bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumption of Whole Grains, Refined Cereals, and Legumes and Its Association With Colorectal Cancer Among Jordanians
Authors: Tayyem Reema F. , Bawadi Hiba A. , Shehadah Ihab , Agraib Lana M. , Al-Awwad Narmeen J. , Heath Dennis D. , Bani-Hani Kamal E.
Published: December 2015

Background. The role of whole grains, refined cereals, and legumes in preventing or initiating colorectal cancer (CRC) is still uncertain. The aim of this study is to examine the possible association between the consumption of whole grains, refined cereals, and legumes and the risk of developing CRC among Jordanian population. Methods. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to collect dietary data with regard to intake of whole grains, refined cereals, and legumes. A total of 220 diagnosed CRC participants and 281 CRC-free control participants matched by age, gender, occupation, and marital status were recruited. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of developing CRC in relation to the consumption of different types of whole grains, refined cereals, and legumes. Results. The odds ratio (OR) for developing CRC among cases consumed refined wheat bread at all meals was 3.1 compared with controls (95% CI: 1.2-7.9, P-Trend = 0.001); whereas the OR associated with whole wheat bread was 0.44 (95% CI: 0.22-0.92, P-Trend = 0.001). The statistical evaluation for daily consumption of rice suggested a direct association with the risk of developing CRC, OR = 3.0 (95% CI: 0.27-33.4, P-Trend = 0.020). Weekly consumption of macaroni was associated with CRC with OR of 2.4 (95% CI: 1.1-5.3, P-Trend = 0.001). The consumption of corn, bulgur, lentils, and peas suggested a protective trend, although the trend was not statistically significant. Conclusion. This study provides additional indicators of the protective role of whole grains and suggests a direct association between consumption of refined grains and higher possibility for developing CRC.
MatOrtho proximal interphalangeal joint arthroplasty: minimum 2-year follow-up
Authors: Flannery O. , Harley O. , Badge R. , Birch A. , Nuttall D. , Trail I. A.
Published: December 2015

The MatOrtho proximal interphalangeal replacement is a cementless cobalt–chromium metal-on-polyethylene mobile-bearing surface replacement arthroplasty. The aim of this study is to report the outcome and complications of this implant at a minimum of 2 years follow-up from a single institution. A retrospective case review was performed on all MatOrtho proximal interphalangeal joint replacements performed with a minimum of 2 years follow-up. Patient demographics, diagnosis, implant revision and other surgical interventions were recorded. Subjective and objective outcomes were evaluated at latest follow-up, including pain scores, range of motion, function and radiographic assessment. A total of 109 implants were inserted in 56 patients. Nine implants (six patients) were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 100 implants, 75 had been undertaken in females. The mean age at time of surgery was 64 years and the principal diagnosis was osteoarthritis in 74%. The mean follow-up was 47 months (range 24–77). Within the group there was a statistically significant diminution in pain. There was also an improvement in functional scores post-operatively. Improvement in range of motion was seen in those joints with a pre-operative range of motion greater than 20°. Radiologically there was no evidence of loosening or of implant subsidence at final follow-up. The revision rate was 13%. Nine joints were revised to the NeuFlex (silicone rubber) prosthesis, three were converted to an arthrodesis and one had exchange of the MatOrtho prosthesis. The survival of the MatOrtho proximal interphalangeal joint arthroplasty was 85% at a minimum of 2-years follow-up. Patients can be advised that the procedure achieves good pain relief, improvement in functional scores and may improve range of motion. We would, however, caution against this implant’s use in joints that are either stiff or have significant deformity and/or instability pre-operatively.
One-year results of needle fasciotomy and collagenase injection in treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture: A two-centre prospective randomized clinical trial
Authors: Scherman P. , Jenmalm P. , Dahlin L.B.
Published: December 2015

The objective of this study was to compare early and 1 year outcome of needle fasciotomy and collagenase injection for Dupuytren′s disease. Inclusion criteria were primary Dupuytren’s contracture excluding the thumb with a palpable cord and a total extension deficit, i.e. a fixed flexion from 30° to 135° with less than 60° in the proximal interphalangeal joint. The most affected ray was randomized to either treatment at two centres. Passive extension deficits for each joint before and after treatment, and at 3 and 12 months, were recorded together with complications. A total of 96 rays in 93 patients were included. The average total extension deficits before treatment were 60° or more in both groups, and were largely made up of contractures at the metacarpophalangeal joints. The deficits were reduced by 75% in both groups at 3 months and by 70% in both groups at 12 months. Four patients in the needle fasciotomy group and eight patients in the collagenase group had skin ruptures. At 3 months and 1 year, the outcomes of needle fasciotomy and collagenase injection are the same in Dupuytren’s disease with predominantly metacarpophalangeal joint involvement.

Level of evidence: 2.
Integration of Administrative, Clinical, and Environmental Data to Support the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Dagliati Arianna , Marinoni Andrea , Cerra Carlo , Decata Pasquale , Chiovato Luca , Gamba Paolo , Bellazzi Riccardo
Published: December 2015

A very interesting perspective of “big data” in diabetes management stands in the integration of environmental information with data gathered for clinical and administrative purposes, to increase the capability of understanding spatial and temporal patterns of diseases. Within the MOSAIC project, funded by the European Union with the goal to design new diabetes analytics, we have jointly analyzed a clinical-administrative dataset of nearly 1.000 type 2 diabetes patients with environmental information derived from air quality maps acquired from remote sensing (satellite) data. Within this context we have adopted a general analysis framework able to deal with a large variety of temporal, geo-localized data. Thanks to the exploitation of time series analysis and satellite images processing, we studied whether glycemic control showed seasonal variations and if they have a spatiotemporal correlation with air pollution maps. We observed a link between the seasonal trends of glycated hemoglobin and air pollution in some of the considered geographic areas. Such findings will need future investigations for further confirmation. This work shows that it is possible to successfully deal with big data by implementing new analytics and how their exploration may provide new scenarios to better understand clinical phenomena.
Two sides of the coin: A qualitative study of patient and provider perspectives on colorectal, breast and cervical cancer screening in a low-income Asian community
Authors: Wee Liang En , Lim Li Yan , Koh Gerald Choon-Huat
Published: December 2015

Objectives:

Patient and provider barriers to cancer screening in disadvantaged Asian populations are understudied. We conducted a qualitative study of attitudes to screening for colorectal, cervical and breast cancer within low-income communities in Singapore.

Methods:

Interviewers elicited perceptions of barriers/enablers to cancer screening amongst patients eligible for fecal occult blood test (FOBT)/Pap smear/mammograms, and providers serving these low-income communities. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically using established qualitative methodology.

Results:

Twenty patients and nine providers were interviewed. Patient and provider comments were grouped into seven content areas: primary care characteristics (PCC), procedural issues, knowledge, costs, priorities, attitudes, and information sources. For FOBT, the most frequently mentioned content areas were knowledge (61.2%) and attitudes (16.9%) for patients, and knowledge (19.5%) and PCC (18.6%) for providers. For Pap smears, it was knowledge (23.6%) and costs (20.5%) for patients, and PCC (33.8%) and knowledge (19.1%) for providers. For mammograms, it was knowledge (41.4%) and sources of information (15.9%) for patients, and knowledge (28.8%) and procedural issues (19.2%) for providers.

Conclusion:

While PCC, knowledge and costs were the main contributors as perceived by physicians, knowledge and attitudes were the biggest barriers from patients’ perspectives. Differences in perceptions of cancer screening exist between low-income patients and providers serving them.
Monitoring minimal residual disease in acute myeloid leukaemia: a review of the current evolving strategies
Authors: Ommen Hans Beier
Published: December 2015

Several disease-monitoring techniques are available for the physician treating acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Besides immunohistochemistry assisted light microscopy, the past 20 years have seen the development and preclinical perfection of a number of techniques, most notably quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and multicolor flow cytometry. Late additions to the group of applicable assays include next generation sequencing and digital PCR. In this review the principles of use of these modalities at three different time points during the AML disease course are discussed, namely at the time of treatment evaluation, pretransplantation and postconsolidation. The drawbacks and pitfalls of each different technique are delineated. The evidence or lack of evidence for minimal residual disease guided treatment decisions is discussed. Lastly, future strategies in the MRD field are suggested and commented upon.
Adrenocortical tumor in a cat secreting more than one type of corticosteroid
Authors: Guerios Simone Domit , Souza Carlos Henrique de Melo , Bacon Nicholas J
Published: December 2015

Case summary

A 14-year-old, spayed female domestic shorthair cat was evaluated because of a right adrenal mass. The referring veterinarian had started treatment for hypokalemia and systemic arterial hypertension. During the initial evaluation the cat was alert and responsive, and serum potassium concentration was within the reference range. Serum concentrations of aldosterone and progesterone were increased. Atrophy of the contralateral adrenal and an exaggerated response of cortisol to stimulation with adrenocorticotropic hormone suggested hypersecretion of cortisol. Unilateral adrenalectomy was performed and recovery was uneventful. Histologic examination of the mass revealed an adrenocortical tumor. After surgery, clinical signs of hypercortisolism, hyperaldosteronism and hyperprogesteronism were no longer observed, and neither potassium supplementation nor antihypertensive treatment were needed.

Relevance and novel information

In cases with an adrenocortical tumor, clinicians should investigate whether the tumor hypersecretes glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, sex steroids or combinations of these. Hypersecretion of more than one adrenal hormone may occur in a cat with an adrenocortical tumor.
Jayaprakash Narayan, Indian National Congress and Party Politics, 1934–1954
Authors: Ankit Rakesh
Published: December 2015

Jayaprakash Narayan, better remembered for his exploits in the Quit India movement of 1942, social work in the 1960s and his call for a ‘Total Revolution’ in 1974, was also a leading Congress socialist between 1934 and 1948, as well as active in non-Congress socialist politics till 1954. An admirer of Jawaharlal Nehru, he was a vocal critic of Vallabhbhai Patel. A radical with pronounced leftist tendencies, he was a bête noire of an elite-based politics of capitalist, communitarian and majoritarian impulses. Twice a member of Congress Working Committee, he was repeatedly invited by Nehru to join his government after Patel’s death and was spoken of as Nehru’s successor in the 1950s. These somewhat overshadowed aspects of his political life, in comparison to his social leadership, make it an important prism of Congress politics, its culture of ‘control and consensus’ and characteristics of ‘continuity and change’ with the colonial state.
Candidate Caste Effects in Uttar Pradesh Elections
Authors: Singh Shikhar
Published: December 2015

This article assesses the impact of a candidate’s caste on the probability of voting for a party. Candidate caste effects may be pronounced in multiethnic societies and patronage democracies. This is demonstrated for four political parties in Uttar Pradesh (India) across three state elections. Using data from fieldwork, a logistic regression is employed to test two hypotheses—voters are more likely to vote for a party if it fields a candidate from their caste; and less likely to vote for that party if other parties field co-caste candidates from that constituency. Results show that hypothesized effects are statistically significant across parties and elections. Citing corroborative evidence, it is suggested that caste parties employ candidate-centric strategies in some constituencies to widen their social base.
Towards a Comparative Subnational Perspective on India
Authors: Jacob Suraj
Published: December 2015

The article surveys the comparative subnational literature on India and suggests some promising paths forward. One, careful selection of sub-state regions can improve the legitimacy of inter-state comparisons and increase the validity of causal claims regarding state-specific governance and political economy. Two, there is greater scope for intra-state comparisons that control for state-specific factors and thereby identify more local, context-specific factors that drive political and other outcomes. Three, the roles and limitations of both causal and non-causal research designs need to be better understood in the subnational context. Four, for serious comparison, it is imperative to explore only a few carefully selected primary units of analysis. While this highlights the importance of the traditional comparative case study approach, the implied qualitative/quantitative dichotomy is false: methods based on inferential statistics can and should be usefully nested in a causal comparative case study framework. Five, greater emphasis on process tracing can improve insights from subnational comparisons.
Unpacking Public Preference for Increasing Defence Expenditure in India
Authors: Bakshi Pooja
Published: December 2015

This article will examine public preference for increasing defence expenditure in India. It will be argued that the following aspects have a bearing on people’s opinion about defence expenditure: religiosity; people’s opinion regarding war being the solution to the India–Pakistan conflict; people’s opinion about India’s global image; and people’s federal location in India pertaining to whether or not they live in areas which have experienced the presence of the army for protracted periods of time.
Direct Intracochlear Acoustic Stimulation Using a PZT Microactuator
Authors: Luo Chuan , Omelchenko Irina , Manson Robert , Robbins Carol , Oesterle Elizabeth C. , Cao Guo Zhong , Shen I.Y. , Hume Clifford R.
Published: December 2015

Combined electric and acoustic stimulation has proven to be an effective strategy to improve hearing in some cochlear implant users. We describe an acoustic microactuator to directly deliver stimuli to the perilymph in the scala tympani. The 800 µm by 800 µm actuator has a silicon diaphragm driven by a piezoelectric thin film (e.g., lead-zirconium-titanium oxide or PZT). This device could also be used as a component of a bimodal acoustic-electric electrode array. In the current study, we established a guinea pig model to test the actuator for its ability to deliver auditory signals to the cochlea in vivo. The actuator was placed through the round window of the cochlea. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds, peak latencies, and amplitude growth were calculated for an ear canal speaker versus the intracochlear actuator for tone burst stimuli at 4, 8, 16, and 24 kHz. An ABR was obtained after removal of the probe to assess loss of hearing related to the procedure. In some animals, the temporal bone was harvested for histologic analysis of cochlear damage. We show that the device is capable of stimulating ABRs in vivo with latencies and growth functions comparable to stimulation in the ear canal. Further experiments will be necessary to evaluate the efficiency and safety of this modality in long-term auditory stimulation and its ability to be integrated with conventional cochlear implant arrays.
Population structure and genetic diversity in the nannandrous moss Homalothecium lutescens: does the dwarf male system facilitate gene flow?
Authors: Rosengren Frida , Hansson Bengt , Cronberg Nils
Published: December 2015

Background

Nannandry is a sexual system where males (”dwarf males”) are much smaller than the conspecific females. Dwarf males occur in a wide range of unrelated organisms but the evolutionary advantages of this condition are poorly understood. The dwarf male sexual system results in differences in the mode of dispersal and establishment as well as the life span between males and females. Such differences must have profound effects on the population dynamics and genetic structures. We have studied four populations of the nannandrous mossHomalothecium lutescensin southern Sweden. We genotyped dwarf males and female shoots with the aim of describing the genetic diversity and structure of the populations.

Results

Dwarf males were most related to their host shoot, then their colony (within 0.5 m2) and then the rest of the population, which suggests restricted spore dispersal. However, a few dwarf males in each population appeared to originate from other colonies and sometimes even other populations. Genetic diversity of dwarf males was generally high but showed no tendency to be consistently higher or lower than female genetic diversity within the four populations.

Conclusions

Although most dwarf males have local origin, sporadic dispersal events occur. The ability of the dwarf males to establish in high numbers in mature colonies facilitates gene flow between populations as well as increases the potential to accumulate genetic diversity within populations.
Phylogenetic relationships of †Luisiella feruglioi (Bordas) and the recognition of a new clade of freshwater teleosts from the Jurassic of Gondwana
Authors: Sferco Emilia , López-Arbarello Adriana , Báez Ana María
Published: December 2015

Background

Teleosts constitute more than 99 % of living actinopterygian fishes and fossil teleosts have been studied for about two centuries. However, a general consensus on the definition of Teleostei and the relationships among the major teleostean clades has not been achieved. Our current ideas on the origin and early diversification of teleosts are mainly based on well-known Mesozoic marine taxa, whereas the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of many Jurassic continental teleosts are still poorly understood despite their importance to shed light on the early evolutionary history of this group. Here, we explore the phylogenetic relationships of the Late Jurassic (Oxfordian – Tithonian) freshwater †Luisiella feruglioifrom Patagonia, in a comprehensive parsimony analysis after a thorough revision of characters from previous phylogenetic studies on Mesozoic teleosts.

Results

We retrieved †Luisiella feruglioias the sister taxon of the Late Jurassic †Cavenderichthys talbragarensis, both taxa in turn forming a monophyletic group with the Early Cretaceous †Leptolepis koonwarri. This new so far exclusively Gondwanan freshwater teleost clade,named †Luisiellidae fam. nov. herein, is placed outside crown Teleostei, as a member of the stem-group immediately above the level of †Leptolepis coryphaenoides. In addition, we did not retrieve the Late Jurassic †Varasichthyidae as a member of †Crossognathiformes. The position of †Crossognathiformes within Teleocephala is confirmed whereas †Varasichthyidae is placed on the stem.

Conclusions

The general morphology of luisiellids is that of basal, stem Teleocephala; however, most of their synapomorphies have evolved independently in teleocephalans. Similarly, the resemblance between varasichthyids and crossognathiforms might be due to parallel evolution. In accordance to most teleostean phylogenies, our analysis shows that a major morphological change occurred along the stem line and are currently recorded at the level of †Leptolepis coryphaenoides. A stem-based total clade Teleostei has been accepted for this work.
Specialisation versus special interest ‐ the Australian podiatry experience
Authors: Davies Ainslie , Bennett Paul , Nancarrow Susan , Cuesta‐Vargas Antonio
Published: December 2015

Background

Ensuring efficient and effective delivery of health care to an ageing population has been a major driver for a review of the health workforce in Australia. As part of this process a National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) has evolved with one goal being to improve workforce flexibility within a nationally consistent model of governance. In addition to increased flexibility, there have been discussions about maintaining standards and the role of specialisation. This study aims to explore the association between practitioners' self‐perceptions about their special interest in musculoskeletal, diabetes related and podopaediatric foot care and the actual podiatry services they deliver in Australia.

Methods

A cross sectional on‐line survey was administered on behalf of the Australasian Podiatry Council and its' state based member associations. Self‐reported data were collected over a 3‐week interval and captured information about the practitioners by gender, years of clinical experience, area of work by state, work setting, and location. For those participants that identified with an area of special interest or specialty, further questions were asked regarding support for the area of special interest through education, and activities performed in treating patients in the week prior to survey completion. Queensland University of Technology Human Research Ethics approval was sought and confirmed exemption from review.

Results

218 podiatrists participated in the survey. Participants were predominately female and worked in private practices.

The largest area of personal interest by the podiatrists was related to the field of musculoskeletal podiatry (n = 65), followed closely by diabetes foot care (n = 61), and a third area identified was in the management of podopaediatric conditions (n = 26).

Conclusions

Health workforce reform in Australia is in part being managed by the federal government with a goal to meet the health care needs of Australians into the future. The recognition of a specialty registration of podiatric surgery and endorsement for scheduled medicines was established with this workforce reform in mind. Addition of new subspecialties may be indicated based on professional development, to maintain high standards and meet community expectations.
Image findings of cranial nerve pathology on [18F]-2- deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography with computerized tomography (PET/CT): a pictorial essay
Authors: Raslan Osama A. , Muzaffar Razi , Shetty Vilaas , Osman Medhat M.
Published: December 2015

This article aims to increase awareness about the utility of 18F -FDG-PET/CT in the evaluation of cranial nerve (CN) pathology. We discuss the clinical implication of detecting perineural tumor spread, emphasize the primary and secondary 18F -FDG-PET/CT findings of CN pathology, and illustrate the individual 18F -FDG-PET/CT CN anatomy and pathology of 11 of the 12 CNs.
Comparison of antidepressant classes and the risk and time
course of suicide attempts in adults: propensity matched, retrospective
cohort study
Authors: Valuck Robert J. , Libby Anne M. , Anderson Heather D. , Allen Richard R. , Strombom Indiana , Marangell Lauren B. , Perahia David
Published: December 2015

Background

Placebo-controlled clinical trials have led to concern over possible
increased risk of suicide-related events in some populations exposed to
antidepressants.

Aims

To evaluate the risk of suicide attempts by antidepressant drug class and
the presence or absence of depression.

Method

A retrospective propensity-matched new-user cohort study was used to
compare participants with incident depression classified by
antidepressant treatment with each other and with the general
population.

Results

Among the treated group, the suicide attempt rate peaked in the month
prior to diagnosis then decreased steadily over the next 6 months. Among
the pharmacologically untreated group, the highest rate was seen in the
second month after diagnosis. Cohorts with depression had significantly
higher suicide attempt risk than the general population, but the treated
group did not differ significantly from the untreated group.

Conclusions

Patients on antidepressants did not have significantly higher risk
compared with untreated patients. No significant differences were
observed for patients treated with individual serotonin–noradrenaline
reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs) or by class (SSRI v. SNRI cohorts).
Negative symptoms and longitudinal grey matter tissue loss in adolescents at risk of psychosis: Preliminary findings from a 6-year follow-up study
Authors: McKechanie Andrew G. , Moorhead Thomas W. J. , Stanfield Andrew C. , Whalley Heather C. , Johnstone Eve C. , Lawrie Stephen M. , Owens David G. C.
Published: December 2015

Background

Negative symptoms are perhaps the most disabling feature of schizophrenia. Their pathogenesis remains poorly understood and it has been difficult to assess their development over time with imaging techniques.

Aims

To examine, using tensor-based structural imaging techniques, whether there are regions of progressive grey matter volume change associated with the development of negative symptoms.

Method

A total of 43 adolescents at risk of psychosis were examined using magnetic resonance imaging and whole brain tensor-based morphometry at two time points, 6 years apart.

Results

When comparing the individuals with significant negative symptoms with the remaining participants, we identified five regions of significant grey matter tissue loss over the 6-year period. These regions included the left temporal lobe, the left cerebellum, the left posterior cingulate and the left inferior parietal sulcus.

Conclusions

Negative symptoms are associated with longitudinal grey matter tissue loss. The regions identified include areas associated with psychotic symptoms more generally but also include regions uniquely associated with negative symptoms.
Césaire, Chamoiseau, and the Work of Legacy
Authors: Noland Carrie
Published: December 2015

After the death of Aimé Césaire in 2008, several Martinican writers published homages to the poet/statesman, indicating thereby their own place in the legacy he established. This essay studies one such homage, Patrick Chamoiseau's Césaire, Perse, Glissant: Les liaisons magnétiques, un essai (2013). Chamoiseau's attempt to weave Césaire into a tradition that includes Saint-John Perse, Edouard Glissant, and—most prominently—the French poet René Char leaves us with many questions: What is the complex geography of legacy? What happens when substantially different poets are pressed into the same heritage? What is the proper time and place of a poet or a poem? What is the work of legacy? How might the effort to memorialize a poet detach us from the material conditions of his or her emergence?
From Louverture to Lenin: Aimé Césaire and Anticolonial Marxism
Authors: Nesbitt Nick
Published: December 2015

This essay argues that Aimé Césaire remained committed to a nonaligned, tricontinental Marxism well beyond his resignation from the Parti Communiste Français in 1956. It describes this commitment positively in relation to “black Jacobinism” as well as the limitations of Césaire's Leninist commitment to recuperative modernization.
Art Talk and the Uses of History
Authors: Spillers Hortense J.
Published: December 2015

In a reading of Huey Copeland's Bound to Appear: Art, Slavery, and the Site of Blackness in Multicultural America, Spillers examines the stakes and implications of the work against the broader perspective of black artistic practices in the sociopolitical context of the United States. Looking in detail at aspects of Copeland's quartet of painters, she brings questions of aesthetics alongside present-day political concerns.
Dub Poetry as a Black Atlantic Body-Archive
Authors: Antwi Phanuel
Published: December 2015

Rereading dub poetry under the pressures of and with the resources of black feminist and queer theory, and treating the practice of dub poetry as a production of a sound archive, one that embodies and aurally animates the intimacies of the black Atlantic, this essay highlights the creative labor of this artistic project (the ways dub poets link sound to body to place to textuality) and helps us consider the conditions under which something new in black modernity is produced. Through this reconceptualization of the art form, the essay draws attention to ways dub extends Paul Gilroy's insights into the black Atlantic and the challenge of experiencing dub as a sound archive but also as a phenomenology that raises questions of embodiment and gendered bodily labor.
Stable isotope studies reveal pathways for the incorporation of non-essential amino acids in Acyrthosiphon pisum (pea aphids)
Authors: Haribal Meena , Jander Georg
Published: December 2015

Plant roots incorporate inorganic nitrogen into the amino acids glutamine, glutamic acid, asparagine and aspartic acid, which together serve as the primary metabolites of nitrogen transport to other tissues. Given the preponderance of these four amino acids, phloem sap is a nutritionally unbalanced diet for phloem-feeding insects. Therefore, aphids and other phloem feeders typically rely on microbial symbionts for the synthesis of essential amino acids. To investigate the metabolism of the four main transport amino acids by the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum), and its Buchnera aphidicola endosymbionts, aphids were fed defined diets with stable isotope-labeled glutamine, glutamic acid, asparagine or aspartic acid (U-13C, U-15N; U-15N; α-15N; or γ-15N). The metabolic fate of the dietary 15N and 13C was traced using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Nitrogen was the major contributor to the observed amino acid isotopomers with one additional unit mass (M+1). However, there was differential incorporation, with the amine nitrogen of asparagine being incorporated into other amino acids more efficiently than the amide nitrogen. Higher isotopomers (M+2, M+3 and M+4) indicated the incorporation of varying numbers of 13C atoms into essential amino acids. GC-MS assays also showed that, even with an excess of dietary labeled glutamine, glutamic acid, asparagine or aspartic acid, the overall content of these amino acids in aphid bodies was mostly the product of catabolism of dietary amino acids and subsequent re-synthesis within the aphids. Thus, these predominant dietary amino acids are not passed directly to Buchnera endosymbionts for synthesis of essential amino acids, but are rather are produced de novo, most likely by endogenous aphid enzymes.
Anticoagulant dosing in renal impairment
Authors: Harder S.
Published: December 2015

Anticoagulants are widely used for prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism in the elderly, who commonly have renal impairment and other comorbidities. Renal impairment is a risk factor for bleeding and thrombosis during anticoagulant therapy and can influence the balance between the safety and efficacy of such agents. Some anticoagulants, such as fondaparinux and the direct acting oral thrombin inhibitor dabigatran etexilate are contraindicated for use in patients with severe renal impairment (eGFR <30 ml/min). However, also the direct acting oral FXa-inhibitors rivaroxaban, edoxaban and apixaban need caution regarding dosing advice or contraindications when used in patients with renal impairment.
Variable support for ASCO recommendations for the prevention and treatment of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism
Authors: Schwindel U. , Müller M. , Hutt H. J. , Matzdorff A.
Published: December 2015

Objectives: To determine the attitude of physicians towards the ASCO evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis and treatment in patients with cancer.

Methods: The ASCO guideline was published in Jan. 2015. Two specialists in in the field assembled a list of arguments for and against each of the ASCO recommendations. ASCO recommendations and pro & con arguments were presented to physicians attending 3 educational seminars on hemostasis in cancer patients. After the presentation each attendee was asked to fill out a questionnaire on how much he agreed with the recommendations and the pro & con arguments.

Results: A total of 89 physicians attended the three meetings. 56 questionnaires were returned. The ASCO recommendation with the highest degree of support was that patients undergoing major cancer surgery should receive prophylaxis for 7–10 days and for four weeks after major abdominal or pelvic surgery with high-risk features (84 % Pro). The recommendation with the lowest degree of support was that anticoagulation should not be used to extend survival of patients with cancer in the absence of other indications (56 % Pro = indifference). Arguments based on A) the scientific evidence underlying each recommendation, B) on clinical practicability and patients’ preferences/adherence, C) on the desire to avoid toxicity, malpractice litigation, and cost concerns, ranked equally.

Conclusion: The degree of support for ASCO guideline recommendations on prophylaxis and treatment of VTE in cancer is variable. For some key recommendations it is close to indifference. Scientific evidence for a recommendation is just one decision factor among others. Our study underscores the need to further promote educational activities on VTE prophylaxis and treatment in cancer patients particularly among all physicians caring for cancer patients.
World Health Organization estimates of the global and regional disease burden of four foodborne chemical toxins, 2010: a data synthesis
Authors: Gibb Herman , Devleesschauwer Brecht , Bolger P. Michael , Wu Felicia , Ezendam Janine , Cliff Julie , Zeilmaker Marco , Verger Philippe , Pitt John , Baines Janis , Adegoke Gabriel , Afshari Reza , Liu Yan , Bokkers Bas , van Loveren Henk , Mengelers Marcel , Brandon Esther , Havelaar Arie H. , Bellinger David
Published: December 2015

Background

Chemical exposures have been associated with a variety of health effects; however, little is known about the global disease burden from foodborne chemicals. Food can be a major pathway for the general population’s exposure to chemicals, and for some chemicals, it accounts for almost 100% of exposure. 

Methods and Findings

Groups of foodborne chemicals, both natural and anthropogenic, were evaluated for their ability to contribute to the burden of disease.  The results of the analyses on four chemicals are presented here - cyanide in cassava, peanut allergen, aflatoxin, and dioxin.  Systematic reviews of the literature were conducted to develop age- and sex-specific disease incidence and mortality estimates due to these chemicals.  From these estimates, the numbers of cases, deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) were calculated.  For these four chemicals combined, the total number of illnesses, deaths, and DALYs in 2010 is estimated to be 339,000 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 186,000-1,239,000); 20,000 (95% UI: 8,000-52,000); and 1,012,000 (95% UI: 562,000-2,822,000), respectively.  Both cyanide in cassava and aflatoxin are associated with diseases with high case-fatality ratios.  Virtually all human exposure to these four chemicals is through the food supply. 

Conclusion

Chemicals in the food supply, as evidenced by the results for only four chemicals, can have a significant impact on the global burden of disease. The case-fatality rates for these four chemicals range from low (e.g., peanut allergen) to extremely high (aflatoxin and liver cancer).  The effects associated with these four chemicals are neurologic (cyanide in cassava), cancer (aflatoxin), allergic response (peanut allergen), endocrine (dioxin), and reproductive (dioxin).
Teaching the Russian and Foreign Languages within the Framework of Integrated Linguistic Education Strategy
Authors: Горлова  , Gorlova N.
Published: December 2015

The paper deals with the issue of forming general-purpose educational activities (personal, meta-subject and subject) in the course of teaching the

Russian and foreign languages. Covered are the essence, structure and substance of the versatile learner-centered strategy of linguistic education,

oriented at personality development of a preschooler, a primary school pupil and a teenager when mastering oral-speech activity in the Russian

language (as a native as well as a foreign language), in a foreign language, as well as in a language of teaching any school subject.
Complex Approach to Securing Consistency in the System of Spiritual and Moral Development of Learners at the Primary and General Stages of School Education
Authors: Бежевец  , Bezhevets D.
Published: December 2015

The paper deals with the issue of securing consistency in the system of spiritual and moral development of schoolchildren while they move up from

primary to secondary school. Based on testing the author’s working program the reasonability of complex approach to organizing spiritual and

moral upbringing within the school education system is proved.
The survival and growth performance of juvenile cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) with application of tropical almond (Terminalia catappa) leaves
Authors: NURHIDAYAT NURHIDAYAT , WARDIN LIZA , SITORUS EDIYANTO
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Nurhidayat, Wardin L, Sitorus E. 2016. The survival and growth performance of juvenile cardinal tetra(Paracheirodon axelrodi) with application of tropical almond (Terminalia catappa) leaves. Nusantara Bioscience 8: 1-4. The proportional appearance of the length and the weight, and the color pattern are key factors of ornamental fishes. Modification of environment and application of food may be done to increase fish quality. The addition of active compound of tropical almond (Terminalia catappa) leaves at certain doses can be done to increase survival rate and the growth of juvenile cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi). This research used completely randomized design with four treatments and four replications. Therefore, there were 16 experimental units. The treatments were four doses of almond leaves: D0 (without almond leaves), D1 (0.5 g/L), D2 (1.5 g/L) and D3 (2,5 g/L). Experimental fish used in this research was cardinal tetra. The result showed that 0.5 g/L and 1.5 g/L of almond leaves addition resulted in 100% survival rate. Those concentrations also increased the body length by 1.28 cm and increased the weight by 0.092 g. The best water parameters used during the research were: temperature of 25-29oC, dissolved oxygen of 6-6.6 ppm, pH of 6-6.5, alkalinity of 22.66-33.98 ppm, water hardness of 26.17-57.00 ppm, ammonia of 0.0052-0.0104 ppm, and nitrite of 0.0029-0.0696 ppm.
Complex Changes in Plant Communities across a Subarctic Alpine Tree Line in Labrador, Canada + Supplementary Appendix Table (See Article Tools)
Authors: Trant Andrew J. , Lewis Keith , Cranston Brittany H. , Wheeler Julia A. , Jameson Ryan G. , Jacobs John D. , Hermanutz Luise , Starzomski Brian M.
Published: December 2015

As climate warms, abiotic factors, as well as plant community and biodiversity structure, may constrain or promote the movement of ecotone boundaries. Our study sought to examine how plant communities change across the tree-line ecotone of the Mealy Mountains in Labrador, Canada. We established eight transects (50–100 m in length) along an elevation gradient in three tree-line zones (forest, forest-tundra, and alpine-tundra) and recorded all species and cover of vegetation in contiguous 1 × 1 m quadrats. Companion abiotic parameters of nutrients and soil temperature were also measured. The absence of abrupt changes in important soil nutrients and growing season temperatures suggests that these factors do not limit tree species establishment beyond the current tree line. Vegetation cover and richness, however, were highly variable and in some cases changed non-linearly across the tree-line ecotone. Tree cover and species density generally decreased with elevation, while some field layer species (< 25 cm in height) increased; the latter change seems to be influenced by ground shrubs rather than herbaceous species. As expected, transects separated by the greatest difference in elevation were the least similar (higher beta diversity/species turnover); however, species turnover between the forest and forest-tundra transects was higher than it was between forest-tundra and alpine-tundra transects, even though the latter were separated by a greater elevation. Community structure and species turnover vary greatly across a tree line with the greatest differences between the forest and the forest-tundra, suggesting a biotic or abiotic barrier. While our ability to predict how the tree line will respond to continued climate change is complicated by these patterns in plant communities, the potential barriers investigated and others identified will be a useful focus for future studies.
Identity, Investment, and Faces of English Internationally
Authors: Norton Bonny
Published: December 2015

This article has been developed from a keynote address given at the June 2015 Faces of English conference held at the University of Hong Kong. The article examines the trajectory of Bonny Norton’s research on identity and language learning, highlighting her construct of investment, developed as a sociological complement to the psychological construct of motivation (Norton, 2013). An important focus of the paper is the expanded 2015 model of investment (Darvin & Norton, 2015), which responds to the changing communicative landscape of an increasingly digital world, and locates investment at the intersection of identity, capital, and ideology. Norton exemplifies her theories with data drawn from her collaborative research on English language learning in Canada, Pakistan, Uganda, and Iran. With reference to digital storytelling as a promising classroom practice, she argues that the challenge for English language teachers internationally is to promote learner investment in the language and literacy practices of classrooms by increasing the range of identities available to English language learners.
Comparison Between Peer Mediation and Teacher Mediation in Dynamic EFL Writing Assessment: A Case Study
Authors: Li Di
Published: December 2015

The present case study explores the effects of mediation of dynamic assessment (DA) on EFL writing development of English majors. Two junior English majors and their English writing teacher in a Chinese university were involved in a DA writing task. Student B was asked to write an application letter in English of around 500 words during her spare time. Student A and the teacher, as the mediators, tried to help her improve the essay based on her Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The dialogues in the two mediation processes were recorded and transcribed. Analysis of the data from Student B’s compositions and the recorded talks during the mediation process showed that there are some similarities between the two mediations including making more use of implicit prompts to guide the learner and playing a positive role to facilitate EFL language growth, especially grammar. The analysis, however, also showed great differences. The teacher tutor attempted more prompts and more implicit strategies than the peer to show that the teacher could do a better job in exploring the learner’s ZPD. Even so, the peer might be of important help in improving the language and content before a teacher mediation in the DA process.
The Interaction of Terahertz Waves and a Dusty Plasma Slab with Epstein Distribution
Authors: Wang Maoyan , Xu Zhitao , Dong Yuliang , Xu Jun , Zhang Meng
Published: December 2015

The Auxiliary Differential Equation Finite Difference Time Domain (ADE-FDTD) method is applied to study the electromagnetic scattering of a dusty plasma sheath with Epstein distribution. The charging response factor of dust particles and angular plasma frequency of the dusty plasma are functions of space-varying electron density with an Epstein profile. The verification of the numerical ADE-FDTD algorithm for the dusty plasma is given. The propagation properties of Terahertz (THz) waves through a dusty plasma slab affected by the characteristic parameter and modulation factor of the Epstein distribution are discussed. The absorption coefficients of the slab influenced by the electron density, density of dust particles, and effective collision frequency are studied. It is shown that Terahertz waves may be an efficient tool for high density dusty plasmas detection and diagnostics.
Transmission of Duobinary Signal in Optical 40 GHz Millimeter-Wave Radio-Over-Fiber Systems Utilizing Dual-Arm LiNbO3 Mach–Zehnder Modulator for Downstream
Authors: Dong-Nhat Nguyen , Malekmohammadi Amin
Published: December 2015

In this paper, for the first time transmission of 2.5 Gb/s duobinary signal is investigated for the downlink direction in 40 GHz optical millimeter-wave generation or up-conversion, utilizing a dual-arm
Adrenalectomy reduces the risk of vertebral fractures in patients with monolateral adrenal incidentalomas and subclinical hypercortisolism
Authors: Salcuni Antonio Stefano , Morelli Valentina , Eller Vainicher Cristina , Palmieri Serena , Cairoli Elisa , Spada Anna , Scillitani Alfredo , Chiodini Iacopo
Published: December 2015

Objective

Subclinical hypercortisolism (SH) is associated with increased risk of vertebral fractures (VFx). The effect on bone following recovery from SH is unknown.

Design

Of the 605 subjects consecutively referred for monolateral adrenal incidentalomas (AIs) to our outpatient clinics, 55 SH patients (recruited on the basis of the exclusion criteria) were enrolled. We suggested to all patients to undergo adrenalectomy, which was accepted by 32 patients (surgical group, age 61.3±8.1 years) and refused by 23 patients, who were followed with a conservative management (non-surgical group, age 65.4±7.1 years).

Methods

We diagnosed SH in patients with serum cortisol after 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test (1 mg-DST) >5.0 μg/dl or with greater than or equal to two criteria among 1 mg-DST >3.0 μg/dl, urinary free cortisol >70 μg/24 h and ACTH <10 pg/ml. We assessed: bone mineral density (BMD) at lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (as Z-score) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and the VFx presence by X-ray at baseline and at the end of follow up (surgical group 39.9±20.9 months and non-surgical group 27.7±11.1 months).

Results

The LS Z-score (ΔZ-score/year) tended to increase in the surgical group (0.10±0.20) compared with the non-surgical group (−0.01±0.27, P=0.08) and in the former, the percentage of patients with new VFx was lower (9.4%) than in the latter (52.2%, P<0.0001). Surgery in AI patients with SH was associated with a 30% VFx risk reduction (odds ratio 0.7, 95% CI 0.01–0.05, P=0.008) regardless of age, gender, follow up duration, 1 mg-DST, LS BMD, and presence of VFx at baseline.

Conclusion

In patients with monolateral AI and SH, adrenalectomy reduces the risk of VFx.