bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Soil charcoal elucidates the role of humans in the development of landscape of extreme biodiversity
Authors: Novák Jan , Roleček Jan , Dresler Petr , Hájek Michal 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe south‐western White Carpathians (Czech Republic, Slovakia) are one of the few places in low‐elevation Central Europe where a diverse landscape, including extremely species rich meadows, scattered oak trees, and mixed oak woodlands, has escaped modern transformation. We studied C14‐dated and taxonomically identified macroscopic soil charcoal record to elucidate the genesis of this landscape. Thirteen soil profiles were sampled in grasslands along a gradient of elevation and history of human settlement. We identified clear pattern in the taxonomic composition of woody soil charcoal and anthracomass along this gradient, which we ascribe to different pathways of landscape development. Charcoal assemblages of chernozem‐like soils in the promontories of the mountain range have a low anthracomass and are dominated by heliophilous and semishade species (Quercus, Pinus), with the oldest charcoals dated to pre‐Neolithic times. Soils of the middle elevations have a high anthracomass and often show pronounced differences in charcoal composition at different soil depths; the oldest charcoal samples date back between the Neolithic and Early Middle Ages, and heliophilous species increase towards the topsoil. The soil of the summit area shows a medium anthracomass and charcoal assemblage dominated by shade‐tolerant trees; the charcoal dates from the Middle Ages. Our results suggest continuity of an open to semiopen landscape in lower elevations of the White Carpathians, whereas middle and higher elevations experienced a forested period. Humans and fire played an important role in landscape development, as indicated by both soil charcoal and available palaeoecological and archaeological evidence. Local meadows with extremely high biodiversity thus appear to be a continuation of an ancient forest‐steppe‐like ecosystem.
Purpurogallin is a novel mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibitor that suppresses esophageal squamous cell carcinoma growth in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Xie Xiaomeng , Zu Xueyin , Liu Feifei , Wang Ting , Wang Xiangyu , Chen Hanyong , Liu Kangdong , Wang Penglei , Liu Fangfang , Zheng Yan , Bode Ann M. , Dong Zigang , Kim Dong Joon 
Published: May 2019

AbstractPurpurogallin is a natural compound that is extracted from nutgalls and oak bark and it possesses antioxidant, anticancer, and anti‐inflammatory properties. However, the anticancer capacity of purpurogallin and its molecular target have not been investigated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Herein, we report that purpurogallin suppresses ESCC cell growth by directly targeting the mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) signaling pathway. We found that purpurogallin inhibits anchorage‐dependent and ‐independent ESCC growth. The results of in vitro kinase assays and cell‐based assays indicated that purpurogallin also strongly attenuates the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway and also directly binds to and inhibits MEK1 and MEK2 activity. Furthermore, purpurogallin contributed to S and G2 phase cell cycle arrest by reducing cyclin A2 and cyclin B1 expression and also induced apoptosis by activating poly (ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP). Notably, purpurogallin suppressed patient‐derived ESCC tumor growth in an in vivo mouse model. These findings indicated that purpurogallin is a novel MEK1/2 inhibitor that could be useful for treating ESCC.
What are the experiences of therapists using the online Back Skills Training and implementing it within clinical practice?
Authors: Christou Baerbel , Sellars Julie , Barker Karen 
Published: May 2019

AbstractIntroductionThe purpose of the present study was to explore the experiences of physiotherapists using the online Back Skills Training (i‐BeST). The aim of the this programme was to enable clinicians to facilitate group‐based treatment based on a cognitive behavioural (CB) approach to the treatment of lower back pain (LBP).MethodsA qualitative, exploratory approach was chosen. Seven physiotherapists were interviewed. Participants were asked broad, open‐ended questions in order to explore: (a) their experiences with the training; (b) the online method; and (c) the implementation of BeST into clinical practice. The interviews were transcribed and analysed manually using interpretive phenomenological analysis.ResultsFour main themes were identified following the analysis: (a) Flexibility but lack of interactivity; (b) CB approach is a new way of working; (c) Facilitating group work after i‐BeST training; and (d) The need for managerial support. The flexibility of the online tool was perceived as a major advantage. However, lack of interactivity was identified by most participants as the biggest challenge. Participants found the online tool to be acceptable for attaining knowledge but not adequate for developing skills. After completing BeST, participants reported the application of key principles of the CB approach within routine physiotherapeutic practice, but were reluctant to refer into the group‐based treatment programme. Coordination of implementation of the group‐based treatment programme throughout a large trust was perceived as necessary, including sufficient staff training for all clinicians.ConclusionsI‐Best can be implemented within everyday clinical settings but should be enhanced with additional face‐to‐face support mechanisms to improve effectiveness.
Applicability of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in female patients
Authors: Zambon Joao P. , Williams Koudy J. , Bennington Julie , Badlani Gopal H. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractStress urinary incontinence (SUI) is an age health‐related issue that generates interest due to its considerable public health burden and the controversies surrounding treatment. It is highly prevalent affecting 30–40% of all women during their lifetime. Midurethral slings are the standard of gold standard treatment for female patients with SUI. They have excellent short‐term cure rates; however, their efficacy tends to decrease over time and patients often report urinary incontinence recurrence. This paper addresses the applicability of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering for the treatment of SUI in female patients.Cell‐based treatment with periurethral injection of autologous adipose or muscle‐derived stem cells have been used for SUI; however, the cure rates and SUI recurrence at 1 year were 40% and 70%, respectively. Novel minimally invasive approaches, such as low‐intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapies have shown promising results in SUI animal models. In addition, local injection of growth factors, chemokines, and specific antibodies have shown histological evidence of neoangiogenesis, nerve, and sphincter regeneration in rodents and nonhuman primates with SUI. The use of bioactive factors and proteins secreted by cells, which is called secretomes, have been recognized as key regulators of various mechanisms, such as immunomodulation, angiogenesis, inflammation, apoptosis, and tissue repair.Emerging therapies aiming to replace or restore tissues and organ functionality may improve the long‐term efficacy and in the near future may represent the standard of care for the treatment of SUI.
Evaluation of entinostat alone and in combination with standard‐of‐care cytotoxic agents against rhabdomyosarcoma xenograft models
Authors: Kurmasheva Raushan T. , Bandyopadhyay Abhik , Favours Edward , Del Pozo Vanessa , Ghilu Samson , Phelps Doris A. , Erickson Stephen W. , Peer Cody J. , Figg William D. , Smith Malcolm A. , Houghton Peter J. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBackgroundEntinostat, a selective class I histone deacetylase inhibitor, has been reported to enhance the activity of cytotoxic agents and suppress expression of PAX3‐FOXO1 in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS).ProceduresEntinostat was tested against three rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines using 96‐hour drug exposure. Entinostat alone or in binary combination with vincristine, actinomycin D or cyclophosphamide was tested in ARMS and two embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) xenograft models. Tumor growth was measured at weekly intervals. Drug‐induced changes in acetylated histone H3(K9) and entinostat pharmacokinetics were determined.ResultsIn vitro, the IC50 concentration of entinostat ranged from 280 to 1300 nM. In vivo, entinostat significantly inhibited the growth of only Rh10 xenografts. For most studies, entinostat did not potentiate the activity of the cytotoxic agent. Exceptions included the vincristine and entinostat combination for Rh10 and the entinostat and actinomycin D combination for Rh10 and Rh18, although the effects were modest. For Rh18, the combination of entinostat with vincristine showed evidence of an antagonistic interaction compared with single‐agent vincristine. Pharmacokinetic studies showed the average Cmax was 569.4 ng/mL (1.51 μM) with Tmax at 15 minutes, and total exposure (AUC0‐12 h) was 435.6 h × ng/mL. Entinostat treatment increased acetylated histone H3.ConclusionsEntinostat demonstrated modest antitumor activity in only one of four models at dose and shedule that gave drug exposures relevant to human treatment. The addition of entinostat to standard‐of‐care cytotoxic agents was in most instances no more effective than the cytotoxic agents used alone. Entinostat demonstrated target inhibition with increased histone 2A acetylation.
QCMAP: An Interactive Web‐Tool for Performance Diagnosis and Prediction of LC‐MS Systems
Authors: Kim Taiyun , Chen Irene Rui , Parker Benjamin L. , Humphrey Sean J. , Crossett Ben , Cordwell Stuart J. , Yang Pengyi , Yang Jean Yee Hwa 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe increasing role played by liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS)‐based proteomics in biological discovery has led to a growing need for quality control (QC) on the LC‐MS systems. While numerous quality control tools have been developed to track the performance of LC‐MS systems based on a pre‐defined set of performance factors (e.g., mass error, retention time), the precise influence and contribution of the performance factors and their generalization property to different biological samples are not as well characterized. Here, a web‐based application (QCMAP) is developed for interactive diagnosis and prediction of the performance of LC‐MS systems across different biological sample types. Leveraging on a standardized HeLa cell sample run as QC within a multi‐user facility, predictive models are trained on a panel of commonly used performance factors to pinpoint the precise conditions to a (un)satisfactory performance in three LC‐MS systems. It is demonstrated that the learned model can be applied to predict LC‐MS system performance for brain samples generated from an independent study. By compiling these predictive models into our web‐application, QCMAP allows users to benchmark the performance of their LC‐MS systems using their own samples and identify key factors for instrument optimization. QCMAP is freely available from: http://shiny.maths.usyd.edu.au/QCMAP/.
Molecular structure and electronic properties of substituted tetrabenzocoronenes: DFT and TD‐DFT investigations
Authors: Qiu Christopher S. , Flinn Christopher , Zhao Yuming 
Published: May 2019

Abstract1,2:3,4:7,8:9,10‐Tetrabenzocoronene (TBC) is a highly π‐conjugated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) with an intriguing nonplanar, twisted molecular shape featuring two [4]helicene subunits on the opposite sides of the molecule. In this study, we examined the electronic substituent effects on the molecular properties of a series of TBC derivatives by density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent DFT (TD‐DFT) computational analysis at the B3LYP/6‐31G(d) and TD‐B3LYP/6‐311 + G(d,p) levels. The equilibrium geometries for the stable conformers of the TBC derivatives in the ground singlet state (So) and related transition states were optimized to obtain the energy barriers associated with the interconversion among these conformers. Variations of aromatic character for these compounds were evaluated by nucleus‐independent chemical shift (NICS) calculations, while the frontier molecular orbital (FMO) energies and the vertical electronic absorption and emission energies were calculated. The calculated absorption and emission spectra of these TBC derivatives show good correlations with the Hammett substituent constant (σ). Overall, our study has demonstrated that the attachment of electron‐donating/withdrawing substituents to the edges of TBC can exert significant effects on the structural, electronic, and photophysical properties. Understanding of the substitution effects on TBC provides valuable insight for the design and development of novel PAH‐based organic electronic materials and devices.
Gaming Literacies: Spatiality, Materiality, and Analog Learning in a Digital Age
Authors: Garcia Antero 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe author explored the literacy practices in tabletop gaming communities. Focusing on the role of spatiality and materiality in nondigital contexts, this study broadens how literacies research engages with sociocultural analysis of primarily analog settings. Building on experiences in playing the role‐playing game Dungeons & Dragons, the author analyzed how literacies shape the collaborative storytelling and interpretation of complex rules mechanics required for play. The author drew on 26 months of collected ethnographic data, including participant observation of hundreds of hours of tabletop role‐playing game sessions, interviews, and textual analysis. Describing how gaming literacy practices are enacted, the findings from this study identify three different spaces in which analog literacies often emerge: in‐game literacies, at‐the‐table literacies, and beyond‐the‐table literacies. Exploring how participants read, produce, and communicate in ways that move across these domains, the author emphasizes the roles of temporality and spatiality in understanding contemporary literacies. Further, as Dungeons & Dragons is mediated by myriad books and physical objects, such as dice, sheets of paper, and small figurines, the role of materiality in analog literacies differs substantially from digital contexts. At the same time, exploring the cultural practices and talk that shaped play, the author emphasizes that analog gaming remains connected to the digital affordances of online texts, transmedia production, and tools for communication. By considering how seemingly archaic gaming practices recast literacies research around games and learning, the author argues for continued scrutiny of these playful domains.
An overview of cloud‐fog computing: Architectures, applications with security challenges
Authors: Kunal Sourav , Saha Arijit , Amin Ruhul 
Published: May 2019

AbstractWith the growing needs of data across the world, it almost hard to live without data a day. This is almost a blessing in disguise for the researchers working on different domains and dealing with huge amounts of data. The fog computing concept is aiming to change the scenarios created by cloud computing environments and also to make the data‐centric clouds decentralized and localized. Fog devices contain only specific information that is frequently used in it and generally the size of the data in fog device is very less in comparison with cloud server. Fog stores only those data, which are frequently used by the users, rest it takes from the cloud itself. The motivation toward this field to make the data flow in various domain seamless and hassle free. Fog computing can be thought as an intermediate between the users and the cloud server, which connects end users easily and thus reduces the latency of the services. This paper discusses the three layered data flow architecture for fog computing and it proposes several novel architectures such as energy lattices, MediFog, UXFog, connected parking system, and FoAgro to utilize the concept of fog computing.
Evaluation of an electronic antimicrobial time-out on antimicrobial utilization at a large health system
Authors: Richardson Steven R. , Neuner Elizabeth A. , Athans Vasilios , Srinivas Pavithra , Wesolowski Jill , Gordon Steven M. , Fraser Thomas G. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractWe evaluated the impact of an electronic health record based 72-hour antimicrobial time-out (ATO) on antimicrobial utilization. We observed that 6 hours after the ATO, 21% of empiric antimicrobials were discontinued or de-escalated. There was a significant reduction in the duration of antimicrobial therapy but no impact on overall antimicrobial usage metrics.
Association between universal gloving and healthcare-associated infections: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chang Nai-Chung N. , Kates Ashley E. , Ward Melissa A. , Kiscaden Elizabeth J. , Reisinger Heather Schacht , Perencevich Eli N. , Schweizer Marin L. ,   for the CDC Prevention Epicenters Program
Published: May 2019

AbstractObjective:Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant burden on healthcare facilities. Universal gloving is a horizontal intervention to prevent transmission of pathogens that cause HAI. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to identify whether implementation of universal gloving is associated with decreased incidence of HAI in clinical settings.Methods:A systematic literature search was conducted to find all relevant publications using search terms for universal gloving and HAIs. Pooled incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random effects models. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Woolf test and the I2 test.Results:In total, 8 studies were included. These studies were moderately to substantially heterogeneous (I2 = 59%) and had varied results. Stratified analyses showed a nonsignificant association between universal gloving and incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; pooled IRR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.79–1.11) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE; pooled IRR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.69–1.28). Studies that implemented universal gloving alone showed a significant association with decreased incidence of HAI (IRR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.67–0.89), but studies implementing universal gloving as part of intervention bundles showed no significant association with incidence of HAI (IRR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.86–1.05).Conclusions:Universal gloving may be associated with a small protective effect against HAI. Despite limited data, universal gloving may be considered in high-risk settings, such as pediatric intensive care units. Further research should be performed to determine the effects of universal gloving on a broader range of pathogens, including gram-negative pathogens.
Characterization of exogenic fulgurites from an archaeological site in Tiedra, Valladolid, Spain
Authors: Martín-Ramos Pablo , Gil Francisco PSC , Martín-Gil Francisco J , Martín-Gil Jesús 
Published: May 2019

AbstractStudies on type-V fulgurites are very sparse in the literature. This work reports on the characterization of natural exogenic fulgurites found at the archaeological site of Cerro de la Ermita (Tiedra, Valladolid, Spain), which was firstly a Celtiberian and then a Roman locum sacrum. Data from X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy suggest that the fulgurites consist of naquite, piroxenes, iron oxides, shocked quartz and neo-formed cristobalite.
Extraterritorial Application of EC Competition Law — Comments and Reflections
Authors: Whatstein Liad 
Published: May 2019

The competition rules of the European Community are set out in Articles 85 and 86 of the Treaty of Rome. The first forbids, as incompatible with the common market, agreements that may affect trade between member states and restrict competition; the second the abuse of a dominant position. Articles 85 and 86 are the starting point of an intricate regulatory system which affects not only naked horizontal cartels and abusive behaviour by dominant undertakings but also distribution agreements, franchise agreements, the licensing and exercise of intellectual property rights, joint ventures and other forms of collaboration between undertakings.This article attempts to denote the scope of the Community's jurisdiction in competition law matters as it is shaped and moulded in the judgments of the European Court of Justice (hereinafter referred to as the “Court”) as well as to evaluate whether the scope of jurisdiction awarded by the traditional jurisdictional tests can be justified on grounds other than legal conservatism.
Political Contracts
Authors: Zamir Itzhak 
Published: May 2019

A new creature has been welcomed into Israel's family of law. While some refer to it as a political agreement, and others a public agreement, I prefer to call it a political contract.It was greeted with curiosity, suspicion, and even disapproval. And, although much has been written about it of late, its character has as yet to be determined. What distinguishes it from other agreements? Is it legally binding, or does it merely draw upon the force of public opinion? Is it justiciable? If binding, does it fall within the scope of private law or of public law? And what consequences attach to breach of the agreement?In this article, I will examine the primary questions regarding political agreements, present the existing case law and opinions, and express my views on the subject.
Coalition Agreements in the Italian Political and Institutional System
Authors: Capotosti Piero Alberto 
Published: May 2019

1. In recent years, negotiations between parliamentary factions in Italy have had an increasing impact on the process of government formation. The frequency of such negotiations and resulting coalition agreements necessitates a more thorough examination of this phenomenon in order to understand the interaction between coalition agreements and government policy.The phenomenon of coalition governments is not a new one. A number of European states have witnessed their emergence since the late 19th century. It is, however, in regimes of extreme multi-party politics — as the Italian system must be considered — that this form of government has found full enforcement.
Coalition Agreements in the Federal Republic of Germany as a Juridical Problem
Authors: Schulze-Fielitz Helmuth 
Published: May 2019

Coalition agreements are resolutions which come into existence for a legislative period fixed by the agreement of two or more political parties. These parties are part of a ‘parliament’, which by a majority vote decides to form and support a government. Such practice, however, can be carried out only by a ‘hung parliament’ consisting of several political parties, each enjoying less than an evident absolute majority, and thus unable to form a government membered by a single political party.Once in existence, the coalition stands as agreed by the parties forming the government. The party members are obliged to co-operate in order to promote the interests of the government of the ‘multi-party-state’, in accordance with the constitution.