bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ten un‐Aristotelian reasons for the instability of Aristotelian character friendships
Authors: Kristjánsson Kristján
Published: December 2018

Aristotle claims that friendship of the highest kind – ‘character friendship’ – is stable and enduring, once established. He is sensitive to one limitation placed upon such friendships: that, owing to their extreme closeness, devotion and intimacy, they can only be actualised with a small number of people. However, Aristotle is otherwise surprisingly cavalier about the formation and sustaining of character friendship, as if those are relatively unproblematic from psycho‐moral and psycho‐social perspectives. The main aim of this article is to repair the dearth of attention paid to these problematic areas. More specifically, after a brief rehearsal of some Aristotelian essentials in Section 2, I address five potential problems attached to character friendships between ‘equals’ in Section 3 (of substitutability, self‐verification, mismatched developmental levels, divergent developmental paths, initiation and trust) and five problems between ‘unequals’ in Section 4 (of proportionality, the disciple's and the guru's conflicting motivations, paternalism, role inertia), closing with some summarising remarks in Section 5. My conclusion is that despite the attractiveness and plausibility of much of what Aristotle says, his account of character friendships cannot be endorsed without various caveats and qualifications.
Effects of host‐derived chemokines on the motility and viability of Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Alfituri Omar A. , Ajibola Olumide , Brewer James M. , Garside Paul , Benson Robert A. , Peel Tamlyn , Morrison Liam J. , Mabbott Neil A.
Published: December 2018

African trypanosomes (Trypanosoma brucei spp.) are extracellular, hemoflagellate, protozoan parasites. Mammalian infection begins when the tsetse fly vector injects trypanosomes into the skin during blood feeding. The trypanosomes then reach the draining lymph nodes before disseminating systemically. Intravital imaging of the skin post‐tsetse fly bite revealed that trypanosomes were observed both extravascularly and intravascularly in the lymphatic vessels. Whether host‐derived cues play a role in the attraction of the trypanosomes towards the lymphatic vessels to aid their dissemination from the site of infection is not known. Since chemokines can mediate the attraction of leucocytes towards the lymphatics, in vitro chemotaxis assays were used to determine whether chemokines might also act as chemoattractants for trypanosomes. Although microarray data suggested that the chemokines CCL8, CCL19, CCL21, CCL27 and CXCL12 were highly expressed in mouse skin, they did not stimulate the chemotaxis of T brucei. Certain chemokines also possess potent antimicrobial properties. However, none of the chemokines tested exerted any parasiticidal effects on T brucei. Thus, our data suggest that host‐derived chemokines do not act as chemoattractants for T brucei. Identification of the mechanisms used by trypanosomes to establish host infection will aid the development of novel approaches to block disease transmission.
Exploratory structural equation modeling for event‐related potential data—An all‐in‐one approach?
Authors: Scharf Florian , Nestler Steffen
Published: December 2018

ERP data are characterized by high dimensionality and a mixture of constituting signals and are thus challenging for researchers to analyze. To address these challenges, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) has been used to provide estimates of the unobserved factors and to use these estimates for further statistical analyses (e.g., analyses of group effects). However, the EFA approach is prone to biases due to assigning individual factor scores to each observation as an intermediate step and does not properly consider participants, electrodes, and groups/conditions as differentiable sources of factor variance, with the consequence that factor correlations are inaccurately estimated. Here, we suggest exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) as a potential approach to address these limitations. ESEM may handle the complexity of ERP data more appropriately because multiple sources of variance can be formally taken into consideration. We demonstrate the application of ESEM to ERP data (in comparison with EFA) with an illustrative example and report the results of a small simulation study in which ESEM clearly outperformed EFA with respect to accurate estimation of the population factor loadings, population factor correlations, and group differences. We discuss how robust statistical inference can be conducted within the ESEM approach. We conclude that ESEM naturally extends the current EFA approach for ERP data and that it can provide a coherent and flexible analysis framework for all kinds of ERP research questions.
Institutional environments and the livelihood impacts of voluntary sustainability standards: A Village‐based analysis from southern Sumatra's coffee sector
Authors: Bray Joshua G.P.
Published: December 2018

Lead roasting firms are operating through Indonesia's coffee exporters to introduce voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) in an attempt to secure supply, and to simultaneously meet corporate social responsibility requirements, even as empirical studies continue to show uncertain benefits for producer livelihoods. Value chain interventions like VSS, however, are not rolled out over a blank canvas, and many contributing factors determine their overall impact on livelihoods, particularly the local institutional environment. This study assesses the extent to which variability of empirical outcomes is determined by the institutional environment, by identifying specific processes through which VSS interact with pre‐existing social, political and economic institutions to influence livelihood outcomes. These include: firm‐specific corporate strategies (including producer training); livelihood strategies of households (including access to assets); government programs; and local political economy, as manifest particularly through patronage between traders and suppliers. VSS have thereby become an additional institutional layer shaping livelihood strategies and regional development outcomes, best viewed as providing access to a new social network that may be exploited by producers. The interaction between VSS programs, livelihood strategies and pre‐existing institutional environments in a particular place often dictates the variable outcomes for producers, making attribution of impact causation to VSS enrolment problematic.
Genetic factors influencing hemoglobin levels in 15,567 blood donors: results from the Danish Blood Donor Study
Authors: Sørensen Erik , Rigas Andreas S. , Didriksen Maria , Burgdorf Kristoffer S. , Thørner Lise W. , Pedersen Ole B. , Hjalgrim Henrik , Petersen Mikkel S. , Erikstrup Christian , Ullum Henrik
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

Blood donors have an increased risk of low hemoglobin (Hb) levels due to iron deficiency. Therefore, knowledge of genetic variants associated with low Hb could facilitate individualized donation intervals. We have previously reported three specific single‐nucleotide polymorphisms that were associated with ferritin levels in blood donors. In this study, we investigated the effect of these single‐nucleotide polymorphisms on Hb levels in 15,567 Danish blood donors.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We studied 15,567 participants in the Danish Blood Donor Study. The examined genes and single‐nucleotide polymorphisms were 1) TMPRSS6, involved in regulation of hepcidin: rs855791; 2) HFE, associated with hemochromatosis: rs1800562 and rs1799945; 3) BTBD9, associated with restless leg syndrome: rs9357271; and 4) TF, encoding transferrin: rs2280673 and rs1830084. Associations with Hb levels and risk of Hb deferral were assessed in multivariable linear and logistic regression models.

RESULTS

The HFE,rs1800562 G‐allele and the HFE rs1799945 C‐allele were associated with lower Hb levels in men and women, and with an increased risk of Hb below 7.8 mmol/L (12.5 g/dL) in women. Only the rs1799945 C‐allele increased the risk of Hb below 8.4 mmol/L (13.5 g/dL) in men. In TMPRSS6, the rs855791 T‐allele was associated with lower Hb levels in both men and women, and with an increased risk of low Hb among women.

CONCLUSION

With this study we demonstrate that HFE and TMPRSS6 are associated with Hb levels and risk of Hb below the limit of deferral. Thus, genetic testing may be useful in a future assay for personalized donation intervals.
Geographical analysis of evaluated chronic disease programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the primary healthcare setting: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Beks Hannah , Binder Marley , Kourbelis Constance , May Nikki , Clark Robyn , Hudson Kerry , Versace Vincent
Published: December 2018

Review question:

The question of this review is: Which locations in Australia have chronic disease programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult populations in the primary healthcare context been evaluated?

Specific objectives are to:
Infrasound monitoring in non-traditional environments
Authors: McComas Sarah , Hayward Chris , Pace Michael , Simpson Chris , McKenna Mihan , Stump Brian
Published: December 2018

To date, the infrasound community has avoided deployments in noisy urban sites because interests have been in monitoring distant sources with low noise sites. As monitoring interests expand to include low-energy urban sources only detectable close to the source, case studies are needed to demonstrate the challenges and benefits of urban infrasound monitoring. This case study highlights one approach to overcoming urban challenges and identifies a signal's source in a complex acoustic field. One 38 m and one 120 m aperture infrasound arrays were deployed on building rooftops north of downtown Dallas, Texas. Structural signals in the recorded data were identified, and the backazimuth to the source determined with frequency-wavenumber analysis. Fourteen days of data were analyzed to produce 314 coherent continuous-wave packets, with 246 of these detections associated with a narrow range of backazimuth directions. Analyzing the backazimuths from the two arrays identified the Mockingbird Bridge as the probable source which was the verified with seismic measurement on the structure. Techniques described here overcame the constraints imposed by urban environments and provide a basis to monitor infrastructure and its conditions at local distances (0–100 km).
At arm's length
Authors: Piller Charles
Published: December 2018

Major private research funders make secretive offshore investments, raising ethical concerns.
Barrier(less) islands
Authors: Kahr Bart , Ward Michael D.
Published: December 2018

No stopping 1D crystals
Functionally diverse type V CRISPR-Cas systems
Authors: Yan Winston X. , Hunnewell Pratyusha , Alfonse Lauren E. , Carte Jason M. , Keston-Smith Elise , Sothiselvam Shanmugapriya , Garrity Anthony J. , Chong Shaorong , Makarova Kira S. , Koonin Eugene V. , Cheng David R. , Scott David A.
Published: December 2018

Additional, diverse CRISPR systems

CRISPR systems have been revolutionizing molecular biology. Mining the metagenomic database, Yan
et al.
systematically discovered additional subtypes of type V CRISPR-Cas systems. The additional Cas12 effectors displayed a range of activities, including target and collateral cleavage of single-stranded RNA and DNA, as well as double-stranded DNA nicking and cleavage. These diverse nuclease activities suggest how an ancient transposase may have evolved into various type V effectors and expand the nucleic acid detection and genome-editing toolbox.

Science
, this issue p.
88
Books for budding scientists
Authors: Ash Caroline , Stajic Jelena , Lavine Marc S. , Scanlon Seth , Ucko Hadassah Nusinovich , Ucko Solomon Nusinovich , Nusinovich Yevgeniya , Vignieri Sacha N. , Rai Tage , Sills Jennifer , Mao Steve , Vignieri Sacha N. , Fahrenkamp-Uppenbrink Julia , Sills Jennifer , Lavine Marc S. , Lavine Marc S. , Grocholski Brent , Funk Michael , Kmec Lauren , Zahn Laura M. , Smith Keith T. , Riley Donna , Vignieri Sacha N.
Published: December 2018

From audacious space missions and quantum physics, to clean cookstoves and coral nurseries, this year's finalists for the AAAS/Suburu SB&F Prizes for Excellence in Science Books dare to go where few children's titles have gone before. Sponsored by Subaru of America and facilitated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS, the publisher of
Science
), the competition celebrates high-quality children's science books. Read on for reviews written by the staff of the
Science
family of journals and a few friends.
Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry for the Rapid Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance Mechanisms and Beyond
Authors: Oviaño Marina , Bou Germán
Published: December 2018

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been successfully applied in recent years for first-line identification of pathogens in clinical microbiology because it is simple to use, rapid, and accurate and has economic benefits in hospital management. The range of clinical applications of MALDI-TOF MS for bacterial isolates is increasing constantly, from species identification to the two most promising applications in the near future: detection of antimicrobial resistance and strain typing for epidemiological studies.
Development and evaluation of a WeChat-based life review programme for patients with cancer: protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Zhang Xiaoling , Xiao Huimin
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Patients with cancer often suffer from considerable distress. Life review is a process of recalling, evaluating and integrating life experiences to alleviate a sense of despair and achieve self-integrity. Empirical data have supported the fact that life review is an effective psychological intervention, but it is not always accessible to patients with cancer. There is little evidence of internet-based life review programmes tailored to patients with cancer. This study aims to develop a WeChat-based life review programme and evaluate its effectiveness on the psycho-spiritual well-being of patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Methods and analysis

A single-centre randomised parallel group superiority design will be used. Patients with cancer will be randomised, to either a control group, or to an experimental group receiving a 6-week WeChat-based life review programme. The programme, which was mainly developed based on Erikson’s psycho-social development theory and Reed’s self-transcendence theory, provides synchronous and asynchronous communication modes for patients to review their life. The former is real-time communication, providing an e-life review interview guided by a facilitator online. The latter is not simultaneously dialogic and is used to interact with patients before and after a life review interview through Memory Prompts, Review Extraction, Mind Space and E-legacy products. The primary outcomes include anxiety, depression and self-transcendence, and the secondary outcomes are meaning in life and hope. These will be measured at baseline, and immediately, at 3 months, and at 6 months after the programme’s conclusion.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval has been obtained from the Biological and Medical Research Ethics Committee of the corresponding author’s university (IRB Ref No: 2016/00020). The trial results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at national and international conferences.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR-IOR-17011998.
Does adult alcohol consumption combine with adverse childhood experiences to increase involvement in violence in men and women? A cross-sectional study in England and Wales
Authors: Bellis Mark A , Hughes Karen , Ford Kat , Edwards Sara , Sharples Olivia , Hardcastle Katie , Wood Sara
Published: December 2018

Objectives

To examine if, and to what extent, a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) combines with adult alcohol consumption to predict recent violence perpetration and victimisation.

Design

Representative face-to-face survey (n=12 669) delivered using computer-assisted personal interviewing and self-interviewing.

Setting

Domiciles of individuals living in England and Wales.

Participants

Individuals aged 18–69 years resident within randomly selected locations. 12 669 surveys were completed with participants within our defined age range.

Main outcome measures

Alcohol consumption was measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) and childhood adversity using the short ACEs tool. Violence was measured using questions on perpetration and victimisation in the last 12 months.

Results

Compliance was 55.7%. There were strong positive relationships between numbers of ACEs and recent violence perpetration and victimisation in both sexes. Recent violence was also strongly related to positive AUDIT-C (≥5) scores. In males, heavier drinking and ≥4ACEs had a strong multiplicative relationship with adjusted prevalence of recent violent perpetration rising from 1.3% (95% CIs 0.9% to 1.9%; 0 ACEs, negative AUDIT-C) to 3.6% (95% CIs 2.7% to 4.9%; 0 ACEs, positive AUDIT-C) and 8.5% (95% CI 5.6% to 12.7%; ≥4ACEs, negative AUDIT-C) to 28.3% (95% CI 22.5% to 34.8%; ≥4ACEs, positive AUDIT-C). In both sexes, violence perpetration and victimisation reduced with age independently of ACE count and AUDIT-C status. The combination of young age (18–29 years), ≥4ACEs and positive AUDIT-C resulted in the highest adjusted prevalence for both perpetration and victimisation in males (61.9%, 64.9%) and females (24.1%, 27.2%).

Conclusions

Those suffering multiple adverse experiences in childhood are also more likely to be heavier alcohol users. Especially for males, this combination results in substantially increased risks of violence. Addressing ACEs and heavy drinking together is rarely a feature of public health policy, but a combined approach may help reduce the vast costs associated with both.
Tetrads in low-energy weak interactions
Authors: Garat Alcides
Published: December 2018

Tetrads are introduced in order to study the relationship between tetrad gauge states of space–time and particle interactions, specially in weak processes at low energy. Through several examples like inverse muon decay, elastic neutrino–electron scattering, it is explicitly shown how to assign to each vertex of the corresponding low-order Feynman diagram in a weak interaction, a particular set of tetrad vectors. The relationship between the tetrads associated to different vertices is exhibited explicitly to be generated by a SU(2) local tetrad gauge transformation. We are establishing a direct link between standard gauge and tetrad gauge states of space–time using the quantum field theories perturbative formulations.
A new spectral coarse-graining algorithm based on K-means clustering in complex networks
Authors: Zeng Lang , Jia Zhen , Wang Yingying
Published: December 2018

Coarse-graining of complex networks is one of the important algorithms to study large-scale networks, which is committed to reducing the size of networks while preserving some topological information or dynamic properties of the original networks. Spectral coarse-graining (SCG) is one of the typical coarse-graining algorithms, which can keep the synchronization ability of the original network well. However, the calculation of SCG is large, which limits its real-world applications. And it is difficult to accurately control the scale of the coarse-grained network. In this paper, a new SCG algorithm based on K-means clustering (KCSCG) is proposed, which cannot only reduce the amount of calculation, but also accurately control the size of coarse-grained network. At the same time, KCSCG algorithm has better effect in keeping the network synchronization ability than SCG algorithm. A large number of numerical simulations and Kuramoto-model example on several typical networks verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Martian gullies and their Earth analogues: introduction
Authors: Conway Susan J. , de Haas Tjalling , Harrison Tanya N. , Carling Paul A. , Carrivick Jonathan
Published: December 2018

Martian gullies are widespread landforms in the mid-latitudes of Mars. When the first reports of these kilometre-scale features were published in 2000, they were controversially hailed as a sign of recent flows of liquid water on the surface of Mars. This supposition was contrary to our understanding of recent environmental conditions on Mars, under which water should not exist in its liquid form. In response to their discovery, researchers proposed a wide range of scenarios to explain this apparent paradox, including scenarios driven by CO
2
, climate change or the presence of a liquid water aquifer. This Special Publication is a collection of papers arising from the topics discussed at the Second International Workshop on Martian Gullies held at the Geological Society, London. A review paper opens the Special Publication and thereafter the papers are presented under three themes: Martian remote sensing, Earth analogues and laboratory simulations. This Special Publication establishes the state of the art in Martian gully research, presents the latest observations and interpretations of the present-day activity and long-term evolution of Martian gullies, explores the role of Earth analogues, highlights novel experimental work and identifies future avenues of research. The importance of gullies as a potential marker of habitable environments on Mars underlines their importance in framing space exploration programmes.
A Synopsis of Twenty Five Years of RESOLVE PhD Research Efforts
Authors: Sitaraman Murali , Weide Bruce W.
Published: December 2018

In 1994, ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes (SEN), courtesy of Will Tracz, SEN Editor at the time, published a 48- page special feature on RESOLVE: a combined specification and programming language with a design discipline to facilitate construction of formally verified component-based software. In the quarter-century since, several PhD dissertations from members of the RESOLVE/Reusable Software Research Group (RSRG) have explored a variety of topics in this area. They range across fundamental software engineering and formal methods research, practical adaptations, software engineering education, and tool development. This article summarizes key contributions of these dissertations in a way that is accessible to researchers and practitioners in software engineering. The dissertations are summarized in chronological order. Some of the paragraphs below are paraphrased or taken nearly verbatim from abstracts of the works themselves, with a few terminological updates and added connections to current research.
Nonalcoholic-Fatty-Liver-Disease and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: Successful Development of Pharmacological Treatment Will Depend on Translational Research
Authors: Gottlieb Aline , Mosthael Wesal , Sowa Jan-Peter , Canbay Ali
Published: December 2018

Background: Nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH) is expected to become the leading liver disease worldwide. Typical liver-related complications are fibrosis, cirrhosis, and the development of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) with the need for liver transplantation. Up to now there is no approved pharmacotherapy. Indeed, this might be due to the complexity of this disease. While the cheapest therapeutic approach is still a lifestyle change leading to weight loss, the proportion of people achieving sufficient weight reduction without additional support is low. Newly developed drugs are expensive and lack a breakthrough in therapeutic success. One reason might be that drugs developed often derive from murine models. Unfortunately, there is little overlap between genes in human and mice that are responsible for the development of NAFLD/NASH. This review aims at summarizing latest developments as well as stress again that more translational research is necessary. Summary: Therapy of NAFLD/NASH is easy and very complex at the same time, as the current main target is weight reduction. Since this is in fact not easily achieved and maintained by many affected individuals, pharmacotherapy to halt the progression of NAFLD/NASH is urgently warranted. More translational studies are needed to understand the metabolic mechanisms and interactions between the liver, gut, oxidative stress and the processes leading to NAFLD progression and HCC development, even in the absence of cirrhosis.
Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis during the Postpartum Stage of Pregnancy: A Report of Eight Cases
Authors: Song Yue , Wang Jing-Shi , Wang Yi-Ni , Wang Zhao
Published: December 2018

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and severe clinical syndrome that can be classified as either primary or secondary. Secondary HLH can be triggered by a variety of diseases. Pregnancy-related HLH has already been observed clinically. However, most of these cases occur during pregnancy. Considering that the periods before and after delivery have different clinical features, we presented the first case series of HLH that presented during the postpartum stage of pregnancy. From these cases, we concluded that postpartum HLH is a common form of pregnancy-related HLH. Patients with postpartum HLH may suffer more complicated pathogenesis. Cytopenia was not as common as in other types of HLH, but liver dysfunction was present in almost all cases. The standard therapy of HLH-94/04 was very effective, and the outcomes of postpartum HLH were better.
Deficiency of VCP-Interacting Membrane Selenoprotein (VIMP) Leads to G1 Cell Cycle Arrest and Cell Death in MIN6 Insulinoma Cells
Authors: Men Lili , Sun Juan , Ren Decheng
Published: December 2018

Background/Aims: VCP-interacting membrane selenoprotein (VIMP), an ER resident selenoprotein, is highly expressed in β-cells, however, the role of VIMP in β-cells has not been characterized. In this study, we studied the relationship between VIMP deficiency and β-cell survival in MIN6 insulinoma cells. Methods: To determine the role of VIMP in β-cells, lentiviral VIMP shRNAs were used to knock down (KD) expression of VIMP in MIN6 cells. Cell death was quantified by propidium iodide (PI) staining followed by flow cytometric analyses using a FACS Caliber and FlowJo software. Cell apoptosis and proliferation were determined by TUNEL assay and Ki67 staining, respectively. Cell cycle was analyzed after PI staining. Results: The results show that 1) VIMP suppression induces β-cell apoptosis, which is associated with a decrease in Bcl-xL, and the β-cell apoptosis induced by VIMP suppression can be inhibited by overexpression of Bcl-xL; 2) VIMP knockdown (KD) decreases cell proliferation and G1 cell cycle arrest by accumulating p27 and decreasing E2F1; 3) VIMP KD suppresses unfolded protein response (UPR) activation by regulating the IRE1α and PERK pathways; 4) VIMP KD increases insulin secretion. Conclusion: These results suggest that VIMP may function as a novel regulator to modulate β-cell survival, proliferation, cell cycle, UPR and insulin secretion in MIN6 cells.
circZMYM2 Competed Endogenously with miR-335-5p to Regulate JMJD2C in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: An Yong , Cai Huihua , Zhang Yue , Liu Shengyong , Duan Yunfei , Sun Donglin , Chen Xuemin , He Xiaozhou 
Published: December 2018

Background/Aims: We aimed to study the involvement of circZMYM2 (hsa_circ_0099999) in pancreatic cancer (PC) cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion and to figured out the underlying mechanism of circZMYM2 regulating miR-335-5p and JMJD2C. Methods: CircRNA differential expressions in twenty PC samples and paired normal tissue samples were analyzed using Arraystar Human CircRNA microarray V1. CircZMYM2 expression level was determined via qRT-PCR. The effects of circZMYM2 inhibition and overexpression on cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and cell invasion were investigated by CCK-8 assays, Flow cytometry assays and Transwell assays. An animal experiment on nude mice was put forward to test the influence of circZMYM2 knockdown on tumor growth. The relationship between circZMYM2, miR-335 and JMJD2C was verified by RNA pull down, dual-luciferase reporter assays and rescue experiment. The effect of circZMYM2 and miR-335-5p on the expression of JMJD2C protein was detected by western blot. Results: CircZMYM2 overexpression was observed in both PC tissues and cells. Knockdown of circZMYM2 inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis, and weakened invasion ability of cancer cells. Tumor growth was restrained in vivo. CircZMYM2 repressed the expression of its target miR-335-5p. MiR-335-5p attenuated pancreatic cancer development via inhibition of JMJD2C. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that circZMYM2 promoted PC progression. CircZMYM2 had a sponge effect on miR-335-5p and modulated the downstream oncogene JMJD2C.
MicroRNA-128 Protects Dopamine Neurons from Apoptosis and Upregulates the Expression of Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 4 in Parkinson’s Disease by Binding to AXIN1
Authors: Zhou Lei , Yang Li , Li Yu-jin , Mei Rong , Yu Hua-lin , Gong Yi , Du Ming-yue , Wang Fei 
Published: December 2018

Background/Aims: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a frequently occurring condition that resulted from the loss of midbrain neurons, which synthesize the neurotransmitter dopamine. In this study, we established mouse models of PD to investigate the expression of microRNA-128 (miR-128) and mechanism through which it affects apoptosis of dopamine (DA) neurons and the expression of excitatory amino acid transporter 4 (EAAT4) via binding to axis inhibition protein 1 (AXIN1). Methods: Gene expression microarray analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed miRNAs that are associated with PD. The targeting relationship between miR-128 and AXIN1 was verified via a bioinformatics prediction and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. After separation, DA neurons were subjected to a series of inhibitors, activators and shRNAs to validate the mechanisms of miR-128 in controlling of AXIN1 in PD. Positive protein expression of AXIN1 and EAAT4 in DA neurons was determined using immunocytochemistry. miR-128 expression and the mRNA and protein levels of AXIN1 and EAAT4 were evaluated via RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. DA neuron apoptosis was evaluated using TUNEL staining. Results: We identified AXIN1 as an upregulated gene in PD based on the microarray data of GSE7621. AXIN1 was targeted and negatively mediated by miR-128. In the DA neurons, upregulated miR-128 expression or sh-AXIN1 increased the positive expression rate of EAAT4 together with mRNA and protein levels, but decreased the mRNA and protein levels of AXIN1, apoptosis rate along with the positive expression rate of AXIN1; however, the opposite trend was found in response to transfection with miR-128 inhibitors. Conclusion: Evidence from experimental models revealed that miR-128 might reduce apoptosis of DA neurons while increasing the expression of EAAT4 which might be related to the downregulation of AXIN1. Thus, miR-128 may serve as a potential target for the treatment of PD.
Left Atrial Phasic Function by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking Is a Strong Predictor of Incident Cardiovascular Events
Authors: Chirinos Julio A. , Sardana Mayank , Ansari Bilal , Satija Vaibhav , Kuriakose Daniel , Edelstein Ilaina , Oldland Garrett , Miller Rachana , Gaddam Swetha , Lee Jonathan , Suri Arpita , Akers Scott R.
Published: December 2018

Background:

The prognostic importance of left atrial (LA) dysfunction is increasingly recognized. Magnetic resonance imaging can provide excellent visualization of the LA wall. We aimed to study the association of LA dysfunction measured using feature-tracking magnetic resonance imaging with incident adverse cardiovascular events among subjects with or without heart failure (HF) at baseline.

Methods and Results:

We prospectively studied 640 adults without HF (n=419), HF with preserved ejection fraction (n=101), or HF with reduced ejection fraction (n=120). We measured phasic LA function by volumetric and feature-tracking methods to derive longitudinal strain. The composite outcome of incident HF hospitalization or death was adjudicated during a median follow-up of 37.1 months. Measures of LA phasic function were more prominently impaired in subjects with HF with reduced ejection fraction than among subjects with HF with preserved ejection fraction. In unadjusted Cox proportional hazards models, all measures of phasic LA function and volumes (maximum, minimum, and diastatic) were associated with the composite outcome. However, in analyses that adjusted for clinical risk factors, HF status, maximum LA volume, left ventricular mass, and left ventricular ejection fraction, measures of conduit and reservoir LA function, but not booster-pump function, were associated with the composite outcome. The strongest associations were observed for conduit longitudinal strain (standardized hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.49–0.88;
P
=0.004), conduit strain rate (standardized hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.16–2.16;
P
=0.0035), and reservoir strain (standardized hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52–0.89;
P
=0.0055).

Conclusions:

Phasic LA function measured using magnetic resonance imaging feature tracking is independently predictive of the risk of incident HF admission or death, even after adjusting for LA volume and left ventricular remodeling.
Association Between Carotid Artery Perivascular Fat Density and Cerebrovascular Ischemic Events
Authors: Baradaran Hediyeh , Myneni Pavan K. , Patel Praneil , Askin Gulce , Gialdini Gino , Al‐Dasuqi Khalid , Kamel Hooman , Gupta Ajay
Published: December 2018

Background

Studies have shown that pericoronary artery inflammation can be accurately detected via increased attenuation on computed tomography. Our purpose was to evaluate the association between pericarotid inflammation, measured by density of carotid perivascular fat on computed tomography angiography, with stroke and transient ischemic attack.

Methods and Results

We screened computed tomography angiography examinations for patients with unilateral internal carotid artery (
ICA
) stenosis ≥50% to 99%. A blinded neuroradiologist placed regions‐of‐interest in the pericarotid fat on the slice showing maximal stenosis. Two‐sample
t
tests were performed to assess
between‐subject
differences in mean Hounsfield Units in carotid perivascular fat between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Paired
t
tests were used to assess
within‐subject
differences in mean Hounsfield Units between stenotic versus nonstenotic
ICA
s in a given patient. We included 94 patients, including 42 symptomatic and 52 asymptomatic patients. In the
between‐subject
analysis of stenotic
ICA
s, we found symptomatic patients had higher mean pericarotid fat density compared with asymptomatic patients (−66.2±19.2 versus −77.1±20.4,
P
=0.009). When comparing nonstenotic
ICA
s, there was no significant difference between pericarotid fat density in symptomatic compared with asymptomatic patients (−81.0±13.3 versus −85.3±18.0:
P
=0.198).
Within‐subject
comparison showed statistically significant increased density in stenotic
ICA
versus nonstenotic
ICA
with mean Hounsfield Units difference of 11.1 (
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions

We found increased density, a surrogate marker for perivascular inflammation, in the fat surrounding
ICA
s ipsilateral to stroke or transient ischemic attack compared with asymptomatic
ICA
s. Our findings suggest that inflammation associated with culprit carotid plaques extends beyond the vessel lumen and can be identified using simple methods on computed tomography angiography imaging.
Legislative Party Turnover and Electoral Volatility: What Explains the Difference?
Authors: Golosov Grigorii V.
Published: December 2018

This article explores the structural determinants of aggregate change in the party composition of legislative assemblies, i.e. legislative party turnover. To a large extent a product of electoral volatility, it has its own causal dynamics due to the differentiated impact exerted by electoral rules, party system properties, and institutional design upon the two phenomena. The empirical test on elections held in 111 electoral democracies of the world (1992-2014) demonstrates that the impact of institutional factors (including electoral rules, federalism, and presidentialism) and party system nationalization upon legislative party turnover tends to be mitigated in comparison with their effects upon electoral volatility, even though the direction of the impact is almost invariably the same.
Re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of Vegaranina (Crustacea: Raninidae) from the Late Cretaceous of Cuba, with description of a new species
Authors: ARANO-RUIZ ALBERTO , VIÑOLA-LÓPEZ LAZARO W. , ROJAS-CONSUEGRA REINALDO , BORGES-SELLEN CARLOS RAFAEL
Published: December 2018

A new species of raninid crustacean, Vegaranina rivasi sp. nov, is described based on three specimens collected from a Late Cretaceous deposit in central Cuba. Previous studies assigned one of the specimens to Vegaranina precocia (Feldmann, Vega, Tucker, Garcia-Barrera & Avendano, 1996), a species described from the Late Cretaceous of Mexico. However, after collecting the new specimens and recent major revisions of the group, we identified a unique combination of characters in the Cuban specimens that separate them from the other species in the genus.
An On–Off–On Fluorescence Probe Based on Coumarin for Cu2+, Cysteine, and Histidine Detections
Authors: Xie Ya , Yan Liqiang , Li Jianping
Published: December 2018

A simple coumarin-based Schiff base (probe L) was successfully developed. It showed strong green fluorescence emission at 527 nm with a 70.3% of fluorescence quantum efficiency (ΦF). However, after the addition of common metal ions, probe L can only combine with Cu2+ ions and displayed significant fluorescence quenching of > 96.2% (ΦF = 2.7%) due to the paramagnetic quenching action from Cu2+. Conversely, by the coordination action of cysteine (Cys) and histidine (His), the quenching fluorescence of the complex (L-Cu2+) between probe L and Cu2+ ions was recovered mostly because the Cys and His can usurp Cu2+ of L-Cu2+ and led to the liberation of probe L. Based on the fluorescence changes of probe L with the actions of Cu2+, Cys, and His, an on–off–on reversible fluorescence probe for sensitive and specific monitoring Cu2+, Cys, and His has been prepared. More importantly, the probe L and L-Cu2+ ensemble can be used, respectively, to test Cu2+ and Cys/His in live cells and human urine samples with great reliability.
Local Government Financing of Climate Change in Ghana: Politics of Aid and Central Government Dependency Syndrome
Authors: Musah-Surugu Issah Justice , Ahenkan Albert , Bawole Justice Nyigmah
Published: December 2018

Uncertainties about the amount of resources needed to combat climate change, dwindling local resources, limited local autonomy and limited expertise constrain local governments (LGs) in their response to the effects of climate change. As a result, financing climate change remains a major nightmare for LG actors across diverse nested territorial containers. It certainly requires the embracing of a multifaceted approach – the use of system thinking where local governments’ resource husbandry is optimised to support external aid and central government transfer. A multifaceted approach brings onboard blended resources, diverse stakeholders, diverse resource mobilisation skills and schemes, and accountability measures. Also, given projected increases in future climate-induced public expenditure, albeit with uncertainties, reliance on a single resource mobilisation approach will be a recipe for inefficiency. This article argues that developmental aid and central government’s transfer remains inadequate to meet the increasing demand for adaptation cost at the local level in Ghana. In the face of the unequivocal impact of climate change risk, we contend that local resource husbandry must be optimised through different innovations to complement other major sources of financing. Our contention resonates with the school of thought that argues local level resources are more resilient to politicisation, are stable, and are predictable compared to international aid and central government transfer. Through qualitative in-depth interviews, empirical data has been drawn from local governments in Ghana to justify our claims.
From protection to persecution: Threat environment and refugee scapegoating
Authors: Savun Burcu , Gineste Christian
Published: December 2018

The security consequences associated with refugee flows are among the most widely studied aspects of forced migration. While the majority of this research program has focused on how refugee movements affect the risk of political violence, scant scholarly attention has been paid to violence perpetrated against refugees. Building upon the state repression literature, we argue that refugees are particularly vulnerable to the violation of their physical integrity rights in the wake of terrorist attacks in host states. Governments are pressured to respond to security crises but prefer to take actions without jeopardizing public support. In this context, refugee groups can be strategically attractive targets of repression because they lack electoral power and citizens are often supportive of government crackdown against foreigners in times of security crises. Given that leaders have stronger incentives to respond to voters’ demands quickly in democracies, we expect the effect of terror attacks on violence against refugees to be stronger in democratic host states. Using a novel global dataset on anti-refugee violence between 1996 and 2015, we show that refugees are more likely to be exposed to violence by the coercive agents of the state in the wake of security crises. We provide suggestive evidence that the repression of refugees is more consistent with a scapegoating mechanism than the actual ties and involvement of refugees in terrorism. The findings reveal that the well-being of uprooted populations is particularly at risk when host countries face a security threat.
Characterization of inflammatory infiltrate of ulcerative dermatitis in C57BL/6NCrl-Tg(HMGA1P6)1Pg mice
Authors: De Biase Davide , Esposito Francesco , De Martino Marco , Pirozzi Claudio , Luciano Antonio , Palma Giuseppe , Raso Giuseppina Mattace , Iovane Valentina , Marzocco Stefania , Fusco Alfredo , Paciello Orlando
Published: December 2018

Ulcerative dermatitis (UD) is an idiopathic, spontaneous and progressive disease typically affecting C57BL/6 aged mice with an unknown aetiopathogenesis. For this study, we evaluated 25 cases of UD in C57BL/6NCrl-Tg(HMGA1P6)1Pg mice. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin samples were submitted to morphological investigations. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to characterize and quantify inflammatory cells using CD3, CD45/B220, CD4, CD8 and IL-17 antibodies. Mast cell-bound IgE was investigated by immunofluorescence, whereas serum and cryopreserved skin samples were collected for molecular analysis. Student's t-test (two-tailed) was performed to assess significant differences between the two groups. Affected skin showed extensive areas of ulceration and diffuse, severe and mixed inflammatory infiltrates. No relevant changes were observed in control mice. Immunohistochemical analysis showed a predominant CD3 + CD4 + leukocyte population with fewer CD45/B220 and IL-17 immunolabelled cells and mast cell-bound IgE. Increases in TNFα, IL-1β and Il-6 mRNA expression were observed in the skin of affected animals compared to controls. Serum TNFα and IL-6 did not vary between affected and control mice. Inflammatory infiltrates and cytokine expression were consistent with both Th2/IgE and Th17 differentiation, a typical pattern of a type I hypersensitivity reaction. Overall, our data suggest an allergic-based aetiopathogenesis of UD in C57BL/6NCrl-Tg(HMGA1P6)1Pg mice.
Prison Nurseries: A Way to Reduce Recidivism
Authors: Carlson Joseph R.
Published: December 2018

There have been eight U.S. states that have implemented prison nurseries in women’s correctional facilities. This article examines the second oldest U.S. prison nursery program located in the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women. Using data from the program spanning the years 1994-2014, three main criteria were utilized as key performance indicators to evaluate success—recidivism within 3 years of initial offense, percentage of women returning to prison custody over the 20-year period, and program cost savings. Major findings related to women who participated in the nursery program include a 28% reduction in recidivism and a 39% reduction in women returning to prison custody. Overall, the program achieved cost savings of more than US$6 million for the period 1994 to 2012.
Race and Discipline at a Racially Mixed High School: Status, Capital, and the Practice of Organizational Routines
Authors: Diamond John B. , Lewis Amanda E.
Published: December 2018

In this article, we study a diverse suburban high school to illustrate how racial inequality is embedded in school disciplinary routines. Focusing primarily on the experiences of Black and White students, we theorize about the relationship between race and students’ experiences with school discipline. Drawing on organizational theory, contemporary race theory, and status construction theory, we argue that in carrying out the school’s disciplinary routines, school adults are influenced by broader cultural narratives that associate blackness with criminality and whiteness with innocence. These beliefs shape how students’ behavior is responded to and leads to racial differences in students’ disciplinary experiences and outcomes.
Mobility in India: Recent Trends and Issues Concerning Database
Authors: Kundu Amitabh
Published: December 2018

Dismissing the postulate that the geographical, linguistic and other social divisions are constraining the movement of Indians across states, researchers have presented evidences—pattern of rail passenger traffic, changes in population distribution across different age cohorts and so on to show that the movement of people across states is much larger than what has been generally determined, using the data from the census and National Sample Survey. The basic objective of the paper is to examine if the process of migration and urbanisation in India is indeed unconstrained so that the people in backward regions and rural areas, who get dispossessed of their livelihood options or social linkages, can freely move into the developed regions or urban areas, It analyses these processes and recent trends while probing into methodological and data related issues in migration studies in India. The migration trends for socio-economically vulnerable sections of population are presented in the context of their access to urban and metropolitan space.
Book review: Farah Naqvi with Sadhbhavna Trust, Working with Muslims: Beyond Burqa and Triple Talaq—Stories of Development and Everyday Citizenship in India
Authors: Ahmed Hilal
Published: December 2018

Farah Naqvi with Sadhbhavna Trust, Working with Muslims: Beyond Burqa and Triple Talaq—Stories of Development and Everyday Citizenship in India. New Delhi: Three Essays Collective, 2018, 416 pp., ₹450, ISBN: 9789383968244.
The Fragile Livelihoods of the Murias in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
Authors: Swamy G. A. , Rao K. Visweswara
Published: December 2018

Muria is an indigenous tribal community, living in southern Chhattisgarh. Due to an undeclared war between the Maoists and Salwa Judum they were forced to abandon their villages in a much-distressed condition, causing their socioeconomic conditions to be severely affected. The Murias moved out from their native location and settled in the forested areas in the adjacent districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states. In these areas where they settled, the Murias did not have any rights over the resources such as land, forest and so on. The Murias being Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) had to cope with several challenges to earn the income to meet the basic needs of their families in the absence of livelihood choices. The current research article aims to articulate the challenges confronted by the Murias in the process of rebuilding their livelihoods.