bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combination of a sorting grid and a square mesh panel to optimize size selection in the North-East Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) and redfish (Sebastes spp.) trawl fisheries
Authors: Sistiaga Manu , Herrmann Bent , Grimaldo Eduardo , Larsen Roger B , Olsen Leonore , Brinkhof Jesse , Tatone Ivan
Published: December 2017

Sorting grids and square mesh panels are the two most-applied technical devices to supplement codend size- and species-selection in demersal trawls. In the Barents Sea gadoid fishery, the compulsory size-selectivity system comprises a mesh section with a sorting grid followed by a diamond mesh codend. We tested the size-selective performance of a new sorting section that comprised a sorting grid combined with a square mesh panel as a potential alternative for the grid sections currently in use. The new sorting section was shorter and therefore more maneuverable than the existing sorting grid sections. The investigation was carried out on cod and the bycatch species redfish. The grid was found to contribute to the largest proportion of fish release, and the release through the square mesh panel was low. But, the results showed that the grid was successful at guiding fish not escaping through the grid to a second selection process in the panel. However, the square mesh panel did not result on the intended release efficiency except for the smallest sizes of fish, most likely because the guiding angle of the grid and the square meshes in the panel used did not provide a suitable escape path for the desired size range of fish. Therefore, optimizing the mesh size/shape in the panel and/or the guiding angle for the grid potentially could lead to the desired selectivity pattern in the new sorting section.
A comparison between SALT/SAAO observations and kilonova models for AT 2017gfo: the first electromagnetic counterpart of a gravitational wave transient − GW170817
Authors: Buckley David A H , Andreoni Igor , Barway Sudhanshu , Cooke Jeff , Crawford Steven M , Gorbovskoy Evgeny , Gromadzki Mariusz , Lipunov Vladimir , Mao Jirong , Potter Stephen B , Pretorius Magaretha L , Pritchard Tyler A , Romero-Colmenero Encarni , Shara Michael M , Väisänen Petri , Williams Ted B
Published: December 2017

We report on SALT low-resolution optical spectroscopy and optical/IR photometry undertaken with other SAAO telescopes (MASTER-SAAO and IRSF) of the kilonova AT 2017gfo (a.k.a. SSS17a) in the galaxy NGC4993 during the first 10 d of discovery. This event has been identified as the first ever electromagnetic counterpart of a gravitational wave event, namely GW170817, which was detected by the LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave observatories. The event is likely due to a merger of two neutron stars, resulting in a kilonova explosion. SALT was the third observatory to obtain spectroscopy of AT 2017gfo and the first spectrum, 1.2 d after the merger, is quite blue and shows some broad features, but no identifiable spectral lines and becomes redder by the second night. We compare the spectral and photometric evolution with recent kilonova simulations and conclude that they are in qualitative agreement for post-merger wind models with proton:nucleon ratios of Ye = 0.25–0.30. The blue colour of the first spectrum is consistent with the lower opacity of the lanthanide-free r-process elements in the ejecta. Differences between the models and observations are likely due to the choice of system parameters combined with the absence of atomic data for more elements in the ejecta models.
Detection of periodicity based on independence tests – III. Phase distance correlation periodogram
Authors: Zucker Shay
Published: December 2017

I present the Phase Distance Correlation (PDC) periodogram – a new periodicity metric, based on the Distance Correlation concept of Gábor Székely. For each trial period, PDC calculates the distance correlation between the data samples and their phases. PDC requires adaptation of the Székely’s distance correlation to circular variables (phases). The resulting periodicity metric is best suited to sparse data sets, and it performs better than other methods for sawtooth-like periodicities. These include Cepheid and RR-Lyrae light curves, as well as radial velocity curves of eccentric spectroscopic binaries. The performance of the PDC periodogram in other contexts is almost as good as that of the Generalized Lomb–Scargle periodogram. The concept of phase distance correlation can be adapted also to astrometric data, and it has the potential to be suitable also for large evenly spaced data sets, after some algorithmic perfection.
Spontaneous Microguidewire Extrusion From the Foot Following Cerebral Aneurysm Treatment: First Case Report
Authors: Nader Kurdow , Lamin Saleh , Leyon Joseph , Chavda Swarupsinh , Thomas Allan , Kuruvath Sarin
Published: December 2017

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

Microguidewire entrapment and failure related to endovascular therapy is a rare complication with limited case reports available, most of which are from cardiac endovascular intervention. Migration of the microguidewire has been reported in coronary intervention with some resulting in severe complications, but there are no reported cases of spontaneous extrusion of wire fragment following a neurointerventional procedure. We report the first case of a microguidewire entrapment with subsequent fracture, followed by spontaneous extrusion of the wire fragment.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

A 40-yr-old woman was admitted for an elective flow-diversion stent treatment of an unruptured paraophthalamic aneurysm. Microguidewire entrapment occurred during an attempted balloon-aided dilatation of the partially opened stent. Careful attempts failed to retrieve the wire; hence, the decision was made to leave it behind. She presented to her family doctor 6 mo later with spontaneous extrusion of a 60-cm fragment of the retained wire, from her heel ipsilateral to the femoral puncture site. This had not resulted in any further vascular or non-vascular complications.

CONCLUSION

Fracture with extrusion is a potential consequence of a retained microguidewires. While this is an extremely rare complication, it is important to alert clinicians and patient about the possibility of wire migration and extrusion. Early follow-up with clinical assessment, and targeted imaging should lead to identification of this occurrence.
Early Cyclical Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Improves Strength and Trophism by Akt Pathway Signaling in Partially Paralyzed Biceps Muscle After Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
Authors: de Freitas Gabriel R , Santo Caroline C do Espírito , de Machado-Pereira Nicolas A M M , Bobinski Franciane , dos Santos Adair R S , Ilha Jocemar
Published: December 2017

Background

Electrical stimulation is often used to treat weakness in people with spinal cord injury (SCI); however its efficacy for increasing strength and trophism is weak, and the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic benefits are unknown.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on muscle function, trophism, and the Akt pathway signaling involved in muscular plasticity after incomplete SCI in rats.

Design

This was an experimental study.

Methods

Twenty-one adult female Wistar rats were divided into sham, SCI, and SCI plus NMES groups. In injured animals, SCI hemisection was induced by a surgical procedure at the C5-C7 level. The 5-week NMES protocol consisted of biceps brachii muscle stimulation 5 times per week, initiated 48 h after injury. Forepaw function and strength, biceps muscle trophism, and the expression of phosphorylated Akt, p70S6K, and GSK-3ß cellular anabolic pathway markers in stimulated muscle tissue were assessed.

Results

There was an increase in bicep muscle strength in the NMES group compared with the untreated SCI group, from postoperative day 21 until the end of the evaluation period. Also, there was an increase in muscle trophism in the NMES group compared with the SCI group. Forelimb function gradually recovered in both the SCI group and the NMES group, with no differences between them. Regarding muscle protein expression, the NMES group had higher values for phospho-Akt, phospho-p70S6K, and phospho-GSK-3ß than did the SCI group.

Limitations

The experimental findings were limited to an animal model of incomplete SCI and may not be fully generalizable to humans.

Conclusions

Early cyclical NMES therapy was shown to increase muscle strength and induce hypertrophy after incomplete SCI in a rat model, probably by increasing phospho-Akt, phospho-p70S6K, and phospho-GSK-3ß signaling protein synthesis.
Continuous Infusion of Low-Dose Iohexol Measures Changing Glomerular Filtration Rate in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Dixon John J. , Lane Katie , Dalton R. Neil , Turner Charles , MacPhee Iain A. M. , Chis Ster Irina , Philips Barbara J.
Published: December 2017

Objective:

Measurement of changing glomerular filtration rate in acute kidney injury remains problematic. We have previously used a continuous infusion of low-dose Iohexol to measure glomerular filtration rate in stable subjects and postulate that changes greater than 10.3% in critically ill patients indicate acute kidney injury. Our objective is to explore the extent to which continuous infusion of low-dose Iohexol can be a measure of changing glomerular filtration rate during acute kidney injury.

Design:

Clinical observational exploratory study.

Setting:

Adult ICU.

Patients:

Three patient groups were recruited: nephrectomy group: predictable onset of acute kidney injury and outcome (n = 10); surgery group: predictable onset of acute kidney injury, unpredictable outcome (n = 11); and acute kidney injury group: unpredictable onset of acute kidney injury and outcome (n = 13).

Interventions:

Continuous infusion of low-dose Iohexol was administered for 24–80 hours. Plasma (ClP) and renal (ClR) Iohexol clearances were measured at timed intervals.

Measurements and Main Results:

Kidney Disease: Improved Global Outcomes acute kidney injury criteria were fulfilled in 22 patients (nephrectomy = 5, surgery = 4, and acute kidney injury = 13); continuous infusion of low-dose Iohexol demonstrated acute kidney injury in 29 patients (nephrectomy = 10, surgery = 8, acute kidney injury = 11). Dynamic changes in glomerular filtration rate were tracked in all patients. In the nephrectomy group, ClR decreased by an expected 50% (50.8% ± 11.0%). Agreement between ClP and ClR improved with increasing duration of infusion: bias of ClP versus ClR at 48 hours was –0.1 ± 3.6 mL/min/1.73 m2 (limits of agreement: –7.2 to 7.1 mL/min/1.73 m2). Coefficient of variation of laboratory sample analysis was 2.4%.

Conclusions:

Continuous infusion of low-dose Iohexol is accurate and precise when measuring glomerular filtration rate and tracks changes in patients with differing risks of acute kidney injury. Continuous infusion of low-dose Iohexol may provide a useful standard against which to test novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of acute kidney injury.
Structural and functional abnormalities of the insular cortex in trigeminal neuralgia: a multimodal magnetic resonance imaging analysis
Authors: Wang Yue , Zhang Yuanchao , Zhang Jinlei , Wang Jiaojian , Xu Jinping , Li Jie , Cui Gaoyu , Zhang Jiuquan
Published: December 2017

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder characterized by intense, lancinating attacks of facial pain. Increasing evidence suggests that TN is accompanied by abnormalities in brain morphology, white matter microstructure, and function. However, whether these abnormalities are linked or reflect independent etiologies remains unknown. Using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging data of 20 patients with TN and 21 healthy controls, we investigated cortical gyrification abnormalities, their relationships with abnormalities of the underlying white matter microstructure and gray matter morphology, as well as their functional significance in TN. Compared with controls, patients with TN showed significant local gyrification index (LGI) reductions predominantly in the left insular cortex, which were negatively correlated with pain intensity. In this cluster, patients with TN had concurrent cortical thickness reductions but unaltered cortical surface area. Meanwhile, LGI of this cluster was not correlated with overlying cortical thickness or surface area but was positively correlated with the fractional anisotropy of 2 nearby white matter clusters, suggesting that insular LGI reductions may be primarily driven by microstructural abnormalities of the underlying white matter tracts, rather than by abnormalities in cortical thickness and surface area. In addition, patients with TN exhibited increased insula functional connectivity to the left posterior cingulate cortex and thalamus, which was positively correlated with disease duration. These findings provide new evidence for the involvement of insular abnormalities in the pathophysiology of TN.
Dengue-associated Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis: A Rare Complication of a Common Infection in Singapore
Authors: Kam Kai-qian , Soh Shui Yen , Bhattacharyya Rajat
Published: December 2017

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) can progress rapidly, often leading to multisystem organ failure and death. Prompt recognition of the syndrome and institution of appropriate treatment are crucial steps in improving the outcome. Dengue virus infection is not commonly known to be associated with secondary HLH. We present a case of a child with dengue fever who subsequently developed classical features of HLH. He was treated successfully with 4 weeks of steroid monotherapy instead of the multidrug therapy proposed in the HLH 2004 protocol. There was prompt response to the treatment with resolution of clinical and biochemical features. He remains in complete remission 3 years from the diagnosis.
Study of NOTCH1 and FBXW7 Mutations and Its Prognostic Significance in South Indian T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Valliyammai Natarajan , Nancy Nirmala K. , Sagar Tenali G. , Rajkumar Thangarajan
Published: December 2017

NOTCH1/FBXW7 mutations trigger oncogenic NOTCH1 signaling and its downstream target genes play crucial roles in the molecular pathogenesis of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). In the present study, NOTCH1 and FBXW7 mutations were studied in 25 primary T-ALL samples. All 34 exons of NOTCH1 and hotspot exons (exon 9 and exon 10) of FBXW7 were polymerase chain reaction amplified and sequenced for mutations. Our results showed that 13/25 (52%) were NOTCH1-mutated, of which 11 patients (44%) showed mutation in the hotspot exons. Four patients (16%) had mutations in non–hotspot exons of NOTCH1. Notably, 2 T-ALL patients (8%) harbored mutations in both hotspot and non–hotspot exons of NOTCH1, whereas 2 patients (8%) had mutations in the hotspot exons of FBXW7. In all, 7 mutations were identified which were not previously reported. The real-time polymerase chain reaction study in 15 patients revealed that increased expression of activated NOTCH1 was found in NOTCH1/FBXW7 hotspot exon-mutated cases. In addition, NOTCH1/FBXW7-mutated patients had showed upregulated HES1, c-MYC, NOTCH3 gene expression. When survival analysis was performed including samples (n=50) from our previous study, an early treatment response and better survival was observed in NOTCH1/FBXW7 hotspot-mutated patients. Our study suggests that NOTCH1/FBXW7 hotspot-mutated T-ALL cases had better response to ALL BFM-95 protocol.
Reduced Neutrophil Elastase Activity and Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia May Increase the Rate of Infections
Authors: Berger-Achituv Sivan , Elhasid Ronit
Published: December 2017

Data on the production of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in leukemia patients are scant. Phagocytosis, hydrogen peroxide, neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase enzymatic activity as well as NETs formation were studied in 10 pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 7 pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients after induction chemotherapy. Median neutrophil elastase activity and NETs formation were lower in AML versus acute lymphoblastic leukemia (41% vs. 90%, P=0.005 and 51% vs. 94%, P=0.008, respectively). AML patients had more episodes of febrile neutropenia during the first 2 blocks of treatment (100% vs. 40%, P=0.011) and a trend for more invasive bacterial and fungal infections.
Treatment Outcome of Children With Multisystem Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: The Experience of a Single Children’s Hospital in Shanghai, China
Authors: Gao Yi-Jin , Su Meng , Tang Jing-Yan , Pan Ci , Chen Jing
Published: December 2017

We reported the outcome of 150 children newly diagnosed with multisystem langerhans cell histiocytosis following a langerhans cell histiocytosis-II-based protocol (arm B). However, the continuation treatment was extended to 56 weeks and etoposide was omitted from the continuation treatment. Risk organ (RO) involvement was defined as: liver (≥3 cm with or without functional impairment); spleen (≥2 cm below the costal margin in the midclavicular line); hematopoietic system (hemoglobin <100 g/L, and/or white blood cell count <4.0×109/L, and/or platelets <100×109/L). The lungs are not considered a RO in the current study. For the 59 patients with RO involvement (RO+), the rapid response rate (week 6) was 61.0% and the 3-year overall survival 73.4%±5.9%. Rapid responders had a better 3-year survival rate than poor responders (90.9%±5.0% vs. 45.7%±11.0%, P<0.001). Ninety-one patients without RO involvement (RO−) had a relatively low 3-year cumulative reactivation rate (10.7%). No deaths occurred in this subgroup and the 3-year overall survival of RO− patients was 100%. Poor responders of RO+ patients had an extremely poor prognosis. An effective salvage therapy is essential for this high-risk group. The initial treatment intensity and duration of continuation therapy both impact disease reactivation in RO− patients.
An Infant With Unusually High Unconjugated Hyperbilirubinemia Due to Coexistence of Hereditary Spherocytosis and Gilbert Syndrome
Authors: Butorac Ahel Ivona , Baraba Dekanic Kristina , Palcevski Goran , Roganovic Jelena
Published: December 2017

Hereditary spherocytosis is the most frequent congenital hemolytic anemia and is characterized with variable degree of anemia, jaundice, and splenomegaly. In the case of severe hyperbilirubinemia out of proportion with hemolysis, other causes of hyperbilirubinemia must be considered. Gilbert syndrome (GS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized with intermittent hyperbilirubinemia without any other sign and symptom of liver disease as a result of reduced activity of uridine diphosphate-glucuronyl transferase 1A1. The calculated rate of coexistence of these 2 diseases is 15 to 35/million births. Here we present a 21-month-old girl with hereditary spherocytosis diagnosed at the age of 40 days with hyperbilirubinemia out of proportion of hemolysis which led to diagnosis of GS. Thereby, the diagnosis of GS should be considered in unexplained unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in different age groups, including infants and toddlers.
A Rare Case of Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Infection Accompanied by the Infiltration of EBV-infected CD8+ T Cells into the Muscle
Authors: Kobayashi Nobuhiko , Mitsui Takeki , Ogawa Yoshiyuki , Iriuchishima Hirono , Takizawa Makiko , Yokohama Akihiko , Saitoh Takayuki , Koiso Hiromi , Tsukamoto Norifumi , Murakami Hirokazu , Nojima Yoshihisa , Handa Hiroshi
Published: December 2017

We describe a rare case of chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection, with infiltration of the skeletal muscle. A 19-year-old woman with swollen cervical lymph nodes and a fever was referred to our hospital. Swelling of the trapezium muscle and elevation of creatinine kinase level were observed. Biopsy results of the brachialis muscle revealed infiltration of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded RNA-positive CD8+ T lymphocytes. The EBV virus load in the peripheral blood was high, and EBV monoclonality was determined by Southern blot analysis. Owing to the rarity of CAEBV with skeletal muscle infiltration, this case alerts physicians to the potential diagnostic pitfalls of CAEBV.
Sustained Response to Targeted Therapy in a Patient With Disseminated Anaplastic Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma
Authors: Amayiri Nisreen , Swaidan Maisa , Al-Hussaini Maysa , Halalsheh Hadeel , Al-Nassan Anwar , Musharbash Awni , Tabori Uri , Hawkins Cynthia , Bouffet Eric
Published: December 2017

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma is a rare brain tumor with unique high frequency of BRAF V600E mutation which is plausible for targeted therapy. The anaplastic variant has generally worse prognosis. We present an adolescent patient with a disseminated relapse of anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma following surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. She had a dramatic and prolonged response to a BRAF inhibitor (Dabrafinib) and later to addition of a MEK inhibitor (Trametinib) on tumor progression. With minimal side effects and a good quality of life, the patient is alive more than 2 years after initiation of targeted therapy. This experience confirms the potential role of targeted treatments in high-grade BRAF-mutated brain tumors.
Noninvasive Measurement of Hemoglobin Using Spectrophotometry: Is it Useful for the Critically Ill Child?
Authors: Akyildiz Basak
Published: December 2017

This study compared the accuracy of noninvasively measuring hemoglobin using spectrophotometry (SpHb) with a pulse CO-oximeter and laboratory hemoglobin (Hb) measurements. A total of 345 critically ill children were included prospectively. Age, sex, and factors influencing the reliabilityof SpHb such as SpO2, heart rate, perfusion index (PI), and vasoactive inotropic score were recorded. SpHb measurements were recorded during the blood draw and compared with the Hb measurement. Thirteen patients (low PI in 9 patients and no available Hb in 4 patients) were excluded and 332 children were eligible for final analysis. The mean Hb was 8.71±1.49 g/dL (range, 5.9 to 12 g/dL) and the mean SpHb level was 9.55±1.53 g/dL (range, 6 to 14.2 g/dL). The SpHb bias was 0.84±0.86,with the limits of agreement ranging from −2.5 to 0.9 g/dL. The difference between Hb and SpHb was >1.5 g/dL for only 47 patients. Of these, 24 patients had laboratory Hb levels <7 g/dL. There was a weak positive correlation between differences and PI (r=0.349; P= 0.032). The pulse CO-oximeter is a promising tool for measuring SpHb and monitoring critically ill children. However, PI may affect these results. Additional studies investigating the reliability of the trend of continuous SpHb values compared with simultaneously measured laboratory Hb values in the same patient are warranted.
Pediatric Deep Venous Thrombosis Associated With Staphylococcal Infections: Single Institutional Experience
Authors: Citla Sridhar Divyaswathi , Maher Ossama M. , Rodriguez Nidra I.
Published: December 2017

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) has been previously reported in children with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This study reviews our institutional experience by evaluating characteristics and outcomes of children with DVT and staphylococcal infections. Retrospective clinical data from 16 pediatric patients with DVT and staphylococcal infections over a 5-year period was obtained via medical record abstraction. Sixteen patients with a median age at diagnosis of 8 years were included. The most common infection encountered was osteomyelitis (56%). The most common isolated organism was MRSA (63%). Central venous catheters were present in 50% of cases. All patients received anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin except 1 patient with superficial venous thrombosis who was managed conservatively. Fifty percent of patients had complete resolution of DVT by the end of treatment, 25% of the patients had early disappearance of the thrombus at 7 to 10 days. Only 2 patients (12.5%) had persistent thrombus at 6 months. Staphylococcal infections may increase the risk of DVT in children. Therefore, a high index of suspicion for DVT is warranted in children with Staphylococcal infections (particularly MRSA) to promptly diagnose, treat and minimize complications. Prophylactic anticoagulation in presence of staphylococcal infection, particularly MRSA, may be considered in future studies.
Nursing Integration and Innovation Across a Multisystem Enterprise
Authors: Pappas Sharon , McCauley Linda
Published: December 2017

There is no escaping the fact that the ability to skillfully influence change is a requirement for nurse leaders. This need is intensified as the national health care system reforms and as the morphology of health care systems continues to change, especially in academic health care systems. The purpose of this article was 2-fold. The first objective was to relay the experience of the integration of nursing practice, education, and research within an academic health care system. The second was to, through this story of integration, expose the uniqueness and importance of nurse leader roles influencing innovation across a multisystem enterprise to fulfill the organization's mission.
Accelerating Innovation Through Coopetition
Authors: McCarthy Chris , Ford Carleton Penny , Krumpholz Elizabeth , Chow Marilyn P.
Published: December 2017

Coopetition, the simultaneous pursuit of cooperation and competition, is a growing force in the innovation landscape. For some organizations, the primary mode of innovation continues to be deeply secretive and highly competitive, but for others, a new style of shared challenges, shared purpose, and shared development has become a superior, more efficient way of working to accelerate innovation capabilities and capacity. Over the last 2 decades, the literature base devoted to coopetition has gradually expanded. However, the field is still in its infancy. The majority of coopetition research is qualitative, primarily consisting of case studies. Few studies have addressed the nonprofit sector or service industries such as health care. The authors believe that this article may offer a unique perspective on coopetition in the context of a US-based national health care learning alliance designed to accelerate innovation, the Innovation Learning Network or ILN. The mission of the ILN is to “Share the joy and pain of innovation,” accelerating innovation by sharing solutions, teaching techniques, and cultivating friendships. These 3 pillars (sharing, teaching, and cultivating) form the foundation for coopetition within the ILN. Through the lens of coopetition, we examine the experience of the ILN over the last 10 years and provide case examples that illustrate the benefits and challenges of coopetition in accelerating innovation in health care.
International Nursing: Constructing an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practice Model in the UAE
Authors: Behrens Sue A.
Published: December 2017

Despite utilization of the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) in the United States health care system, there is little information about the introduction, utilization, and challenges of the APRN role globally, especially in the Middle East. This article will look at how one hospital in the United Arab Emirates introduced the APRN role to a health care environment of a country where it has not been recognized historically. Cultural challenges and barriers for the implementation of the role include regulatory, societal, and institutional. Innovation and collaboration are necessary to address these challenges and barriers and to pave the way for a successful advanced practice model pilot, as well as for the future use of the role. Innovation is also one of the key performance indicators for the country's health care. However, the idea of advanced practice is a new concept that has been outside the mainstream health care practice for the United Arab Emirates. To help with the implementation, a road map was developed to outline the steps necessary to provide a safe practice environment. The plan included aligning with the ministry of health nursing and midwifery council, as well as the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi, to help them learn more about the US model of advanced practice, along with benefits, and outcomes of the role. Developing the role of the APRN will benefit the future state of the health care infrastructure for not only the United Arab Emirates but throughout the Middle East.
Coronal CT is Comparable to MR Imaging in Aiding Diagnosis of Dementia in a Memory Clinic in Singapore
Authors: Thiagarajan Sasinthiran , Shaik Muhammad A. , Venketasubramanian Narayanaswamy , Ting Eric Y.S. , Hilal Saima , Chen Christopher
Published: December 2017

Purpose:

The present study investigated (a) the agreement between computerized tomography (CT) and 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the visual grading of medial temporal atrophy (MTA); and (b) whether MTA on CT differentiated patients with dementia from no dementia in memory clinics.

Materials and Methods:

Data were obtained from patients who underwent CT scans at the National University Hospital of Singapore, and from a subsample who subsequently underwent 3 T MRI scans in a research study. Agreements and disagreements between CT and MRI were determined. Area under the curve (AUC) analyses determined if CT-graded MTA distinguished patients with dementia from no dementia.

Results:

Of the 107 patients in the subsample, MTA scores of 71 agreed on both CT and MRI. The true positive rate between CT and MRI for MTA scores ≥2 was 79.7%. The true negative rate for MTA scores between 0 and 1 was 96.4%. CT underestimated MTA severity in 33 of 36 disagreements with the MRI. MTA scores ≥2 on CT distinguished dementia from no dementia in both discovery [n=263; AUC (95% confidence interval)=0.77 (0.72-0.83); sensitivity=0.69; specificity=0.74] and validation [n=264; AUC (95% confidence interval)=0.77 (0.71-0.82); sensitivity=0.72; specificity=0.72] groups.

Conclusions:

MTA graded on CT is a viable alternative to MRI to aid in the diagnosis of dementia in memory clinics.
Introgression of a block of genome under infinitesimal selection
Authors: Sachdeva Himani , Barton Nicholas H.
Published: December 2017

Adaptive introgression is common in nature and can be driven by selection acting on multiple, linked genes. We explore the effects of polygenic selection on introgression under the infinitesimal model with linkage. This model assumes that the introgressing block has an effectively infinite number of genes, each with an infinitesimal effect on the trait under selection. The block is assumed to introgress under directional selection within a native population that is genetically homogeneous. We use individual-based simulations and a branching process approximation to compute various statistics of the introgressing block, and explore how these depend on parameters such as the map length and initial trait value associated with the introgressing block, the genetic variability along the block, and the strength of selection. Our results show that the introgression dynamics of a block under infinitesimal selection is qualitatively different from the dynamics of neutral introgression. We also find that in the long run, surviving descendant blocks are likely to have intermediate lengths, and clarify how the length is shaped by the interplay between linkage and infinitesimal selection. Our results suggest that it may be difficult to distinguish introgression of single loci from that of genomic blocks with multiple, tightly linked and weakly selected loci.
A rhamnose-inducible system for precise and temporal control of gene expression in cyanobacteria
Authors: Kelly Ciarán L. , Hitchcock Andrew , Torres-Méndez Antonio , Heap John T.
Published: December 2017

Cyanobacteria are important for fundamental studies of photosynthesis and have great biotechnological potential. In order to better study and fully exploit these organisms, the limited repertoire of genetic tools and parts must be expanded. A small number of inducible promoters have been used in cyanobacteria, allowing dynamic external control of gene expression through the addition of specific inducer molecules. However, the inducible promoters used to date suffer from various drawbacks including toxicity of inducers, leaky expression in the absence of inducer and inducer photolability, the latter being particularly relevant to cyanobacteria which, as photoautotrophs, are grown under light. Here we introduce the rhamnose-induciblerhaBADpromoter ofEscherichia coliinto the model freshwater cyanobacteriumSynechocystissp. PCC 6803 and demonstrate it has superior properties to previously reported cyanobacterial inducible promoter systems, such as a non-toxic, photostable, non-metabolizable inducer, a linear response to inducer concentration and crucially no basal transcription in the absence of inducer.
Novel transcriptional networks regulated by CLOCK in human neurons
Authors: Fontenot Miles R. , Berto Stefano , Liu Yuxiang , Werthmann Gordon , Douglas Connor , Usui Noriyoshi , Gleason Kelly , Tamminga Carol A. , Takahashi Joseph S. , Konopka Genevieve
Published: December 2017

The molecular mechanisms underlying human brain evolution are not fully understood; however, previous work suggested that expression of the transcription factor CLOCK in the human cortex might be relevant to human cognition and disease. In this study, we investigated this novel transcriptional role for CLOCK in human neurons by performing chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing for endogenous CLOCK in adult neocortices and RNA sequencing following CLOCK knockdown in differentiated human neurons in vitro. These data suggested that CLOCK regulates the expression of genes involved in neuronal migration, and a functional assay showed that CLOCK knockdown increased neuronal migratory distance. Furthermore, dysregulation of CLOCK disrupts coexpressed networks of genes implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders, and the expression of these networks is driven by hub genes with human-specific patterns of expression. These data support a role for CLOCK-regulated transcriptional cascades involved in human brain evolution and function.
ESCO1/2's roles in chromosome structure and interphase chromatin organization
Authors: Kawasumi Ryotaro , Abe Takuya , Arakawa Hiroshi , Garre Massimiliano , Hirota Kouji , Branzei Dana
Published: December 2017

ESCO1/2 acetyltransferases mediating SMC3 acetylation and sister chromatid cohesion (SCC) are differentially required for genome integrity and development. Here we established chicken DT40 cell lines with mutations in ESCO1/2, SMC3 acetylation, and the cohesin remover WAPL. Both ESCO1 and ESCO2 promoted SCC, while ESCO2 was additionally and specifically required for proliferation and centromere integrity. ESCO1 overexpression fully suppressed the slow proliferation and centromeric separation phenotypes of esco2 cells but only partly suppressed its chromosome arm SCC defects. Concomitant inactivation of ESCO1 and ESCO2 caused lethality owing to compromised mitotic chromosome segregation. Neither wapl nor acetyl-mimicking smc3-QQ mutations rescued esco1 esco2 lethality. Notably, esco1 esco2 wapl conditional mutants showed very severe proliferation defects associated with catastrophic mitoses and also abnormal interphase chromatin organization patterns. The results indicate that cohesion establishment by vertebrate ESCO1/2 is linked to interphase chromatin architecture formation, a newly identified function of cohesin acetyltransferases that is both fundamentally and medically relevant.
“Deserve1093-4537S got [everything] to do with it”: Unforgiven, revenge, and the revival of the western
Authors: Joyce Justin A.
Published: December 2017

This essay weds conceptions of justice within Public Administration to the theme of revenge in the Hollywood Western, arguing that the revival of the genre in the 1990s reflects changes in the public conception of due process and equality before the law. The Western genre’s evolution is illustrative of the way definitions of justice are socially, contextually specific. Unforgiven illustrates this shift because the violence in the film symbolizes the vengeance culture so anathema to American notions of procedural justice and explores shifting conceptions of justice through a 19th century allegory of injustice, the heart of which is the treatment of a person as property. This fantasy of the violent resolution of conflict is examined against Public Administration's insistence upon resolving competing conceptions of the good through peaceful, deliberative modalities.
Doing less with less: The decline of american governments
Authors: Cox Raymond W. , Ostertag Tricia M.
Published: December 2017

Public administration has become the victim of its own success. Public policy making and problem solving during the first three decades after WWII began from an assumption that public managers had the competence to overcome policy barriers. The ʼdo more with less” slogan was a statement of professional competence. It was adopted because many believed it was an affirmation of that competence. Now it represents a fiscal demand as a scold to those who will otherwise waste the money. What the public hears is a perverse joke. The goal must be more effective governance, by approaching fiscal stability as a strategic enterprise. The potential tools for more effective services exist and are applied by governments across the globe. Yet the public clings to failed practices (NPM) that are best when dealing with short-term issues
Utilizing flux and chaos: A case study of wicked problems in environmental management
Authors: Ghuman Umar , Olmstead Wendy
Published: December 2017

Public agency managers dealing with environmental issues often encounter “wicked problems”; poorly defined, with conflicting interpretations of data, and conflict among values and missions (Rittel & Webber, 1973). This case study that provides insight into a “wicked problem” resulting from a complex series of interactions between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation during the Kesterson incident (a biological disaster during the 1980s). Morganʼs (2006) metaphors are utilized to examine the circumstances of the incident and demonstrate the hierarchical structures and opposing cultures that exacerbated the issues. Dealing with a wicked problem requires embracing conflict to potentiate change. We assert that public organizations dealing with complex issues need to embrace chaos and flux and self-organize in the same manner as biological systems, thereby evolving into dynamic organizations well-equipped to deal with the complexities of their environments.
The potential for paracrisis in corporate philanthropy and social media
Authors: Persuit Jeanne M.
Published: December 2017

Corporate philanthropy in the U.S. has emerged since the mid-19th century. This essay takes a historical and interpretive perspective on its practice. The author categorizes corporate philanthropy into four ethical models to examine each modelʼs communicative priorities and ethical concerns. These communicative priorities and ethical concerns become more complex as corporate philanthropic entities utilize social media. To this end, the potential for what Coombs and Holladay (2012) called a “paracrisis” emerges. This essay examines the potential for community partners to be affected by a corporationʼs presence on social media (and vice versa) through the interpretive lens of the paracrisis. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research.
Social media in state lotteries: Exploring the role of technology in program marketing
Authors: Zavattaro Staci M. , Fay Daniel L.
Published: December 2017

State-sponsored lotteries are adopted to raise funds for state programs. As such, there is a public mission within these organizations; however, most operate like private companies, thus shifting the organizational ethos to profit maximization. Much research on social media focuses on federal and local government agencies. In this paper, we explore the role of social media in lottery program marketing. Through an analysis of random lotteries on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, we find: 1) a focus on aspirational marketing to promote the lottery as a business entity through its products and 2) increased dialogue with followers (i.e. customers) compared to other public agencies. This is a shift in how public organizations traditionally use the social tools, showing there can be a balance between marketing and dialogue.
Fiscal noting reconsidered: the experience of the states with mandate cost estimation
Authors: Kelly Janet M.
Published: December 2017

Ten years after the first comprehensive review of fiscal noting in the states, revisiting the impact of cost analysis on unfunded state mandates yields pessimistic conclusions. More states have adopted fiscal noting over the period, yet few report that the process is successful. The majority of fiscal notes contain no cost estimates at all for a variety of reasons, including lack of time, lack of resources, lack of legislative attention, and perhaps lack of institutional capacity.
Municipal tax structure and accounting disclosure
Authors: Sanders George D. , Ingram Robert W.
Published: December 2017

Two competing hypotheses have been developed in the public economics literature to explain the growth of government spending. The first, termed the fiscal illusion hypothesis, holds that governments have incentives to induce a misperception in the population about the cost of government. By constructing complex systems of taxation that obscure the true cost of government services, governments can lead the taxpayer to demand a larger quantity of services. The other hypothesis, the fiscal stress hypothesis, holds that tax complexity diversifies revenues, leading to less revenue variability and, hence, lower costs. Taxpayers, then, demand more government services. The two hypotheses make very different assumptions about the incentives of governments in regard to an informed electorate. The fiscal illusion hypothesis suggests incentives to obscure information, while the fiscal stress hypothesis suggests incentives to reveal true costs.

Accounting and financial reporting can play a role in revealing fiscal information to taxpayers, directly or indirectly, through information intermediaries. If the fiscal illusion hypothesis describes the behavior of governments, we would expect that such governments would attempt to protect the information advantage that is conveyed by a complex tax structure by minimizing accounting disclosures. On the other hand, the fiscal illusion hypothesis suggests that a government with a complex tax structure has no reason to minimize disclosure, and may have incentives publicize lower service costs.

This study examines the association of tax complexity and financial disclosure. We find that there is more disclosure in cities with more complex tax systems, a result that supports the fiscal stress hypothesis.
A comparison of finance officer and auditor assessments of municipal internal control
Authors: Elder Randal J. , Kattelus Susan C. , Ward D. Dewey
Published: December 2017

There is an increased emphasis on internal control in the governmental sector. We compare finance officer assessments of internal control to auditor assessments for a sample of Michigan municipalities. On average, the finance officers' assessments of their control systems were more favorable than the assessments made by auditors from a regional CPA firm with a large governmental practice, suggesting that auditor reports on internal control may result in a more conservative evaluation of the control system than reports provided by management. One measure of the effectiveness of the internal control system is its ability to prevent errors. We compare the finance officer and auditor assessments of internal control to the number of audit adjustments as an objective measure of the accuracy of the control assessments. The internal control assessments made by auditors were significantly more highly correlated with the number of audit adjustments than those made by finance officers. This suggests that the accuracy of internal control reports may be improved if the reports are prepared by auditors.
Fund accounting and capital budgeting: european experiences
Authors: van der Hoek M. Peter
Published: December 2017

Budgets have to meet a number of principles in order to fulfil their functions properly. This paper focuses on two of these budget principles. First, it addresses the principle of unity and universalism, and in particular, discusses the issue of earmarking receipts. It is concluded that most of the perceived benefits of special fund accounting do not occur in practice. Second, the paper deals with the principle of an efficient division of the budget. It is concluded that the credibility of the main argument in term of a capital budget, being that it reinforces the allocation function of the budget, is questionable.
The effect of intergovernmental aid on city property taxes: new results for minnesota
Authors: Bartle John R.
Published: December 2017

An earlier study found that certain Minnesota state aid programs stimulated city property tax levies to a high degree. If this is accurate, it suggests potentially serious problems with state property tax relief efforts. This article re-examines this question and finds that most aid programs have little direct effect on property tax levies. However, certain aid formulas that reduce the effective price of property taxes do indirectly stimulate property taxes. Therefore, states need to be careful in designing aid programs intended to reduce property taxes.
Reengineering capital budgeting
Authors: Miranda Rowan , Hillman Natalee
Published: December 2017

This article illustrates the application of business process reengineering (BPR) to capital budget process redesign. The case of the City of Pittsburgh is used to argue that capital budgeting processes in many large cities often pose barriers to effective financial management. Design principles of BPR are presented; implications for capital budget management are then discussed. Pittsburgh’s capital expenditure/encumbrance process is used to illustrate implications of BPR for public financial management. By identifying shortcomings in current maps, “future” maps can be constructed that rely on organizational redesign and technology to eliminate steps that do not add value.
Asset depletion on the balance sheet: an idea whose time has come?
Authors: Frank Howard A.
Published: December 2017

This article explores the possible impact on cash flows and balance sheets of Florida’s 67 counties if asset depletion were recorded in a manner analogous to that of private entities. Findings highlight the difficulty that may be encountered with changing emphasis of government accounting from focus on cash flows to that of actual resources utilized.
Public budgeting in America: a twentieth century retrospective
Authors: Tyer Charlie , Willand Jennifer
Published: December 2017

Reviewing the development of budgeting in America in the twentieth century, this article assesses where public budgeting is as it approaches the twenty-first century. Five periods are identified in American budgeting, drawing upon the work of Schick and Rubin: control, management, planning, prioritization and accountability. Budgeting in the 1990s is described as characterized by accountability and a “new” performance budgeting emphasis. The authors argue that the budget reform movement is still alive and well in American government, with local governments once more leading the way.
Fannie MAE and freddie MAC as investor-owned public utilities
Authors: Seiler Robert S.
Published: December 2017

There are striking similarities between publicly-held government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and investor-owned public utilities. Each firm enjoys large scale economies that give a significant competitive advantage over other companies, possesses a dominant market position that it may be able to exploit to earn profits above competitive levels, and has a strong incentive to enter new markets when the life cycle of its core markets constrain its ability to increase profits. The recent behavior of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac indicates that the government must impose more stringent economic regulation on those GSEs in order to be sure that they achieve their public purposes.