bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is ABO mismatch another risk factor for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in pediatric thalassemic patients?
Authors: Atay Didem , Erbey Fatih , Akcay Arzu , Ozturk Gulyuz
Published: July 2015

The ABO incompatibility between donor and recipient is not considered a barrier to successful allogeneic HSCT. Nevertheless, conflicting data still exist about the influence of ABO incompatibility on transplant outcome in pediatric patients with thalassemia. Fifty‐one children with beta‐thalassemia major who underwent allogeneic HSCT were enrolled this study. Twenty‐three of them (45%) received an ABO‐incompatible transplant [minor ABO mismatch: six (26%), major ABO mismatch: fourteen (61%), and bidirectional mismatch: three (13%)]. In this study, ABO incompatibility did not significantly impair GVHD, VOD, neutrophil and platelet engraftment, TRM, OS and TFS. Particularly in major and bidirectional ABO‐mismatched patients, a delayed erythroid recovery was recorded as compared to the group receiving an ABO‐compatible graft (median time, 31 and 38 days vs. 19.5 days; p: 0.02 and p: 0.03). Median time to red cell transfusion independence was significantly longer in major ABO‐incompatible patients (median time, 87 days vs. 32 days; p: 0.001). Therefore, whenever feasible, major ABO‐mismatched donors should be avoided in HSCT recipients, to prevent delayed erythroid recovery with prolonged RBC transfusion needs and impaired quality of life.
Are All Policy Decisions Equal? Explaining the Variation in Media Coverage of the UK Budget
Authors: Langer Ana Ines , Sagarzazu Iñaki
Published: July 2015

A country's budget is one of the most important public policy instruments, as it establishes the government's policy priorities and has the potential to determine winners and losers. The budget, however, is a mixture of different components and these get varying degrees of attention in the media. Drawing on sociology of news research, this paper seeks to explain this heterogeneous coverage of a budget's policy decisions. To do so, it uses a unique data set of over 5,000 articles of press coverage of six UK budgets (2008–2012). These articles are coded for the presence/absence of each of the budget's policy decision, via automated content analysis. On the basis of a multivariate negative binomial model, we find that the salience of a policy decision in the coverage is determined by its cost, whether it is negative (i.e., tax hikes and spending cuts) or positive, the income group that is the most affected by it, and the level of attention given to it by the government.
Race and STEM Degree Attainment
Authors: Ma Yingyi , Liu Yan
Published: July 2015

This paper reviews the key literature on racial disparities in entry and persistence to attain a STEM bachelor's degree. Overall, the literature provides quite consistent evidence that Black and Hispanic students are well represented in college major choices in STEM, which testifies to the interest of racial minorities in STEM fields. However, they are left behind during college, and many are left without a STEM degree or any degree whatsoever. We emphasize that although racial minority students may seem to be left behind during college in STEM fields, the problem dates further back to pre‐college. We need to examine college and pre‐college studies in an integrative manner, in order to achieve full understanding and come up with the right solution to the problem of racial disparity in STEM attainment.
Neoliberalism: The Whys and Wherefores … and Future Directions
Authors: Birch Kean
Published: July 2015

Neoliberalism means many things to many people. Often used indiscriminately to mean anything ‘bad’, neoliberalism is in need of dissection as an analytical category and a way of understanding the transformation of society over the last few decades. This paper is a brief introduction to neoliberalism and a number of key analytical approaches used to study it, including governmentality, Marxism, ideational analysis, history and philosophy of economics, institutional analysis, state/regulation theory, and human geography. It finishes with some suggestions for areas of further and future research.
What's Going on? Making Sense of the Role of the Media in the Arab Uprisings
Authors: Robertson Alexa
Published: July 2015

The article reviews recent scholarship on the role of the media in the Arab uprisings. After a summary of events, it sets out the debate between researchers who attribute a central and significant role to social media in the mobilizations that spread from Tunisia to Egypt and beyond in early 2011, and those who are more sceptical of such ‘techno‐enthusiasm’. Different theoretical perspectives on the media and protest are then presented, followed by an overview of empirical approaches to the topic. It is argued that the impact of social media must be viewed in relation to how they fit into wider media ecologies and social and political structures.
High School Dropouts After They Exit School: Challenges and Directions for Sociological Research
Authors: Campbell Colin
Published: July 2015

Sociological research on high school dropouts is largely concerned with who drops out of school and why. Research on the consequences of dropping out is less common. There are clear theoretical reasons to expect dropping out to have a direct and negative effect on life outcomes; however, empirically evaluating these theories is difficult because students who drop out are different from high school graduates in meaningful and complex ways. In this article, I first provide a brief review of sociological research on high school dropouts, emphasizing the demographics of dropouts and reasons for dropping out. I then discuss the possible role of human capital differences, signaling theory, and social closure in creating worse outcomes for high school dropouts and outline the empirical challenges to researching the effects of dropping out. I conclude by discussing avenues for future research and important unanswered questions about the consequences of dropping out.
Fragmented to Death: The Study of Violence and the Utility of Criminology
Authors: McGoldrick Stacy K.
Published: July 2015

This essay examines the current state of the field of criminology and argues that by under‐representing corporate violence, over‐representing street crime, and not often addressing political crime, criminology as a field is doing a disservice to our students. Further, the study of group violence and “new wars” could be enriched by the viewpoint of sociologists and criminologists.
Canopy height‐to‐row spacing ratio as a simple and practical onsite index to determine the time for terminating Ipomoea coccinea control in the Japanese soybean‐growing systems
Authors: Kurokawa Shunji , Hajika Makita , Shibuya Tomoko
Published: July 2015

In order to determine the time for terminating Ipomoea coccinea control in Japanese soybean‐growing systems, the relationship between the relative photosynthetic photon flux density at the emergence time of I. coccinea seedlings and their fate in competition with a Japanese determinate soybean cultivar, “Hatayutaka”, was investigated. A 2 year field study was conducted, in which I. coccinea was seeded at 0, 5 and 7 weeks after seeding of the soybean in 2010 and once per week between 0 and 7 weeks after seeding in 2011, while soybean was seeded in six plots at three different seeding times and two different row‐spacing arrangements with the same intrarow spacing. The results showed that the I. coccinea seedlings that emerged at a relative photosynthetic photon flux density of <49% grew weak or died. At this value, the canopy height‐to‐row spacing ratio of soybean was very stable, regardless of the row spacing, in both study years. This ratio was also stable when tested on 11 different soybean cultivars that covered all cultivation areas of Japan and had various growth speeds during the early growing period. A canopy height‐to‐row spacing ratio of 1.0 could be a simple and practical onsite index for determining the time to terminate I. coccinea control in Japanese soybean‐growing systems.
Thermal Analysis and Simulation of Auxiliary Bearings and Its Application in the High Temperature Reactor-10
Authors: Zhao Yulan , Yang Guojun , Shi Zhengang , Zhao Lei
Published: July 2015

The auxiliary bearing is applied to provide mechanical uphold for the rotational dropping rotor when contact event happens due to the active magnetic bearing (AMB) failure emergencies. During the rotor drop process, the auxiliary bearing will endure huge impact force and friction heat generation. The thermal behavior will affect the mechanical interaction and dynamic behavior of the auxiliary bearing and even induce rapid failure especially when excessive temperature growth occurs. The Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology (INET) of Tsinghua University in China has proposed the 10 MW high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTR-10). It is designed to guarantee the inherent safety and economic competitiveness. The dry-lubricated ceramic auxiliary bearing is utilized to protect the AMB and aims to ensure the safety of the AMB system in the HTR-10 in the case of the special operational requirements in the reactor. This paper simulates the process of the rotor drop on the auxiliary bearings in the AMB system of the helium blower of the HTR-10, including the analysis of thermal growth based on the Hertzian contact model and a one-dimensional (1D) thermal heat transfer network model. The study results demonstrate the validation of the bearing models and elucidate different responses between mechanical and ceramic auxiliary bearings during contact events. The research in this paper offers important theoretical bases for the auxiliary bearing design to guarantee the safety of the whole system.
The Influence of Sea Waves on Offshore Wind Turbine Aerodynamics
Authors: AlSam A. , Szasz R. , Revstedt J.
Published: July 2015

The impacts of swells on the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) flows and by this on the standalone offshore wind turbine (WT) performance are investigated by using large eddy simulations (LES) and actuator-line techniques. At high swell to wind speed ratio, the swell-induced stress reduces the total wind stress resulting in higher wind velocity, less wind shear, and lower turbulence intensity level. These effects increase by increasing swell to wind speed ratio (C/U) and/or swell steepness. Moreover, for the same hub-height wind speed (Uhub), the presence of swells increases the turbine power extraction rate by about 3% and 8.4% for C/Uhub = 1.53 and 2.17, respectively.
Monte Carlo simulation of the MoS2 sputtering process and the influence of the normalized momentum on residual stresses
Authors: Vierneusel Bernd , Tremmel Stephan , Wartzack Sandro
Published: July 2015

The film growth of sputtered MoS2 coatings is highly sensitive to the deposition conditions. Therefore, the effects of the deposition parameters on the resulting film structure have been studied excessively over recent decades. There is wide consensus in the literature that dense and hard MoS2 coatings show the best tribological behavior. Therefore, high-energy particle fluxes are typically favored due to momentum-induced film densification. Although particle flux ϕ and particle energy E are considered to be the most relevant for MoS2 film growth, the relationship between the process parameters and the resulting particle energetics has not yet been investigated. In this study, results from Monte Carlo simulations show the effect of cathode voltage and process pressure on the resulting particle energetics as a function of the target–substrate distance. Due to its relevance for the stress state, the normalized momentum according to Windischmann's intrinsic stress law has been investigated as a function of the deposition parameters. Based on the calculated results, it is assumed that the highest degree of particle induced densification and intrinsic stress formation can be expected at low process pressures, low target–substrate distances and high cathode voltages. However, the intensified densification effect of increased cathode voltages decreases with increasing distances to the target. In this study, the calculated results are compared with experimental residual stress data from literature. For this purpose, different ϕE1/2-factors have been calculated for 13 parameter combinations according to a Box–Behnken design by varying the parameters cathode voltage, process pressure and target–substrate distance on three different levels. A strong correlation between these calculated data and experimentally determined stresses has been found, which confirms the approach of the simulation procedure.
Auditory attention strategy depends on target linguistic properties and spatial configuration
Authors: McCloy Daniel R. , Lee Adrian K. C.
Published: July 2015

Whether crossing a busy intersection or attending a large dinner party, listeners sometimes need to attend to multiple spatially distributed sound sources or streams concurrently. How they achieve this is not clear—some studies suggest that listeners cannot truly simultaneously attend to separate streams, but instead combine attention switching with short-term memory to achieve something resembling divided attention. This paper presents two oddball detection experiments designed to investigate whether directing attention to phonetic versus semantic properties of the attended speech impacts listeners' ability to divide their auditory attention across spatial locations. Each experiment uses four spatially distinct streams of monosyllabic words, variation in cue type (providing phonetic or semantic information), and requiring attention to one or two locations. A rapid button-press response paradigm is employed to minimize the role of short-term memory in performing the task. Results show that differences in the spatial configuration of attended and unattended streams interact with linguistic properties of the speech streams to impact performance. Additionally, listeners may leverage phonetic information to make oddball detection judgments even when oddballs are semantically defined. Both of these effects appear to be mediated by the overall complexity of the acoustic scene.
Estimation of minimum oral tract constriction area in sibilant fricatives from aerodynamic data
Authors: Fujiso Y. , Nozaki K. , Van Hirtum A.
Published: July 2015

Speech screening of sibilant fricative phonemes is an important tool for oral health care. Nevertheless, screening as a function of quantitative geometrical markers is mostly limited to teeth features whereas the minimum area of the narrowed air passage upstream from the tooth is known to be a key production feature. The minimum area is estimated from non-invasive aerodynamic measurements using a laminar flow model. The influence of viscid flow losses on the area estimation is shown to be negligible. Current data suggest that speech screening is most effective for phoneme /s/, which supports common practice in oral health care.
Upper Limb Strength and Muscle Volume in Healthy Middle-Aged Adults
Authors: Saul Katherine R. , Vidt Meghan E. , Gold Garry E. , Murray Wendy M.
Published: July 2015

Our purpose was to characterize shoulder muscle volume and isometric moment, as well as their relationship, for healthy middle-aged adults. Muscle volume and maximum isometric joint moment were assessed for 6 functional muscle groups of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist in 10 middle-aged adults (46–60 y, 5M, 5F). Compared with young adults, shoulder abductors composed a smaller percentage of total muscle volume (P = .0009) and there was a reduction in shoulder adductor strength relative to elbow flexors (P = .012). We observed a consistent ordering of moment-generating capacity among functional groups across subjects. Although total muscle volume spanned a 2.3-fold range, muscle volume was distributed among functional groups in a consistent manner across subjects. On average, 72% of the variation in joint moment could be explained by the corresponding functional group muscle volume. These data are useful for improved modeling of upper limb musculoskeletal performance in middle-aged subjects, and may improve computational predictions of function for this group.
Reelin protects against amyloid β toxicity in vivo
Authors: Lane-Donovan Courtney , Philips Gary T. , Wasser Catherine R. , Durakoglugil Murat S. , Masiulis Irene , Upadhaya Ajeet , Pohlkamp Theresa , Coskun Cagil , Kotti Tiina , Steller Laura , Hammer Robert E. , Frotscher Michael , Bock Hans H. , Herz Joachim
Published: July 2015

Reelin prevents the deleterious effects of amyloid β on synaptic transmission, learning, and memory.
A
cfr
-Like Gene from Clostridium difficile Confers Multiple Antibiotic Resistance by the Same Mechanism as the
cfr
Gene
Authors: Hansen Lykke H. , Vester Birte
Published: July 2015

The Cfr RNA methyltransferase causes multiple resistances to peptidyl transferase inhibitors by methylation of A2503 23S rRNA. Many
cfr
-like gene sequences in the databases code for unknown functions. This study confirms that a Cfr-like protein from a
Peptoclostridium difficile
(formerly
Clostridium difficile
) strain does function as a Cfr protein. The enzyme is expressed in
Escherichia coli
and shows elevated MICs for five classes of antibiotics. A primer extension stop indicates a modification at A2503 in 23S rRNA.
Variation in the Microbiota of Ixodes Ticks with Regard to Geography, Species, and Sex
Authors: Van Treuren Will , Ponnusamy Loganathan , Brinkerhoff R. Jory , Gonzalez Antonio , Parobek Christian M. , Juliano Jonathan J. , Andreadis Theodore G. , Falco Richard C. , Ziegler Lorenza Beati , Hathaway Nicholas , Keeler Corinna , Emch Michael , Bailey Jeffrey A. , Roe R. Michael , Apperson Charles S. , Knight Rob , Meshnick Steven R.
Published: July 2015

Ixodes scapularis
is the principal vector of Lyme disease on the East Coast and in the upper Midwest regions of the United States, yet the tick is also present in the Southeast, where Lyme disease is absent or rare. A closely related species,
I. affinis
, also carries the pathogen in the South but does not seem to transmit it to humans. In order to better understand the geographic diversity of the tick, we analyzed the microbiota of 104 adult
I. scapularis
and 13 adult
I. affinis
ticks captured in 19 locations in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, and New York. Initially, ticks from 4 sites were analyzed by 454 pyrosequencing. Subsequently, ticks from these sites plus 15 others were analyzed by sequencing with an Illumina MiSeq machine. By both analyses, the microbiomes of female ticks were significantly less diverse than those of male ticks. The dissimilarity between tick microbiomes increased with distance between sites, and the state in which a tick was collected could be inferred from its microbiota. The genus
Rickettsia
was prominent in all locations.
Borrelia
was also present in most locations and was present at especially high levels in one site in western Virginia. In contrast, members of the family
Enterobacteriaceae
were very common in North Carolina
I. scapularis
ticks but uncommon in
I. scapularis
ticks from other sites and in North Carolina
I. affinis
ticks. These data suggest substantial variations in the
Ixodes
microbiota in association with geography, species, and sex.
Microbial Toluene Removal in Hypoxic Model Constructed Wetlands Occurs Predominantly via the Ring Monooxygenation Pathway
Authors: Martínez-Lavanchy P. M. , Chen Z. , Lünsmann V. , Marin-Cevada V. , Vilchez-Vargas R. , Pieper D. H. , Reiche N. , Kappelmeyer U. , Imparato V. , Junca H. , Nijenhuis I. , Müller J. A. , Kuschk P. , Heipieper H. J.
Published: July 2015

In the present study, microbial toluene degradation in controlled constructed wetland model systems, planted fixed-bed reactors (PFRs), was queried with DNA-based methods in combination with stable isotope fractionation analysis and characterization of toluene-degrading microbial isolates. Two PFR replicates were operated with toluene as the sole external carbon and electron source for 2 years. The bulk redox conditions in these systems were hypoxic to anoxic. The autochthonous bacterial communities, as analyzed by Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, were mainly comprised of the families
Xanthomonadaceae
,
Comamonadaceae
, and
Burkholderiaceae
, plus
Rhodospirillaceae
in one of the PFR replicates. DNA microarray analyses of the catabolic potentials for aromatic compound degradation suggested the presence of the ring monooxygenation pathway in both systems, as well as the anaerobic toluene pathway in the PFR replicate with a high abundance of
Rhodospirillaceae
. The presence of catabolic genes encoding the ring monooxygenation pathway was verified by quantitative PCR analysis, utilizing the obtained toluene-degrading isolates as references. Stable isotope fractionation analysis showed low-level of carbon fractionation and only minimal hydrogen fractionation in both PFRs, which matches the fractionation signatures of monooxygenation and dioxygenation. In combination with the results of the DNA-based analyses, this suggests that toluene degradation occurs predominantly via ring monooxygenation in the PFRs.
The Genotoxin Colibactin Is a Determinant of Virulence in Escherichia coli K1 Experimental Neonatal Systemic Infection
Authors: McCarthy Alex J. , Martin Patricia , Cloup Emilie , Stabler Richard A. , Oswald Eric , Taylor Peter W.
Published: July 2015

Escherichia coli
strains expressing the K1 capsule are a major cause of sepsis and meningitis in human neonates. The development of these diseases is dependent on the expression of a range of virulence factors, many of which remain uncharacterized. Here, we show that all but 1 of 34
E. coli
K1 neonatal isolates carried
clbA
and
clbP
, genes contained within the
pks
pathogenicity island and required for the synthesis of colibactin, a polyketide-peptide genotoxin that causes genomic instability in eukaryotic cells by induction of double-strand breaks in DNA. Inactivation of
clbA
and
clbP
in
E. coli
A192PP, a virulent strain of serotype O18:K1 that colonizes the gastrointestinal tract and translocates to the blood compartment with very high frequency in experimental infection of the neonatal rat, significantly reduced the capacity of A192PP to colonize the gut, engender double-strand breaks in DNA, and cause invasive, lethal disease. Mutation of
clbA
, which encodes a pleiotropic enzyme also involved in siderophore synthesis, impacted virulence to a greater extent than mutation of
clbP
, encoding an enzyme specific to colibactin synthesis. Restoration of colibactin gene function by complementation reestablished the fully virulent phenotype. We conclude that colibactin contributes to the capacity of
E. coli
K1 to colonize the neonatal gastrointestinal tract and to cause invasive disease in the susceptible neonate.
Chemorepulsion from the Quorum Signal Autoinducer-2 Promotes Helicobacter pylori Biofilm Dispersal
Authors: Anderson Jeneva K. , Huang Julie Y. , Wreden Christopher , Sweeney Emily Goers , Goers John , Remington S. James , Guillemin Karen
Published: July 2015

The gastric pathogen
Helicobacter pylori
forms biofilms on abiotic and biotic surfaces. We have shown previously that
H. pylori
perceives the quorum signal autoinducer-2 (AI-2) as a chemorepellent. We report here that
H. pylori
chemorepulsion from endogenous AI-2 influences the proportions and spatial organization of cells within biofilms. Strains that fail to produce AI-2 (
∆luxS
strains) or are defective for chemotaxis (
∆cheA
strains) formed more spatially homogenous biofilms with a greater proportion of adherent versus planktonic cells than wild-type biofilms. Reciprocally, a strain that overproduced AI-2 (

luxS
OP

) formed biofilms with proportionally fewer adherent cells. Along with the known AI-2 chemoreceptor, TlpB, we identified AibA and AibB, two novel periplasmic binding proteins that are required for the AI-2 chemorepulsion response. Disruptions in any of the proteins required for AI-2 chemotaxis recapitulated the biofilm adherence and spatial organization phenotype of the
∆luxS
mutant. Furthermore, exogenous administration of AI-2 was sufficient to decrease the proportion of adherent cells in biofilms and promote dispersal of cells from biofilms in a chemotaxis-dependent manner. Finally, we found that disruption of AI-2 production or AI-2 chemotaxis resulted in increased clustering of cells in microcolonies on cultured epithelial cells. We conclude that chemotaxis from AI-2 is a determinant of
H. pylori
biofilm spatial organization and dispersal.

IMPORTANCE
Bacterial biofilms are ubiquitous in nature, but the mechanisms governing their assembly and spatial organization are not fully understood. Bacterial communication through quorum sensing has been shown to influence biofilm growth through the regulation of biofilm genes. Our study revealed a new role for quorum sensing in biofilms through rapid chemotactic responses to quorum signals. Specifically, we studied how chemorepulsion of
Helicobacter pylori
from the universal quorum signal autoinducer-2 (AI-2) shapes the spatial organization of its biofilms. We demonstrate that the chemorepulsive response of
H. pylori
to AI-2 is necessary to promote its dispersal from biofilms grown on both abiotic and biotic surfaces and is sufficient to promote dispersal in a chemotaxis-dependent manner. This work has broad implications for understanding the mechanisms by which endogenously produced microbial compounds shape the assembly and spatial organization of microbial communities in their environments.
Controversies in the diagnosis and management of growth hormone deficiency in childhood and adolescence
Authors: Murray P G , Dattani M T , Clayton P E
Published: July 2015

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a rare but important cause of short stature in childhood with a prevalence of 1 in 4000. The diagnosis is currently based on an assessment of auxology along with supporting evidence from biochemical and neuroradiological studies. There are significant controversies in the diagnosis and management of GHD. Growth hormone (GH) stimulation tests continue to play a key role in GHD diagnosis but the measured GH concentration can vary significantly with stimulation test and GH assay used, creating difficulties for diagnostic accuracy. Such issues along with the use of adjunct biochemical markers such as IGF-I and IGFBP-3 for the diagnosis of GHD, will be discussed in this review. Additionally, the treatment of GHD remains a source of much debate; there is no consensus on the best mechanism for determining the starting dose of GH in patients with GHD. Weight and prediction based models will be discussed along with different mechanisms for dose adjustment during treatment (auxology or IGF-I targeting approaches). At the end of growth and childhood treatment, many subjects diagnosed with isolated GHD re-test normal. It is not clear if this represents a form of transient GHD or a false positive diagnosis during childhood. Given the difficulties inherent in the diagnosis of GHD, an early reassessment of the diagnosis in those who respond poorly to GH is to be recommended.
Multicystic dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcoma: tumour cyst fluid analysis and implications for management
Authors: Khoury Mitri , Sim Geok Choo , Harao Michiko , Radvanyi Laszlo , Amini Behrang , Benjamin Robert S , Pisters Peter W T , Pollock Raphael E , Tseng William W
Published: July 2015

Liposarcomas are soft tissue sarcomas of adipocyte origin. We describe a case of a dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcoma with an unusual presentation on recurrence as a large, multicystic tumour. The patient was a 72-year-old woman who had undergone multiple treatments including two prior resections. For her most recent locoregional disease recurrence, the patient was offered surgical debulking for symptom palliation. At this operation, performed after two cycles of chemotherapy, the tumour cyst fluid was analysed and found to have a predominance of immune cells with no identifiable malignant cells. This case and the results of our tumour cyst fluid analysis raise several interesting considerations for the management of this unique situation in a rare disease.
Breastfeeding, lung volumes and alveolar size at school-age
Authors: Dogaru Cristian M , Narayanan Manjith , Spycher Ben D , Pescatore Anina M , Owers-Bradley John , Beardsmore Caroline S , Silverman Michael , Kuehni Claudia E
Published: July 2015

Background

Previous studies found larger lung volumes at school-age in formerly breastfed children, with some studies suggesting an effect modification by maternal asthma. We wanted to explore this further in children who had undergone extensive lung function testing. The current study aimed to assess whether breastfeeding was associated with larger lung volumes and, if so, whether all compartments were affected. We also assessed association of breastfeeding with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), which measures freedom of gas diffusion in alveolar-acinar compartments and is a surrogate of alveolar dimensions. Additionally, we assessed whether these effects were modified by maternal asthma.

Methods

We analysed data from 111 children and young adults aged 11–21 years, who had participated in detailed lung function testing, including spirometry, plethysmography and measurement of ADC of3Helium (3He) by MR. Information on breastfeeding came from questionnaires applied in early childhood (age 1–4 years). We determined the association between breastfeeding and these measurements using linear regression, controlling for potential confounders.

Results

We did not find significant evidence for an association between duration of breastfeeding and lung volumes or alveolar dimensions in the entire sample. In breastfed children of mothers with asthma, we observed larger lung volumes and larger average alveolar size than in non-breastfed children, but the differences did not reach significance levels.

Conclusions

Confirmation of effects of breastfeeding on lung volumes would have important implications for public health. Further investigations with larger sample sizes are warranted.
Comparative DFT-D studies on structural and absorption properties of crystalline 3,3′-dinitroamino-4,4′-azoxyfurazan, 3,3′-dinitro-4,4′-azoxyfurazan, and 3,4-bis(3-nitrofurazan-4-yl)furoxan under high pressures
Authors: Xiang Dong , Wu Qiong , Liu Zhichao , Zhu Weihua , Xiao Heming
Published: July 2015

The structural, electronic, and absorption properties of crystalline 3,3′-dinitroamino-4,4′-azoxyfurazan (DNOAAF), 3,3′-dinitro-4,4′-azoxyfurazan (DNOAF), and 3,4-bis(3-nitrofurazan-4-yl)furoxan (BNTF) under hydrostatic compression of 0–190 GPa have been comparatively studied using density functional theory with dispersion corrections. Their crystal structures were relaxed using three types of vdW corrections such as the PBE-G06, PBE-TS, and PW91-OBS functionals at ambient conditions. The results indicate that PBE-G06 is the best functional for studying them. The compression ratios show that DNOAAF is stiffer than the other two at high pressures. An analysis of the band gaps and density of states indicates that they become more and more sensitive under compression. In the range of 0–120 GPa, BNTF is the most unstable. However, in the range of 120–190 GPa, DNOAF becomes the more unstable. The three crystals have higher optical activity at high pressures, and moreover, applied pressures change their optical adsorption activity order.
Video-Based Vehicle Detection Approach with Data-Driven Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Networks
Authors: Wang Kunfeng , Yao Yanjie
Published: July 2015

This paper proposes a novel video-based vehicle detection approach with data-driven adaptive neuro-fuzzy networks. The key ideas include configuring several virtual loops as vehicle detection zones in the image, assuming moving vehicles will cause pixel intensities and local textures to change, and then identifying such changes to detect vehicles. In this work, vehicle detection is treated as a pattern classification problem. First, 14 image features (regarding foreground area, texture change, and environmental condition) are extracted to represent the distinction between vehicle and nonvehicle patterns. Then, three neuro-fuzzy networks are trained via incremental semi-supervised learning to build a data-driven adaptive classifier, which judges whether a vehicle is located in the virtual loop. The semi-supervised learning procedure is performed based on a modified tri-training approach, to automatically optimize the structures and parameters of the component neuro-fuzzy networks. Experimental results illustrate that the proposed approach is accurate and robust to detect vehicles in complex environments (e.g. adverse illumination and weather conditions), and thus can improve the performance of video-based vehicle detection.
ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY, COLLABORATION WITH CUSTOMERS AND INNOVATION PERFORMANCE OF GAZELLE COMPANIES IN KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE INDUSTRIES
Authors: RYZHKOVA NATALIA , PESÄMAA OSSI
Published: July 2015

Knowing what customers want and how they use products contribute to company's innovativeness. Absorptive capacity (ACAP) is one theoretical construct that explains how companies gain information about customers and how such information is applied into practice. Yet, empirical evidence on the relationship between ACAP and knowledge from customers is still lacking. This study proposes and tests if customer collaboration is supported by ACAP and mediates the effect of ACAP on innovation performance. An established and previously validated second-order construct of ACAP is suggested to test these hypothesised relationships. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is applied to a sample of 120 selected gazelle companies that have had stable growth rates during the past three years to analyse the proposed relationships. The main finding of the study is that customer collaboration mediates the effect of ACAP on innovation performance.
New Opportunities in Vasopressin and Oxytocin Research: A Perspective from the Amygdala
Authors: Stoop Ron , Hegoburu Chloé , van den Burg Erwin
Published: July 2015

In the present review, we discuss how the evolution of oxytocin and vasopressin from a single ancestor peptide after gene duplication has stimulated the development of the vertebrate social brain. Separate production sites became possible with a hypothalamic development, which, interestingly, is triggered by the same transcription factors that underlie the development of various subcortical regions where vasopressin and oxytocin receptors are adjacently expressed and which are connected by inhibitory circuits. The opposite modulation of their output by vasopressin and oxytocin could thus create a dynamic equilibrium for rapid responsiveness to external stimuli. At the level of the individual, nurturing early in life can long-lastingly program oxytocin signaling, maintaining a capability of learning and sensitivity to external stimuli that contributes to development of social behavior in adulthood. Oxytocin and vasopressin are thus important for the development of a vertebrate brain that supports bonding between individuals and building of an interactive community.
Depression: A Decision-Theoretic Analysis
Authors: Huys Quentin J.M. , Daw Nathaniel D. , Dayan Peter
Published: July 2015

The manifold symptoms of depression are common and often transient features of healthy life that are likely to be adaptive in difficult circumstances. It is when these symptoms enter a seemingly self-propelling spiral that the maladaptive features of a disorder emerge. We examine this malignant transformation from the perspective of the computational neuroscience of decision making, investigating how dysfunction of the brain's mechanisms of evaluation might lie at its heart. We start by considering the behavioral implications of pessimistic evaluations of decision variables. We then provide a selective review of work suggesting how such pessimism might arise via specific failures of the mechanisms of evaluation or state estimation. Finally, we analyze ways that miscalibration between the subject and environment may be self-perpetuating. We employ the formal framework of Bayesian decision theory as a foundation for this study, showing how most of the problems arise from one of its broad algorithmic facets, namely model-based reasoning.
Sugar-induced cephalic-phase insulin release is mediated by a T1r2+T1r3-independent taste transduction pathway in mice
Authors: Glendinning John I. , Stano Sarah , Holter Marlena , Azenkot Tali , Goldman Olivia , Margolskee Robert F. , Vasselli Joseph R. , Sclafani Anthony
Published: July 2015

Sensory stimulation from foods elicits cephalic phase responses, which facilitate digestion and nutrient assimilation. One such response, cephalic-phase insulin release (CPIR), enhances glucose tolerance. Little is known about the chemosensory mechanisms that activate CPIR. We studied the contribution of the sweet taste receptor (T1r2+T1r3) to sugar-induced CPIR in C57BL/6 (B6) and T1r3 knockout (KO) mice. First, we measured insulin release and glucose tolerance following oral (i.e., normal ingestion) or intragastric (IG) administration of 2.8 M glucose. Both groups of mice exhibited a CPIR following oral but not IG administration, and this CPIR improved glucose tolerance. Second, we examined the specificity of CPIR. Both mouse groups exhibited a CPIR following oral administration of 1 M glucose and 1 M sucrose but not 1 M fructose or water alone. Third, we studied behavioral attraction to the same three sugar solutions in short-term acceptability tests. B6 mice licked more avidly for the sugar solutions than for water, whereas T1r3 KO mice licked no more for the sugar solutions than for water. Finally, we examined chorda tympani (CT) nerve responses to each of the sugars. Both mouse groups exhibited CT nerve responses to the sugars, although those of B6 mice were stronger. We propose that mice possess two taste transduction pathways for sugars. One mediates behavioral attraction to sugars and requires an intact T1r2+T1r3. The other mediates CPIR but does not require an intact T1r2+T1r3. If the latter taste transduction pathway exists in humans, it should provide opportunities for the development of new treatments for controlling blood sugar.
The cpk model of recessive PKD shows glutamine dependence associated with the production of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate
Authors: Hwang Vicki J. , Kim Jeffrey , Rand Amy , Yang Chaozhe , Sturdivant Steve , Hammock Bruce , Bell P. Darwin , Guay-Woodford Lisa M. , Weiss Robert H.
Published: July 2015

Since polycystic kidney disease (PKD) was first noted over 30 years ago to have neoplastic parallels, there has been a resurgent interest in elucidating neoplasia-relevant pathways in PKD. Taking a nontargeted metabolomics approach in the B6(Cg)- Cys1 cpk/J ( cpk) mouse model of recessive PKD, we have now characterized metabolic reprogramming in these tissues, leading to a glutamine-dependent TCA cycle shunt toward total 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) production in cpk compared with B6 wild-type kidney tissue. After confirmation of increased 2-HG expression in immortalized collecting duct cpk cells as well as in human autosomal recessive PKD tissue using targeted analysis, we show that the increase in 2-HG is likely due to glutamine-sourced α-ketoglutarate. In addition, cpk cells require exogenous glutamine for growth such that inhibition of glutaminase-1 decreases cell viability as well as proliferation. This study is a demonstration of the striking parallels between recessive PKD and cancer metabolism. Our data, once confirmed in other PKD models, suggest that future therapeutic approaches targeting this pathway, such as using glutaminase inhibitors, have the potential to open novel treatment options for renal cystic disease.
Extraskeletal Ewing’s Sarcoma Arising from the Sciatic Nerve: A Diagnostic Challenge
Authors: Sharma Aadhar , Brown Kate , Skinner John , Whelan Jeremy , Fox Michael
Published: July 2015

Ewing’s sarcoma is a common bone tumour of childhood but is a rare occurrence in individuals over 20 years of age. Few cases are reported as originating from peripheral nerves. We present an unusual case of extraosseous Ewing’s sarcoma originating from the sciatic nerve in a 66-year-old patient which had the clinical hallmarks of a benign nerve sheath tumour. Following discussion at a multidisciplinary meeting, excision biopsy of the suspected benign nerve sheath tumour was planned. At operation, the mass had malignant features. Histology confirmed the presence of Ewing’s sarcoma. Due to the morbidity of nerve resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were commenced. Ewing’s sarcoma is known to mimic benign pathologies. In this case there were subtle signs of a malignant process in the form of unremitting pain. It is vital to keep in mind the less common tumours that can affect the peripheral nervous system in such cases.
Surgical Left Atrial Appendage Exclusion Does Not Impair Left Atrial Contraction Function: A Pilot Study
Authors: De Maat Gijs E. , Benussi Stefano , Hummel Yoran M. , Krul Sebastien , Pozzoli Alberto , Driessen Antoine H. G. , Mariani Massimo A. , Van Gelder Isabelle C. , Van Boven Wim-Jan , de Groot Joris R.
Published: July 2015

Background. In order to reduce stroke risk, left atrial appendage amputation (LAAA) is widely adopted in recent years. The effect of LAAA on left atrial (LA) function remains unknown. The objective of present study was to assess the effect of LAAA on LA function.Methods. Sixteen patients with paroxysmal AF underwent thoracoscopic, surgical PVI with LAAA (LAAA group), and were retrospectively matched with 16 patients who underwent the same procedure without LAA amputation (non-LAAA group). To objectify LA function, transthoracic echocardiography with 2D Speckle Tracking was performed before surgery and at 12 months follow-up.Results. Mean age was 57 ± 9 years, 84% were male. Baseline characteristics did not differ significantly except for systolic blood pressure (p=0.005). In both groups, the contractile LA function and LA ejection fraction were not significantly reduced. However, the conduit and reservoir function were significantly decreased at follow-up, compared to baseline. The reduction of strain and strain rate was not significantly different between groups.Conclusions. In this retrospective, observational matched group comparison with a convenience sample size of 16 patients, findings suggest that LAAA does not impair the contractile LA function when compared to patients in which the appendage was unaddressed. However, the LA conduit and reservoir function are reduced in both the LAAA and non-LAAA group. Our data suggest that the LAA can be removed without late LA functional consequences.
Feature Selection and Parameter Optimization of Support Vector Machines Based on Modified Cat Swarm Optimization
Authors: Lin Kuan-Cheng , Huang Yi-Hung , Hung Jason C. , Lin Yung-Tso
Published: July 2015

Recently, applications of Internet of Things create enormous volumes of data, which are available for classification and prediction. Classification of big data needs an effective and efficient metaheuristic search algorithm to find the optimal feature subset. Cat swarm optimization (CSO) is a novel metaheuristic for evolutionary optimization algorithms based on swarm intelligence. CSO imitates the behavior of cats through two submodes: seeking and tracing. Previous studies have indicated that CSO algorithms outperform other well-known metaheuristics, such as genetic algorithms and particle swarm optimization. This study presents a modified version of cat swarm optimization (MCSO), capable of improving search efficiency within the problem space. The basic CSO algorithm was integrated with a local search procedure as well as the feature selection and parameter optimization of support vector machines (SVMs). Experiment results demonstrate the superiority of MCSO in classification accuracy using subsets with fewer features for given UCI datasets, compared to the original CSO algorithm. Moreover, experiment results show the fittest CSO parameters and MCSO take less training time to obtain results of higher accuracy than original CSO. Therefore, MCSO is suitable for real-world applications.
Eccrine Spiradenoma Arising from the Breast Skin
Authors: Benedict Mark A. , Ozerdem Ugur
Published: July 2015

Eccrine spiradenomas are uncommon, benign lesions, which are thought to originate from the eccrine sweat glands. They are common in young adults and are without a sex predilection. Here we report a case of eccrine spiradenoma of the breast skin in a 39-year-old woman who presented with a breast nodule for 10 years. It is crucial to take eccrine spiradenoma into consideration in superficial, well-circumscribed, breast skin/subcutaneous lesions. It is useful to recognize the two-cell populations constituting this tumor: small, dark, basaloid cells with hyperchromatic nuclei, which are immunoreactive for P63 and calponin, and larger cells with a pale nucleus, often near the center of the cluster (inner cells), which are immunoreactive for CK7 and CD117 (C-kit).
Comment on “Existence Theorem for Integral and Functional Integral Equations with Discontinuous Kernels”
Authors: Topolski Krzysztof A.
Published: July 2015

We present a counterexample to the main result of the abovementioned paper showing that this result is false and cannot be improved in a simple way.
Relationship between Prolactin Plasma Levels and White Matter Volume in Women with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: De Giglio L. , Marinelli F. , Prosperini L. , Contessa G. M. , Gurreri F. , Piattella M. C. , De Angelis F. , Barletta V. T. , Tomassini V. , Pantano P. , Pozzilli C.
Published: July 2015

Background. The role of prolactin (PRL) on tissue injury and repair mechanisms in multiple
sclerosis (MS) remains unclear. The aim of this work was to investigate the relationship between PRL plasma levels and brain damage as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods. We employed a chemiluminescence immunoassay for measuring plasma levels of PRL. We used a 1.5 T scanner to acquire images and Jim 4.0 and SIENAX software to analyse them. Results. We included 106 women with relapsing remitting (RR) MS and stable disease in the last
two months. There was no difference in PRL plasma levels between patients with and without gadolinium enhancement on MRI. PRL plasma levels correlated with white matter volume (WMV) (rho = 0.284, p = 0.014) but not with grey matter volume (GMV). Moreover, PRL levels predicted changes in WMV (Beta: 984, p = 0.034). Conclusions. Our data of a positive association between PRL serum levels and WMV support the role of PRL in promoting myelin repair as documented in animal models of demyelination. The lack of an increase of PRL in the presence of gadolinium enhancement, contrasts with the view considering this hormone as an immune‐stimulating and detrimental factor in the inflammatory process associated with MS.
Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation in an Adult Male: A Case Report with Literature Review
Authors: Baral Dipti , Adhikari Bindu , Zaccarini Daniel , Dongol Raj Man , Sah Birendra
Published: July 2015

Congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) is a rare cystic lung lesion formed as a result of anomalous development of airways in fetal life. Majority of the cases are recognized in neonates and infants with respiratory distress with very few presenting later in adult life. A 24-year-old male with history of three separate episodes of pneumonia in the last 6 months presented with left sided pleuritic chest pain for 4 days. He was tachycardic and tachypneic at presentation. White blood count was 14 × 109/L. Chest X-ray showed left lower lobe opacity. CT angiogram of thorax showed a well-defined area of low attenuation in the left lower lobe with dedicated pulmonary arterial and venous drainage and resolving infection, suggesting CPAM. He underwent left lower lobe lobectomy. Histopathology confirmed type 2 CPAM. CPAM is a rare congenital anatomic abnormality that can present with recurrent infections in adults. As a number of cases remain asymptomatic and symptomatic cases are often missed, prevalence of CPAM might be higher than currently reported.