bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Defining capacity building in the context of HTA: a proposal by the HTAi Scientific Development and Capacity Building Committee
Authors: Pichler Franz , Oortwijn Wija , Ruether Alric , Trowman Rebecca 
Published: September 2019

AbstractObjectivesTo develop a definition of “capacity building” relevant to Health Technology Assessment international (HTAi).MethodsA review of capacity building activities undertaken by HTAi members, members of the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA), and regional HTA networks was compared against general literature on capacity building definitions and frameworks. The findings were reviewed by the HTAi Scientific Development and Capacity Building Committee. Furthermore, the Executive Committee and Interest Groups of HTAi provided input on the draft final paper.ResultsThe literature demonstrated the need for a definition of capacity building specific to HTA. In the context of HTAi, it was necessary for the definition to cover (i) the broadest range of HTA-related activities, (ii) multiple stakeholders involved in the HTA process, and (iii) the spectrum of activities that compose capacity building. We propose the following definition of HTA capacity building: The process by which individuals and organizations develop or strengthen abilities related to understanding, providing input to, conducting, or utilizing HTA for health policy and decision making, as well as, developing awareness and support in the environment within which HTA is being used.ConclusionA definition of HTA-related capacity building that was intended to provide clarity about what this term means to HTAi was developed. As HTA is context-dependent, a need for further work to develop an operationalization “menu” relevant to the specific needs in which HTA is being used was identified.
Tackling Local Protectionism in Enforcing Foreign Arbitral Awards in China: An Empirical Study of the Supreme People's Court's Review Decisions,1995–2015
Authors: Shen Wei , Shang Shu 
Published: September 2019

AbstractIn an effort to fight against local protectionism in court enforcement proceedings, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) promulgated its “Notice on relevant issues pertaining to the people's court handling foreign and foreign-related arbitration” in 1995. Pursuant to this Notice, all Intermediate People's Courts have to report to the SPC and obtain its approval for any decision not to enforce a foreign or foreign-related arbitral award. However, the effectiveness of this internal reporting mechanism in constraining local protectionism has never been empirically tested. This study is based on 98 publicly available non-enforcement reply opinions rendered by the SPC after lower courts have made and reported preliminary non-enforcement decisions. It analyses whether these non-enforcement decisions show any pattern of local protectionism. Statistical results do not suggest that local protectionism is a major barrier hindering effective enforcement of foreign or foreign-related arbitral awards in China. We therefore contend that this internal reporting system may serve other functions by providing an alternative tool to reinforce judicial oversight in spite of China's weak appellant system. At the same time, the Chinese government seems to rely on this internal reporting system to achieve important policy goals. In this sense, analysing the functionality of this internal reporting system offers insights into this mechanism for top-level judicial control.
The National Environmental Policy Act and the Battle for Control of Environmental Policy
Authors: Hart John 
Published: September 2019

Abstract:In 1969, a public debate between President Nixon and Congress took place during the legislative passage of the National Environmental Policy Act and centered on two very different and competing conceptions of how presidential advice should be organized in the Executive Office of the President. It focused on the proposed establishment of the Council on Environmental Quality. The outcome of the ensuing battle represented a complete victory for congressional interests against the expressed wishes of the president. The nature of the debate has been overlooked in the literature on the presidency, but it highlights fundamental issues about agency design and presidential control of the institutional presidency. It also highlights broader concerns about the degree of congressional involvement in shaping the Executive Office of the President.
Social Welfare at the End of the World: How the Mormons Created an Alternative to the New Deal and Helped Build Modern Conservatism
Authors: Powell Randy 
Published: September 2019

Abstract:It is common for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be considered one of the most conservative religious groups in the United States. What is less well understood is as to when the relationship between Mormonism and American conservatism began. While some historians point to the social upheavals in the 1960s and 1970s as the glue that united Mormons and conservatives, the connection began decades earlier during the Great Depression. Leaders of the Mormon Church interpreted Roosevelt’s New Deal as the fulfillment of eschatological prophecy. Envisioning themselves saving America and the Constitution at the world’s end, Mormon authorities established their own welfare program to inspire Latter-day Saints and Americans in general to eschew the New Deal. Anti–New Dealers used the Mormon welfare plan to construct a conservative ideology. Accordingly, Mormons are essential elements in the formation of a political movement that revolutionized the United States.
Can we predict potentially dangerous coronary patterns in patients with transposition of the great arteries after an arterial switch operation?
Authors: Michalak Krzysztof W. , Sobczak-Budlewska Katarzyna , Moll Jacek J. , Szymczyk Konrad , Moll Jadwiga A. , Niwald Marek , Dryżek Paweł , Moll Maciej 
Published: September 2019

AbstractIntroduction:Coronary artery complications are the main reason for early mortality after an arterial switch operation. Late complications are relatively rare, and there is no consensus regarding the need or indications for routine follow-up coronary artery evaluations or the best first-line assessment modality. The aim of this study was to present the long-term post-operative frequency of coronary abnormalities in asymptomatic patients with transposition of the great arteries discovered by coronary CT angiography and potential “red flags” revealed by other examinations.Patients and methods:A group of 50 consecutive asymptomatic patients who underwent routine long-term coronary artery evaluation after an arterial switch operation according to our institutional protocol were qualified for this study. This routine in-hospital visit included a detailed medical interview, electrocardiography, echocardiography, Holter electrocardiography examinations, and laboratory and cardiopulmonary exercise tests. Patients who showed significant abnormalities were qualified for perfusion scintigraphy.Results:Unfavourable coronary abnormalities were detected in 30 patients (60%) and included ostial stenosis, muscular bridge, coronary fistula, interarterial course, proximal kinking, high ellipticity index, proximal acute angulation (<30 degree) of the left coronary artery, and proximal acute angulation of the right coronary artery. These features could not be predicted based on the medical interviews, surgical reports, or non-invasive screening test results.Conclusion:Complex coronary configurations with potentially dangerous coronary features are common in patients with transposition after an arterial switch operation. Such high-risk patients cannot be identified indirectly, and coronary CT angiography provides accurate information that is useful for post-operative management.
Short food supply chains: the link between participation and farmers' competencies
Authors: Charatsari Chrysanthi , Kitsios Fotis , Lioutas Evagelos D. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractResearch on short food supply chains (SFSCs) has experienced a remarkable growth during recent years, offering ample evidence that the creation of such alternative food distribution networks can bring multiple benefits to both farmers and consumers. Nevertheless, farmers' engagement in SFSCs is still limited in many countries. Two studies designed to illustrate the role of competencies in the development of SFSCs are reported in this paper. The first one assessed the influence of farmers' self-perceived competencies on their willingness to participate in SFSCs. The second examined whether the engagement in SFSCs affects the levels of participants' competency needs. Study 1 revealed that willingness to participate in SFSCs is affected by the levels of farmers' competencies on issues pertaining to management, entrepreneurship, marketing, networking and cooperation. Although other factors such as farmers' citizenship behavior, their environmental concern and the perception that engagement in SFSCs can increase farm income are also associated with this willingness, self-perceived competencies represent the most important set of predictors. Study 2 uncovered that participation in SFSCs increases farmers' needs in all the above-mentioned categories of competencies. Taken together, these results indicate that farmers' competencies significantly affect their involvement in SFSCs, and that engagement in SFSCs augments competency needs, thus highlighting the importance of creating spaces that help farmers develop and exploit new capabilities.
Can Bankfull Discharge and Bankfull Channel Characteristics of an Alluvial Meandering River be Cospecified From a Flow Duration Curve?
Authors: Naito Kensuke , Parker Gary 
Published: September 2019

AbstractWe present a simple modeling framework for the codetermination of bankfull discharge and corresponding bankfull channel geometry (width, depth, and longitudinal channel slope) of an alluvial meandering river. We specifically consider a sand‐bed river whose floodplain is capped by a mud‐rich layer. We inquire as to how the wide spectrum of flows to which the river is subjected leads to the establishment of specific values for bankfull discharge and associated bankfull geometry. Here we provide a physically based predictor of bankfull discharge that goes beyond the simple assumption of the 1.5‐year flood discharge. We do this using physics‐based submodels for channel and floodplain processes. We show that bankfull discharge and bankfull geometry are established as a result of (i) floodplain vertical accretion due to overbank deposition, (ii) migration of the inner bank and outer cut bank, (iii) net removal of floodplain sediment and reduction in average floodplain height due to lateral channel shift, and (iv) in‐channel downstream bed material transport. The flow duration curve is employed to quantify the effect of these processes, as well as to account for flow variability. Our model captures the spatiotemporal evolution of bankfull discharge, depth, width, and down‐channel slope toward equilibrium for specified flow duration curve and watershed characteristics. Our new framework can be used for assessing long‐term river response to change in sediment supply or flow duration curve. A model implementation is presented for the case of the Trinity River, TX, USA, to demonstrate the use of the model and its behavior.
Salt Sinking in the Upper South Pacific Subtropical Gyre From 2004 to 2016
Authors: Liu Hao , Lin Xiaopei , Lan Jian 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThe salinity in the 50–300‐m water column of the South Pacific subtropical gyre (10°S–30°S) increased from 2004 to 2016. The observed changes are primarily associated with changes in the South Pacific Tropical Water (SPTW) volume, which increased at a rate of (3.17 ± 0.25) 1014 m3 per decade in the region of 10–30°S and 150°E–90°W. The increases in the SPTW volume are caused by increased SPTW production, which increased at a rate of 3.45 ± 2.65 Sv per decade. The temporal variability in the mixed layer accounts for 75 ± 32% of the observed increase in SPTW production. The increases in temporal changes in the mixed layer are due to a deeper mixed layer depth (MLD) in austral winter and a shallower MLD in austral spring. The possible drivers of MLD changes at the air‐sea surface are examined. Among the wind stress curl, buoyancy fluxes, and the turbulence induced by wind stress, changes in the surface buoyancy fluxes play the most important role in the deepening of the MLD during austral winter, and changes in the wind stress play a leading role in the shoaling of the MLD during austral spring. Changes in the buoyancy fluxes during winter and changes in the wind stress in spring can be attributed to increases in the Southern Annular Mode from 2004 to 2016. This study highlights the strong modulation of SPTW formation by decadal climate variability over the subtropical South Pacific.
Estimation of Downwelling Shortwave and Longwave Radiation in the Tibetan Plateau Under All‐Sky Conditions
Authors: Zhong Lei , Zou Mijun , Ma Yaoming , Huang Ziyu , Xu Kepiao , Wang Xian , Ge Nan , Cheng Meilin 
Published: September 2019

AbstractDownwelling shortwave radiation (DSWR) and downwelling longwave radiation (DLWR) are two important components of the Earth's surface radiation balance. In this study, the Heliosat method and the parameterization of Crawford and Duchon (1999, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520‐0450(1999)038<0474:AIPFEE>2.0.CO;2, hereafter CD99) were calibrated to make them suitable for estimation of DSWR and DLWR over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Based on meteorological data, forcing data, and observations from polar‐orbiting satellites, the cloud albedo was calculated, and the clear‐sky index estimation scheme of the Heliosat method was improved. These improvements were then applied to derive 10‐day DSWR under all‐sky conditions over the TP by combining the clear‐sky shortwave radiation scheme with a clear‐sky index. The coefficient of the CD99 parameterization scheme clear‐sky DLWR was also calibrated, and 10‐day all‐sky DLWR was then determined and validated using ground‐based measurements. The spatiotemporal distributions of DSWR and DLWR were analyzed in detail. The results showed that the modified methods are efficient and applicable for downward radiation retrieval under all‐sky conditions over the TP with a reasonable accuracy. The mean percentage errors for DSWR and DLWR were −4.75% and 0.11%, respectively. The variation in the monthly DSWR (DLWR) showed a convex shape, with a maximum appearing in May (July). The spatial distributions of DLWR showed a southeast‐high and northwest‐low pattern. As the subsolar point moves northward, DSWR increases gradually and is clearly influenced by the Asian summer monsoon.
Intrinsic adriamycin resistance in p53-mutated breast cancer is related to the miR-30c/FANCF/REV1-mediated DNA damage response
Authors: Lin Shu , Yu Lifeng , Song Xinyue , Bi Jia , Jiang Longyang , Wang Yan , He Miao , Xiao Qinghuan , Sun Mingli , Olopade Olufunmilayo I. , Zhao Lin , Wei Minjie 
Published: September 2019

AbstractAdriamycin(ADR) is still considered to be one of the most effective agents in the treatment of breast cancer (BrCa), its efficacy is compromised by intrinsic resistance or acquire characteristics of multidrug resistance. At present, there are few genetic alterations that can be exploited as biomarkers to guide targeted use of ADR in clinical. Therefore, exploring the determinants of ADR sensitivity is pertinent for their optimal clinical application. TP53 is the most frequently mutated gene in human BrCa, p53 mutation has been reported to be closely related to ADR resistance, whereas the underlying mechanisms that cause endogenous ADR resistance in p53-mutant BrCa cells are not completely understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential roles of miRNA in the response to ADR in p53-mutated breast cancer. Here, we report that BrCa cells expressing mutp53 are more resistant to ADR than cells with wild-type p53 (wtp53). The DNA repair protein- Fanconi anemia complementation group F protein (FANCF) and the translesion synthesis DNA polymerase REV1 protein is frequently abundant in the context of mutant p53 of BrCa. By targeting two key factors, miR-30c increases the sensitivity of BrCa cells to ADR. Furthermore, p53 directly activates the transcription of miR-30c by binding to its promoter. Subsequent analyses revealed that p53 regulates REV1 and FANCF by modulating miR-30c expression. Mutation of the p53 abolished this response. Consistently, reduced miR-30c expression is highly correlated with human BrCa with p53 mutational status and is associated with poor survival. We propose that one of the pathways affected by mutant p53 to increase intrinsic resistance to ADR involves miR-30c downregulation and the consequent upregulation of FANCF and REV1. The novel miRNA-mediated pathway that regulates chemoresistance in breast cancer will facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced miR-133a inhibits myofibroblast differentiation and pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Wei Peng , Xie Yan , Abel Peter W. , Huang Yapei , Ma Qin , Li Linghai , Hao Junfeng , Wolff Dennis W. , Wei Taotao , Tu Yaping 
Published: September 2019

AbstractTransforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, a main profibrogenic cytokine in the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), induces differentiation of pulmonary fibroblasts to myofibroblasts that produce high levels of collagen, leading to concomitantly loss of lung elasticity and function. Recent studies implicate the importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in IPF but their regulation and individual pathological roles remain largely unknown. We used both RNA sequencing and quantitative RT-PCR strategies to systematically study TGF-β1-induced alternations of miRNAs in human lung fibroblasts (HFL). Our data show that miR-133a was significantly upregulated by TGF-β1 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Surprisingly, miR-133a inhibits TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation whereas miR-133a inhibitor enhances TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation. Interestingly, quantitative proteomics analysis indicates that miR-133a attenuates myofibroblast differentiation via targeting multiple components of TGF-β1 profibrogenic pathways. Western blot analysis confirmed that miR-133a down-regulates TGF-β1-induced expression of classic myofibroblast differentiation markers such as ɑ-smooth muscle actin (ɑ-SMA), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and collagens. miRNA Target Searcher analysis and luciferase reporter assays indicate that TGF-β receptor 1, CTGF and collagen type 1-alpha1 (Col1a1) are direct targets of miR-133a. More importantly, miR-133a gene transferred into lung tissues ameliorated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Together, our study identified TGF-β1-induced miR-133a as an anti-fibrotic factor. It functions as a feed-back negative regulator of TGF-β1 profibrogenic pathways. Thus, manipulations of miR-133a expression may provide a new therapeutic strategy to halt and perhaps even partially reverse the progression of IPF.
Interplay of miR-137 and EZH2 contributes to the genome-wide redistribution of H3K27me3 underlying the Pb-induced memory impairment
Authors: Gu Xiaozhen , Xu Yi , Xue Wei-Zhen , Wu Yulan , Ye Zi , Xiao Guiran , Wang Hui-Li 
Published: September 2019

AbstractCompromised learning and memory is a common feature of multiple neurodegenerative disorders. A paradigm spatial memory impairment could be caused by developmental lead (Pb) exposure. Growing evidence implicates epigenetic modifications in the Pb-mediated memory deficits; however, how histone modifications exemplified by H3K27me3 (H3 Lys27 trimethylation) contribute to this pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Here we found that Pb exposure diminished H3K27me3 levels in vivo by suppressing EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) expression at an early stage. EZH2 overexpression in Pb-treated rats rescued the H3K27me3 abundance and partially restored the normal spatial memory, as manifested by the rat performance in a Morris water maze test, and structural analysis of hippocampal spine densities. Furthermore, miR-137 and EZH2 constitute mutually inhibitory loop to regulate the H3K27me3 level, and this feedback regulation could be specifically activated by Pb treatment. Considering genes targeted by H3K27me3, ChIP-chip (chromatin immunoprecipitation on chip) studies revealed that Pb could remodel the genome-wide distribution of H3K27me3, represented by pathways like transcriptional regulation, developmental regulation, cell motion, and apoptosis, as well as a novel Wnt9b locus. As a Wnt isoform associated with canonical and noncanonical signaling, Wnt9b was regulated by the opposite modifications of H3K4me3 (H3 Lys4 trimethylation) and H3K27me3 in Pb-exposed neurons. Rescue trials further validated the contribution of Wnt9b to Pb-induced neuronal impairments, wherein canonical or noncanonical Wnt signaling potentially exhibited destructive or protective roles, respectively. In summary, the study reveals an epigenetic-based molecular change underlying Pb-triggered spatial memory deficits, and provides new potential avenues for our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases with environmental etiology.
Enhanced propagation of motile bacteria on surfaces due to forward scattering
Authors: Makarchuk Stanislaw , Braz Vasco C. , Araújo Nuno A. M. , Ciric Lena , Volpe Giorgio 
Published: September 2019

AbstractHow motile bacteria move near a surface is a problem of fundamental biophysical interest and is key to the emergence of several phenomena of biological, ecological and medical relevance, including biofilm formation. Solid boundaries can strongly influence a cell’s propulsion mechanism, thus leading many flagellated bacteria to describe long circular trajectories stably entrapped by the surface. Experimental studies on near-surface bacterial motility have, however, neglected the fact that real environments have typical microstructures varying on the scale of the cells’ motion. Here, we show that micro-obstacles influence the propagation of peritrichously flagellated bacteria on a flat surface in a non-monotonic way. Instead of hindering it, an optimal, relatively low obstacle density can significantly enhance cells’ propagation on surfaces due to individual forward-scattering events. This finding provides insight on the emerging dynamics of chiral active matter in complex environments and inspires possible routes to control microbial ecology in natural habitats.
Oligodendrocytes express synaptic proteins that modulate myelin sheath formation
Authors: Hughes Alexandria N. , Appel Bruce 
Published: September 2019

AbstractVesicular release from neurons promotes myelin sheath growth on axons. Oligodendrocytes express proteins that allow dendrites to respond to vesicular release at synapses, suggesting that axon-myelin contacts use similar communication mechanisms as synapses to form myelin sheaths. To test this, we used fusion proteins to track synaptic vesicle localization and membrane fusion in zebrafish during developmental myelination and investigated expression and localization of PSD95, a dendritic post-synaptic protein, within oligodendrocytes. Synaptic vesicles accumulate and exocytose at ensheathment sites with variable patterning and most sheaths localize PSD95 with patterning similar to exocytosis site location. Disruption of candidate PDZ-binding transsynaptic adhesion proteins in oligodendrocytes cause variable effects on sheath length and number. One candidate, Cadm1b, localizes to myelin sheaths where both PDZ binding and extracellular adhesion to axons mediate sheath growth. Our work raises the possibility that axon-glial communication contributes to myelin plasticity, providing new targets for mechanistic unraveling of developmental myelination.