bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Upregulation of lncRNA MEG3 Promotes Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells From Multiple Myeloma Patients By Targeting BMP4 Transcription
Authors: Zhuang Wenzhuo , Ge Xueping , Yang Sijun , Huang Moli , Zhuang Wenyue , Chen Ping , Zhang Xiaohui , Fu Jinxiang , Qu Jing , Li Bingzong
Published: March 2015

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by the impaired osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important regulatory molecules in tumor-suppressor and oncogenic pathways. Here we showed that MSCs from MM expressed less lncRNA MEG3 relative to those from normal donors during osteogenic differentiation. To evaluate the effect of MEG3 on osteogenesis, bone marrow MSCs with enhanced or reduced MEG3 were prepared. We observed that MEG3 knockdown significantly reduced the expression of key osteogenic markers, including Runt-related transcription factor 2, osterix, and osteocalcin, while overexpression of MEG3 enhanced their expression. Additionally, MEG3 knockdown decreased BMP4 transcription. Here we showed that MEG3 was critical for SOX2 transcriptional repression of the BMP4. MEG3, which is located near the BMP4 gene, could dissociate the transcription factor SOX2 from the BMP4 promoter. A stable complex containing the MEG3, SOX2, and the SOX2 consensus site of BMP4 suggested that MEG3 activated transcriptional activity by directly influencing SOX2 activity. By using assays such as luciferase, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and RNA immunoprecipitation, we showed that MEG3 had a critical function in a mechanism of promoter-specific transcriptional activation. These results suggested that MEG3 played an essential role in osteogenic differentiation in bone marrow MSCs, partly by activating BMP4 transcription. Our data provided novel evidence for the biological and clinical significance of lncRNA MEG3 expression as a potential biomarker for identifying patients with MM and as a potential therapeutic target in MM. Stem Cells  2015;33:1985–1997
Anomaly detection in performance regression testing by transaction profile estimation
Authors: Ghaith Shadi , Wang Miao , Perry Philip , Jiang Zhen Ming , O'Sullivan Pat , Murphy John
Published: March 2015

As part of the process to test a new release of an application, the performance testing team need to confirm that the existing functionalities do not perform worse than those in the previous release, a problem known as performance regression anomaly. Most existing approaches to analyse performance regression testing data vary according to the applied workload, which usually leads to the need for an extra performance testing run. To ease such lengthy tasks, we propose a new workload‐independent, automated technique to detect anomalies in performance regression testing data using the concept known as transaction profile (TP). The TP is inferred from the performance regression testing data along with the queueing network model of the testing system. Based on a case study conducted against two web applications, one open source and one industrial, we have been able to automatically generate the ‘TP run report’ and verify that it can be used to uncover performance regression anomalies caused by software updates. In particular, the report helped us to isolate the real anomaly issues from those caused by workload changes with an average F1 measure of 85% for the open source application and 90% for the industrial application. Such results support our proposal to use the TP as a more efficient technique in identifying performance regression anomalies than the state of the art industry and research techniques. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Elastic properties of ascending aorta in women with previous pregnancy complicated by early‐ or late‐onset pre‐eclampsia
Authors: Orabona R. , Sciatti E. , Vizzardi E. , Bonadei I. , Valcamonico A. , Metra M. , Frusca T.
Published: March 2015

Objectives

To evaluate the elastic properties of the ascending aorta in women with a previous pregnancy complicated by early‐onset (EO) or late‐onset (LO) pre‐eclampsia (PE) and the correlation with gestational age (GA), systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) and mean uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA‐PI) at diagnosis of the disease as well as with birth weight of the neonate.

Methods

Thirty women who had a previous pregnancy complicated by EO‐PE, 30 with a previous pregnancy complicated by LO‐PE and 30 normal controls were selected retrospectively from our electronic database and then recalled for assessment from 6 months to 4 years after delivery. Data regarding GA, SBP/DBP and mean UtA‐PI at the diagnosis of PE were obtained from medical records. At our assessment, aortic M‐mode and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) parameters were measured. Aortic diameters were assessed at end‐diastole at four levels: Valsalva sinuses, sinotubular junction, tubular tract and aortic arch. Aortic compliance, distensibility, stiffness index (SI), Peterson's elastic modulus (EM), pulse‐wave velocity and M‐mode strain were calculated using standard formulae. Aortic expansion velocity, early and late diastolic retraction velocities and peak systolic tissue strain (TDI‐ϵ) were determined.

Results

Aortic diameters at the four levels were significantly greater in both EO‐PE and LO‐PE groups than in controls. Aortic compliance and distensibility and TDI‐ϵ were lower in EO‐PE than in LO‐PE (P  = 0.001, P  = 0.002 and P  = 0.011, respectively) and controls (P  = 0.037, P  = 0.044 and P  = 0.013, respectively). SI and EM were higher in EO‐PE than in LO‐PE (P  = 0.001 and P  < 0.001, respectively) and than in controls (P = 0.035 and P  = 0.036, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed GA, DBP and UtA‐PI at diagnosis of PE to be independent predictors of aortic elastic properties.

Conclusions

Elastic properties of the ascending aorta were altered in women with a previous pregnancy complicated by EO‐PE, but not in those with LO‐PE. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Institutions, discourses, and the promotion of renewable energy
Authors: Genus Audley
Published: March 2015

The article argues that a more rounded understanding of the factors affecting the promotion and uptake of renewable energy technologies may be obtained by bringing together neoinstitutional theory—informed by insights from institutional economics and organizational sociology—and discourse analysis. Such a discourse‐institutional view has a number of benefits: (1) institutionally, it moves analysis beyond the usual if understandable focus on the activities and policies of government; (2) institutions as norms, professional standards, culture, and ingrained habit are given due attention; (3) the language basis of institutions is duly recognized; and (4) connections among language in text, and in discursive and social practice are acknowledged, as are their role in processes of (non) institutionalization. The article summarizes the suggested approach, in doing so highlighting its relevance to the diffusion of renewable energy technologies. WIREs Energy Environ 2016, 5:119–124. doi: 10.1002/wene.169

This article is categorized under:

Energy Policy and Planning > Economics and Policy

Energy Policy and Planning > Systems and Infrastructure

Energy Research & Innovation > Economics and Policy
Cutting, dicing, healing and sealing: the molecular surgery of tRNA
Authors: Lopes Raphael R.S. , Kessler Alan C. , Polycarpo Carla , Alfonzo Juan D.
Published: March 2015

All organisms encode transfer RNAs (tRNAs) that are synthesized as precursor molecules bearing extra sequences at their 5′ and 3′ ends; some tRNAs also contain introns, which are removed by splicing. Despite commonality in what the ultimate goal is (i.e., producing a mature tRNA), mechanistically, tRNA splicing differs between Bacteria and Archaea or Eukarya. The number and position of tRNA introns varies between organisms and even between different tRNAs within the same organism, suggesting a degree of plasticity in both the evolution and persistence of modern tRNA splicing systems. Here we will review recent findings that not only highlight nuances in splicing pathways but also provide potential reasons for the maintenance of introns in tRNA. Recently, connections between defects in the components of the tRNA splicing machinery and medically relevant phenotypes in humans have been reported. These differences will be discussed in terms of the importance of splicing for tRNA function and in a broader context on how tRNA splicing defects can often have unpredictable consequences. WIREs RNA 2015, 6:337–349. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1279

This article is categorized under:

RNA Processing > Splicing Mechanisms

RNA Processing > tRNA Processing

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease
Trends in the Economic Consequences of Marital and Cohabitation Dissolution in the United States
Authors: Tach Laura M. , Eads Alicia
Published: March 2015

Mothers in the United States use a combination of employment, public transfers, and private safety nets to cushion the economic losses of romantic union dissolution, but changes in maternal labor force participation, government transfer programs, and private social networks may have altered the economic impact of union dissolution over time. Using nationally representative panels from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) from 1984 to 2007, we show that the economic consequences of divorce have declined since the 1980s owing to the growth in married women’s earnings and their receipt of child support and income from personal networks. In contrast, the economic consequences of cohabitation dissolution were modest in the 1980s but have worsened over time. Cohabiting mothers’ income losses associated with union dissolution now closely resemble those of divorced mothers. These trends imply that changes in marital stability have not contributed to rising income instability among families with children, but trends in the extent and economic costs of cohabitation have likely contributed to rising income instability for less-advantaged children.
Protein redox regulation in the thylakoid lumen: The importance of disulfide bonds for violaxanthin de‐epoxidase
Authors: Simionato Diana , Basso Stefania , Zaffagnini Mirko , Lana Tobia , Marzotto Francesco , Trost Paolo , Morosinotto Tomas
Published: March 2015

When exposed to saturating light conditions photosynthetic eukaryotes activate the xanthophyll cycle where the carotenoid violaxanthin is converted into zeaxanthin by the enzyme violaxanthin de‐epoxidase (VDE). VDE protein sequence includes 13 cysteine residues, 12 of which are strongly conserved in both land plants and algae. Site directed mutagenesis of Arabidopsis thaliana VDE showed that all these 12 conserved cysteines have a major role in protein function and their mutation leads to a strong reduction of activity. VDE is also shown to be active in its completely oxidized form presenting six disulfide bonds. Redox titration showed that VDE activity is sensitive to variation in redox potential, suggesting the possibility that dithiol/disulfide exchange reactions may represent a mechanism for VDE regulation.
Slender-body approximations for advection–diffusion problems
Authors: Schnitzer Ory
Published: March 2015

We consider steady advection–diffusion about a slender body of revolution at arbitrary $O(1)$ Péclet numbers ($\mathit{Pe}$). The transported scalar attenuates at large distances and is governed by axisymmetric (either Dirichlet or Neumann) data prescribed at the body boundary. The advecting field is assumed to be an axisymmetric Stokes flow approaching a uniform stream at large distances and satisfying impermeability at the boundary; otherwise, the interfacial distribution of tangential velocity is assumed to be arbitrary, irrotational and no-slip Stokes flows being particular cases. Employing the method of matched asymptotic expansions, we develop a systematic scheme for the calculation of the scalar concentration in increasing powers of $\ln ^{-1}(1/{\it\epsilon})$, ${\it\epsilon}\ll 1$ being the body’s characteristic thickness to length ratio. The leading term in the inner expansion coincides with the pure diffusion case, the second term depends nonlinearly on the magnitude of the far-field stream and higher-order terms depend on the boundary distribution of tangential velocity. In the special case of irrotational flow and Neumann boundary conditions the logarithmic expansion terminates, leaving an algebraic error in ${\it\epsilon}$. The general formulae developed can be directly applied to numerous physical scenarios. We here consider the classical problem of forced heat convection from an isothermal body, finding a two-term expansion for $\mathit{Nu}({\it\epsilon},\mathit{Pe})/\mathit{Nu}({\it\epsilon},0)$, the ratio of the Nusselt number to its value at $\mathit{Pe}=0$. This ratio is insensitive to the particle shape at the asymptotic orders considered; at moderately large $\mathit{Pe}$ ($\ll {\it\epsilon}^{-1}$) its deviation from unity is $O[\ln (\mathit{Pe})/\text{ln}\,(1/{\it\epsilon})]$, marking the poor effectiveness of advection about slender bodies. The expansion is compared with a numerical computation in the case of a prolate spheroid in both irrotational and no-slip Stokes flows.
ON COMMUTATIVITY OF BANACH ALGEBRAS WITH DERIVATIONS
Authors: ALI SHAKIR , KHAN ABDUL NADIM
Published: March 2015

The aim of this paper is to discuss the commutativity of a Banach algebra $A$ via its derivations. In particular, we prove that if $A$ is a unital prime Banach algebra and $A$ has a nonzero continuous linear derivation $d:A\rightarrow A$ such that either $d((xy)^{m})-x^{m}y^{m}$ or $d((xy)^{m})-y^{m}x^{m}$ is in the centre of $A$ for an integer $m=m(x,y)$ and sufficiently many $x,y$, then $A$ is commutative. We give examples to illustrate the scope of the main results and show that the hypotheses are not superfluous.
Effects of prebiotic supplementation on the expression of proteins regulating iron absorption in anaemic growing rats
Authors: Marciano Renata , Santamarina Aline Boveto , de Santana Aline Alves , Silva Maísa de Lima Correia , Amancio Olga Maria Silvério , do Nascimento Claudia Maria da Penha Oller , Oyama Lila Missae , de Morais Mauro Batista
Published: March 2015

Prebiotics may increase intestinal Fe absorption in anaemic growing rats. The present study evaluated the effects of high-performance (HP) inulin and oligofructose on factors that regulate Fe absorption in anaemic rats during the growth phase. Male Wistar rats aged 21 d of age were fed AIN-93G ration without Fe for 2 weeks to induce Fe-deficiency anaemia. The rats were fed on day 35 a control diet, or a diet with 10 % HP inulin, or a diet with 10 % oligofructose, without Fe supplementation. The animals were euthanised after 2 weeks, and segments of the duodenum, caecum, colon and liver were removed. The expression levels of proteins in the intestinal segments were assessed using Western blotting. The levels of serum, urine and liver hepcidin and the concentrations of IL-10, IL-6 and TNF-α in the caecum, colon and liver were measured using the ELISA test. HP inulin increased the expression of the divalent metal transporter 1 protein in the caecum by 162 % (P= 0·04), and the expression of duodenal cytochrome b reductase in the colon by 136 % (P= 0·02). Oligofructose decreased the expression of the protein ferroportin in the duodenum (P= 0·02), the concentrations of IL-10 (P= 0·044), IL-6 (P= 0·036) and TNF-α (P= 0·004) in the caecum, as well as the level of urinary hepcidin (P< 0·001). These results indicate that prebiotics may interfere with the expression of various intestinal proteins and systemic factors involved in the regulation of intestinal Fe absorption in anaemic rats during the growth phase.
Intervention effects on dietary intake among children by maternal education level: results of the Copenhagen School Child Intervention Study (CoSCIS)
Authors: Jensen Britt W. , von Kappelgaard Lene M. , Nielsen Birgit M. , Husby Ida , Bugge Anna , El-Naaman Bianca , Andersen Lars B. , Trolle Ellen , Heitmann Berit L.
Published: March 2015

Dietary intake among Danish children, in general, does not comply with the official recommendations. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the 3-year effect of a multi-component school-based intervention on nutrient intake in children, and to examine whether an intervention effect depended on maternal education level. A total of 307 children (intervention group: n 184; comparison group: n 123) were included in the present study. All had information on dietary intake pre- and post-intervention (mean age 6·8 and 9·5 years for intervention and comparison groups, respectively) assessed by a 7-d food record. Analyses were conducted based on the daily intake of macronutrients (energy percentage (E%)), fatty acids (E%), added sugar (E%) and dietary fibre (g/d and g/MJ). Analyses were stratified by maternal education level into three categories. Changes in nutrient intake were observed in the intervention group, mainly among children of mothers with a short education ( < 10 years). Here, intake of dietary fibre increased (β = 2·1 g/d, 95 % CI 0·5, 3·6, P= 0·01). Intake of protein tended to increase (β = 0·6 E%, 95 % CI − 0·01, 1·2, P= 0·05), while intake of fat (β = − 1·7 E%, 95 % CI − 3·8, 0·3, P= 0·09) and SFA (β = − 0·9, 95 % CI − 2·0, 0·2, P= 0·10) tended to decrease. Also, a significant intervention effect was observed on the intake of SFA among children of mothers with a long education (β = − 0·8, 95 % CI − 1·5, − 0·03, P= 0·04). This multi-component school-based intervention resulted in changes in the dietary intake, particularly among children of mothers with a short education. As the dietary intake of this subgroup generally differs most from the recommendations, the results of the present study are particularly encouraging.
High-fat diet decreases energy expenditure and expression of genes controlling lipid metabolism, mitochondrial function and skeletal system development in the adipose tissue, along with increased expression of extracellular matrix remodelling- and inflammation-related genes
Authors: Choi Myung-Sook , Kim Young-Je , Kwon Eun-Young , Ryoo Jae Young , Kim Sang Ryong , Jung Un Ju
Published: March 2015

The aim of the present study was to identify the genes differentially expressed in the visceral adipose tissue in a well-characterised mouse model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Male C57BL/6J mice (n 20) were fed either HFD (189 % of energy from fat) or low-fat diet (LFD, 42 % of energy from fat) for 16 weeks. HFD-fed mice exhibited obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and adipose collagen accumulation, along with higher levels of plasma leptin, resistin and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1, although there were no significant differences in plasma cytokine levels. Energy intake was similar in the two diet groups owing to lower food intake in the HFD group; however, energy expenditure was also lower in the HFD group than in the LFD group. Microarray analysis revealed that genes related to lipolysis, fatty acid metabolism, mitochondrial energy transduction, oxidation–reduction, insulin sensitivity and skeletal system development were down-regulated in HFD-fed mice, and genes associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) components, ECM remodelling and inflammation were up-regulated. The top ten up- or down-regulated genes include Acsm3, mt-Nd6, Fam13a, Cyp2e1, Rgs1 and Gpnmb, whose roles in the deterioration of obesity-associated adipose tissue are poorly understood. In conclusion, the genes identified here provide new therapeutic opportunities for prevention and treatment of diet-induced obesity.
Mediterranean diet and other lifestyle factors in relation to 20-year all-cause mortality: a cohort study in an Italian population
Authors: Prinelli Federica , Yannakoulia Mary , Anastasiou Costas A. , Adorni Fulvio , Di Santo Simona G. , Musicco Massimo , Scarmeas Nikolaos , Correa Leite Maria L.
Published: March 2015

The aim of the present analysis was to evaluate the association of the Mediterranean diet (MeDi), smoking habits and physical activity with all-cause mortality in an Italian population during a 20-year follow-up study. A total of 1693 subjects aged 40–74 who enrolled in the study in 1991–5 were asked about dietary and other lifestyle information at baseline. Adherence to the MeDi was evaluated by the Mediterranean dietary score (MedDietScore). A healthy lifestyle score was computed by assigning 1 point each for a medium or high adherence to the MedDietScore, non-smoking and physical activity. Cox models were used to assess the associations between lifestyle factors and healthy lifestyle scores and all-cause mortality, adjusting for potential confounders. The final sample included 974 subjects with complete data and without chronic disease at baseline. During a median of 17·4 years of follow-up, 193 people died. Subjects with high adherence to the MedDietScore (hazard ratio (HR) 0·62, 95 % CI 0·43, 0·89)), non-smokers (HR 0·71, 95 % CI 0·51, 0·98) and physically active subjects (HR 0·55, 95 % CI 0·36, 0·82) were at low risk of death. Each point increase in the MedDietScore was associated with a significant 5 % reduction of death risk. Subjects with 1, 2 or 3 healthy lifestyle behaviours had a significantly 39, 56, and 73 % reduced risk of death, respectively. A high adherence to MeDi, non-smoking and physical activity were strongly associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality in healthy subjects after long-term follow-up. This reduction was even stronger when the healthy lifestyle behaviours were combined.
Dietary conjugated linoleic acids promote fatty streak formation in the C57BL/6 mouse atherosclerosis model
Authors: Munday John S. , Thompson Keith G. , James Kerry A. C.
Published: March 2015

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are positional isomers of linoleic acid which have been suggested by some to possess antiatherosclerotic properties. To test this hypothesis, three groups of twenty C57BL/6 mice were fed on atherogenic diets containing: 5 g CLA/kg, 2·5 g CLA + 2·5 g linoleic acid/kg or 5 g linoleic acid/kg. All diets were fed for 15 weeks and contained (g/kg): triacylglycerol 145, free fatty acids 5, cholesterol 10 and cholic acid 5. At the completion of the experimental period, when data from both groups fed on CLA were combined, dietary CLA did not produce significant differences in body weight, serum total cholesterol concentration or serum HDL-cholesterol concentration. However, mice receiving CLA developed a significantly higher serum HDL-cholesterol: total cholesterol ratio and a significantly lower serum triacylglycerol concentration than controls. Despite causing a serum lipoprotein profile considered to be less atherogenic, the addition of CLA to the atherogenic diet increased the development of aortic fatty streaks. Considering the increased atherogenesis associated with dietary CLA in the present study, and the failure to demonstrate a significant beneficial effect of CLA in other animal studies, there is currently no conclusive evidence to support the hypothesis that CLA protect against atherogenesis.
Morphometrics and molecular analysis ofOzolaimus linstowin. sp. (Oxyuroidea: Pharyngodonidae) from the green lizardIguana iguana
Authors: Malysheva S.V.
Published: March 2015

Ozolaimus linstowin. sp. is described from the large intestine ofIguana iguanaLinnaeus, 1758 from Mexico. The present species can be easily distinguished fromO. megatyphlonandO. cirratusby the presence of a long and slender pharynx not divided into sections, more similar to the remaining two species,O. monhysteraandO. ctenosauri. Ozolaimus linstowin. sp. can be differentiated fromO. monhysteraby the shorter spicule length and smaller body size of both males and females. Males ofO. linstowin. sp. are morphologically close to those ofO. ctenosauri, but females possess a markedly smaller body size and differ in the organization of the oral cuticular armature. Adult males ofO. linstowin. sp. bear some characteristic features of the J3 juvenile morphology in terms of the cuticular organization of the oral and buccal capsule. Phylogenetic analysis ofO.linstowin. sp. using partial small subunit (SSU) and D2–D3 large subunit (LSU) rDNA shows relationships with several Oxyuridae genera.
Beyond cry and laugh: Toward a multilevel model of language production
Authors: Bornstein Marc H. , Esposito Gianluca
Published: March 2015

Language production is a multilevel phenomenon, and human capacities to communicate vocally progress from early forms, based on projections of motor cortex to brainstem nuclei, to complex elaborations, mediated by high-order cognition and fostered by socially mediated feedback.
Development of sonar morphology-based posterior approach model for occupancy grid mapping
Authors: Lee Se-Jin , Lee Kyoungmin , Song Jae-Bok
Published: March 2015

An advanced sonar morphology-based posterior approach (SMP) to building an occupancy grid map for a mobile robot is proposed in this study. It is very important for a mobile robot to find its surrounding saliencies and to localize itself for indoor navigation. Ultrasonic sensors are of great practical value in building environmental maps and for autonomous operation. However, grid maps constructed by ultrasonic sensors cannot typically form a realistic representation of a given environment due to incorrect sonar measurements caused by specular reflection and wide beam width. The sonar sensor model proposed in this study, in which the negative effect of incorrect sonar measurements is minimized by geometric association with sonar footprints, is adopted to build a high-quality grid map. Experimental results and evaluations in home and corridor environments demonstrate the validity of the proposed methods.
STANDARDIZED REPORTING FOR RAPID RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS ASSESSMENTS OF PHARMACEUTICALS
Authors: Kleijnen Sarah , Pasternack Iris , Van de Casteele Marc , Rossi Bernardette , Cangini Agnese , Di Bidino Rossella , Jelenc Marjetka , Abrishami Payam , Autti-Rämö Ilona , Seyfried Hans , Wildbacher Ingrid , Goettsch Wim G.
Published: March 2015

Objectives:Many European countries perform rapid assessments of the relative effectiveness (RE) of pharmaceuticals as part of the reimbursement decision making process. Increased sharing of information on RE across countries may save costs and reduce duplication of work. The objective of this article is to describe the development of a tool for rapid assessment of RE of new pharmaceuticals that enter the market, the HTA Core Model® for Rapid Relative Effectiveness Assessment (REA) of Pharmaceuticals.

Methods:Eighteen member organisations of the European Network of Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) participated in the development of the model. Different versions of the model were developed and piloted in this collaboration and adjusted accordingly based on feedback on the content and feasibility of the model.

Results:The final model deviates from the traditional HTA Core Model® used for assessing other types of technologies. This is due to the limited scope (strong focus on RE), the timing of the assessment (just after market authorisation), and strict timelines (e.g. 90 days) required for performing the assessment. The number of domains and assessment elements was limited and it was decided that the primary information sources should preferably be a submission file provided by the marketing authorisation holder and the European Public Assessment Report.

Conclusions:The HTA Core Model® for Rapid REA (version 3.0) was developed to produce standardised transparent RE information of pharmaceuticals. Further piloting can provide input for possible improvements, such as further refining the assessment elements and new methodological guidance on relevant areas.
COLLABORATIVE MODELS FOR THE JOINT PRODUCTION OF CORE HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENTS: NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE ASPECTS FOR THE JOINT WORK OF DIFFERENT EUROPEAN AGENCIES
Authors: Lo Scalzo Alessandra , Vicari Nicola , Corio Mirella , Perrini Maria Rosaria , Jefferson Tom , Gillespie Francesca , Cerbo Marina
Published: March 2015

Objectives: The purpose of the European network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) is to make HTA agencies collaborate sharing methods and tools thus avoiding duplication of evaluative efforts and allowing resource savings. From 2010 to 2012, the activities of the network were carried out through EUnetHTA Joint Action 1 and Work Package 4 Strand B aimed at producing two Core HTAs with two main objectives: to test the Web based Core model and the collaborative working models. Our objective in this article is to give an historical record of the Work Package activities highlighting what worked and what did not in the collaboration of researchers’ groups coming from different agencies.

Methods: A retrospective description of all the steps for the joint production of the two Core HTAs is provided starting from the first step of selecting technologies of common interest. Primary researchers’ views on the whole process have been collected through a semi-structured telephonic interview supported by a questionnaire. Coordinators views were gathered during internal meetings and validated.

Results: Majority of respondents thought topic selection procedure was not clear and well managed. About collaborative models, small groups were seen to enable more exchange, whatever the model. According to coordinators, loss of expertise and experience during the production process, different languages, and novelty of the Online Tool were main barriers.

Conclusions: Lessons learned from this first experience in Joint Action 1 paved the path for the collaboration in Joint Action 2, as it allowed enhancements and changes in models of collaborations and coordination.
IX.—The Confluent Hypergeometric Functions of Two Variables
Authors: Humbert Pierre
Published: March 2015

This memoir is devoted to the study of certain new functions, which may be regarded as limiting cases of the “hypergeometric functions of two variables” discovered by Appell.
Stress-induced phase transformations in thermally cycled superelastic NiTi alloys: in situ X-ray diffraction studies
Authors: Polatidis Efthymios , Zotov Nikolay , Mittemeijer Eric J.
Published: March 2015

In situ laboratory-based and in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction techniques were employed to study quantitatively the strain-induced austenite-to-martensite (A–M) transformation in thermally cycled (TC) superelastic NiTi alloys. The propagation of the A–M interfaces and the evolution of the microstructure were traced during uniaxial tensile loading. It was shown that the TC material exhibits localized transformation via the propagation of transformation bands. The amount of the martensite phase depends approximately linearly on the applied strain. Analysis of the broadening of the austenite diffraction lines indicates the presence of highly deformed austenite grains within the transformation bands. Analysis of the austenite diffraction-line shifts indicates that the overall lattice strain in the (retained) austenite in the transformation bands differs from that of the austenite in the adjacent untransformed regions.
Autonomy and Settling: Rehabilitating the Relationship between Autonomy and Paternalism
Authors: TERLAZZO ROSA
Published: March 2015

In this article I show the shortcomings of autonomy-based justifications for exemptions from paternalism and appeal to the value of settling to defend an alternative well-being-based justification. My well-being-based justification, unlike autonomy-based justifications, can (1) explain why adults but not children are exempt from paternalism; (2) show which kinds of paternalism are justified for children; (3) explain the value of the capacity of autonomy; (4) offer a plausible relationship between autonomy and exemption from paternalism; and (5) give political philosophers a justification for exempting persons from paternalism even if broad scepticism about the capacity for autonomy is justified.
The resilience of sailortown culture in English naval ports,c. 1820–1900
Authors: BEAVEN BRAD
Published: March 2015

Sailortowns were districts in ports where sailors visited, often lived and were entertained. However, while historians have made significant strides in exploring sailors in merchant ports, naval sailortowns have largely been overlooked. It will be argued here that in the English naval towns of Portsmouth and Plymouth, sailortown exhibited a sense of ‘Otherness’ and a subaltern resilience to the cultural hegemony of civic progress and modernity during the second half of the nineteenth century. Those living in naval sailortowns were geographically and culturally marginalized from the centres of economic and political power and their relationship with the civic and naval authorities was one which varied between compromise and resistance.
Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders:Cross-national and Ethnic Issues
Authors: Matsunaga Hisato , Seedat Soraya
Published: March 2015

Epidemiological and clinical data from a variety of cultural and geographic settings on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and many of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, suggest that this is a group of disorders with a good degree of transcultural homogeneity. However, the content and themes that predominate in patients with these disorders, and the course of illness, can be shaped by cultural, ethnic, and religious experiences. Across cultures, OCD is commonly comorbid with mood, anxiety, and impulse-control disorders. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which culture and ethnicity may affect the expression of OCD and related disorders. Cross-national comparative studies exploring culturally influenced differences in clinical course, treatment outcome, including ethnogenetic differences in drug response, and prognosis are needed.
A Non-Gendered Lens? Media, Voters, and Female Candidates in Contemporary Congressional Elections
Authors: Hayes Danny , Lawless Jennifer L.
Published: March 2015

Much research in the study of U.S. politics has argued that female candidates for elected office are treated differently—and often worse—than male candidates in the press and by the public. Although these patterns do not doom women to electoral failure, they raise a formidable series of obstacles that often complicate women’s path to elective office, slowing the move toward gender parity in representation. Broad changes to the American political landscape, as well as methodological limitations of previous work, however, suggest the need for an updated assessment. We rely on a detailed content analysis of local newspaper coverage from nearly 350 U.S. House districts and nationally representative survey data from the 2010 midterms to provide a comprehensive evaluation of whether women experience a more hostile campaign environment than do men. We find that candidate sex does not affect journalists’ coverage of, or voters’ attitudes toward, the women and men running for office in their districts. Rather, reporters’ portrayals and citizens’ assessments of candidates stem primarily from partisanship, ideology, and incumbency, not the sex of the candidate. Although our results differ from much of the existing literature, we regard them as a valuable point of departure for answering pressing questions about gender and representation in contemporary politics, both in an American and comparative context.
Ideological Republicans and Group Interest Democrats: The Asymmetry of American Party Politics
Authors: Grossmann Matt , Hopkins David A.
Published: March 2015

Scholarship commonly implies that the major political parties in the United States are configured as mirror images to each other, but the two sides actually exhibit important and underappreciated differences. The Republican Party is primarily the agent of an ideological movement whose supporters prize doctrinal purity, while the Democratic Party is better understood as a coalition of social groups seeking concrete government action. This asymmetry is reinforced by American public opinion, which favors left-of-center positions on most specific policy issues yet simultaneously shares the general conservative preference for smaller and less active government. Each party therefore faces a distinctive governing challenge in balancing the unique demands of its base with the need to maintain broad popular support. This foundational difference between the parties also explains why the rise of the Tea Party movement among Republicans in recent years has not been accompanied by an equivalent ideological insurgency among Democrats.
Comparative Pessimism or Optimism: Depressed Mood, Risk-Taking, Social Utility and Desirability
Authors: Milhabet Isabelle , Le Barbenchon Emmanuelle , Cambon Laurent , Molina Guylaine
Published: March 2015

Comparative optimism can be defined as a self-serving, asymmetric judgment of the future. It is often thought to be beneficial and socially accepted, whereas comparative pessimism is correlated with depression and socially rejected. Our goal was to examine the social acceptance of comparative optimism and the social rejection of comparative pessimism in two dimensions of social judgment, social desirability and social utility, considering the attributions of dysphoria and risk-taking potential (studies 2 and 3) on outlooks on the future. In three experiments, the participants assessed either one (study 1) or several (studies 2 and 3) fictional targets in two dimensions, social utility and social desirability. Targets exhibiting comparatively optimistic or pessimistic outlooks on the future were presented as non-depressed, depressed, or neither (control condition) (study 1); non-depressed or depressed (study 2); and non-depressed or in control condition (study 3). Two significant results were obtained: (1) social rejection of comparative pessimism in the social desirability dimension, which can be explained by its depressive feature; and (2) comparative optimism was socially accepted on the social utility dimension, which can be explained by the perception that comparatively optimistic individuals are potential risk-takers.
Utilizing the Resource of Twins Reared Apart: Their Distribution Across Nine Provinces or Cities of China
Authors: Gao Wenjing , Zhou Bin , Cao Weihua , Lv Jun , Yu Canqing , Wang Shengfeng , Pang Zengchang , Cong Liming , Dong Zhong , Wu Fan , Wang Hua , Wu Xianping , Jiang Guohong , Wang Xiaojie , Wang Binyou , Li Liming
Published: March 2015

Twins reared apart provide a fascinating experiment to distinguish genetic from environmental influences. However, there is as yet no broad report on distribution of twins reared apart, especially in the Chinese population. In this study, information on 18,295 volunteer twin pairs of all age groups was compiled in nine provinces or cities of China, and questionnaires were used for zygosity determination. It was discovered that twins reared apart from 0 to 10 years of age accounted for 2.2% of all twin interviewees, with the proportion of this 0–10 group separated before 1, 2, and 5 years old, accounting for 65.3%, 76.1%, and 91.3%, respectively. The proportion of twins reared apart is not significantly related to zygosity or gender, but it is related to region and twin age. As the age of twins lowers, the proportion of those reared apart gradually decreases. Twins reared apart will become rarer in the future and therefore should be cherished as a resource.
Neurale Korrelate von kognitiver Verhaltenstherapie bei Panikstörung
Authors: Yang Yunbo , Kircher Tilo , Straube Benjamin
Published: March 2015

Der Veränderung von psychischen Prozessen durch Psychotherapie muss eine Veränderung neuronaler Vorgänge im Gehirn zugrunde liegen. Einfache neurobiologische Modelle über die Wirkmechanismen der Kognitiven Verhaltenstherapie (KVT) postulierten, dass eine unmittelbare Hemmung von neuronalen bottom-up Prozessen und/oder eine Verstärkung von kognitiven top-down Regulationsmechanismen in Gehirn zur Symptomreduktion führen können. Der vorliegende Übersichtsartikel fasst die neusten Befunde zu den neuralen Korrelaten von KVT, gemessen mit funktioneller Magnetresonanztomographie, bei Patienten mit Panikstörungen zusammen, die einerseits diese Modelle zum Teil bestätigen, andererseits aber auch deutlich weiterentwickeln. Des Weiteren widmet sich diese Arbeit den neuronalen Biomarkern der Therapieresponse und den neuralen Korrelaten der genetischen Moderatoren des Therapieeffektes. Diese Befunde könnten zukünftig in der personalisierten und individualisierten Psychotherapie von Nutzen sein und werden hier abschließend bezüglich der generellen Perspektiven der Neurowissenschaften für die Psychotherapieforschung diskutiert.
Psychoanalyse im Spannungsfeld neurowissenschaftlicher Forschung
Authors: Buchheim Anna , Kächele Horst
Published: March 2015

In diesem Beitrag wird das Spannungsfeld der Psychoanalyse mit anderen Disziplinen zunächst historisch beleuchtet und kritisch diskutiert. Recht zahlreich sind experimentelle Studien, die ein neues Licht auf psychoanalytische basale Konstrukte werfen, von denen wir in diesem Beitrag einige zusammenfassen. Deutlich seltener, wenn auch wachsend, sind Untersuchungen zu neuronalen Veränderungen im Verlauf einer psychodynamischen und psychoanalytischen Behandlung. Wir berichten über eine abgeschlossene und weitere laufende Studien am Beispiel der Depression. Die Prozessforschung sowie systematische Einzelfallstudien sind derzeit noch marginal vertreten. Wir schlagen erste vielversprechende Hinweise für die Erforschung des Zusammenhangs von Stundenqualität und neuronaler Aktivierung bei einer Patientin mit spezifischer Abwehrformation während einer definierten Behandlungsphase vor. Forschungsdefizit liegt bisher in der Erforschung der neuronalen Untersuchung von etablierten psychoanalytischen Techniken. Die Zukunft der sogenannten Neuropsychotherapie birgt Verantwortung und weitere Forschungsinitiativen.
Survival of Young Sardines Flushed Out to Open Ocean
Authors: Rosen Julia
Published: March 2015

Despite favorable conditions within eddies and streamers that form ideal habitats for larval sardines, the young fish may not survive when flushed into the open ocean.
Survey Shows Where Arctic Marine Bird Populations Thrive
Authors: Minnehan Catherine
Published: March 2015

“Hot spots” of species richness currently include the Bering Sea, Lancaster Sound, Baffin Bay, and Davis Strait. Will this change as sea ice melts?
Don L. Anderson (1933–2014)
Authors: Adam M. Dziewonski Adam M.
Published: March 2015

Don L. Anderson, former president of the American Geophysical Union and a true renaissance man in the field of Earth and planetary science, passed away 2 December 2014. He was 81.
Upward synaptic scaling is dependent on neurotransmission rather than spiking
Authors: Fong Ming-fai , Newman Jonathan P. , Potter Steve M. , Wenner Peter
Published: March 2015

Homeostatic plasticity encompasses a set of mechanisms that are thought to stabilize firing rates in neural circuits. The most widely studied form of homeostatic plasticity is upward synaptic scaling (upscaling), characterized by a multiplicative increase in the strength of excitatory synaptic inputs to a neuron as a compensatory response to chronic reductions in firing rate. While reduced spiking is thought to trigger upscaling, an alternative possibility is that reduced glutamatergic transmission generates this plasticity directly. However, spiking and neurotransmission are tightly coupled, so it has been difficult to determine their independent roles in the scaling process. Here we combined chronic multielectrode recording, closed-loop optogenetic stimulation, and pharmacology to show that reduced glutamatergic transmission directly triggers cell-wide synaptic upscaling. This work highlights the importance of synaptic activity in initiating signalling cascades that mediate upscaling. Moreover, our findings challenge the prevailing view that upscaling functions to homeostatically stabilize firing rates.
Onset of sediment transport is a continuous transition driven by fluid shear and granular creep
Authors: Houssais Morgane , Ortiz Carlos P. , Durian Douglas J. , Jerolmack Douglas J.
Published: March 2015

Fluid-sheared granular transport sculpts landscapes and undermines infrastructure, yet predicting the onset of sediment transport remains notoriously unreliable. For almost a century, this onset has been treated as a discontinuous transition at which hydrodynamic forces overcome gravity-loaded grain–grain friction. Using a custom laminar-shear flume to image slow granular dynamics deep into the bed, here we find that the onset is instead a continuous transition from creeping to granular flow. This transition occurs inside the dense granular bed at a critical viscous number, similar to granular flows and colloidal suspensions and inconsistent with hydrodynamic frameworks. We propose a new phase diagram for sediment transport, where ‘bed load’ is a dense granular flow bounded by creep below and suspension above. Creep is characteristic of disordered solids and reminiscent of soil diffusion on hillslopes. Results provide new predictions for the onset and dynamics of sediment transport that challenge existing models.
Effect of Bed Characters on the Direct Synthesis of Dimethyldichlorosilane in Fluidized Bed Reactor
Authors: Zhang Pan , Duan Ji H. , Chen Guang H. , Wang Wei W.
Published: March 2015

This paper presents the numerical investigation of the effects of the general bed characteristics such as superficial gas velocities, bed temperature, bed heights and particle size, on the direct synthesis in a 3D fluidized bed reactor. A 3D model for the gas flow, heat transfer and mass transfer was coupled to the direct synthesis reaction mechanism verified in the literature. The model was verified by comparing the simulated reaction rate and dimethyldichlorosilane (M2) selectivity with the experimental data in the open literature and real production data. Computed results indicate that superficial gas velocities, bed temperature, bed heights and particle size have vital effect on the reaction rates and/or M2 selectivity.
Comparison of laser and intense pulsed light sintering (IPL) for inkjet-printed copper nanoparticle layers
Authors: Niittynen Juha , Sowade Enrico , Kang Hyunkyoo , Baumann Reinhard R. , Mäntysalo Matti
Published: March 2015

In this contribution we discuss the sintering of an inkjet-printed copper nanoparticle ink based on electrical performance and microstructure analysis. Laser and intense pulsed light (IPL) sintering are employed in order to compare the different techniques and their feasibility for electronics manufacturing. A conductivity of more than 20% of that of bulk copper material has been obtained with both sintering methods. Laser and IPL sintering techniques are considered to be complementary techniques and are highly suitable in different application fields.