bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growth Performance of Spotted Rose Snapper in Floating Cages and Continuous Water-Flow Tank Systems
Authors: Hernández C , Ibarra-Castro L , Hernández C H , Quintero-Martínez G , Aragón-Noriega E A , Tacon A G
Published: July 2015

Growth performance of hatchery-reared Spotted Rose Snapper Lutjanus guttatus reared at two culture systems were studied, discussed and compared. We stocked 150 juveniles (mean, 124 g) into each of three floating cages and three onshore tanks (3 m3) supplied with seawater of similar temperature (range 23–29°C). Fish were fed twice daily with an extruded diet containing 50% crude protein and 12% crude lipid. The survival rate was above 90%. After 120 d, the mean weight at harvest was 30% greater among fish reared in cages (337 g) versus tanks (255 g). The final feed conversion (1.44 for cages and 1.48 for tanks) differed between the culture systems. Growth in weight was described by the following exponential equations: W = 132.23 e0.0079t, R2 = 0.98 for cages and W = 129.50 e0.0058t, R2 = 0.99 for tanks. The residual sum of squares analysis indicated that these curves were different. The exponents (b) of the length–weight relationship calculated for cages (3.03) versus tanks (3.00) demonstrated that cultured Spotted Rose Snapper have a higher condition factor than do their wild counterparts, and those raised in cages show better growth than do those raised in tanks.
N-glycosylation controls the function of junctional adhesion molecule-A
Authors: Scott David W. , Tolbert Caitlin E. , Graham David M. , Wittchen Erika , Bear James E. , Burridge Keith
Published: July 2015

Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is an adherens and tight junction protein expressed by endothelial and epithelial cells. JAM-A serves many roles and contributes to barrier function and cell migration and motility, and it also acts as a ligand for the leukocyte receptor LFA-1. JAM-A is reported to contain N-glycans, but the extent of this modification and its contribution to the protein’s functions are unknown. We show that human JAM-A contains a single N-glycan at N185 and that this residue is conserved across multiple mammalian species. A glycomutant lacking all N-glycans, N185Q, is able to reach the cell surface but exhibits decreased protein half-life compared with the wild- type protein. N-glycosylation of JAM-A is required for the protein’s ability to reinforce barrier function and contributes to Rap1 activity. We further show that glycosylation of N185 is required for JAM-A–mediated reduction of cell migration. Finally, we show that N-glycosylation of JAM-A regulates leukocyte adhesion and LFA-1 binding. These findings identify N-glycosylation as critical for JAM-A’s many functions.
Interlocked positive and negative feedback network motifs regulate β-catenin activity in the adherens junction pathway
Authors: Klinke David J. , Horvath Nicholas , Cuppett Vanessa , Wu Yueting , Deng Wentao , Kanj Rania
Published: July 2015

The integrity of epithelial tissue architecture is maintained through adherens junctions that are created through extracellular homotypic protein–protein interactions between cadherin molecules. Cadherins also provide an intracellular scaffold for the formation of a multiprotein complex that contains signaling proteins, including β-catenin. Environmental factors and controlled tissue reorganization disrupt adherens junctions by cleaving the extracellular binding domain and initiating a series of transcriptional events that aim to restore tissue homeostasis. However, it remains unclear how alterations in cell adhesion coordinate transcriptional events, including those mediated by β-catenin in this pathway. Here were used quantitative single-cell and population-level in vitro assays to quantify the endogenous pathway dynamics after the proteolytic disruption of the adherens junctions. Using prior knowledge of isolated elements of the overall network, we interpreted these data using in silico model-based inference to identify the topology of the regulatory network. Collectively the data suggest that the regulatory network contains interlocked network motifs consisting of a positive feedback loop, which is used to restore the integrity of adherens junctions, and a negative feedback loop, which is used to limit β-catenin–induced gene expression.
The Myopic-Ubpy-Hrs nexus enables endosomal recycling of Frizzled
Authors: Pradhan-Sundd Tirthadipa , Verheyen Esther M.
Published: July 2015

Endosomal trafficking of signaling proteins plays an essential role in cellular homeostasis. The seven-pass transmembrane protein Frizzled (Fz) is a critical component of Wnt signaling. Although Wnt signaling is proposed to be regulated by endosomal trafficking of Fz, the molecular events that enable this regulation are not completely understood. Here we show that the endosomal protein Myopic (Mop) regulates Fz trafficking in the Drosophila wing disk by inhibiting the ubiquitination and degradation of Hrs. Deletion of Mop or Hrs results in endosomal accumulation of Fz and therefore reduced Wnt signaling. The in situ proximity ligation assay revealed a strong association between Mop and Hrs in the Drosophila wing disk. Overexpression of Hrs rescues the trafficking defect caused by mop knockdown. Mop aids in the maintenance of Ubpy, which deubiquitinates (and thus stabilizes) Hrs. In the absence of the ubiquitin ligase Cbl, Mop is dispensable. These findings support a previously unknown role for Mop in endosomal trafficking of Fz in Wnt-receiving cells.
ClicO FS: an interactive web-based service of Circos
Authors: Cheong Wei-Hien , Tan Yung-Chie , Yap Soon-Joo , Ng Kee-Peng
Published: July 2015

Summary: We present ClicO Free Service, an online web-service based on Circos, which provides a user-friendly, interactive web-based interface with configurable features to generate Circos circular plots.

Availability and implementation: Online web-service is freely available at http://clicofs.codoncloud.com

Contact: soonjoo.yap@codongenomics.com

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
2015 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Native Vertebral Osteomyelitis in Adultsa
Authors: Berbari Elie F. , Kanj Souha S. , Kowalski Todd J. , Darouiche Rabih O. , Widmer Andreas F. , Schmitt Steven K. , Hendershot Edward F. , Holtom Paul D. , Huddleston Paul M. , Petermann Gregory W. , Osmon Douglas R.
Published: July 2015

These guidelines are intended for use by infectious disease specialists, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, radiologists, and other healthcare professionals who care for patients with native vertebral osteomyelitis (NVO). They include evidence and opinion-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with NVO treated with antimicrobial therapy, with or without surgical intervention.
Cluster–Robust Variance Estimation for Dyadic Data
Authors: Aronow Peter M. , Samii Cyrus , Assenova Valentina A.
Published: July 2015

Dyadic data are common in the social sciences, although inference for such settings involves accounting for a complex clustering structure. Many analyses in the social sciences fail to account for the fact that multiple dyads share a member, and that errors are thus likely correlated across these dyads. We propose a non-parametric, sandwich-type robust variance estimator for linear regression to account for such clustering in dyadic data. We enumerate conditions for estimator consistency. We also extend our results to repeated and weighted observations, including directed dyads and longitudinal data, and provide an implementation for generalized linear models such as logistic regression. We examine empirical performance with simulations and an application to interstate disputes.
Detecting Lung and Colorectal Cancer Recurrence Using Structured Clinical/Administrative Data to Enable Outcomes Research and Population Health Management
Authors: Hassett Michael J. , Uno Hajime , Cronin Angel M. , Carroll Nikki M. , Hornbrook Mark C. , Ritzwoller Debra
Published: July 2015

Introduction:

Recurrent cancer is common, costly, and lethal, yet we know little about it in community-based populations. Electronic health records and tumor registries contain vast amounts of data regarding community-based patients, but usually lack recurrence status. Existing algorithms that use structured data to detect recurrence have limitations.

Methods:

We developed algorithms to detect the presence and timing of recurrence after definitive therapy for stages I–III lung and colorectal cancer using 2 data sources that contain a widely available type of structured data (claims or electronic health record encounters) linked to gold-standard recurrence status: Medicare claims linked to the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance study, and the Cancer Research Network Virtual Data Warehouse linked to registry data. Twelve potential indicators of recurrence were used to develop separate models for each cancer in each data source. Detection models maximized area under the ROC curve (AUC); timing models minimized average absolute error. Algorithms were compared by cancer type/data source, and contrasted with an existing binary detection rule.

Results:

Detection model AUCs (>0.92) exceeded existing prediction rules. Timing models yielded absolute prediction errors that were small relative to follow-up time (<15%). Similar covariates were included in all detection and timing algorithms, though differences by cancer type and dataset challenged efforts to create 1 common algorithm for all scenarios.

Conclusions:

Valid and reliable detection of recurrence using big data is feasible. These tools will enable extensive, novel research on quality, effectiveness, and outcomes for lung and colorectal cancer patients and those who develop recurrence.
Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Biological Relatedness from Low Coverage Sequencing Data
Authors: Lipatov Mikhail , Sanjeev Komal , Patro Rob , Veeramah Krishna R
Published: July 2015

1

The inference of biological relatedness from DNA sequence data has a wide array of applications, such as in the study of human disease, anthropology and ecology. One of the most common analytical frameworks for performing this inference is to genotype individuals for large numbers of independent genomewide markers and use population allele frequencies to infer the probability of identity-by-descent (IBD) given observed genotypes. Current implementations of this class of methods assume genotypes are known without error. However, with the advent of 2ndgeneration sequencing data there are now an increasing number of situations where the confidence attached to a particular genotype may be poor because of low coverage. Such scenarios may lead to biased estimates of the kinship coefficient,εWe describe an approach that utilizes genotype likelihoods rather than a single observed best genotype to estimateϕand demonstrate that we can accurately infer relatedness in both simulated and real 2ndgeneration sequencing data from a wide variety of human populations down to at least the third degree when coverage is as low as 2x for both individuals, while other commonly used methods such as PLINK exhibit large biases in such situations. In addition the method appears to be robust when the assumed population allele frequencies are diverged from the true frequencies for realistic levels of genetic drift. This approach has been implemented in the C++ softwarelcMLkin.
Crystal structure of 5-chloro-2-(2-fluorophenyl)-3-methylsulfinyl-1-benzofuran
Authors: Choi Hong Dae , Lee Uk
Published: July 2015

In the title compound, C15H10ClFO2S, the dihedral angle between the mean planes of the benzofuran ring [r.m.s. deviation = 0.007 (1) Å] and the 2-fluorophenyl ring is 32.53 (5)°. In the crystal, molecules related by inversion are paired into dimersviatwo different C—H...O hydrogen bonds. Further, Cl...O halogen bonds [3.114 (1) Å], and F...π [F-to-furan-centroid distance = 3.109 (1) Å] and S...F [3.1984 (9) Å] interactions link these into a three-dimensional network.
Process dynamics of managing interdisciplinary, cross-organizational learning campus in change
Authors: Rytkönen Eelis , Nenonen Suvi , Österlund Erica , Kojo Inka
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to characterize development processes of eight novel learning environment projects in one university campus in Finland.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study builds propositions on case study data in an attempt to characterize the distinguished cases. In total, 22 semi-structured interviews were conducted as the primary data collection method. Supporting data includes archives, seminars and workshops. The data were analyzed in ATLAS.ti.

Findings

– The cases are unique in their processes constituting socio-technical change. They represent two main process types: agile, iterative bottom-up processes and slow, linear, top-down processes. The essence of each project is in balancing in five dimensions of approach, motivation, budget, type of outcome and added value (AMB to AV) process management model: approach scaling from strategic to operational, motivation scaling from space to activity, budget scaling from fixed to seed money, type of outcome scaling from slow and standardized to quick and dirty and added value scaling from research to societal impact.

Research limitations/implications

– The cases are highly context-dependent and only provide a narrow understanding of a previously little studied area. The main contribution is in highlighting the complexity of the studied phenomenon. Future research could further the subject by, i.e. testing the created model in another context.

Practical implications

– Transformation from institutionalized learning environments toward campuses facilitating learning flows requires multiple supporting processes. The roles of the campus managers are expanded from measuring, controlling and maintaining the campuses toward identifying, empowering, supporting and enabling user communities to affect their working and learning environments.

Originality/value

– Managing campuses top-down based on large amounts of data can be supported by bottom-up approaches. This study outlines a systemic framework for supporting both types of processes.
A new logarithmic profile model and optimization design of cylindrical roller bearing
Authors: Cui Li , He Yafei
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to find a new logarithmic profile model of cylindrical roller bearing, which is expected to avoid edge effect and allow a straight portion on the roller considering uniform pressure distribution and easier manufacturing.

Design/methodology/approach

– A new logarithmic cylindrical roller profile model using three parameters is proposed. Contact model between roller and rings and quasi-static model of roller bearing are given to obtain contact pressure distribution and solved by multi-grid and Newton–Raphson method. Optimization of modified reference rating life model of the roller bearing is proposed by using genetic algorithms.

Findings

– Under heavy load or tilting moment conditions, modified reference rating life of cylindrical roller bearing may increase greatly by optimization of three design parameters using the new logarithmic profile model.

Originality/value

– The results of the present paper could aid in the design of logarithmic profile of cylindrical roller bearing and increase fatigue life of cylindrical roller bearing.
Inquiry into corporate brand alignment: a dialectical analysis and directions for future research
Authors: Mingione Michela
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the study is to inquire into and to provide an integrated framework of academics’ and practitioners’ conversations on corporate brand alignment.

Design/methodology/approach

– A systematic literature review (with no time restrictions) was used to identify relevant journal publications from the years 2000 to 2013. Based on the retrieved articles, the Hegelian dialectic triad of “thesis, antithesis and synthesis” was used to inquire into conventional thinking on corporate brand management (i.e. through corporate brand alignment).

Findings

– The final sample of 59 articles brought to light a theory of corporate brand alignment, its recent contradictions and critiques and scholars’ attempts to unify them into an integrated framework. Three main perspectives emerged, suggesting that corporate brand could be managed through aligned (i.e. thesis), separated (i.e. antithesis) or mixed approaches (i.e. synthesis).

Research limitations/implications

– This research considers only English peer-reviewed journal articles retrieved from the EBSCO and WOS databases.

Originality/value

– This work proposes a contingency approach to corporate brand management, suggesting that there is no single best way of managing a corporate brand: aligned, separated and mixed approaches can be equally successful. Despite the choice of model (which arises from the analysis of the corporate brand meanings, stakeholders and contexts), three transversal corporate brand management imperatives emerged: the delivery of the corporate brand promise, the co-construction of corporate brand meanings and the recognition of the dynamic nature of corporate brands.
Celebrity endorsement, self-brand connection and consumer-based brand equity
Authors: Dwivedi Abhishek , Johnson Lester W. , McDonald Robert E.
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of celebrity endorser credibility on consumer self-brand connection and endorsed brand equity. A conceptual model is developed, positioning consumer self-brand connections as a partial mediator of the effect of endorser credibility on endorsed brand equity.

Design/methodology/approach

– A cross-sectional survey of 382 consumers of sports drinks in the USA was conducted to estimate the conceptual model. Stimuli, devised on the basis of a pre-test, involved celebrity–brand pairings in the context of the US non-aseptic sports drinks industry. Structural equation modeling is used as the analytic tool.

Findings

– The research model is empirically supported. Celebrity endorsements impact endorsed brand equity via two pathways. First, a direct effect of endorser credibility on endorsed brand equity was observed, which is positively moderated by the degree of consumer-perceived endorser–brand congruence. Second, self-brand connection partly mediates the effect of endorser credibility on endorsed brand equity, supporting an indirect mechanism of brand equity enhancement.

Practical implications

– Managers can now consider using celebrities as tools to develop meaningful self-concept-related connections with consumers. Additionally, the results of this study support for the use of celebrity endorsers as direct brand equity-enhancing tools.

Originality/value

– This study is among pioneering investigations that examine the self-concept repercussions of celebrity endorsements, suggesting that celebrity endorsers possess the ability to engage with consumers at the self-concept level, in turn, impacting endorsed brand equity. Additionally, this paper examines the direct and indirect mechanisms by which celebrities influence consumer-based brand equity of the endorsed brand.
Communicating product size using sound and shape symbolism
Authors: Baxter Stacey M , Ilicic Jasmina , Kulczynski Alicia , Lowrey Tina
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate children’s perception of a product’s physical attribute (size) when presented with brand elements (brand name and brand logo) manipulated using sound and shape symbolism principles (brand name sounds and brand logo shape), across children of different developmental ages.

Design/methodology/approach

– The relationship between sounds and shapes was examined in a pilot study. A 2 × 2 experiment was then undertaken to examine the effect of brand name characteristics (front vowel sound versus back vowel sound) and brand logo design (angular versus curved) on children’s (from 5 to 12 years) product-related judgments.

Findings

– Older children use non-semantic brand stimuli as a means to infer physical product attributes. Specifically, only older children are able to perceive a product to be smaller (larger) when the product is paired with a brand name containing a front (back) vowel sound or an angular (curved) brand logo (single symbolic cue). We illustrate that brand logo-related shape symbolism effects are weaker and appear later in age when compared with brand name-related sound symbolism effects. Further, younger children are able to infer product attribute meaning when exposed to two symbolic cues (that is, brand name and brand logo).

Practical implications

– When selecting an inventive brand element, consideration should be given to the relationship between the vowel sounds contained in a brand’s name and product attributes, and also the shape of the brand’s logo and product attributes.

Originality/value

– This is the first experiment undertaken to examine the combination of brand name- and brand logo-related symbolism effects in the context of children. We demonstrate that age-based bounds may be overcome through the provision of multiple symbolic cues.
Boys’ responses to the integration of advertising and entertaining content
Authors: van Reijmersdal Eva A. , Rozendaal Esther , Buijzen Moniek
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purposes of this paper are to investigate the effects of integrated advertising formats on the persuasion of children, children’s awareness of the persuasive intent of these formats and how this awareness mediates the level of persuasion.

Design/methodology/approach

– An one-factor between-subjects experiment was conducted among 117 boys from 8 to 12 years old.

Findings

– This study showed that boys were more aware of the persuasive intent of a non-integrated catalog than of a brand-integrated magazine. In addition, higher awareness of the persuasive intent of the catalog enhanced persuasion in boys.

Research limitations/implications

– This study only focused on boys’ responses and not on girls.

Practical implications

– Findings imply that advertisers could focus on non-integrated print advertising formats, such as catalogs, to promote positive product attitudes among boys. Catalogs are also a more ethical way of communicating to boys because boys are generally aware of catalogs’ persuasive intent.

Social implications

– This study implies that even if children have sufficient persuasion knowledge, they do not necessarily use it to critically evaluate advertising.

Originality/value

– This paper is the first to systematically test the differences in effects of brand-integrated magazines versus catalogs targeted toward children. Importantly, it shows that persuasion knowledge plays a fundamentally different role in the persuasion process of children than of adults: awareness of the persuasive intent of catalogs increases persuasion among boys, whereas previous studies among adults showed opposite results.
Weber‐Christian disease presenting with lung nodules dramatically improved with corticosteroid therapy: one case report and literature review
Authors: Wang Yu , Zhao Juan , Ji Lan lan , Zhang Shuang , Zhang Zhuoli
Published: July 2015

Weber–Christian disease (WCD) is a chronic recurrent organ disease characterized by the formation of painful dense nodes in subcutaneous fat tissues, free from suppuration and accompanied by episodic temperature changes, chills and muscular pain. Sometimes it can involve the visceral organs. WCD often relapses during irregular intervals. It is a rare autoimmune inflammatory disorder of subcutaneous adipose tissue. However, lung involvement in WCD is rare. Here we report a man presenting with lung nodules. He was diagnosed as having WCD and successfully treated by corticosteroid and immonosuppressive agents. A 53‐year‐old male presented with a 2.5‐year history of painful subcutaneous nodules on his trunk and limbs, accompanied by fever, night sweats, fatigue and malaise. A skin biopsy showed fat degeneration with foamy cells and infiltration of mononuclear cells. He was diagnosed as panniculitis and effectively treated by corticosteroid therapy at first. However, symptoms relapsed when the dosage of corticosteroid was tapered, and multiple lung nodules were found with the symptom of dyspnea in chest computed tomography scan during the follow‐up period. Histological examination of the biopsy specimens from the lung was compatible with panniculitis change in the subcutanous nodule. Combination therapy of corticosteroid with cyclophosphamide was effective during the following 27 months.
Flagellin‐dependent TLR5/caveolin‐1 as a promising immune activator in immunosenescence
Authors: Lim Jae Sung , Nguyen Kim Cuc Thi , Nguyen Chung Truong , Jang Ik‐Soon , Han Jung Min , Fabian Claire , Lee Shee Eun , Rhee Joon Haeng , Cho Kyung A
Published: July 2015

The age‐associated decline of immune responses causes high susceptibility to infections and reduced vaccine efficacy in the elderly. However, the mechanisms underlying age‐related deficits are unclear. Here, we found that the expression and signaling of flagellin (FlaB)‐dependent Toll‐like receptor 5 (TLR5), unlike the other TLRs, were well maintained in old macrophages, similar to young macrophages. The expression and activation of TLR5/MyD88, but not TLR4, were sensitively regulated by the upregulation of caveolin‐1 in old macrophages through direct interaction. This interaction was also confirmed using macrophages from caveolin‐1 or MyD88 knockout mice. Because TLR5 and caveolin‐1 were well expressed in major old tissues including lung, skin, intestine, and spleen, we analyzed in vivo immune responses via a vaccine platform with FlaB as a mucosal adjuvant for the pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in young and aged mice. The FlaB‐PspA fusion protein induced a significantly higher level of PspA‐specific IgG and IgA responses and demonstrated a high protective efficacy against a lethal challenge with live S. pneumoniae in aged mice. These results suggest that caveolin‐1/TLR5 signaling plays a key role in age‐associated innate immune responses and that FlaB‐PspA stimulation of TLR5 may be a new strategy for a mucosal vaccine adjuvant against pneumococcal infection in the elderly.
Success factors for Bakri™ balloon usage secondary to uterine atony: a retrospective, multicentre study
Authors: Vintejoux Emmanuelle , Ulrich Daniela , Mousty Eve , Masia Florent , Marès Pierre , de Tayrac Renaud , Letouzey Vincent
Published: July 2015

Background

Post‐partum haemorrhage (PPH) is one of the major obstetric complications and remains a cause of avoidable maternal mortality and morbidity.

Aims

The aims of this study were to assess the success and practicability of a Bakri™ balloon intrauterine tamponade for PPH and evaluate the predictive factors for success.

Materials and Methods

Women who received the Bakri™ balloon secondary to uterine atony and subsequent failure of routine drug treatment were identified at 6 hospital sites. Demographic, obstetric and specific factors in regard to the Bakri™ balloon use were recorded. Factors predictive of Bakri™ balloon success were evaluated.

Results

Intrauterine Bakri™ balloon tamponade was used in 36 women with uterine atony of which 28 received the balloon treatment after vaginal delivery: more than 50% of women (16/28) presented with PPH with blood loss > 1000 mL (mean blood loss: 1130 mL). Two balloon insertions failures were identified. Bakri balloon success was 100% for women with bleeding < 1000 mL. Twenty‐five women (69%) did not require invasive treatment; seven (19%) required arterial embolisation and four (11%) surgical management. No short‐term complication was observed after balloon insertion.

Conclusion

The use of the Bakri™ balloon method, if undertaken early, is effective for the management of PPH with uterine atony (100% success compared to 69% overall success rate). Intrauterine balloon tamponade should included in PPH management guidelines.
Early fetal echocardiography: Experience of a tertiary diagnostic service
Authors: Mogra Ritu , Saaid Rahmah , Kesby Greg , Hayward Janette , Malkoun Jessica , Hyett Jon
Published: July 2015

Background

There is a growing body of evidence that most of the major cardiac abnormalities can be diagnosed at 14–15 weeks of gestation. We present our experience of early fetal echocardiography.

Materials and Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study of women referred for early fetal echocardiography at 13–16 weeks of gestation at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Sydney Ultrasound for Women between August 2011 and March 2014. Findings of early fetal echocardiography, details of subsequent ultrasound examinations and pregnancy outcome were recorded.

Results

Early fetal echocardiography was performed in 400 euploid fetuses at a mean gestational age of 15+2 weeks. 85% of women were referred for increased nuchal translucency. 383/400 (96%) women had both normal early and late fetal echocardiograms 15/400 (3.7%) were found to have a cardiac defect at early fetal echocardiography, including 14 major and one minor abnormality. Two additional minor cardiac defects were diagnosed at later antenatal ultrasounds. One case, defined as being normal antenatally, was found to have a minor cardiac abnormality post‐natally. Eight (57%) women whose fetus had a major cardiac defect chose to terminate the pregnancy. In the pregnancies that continued, the sensitivity and specificity for major cardiac defects was 100%, 95% CI (0.98–1.00).

Conclusion

Early fetal echocardiography is feasible and highly sensitive and specific in experienced hands. The high specificity facilitates early reassurance of those women assessed at increased risk for fetal cardiac malformations.
Simplified technique for injection of Botulinum Toxin to Obturator Internus muscle using ultrasound‐guided nerve stimulation for persistent pelvic pain
Authors: Evans Susan Florence , Porter Justin Matthew
Published: July 2015

Botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections have been used to reduce muscle spasm in the presence of severe pelvic pain. However, while pubococcygeus is easily accessed vaginally, injection to obturator internus is more complex – with variation in operative technique and needle placement confounding the ability to assess outcomes. We describe a simplified technique for BoNT injection to obturator internus using neurostimulation under ultrasound guidance.
IMF Conditionality, Government Partisanship, and the Progress of Economic Reforms
Authors: Beazer Quintin H. , Woo Byungwon
Published: July 2015

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) often seeks to influence countries' domestic public policy via varying levels of conditionality—linking financial support to borrowing governments' commitment to policy reforms. When does extensive conditionality encourage domestic economic reforms and when does it impede them? We argue that, rather than universally benefiting or harming reforms, the effects of stricter IMF conditionality depend on domestic partisan politics. More IMF conditions can pressure left‐wing governments into undertaking more ambitious reforms with little resistance from partisan rivals on the right; under right governments, however, more conditions hinder reform implementation by heightening resistance from the left while simultaneously reducing leaders' ability to win their support through concessions or compromise. Using data on post‐communist IMF programs for the period 1994–2010, we find robust evidence supporting these claims, even after addressing the endogeneity of IMF programs via instrumental variables analysis.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis presentation of a human T‐lymphotropic virus type‐1 myelopathy – insight into pathogenesis
Authors: Alkhawajah Nuha M. , Chapman Kristine M. , Moore G. R. Wayne , Oger Joel
Published: July 2015

A 41‐year‐old human T‐lymphotropic virus type 1‐positive woman developed a syndrome with upper and lower motor neuron signs sometime after bilateral vertebral artery dissections. Over 2 years, she developed a progressive myelopathy affecting predominantly the motor system. She had the picture of a ‘person in a barrel’ and died from complications. At autopsy, spinal cord revealed inflammatory infiltrates and extensive gliosis involving mainly the anterior horns. The vertebral arterial dissections may have permitted the entry of infected lymphocytes and macrophages, secreting cytokines and metalloproteinases, into the medulla progressing to the spinal cord. Few cases with pathological correlation have been reported.
Systematic review: bile acids and intestinal inflammation‐luminal aggressors or regulators of mucosal defence?
Authors: Pavlidis P. , Powell N. , Vincent R. P. , Ehrlich D. , Bjarnason I. , Hayee B.
Published: July 2015

Background

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), comprising Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic conditions attributed to an aberrant immune response to luminal triggers. Recently, published work suggests a pathogenic role for bile acids in this context.

Aim

To perform a systematic review of studies investigating the role of bile acids in intestinal inflammation and present potentially relevant clinical implications.

Methods

Pubmed search for English language articles published up to May 2015. Terms used were: ‘bile’, ‘bile acid’, ‘barrier’, ‘small bowel injury’, ‘Crohn's’ and ‘colitis’.

Results

Experimental studies support a variable role for bile acids in intestinal barrier homoeostasis. This may be attributed to different physicochemical properties, variable effects on epithelia and immune cells via bile acids‐specific receptors, or through a cross‐talk with the gut microbiome. A reduction in the bile acids pool, with lower concentrations of secondary forms, has been recognised for some time in Crohn's disease and associated to ileal dysfunction and bile acids malabsorption. Recent work suggests that these changes, including an increase in sulphated forms, are related to inflammatory activity in both Crohn's disease and UC. The detrimental effects of ‘western diet’ elements such as emulsifiers and fat, which have been implicated in the development of the current IBD and obesity epidemics, may also be bile acid‐mediated.

Conclusions

Although there are only a few observational clinical studies to support an interaction, in vivo human and animal studies support an association between bile acids metabolism, the gut microbiome and intestinal inflammation. This may well prove to have significant diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
Exact Confidence Intervals for the Relative Risk and the Odds Ratio
Authors: Wang Weizhen , Shan Guogen
Published: July 2015

For comparison of proportions, there are three commonly used measurements: the difference, the relative risk, and the odds ratio. Significant effort has been spent on exact confidence intervals for the difference. In this article, we focus on the relative risk and the odds ratio when data are collected from a matched-pairs design or a two-arm independent binomial experiment. Exact one-sided and two-sided confidence intervals are proposed for each configuration of two measurements and two types of data. The one-sided intervals are constructed using an inductive order, they are the smallest under the order, and are admissible under the set inclusion criterion. The two-sided intervals are the intersection of two one-sided intervals. R codes are developed to implement the intervals. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
Rejoinder to Discussions on: Deductive Derivation and Turing-Computerization of Semiparametric Efficient Estimation
Authors: Frangakis Constantine E. , Qian Tianchen , Wu Zhenke , Díaz Iván
Published: July 2015

This article is the rejoinder to:

We thank the Editors and the Associate Editor for the opportunity to have this exchange. We also thank the discussants for welcoming this search to make semiparametric inference more deductive, and for all their very interesting and useful comments.
A novel multi‐parameter assay to dissect the pharmacological effects of different modes of integrin αLβ2 inhibition in whole blood
Authors: Welzenbach Karl , Mancuso Riccardo V , Krähenbühl Stephan , Weitz‐Schmidt Gabriele
Published: July 2015

Background and Purpose

The integrin αLβ2 plays central roles in leukocyte adhesion and T cell activation, rendering αLβ2 an attractive therapeutic target. Compounds with different modes of αLβ2 inhibition are in development, currently. Consequently, there is a foreseeable need for bedside assays, which allow assessment of the different effects of diverse types of αLβ2 inhibitors in the peripheral blood of treated patients.

Experimental Approach

Here, we describe a flow cytometry‐based technology that simultaneously quantitates αLβ2 conformational change upon inhibitor binding, αLβ2 expression and T cell activation at the single‐cell level in human blood. Two classes of allosteric low MW inhibitors, designated α I and α/β I allosteric αLβ2 inhibitors, were investigated. The first application revealed intriguing inhibitor class‐specific profiles.

Key Results

Half‐maximal inhibition of T cell activation was associated with 80% epitope loss induced by α I allosteric inhibitors and with 40% epitope gain induced by α/β I allosteric inhibitors. This differential establishes that inhibitor‐induced αLβ2 epitope changes do not directly predict the effect on T cell activation. Moreover, we show here for the first time that α/β I allosteric inhibitors, in contrast to α I allosteric inhibitors, provoked partial downmodulation of αLβ2, revealing a novel property of this inhibitor class.

Conclusions and Implications

The multi‐parameter whole blood αLβ2 assay described here may enable therapeutic monitoring of αLβ2 inhibitors in patients' blood. The assay dissects differential effect profiles of different classes of αLβ2 inhibitors.
Care leavers on social work courses: a study of identity management
Authors: Ward Simon , Devereux Rose , Mayall Helen , O'Neill Teresa , Worsley Aidan
Published: July 2015

Care leavers constitute a small but important minority of social work students. Their dual role as previous ‘consumers’ of care and students is of inherent interest to both those involved in social work education and providers of social work services. This paper discusses a small research project that explored the experiences of such students through semi‐structured interviews. One theme that reoccurred in the analyses of the interview transcripts was how the students managed their identities, through the time that they were in care, in the period having left care and having been accepted on a social work course. What the interviewees had to say about their care and subsequent life experiences is worthy of consideration in terms of its implications for the delivery of social work education generally and how care leavers on social work courses should be treated by academics and on placement particularly.
Leprosy profiles in post‐elimination stage: a tertiary care hospital experience
Authors: Mowla Mohammad Rafiqul , Ara Shamim , Tripura Sanai
Published: July 2015

Background

Most countries that were previously highly endemic for leprosy have achieved elimination at the national level.

Objectives

To find out the pattern, prevalence, and trends of leprosy in the post‐elimination stage.

Methods

A descriptive retrospective cross‐sectional study was carried out using the registered records of patients attending the leprosy clinic in Chittagong Medical College Hospital between the periods 2001 and 2011.

Results

The new case detection rate was declining. The prevalence rate was 0.75 at the end of 2011. Of a total of 789 patients, males (74%) outnumbered the females (26%). The age of the patients in the study group ranged from 6 years to 87 years with mean age 35.58 years ± 0.05 SEM. Paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB) cases were 314 (39.80%) and 475 (60.20%), respectively. MB percentage was increasing more among new cases in the study period, and 119 (15.08%) patients presented with grade 2 deformities. Smear positive cases were 141 (17.87%). Leprosy reaction comprised of 193 (24.46%) type 1, 68 (8.62%) type 2, and 97 (12.29%) neuritis cases.

Limitations

This is a retrospective study from a single tertiary health center.

Conclusion

MB cases with grade 2 deformities are in an upward trend, and rates of children are declining. Developing reinforced new therapies to curb reactions, deformities are very important and contact tracing, especially of children, is essential. Domiciliary treatment needs to be made available to ensure early diagnosis.
New and emerging concepts in managing and preventing community‐associated methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections
Authors: Gupta Aditya K. , Lyons Danika C. A. , Rosen Ted
Published: July 2015

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections occurring within communities are increasing and can affect healthy individuals who have had little to no experience with hospital or healthcare settings (community‐associated MRSA, CA‐MRSA). CA‐MRSA infections have multiple presentations which can make diagnosis and timely treatment difficult yet often manifest as a skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) requiring dermatological intervention. There is emerging evidence of multiple environmental sources of bacteria that may contribute to recurrence. As with other infections, preventing transmission and recurrence depends on adherence to hand‐washing and personal hygiene practices. Pharmaceutical intervention should be culture‐ rather than empirically‐guided. The goal of this review is to provide dermatologists with a brief summary of the diagnostic features of CA‐MRSA infections and updated strategies for management and prevention of transmission and recurrence of CA‐MRSA infections, infections likely to present to dermatology offices.
Allele and haplotype frequencies of HLA‐A, B, C, DRB1 and DQB1 genes in polytransfused patients in ethnically diverse populations from Brazil
Authors: Rodrigues C. , Macedo L. C. , Bruder A. V. , Quintero F. d. C. , de Alencar J. B. , Sell A. M. , Visentainer J. E. L.
Published: July 2015

The red blood transfusion is a practice often used in patients with haematological and oncological diseases. However, the investigation of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) system frequency in these individuals is of great importance because multiple transfusions may lead to HLA alloimmunization. Brazil is a country that was colonized by many other ethnicities, leading to a mixed ethnicity and regionalized population. In view of the importance of HLA typing in these patients, the aim of this study was to investigate the allele and haplotype frequencies from polytransfused patients from three different regions from Brazil. HLA‐A, HLA‐B, HLA‐C, HLA‐DRB1 and HLA‐DQB1 genotyping of 366 patients was performed by PCR‐SSO, based on the Luminex technology (One Lambda®), and the anti‐HLA class I and class II antibodies were analysed using LabScreen Single Antigen Antibody Detection (One Lambda, Inc.). Allele and haplotype frequencies of polytransfused patients of three regions from Brazil were obtained using the Arlequin program. The most frequent allele frequencies observed were HLA‐A*02, A*03, B*15, B*35, B*51, C*07, C*04, C*03, DRB1*13, DRB1*11, DRB1*07, DRB1*03, DRB1*01, DQB1*03, DQB1*02, DQB1*06 and DQB1*05. There were differences between the groups for allele variants HLA‐B*57 (between Group 1 and Group 2) and HLA‐C*12 (between Group 1 and Group 3). The most frequent haplotypes found in the sample were HLA‐A*01B*08DRB1*03, DRBI*07DQB1*02, DRB1*01DQB1*05, DRB1*13DQB1*06 and A*02B*35. HLA class I and II antibodies were detected in 77.9% and 63.9% patients, respectively, while the both alloantibodies were detected in 62 (50.9%) patients. In conclusion, the HLA typing for polytransfused patients in each region has a great importance, as seen in this study; individuals from different regions from Brazil have HLA distribution not completely homogeneous.
Accelerated simulated annealing algorithm applied to the flexible job shop scheduling problem
Authors: Cruz‐Chávez Marco Antonio , Martínez‐Rangel Martín G. , Cruz‐Rosales Martín H.
Published: July 2015

This paper presents a simulated annealing algorithm accelerated by a partial scheduling mechanism and a cooling schedule mechanism that is a function of the standard deviation. This facilitates a rapid approach to good solutions in the flexible job shop scheduling problem (FJSSP). The results demonstrate that for benchmark instances of several sizes, simulated annealing that implements the proposed mechanism converges more quickly to good solutions than simulated annealing that does not implement the proposed mechanism.
An evolutionary implicit enumeration procedure for solving the resource‐constrained project scheduling problem
Authors: Zamani Reza
Published: July 2015

This paper presents a procedure for solving the resource‐constrained project scheduling problem. It consists of an implicit enumeration module and a genetic algorithm. If the procedure is provided access to all of its required computational resources of the problem at hand, it guarantees the optimality of the produced solution. In contrast, and in the case of limited access to computational resources, the procedure gradually moves the root of the search‐tree downward, and consequently prunes part of the search space, trading speed with precision effectively. In the cases where speed has been traded with precision, and the guarantee of optimality has been lost, the final schedule created by the implicit enumeration module is used as a template whose modified instances fill an initial pool of a genetic algorithm to improve the proposed solution. The procedure has been applied to 2040 benchmark instances. The results are promising; whereas for all small‐ and some medium‐sized instances, the procedure has found and guaranteed optimal solutions, for other instances, whose optimal solutions cannot be guaranteed within the limit of computational resources, it has produced high‐quality solutions.
The self‐evaluation of upper‐gastrointestinal symptoms in Chinese patients with digestive disease: A multicenter questionnaire survey
Authors: Lin Rong , Wang Weijun , Hou Xiaohua
Published: July 2015

Aim:

To investigate the self‐evaluation of upper gastrointestinal symptoms in Chinese patients. To observe the role of patients' characters, such as sex, age, education background, and clinic visits, which might affect the self‐understanding of patients.

Methods:

The nationwide cross‐sectional questionnaire was administered to 3000 patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms at 50 hospitals across 9 provinces in China. Questionnaire items covered four basic patients' characters and five major upper gastrointestinal symptoms.

Results:

A total of 2799 questionnaires (response rate: 93.3%) were analyzed. Only 35.29% patients could precisely understand the definition of dyspepsia. The misunderstanding of lower‐gastroenterology discomforts is the major reason leading to low accuracy rate of dyspepsia. The accuracy rate of early satiety and postprandial fullness is 37.7% and 52.27% separately; they are most interrelated and easily confused concepts to each other. The accuracy rate of heartburn is 30.02%, while the location of burning sensation is the key aspect for misunderstanding of heartburn. The self‐understanding of symptoms in patients was decreased with increasing age, and enhanced with higher education background and time of clinic visits. Gender is not the independent factor.

Conclusion:

Based on the low accuracy rate of self‐understanding of patients, this survey suggests that the gastroenterologists should re‐evaluate the symptoms of patients during the clinical inquiry.