were replicated using a version of the task in which baseline performance can be constrained. The usefulness of this approach is supported by the observation that tactile thresholds correlated with self-reported autistic traits in this non-clinical sample. We discuss the suitability of this adapted version of the CCT for measuring visual–tactile interactions in populations where unisensory tactile ability may differ within and between groups.
Visuotactile Temporal Recalibration Transfers Across Different Locations
Authors: Ho Hao Tam , Ho Hao Tam , Orchard-Mills Emily , Ho Hao Tam , Orchard-Mills Emily , Alais David
Published: May 2015

Following prolonged exposure to audiovisual asynchrony, an observer’s point of subjective simultaneity (PSS) shifts in the direction of the leading modality. It has been debated whether other sensory pairings, such as vision and touch, lead to a similar temporal recalibration, and if so, whether the internal timing mechanism underlying lag visuotactile adaptation is centralised or distributed. To address these questions, we adapted observers to vision- and tactile-leading visuotactile asynchrony on either their left or right hand side in different blocks. In one test condition, participants performed a simultaneity judgment on the adapted side (unilateral) and in another they performed a simultaneity judgment on the non-adapted side (contralateral). In a third condition, participants adapted concurrently to equal and opposite asynchronies on each side and were tested randomly on either hand (bilateral opposed). Results from the first two conditions show that observers recalibrate to visuotactile asynchronies, and that the recalibration transfers to the non-adapted side. These findings suggest a centralised recalibration mechanism not linked to the adapted side and predict no recalibration for the bilateral opposed condition, assuming the adapted effects were equal on each side. This was confirmed in the group of participants that adapted to vision- and tactile-leading asynchrony on the right and left hand side, respectively. However, the other group (vision-leading on the left and tactile-leading on the right) did show a recalibration effect, suggesting a distributed mechanism. We discuss these findings in terms of a hybrid model that assumes the co-existence of a centralised and distributed timing mechanism.
A new Nalassus Mulsant, 1854 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini), the first representative of the genus from the Russian Far East
Authors: NABOZHENKO M.V. , IVANOV S.N.
Published: May 2015

A new species, Nalassus (Helopocerodes) olgae sp. n., is described from Primorsky Krai in the Russian Far East. A new combination is established: Nalassus (Helopocerodes) magyari (Kaszab, 1968), comb. n. The new species is similar to N. magyari but differs in the sculpture of the metaventrite, larger body and widely flattened lateral sides of the pronotum.
Applying a Neighborhood Fractions Sampling Approach as a Diagnostic Tool
Authors: Nachamkin Jason E. , Schmidt Jerome
Published: May 2015

The fractions skill score (FSS) belongs to a class of spatial neighborhood techniques that measures forecast skill from samples of gridded forecasts and observations at increasing spatial scales. Each sample contains the fraction of the predicted and observed quantities that exist above a threshold value. Skill is gauged by the rate that the observed and predicted fractions converge with increasing scale. In this study, neighborhood sampling is applied to diagnose the performance of high-resolution (1.67 km) precipitation forecasts over central Florida. Reliability diagrams derived from the spatial fractions indicate that the FSS can be influenced by small, low-predictability events. Further tests indicate the FSS is subtly affected by samples from points on and near the grid boundaries. Inclusion of these points tends to reduce the magnitude and sensitivity of the FSS, especially at large scales. An attempt to mine data from the set of neighborhood fractions was moderately successful at obtaining descriptive information about the precipitation fields. The width of the distribution of the fractions at each scale provided information concerning forecast resolution and sharpness. The rate at which the distribution of the fractions converged toward the domain mean with increasing scale was found to be sensitive to the uniformity of coverage of precipitation through the domain. Generally, the 6-h forecasts possessed greater spatial skill than those at 12 h. High-FSS values at 12 h were mostly associated with evenly distributed precipitation patterns, while the 6-h forecasts also performed well for several nonuniform cases.
Serodiagnosis ofMycobacterium abscessuscomplex infection in cystic fibrosis
Authors: Qvist Tavs , Pressler Tania , Taylor-Robinson David , Katzenstein Terese L. , Høiby Niels
Published: May 2015

Early signs of pulmonary disease withMycobacterium abscessuscomplex (MABSC) can be missed in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). A serological method could help stratify patients according to risk. The objective of this study was to test the diagnostic accuracy of a novel method for investigating IgG activity against MABSC.

A prospective study of all patients attending the Copenhagen CF Centre was conducted by culturing for MABSC during a 22-month period and then screening patients with an anti-MABSC IgG ELISA. Culture-positive patients had stored serum examined for antibody kinetics before and after culture conversion.

307 patients had 3480 respiratory samples cultured and were then tested with the anti-MABSC IgG ELISA. Patients with MABSC pulmonary disease had median anti-MABSC IgG levels six-fold higher than patients with no history of infection (434versus64 ELISA units; p<0.001). The test sensitivity was 95% (95% CI 74–99%) and the specificity was 73% (95% CI 67–78%). A diagnostic algorithm was constructed to stratify patients according to risk.

The test accurately identified patients with pulmonary disease caused by MABSC and was suited to be used as a complement to mycobacterial culture.
ESR/ERS white paper on lung cancer screening
Authors: Kauczor Hans-Ulrich , Bonomo Lorenzo , Gaga Mina , Nackaerts Kristiaan , Peled Nir , Prokop Mathias , Remy-Jardin Martine , von Stackelberg Oyunbileg , Sculier Jean-Paul
Published: May 2015

Lung cancer is the most frequently fatal cancer, with poor survival once the disease is advanced. Annual low dose computed tomography has shown a survival benefit in screening individuals at high risk for lung cancer. Based on the available evidence, the European Society of Radiology and the European Respiratory Society recommend lung cancer screening in comprehensive, quality-assured, longitudinal programmes within a clinical trial or in routine clinical practice at certified multidisciplinary medical centres. Minimum requirements include: standardised operating procedures for low dose image acquisition, computer-assisted nodule evaluation, and positive screening results and their management; inclusion/exclusion criteria; expectation management; and smoking cessation programmes. Further refinements are recommended to increase quality, outcome and cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening: inclusion of risk models, reduction of effective radiation dose, computer-assisted volumetric measurements and assessment of comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vascular calcification). All these requirements should be adjusted to the regional infrastructure and healthcare system, in order to exactly define eligibility using a risk model, nodule management and quality assurance plan. The establishment of a central registry, including biobank and image bank, and preferably on a European level, is strongly encouraged.
Tolstoy's oak tree metaphor: depression, recovery and psychiatric 'spiritual ecology’
Authors: Holmes Jeremy
Published: May 2015

Tolstoy's life and work illustrate resilience, the transcendence of trauma and the enduring impact of childhood loss. I have chosen the famous oak tree passage from War and Peace to illustrate recovery from the self-preoccupation of depression and the theme of ‘eco-spirituality’ – the idea that post-depressive connectedness and love apply not just to significant others but also to nature and the environment.
Full-Scale Seismic Testing of Piles in Improved and Unimproved Soft Clay
Authors: Fleming Bradley J. , Sritharan Sri , Miller Gerald A. , Muraleetharan Kanthasamy K.
Published: May 2015

A full-scale field investigation was performed to determine the effects of soil improvement on the seismic resistance of piles in soft clay. A soil improvement method, called cement deep soil mixing (CDSM), was used to improve soil supporting a standard 324 mm diameter steel pipe pile subjected to simulated earthquake lateral loads. An identical pile in unimproved clay was also tested to determine the effects of the soil improvement. Compared to the unimproved pile, the CDSM technique showed a 42% increase in pile lateral strength, a 600% increase in effective elastic stiffness, and a 650% increase in average equivalent damping ratio. The pile in improved soil reached its lateral capacity at a head displacement of 0.1 m, at which point the critical region at the base of the pile above the improved ground experienced buckling and subsequent fracture due to low cycle fatigue.
Assessing the Collapse Probability of Base-Isolated Buildings considering Pounding to Moat Walls using the FEMA P695 Methodology
Authors: Masroor Armin , Mosqueda Gilberto
Published: May 2015

The collapse probability of two three story base-isolated buildings considering pounding to moat walls is examined using the methodology in FEMA P695. The superstructure models consist of a steel intermediate moment frame and a steel ordinary braced frame designed for the same seismic hazard. The behavior of these buildings under various ground motions is first examined, and it is found that the more rigid braced frame results in larger displacements demands on the isolation system, increasing the potential for impact. The collapse studies examine the effect of moat wall gap distance on the probability of collapse for these structures. These studies show that the flexibility and ductility of the moment frame model allow the superstructure to better absorb the impact forces. The braced frame superstructure tends to impact at lower shaking intensities and degrades in strength more rapidly due to the limited ductility that increases the risk of collapse.
The Figure of the Prostitute, Tajdid, and Masculinity in Anticolonial Literature of Iraq
Authors: Bahoora Haytham
Published: May 2015

In the Iraqi literary production of the 1940s and 1950s, the figure of the woman prostitute appeared repeatedly, signaling a crisis in the ways Iraqi men imagined and articulated the contours of women’s liberation. Through an examination of works by Jabra Ibrahim Jabra, Fuʾad al-Takarli, and Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, this article argues that the innovative aesthetic forms and themes adopted by men writers and their dedication to political and cultural renewal (tajdid) and social reform used the figure of the prostitute to articulate a vision of women’s liberation that emphasized secular, urban, and middle-class notions of domesticity and respectability. The literary prostitute was a marginal figure used to envision a new era of women’s rights through her exclusion and excision from the imagined national future. The instrumentalization of the figure of the prostitute in Iraqi literary production revealed the limits of representation of the masculine imagination.
Poetry and Diplomacy in the Zuozhuan
Authors: Li Wai-Yee
Published: May 2015

Zuozhuan (ca. fourth century BC) records many instances of statesmen who recite or chant odes ( fushi), mostly from the extant Shijing, to convey their political vision, policy recommendation, or diplomatic finesse. This essay examines the implications of this confluence of poetry and diplomacy. Scholars have focused on fushi as seamless political communication, the celebration of a common cultural heritage, and the formalization of ritual judgment. I discuss how the practice of fushi negotiates political and cultural differences. How does it bear on the distinction of “Chinese” and “barbarians”? How does it define the struggle for supremacy, push for political advantage, and cover up weakness? Does the manipulation of meanings and interpretations indicate anxieties about the power of ritual propriety to correct political failures?
Nobody's Genre, Everybody's Song:SanquSongs and the Expansion of the Literary Sphere in Yuan China
Authors: Sieber Patricia
Published: May 2015

This article examines two key texts from early fourteenth-century Hangzhou to explore how they shaped the process of textualization of a new genre, the so-called sanqu songs. The article argues that both of these texts, the seminal anthology of the genre, the Yangchun baixue, and the first biographical compendium, the Lugui bu, sought to uncouple social status from literary reputation to varying degrees. The article suggests that the anthology made a case for a universalist poetic practice open to diasporic and Chinese writers, while the biographical collection took a more localist approach focused on urban Chinese writers. Taken together, they illustrate that the realm of songwriting in Yuan China constituted a contested discursive space that should not be solely understood in ethnic terms but can be enriched through the analytical perspectives of diaspora, cosmopolitanism, and urban culture.
The unfolded protein response and its potential role in Huntington ́s disease elucidated by a systems biology approach
Authors: Kalathur Ravi Kiran Reddy , Giner-Lamia Joaquin , Machado Susana , Ayasolla Kameshwar R S , Futschik Matthias E.
Published: May 2015

Huntington ́s disease (HD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease with a fatal outcome. Although the disease-causing gene (huntingtin) has been known for over 20 years, the exact mechanisms leading to neuronal cell death are still controversial. One potential mechanism contributing to the massive loss of neurons observed in the brain of HD patients could be the unfolded protein response (UPR) activated by accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). As an adaptive response to counter-balance accumulation of un- or misfolded proteins, the UPR upregulates transcription of chaperones, temporarily attenuates new translation, and activates protein degradation via the proteasome. However, persistent ER stress and an activated UPR can also cause apoptotic cell death. Although different studies have indicated a role for the UPR in HD, the evidence remains inconclusive. Here, we present extensive bioinformatic analyses that revealed UPR activation in different experimental HD models based on transcriptomic data. Accordingly, we have identified 58 genes, including RAB5A, HMGB1, CTNNB1, DNM1, TUBB, TSG101, EEF2, DYNC1H1 and SLC12A5 that provide a potential link between UPR and HD. To further elucidate the potential role of UPR as a disease-relevant process, we examined its connection to apoptosis based on molecular interaction data, and identified a set of 40 genes including ADD1, HSP90B1, IKBKB, IKBKG, RPS3A and LMNB1, which seem to be at the crossroads between these two important cellular processes.
Altered Lipid Responses to Dietary Interventions in Obesity
Authors: Godhia Meena , Naik Nagma
Published: May 2015

Results obtained from studies on the effect of vitamin D supplementation with or without calcium on glucose homeostasis and hematological parameters have been inconsistent. This experimentally-controlled designed study investigated the combined effects of Ca2+ and Vit.D-fortified diet on body weight, glycemic profile, biochemical, haemostatic and haematological parameters in 2 groups (n=8, each) of experimental male diabetic and healthy albino rats following treatment with Ca2+ and Vit.D-fortified diet for 6 weeks. 2 similar groups of rats (n=8, each) on normal diets served as normal and diabetic controls respectively to allow comparison between groups. Induction of diabetes (100mg/dL, intraperitoneally) was achieved with freshly prepared alloxan monohydrate solution after 15 hours overnight fast while oral glucose tolerance test, biochemical and hematological analysis were performed on blood samples. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was taken at study baseline and 6 weeks after feeding. Mean weights were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in calcium/vitamin D-fortifed diet-fed diabetic and normal rats compared with their respective controls. Actual percentage numerical weight gain at 6 weeks of study includes: diabetic rats on treatment diet (15.50%); diabetic controlled rats (18.70%); normal rats on treatment diet (20.40%); normal controlled rats (25.10%). At 6 weeks of study, experimental diabetic rats showed significant (p < 0.05) reduction (22.83%) in mean FBG concentration compared with the diabetic control rats. Experimental rats fed on calcium and vitamin D-fortified diet displayed improved glycemic tolerance over their respective controls. Hematological analysis revealed insignificant (p > 0.05) difference in hematological and hemostatic indices between the experimental and controlled rats. In diabetic rats, Ca2+ and Vit.D-fortified diet reduced body weight with beneficial hypoglycemic and remarkable glycemic tolerant effects on glycemic profile without significant impact on hemostatic and hematological indices.
Assessing the Potential Adoption and Usefulness of Concurrent, Action-Oriented,
Electronic Adverse Drug Event Triggers Designed for the Outpatient Setting
Authors: Mull Hillary J. , Rosen Amy K. , Shimada Stephanie L. , Rivard Peter E. , Nordberg Brian , Long Brenna , Hoffman Jennifer M. , Leecaster Molly , Savitz Lucy A. , Shanahan Christopher W. , Helwig Amy , Nebeker Jonathan R.
Published: May 2015

Background: Adverse drug event (ADE) detection is an important priority for
patient safety research. Trigger tools have been developed to help identify ADEs. In
previous work we developed seven concurrent, action-oriented, electronic trigger
algorithms designed to prompt clinicians to address ADEs in outpatient
care.Objectives: We assessed the potential adoption and usefulness of the seven triggers
by testing the positive predictive validity and obtaining stakeholder input.Methods: We
adapted ADE triggers, “bone marrow toxin - white blood cell count (BMT‑WBC),” “bone
marrow toxin - platelet (BMT-platelet),” “potassium raisers,” “potassium reducers,”
“creatinine,” “warfarin,” and “sedative hypnotics,” with logic to suppress flagging
events with evidence of clinical intervention and applied the triggers to 50,145
patients from three large health care systems. Four pharmacists assessed trigger
positive predictive value (PPV) with respect to ADE detection (conservatively excluding
ADEs occurring during clinically appropriate care) and clinical usefulness (i.e.,
whether the trigger alert could change care to prevent harm). We measured agreement
between raters using the free kappa and assessed positive PPV for the trigger’s
detection of harm, clinical usefulness, and both. Stakeholders from the participating
health care systems rated the likelihood of trigger adoption and the perceived ease of
implementation.Findings: Agreement between pharmacist raters was moderately high for
each ADE trigger (kappa free > 0.60). Trigger PPVs for harm ranged from 0
(Creatinine, BMT-WBC) to 17 percent (potassium raisers), while PPV for care change
ranged from 0 (WBC) to 60 percent (Creatinine). Fifteen stakeholders rated the triggers.
Our assessment identified five of the seven triggers as good candidates for
implementation: Creatinine, BMT-Platelet, Potassium Raisers, Potassium Reducers, and
Warfarin.Conclusions: At least five outpatient ADE triggers performed well and merit
further evaluation in outpatient clinical care. When used in real time, these triggers
may promote care changes to ameliorate patient harm.
A Care Pathway for Children Unable to Accept Dental Care within the General Dental Services Involving the Use of Inhalation Sedation and General Anaesthesia
Authors: Shepherd Allyson R , Ali Halimah
Published: May 2015

Dental treatment is the commonest reason for a child to be in hospital in the UK. This is a shocking statistic for a preventable disease. How can we reduce the high numbers of dental general anaesthetics? It is essential that dental treatment under general anaesthesia (GA) is fully justifiable, ensuring that the right patients receive the right treatment. Guidance for general dental practitioners on when to refer a child for a dental GA is discussed. Treatment planning for this dentally high-risk group of children requires a holistic approach. It is complex and requires an experienced and competent clinical team, including dental care professionals with additional postgraduate qualifications. Often, alternative treatments are successful and a GA can be avoided. An audit of 85 patients referred for GA with Oldham Community Dental Service demonstrated 35% of patients accepted treatment with local anaesthesia only, 25% required inhalation sedation and only 25% were actually referred on for GA. Treatment for this group of patients must include the availability and provision of appropriate alternative treatment modalities, with the right staff and facilities, including those for dental general anaesthetic sessions. Ongoing follow-up within the general dental services is essential for this group of patients.
Are Dental Implants the Answer to Tooth Loss in Patients with Parkinson's Disease?
Authors: Packer Mark E
Published: May 2015

Individuals with Parkinson's disease present a challenge to dental clinicians as this degenerative disease leads to problems accessing care and maintaining an adequate level of oral health. This article provides an overview of the implications of Parkinson's disease on oral health and explores the role of dental implants in the management of such patients.
Measuring economic growth in OPEC countries : A panel data approach
Authors: Olajide Johnson Taiwo , Fantola Jubril Oluwatoyin , Ayansola Olufemi Aderemi
Published: May 2015

Most of the developing and under-developed countries have been facing a lot of challenges on the issue of economic growth, despite the fact that they are endowed with both natural and human resources. This study examines the determinants of real per Capita GDP growth in Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) using a panel of twelve countries for the period of 1986 and 2010.The pooled Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Fixed Effect (FE) and Random Effect (RE) models were employed to assess the relationship between CGDP and other economic variables used. The result showed that price level of consumptions (pc) and investment share (ci) are the important factors of CGDP that contribute to the economic growth of OPEC countries. The result also established that exchange rate (Xrat), price of GDP (p), purchasing power parity (ppp) and ci have a positive influence on CGDP. The test statistic revealed that Random Effects Model (REM) estimator is more efficient than OLS and that there is no significance difference between Fixed Effects Model (FEM) and REM estimators.
The Strength and Fragility of the Brazilian Economy
Authors: Marques Rosa Maria , Nakatani Paulo
Published: May 2015

Analyzing the Brazilian economy is a difficult and complex task; the current indicators register results ranging from excellent to mediocre and worrisome, depending on the variable observed. For example, the nation has advanced into modernity in a few sectors, while at the same time, in recent years, new forms of dependency from the center of capitalism deepened. Further complexities arise when, beyond the economy, one takes into consideration not only the results of so-called "inclusion" policies and the popularity of President Dilma Rousseff (popularly referred to as "Dilma"), but also the number of strikes and public displays of disenchantment that are emerging in every corner of the country.&hellp; To summarize some of the conclusions: since the government of Luis Inácio Lula da Silva ("Lula"), the Brazilian economy has widened its internal market through policies that have raised the minimal wage, transferred income to the poorest within the nation, increased the availability of credit to the low and middle segments of the population, and reduced taxation (mainly on manufactured goods in the essential consumption basket). Such widening of the market, with a low impact on imports, would in theory ensure the maintenance of a certain level of growth, regardless of the international dynamics, and, indeed, it has helped Brazil reach a positive economic performance during the worst of the recent global economic crisis and its aftermath.&hellp; Nonetheless, when the impacts of the global recession deepened with the sovereign debt crisis in Europe, these macroeconomic policies did not yield the same effect, at most achieving modest growth.

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Manufacturing America's Dreams
Authors: Shotwell Gregg
Published: May 2015

Auto companies shield their low-tech exploitation of workers behind high-tech displays of mechanical prowess. The less a consumer knows about the blood and guts of manufacturing, the easier it is to buy the dream. So how does America think all this crap gets built?&hellp; Last summer, in a desperate attempt to entice young viewers to buy grandpa's dream car, General Motors (GM) ran a TV ad that featured a chorus line of robot arms dancing to techno music around a series of Cadillacs strutting like runway models on chrome-plated wheels.&hellp; Don't let yourself be seduced and deluded. The auto industry's master talent isn't robotics, it's the ability to automatize humans—including drivers.

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Marx on the Camino de Santiago: Meaning, Work, and Crisis
Authors: Fitzgerald Janine
Published: May 2015

When I walked the thousand-year-old route of the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain in September and October 2014, I expected to discuss questions of health with fellow travelers. I assumed that an ancient pilgrimage would be full of walkers pondering health issues and would provide an ethnographer's panacea for "getting in." I was wrong. I was surrounded by walkers from all parts of Europe, but they were pondering the meaning of work, capitalism, and their lives. I found I was seeing a profound crisis of capitalism and individuals struggling with alienated labor as discussed by Karl Marx.&hellp; [W]hat I saw on the Camino de Santiago was certainly not a revolutionary movement. Envisioning satisfying work, however, helps change the shared conception of what work is. Raul Zibechi argued that as we struggle both individually or collectively, we engage in an emancipatory process that, as the Zapatista's Subcomandante Marcos notes, "builds, includes, brings together and remembers whereas the system, separates, splits and fragments."&hellp; Awareness of alienated labor and struggle against crisis, whether individual or collective, does seem to create imaginative space for change even if it does not necessarily reflect what has been thought of as revolutionary struggle.

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RNA-seq-Based Gene Annotation and Comparative Genomics of Four Fungal Grass Pathogens in the GenusZymoseptoriaIdentify Novel Orphan Genes and Species-Specific Invasions of Transposable Elements
Authors: Grandaubert Jonathan , Bhattacharyya Amitava , Stukenbrock Eva H
Published: May 2015

The fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici (synonym Mycosphaerella graminicola) is a prominent pathogen of wheat. The reference genome of the isolate IPO323 is one of the best-assembled eukaryotic genomes and encodes more than 10,000 predicted genes. However, a large proportion of the previously annotated gene models are incomplete, with either no start or no stop codons. The availability of RNA-seq data allows better predictions of gene structure. We here used two different RNA-seq datasets, de novo transcriptome assemblies, homology-based comparisons, and trained ab initio gene callers to generate a new gene annotation of Z. tritici IPO323. The annotation pipeline was also applied to re-sequenced genomes of three closely related species of Z. tritici: Z. pseudotritici, Z. ardabiliae, and Z. brevis. Comparative analyses of the predicted gene models using the four Zymoseptoria species revealed sets of species-specific orphan genes enriched with putative pathogenicity-related genes encoding small secreted proteins that may play essential roles in virulence and host specificity. De novo repeat identification allowed us to show that few families of transposable elements are shared between Zymoseptoria species while we observe many species-specific invasions and expansions. The annotation data presented here provide a high-quality resource for future studies of Z. tritici and its sister species and provide detailed insight into gene and genome evolution of fungal plant pathogens.
Identification of Reproduction-Related Gene Polymorphisms Using Whole Transcriptome Sequencing in the Large White Pig Population
Authors: Fischer Daniel , Laiho Asta , Gyenesei Attila , Sironen Anu
Published: May 2015

Recent developments in high-throughput sequencing techniques have enabled large-scale analysis of genetic variations and gene expression in different tissues and species, but gene expression patterns and genetic variations in livestock are not well-characterized. In this study, we have used high-throughput transcriptomic sequencing of the Finnish Large White to identify gene expression patterns and coding polymorphisms within the breed in the testis and oviduct. The main objective of this study was to identify polymorphisms within genes that are highly and specifically expressed in male and/or female reproductive organs. The differential expression (DE) analysis underlined 1234 genes highly expressed in the testis and 1501 in the oviduct. Furthermore, we used a novel in-house R-package hoardeR for the identification of novel genes and their orthologs, which underlined 55 additional DE genes based on orthologs in the human, cow, and sheep. Identification of polymorphisms in the dataset resulted in a total of 29,973 variants, of which 10,704 were known coding variants. Fifty-seven nonsynonymous SNPs were present among genes with high expression in the testis and 67 were present in the oviduct, underlining possible influential genes for reproduction traits. Seven genes (PGR, FRAS1, TCF4, ADAT1, SPAG6, PIWIL2, and DNAH8) with polymorphisms were highlighted as reproduction-related based on their biological function. The expression and SNPs of these genes were confirmed using RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. The identified nonsynonymous mutations within genes highly expressed in the testis or oviduct provide a list of candidate genes for reproduction traits within the pig population and enable identification of biomarkers for sow and boar fertility.
Optimal Timing of Umbilical Cord Clamping: Is the Debate Settled? Part 2 of 2: Evidence in Preterm and Term Infants, Alternatives, and Unanswered Questions
Authors: Kim Amanda J. H. , Warren Jamie B.
Published: May 2015

In the middle of the 20th century, practices regarding the timing of umbilical cord clamping changed from delaying cord clamping to clamping the umbilical cord soon after delivery of the infant. In the last several years, interest in reviving delayed cord clamping has led to an abundance of literature on the subject. On the basis of recent research, many professional organizations in the fields of obstetrics, midwifery, and pediatrics have started to recommend the use of delayed cord clamping for at least a subset of infants. In part 1 of this 2-part review, we presented the history of the delayed cord clamping debate, discussed the rationale behind the use of delayed cord clamping from a physiologic standpoint, detailed the factors that affect transfusion volume during a delay in cord clamping, and examined the concerns that exist regarding the use of delayed cord clamping. In part 2, we present the evidence surrounding timing of cord clamping for the preterm and term infant and maternal outcomes. Finally, we discuss alternatives to delayed cord clamping and present a summary of unanswered questions on the subject.
Hemoglobinopathies in the Neonate
Authors: Nguyen Trinh
Published: May 2015

Hemoglobinopathies are a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders resulting from mutations in the globin genes. Transmission is autosomal. There are 2 main types of hemoglobinopathies, one of which comprises disorders of decreased or absent production of a globin gene. These disorders are known as thalassemias. Structural abnormalities resulting from single amino acid substitutions comprise the second group of hemoglobinopathies. Although delineated by quantitative and qualitative characteristics, they are not mutually exclusive. Thalassemias can have qualitative defects, whereas other structural abnormalities may have quantitative defects. Collectively, they are one of the most common causes of nonimmune hemolytic anemias with various frequencies distributed throughout the world.
Crustaceans composition in sandy beaches of Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Authors: Cardoso Ricardo S. , Meireis Felipe , Mattos Gustavo
Published: May 2015

A crustacean survey was made in Sepetiba bay, Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil. Twelve sandy beaches were sampled on five islands in this embayment. A total of 3024 individuals were collected, belonging to 21 species, which are grouped in 16 families, seven infraorders, seven suborders, and four orders. Isopods, followed by amphipods and tanaids, showed the highest abundance, amounting to over 92% of the dominance of crustaceans. The main species were Excirolana armata, Excirolana braziliensis (isopods), Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis (amphipod), and Monokalliapseudes schubarti (tanaid), which together accounted about 80% of crustaceans of the beaches studied. Excirolana braziliensis had the highest frequency. The majority of species found are typical of sandy beaches, with large spatial distribution.
Atyidae and Palaemonidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) of Bocas del Toro, Panama
Authors: Torati Lucas Simon , De Grave Sammy , Page Timothy J. , Anker Arthur
Published: May 2015

The present contribution is a preliminary report on the freshwater caridean fauna of Bocas del Toro province, northeastern Panama, based on field collections carried out during a Shrimp Taxonomy Workshop at the STRI station in Bocas del Toro in August 2008. A total of eight species from two families, Atyidae and Palaemonidae, were collected at 17 different collection sites in the rivers, streams and ponds on several islands of the Bocas del Toro archipelago and the adjacent mainland. The species reported herein are Atya scabra (Leach, 1815), Jonga serrei (Bouvier, 1909), Micratya poeyi (Guérin-Méneville, 1855), Potimirim glabra (Kingsley, 1878), P. potimirim (Müller, 1881) (Atyidae), Palaemon pandaliformis (Stimpson, 1871), Macrobrachium acanthurus (Wiegmann, 1836) and M. crenulatum Holthuis, 1950 (Palaemonidae). The record of J. serrei is the first for Panama, and M. poeyi and P. glabra the first for Bocas del Toro province.
Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae, Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957): distribution extension in southwestern Amazonia, state of Rondônia, Brazil
Authors: Meneghelli Diego , Messias Mariluce Rezende , Sampaio Paulo Roberto Melo
Published: May 2015

We report for the first time the presence of the Fringed Leaf Frog Cruziohyla craspedopus in southwestern Amazonia in an area near the transition between rainforest and savanna enclaves vegetation in the state of Rondônia. The specimen was collected in the Estação Ecológica do Cuniã located at BR 319 (Manaus – Porto Velho Highway).
Azana sinusa Coher, 1995 (Diptera: Mycetophilidae: Sciophilinae): remarks on range extension and collection records
Authors: Burington Zachary L.
Published: May 2015

I present a summary of the range of the North American sciophiline fungus gnat Azana sinusa Coher based on previous publications, and new records of the species from South Carolina, USA. These new records result in a ~1200 km range extension.
Occurrence of Guernella raphaelis Richard, 1892 (Crustacea: Cladocera: Macrothricidae) in Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia
Authors: Fuentes-Reines Juan M. , Elmoor-Loureiro Lourdes M.A.
Published: May 2015

The occurrence of Guernella raphaelis Richard, 1892 in Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia, is reported. The specimens are briefly described and compared with literature data. The Colombian specimens are very similar to previously described Brazilian and Argentinean populations, presenting four setae on the inner distal lobe of trunk limb I and ciliated lamella on postabdominal claws. On the other hand, they differ from New Guinean specimens which present three setae on the inner lobe of trunk limb I. The present observations support the idea that Guernella raphaelis could be a complex of species, reinforcing the necessity of a revision of this genus.
Distribution extension of Uracentron flaviceps (Guichenot, 1855) (Reptilia: Squamata): second record for the state of Acre, Brazil
Authors: Freitas Marco Antonio de , França Daniella Pereira Fagundes de , Veríssimo Diogo
Published: May 2015

A female specimen of Uracentron flaviceps (Guichenot, 1855) was found during routine work in the Extractive Reserve Chico Mendes in the municipality of Epitaciolândia, state of Acre, Brazil. This is the second record of the species for the state, extending the known distribution of the species by 570 km.
First record of Phyllocycla hamata Belle, 1990 (Insecta: Odonata: Gomphidae), from Mato Grosso state, Brazil
Authors: Carriço César , Costa Janira Martins , Mallet Jacenir Reis dos Santos , Silva Flávio Mendes da , Queiroz Margareth Maria de Carvalho
Published: May 2015

Six males of Phyllocycla hamata Belle, 1990 were collected in the Reserva Florestal da Usina Hidroelétrica Jauru, Salto da Fumaça, Mato Grosso state, Midwestern Brazil and represent the first record for that state. The specimens examined have been deposited in the Museu Nacional, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. This species is included in the volsella group and can be separated from the other species in this group by the cerci shorter than segment 10 (S10), with a very long internal hook.
Liolaemus pseudolemniscatus Lamborot and Ortiz, 1990 (Squamata: Liolaemidae): distribution extension in Central Chile
Authors: Troncoso-Palacios Jaime
Published: May 2015

Liolaemus pseudolemniscatus (Lamborot and Ortiz 1990) is a poorly known species. Two specimens were collected in “Cerro Provincia”, central Chile, expanding in 136 km (straight line) its latitudinal distribution and in 800 m its altitudinal distribution. This record adds a new species of Liolaemus lizard for the “Región Metropolitana”, Chile.