bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
SEC releases enforcement division FY 2017 annual report: shift in tone and likely approach
Authors: Solomon Matthew C. , Bergen Robin M. , Collins Alexis 
Published: March 2018

Purpose
To discuss and analyze the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) FY 2017 Annual Report, which details its priorities for the coming year and evaluates enforcement actions that occurred during FY2017.

Design/methodology/approach
Summarizes key shifts from FY 2016, outlines the Enforcement Division’s current priorities, and, in view of its stated focus on the conduct of investment professionals and protection of retail investors, provides guidance to the investment management industry as it gears up for the coming year.

Findings
The Report provides insight into changes in the SEC’s approach to enforcement actions, including a general shift in tone suggesting a more measured approach to enforcement and remedies and a move away from a statistics-oriented approach, and a glimpse into its priorities for the coming year, including five core principles guiding the Division’s enforcement decisions.

Practical implications
As those in the asset management industry consider revisions to their policies and procedures for FY 2018, as well as their risk profile more generally, they should keep in mind key insights into the Commission’s enforcement strategy offered by the Report.

Originality/value
Practical guidance from experienced securities enforcement, litigation, compliance and anti-corruption lawyers.
FINANCING STRUCTURE AND FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY OF SELECTED SADC MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS (MFIs)
Authors: BAYAI Innocent , IKHIDE Sylvanus 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACTThis study analyses selected Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in delineating how commercialized financing structure relates to financial sustainability given the need to control poverty through financially sustainable MFIs. The study takes from a recent SADC microfinance survey which recommended financial rescue packages for ailing MFIs to proffer financial sustainability. This survey failed to specify the form of financing which supports financial sustainability in addition to the inconclusive and little evidence in this regard. We note that though the financing structure and the level of financial sustainability varies with countries, MFIs are generally financially unsustainable. A robust probit model framework affirms the role of financing structure on financial sustainability. Portfolio at risk, cost efficiency and costs linked to deposit attraction explain financial sustainability. We suggest the availing of more donations, upgrading risk management and improving cost efficiency to induce financial sustainability.
Systematic review of outcome measures following chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of anal cancer (CORMAC)
Authors: Fish R. , Sanders C. , Ryan N. , der Veer S. Van , Renehan A. G. , Williamson P. R. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAimSix Phase III randomized trials have determined the effectiveness of chemoradiotherapy as primary treatment for anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC), but outcomes reported in these trials varied widely, hindering evidence synthesis. To improve reporting in all future trials, we aim to develop a core outcomes set (COS). As the first stage of COS development, we undertook a systematic review to summarize the outcomes reported in studies evaluating chemoradiotherapy for ASCC.MethodSystematic literature searches identified studies evaluating radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for ASCC. Outcomes and accompanying definitions were extracted verbatim and categorized into domains.ResultsFrom 5170 abstracts, we identified 95 eligible studies, reporting 1192 outcomes and 533 unique terms. We collapsed these terms into 86 standardized outcomes and five domains: survival; disease activity; life impact [including quality of life (QoL)]; delivery of care; and toxicity. The most commonly reported domains were survival and disease activity, reported in 74 (86%) and 54 (62%) studies, respectively. No outcome was reported in every publication. Over half (43/86) of the standardized outcome terms were reported in fewer than five studies, and 21 (25%) were reported in a single study only. There was wide variation in definitions of disease‐free survival, colostomy‐free survival and progression‐free survival (PFS). Anal continence was reported in only 35 (41%) studies.ConclusionOutcomes reported in studies evaluating chemoradiotherapy for ASCC were heterogenous and definitions varied widely. Outcomes likely to be important to patients, such as ano‐rectal function, toxicity and QoL, have been neglected. A COS for future trials will address these issues.
Two cases of hepatopathy and hyperferraemia managed with deferoxamine and phlebotomy
Authors: Gummery L. , Johnston P. E. J. , Sutton D. G. M. , Raftery A. G. 
Published: March 2018

SummaryThe following case report documents the investigation and progression of two cases of hepatic failure and hyperferraemia in Shetland ponies in Scotland exposed to high environmental levels of iron in groundwater, and to the authors’ knowledge describes the first use of deferoxamine in adult ponies. The importance of consideration of serum iron levels in cases of equine hepatic disease is highlighted and it is suggested that reduction in serum iron by phlebotomy or treatment with deferoxamine may be beneficial in cases displaying hyperferraemia.
Dynamics in Copy Numbers of Five Plasmids of a Dairy Lactococcus lactis Strain under Dairy-Related Conditions Including Near-Zero Growth Rates
Authors: van Mastrigt Oscar , Lommers Marcel M. A. N. , de Vries Yorick C. , Abee Tjakko , Smid Eddy J. 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACT

Lactic acid bacteria can carry multiple plasmids affecting their performance in dairy fermentations. The expression of plasmid-borne genes and the activity of the corresponding proteins are severely affected by changes in the numbers of plasmid copies. We studied the impact of growth rate on the dynamics of plasmid copy numbers at high growth rates in chemostat cultures and down to near-zero growth rates in retentostat cultures. Five plasmids of the dairy strain
Lactococcus lactis
FM03-V1 were selected, and these varied in size (3 to 39 kb), in replication mechanism (theta or rolling circle), and in putative (dairy-associated) functions. The copy numbers ranged from 1.5 to 40.5, and the copy number of theta-type replicating plasmids was negatively correlated to the plasmid size. Despite the extremely wide range of growth rates (0.0003 h
−1
to 0.6 h
−1
), the copy numbers of the five plasmids were stable and only slightly increased at near-zero growth rates, showing that the plasmid replication rate was strictly controlled. One low-copy-number plasmid, carrying a large exopolysaccharide gene cluster, was segregationally unstable during retentostat cultivations, reflected in a complete loss of the plasmid in one of the retentostat cultures. The copy number of the five plasmids was also hardly affected by varying the pH value, nutrient limitation, or the presence of citrate (maximum 2.2-fold), signifying the stability in copy number of the plasmids.

IMPORTANCE
Lactococcus lactis
is extensively used in starter cultures for dairy fermentations. Important traits for the growth and survival of
L. lactis
in dairy fermentations are encoded by genes located on plasmids, such as genes involved in lactose and citrate metabolism, protein degradation, oligopeptide uptake, and bacteriophage resistance. Because the number of plasmid copies could affect the expression of plasmid-borne genes, it is important to know the factors that influence the plasmid copy numbers. We monitored the plasmid copy numbers of
L. lactis
at near-zero growth rates, characteristic for cheese ripening. Moreover, we analyzed the effects of pH, nutrient limitation, and the presence of citrate. This showed that the plasmid copy numbers were stable, giving insight into plasmid copy number dynamics in dairy fermentations.
A Proposed New Strain of Avian Picornavirus in Broiler Chicken from Brazil
Authors: Castro Ceyla Maria Oeiras , Chagas Elaine Hellen Nunes , Bezerra Delana Andreza Melo , Ribeiro Aline Farias , da Silva Sandro Patroca , Cruz Ana Cecília Ribeiro , Júnior Edivaldo Costa Sousa , Silva René Ribeiro , Mascarenhas Joana D’Arc Pereira 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACT

A new strain of avian picornavirus was identified in fecal samples from broiler chickens in a commercial farm in the municipality of Benevides, Pará, Brazil. Genomic analysis showed it to have a nucleotide identity of 78.4% with the family
Picornaviridae
, genus
Avisivirus,
and species
Avisivirus A
, suggesting that this is a possible new strain within this species.
Complete and Assembled Genome Sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serotype Senftenberg N17-509, a Strain Lacking Salmonella Pathogen Island 1
Authors: Stevens Marc J. A. , Zurfluh Katrin , Althaus Denise , Corti Sabrina , Lehner Angelika , Stephan Roger 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACT

The genome of
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serotype Senftenberg N17-509, a strain isolated from desiccated coconut, was sequenced using single-molecule real-time sequencing. It consists of a 5.1-Mbp chromosome and a 29-kb linear plasmid.
Divergent Pathogenic Properties of Circulating Coxsackievirus A6 Associated with Emerging Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
Authors: Wang Shao-Hua , Wang Ao , Liu Pan-Pan , Zhang Wen-Yan , Du Juan , Xu Shuang , Liu Guan-Chen , Zheng Bai-Song , Huan Chen , Zhao Ke , Yu Xiao-Fang 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACT
Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) is an emerging pathogen associated with hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). Its genetic characterization and pathogenic properties are largely unknown. Here, we report 39 circulating CV-A6 strains isolated in 2013 from HFMD patients in northeast China. Three major clusters of CV-A6 were identified and related to CV-A6, mostly from Shanghai, indicating that domestic CV-A6 strains were responsible for HFMD emerging in northeast China. Four full-length CV-A6 genomes representing each cluster were sequenced and analyzed further. Bootscanning tests indicated that all four CV-A6-Changchun strains were most likely recombinants between the CV-A6 prototype Gdula and prototype CV-A4 or CV-A4-related viruses, while the recombination pattern was related to, yet distinct from, the strains isolated from other regions of China. Furthermore, different CV-A6 strains showed different capabilities of viral replication, release, and pathogenesis in a mouse model. Further analyses indicated that viral protein 2C contributed to the diverse pathogenic abilities of CV-A6 by causing autophagy and inducing cell death. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report lethal and nonlethal strains of CV-A6 associated with HFMD. The 2C protein region may play a key role in the pathogenicity of CV-A6 strains.

IMPORTANCE
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a major and persistent threat to infants and children. Besides the most common pathogens, such as enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16), other enteroviruses are increasingly contributing to HFMD. The present study focused on the recently emerged CV-A6 strain. We found that CV-A6 strains isolated in Changchun City in northeast China were associated with domestic origins. These Changchun viruses were novel recombinants of the CV-A6 prototype Gdula and CV-A4. Our results imply that measures to control CV-A6 transmission are urgently needed. Further analyses revealed differing pathogenicities in strains isolated in a neonatal mouse model. One of the possible causes has been narrowed down to the viral protein 2C, using phylogenetic studies, viral sequences, and direct tests on cultured human cells. Thus, the viral 2C protein is a promising target for antiviral drugs to prevent CV-A6-induced tissue damage.
Association of dispositional optimism with Life’s Simple 7’s Cardiovascular Health Index: results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) Sociocultural Ancillary Study (SCAS)
Authors: Hernandez Rosalba , González Hector M , Tarraf Wassim , Moskowitz Judith T , Carnethon Mercedes R , Gallo Linda C , Penedo Frank J , Isasi Carmen R , Ruiz John Manuel , Arguelles William , Buelna Christina , Davis Sonia , Gonzalez Franklyn , McCurley Jessica L , Wu Donghong , Daviglus Martha L 
Published: March 2018

ObjectivesMounting evidence links positive psychological functioning to restorative health processes and favourable medical outcomes. However, very little is known about the relationship between optimism, an indicator of psychological functioning and the American Heart Association (AHA)-defined concept of cardiovascular health (CVH), particularly in Hispanics/Latinos of diverse backgrounds. To address limitations of existing literature, this study investigated the association between dispositional optimism and CVH in a heterogeneous sample of Hispanics/Latinos residing in the USA.DesignCross-sectional study.Participants and settingData were analysed from 4919 adults ages 18–75 of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos parent study and the Sociocultural Ancillary Study.Main outcome measuresOptimism was assessed using the 6-item Life Orientation Test-Revised (range from 6 to 30). AHA classification standards were used to derive an additive CVH score with operationalisation of indicators as Ideal, Intermediate and Poor. The overall CVH score included indicators of diet, body mass index, physical activity, cholesterol, blood pressure, fasting glucose and smoking status. Multivariate linear and logistic regressions were used to examine associations of optimism with CVH (Life’s Simple 7), after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and depressive symptoms.ResultsEach increase in the optimism total score was associated with a greater CVH score (β=0.03 per unit increase, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.05). When modelling tertiles of optimism, participants with moderate (β=0.24 to 95% CI 0.06 to 0.42) and high (β=0.12, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.24) levels of optimism displayed greater CVH scores when compared with their least optimistic peers.ConclusionThis study offers preliminary evidence for an association between optimism and CVH in a large heterogeneous group of Hispanic/Latino adults. Our study adds scientific knowledge of psychological assets that may promote CVH and suggests a novel therapeutic target for consideration. Future studies are needed to explore causality and potential mechanism underlying the relationship between positive emotion and heart health.
Patients and hospital managers want laparoscopic simulation training to become mandatory before live operating: a multicentre qualitative study of stakeholder perceptions
Authors: Preshaw Jessica , Siassakos Dimitrios , James Mark , Draycott Timothy , Vyas Sanjay , Burden Christy 
Published: March 2018

BackgroundSurgical procedures are complex and susceptible to human error. Individual surgical skill correlates with improved patient outcomes demonstrating that surgical proficiency is vitally important for patient safety. Evidence demonstrates that simulation training improves laparoscopic surgical skills; however, projects to implement and integrate laparoscopic simulation into core surgical curricula have had varied success. One barrier to successful implementation has been the lack of awareness and prioritisation of simulation initiatives by key stakeholders.ObjectiveTo determine the knowledge and perceptions of patients and hospital managers on laparoscopic surgery and simulation training in patient safety and healthcare.MethodA qualitative study was conducted in the Southwest of England. 40 semistructured interviews were undertaken with patients attending general gynaecology clinics and general surgical and gynaecology hospital managers.ResultsSix key themes identified included: positive expectations of laparoscopic surgery; perceptions of problems and financial implications of laparoscopic surgery; lack of awareness of difficulties with surgical training; desire for laparoscopic simulation training and competency testing for patient benefit; conflicting priorities of laparoscopic simulation in healthcare; and drawbacks of surgical simulation training. Patients and managers were largely unaware of the risks of laparoscopic surgery and challenges for training. Managers highlighted conflicting financial priorities when purchasing educational equipment. Patients stated that they would have greater confidence in a surgeon who had undertaken mandatory surgical simulation training and perceived purchasing simulation equipment to be a high priority in the National Health Services. Most patients and hospital managers believed trainees should pass an examination on a simulator prior to live operating.ConclusionsCompetency-based mandatory laparoscopic simulation was strongly supported by the majority of stakeholders to augment the initial learning curve of surgeons.
Thin-shell wormholes in rainbow gravity
Authors: Amirabi Z. , Halilsoy M. , Mazharimousavi S. Habib 
Published: March 2018

At the Planck scale of length [Formula: see text] m where the energy is comparable with the Planck energy, the quantum gravity corrections to the classical background spacetime results in gravity’s rainbow or rainbow gravity. In this modified theory of gravity, geometry depends on the energy of the test particle used to probe the spacetime, such that in the low energy limit, it yields the standard general relativity. In this work, we study the thin-shell wormholes in the spherically symmetric rainbow gravity. We find the corresponding properties in terms of the rainbow functions which are essential in the rainbow gravity and the stability of such thin-shell wormholes are investigated. Particularly, it will be shown that there are exact solutions in which high energy particles crossing the throat will encounter less amount of total exotic matter. This may be used as an advantage over general relativity to reduce the amount of exotic matter.
Eclogites from the Marun-Keu Complex, Polar Urals, Russia: a record of hot subduction and sub-isothermal exhumation
Authors: Liu Y. Y. , Perchuk A. L. , Philippot P. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Lenses and boudins of eclogitized and non-metamorphic gabbroic and ultramafic rocks occurring in quartzofeldspathic gneisses and migmatites of the Marun-Keu Complex, Polar Urals, are of central interest for the study of fluid-controlled processes in the subducting continental lithosphere. Petrology and mineral chemistry, combined with multi-equilibrium geothermobarometry and phase-equilibrium modelling, applied to mafic eclogitic rocks show a prograde evolution from
c.
685°C, 1.89 GPa and

a

H

2

O

= 0.6 to
c.
745°C, 2.13 GPa and

a

H

2

O

= 1 followed by near-isothermal decompression down to
c.
1.63 GPa. The absence of pre-eclogitic H
2
O-bearing mineral inclusions in garnet and omphacite suggests that the primary magmatic rocks have not been affected by prograde metamorphism during subduction due to the lack of fluid. We suggest that the Marun-Keu Complex represents a coherent crustal block that experienced the same
P
–
T
evolution but provides a metamorphic record of different
P
–
T
parameters because of an uneven introduction of aqueous-bearing fluids during subduction and exhumation. The tectonometamorphic history of the Marun-Keu Complex is best attributed to the relatively hot regime of the continental margin subduction beneath an island arc, whereas the blueschist-facies part of the complex towards the north could be related to the closure of the Uralian Ocean.
Mean-field limits for multi-hop random-access networks
Authors: Cecchi F. , Van de Ven P.M. , Shneer S. 
Published: March 2018

Recent years have seen wireless networks increasing in scale, interconnecting a vast number of devices over large areas. Due to their size these networks rely on distributed algorithms for control, allowing each node to regulate its own activity. A popular such algorithm is Carrier-Sense Multi- Access (CSMA), which is at the core of the well-known 802.11 protocol. Performance analysis of CSMA-based networks has received significant attention in the research literature in recent years, but focused almost exclusively on saturated networks where nodes always have packets available.
However, one of the key features of emerging large-scale networks is their ability to transmit packets across large distances via multiple intermediate nodes (multi-hop). This gives rise to vastly more complex dynamics, and to phenomena not captured by saturated models. Consequently, performance analysis of multi-hop random-access networks remains elusive. Based on the observation that emerging multi-hop networks are typically dense and contain a large number of nodes, we consider the mean-field limit of multihop CSMA networks. We show that the equilibrium point of the resulting initial value problem provides a remarkably accurate approximation for the pre-limit stochastic network in stationarity, even for sparse networks with few nodes. Using these equilibrium points we investigate the performance of linear networks under different back-off rates, which govern how fast each node transmits. We find the back-off rates which provide the best end-to-end throughput and network robustness, and use these insights to determine the optimal back-off rates for general networks. We confirm numerically the resulting performance gains compared to the current practice of assigning all nodes the same back-off rate.
Ensartinib (X-396) in ALK-Positive Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: Results from a First-in-Human Phase I/II, Multicenter Study
Authors: Horn Leora , Infante Jeffrey R. , Reckamp Karen L. , Blumenschein George R. , Leal Ticiana A. , Waqar Saiama N. , Gitlitz Barbara J. , Sanborn Rachel E. , Whisenant Jennifer G. , Du Liping , Neal Joel W. , Gockerman Jon P. , Dukart Gary , Harrow Kimberly , Liang Chris , Gibbons James J. , Holzhausen Allison , Lovly Christine M. , Wakelee Heather A. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Purpose: Evaluate safety and determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of ensartinib (X-396), a potent anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), and evaluate preliminary pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity in a first-in-human, phase I/II clinical trial primarily in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Patients and Methods: In dose escalation, ensartinib was administered at doses of 25 to 250 mg once daily in patients with advanced solid tumors; in dose expansion, patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC were administered 225 mg once daily. Patients who had received prior ALK TKI(s) and patients with brain metastases were eligible.
Results: Thirty-seven patients enrolled in dose escalation, and 60 enrolled in dose expansion. The most common treatment-related toxicities were rash (56%), nausea (36%), pruritus (28%), vomiting (26%), and fatigue (22%); 23% of patients experienced a treatment-related grade 3 to 4 toxicity (primarily rash and pruritus). The maximum tolerated dose was not reached, but the RP2D was chosen as 225 mg based on the frequency of rash observed at 250 mg without improvement in activity. Among the ALK-positive efficacy evaluable patients treated at ≥200 mg, the response rate (RR) was 60%, and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.2 months. RR in ALK TKI-naïve patients was 80%, and median PFS was 26.2 months. In patients with prior crizotinib only, the RR was 69% and median PFS was 9.0 months. Responses were also observed in the central nervous system, with an intracranial RR of 64%.
Conclusions: Ensartinib was active and generally well tolerated in patients with ALK-positive NSCLC. Clin Cancer Res; 24(12); 2771–9. ©2018 AACR.