bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Causes and risk factors for acute dialysis initiation among patients with end-stage kidney disease—a large retrospective observational cohort study
Authors: Arulkumaran Nish , Navaratnarajah Arunraj , Pillay Camilla , Brown Wendy , Duncan Neill , McLean Adam , Taube David , Brown Edwina A
Published: November 2018

Background

Patients who require acute initiation of dialysis have higher mortality rates when compared with patients with planned starts. Our primary objective was to explore the reasons and risk factors for acute initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) among patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Our secondary objective was to determine the difference in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) change in the year preceding RRT between elective and acute dialysis starts.

Methods

We conducted a single-centre retrospective observational study. ESKD patients either started dialysis electively (planned starters) or acutely and were known to renal services for >90 (unplanned starters) or <90 days (urgent starters).

Results

In all, 825 consecutive patients initiated dialysis between January 2013 and December 2015. Of these, 410 (49.7%) patients had a planned start. A total of 415 (50.3%) patients had an acute start on dialysis: 244 (58.8%) unplanned and 171 (41.2%) urgent. The reasons for acute dialysis initiation included acute illness (58%) and unexplained decline to ESKD (33%). Cardiovascular disease [n = 30 (22%)] and sepsis [n = 65 (48%)] accounted for the majority of acute systemic illness. Age and premorbid cardiovascular disease were independent risk factors for acute systemic illness among unplanned starts, whereas autoimmune disease accounted for the majority of urgent starts. The rate of decline in GFR was greater in the month preceding RRT among acute dialysis starters compared with planned starters (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Cardiovascular disease and advancing age were independent risk factors for emergency dialysis initiation among patients known to renal services for >3 months. The rapid and often unpredictable loss of renal function in the context of acute systemic illness poses a challenge to averting emergency dialysis start.
Relatedness and spatial distance modulate intergroup interactions: experimental evidence from a social rodent
Authors: Deng Ke , Liu Wei , Wang De-Hua
Published: November 2018

Kin selection theory predicts that individuals should generally behave less aggressively or more amicably towards relatives than nonkin. However, how individuals treat conspecifics depends on genetic relatedness but also on the ecological context, which influences the benefits and costs of their interactions. In this study, we used microsatellite DNA markers and behavioral tests to examine the influence of kinship and proximity on the social behavior of Mongolian gerbils Meriones unguiculatus living in different social groups, and whether these effects varied with sex and season. We recorded the duration of 4 behavioral categories (investigative, neutral, amicable, and agonistic) during a 10-min pairwise test. We found that genetic relatedness had significant effects on the duration of investigative, neutral, and amicable behavior, but not on agonistic behavior. We also found significant interaction effects of relatedness and distance between burrow systems (i.e., spatial distance) on investigative, neutral, and amicable behavior, which suggests that the effects of kinship on social behavior were restricted by spatial proximity. The interaction effect between sex and relatedness on amicable behavior showed that male gerbils became more intimate with individuals of the same sex that had higher pairwise relatedness than females. Furthermore, both male and female gerbils enhanced their aggression during the food-hoarding season, but the intensity of these changes was significantly higher in females. Overall, our results suggest that the effects of kinship and spatial proximity on social behavior exhibit sexual or seasonal patterns, thereby implying ecological context-dependent responses to out-group individuals in Mongolian gerbils.
Educational Note: Paradoxical collider effect in the analysis of non-communicable disease epidemiological data: a reproducible illustration and web application
Authors: Luque-Fernandez Miguel Angel , Schomaker Michael , Redondo-Sanchez Daniel , Jose Sanchez Perez Maria , Vaidya Anand , Schnitzer Mireille E
Published: November 2018

Classical epidemiology has focused on the control of confounding, but it is only recently that epidemiologists have started to focus on the bias produced by colliders. A collider for a certain pair of variables (e.g. an outcome Y and an exposure A) is a third variable (C) that is caused by both. In a directed acyclic graph (DAG), a collider is the variable in the middle of an inverted fork (i.e. the variable C in A → C ← Y). Controlling for, or conditioning an analysis on a collider (i.e. through stratification or regression) can introduce a spurious association between its causes. This potentially explains many paradoxical findings in the medical literature, where established risk factors for a particular outcome appear protective. We use an example from non-communicable disease epidemiology to contextualize and explain the effect of conditioning on a collider. We generate a dataset with 1000 observations, and run Monte-Carlo simulations to estimate the effect of 24-h dietary sodium intake on systolic blood pressure, controlling for age, which acts as a confounder, and 24-h urinary protein excretion, which acts as a collider. We illustrate how adding a collider to a regression model introduces bias. Thus, to prevent paradoxical associations, epidemiologists estimating causal effects should be wary of conditioning on colliders. We provide R code in easy-to-read boxes throughout the manuscript, and a GitHub repository [https://github.com/migariane/ColliderApp] for the reader to reproduce our example. We also provide an educational web application allowing real-time interaction to visualize the paradoxical effect of conditioning on a collider [http://watzilei.com/shiny/collider/].
Highland Romance or Viking Saga?
Authors: Pedersen Sarah , Peach Andrea
Published: November 2018

Few have heard of Orkney tweed today, but in the mid-twentieth century it was as well known as Harris Tweed, and praised for its soft and light characteristics. This article investigates the rise and fall of Orkney tweed and suggests that its decline in the 1960s can be attributed to a variety of factors, including the advent of synthetic, ready-to-wear clothing, but also problems inherent in the mixed marketing messages around the textile. While the main producers of Orkney tweed emphasized the Viking connections of the Orkney islands and their product, the fashion media and overseas customers were more comfortable with positioning Orkney tweed within a stereotypic context of Scottish romanticism, in which Orkney tweed became interchangeable—and replaceable—with all Scottish tweeds. Contemporary attempts to re-establish tweed production on the Orkney Islands have rejected both approaches, focusing instead on the ‘natural’ properties of the fabric and the production of easily portable souvenirs.
‘Covetable pictures’
Authors: Busciglio-Ritter Thomas
Published: November 2018

Born in 1820, John Taylor Johnston is a pivotal figure in the history of American collecting. A pioneer in transatlantic art collecting, his numerous visits to Europe helped him develop his taste, enrich his possessions, and build a reliable network of artists and dealers. He then re-injected this experience into a rising New York art market, becoming the first collector to enjoy success through the weekly public opening of a domestic art gallery. Here he displayed his highly-praised collection of European and American paintings, comprising works by Vernet, Gérôme, Meissonier, Homer and Church. Along with his brother James, Johnston also founded the very first edifice in the United States devoted entirely to housing artists – the Tenth Street Studio Building, designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt. His reputation as a collector eventually led to his appointment as first president of the newly formed Metropolitan Museum in 1871.
Featured Article: Technology Use and Sleep in Adolescents With and Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Bourchtein Elizaveta , Langberg Joshua M , Cusick Caroline N , Breaux Rosanna P , Smith Zoe R , Becker Stephen P
Published: November 2018

Objectives

This study used a multi-informant approach to examine differences in types and rates of technology used by adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), associations between technology use and sleep/daytime sleepiness, and whether technology use was differentially related to sleep/daytime sleepiness in adolescents with and without ADHD.

Methods

Eighth graders with (n = 162) and without (n = 140) ADHD were recruited. Adolescents completed questionnaires assessing time spent using technology, sleep-wake problems, school-night time in bed, and daytime sleepiness. Parents and teachers reported on adolescents’ technology use and daytime sleepiness, respectively.

Results

Adolescents with ADHD had significantly greater total technology, television/movie viewing, video game, and phone/video chatting use than adolescents without ADHD. Adolescents with ADHD engaged in twice as much daily video game use compared to those without ADHD (61 vs. 31 min). Controlling for medication use, ADHD status, pubertal development, sex, and internalizing symptoms, greater parent- and adolescent-reported technology use was associated with more sleep-wake problems and less time in bed. ADHD status did not moderate the relations between technology use and these sleep parameters. In contrast, ADHD status moderated the association between parent-reported technology use and teacher-reported daytime sleepiness, such that this association was significant only for adolescents with ADHD.

Conclusions

Technology use, although more prevalent in adolescents with ADHD, is linked with more sleep problems and reduced school-night sleep duration regardless of ADHD status. Technology use is associated with teacher-rated daytime sleepiness only in adolescents with ADHD. Clinicians should consider technology usage when assessing and treating sleep problems.
Fate alteration of bone marrow-derived macrophages ameliorates kidney fibrosis in murine model of unilateral ureteral obstruction
Authors: Yang Ying , Feng Xiaojian , Liu Xinyan , Wang Ying , Hu Min , Cao Qi , Zhang Ziyan , Zhao Linxia , Zhang Jianlin , Guo Rui , Wang Hailong , Qiao Xi , Wang Lihua , Zheng Guoping
Published: November 2018

Background

Renal fibrosis is a key pathological feature and final common pathway leading to end-stage kidney failure in many chronic kidney diseases. Myofibroblast is the master player in renal fibrosis. However, myofibroblasts are heterogeneous. Recent studies show that bone marrow-derived macrophages transform into myofibroblasts by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-induced macrophage–myofibroblast transition (MMT) in renal fibrosis.

Methods

TGF-β signaling was redirected by inhibition of β-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF) to increase β-catenin/Foxo in bone marrow-derived macrophages. A kidney fibrosis model of unilateral ureteral obstruction was performed in EGFP bone marrow chimera mouse. MMT was examined by flow cytometry analysis of GFP+F4/80+α-SMA+ cells from unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) kidney, and by immunofluorescent staining of bone marrow-derived macrophages in vitro. Inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were analysis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Inhibition of β-catenin/TCF by ICG-001 combined with TGF-β1 treatment increased β-catenin/Foxo1, reduced the MMT and inflammatory cytokine production by bone marrow-derived macrophages, and thereby, reduced kidney fibrosis in the UUO model.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that diversion of β-catenin from TCF to Foxo1-mediated transcription not only inhibits the β-catenin/TCF-mediated fibrotic effect of TGF-β, but also enhances its anti-inflammatory action, allowing therapeutic use of TGF-β to reduce both inflammation and fibrosis at least partially by changing the fate of bone marrow-derived macrophages.
Museum specimens of terrestrial vertebrates are sensitive indicators of environmental change in the Anthropocene
Authors: Schmitt C. Jonathan , Cook Joseph A. , Zamudio Kelly R. , Edwards Scott V.
Published: November 2018

Natural history museums and the specimen collections they curate are vital scientific infrastructure, a fact as true today as it was when biologists began collecting and preserving specimens over 200 years ago. The importance of museum specimens in studies of taxonomy, systematics, ecology and evolutionary biology is evidenced by a rich and abundant literature, yet creative and novel uses of specimens are constantly broadening the impact of natural history collections on biodiversity science and global sustainability. Excellent examples of the critical importance of specimens come from their use in documenting the consequences of environmental change, which is particularly relevant considering the alarming rate at which we now modify our planet in the Anthropocene. In this review, we highlight the important role of bird, mammal and amphibian specimens in documenting the Anthropocene and provide examples that underscore the need for continued collection of museum specimens.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene’.
Divergent interactions maintain the quaternary octameric structure of a new family of esterases
Authors: Alalouf Onit , Salama Rachel , Tal Ofir , Lavid Noa , Lansky Shifra , Shoham Gil , Shoham Yuval
Published: November 2018

Protein oligomerization contributes significantly to the stability and function of enzymes, and the interacting interfaces that create the oligomers are expected to be conserved. The acetyl-xylo-oligosaccharide esterase, Axe2, from the thermophilic bacteriumGeobacillus stearothermophilusrepresents a new family of esterases belonging to the SGNH superfamily of hydrolytic enzymes, and has a unique doughnut-like homo-octameric configuration, composed of four homo-dimers. The dimers of Axe2 are held together mainly by clusters of hydrogen bonds involving Tyr184 and Arg192, as was demonstrated by site directed mutagenesis. Dimeric mutants obtained by single amino acid replacements were inactive towards 2-naphthyl acetate, indicating the necessity of the octameric assembly for catalysis. The crystal structure of two homologous proteins (PDB 3RJT and 5JD3) reveal the same tertiary fold and octameric ring structure as of Axe2. Surprisingly, these octameric structures appear to be maintained by different sets of amino acids involving Asn183 in 3RJT and His185 in 5JD3 instead of Tyr184 in Axe2. These findings prompt us to investigate five more homologues proteins, which were found to have similar octameric structures, despite significant changes in their key residues. We revealed a conserved quaternary structure, which is maintainedvianon-conserved interactions.
Tumors inducede novosteroid biosynthesis in T cells to evade immunity
Authors: Mahata Bidesh , Pramanik Jhuma , van der Weyden Louise , Polanski Krzysztof , Kar Gozde , Riedel Angela , Chen Xi , Fonseca Nuno A. , Kundu Kousik , Campos Lia S. , Ryder Edward , Duddy Graham , Walczak Izabela , Okkenhaug Klaus , Adams David J. , Shields Jacqueline D. , Teichmann Sarah A.
Published: November 2018

Tumors subvert immune cell function to evade immune responses, yet the complex mechanisms driving immune evasion remain poorly understood. Here we show that tumors inducede novosteroidogenesis in T lymphocytes to evade anti-tumor immunity. Using a novel transgenic steroidogenesis-reporter mouse line we identify and characterizede novosteroidogenic immune cells. Genetic ablation of T cell steroidogenesis restricts primary tumor growth and metastatic dissemination in mouse models. Steroidogenic T cells dysregulate anti-tumor immunity, and inhibition of the steroidogenesis pathway was sufficient to restore anti-tumor immunity. This study demonstrates T cellde novosteroidogenesis as a mechanism of anti-tumor immunosuppression and a potential druggable target.
Predicting individual speech intelligibility from the cortical tracking of acoustic- and phonetic-level speech representations
Authors: Lesenfants D , Vanthornhout J , Verschueren E , Decruy L , Francart T
Published: November 2018

Objective

To objectively measure speech intelligibility of individual subjects from the EEG, based on cortical tracking of different representations of speech: low-level acoustical, higher-level discrete, or a combination. To compare each model’s prediction of the speech reception threshold (SRT) for each individual with the behaviorally measured SRT.

Methods

Nineteen participants listened to Flemish Matrix sentences presented at different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), corresponding to different levels of speech understanding. For different EEG frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta or low-gamma), a model was built to predict the EEG signal from various speech representations: envelope, spectrogram, phonemes, phonetic features or a combination of phonetic Features and Spectrogram (FS). The same model was used for all subjects. The model predictions were then compared to the actual EEG of each subject for the different SNRs, and the prediction accuracy in function of SNR was used to predict the SRT.

Results

The model based on the FS speech representation and the theta EEG band yielded the best SRT predictions, with a difference between the behavioral and objective SRT below 1 decibel for 53% and below 2 decibels for 89% of the subjects.

Conclusion

A model including low- and higher-level speech features allows to predict the speech reception threshold from the EEG of people listening to natural speech. It has potential applications in diagnostics of the auditory system.

Search Terms

cortical speech tracking, objective measure, speech intelligibility, auditory processing, speech representations.

Highlights

Objective EEG-based measure of speech intelligibility

Improved prediction of speech intelligibility by combining speech representations

Cortical tracking of speech in the delta EEG band monotonically increased with SNRs

Cortical responses in the theta EEG band best predicted the speech reception threshold

Disclosure

The authors report no disclosures relevant to the manuscript.
Distinct neural mechanisms meet challenges in dynamic visual attention due to either load or object spacing
Authors: Mäki-Marttunen V. , Hagen T. , Laeng B. , Espeseth T.
Published: November 2018

When solving dynamic visuo-spatial tasks, the brain copes with perceptual and cognitive processing challenges. In the multiple-object tracking (MOT) task, the number of objects to be tracked (i.e. load) imposes attentional demands, but so does spatial interference from irrelevant objects (i.e. crowding). Presently, it is not clear whether load and crowding activate separate cognitive and physiological mechanisms. Such knowledge would be important to understand the neurophysiology of visual attention. Furthermore, it would help resolve conflicting views between theories of visual cognition, particularly concerning sources of capacity limitations. To address this problem, we varied the degree of processing challenge in the MOT task in two ways: First, the number of objects to track, and second, the spatial proximity between targets and distractors. We first measured task-induced pupil dilations and saccades during MOT. In a separate cohort we measured fMRI brain activity during MOT. The behavioral results in both cohorts revealed that increased load and crowding led to reduced accuracy in an additive manner. Load was associated with pupil dilations, whereas crowding was not. Activity in dorsal attentional areas and frequency of saccades were proportionally larger both with higher levels of load and crowding. Higher crowding recruited additionally ventral attentional areas that may reflect orienting mechanisms. The activity in the brainstem nuclei ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra and locus coeruleus showed clearly dissociated patterns. Our results constitute convergent evidence from independent samples that processing challenges due to load and object spacing may rely on different mechanisms.
Machine learning versus logistic regression methods for 2-year mortality prognostication in a small, heterogeneous glioma database
Authors: Panesar Sandip S , D’Souza Rhett N , Yeh Fang-Cheng , Fernandez-Miranda Juan C
Published: November 2018

Background

Machine learning (ML) is the application of specialized algorithms to datasets for trend delineation, categorization or prediction. ML techniques have been traditionally applied to large, highly-dimensional databases. Gliomas are a heterogeneous group of primary brain tumors, traditionally graded using histopathological features. Recently the World Health Organization proposed a novel grading system for gliomas incorporating molecular characteristics. We aimed to study whether ML could achieve accurate prognostication of 2-year mortality in a small, highly-dimensional database of glioma patients.

Methods

We applied three machine learning techniques: artificial neural networks (ANN), decision trees (DT), support vector machine (SVM), and classical logistic regression (LR) to a dataset consisting of 76 glioma patients of all grades. We compared the effect of applying the algorithms to the raw database, versus a database where only statistically significant features were included into the algorithmic inputs (feature selection).

Results

Raw input consisted of 21 variables, and achieved performance of (accuracy/AUC): 70.7%/0.70 for ANN, 68%/0.72 for SVM, 66.7%/0.64 for LR and 65%/0.70 for DT. Feature selected input consisted of 14 variables and achieved performance of 73.4%/0.75 for ANN, 73.3%/0.74 for SVM, 69.3%/0.73 for LR and 65.2%/0.63 for DT.

Conclusions

We demonstrate that these techniques can also be applied to small, yet highly-dimensional datasets. Our ML techniques achieved reasonable performance compared to similar studies in the literature. Though local databases may be small versus larger cancer repositories, we demonstrate that ML techniques can still be applied to their analysis, though traditional statistical methods are of similar benefit.
Pin1 Regulatory miRNAs as Novel Candidates for Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment
Authors: Heidari Elyas , Siavashani Elham Salehi , Rasooli Mohammad , Amiri Zahra , Sharifi-Zarchi Ali , Shahpasand Koorosh
Published: November 2018

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the sixth leading cause of death in elderly people whose pathological hallmarks include senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). The tangles are composed of hyperphosphorylated tau, which is a microtubule-associated protein and its hyperphosphorylation would result in its aggregation and neural cell death. Recently, it has been shown that phosphorylated tau at Thr231 exists in two distinctcis & transconformations, whose conversion is being mediated by Pin1 isomerase and that thecis, but not thetrans, is extremely neurotoxic and drives tau hyperphosphorylation. It has been demonstrated that Pin1 inhibition reflectscispT231-tau accumulation in neurons but its overactivation is observed in cancer stem cells. Hence, a precise Pin1 regulation is required to keep cells in healthy conditions. As miRNAs play a crucial role in fine-tuning of the gene-expression level, we hypothesized that they might regulate the Pin1 dosage. Nonetheless, the possible regulatory roles of miRNAs in progression of AD by regulating PIN1 is not well studied. We aimed to identify potential miRNAs that down-regulate PIN1 in AD. This can uncover new regulatory mechanisms that result in AD. Thus, we performed a comprehensive study of miRNAs, capable in regulating Pin1, through whole-genome meta-analysis by integrating miRNA expression profiles of 846 different biological samples, along with a systematic literature review and data mining of multiple experimental and predicted miRNA-target databases. We created a list of 56 candidates, which was then short-listed to 10 miRNAs with vigorous experimental evidence. We examined the expression patterns of these miRNAs in the AD and healthy controls and integrated mRNA and miRNA expression profiles to study possible interactions between miRNAs and Pin1. Moreover, we performed anin-silicofunctional analysis by integrating data of knock-in and knock-down experiments of the candidate miRNAs, and highlighted miR296-5p, miR200b, miR200c, miR140-5p, and miR874 as strong candidate Pin1 regulators. These findings would have profound implications in developing novel therapeutic strategies for AD by blocking expression of highlighted miRNAs using antagomirs.
A review on graphical evolutionary game for information diffusion on social networks
Authors: Qiu Benliu , Zhang Ningxuan
Published: November 2018

Purpose

With the recent development of science and technology, research on information diffusion has become increasingly important.

Design/methodology/approach

To analyze the process of information diffusion, researchers have proposed a framework with graphical evolutionary game theory (EGT) according to the theory of biological evolution.

Findings

Through this method, one can study and even predict information diffusion.

Originality/value

This paper summarizes three existing works using graphical EGT to discuss how to obtain the static state and the dynamics of information diffusion in social network.
Exploring the role of business relationships in start-ups’ life cycles
Authors: Cantù Chiara , Giorgia Sepe , Tzannis Alessandra
Published: November 2018

Purpose

Differently from previous works that focused on the entrepreneur and on his ability to manage social relationships, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of business relationships in the different stages of the life cycle of a start-up.

Design/methodology/approach

Since the paper aims to explore startups’ evolutionary phenomenon, it adopts a qualitative abductive methodology, presenting an in-depth study of two innovative Italian start-ups. The research is based on two steps. In the first one, the authors collected secondary data from start-ups’ reports and documents, financial indicators (when available) and processed them to understand their background. In the second one, the authors conducted ten semi-structured interviews, including face-to-face interviews, phone interviews and video conferences.

Findings

The paper presents a relationship-based life cycle model composed of four different stages, depending on the number and role of relationships developed. Indeed, since the beginning, start-ups adopt a relational approach and their evolution involves the shift from the focus on the entrepreneur to the centrality of a network approach based on interconnected relationships. The entering into a new stage of life cycle depends on relationships, mainly based on connected actors and resources shared and combined. Even if a key role is assumed by technology, the main resource is identified in the knowledge concerning the customer/user’s needs that require marketing competencies, human resources, relational capabilities. Thus, the shift from one stage to the next in the start-up’s life cycle is possible thanks to a parallel shift from a focus on the activities to a focus on those strategic and heterogeneous actors that ensure activities.

Originality/value

In a traditional perspective, the start-up’s life cycle depends on activities, financial resources and revenues, as stated by previous life cycle models. In a different perspective, as depicted in our analysis, the evolution of a start-up depends on the portfolio of their business relationships. The role of business relationships is hence to facilitate the interconnections within specialized key actors, which allow start-ups to access strategic resources. These resources are essential in order to develop the activities that characterize the specific stage of the life cycle.
A deforming time approach to the treatment of risk in projects evaluation
Authors: Cruz-Rambaud Salvador , Sanchez-Perez Ana Maria
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to introduce a novel methodology to identify and quantify the difference of financial risks exhibited by listed and unlisted companies in their debt payments from an empirical point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper attempts to establish the theoretical relationship between the agreed original periods and their corresponding periods of real payments. It is based on Krugman’s curve. This relationship has been implemented using data from listed and unlisted companies of Spain and from Western Europe countries (divided by companies, size and industry).

Findings

An alternative model has been implemented with the available information about listed and unlisted companies. There is not a significant difference in the financial risk level corresponding to listed and unlisted firms in Spain.

Practical/implications

The paper could provide a useful guidance in applying the risk in project assessment.

Originality/value

This paper provides a new methodology to reduce the subjectivity shown in the treatment of risk by traditional approaches. The method allows to including the financial risk in the time parameter of the discount function. Analysis of the delays in debt payments by both listed and unlisted companies; Alternative model able to describe the expected delays from the initial agreed period; Inclusion of the financial risk in the parameter “time” of a discount function.
A new record of the genus Lissodema Curtis 1833 (Coleoptera: Salpingidae) with description of a new species in Korea
Authors: Lee Seung‐Gyu , Lim Jongok
Published: November 2018

A genus Lissodema of Salpingidae is first reported from Korea with description of L. dolsandoensis sp. nov.. The new species is compared with related species of the genus. A description, habitus photograph and illustrations of the diagnostic characters are provided.
High‐affinity l‐malate transporter DcuE of Actinobacillus succinogenes catalyses reversible exchange of C4‐dicarboxylates
Authors: Rhie Mi Na , Cho Young Bin , Lee Yeon Joo , Kim Ok Bin
Published: November 2018

Actinobacillus succinogenes is a natural succinate producer, which is the result of fumarate respiration. Succinate production from anaerobic growth with C4‐dicarboxylates requires transporters catalysing uptake and efflux of C4‐dicarboxylates. Transporter Asuc_1999 (DcuE) found in A. succinogenes belongs to the Dcu family and was considered the main transporter for fumarate respiration. However, deletion of dcuE affected l‐malate uptake of A. succinogenes rather than fumarate uptake. DcuE complemented anaerobic growth of Escherichia coli on l‐malate or fumarate; thus, the transporter was characterized in E. coli heterologously. Time‐dependent uptake and competitive inhibition assays demonstrated that l‐malate is the most preferred substrate for uptake by DcuE. The Vmax of DcuE for l‐malate was 20.04 μmol/gDW·min with Km of 57 μM. The Vmax for l‐malate was comparable to that for fumarate, whereas the Km for l‐malate was 8 times lower than that for fumarate. The catalytic efficiency of DcuE for l‐malate was 7.3‐fold higher than that for fumarate, showing high efficiency and high affinity for l‐malate. Furthermore, DcuE catalysed the reversible exchange of three C4‐dicarboxylates – l‐malate, fumarate and succinate – but the preferred substrate for uptake was l‐malate. Under physiological conditions, the C4‐dicarboxylates were reduced to succinate. Therefore, DcuE is proposed as the l‐malate/succinate antiporter in A. succinogenes.
Three Models of Global Climate Governance: From Kyoto to Paris and Beyond
Authors: Held David , Roger Charles
Published: November 2018

The Paris Agreement has emerged as one of the world's most important international treaties. Many believe that it offers a new approach to the problem of climate change, can contribute significantly to the goal of reducing emissions, and may hold lessons for how to govern other cross‐border issues. As a result, it has been the focus of considerable debate among scholars and policy makers. But how precisely does Paris seek to govern global warming and is it likely to work in practice? We address this question by contrasting the Paris ‘model’ of climate governance with earlier ones associated with the Kyoto Protocol and Copenhagen Accord. These models have taken different approaches to the problem of governing climate change, each with attendant advantages and limitations. The Paris model advances upon earlier efforts in certain respects, but also blends elements from earlier models. We then lay out the central axes of the debate that has emerged about the future of the Paris model, and discuss research illuminating how it may operate in practice. The agreement's success will depend on how the agreement is implemented, and on how the UNFCCC process interacts with the complementary approaches to climate governance appearing beyond it.
Combining hepatitis B core‐related and surface antigens at end of nucleos(t)ide analogue treatment to predict off‐therapy relapse risk
Authors: Hsu Yao‐Chun , Nguyen Mindie H. , Mo Lein‐Ray , Wu Ming‐Shiang , Yang Tzeng‐Huey , Chen Chieh‐Chang , Tseng Cheng‐Hao , Tai Chi‐Ming , Wu Chun‐Ying , Lin Jaw‐Town , Tanaka Yasuhito , Chang Chi‐Yang
Published: November 2018

Background

There remains an unmet need for convenient biomarkers to assess the risks of discontinuing nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Aim

To investigate if hepatitis B core‐related antigen (HBcrAg) is an independent of surface antigen (HBsAg) for risk prediction of NA cessation.

Methods

This prospective multicentre study enrolled 135 CHB patients who stopped entecavir or tenofovir after achieving viral remission for a median of 25.2 months. All patients stopped NA with negative HBeAg and undetectable viral DNA, and were then observed for clinical relapse and HBsAg loss. Predictors including HBsAg and HBcrAg levels were explored using Cox proportional hazard model and weighted to develop a risk score.

Results

During a median follow‐up of 25.9 months, clinical relapse and HBsAg loss occurred in 66 and eight patients, respectively, with a 5‐year cumulative incidence of 56.1% (95% CI 46.7‐66.0%) and 8.8% (95% CI 4.3‐17.4%), respectively. HBcrAg was an independent relapse predictor, as well as HBsAg, age, ALT and tenofovir use. A score (SCALE‐B) was calculated by the equation of 35*HBsAg (log IU/mL) + 20*HBcrAg (log U/mL) + 2*age (year) + ALT (U/L) + 40 for tenofovir use. The concordance rates for clinical relapse were 0.87, 0.88, 0.87, 0.85 and 0.90 at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years, respectively. Moreover, HBsAg loss occurred exclusively in low‐risk patients predicted by the score.

Conclusions

Serum HBcrAg and HBsAg levels were independent predictors of off‐NA relapse and can be factored into a risk score to guide treatment cessation in patients with CHB.
Optimal designs for the generalized partial credit model
Authors: Bürkner Paul‐Christian , Schwabe Rainer , Holling Heinz
Published: November 2018

Analysing ordinal data is becoming increasingly important in psychology, especially in the context of item response theory. The generalized partial credit model (GPCM) is probably the most widely used ordinal model and has found application in many large‐scale educational assessment studies such asPISA. In the present paper, optimal test designs are investigated for estimating persons’ abilities with theGPCMfor calibrated tests when item parameters are known from previous studies. We find that local optimality may be achieved by assigning non‐zero probability only to the first and last categories independently of a person's ability. That is, when using such a design, theGPCMreduces to the dichotomous two‐parameter logistic (2PL) model. Since locally optimal designs require the true ability to be known, we consider alternative Bayesian design criteria using weight distributions over the ability parameter space. For symmetric weight distributions, we derive necessary conditions for the optimal one‐point design of two response categories to be Bayes optimal. Furthermore, we discuss examples of common symmetric weight distributions and investigate under what circumstances the necessary conditions are also sufficient. Since the 2PLmodel is a special case of theGPCM, all of these results hold for the 2PLmodel as well.
Cognition with magnetic resonance imaging findings and social activities in patients with multiple sclerosis in a Japanese cohort
Authors: Niino Masaaki , Fukazawa Toshiyuki , Kira Jun‐ichi , Okuno Tatsusada , Mori Masahiro , Sanjo Nobuo , Ohashi Takashi , Fukaura Hikoaki , Fujimori Juichi , Shimizu Yuko , Mifune Nobuhiro , Miyazaki Yusei , Takahashi Eri , Kikuchi Seiji , Langdon Dawn , Benedict Ralph H. B. , Matsui Makoto
Published: November 2018

Objective

We investigated the association of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and social activities with cognition in Japanese patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods

Cognition was evaluated by the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS), using previously published data for 156 Japanese patients with MS. The BICAMS results were analyzed with available MRI data, focusing on hyperintense lesions on T2/fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery images. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess associations between the BICAMS scores and social activities (i.e. “student,” “employed full time,” “employed part time,” “homemaker” and “unemployed because of MS”). The independent variables were the BICAMS scores, and the Expanded Disability Status Scale, sex, age at examination, education and disease duration. The dependent variable was the “social activity.”

Results

Analysis of variance showed that patients with MS and more cerebral lesions on MRI had lower scores in all three domains of the BICAMS (the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the second edition of the California Verbal Learning Test and the revised Brief Visuospatial Memory Test). Scores of all three domains were also significantly lower in patients with cerebellar lesions. Regarding social activities, patients who were unemployed because of MS had lower BICAMS scores compared with employed patients. However, the BICAMS domain scores did not independently affect the other social activities.

Conclusions

Higher numbers of cerebral lesions and the presence of cerebellar lesions evaluated by MRI affect cognitive function based on the BICAMS. Cognitive function might affect social activities in patients with MS.
Long‐term, single‐arm, open‐label, multicenter phase 2/4 study of glatiramer acetate by subcutaneous injection in Japanese patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis
Authors: Yamamura Takashi , Fukazawa Toshiyuki , Tanaka Masami , Ohashi Takashi , Tanaka Shinichiro , Yoshida Michihiro , Houzen Hideki
Published: November 2018

Objective

Glatiramer acetate (GA) has been shown to be a well‐tolerated and effective treatment for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) with relapse. The present open‐label study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of long‐term treatment with GA.

Methods

Japanese patients with relapsing–remitting MS received up to 52‐weeks’ treatment with GA 20 mg/mL once daily in the phase 2 study. In phase 4, patients continued to receive treatment after marketing approval in Japan until commercial availability. Key end‐points were safety and tolerability of GA. Other analyses included numbers and volumes of gadolinium‐enhancing and T2‐weighted (T2) lesions.

Results

Of 17 patients initially treated, 13 completed 52 weeks’ therapy and 10 completed the phase 4 extension (efficacy assessment: 104 weeks; maximum treatment period/long‐term safety assessment: up to 5 years). No new safety signals were observed; most adverse events were mild or moderate, with injection site reactions being the most common. The number of T1 gadolinium‐enhancing lesions declined from 2.9 (baseline) to 1.3 (week 104), and the number of T2 lesions increased from 1.7 to 6.7. T1 and T2 lesion volume changes were not clinically meaningful (changes of −0.090 and 0.088 mL, respectively, by week 104). The mean annualized relapse rate was 2.01 (baseline) and 1.78 (week 104); the mean Expanded Disability Status Scale scores indicated reduced levels of disability.

Conclusions

These findings suggest the favorable tolerability and safety profile of GA in Japanese patients, and provide supportive evidence for the efficacy of GA in reducing MS recurrence and improving disability in Japanese MS patients.
National estimations of airway foreign bodies in children in the United States, 2000 to 2009
Authors: Cheng Jeffrey , Liu Beiyu , Farjat Alfredo E. , Routh Jonathan
Published: November 2018

Objective

Identify risk factors associated with airway foreign bodies in children in the United States and report observed trends over time.

Data source

KID database (2000‐2009).

Methods

ICD‐9‐CM codes for airway foreign bodies were used to identify patients. Risk factors were used for univariate analysis and a multivariate model to identify any increased risk of mortality. These factors were then also trended over time.

Results

Children with airway foreign bodies demonstrate similar risk factors as previously reported, such as male gender, age less than five years and lack of private insurance. The weighted mortality rate for paediatric inpatients with airway foreign bodies was about 2.75%. Fortunately, the rate remained relatively unchanged from 2000 to 2009. Geographically, urban hospital settings appeared to be more affected. Increased risks of mortality were noted for older age, urban hospital setting and teaching hospital status.

Conclusions

Our findings confirm previous findings and identified that the diagnosis of airway foreign bodies in children were associated with male gender, age <5 years, lack of private insurance and geographic location in an urban setting. Further investigation may be warranted to provide clarity on other factors found to have increased association with mortality for quality improvement.
Encouraging children to mentalise about a perceived outgroup increases prosocial behaviour towards outgroup members
Authors: McLoughlin Niamh , Over Harriet
Published: November 2018

We investigated whether encouraging young children to discuss the mental states of an immigrant group would elicit more prosocial behaviour towards them and impact on their perception of a group member's emotional experience. Five‐ and 6‐year‐old children were either prompted to talk about the thoughts and feelings of this social group or to talk about their actions. Across two studies, we found that this manipulation increased the extent to which children shared with a novel member of the immigrant group who was the victim of a minor transgression. The manipulation did not lead to greater sharing towards a victim from the children's own culture and did not influence their perception of a victim's negative emotions. These results may ultimately have implications for interventions aimed at fostering positive intergroup relations within the context of immigration.
Impact of appropriate use criteria for transesophageal echocardiograms on clinically meaningful care
Authors: Gupta Tripti , Jahangir Eiman , Gilliland Yvonne , Lavie Carl J. , Shah Sangeeta
Published: November 2018

Introduction

The aim of this study was to evaluate appropriateness of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) studies based on 2011 Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Echocardiography and its impact on patient management.

Methods and Results

In a retrospective analysis of 100 inpatient TEEs, 85% of the TEEs ordered were determined to be appropriate, 9% were inappropriate, and 6% were uncertain. Inter‐observer differences in the determination of AUC were seen in 24% of the studies, requiring a senior‐level cardiologist to make the final determination of AUC score. The variance in interpretation by experts is concerning for how that might translate into differences in clinical practice. Of all TEEs, only 63% led to an active change in care, including changes in medications or procedures, while 37% did not. We found a statistically significant difference between cardiologists’ and non‐cardiologists’ orders for TEE having an impact on patient's clinical care (41% vs 22%, respectively, P < 0.05) (Table ). While not statistically significant, a trend toward clinical change was observed in the appropriate vs inappropriate TEEs (70% vs 44%, respectively, P = 0.06).

Conclusion

Ideally, the role of a diagnostic cardiovascular imaging test, such as a TEE, is to influence clinical care, if it is ordered appropriately on the right patient. While the AUC guides clinicians on the appropriate use of cardiovascular imaging, it is broadly written and offers room for interpretation to encompass variety of clinical scenarios. Clinical care paths that utilize AUC and standardize use of multidisciplinary institutional resources offer opportunity for optimal clinical impact and patient care.
Sprint speed is not reduced by exaggerated male weapons in a flower beetle Dicronocephalus wallichii
Authors: Kojima Wataru , Lin Chung‐Ping
Published: November 2018

Exaggerated sexually selected traits are assumed to decrease the mobility of bearers. However, previous empirical studies have often failed to support this assumption, possibly because locomotor performance represents the integration of numerous morphological, physiological and behavioural traits. Males of a flower beetle Dicronocephalus wallichii Pouillaude 1914 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) possess elongated forelegs and a pair of exaggerated horns, which are used as dual weapons in male–male competition for mates. We investigated whether these two sexual traits impede the maximum sprint speed on bamboo branches with different angles and thicknesses under laboratory conditions. Our results suggested that no negative relationship exists between relative foreleg length or horn length and sprint speed. Elongated forelegs and horns may entail negligible locomotor costs. Males with longer horns and forelegs were found to have longer midlegs and hindlegs independent of body size. Thus, elongated midlegs and hindlegs in males may enhance balance, stabilize running on bamboo branches and compensate for the locomotor costs of bearing exaggerated weapons. Furthermore, a positive relationship was found between horn length and sprint speed on a horizontal branch. Males with longer horns probably have more energy and/or invest more heavily in appendage musculature. As is known in other animals, male horns of D. wallichii may act as honest indicators of body condition.
Automatically solving two‐variable linear algebraic word problems using text mining
Authors: Rehman Tayyeba , Khan Sharifullah , Hwang Gwo‐Jen , Abbas Muhammad Azeem
Published: November 2018

The teaching and learning of algebraic word problems is a basic component of elementary education. Recently, to facilitate its learning, a few approaches for automatically solving algebraic and arithmetic word problems have been proposed. These systems generally use either natural language processing (NLP) or a combination of NLP and machine learning. However, they have low accuracy due to their large feature sets, extracted using limited preprocessing techniques. In this research work, we propose a template‐based approach that was developed by following a two‐step process. In the first step, we predict an equation template from a training dataset using NLP and a classification mechanism. The next step is to instantiate the predicted template with nouns and numbers through reasoning. To validate the proposed methodology, a prototype system was implemented. We then compared the proposed system with the existing systems using their respective datasets and the proposed dataset. The experimental results show improvement in accuracy, with an average precision of 80.6% and average recall of 83.5%.