bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of four computer-coded verbal autopsy methods for cause of death assignment compared with physician coding on 24,000 deaths in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Desai Nikita , Aleksandrowicz Lukasz , Miasnikof Pierre , Lu Ying , Leitao Jordana , Byass Peter , Tollman Stephen , Mee Paul , Alam Dewan , Rathi Suresh Kumar , Singh Abhishek , Kumar Rajesh , Ram Faujdar , Jha Prabhat
Published: February 2014

Background

Physician-coded verbal autopsy (PCVA) is the most widely used method to determine causes of death (CODs) in countries where medical certification of death is uncommon. Computer-coded verbal autopsy (CCVA) methods have been proposed as a faster and cheaper alternative to PCVA, though they have not been widely compared to PCVA or to each other.

Methods

We compared the performance of open-source random forest, open-source tariff method, InterVA-4, and the King-Lu method to PCVA on five datasets comprising over 24,000 verbal autopsies from low- and middle-income countries. Metrics to assess performance were positive predictive value and partial chance-corrected concordance at the individual level, and cause-specific mortality fraction accuracy and cause-specific mortality fraction error at the population level.

Results

The positive predictive value for the most probable COD predicted by the four CCVA methods averaged about 43% to 44% across the datasets. The average positive predictive value improved for the top three most probable CODs, with greater improvements for open-source random forest (69%) and open-source tariff method (68%) than for InterVA-4 (62%). The average partial chance-corrected concordance for the most probable COD predicted by the open-source random forest, open-source tariff method and InterVA-4 were 41%, 40% and 41%, respectively, with better results for the top three most probable CODs. Performance generally improved with larger datasets. At the population level, the King-Lu method had the highest average cause-specific mortality fraction accuracy across all five datasets (91%), followed by InterVA-4 (72% across three datasets), open-source random forest (71%) and open-source tariff method (54%).

Conclusions

On an individual level, no single method was able to replicate the physician assignment of COD more than about half the time. At the population level, the King-Lu method was the best method to estimate cause-specific mortality fractions, though it does not assign individual CODs. Future testing should focus on combining different computer-coded verbal autopsy tools, paired with PCVA strengths. This includes using open-source tools applied to larger and varied datasets (especially those including a random sample of deaths drawn from the population), so as to establish the performance for age- and sex-specific CODs.
Performance criteria for verbal autopsy-based systems to estimate national causes of death: development and application to the Indian Million Death Study
Authors: Aleksandrowicz Lukasz , Malhotra Varun , Dikshit Rajesh , Gupta Prakash C , Kumar Rajesh , Sheth Jay , Rathi Suresh Kumar , Suraweera Wilson , Miasnikof Pierre , Jotkar Raju , Sinha Dhirendra , Awasthi Shally , Bhatia Prakash , Jha Prabhat
Published: February 2014

Background

Verbal autopsy (VA) has been proposed to determine the cause of death (COD) distributions in settings where most deaths occur without medical attention or certification. We develop performance criteria for VA-based COD systems and apply these to the Registrar General of India’s ongoing, nationally-representative Indian Million Death Study (MDS).

Methods

Performance criteria include a low ill-defined proportion of deaths before old age; reproducibility, including consistency of COD distributions with independent resampling; differences in COD distribution of hospital, home, urban or rural deaths; age-, sex- and time-specific plausibility of specific diseases; stability and repeatability of dual physician coding; and the ability of the mortality classification system to capture a wide range of conditions.

Results

The introduction of the MDS in India reduced the proportion of ill-defined deaths before age 70 years from 13% to 4%. The cause-specific mortality fractions (CSMFs) at ages 5 to 69 years for independently resampled deaths and the MDS were very similar across 19 disease categories. By contrast, CSMFs at these ages differed between hospital and home deaths and between urban and rural deaths. Thus, reliance mostly on urban or hospital data can distort national estimates of CODs. Age-, sex- and time-specific patterns for various diseases were plausible. Initial physician agreement on COD occurred about two-thirds of the time. The MDS COD classification system was able to capture more eligible records than alternative classification systems. By these metrics, the Indian MDS performs well for deaths prior to age 70 years. The key implication for low- and middle-income countries where medical certification of death remains uncommon is to implement COD surveys that randomly sample all deaths, use simple but high-quality field work with built-in resampling, and use electronic rather than paper systems to expedite field work and coding.

Conclusions

Simple criteria can evaluate the performance of VA-based COD systems. Despite the misclassification of VA, the MDS demonstrates that national surveys of CODs using VA are an order of magnitude better than the limited COD data previously available.
Toll like Receptor (TLR)-4 as a Regulator of Peripheral Endogenous Opioid-Mediated Analgesia in Inflammation
Authors: Sauer Reine-Solange , Hackel Dagmar , Morschel Laura , Sahlbach Henrike , Wang Ying , Mousa Shaaban A , Roewer Norbert , Brack Alexander , Rittner Heike L
Published: February 2014

Background:

Leukocytes containing opioid peptides locally control inflammatory pain. In the early phase of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced hind paw inflammation, formyl peptides (derived e.g. from Mycobacterium butyricum) trigger the release of opioid peptides from neutrophils contributing to tonic basal antinociception. In the later phase we hypothesized that toll-like-receptor-(TLR)-4 activation of monocytes/macrophages triggers opioid peptide release and thereby stimulates peripheral opioid-dependent antinociception.

Results:

In Wistar rats with CFA hind paw inflammation in the later inflammatory phase (48–96 h) systemic leukocyte depletion by cyclophosphamide (CTX) or locally injected naloxone (NLX) further decreased mechanical and thermal nociceptive thresholds. In vitro β-endorphin (β-END) content increased during human monocyte differentiation as well as in anti-inflammatory CD14+CD16- or non-classical M2 macrophages. Monocytes expressing TLR4 dose-dependently released β-END after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) dependent on intracellular calcium. Despite TLR4 expression proinflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages only secreted opioid peptides in response to ionomycin, a calcium ionophore. Intraplantar injection of LPS as a TLR4 agonist into the inflamed paw elicited an immediate opioid- and dose-dependent antinociception, which was blocked by TAK-242, a small-molecule inhibitor of TLR4, or by peripheral applied NLX. In the later phase LPS lowered mechanical and thermal nociceptive thresholds. Furthermore, local peripheral TLR4 blockade worsened thermal and mechanical nociceptive pain thresholds in CFA inflammation.

Conclusion:

Endogenous opioids from monocytes/macrophages mediate endogenous antinociception in the late phase of inflammation. Peripheral TLR4 stimulation acts as a transient counter-regulatory mechanism for inflammatory pain in vivo, and increases the release of opioid peptides from monocytes in vitro. TLR4 antagonists as new treatments for sepsis and neuropathic pain might unexpectedly transiently enhance pain by impairing peripheral opioid analgesia.
Age-dependent defective TGF-beta1 signaling in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Redondo Santiago , Navarro-Dorado Jorge , Ramajo Marta , Medina Úrsula , Molina-Sanchez Pedro , Garces Zaady , García-Alonso Mauricio , Reguillo Fernando , Rodriguez Enrique , Andres Vicente , Tejerina Teresa
Published: February 2014

Background

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1) is a pleiotropic cytokine, which is deregulated in atherosclerosis; however the role of age in this process is unknown. We aimed to assess whether TGF-β1 signaling is affected by age.

Methods

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were obtained from patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Levels of TGF-β1 were measured by ELISA in sera from 169 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The p27 expression was determined by Western blot from internal mammary arteries (IMA) obtained from CABG patients (n = 13). In VSMC from these patients undergoing abdominal surgery, secretion of TGF-β1 was determined by ELISA of cell-conditioned media.

Results

In VSMC from aged patients we observed a lower TGF-β1 secretion, measured as TGF-β1 concentration in cell conditioned medium (p < 0.001). This effect was correlated to an age-dependent decrease of p27 expression in IMA from aged CABG patients. In a similar manner, there was an age-dependent decrease of serum TGF-β1 levels in CABG patients (p = 0.0195).

Conclusions

VSMC from aged patients showed a higher degree of cellular senescence and it was associated to a lower TGF-β1 secretion and signaling.
Overproduction of valuable methoxylated flavones in induced tetraploid plants of Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss
Authors: Zahedi Ali Akbar , Hosseini Bahman , Fattahi Mohammad , Dehghan Esmail , Parastar Hadi , Madani Hadi
Published: February 2014

Background

Ploidy manipulation is considered an efficient method to increase production potential of medicinally important compounds.Dracocephalum kotschyiBoiss. is an endangered medicinal plant of Iran. Various concentrations of colchicine (0.05, 0.10, 0.20, and 0.50% w/v) were applied to shoot apical meristems ofD. kotschyiseedlings in two and four-leaf stages to induce tetraploidy.

Results

According to the results, 0.5% (w/v) of colchicine can be effective for polyploidy induction inD. kotschyi. Putative tetraploids were selected by morphological and microscopic characteristics and their ploidy level was confirmed by flow cytometry analysis and chromosome counting. The chromosome number of original diploid plant was confirmed to be 2n = 2× = 20 whereas that of the tetraploid plant was 2n = 4× = 40. Tetraploid and mixoploid plants showed different morphological, physiological and microscopic characteristics from those of diploid counterparts. The total content of flavonoids was increased from 1583.28 in diploids to 1890.07 (μg/g DW) in stable tetraploids.

Conclusion

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode-Array Detection (HPLC–DAD) confirmed over accumulation of methoxylated hydroxyflavones in solid tetraploid plants ofD. kotschyi.
Intra-articular injection of micronized dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane attenuates osteoarthritis development
Authors: Willett Nick J , Thote Tanushree , Lin Angela SP , Moran Shamus , Raji Yazdan , Sridaran Sanjay , Stevens Hazel Y , Guldberg Robert E
Published: February 2014

Introduction

Micronized dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (μ-dHACM) is derived from donated human placentae and has anti-inflammatory, low immunogenic and anti-fibrotic properties. The objective of this study was to quantitatively assess the efficacy of μ-dHACM as a disease modifying intervention in a rat model of osteoarthritis (OA). It was hypothesized that intra-articular injection of μ-dHACM would attenuate OA progression.

Methods

Lewis rats underwent medial meniscal transection (MMT) surgery to induce OA. Twenty four hours post-surgery, μ-dHACM or saline was injected intra-articularly into the rat joint. Naïve rats also received μ-dHACM injections. Microstructural changes in the tibial articular cartilage were assessed using equilibrium partitioning of an ionic contrast agent (EPIC-μCT) at 21 days post-surgery. The joint was also evaluated histologically and synovial fluid was analyzed for inflammatory markers at 3 and 21 days post-surgery.

Results

There was no measured baseline effect of μ-dHACM on cartilage in naïve animals. Histological staining of treated joints showed presence of μ-dHACM in the synovium along with local hypercellularity at 3 and 21 days post-surgery. In MMT animals, development of cartilage lesions at 21 days was prevented and number of partial erosions was significantly reduced by treatment with μ-dHACM. EPIC-μCT analysis quantitatively showed that μ-dHACM reduced proteoglycan loss in MMT animals.

Conclusions

μ-dHACM is rapidly sequestered in the synovial membrane following intra-articular injection and attenuates cartilage degradation in a rat OA model. These data suggest that intra-articular delivery of μ-dHACM may have a therapeutic effect on OA development.
Introduction to this special section: 4D
Authors: Goodway Bill
Published: February 2014

Time lapse is defined as a technique in which exposures are taken at fewer intervals than usual so that on playback, a naturally slow process may be viewed at an accelerated pace. In our seismic parlance, 4D time lapse monitoring is a series of snapshots of changes induced in the earth, taken over periods of days to years.

So what is the potential impact of seismic 4D time lapse in the oil and gas (O&G) industry?

Following the doomsday prediction of having passed various “peak oil” peaks, Figure 1 clearly demonstrates the O&G industry's motivation to recover from 25% to 60% more hydrocarbons beyond primary production.
Multisensor streamer recording and its implications for time-lapse seismic and repeatability
Authors: Eggenberger Kurt , Christie Philip , van Manen Dirk-Jan , Vassallo Massimiliano
Published: February 2014

Effective time-lapse, or 4D, processing seeks to extract the 4D signature with minimal background noise to help understand reservoir behavior in the production phase and to optimize producer and injector well placement. Nonrepeatability of source and sensor positions in the presence of overburden heterogeneity limits our ability to repeat seismic data and to deliver 4D signals with low background noise levels. To compensate for imperfect receiver repositioning, wavefield-regularization techniques can enable wavefield matching on a grid common to both data vintages. Often there is a trade-off between reducing the receiver-positioning mismatch and crossline interpolation error from wavefield spatial aliasing. Through the use of towed multisensor marine seismic streamers that record collocated pressure (P) and acceleration measurements (Y and Z) and the application of a matching-pursuit interpolation technique, a 3D dealiased, reconstructed, and deghosted pressure wavefield can be obtained on a densely sampled grid that permits wavefield matching to prior positions in a highly effective way. From analysis on field multisensor streamer data, implications for time-lapse seismic and repeatability are investigated.
Insights into sweep efficiency using 4D seismic at Halfdan field in the North Sea
Authors: Calvert M. A. , Vagg L. D. , Lafond K. B. , Hoover A. R. , Ooi K. C. , Herbert I. H.
Published: February 2014

A repeat 4D seismic survey was acquired in 2012 over the Halfdan oil field in the Danish North Sea Central Graben. The main objectives were to understand the lateral and vertical waterflood sweep in the reservoir, to identify unswept areas, to guide future well interventions, and to improve the reservoir model. The main oil reservoir is the Cretaceous chalk Tor Formation, and the field is developed via a line-drive waterflood. The reservoir saturation changes caused by water injection lead to large changes in acoustic impedance which can be imaged with 4D seismic. There were two main 4D processing projects for the Halfdan field. The 2012–2005 4D data were processed as a stand-alone project because of the high repeatability of the surveys, and a separate three-vintage processing project for all time steps also was carried out. When the three-vintage processing was not available, the original 4D processing was used for the 2005–1993 time step. Seismic inversion was performed because production effects have a large impact on the acoustic impedance in the chalk reservoir. The rock-physics model was also used to model 4D acoustic-impedance changes based on pressure and saturation changes in the reservoir. The 4D acoustic-impedance changes from the seismic and reservoir model were analyzed in conjunction with the production and geologic data on a well-by-well basis to better understand sweep efficiency.
Liquefaction Effects on Buildings in the Central Business District of Christchurch
Authors: Bray Jonathan , Cubrinovski Misko , Zupan Joshua , Taylor Merrick
Published: February 2014

The Canterbury earthquake sequence provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate the effects of varying degrees of liquefaction on the built environment. Many multistory buildings in the Central Business District were heavily damaged by liquefaction-induced ground movements during the Christchurch earthquake, but not by other earthquakes (e.g., the Darfield and June 2011 events). Cone penetration test (CPT)–based liquefaction triggering evaluations were conservative. The conservatism in the liquefaction triggering assessments led to post-liquefaction ground settlement estimates that were generally similar for the large events in the earthquake sequence, whereas significant ground settlements and building damage in the CBD were only observed for the Christchurch earthquake. Moreover, the liquefaction-induced ground settlement procedures do not capture important shear-induced deformation mechanisms and the effects of ground loss due to sediment ejecta. Performance-based earthquake engineering requires improved procedures to capture the differing levels of performance observed in Christchurch.
Telecommunication Systems’ Performance: Christchurch Earthquakes
Authors: Tang Alex , Kwasinski Alexis , Eidinger John , Foster Colin , Anderson Pete
Published: February 2014

Telecommunication systems generally performed better than other lifelines in the Christchurch-area earthquake sequence of 2010–2011; however, various service interruptions were a major concern for subscribers. Power disruption was the primary reason for service interruption in Christchurch, as has been similarly observed in many other major earthquakes around the world. Extensive ground failures impacted underground cabling, while Central Offices (COs) sustained minor damage due to strong shaking. Closure of the Central Business District and increased call volumes created additional strain on telecommunication service providers to deal with emergency response. This paper presents the findings of the post-earthquake lifeline performance investigations of both the landline network and the cellular network. Voice and data services of these networks are examined and commented based on the findings. The authors’ view of rendering the telecommunication systems more resilient is presented ( Eidinger and Tang 2014 ).
Urban Disaster Recovery in Christchurch: The Central Business District Cordon and Other Critical Decisions
Authors: Chang Stephanie E. , Taylor Josh E. , Elwood Kenneth J. , Seville Erica , Brunsdon Dave , Gartner Mikaël
Published: February 2014

The Canterbury earthquakes, which involved widespread damage in the February 2011 event and ongoing aftershocks near the Christchurch central business district (CBD), presented decision makers with many recovery challenges. This paper identifies major government decisions, challenges, and lessons in the early recovery of Christchurch based on 23 key-informant interviews conducted 15 months after the February 2011 earthquake. It then focuses on one of the most important decisions—maintaining the cordon around the heavily damaged CBD—and investigates its impacts. The cordon displaced 50,000 central city jobs, raised questions about (and provided new opportunities for) the long-term viability of downtown, influenced the number and practice of building demolitions, and affected debris management. Despite being associated with substantial losses, the cordon was commonly viewed as necessary, and provided some benefits in facilitating recovery. Management of the cordon poses important lessons for planning for catastrophic urban earthquakes around the world.
Ground Motion and Seismic Source Aspects of the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence
Authors: Bradley Brendon A. , Quigley Mark C. , Van Dissen Russ J. , Litchfield Nicola J.
Published: February 2014

This paper provides an overview of the ground motion and seismic source aspects of the Canterbury earthquake sequence. Common reported attributes among the largest earthquakes in this sequence are complex ruptures, large displacements per unit fault length, and high stress drops. The Darfield earthquake produced an approximately 30 km surface rupture in the Canterbury Plains with dextral surface displacements of several meters, and a subordinate amount of vertical displacement, impacting residential structures, agricultural land, and river channels. The dense set of strong ground motions recorded in the near-source region of all the major events in the sequence provides significant insight into the spatial variability in ground motion characteristics, as well as the significance of directivity, basin-generated surface waves, and nonlinear local site effects. The ground motion amplitudes in the 22 February 2011 earthquake, in particular, produced horizontal ground motion amplitudes in the Central Business District (CBD) well above those specified for the design of conventional structures.
Earthquake Response of Underground Pipeline Networks in Christchurch, NZ
Authors: O'Rourke Thomas D. , Jeon Sang-Soo , Toprak Selcuk , Cubrinovski Misko , Hughes Matthew , van Ballegooy Sjoerd , Bouziou Dimitra
Published: February 2014

This paper explores key aspects of underground pipeline network response to the Canterbury earthquake sequence in Christchurch, New Zealand, including the response of the water and wastewater distribution systems to the MW6.2 22 February 2011 and MW6.0 13 June 2011 earthquakes, and the response of the gas distribution system to the MW7.1 4 September 2010 earthquake, as well as the 22 February and 13 June events. Repair rates, expressed as repairs/km, for different types of pipelines are evaluated relative to (1) the spatial distribution of peak ground velocity outside liquefaction areas and (2) the differential ground surface settlement and lateral ground strain within areas affected by liquefaction, calculated from high-resolution LiDAR survey data acquired before and after each main seismic event. The excellent performance of the gas distribution network is the result of highly ductile polyethylene pipelines. Lessons learned regarding the earthquake performance of underground lifeline systems are summarized.
Spreading-Induced Damage to Short-Span Bridges in Christchurch, New Zealand
Authors: Cubrinovski Misko , Winkley Anna , Haskell Jennifer , Palermo Alessandro , Wotherspoon Liam , Robinson Kelly , Bradley Brendon , Brabhaharan Pathmanathan , Hughes Matthew
Published: February 2014

This paper discusses the performance of road bridges during the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquakes and focuses on the response of bridges in liquefying soils undergoing lateral spreading. A characteristic spreading-induced mechanism for short-span bridges with rigid superstructures is presented and explored using four well-documented case studies. A series of pseudo-static analyses are then used to investigate the observed response of the bridges and their pile foundations in particular. Deformations and damage to the piles are evaluated and correlated with the spreading displacements, and key factors controlling the pile response and the development of the spreading-induced damage mechanism are identified.
Damage Evaluations of Precast Concrete Structures in the 2010–2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence
Authors: Fleischman Robert B. , Restrepo Jose I. , Pampanin Stefano , Maffei Joseph R. , Seeber Kim , Zahn Franz A.
Published: February 2014

The 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence provides a rare opportunity to study the performance of modern structures designed under well-enforced, evolving seismic code provisions and subjected to severe ground shaking. In particular, New Zealand makes widespread use of precast concrete seismic systems, including those that are designed to respond identically to cast-in-place concrete structures (emulative systems) and, in more recent years, those that take advantage of the unique jointed properties of precast construction. New Zealand building construction also makes extensive use of precast elements for gravity systems, floor systems, stairs, and cladding. Although not always classified as part of the primary seismic force-resisting system, these “secondary” elements must undergo the compatible displacements imposed in the earthquake. Damage evaluations for several of these structures subjected to strong shaking provide the ability to examine the differences in seismic performance for systems of distinct design intent and standards, including the performance of secondary elements.
Assessment of Liquefaction-Induced Land Damage for Residential Christchurch
Authors: van Ballegooy S. , Malan P. , Lacrosse V. , Jacka M. E. , Cubrinovski M. , Bray J. D. , O'Rourke T. D. , Crawford S. A. , Cowan H.
Published: February 2014

Christchurch, New Zealand, experienced four major earthquakes (Mw 5.9 to 7.1) since 4 September 2010 that triggered localized to widespread liquefaction. Liquefaction caused significant damage to residential foundations due to ground subsidence, ground failure, and lateral spreading. This paper describes the land damage assessment process for Christchurch, including the collection and processing of extensive data and observations related to liquefaction, the characterization of liquefaction effects on land performance, and the quantification of losses for insurance compensation purposes. The paper also examines the effectiveness of several existing liquefaction vulnerability parameters and a new parameter developed through this research, Liquefaction Severity Number ( LSN), in explaining the observed liquefaction-induced damage in residential areas of Christchurch using results from 11,500 cone penetration tests (CPTs) as well as a robust regional groundwater model.
Seismic Performance of Improved Ground Sites during the 2010–2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence
Authors: Wotherspoon Liam M. , Orense Rolando P. , Jacka Mike , Green Russell A. , Cox Brady R. , Wood Clinton M.
Published: February 2014

The city of Christchurch and the surrounding region on the South Island of New Zealand are underlain by large areas of recent alluvial sediments and fills that are highly susceptible to liquefaction and seismic ground failure. Thus, the widespread liquefaction that occurred following the successive large-scale earth-quakes, with moment magnitudes (MW) ranging from 6.0 to 7.1 that struck the Canterbury region in 2010–2011 was expected. Prior to the series of earthquakes, soil improvement had been used at several sites to mitigate the anticipated damage. This paper reviews the performance of improved sites during the Canterbury earthquake sequence. The existing soil conditions at each site and the design of the ground improvement are discussed, together with descriptions of the post-earthquake damage observed. Moreover, liquefaction assessment within and surrounding a selection of the ground improvement zones is presented.
Body Language in the Preconquest and Colonial Nahua World
Authors: Olko Justyna
Published: February 2014

This article examines several key gestures and postures documented in the early postconquest Nahua world: the eating of earth, squatting and kneeling, prostration, bowing, and finger pointing. Combining distinct genres of sources, ranging from linguistic evidence to iconographic data, I attempt to reconstruct preconquest practices through postconquest filters as well as to illuminate the ways in which local traditions coalesced with European practices and concepts. The study of body language illustrates broader phenomena related to change and continuity in the postcontact era, revealing the survival of preconquest elements, their transformation under European impact, cultural convergence, and adoption of new forms of bodily expression. An inherent part of this endeavor is the study of the postconquest terminology referring to gestures and postures, adding to our knowledge of the mechanisms of coinage of native terms referring to Christian religion.
Unequal Metrics: Animals Passing in La Fontaine, Poe, and Chevillard
Authors: Ravindranathan Thangam
Published: February 2014

This essay considers through a string of three fables—a classic wolf trap in La Fontaine, Poe’s story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” and contemporary French novelist Eric Chevillard’s Sans l’orang-outan—the animal as the paradoxical, derealized figure of a passing. Drawing on Jacques Derrida, Thomas Keenan, and Maurice Blanchot, among others, the essay understands this passing as a duplicitous logic (that is, one involving a fold, a lag, and a return that precedes a turn) that has the animal standing on certain telling thresholds vis-à-vis the whole, responsible (human) subject. Whether naively eavesdropping at the door, criminally entering an apartment, or tragically exiting the world, the animal is somehow always not yet or no longer in the place of accountable agency that a narrative might bear. This logic can in turn be understood as a function of un-equality, for the animal marks a point at which language or narrative is unequal to itself. The singular, constitutive thresholds or folds of these fables in turn betray something of how language or narrative might work, in what nameless bodies—and even bodiless names—it secretly trades.
Ezh2 is required for neural crest-derived cartilage and bone formation
Authors: Schwarz Daniel , Varum Sandra , Zemke Martina , Schöler Anne , Baggiolini Arianna , Draganova Kalina , Koseki Haruhiko , Schübeler Dirk , Sommer Lukas
Published: February 2014

The emergence of craniofacial skeletal elements, and of the jaw in particular, was a crucial step in the evolution of higher vertebrates. Most facial bones and cartilage are generated during embryonic development by cranial neural crest cells, while an osteochondrogenic fate is suppressed in more posterior neural crest cells. Key players in this process are Hox genes, which suppress osteochondrogenesis in posterior neural crest derivatives. How this specific pattern of osteochondrogenic competence is achieved remains to be elucidated. Here we demonstrate that Hox gene expression and osteochondrogenesis are controlled by epigenetic mechanisms. Ezh2, which is a component of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), catalyzes trimethylation of lysine 27 in histone 3 (H3K27me3), thereby functioning as transcriptional repressor of target genes. Conditional inactivation of Ezh2 does not interfere with localization of neural crest cells to their target structures, neural development, cell cycle progression or cell survival. However, loss of Ezh2 results in massive derepression of Hox genes in neural crest cells that are usually devoid of Hox gene expression. Accordingly, craniofacial bone and cartilage formation is fully prevented in Ezh2 conditional knockout mice. Our data indicate that craniofacial skeleton formation in higher vertebrates is crucially dependent on epigenetic regulation that keeps in check inhibitors of an osteochondrogenic differentiation program.
Endocrine regulation of carbonate precipitate formation in marine fish intestine by Stanniocalcin and PTHrP
Authors: Gregório Silvia F. , Carvalho Edison S.M. , Campinho Marco A. , Power Deborah M. , Canario Adelino V.M. , Fuentes Juan
Published: February 2014

In marine fish, high epithelial bicarbonate secretion by the intestine generates luminal carbonate precipitates of divalent cations that play a key role in water and ion homeostasis. In vitro studies highlight the involvement of the calciotropic hormones PTHrP (Parathyroid hormone related protein) and stanniocalcin (STC) in the regulation of epithelial bicarbonate transport. The present study tests the hypothesis that calciotropic hormones have a regulatory role in carbonate precipitate formation in vivo. To test this hypothesis sea bream (Sparus aurata ) juveniles received single intraperitoneal injections of piscine PTHrP(1-34), the PTH/PTHrP receptor antagonist PTHrP(7-34), purified sea bream STC or were passively immunized with polyclonal rabbit antisera raised against sea bream STC (STCAb). Endocrine effects on the expression of the basolateral sodium bicarbonate co-transporter (Slc4a4.A), the apical anion exchangers (Slc26a6.A and Slc26a3.B) and the V-type proton pump beta subunit (Atp6v1b) in the anterior intestine were evaluated. In keeping with their calciotropic nature the hypocalcemic factors PTHrP(7-34) and STC up-regulated gene expression of all transporters. In contrast, the hypercalcemic factor PTHrP(1-34) and STC antibodies down-regulated transporters involved in the bicarbonate secretion cascade. Changes in intestine luminal precipitate contents provoked by calcaemic endocrine factors validated these results. 24 hours post-injection either PTHrP(1-34) or immunization with STCAb reduced the content of carbonate precipitates in the intestine of the sea bream. In contrast, the PTH/PTHrP receptor antagonist PTHrP(7-34) increased not only the precipitated fraction, but also the concentration of HCO3- equivalents in the intestinal fluid. These results confirm the hypothesis that calciotropic hormones have a regulatory role in carbonate precipitate formation in vivo in the intestine of marine fish. Furthermore, they illustrate for the first time in fish the counter-acting effect of PTHrP and STC and reveal an unexpected contribution of calcemic factors to acid-base balance.
Increased homeothermy during reproduction in a basal placental mammal
Authors: Levesque Danielle L. , Lovegrove Barry G.
Published: February 2014

Homeothermic endothermy, the maintenance of a high and stable body temperature (Tb) using heat produced by elevated metabolism, is energetically expensive. There is increasing evidence that the earliest endotherms were heterotherms that, rather than maintaining strict homeothermy, allowed Tb to fluctuate with large variations between active and rest-phase Tb. The high level of homeothermy observed in modern mammals is therefore likely to have evolved from an ancestral heterothermic state. One of the hypotheses for the evolution of endothermy is that homeothermy allows for greater energetic output during reproduction (Parental Care Model). We tested this hypothesis by measuring metabolic rates over a range of ambient temperatures in both reproductive and non-reproductive Greater hedgehog tenrecs (Setifer setosus), a physiologically primitive mammal from Madagascar. Tenrecs have some of the lowest metabolic rates and highest levels of Tb variability of any mammal and are therefore good models of the ancestral eutherian state. During pregnancy and lactation there was an increase in metabolism and Tb below the thermoneutral zone, accompanied by a decrease in Tb variability. The lower critical limit of the thermoneutral zone was estimated at ~25°C. However, whereas increases in resting metabolism were substantial below 20°C (up to 150% higher during reproduction), daytime rest-phase ambient temperatures at the study site rarely reached equivalent low levels. Thus, S. setosus provide an example for how relatively low-cost increases in homeothermy could have led to substantial increases in fitness by allowing for the faster production of young. The mechanisms necessary for increases in thermogenesis during reproduction would have further benefited the development of homeothermy in mammals.
An Electro-Acoustic Implementation of Tibetan Bowls: Acoustics and Perception
Authors: Aarts Ronald M. , Ouweltjes Okke , Bulut Murtaza
Published: February 2014

Tibetan singing bowls are employed worldwide for meditation, music, relaxation, personal wellbeing, and religious practices. Each Tibetan bowl can produce a limited number of sounds, defined by the size and material of the bowl, and the actuator device used. Usually, there is a need for a second person to actuate the bowl. Addressing these limitations, we built an electronic device, named eBowl, which can mimic the acoustics of Tibetan bowls, and beyond that, can produce a wide range of other sounds. Furthermore, it can be used for relaxation and sound massage without the need for a second person. The eBowl generates auditory beats that are in EEG alpha frequency range, which can cause brainwave entrainment and lead to relaxation. User tests measuring physiological parameters revealed the eBowl's effectiveness for relaxation, showing that eBowl influences skin conductance, heart rate, and respiration rate and induces relaxation.
On Sound Generation in Cylindrical Flow Ducts with Non-Uniform Wall Impedance
Authors: Campos Luís M. B. C. , Oliveira João M. G. S.
Published: February 2014

The use of acoustic liners is a common means of noise reduction in jet engine exhausts. The quest for more effective sound absorption mechanisms in cylindrical ducts has led to the consideration of non-uniform liners, with impedance varying circumferentially, axially, or in both directions. The present paper is based on the theory of mode coupling in a non-uniformly lined cylindrical duct and considers the complementary problem of generation of sound or excitation of coupled modes by a source distribution. The sound field due to an arbitrary source distribution is obtained as a superposition of eigenfunctions corresponding to complex eigenvalues for the radial wavenumbers and natural frequencies taking into account that the radial, axial and azimuthal modes are coupled by the non-uniform wall impedance, and including resonant and non-resonant cases. The waveforms are illustrated for point monopole, dipole and quadrupole sources and a continuous monopole distribution. It is shown that a non-uniform liner provides a greater attenuation than a uniform liner with the same average impedance if it is ‘well-matched’ to the sound field, that is, if it has higher impedance at the peaks and lower at the nodes of the standing modes.
The Influence of Refraction on Wind Turbine Noise
Authors: Makarewicz Rufin
Published: February 2014

A semi-empirical method is employed to calculate the time-average sound level of the wind turbine noise generation and propagation. Both are affected by refraction due to wind speed gradient. Under upwind conditions the partially ensonified zone separates the fully ensonified zone (close to the turbine) and the shadow zone (far away from the turbine). Refraction is described in terms of the wind speed linear profile fitted to the power law profile. The rotating blades are treated as a two-dimensional circular source in the vertical plane. Inside the partially ensonified zone the effective A-weighted sound power decreases when the receiver moves from the turbine toward the shadow zone. It is assumed that no sound energy is diffracted and scattered into the shadow zone.
Rat1p maintains RNA polymerase II CTD phosphorylation balance
Authors: Jimeno-González Silvia , Schmid Manfred , Malagon Francisco , Haaning Line Lindegaard , Jensen Torben Heick
Published: February 2014

InS. cerevisiae, the 5′-3′ exonuclease Rat1p partakes in transcription termination. Although Rat1p-mediated RNA degradation has been suggested to play a role for this activity, the exact mechanisms by which Rat1p helps release RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) from the DNA template are poorly understood. Here we describe a function of Rat1p in regulating phosphorylation levels of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest RNAPII subunit, Rpb1p, during transcription elongation. Therat1-1mutant exhibits highly elevated levels of CTD phosphorylation as well as RNAPII distribution and transcription termination defects. These phenotypes are all rescued by overexpression of the CTD phosphatase Fcp1p, suggesting a functional relationship between the absence of Rat1p activity, elevated CTD phosphorylation, and transcription defects. We also demonstrate thatrat1-1cells display increased RNAPII transcription kinetics, a feature that may contribute to the cellular phenotypes of the mutant. Consistently, therat1-1allele is synthetic lethal with therpb1-E1103Gmutation, causing increased RNAPII speed, and is suppressed by therpb2-10mutation, causing slowed transcription. Thus, Rat1p plays more complex roles in controlling transcription than previously thought.
Essential timing of orthopaedic treatment in children with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome arthrochalasia type: a case report
Authors: van Rooij Maarten J. , Staal Heleen , Klaassens Merel , Van Rhijn Lodewijk , Stumpel Connie T.R.M.
Published: February 2014

Objective:  This case report presents the orthopaedic impact of arthrochalasia-type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) (former type VIIA and B) in a young girl.

Methods: The characteristics of EDSs are skin abnormalities and tissue fragility with orthopaedic consequences including joint hypermobility and dislocations. In EDS arthrochalasia type (former type VIIA and B) severe general hypotonia and congenital bilateral hip dislocation are distinctive symptoms. This type of EDS is less common than other types and just a few cases have been reported.

Results: This report describes a case of a 3-year old girl with EDS arthrochalasia type and bilateral high hip dislocation, spontaneous shoulder dislocation and scoliosis as orthopaedic consequences.

Conclusions: Orthopaedic consequences in these cases can be severe so conservative or surgical treatment will be necessary to reduce disability in later life. Timing of either conservative or surgical intervention is essential. According to the literature, most conservative treatments fail. Also, surgical treatment is rarely effective in most of the cases. Both conservative and surgical treatment should be considered carefully in the treatment of EDS arthrochalasia type, each of which has pros and cons. The best treatment depends on the prognosis and current situation of the child.
Schedule-Based Group Assignment Using Constraint Programming
Authors: Roeder Theresa M. , Saltzman Robert M.
Published: February 2014

Group work is an important aspect of the educational process in many disciplines, especially business. The literature suggests there are pedagogical advantages to instructor-assigned teams. In this paper, we present a constraint programming approach to assigning students to groups based on their availability. We compare solutions created using several objectives and find that no single objective dominates for all performance measures. Using the model produces group assignments of higher quality and much more quickly than those produced manually.
The Appointment Scheduling Game
Authors: Sauré Antoine , Puterman Martin L.
Published: February 2014

This paper describes the appointment scheduling game (ASG), an easy to use teaching tool that reveals the challenges in managing advance patient scheduling systems, and also provides an introduction to simulation and decision analysis. In addition to describing the game, the paper provides recommendations on how to play it, student questions and suggested answers, and a Markov decision process (MDP) formulation. The ASG simulates a system in which daily patient appointment requests, which are characterized by their urgency level, arrive randomly. Daily service capacity is limited. Students playing the game assume the role of a scheduling clerk who must assign appointment dates to these requests without knowing future demand. They are left to discover the need for performance metrics, data collection, and strategy formulation. An attractive feature of the game is that it requires only a printed one-month calendar, multicolored poker chips, and a standard six-sided die. Although the game is primarily aimed at undergraduate and graduate operations students, it also can be used to introduce a range of MDP concepts to advanced operations research students. The game has been used successfully in several courses at the University of British Columbia including “Managing Health Care System Operations” (MBA), “Managing Patient Flow” (executive MBA in healthcare) and “Logistics and Operations Management” (undergraduate). It has also been used by colleagues at the University of Ottawa, McGill University, and the University of Michigan.
How patient-centred care is changing orthopaedics
Authors: Rickert J.
Published: February 2014

Patient-centred medicine is an approach to medical care that emphasises the patient experience. Treatment outcome measures reflect this experience, and outcomes are measured by obtaining patient feedback. Central to this type of care is the patient-physician relationship. Communication, physician empathy, and shared decision making are key components of this relationship. Patient-centred care is correlated with better patient outcomes across medical specialties and higher patient perceived quality of care. Payors are now using patient-centred quality measures in their physician reimbursement schedules.
Models for Aggression by Police Officers towards Romantic Partners and Police Partners
Authors: Can S. Hakan , Hendy Helen M. , Imbody Meaghan
Published: February 2014

Past research documents that occupational challenges faced by police officers may increase the risk of aggression toward romantic partners, but little research is available on aggression by police officers in another close relationship, that occurring within the ‘fraternal order’, toward their police partners. The purpose of the present study was to enhance understanding of police aggression in close relationships by comparing ‘models' of aggression suggested by Social Learning Theory, including powerful others or peers from the ‘home family’ (father, mother, siblings) and from the ‘police family’ (police supervisor, police partner). Participants included 120 police officers (95 per cent male; mean age = 38.9 years; 90 per cent Caucasian) who completed anonymous questionnaires to report aggression in each relationship using the 12-item Revised Conflict Tactics Scale. Multiple regression revealed that the set of ‘home family’ and ‘police family’ models of aggression explained 35.5 per cent of the variance in romantic partner aggression and 59.1 per cent of the variance in police partner aggression reported by officers, with aggression from the father and the police supervisor being the most significant models of aggression. Results suggest that in terms of aggression used as a conflict resolution strategy in close relationships, police officers experience less of a ‘fraternal order’ than a ‘paternal order’, with ‘father-figure’ individuals serving as the most significant models. Employee Assistance Programmes to encourage ‘PEACE IN THE FAMILY’ for police may require participation by police supervisors, who must also work to model non-aggressive means of conflict resolution within their departments.