bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The influence of bat echolocation call duration and timing on auditory encoding of predator distance in noctuoid moths
Authors: Gordon Shira D. , ter Hofstede Hannah M. 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACTAnimals co-occur with multiple predators, making sensory systems that can encode information about diverse predators advantageous. Moths in the families Noctuidae and Erebidae have ears with two auditory receptor cells (A1 and A2) used to detect the echolocation calls of predatory bats. Bat communities contain species that vary in echolocation call duration, and the dynamic range of A1 is limited by the duration of sound, suggesting that A1 provides less information about bats with shorter echolocation calls. To test this hypothesis, we obtained intensity–response functions for both receptor cells across many moth species for sound pulse durations representing the range of echolocation call durations produced by bat species in northeastern North America. We found that the threshold and dynamic range of both cells varied with sound pulse duration. The number of A1 action potentials per sound pulse increases linearly with increasing amplitude for long-duration pulses, saturating near the A2 threshold. For short sound pulses, however, A1 saturates with only a few action potentials per pulse at amplitudes far lower than the A2 threshold for both single sound pulses and pulse sequences typical of searching or approaching bats. Neural adaptation was only evident in response to approaching bat sequences at high amplitudes, not search-phase sequences. These results show that, for short echolocation calls, a large range of sound levels cannot be coded by moth auditory receptor activity, resulting in no information about the distance of a bat, although differences in activity between ears might provide information about direction.
Risk factors for radiation pneumonitis after stereotactic radiation therapy for lung tumours: clinical usefulness of the planning target volume to total lung volume ratio
Authors: Ueyama Tomoko , Arimura Takeshi , Takumi Koji , Nakamura Fumihiko , Higashi Ryutaro , Ito Soichiro , Fukukura Yoshihiko , Umanodan Tomokazu , Nakajo Masanori , Koriyama Chihaya , Yoshiura Takashi 
Published: March 2018

Objective:
To identify risk factors for symptomatic radiation pneumonitis (RP) after stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT) for lung tumours.

Methods:
We retrospectively evaluated 68 lung tumours in 63 patients treated with SRT between 2011 and 2015. RP was graded according to the National Cancer Institute—Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. SRT was delivered at 7.0–12.0 Gy per each fraction, once daily, to a total of 48–64 Gy (median, 50 Gy). Univariate analysis was performed to assess patient- and treatment-related factors, including age, sex, smoking index (SI), pulmonary function, tumour location, serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 value (KL-6), dose-volume metrics (V5, V10, V20, V30, V40 and VS5), homogeneity index of the planning target volume (PTV), PTV dose, mean lung dose (MLD), contralateral MLD and V2, PTV volume, lung volume and the PTV/lung volume ratio (PTV/Lung). Performance of PTV/Lung in predicting symptomatic RP was also analysed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results:
The median follow-up period was 21 months. 10 of 63 patients (15.9%) developed symptomatic RP after SRT. On univariate analysis, V10, V20, PTV volume and PTV/Lung were significantly associated with occurrence of RP ≥Grade 2. ROC curves indicated that symptomatic RP could be predicted using PTV/Lung [area under curve (AUC): 0.88, confidence interval (CI: 0.78–0.95), cut-off value: 1.09, sensitivity: 90.0% and specificity: 72.4%].

Conclusion:
PTV/Lung is a good predictor of symptomatic RP after SRT.

Advances in knowledge:
The cases with high PTV/Lung should be carefully monitored with caution for the occurrence of RP after SRT.
Kryzys modelu zarządzania RAI i jego polityczne uwarunkowania
Authors: Miżejewski Maciej 
Published: March 2018

The crisis of the RAI’s governance model and its political circumstances
The political consequence of the RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana) reform, made by Matteo Renzi’s outgoing government, was the legitimacy of the government and, consequently, the loss of credibility of the public broadcaster. The opposition, criticizing the law, saw in it a serious threat to media pluralism and constitutional guarantees freedom of expression. When the ruling coalitions controlled the RAI, the credibility of the broadcaster, raised by the opposition, was only a component of political rhetoric. According to her, the new media law was designed to subdue the RAI’s full control of the government and create the ground for future parliamentary elections. As a result, the RAI has been deprived of parliamentary scrutiny, so far held by a special parliamentary commission (Commisione Vigilanza RAI), whose influence has been significantly reduced. For many years the polemics of the Italian media system, the so-called duopoly, the dominant position of RAI and Mediaset, are of major importance in the political struggle in Italy.
Quality Control of Serum and Plasma by Quantification of (4E,14Z)-Sphingadienine-C18-1-Phosphate Uncovers Common Preanalytical Errors During Handling of Whole Blood
Authors: Liu Xinyu , Hoene Miriam , Yin Peiyuan , Fritsche Louise , Plomgaard Peter , Hansen Jakob S , Nakas Christos T , Niess Andreas M , Hudemann Jens , Haap Michael , Mendy Maimuna , Weigert Cora , Wang Xiaolin , Fritsche Andreas , Peter Andreas , Häring Hans-Ulrich , Xu Guowang , Lehmann Rainer 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Nonadherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) during handling and processing of whole blood is one of the most frequent causes affecting the quality of serum and plasma. Yet, the quality of blood samples is of the utmost importance for reliable, conclusive research findings, valid diagnostics, and appropriate therapeutic decisions.

METHODS
UHPLC-MS-driven nontargeted metabolomics was applied to identify biomarkers that reflected time to processing of blood samples, and a targeted UHPLC-MS analysis was used to quantify and validate these biomarkers.

RESULTS
We found that (4E,14Z)-sphingadienine-C18-1-phosphate (S1P-d18:2) was suitable for the reliable assessment of the pronounced changes in the quality of serum and plasma caused by errors in the phase between collection and centrifugation of whole blood samples. We rigorously validated S1P-d18:2, which included the use of practicality tests on &gt;1400 randomly selected serum and plasma samples that were originally collected during single- and multicenter trials and then stored in 11 biobanks in 3 countries. Neither life-threatening disease states nor strenuous metabolic challenges (i.e., high-intensity exercise) affected the concentration of S1P-d18:2. Cutoff values for sample assessment were defined (plasma, ≤0.085 μg/mL; serum, ≤0.154 μg/mL).

CONCLUSIONS
Unbiased valid monitoring to check for adherence to SOP-dictated time for processing to plasma or serum and/or time to storage of whole blood at 4 °C is now feasible. This novel quality assessment step could enable scientists to uncover common preanalytical errors, allowing for identification of serum and plasma samples that should be excluded from certain investigations. It should also allow control of samples before long-term storage in biobanks.
Noninvasive Detection of Cocaine and Heroin Use with Single Fingerprints: Determination of an Environmental Cutoff
Authors: Ismail Mahado , Stevenson Derek , Costa Catia , Webb Roger , de Puit Marcel , Bailey Melanie 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Recent publications have explored the possibility of using fingerprints to confirm drug use, but none has yet dealt with environmental contamination from fingertips. Here we explored the possibility of establishing an environmental cutoff for drug testing from a single fingerprint.

METHODS
Fingerprint samples (n = 100) were collected from the hands of 50 nondrug users before and after handwashing to establish separate environmental cutoff values and testing protocols for cocaine, benzoylecgonine, heroin, and 6-monoacetylmorphine. The cutoff was challenged by testing the fingerprints of drug-free volunteers after shaking hands with drug users. Fingerprints from patients who testified to taking cocaine (n = 32) and heroin (n = 24) were also collected and analyzed.

RESULTS
A different cutoff value needed to be applied, depending on whether the fingerprints were collected as presented or after handwashing. Applying these cutoffs gave a 0% false-positive rate from the drug-free volunteers. After application of the cutoff, the detection rate (compared to patient testimony) for washed hands of patients was 87.5% for cocaine use and 100% for heroin use.

CONCLUSIONS
Fingerprints show enhanced levels of cocaine, heroin, and their respective metabolites in patients who testified to taking the substances, compared with the population of naïve drug users surveyed, and a cutoff (decision level) can be established. The cutoff is robust enough to account for small increases in analyte observed after secondary transfer.
Phthalate exposure in Thai children and adolescents
Authors: Sedtasiriphokin Nuttanun , Supornsilchai Vichit , Jantarat Chutima , Nosoongnoen Wichit 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Background
Phthalates are found in products made of plastic. Because of concerns regarding the hazards of phthalate exposure, including endocrine disruption, many countries have regulations to restrict their use in products used by children. However, in Thailand, no such restrictions exist, and data relating to phthalate exposure are scarce.

Objectives
To determine the level of exposure of Thai children and adolescents to phthalates, and study its associations with sociodemographic data and the exposure to potential sources of phthalates.

Methods
Healthy children aged 2–18 y were enrolled into the present cross-sectional study between January 2016 and December 2016 inclusive. Their anthropometric indices and Tanner staging were determined. Urinary concentrations of the phthalate metabolites, monomethyl phthalate (MMP) and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), were determined in spot samples by high-performance liquid chromatography to estimate the level of phthalate exposure. Associations between sociodemographic data, exposure to potential sources of phthalates, and phthalate metabolite concentrations were analyzed.

Results
We included 103 boys and 118 girls with a mean age of 9.4 ± 3.64 (range 2.8–17.1) y and detected MMP in 28.5% and MBP in 88.6%. The geometric means (interquartile range) of urinary MMP and MBP were 3400 (2489, 4642) and 214.4 (164, 279) μg/g creatinine (Cr), respectively. Significant associations were found between exposure to floor cleaning products and Cr-adjusted urinary MMP level (P < 0.05), and paint and Cr-adjusted urinary MMP and MBP levels (P < 0.05). Prepuberty was significantly associated with urinary Cr-adjusted MMP level.

Conclusion
Urinary phthalate metabolite levels were high in a proportion of Thai children and adolescents. Exposure to floor cleaning products and paint is associated with phthalate exposure, and advanced Tanner stage is negatively associated with urinary Cr-adjusted MBP.
Two decades’ contribution of occupational medicine training in Thailand: experience from the foundation with a view toward the future
Authors: Ratanachina Jate , Sithisarankul Pornchai 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
For 2 decades, the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, has served the Occupational Medicine Residency training program in Thailand. Graduates of this program undertake to work in occupational medicine to promote health and prevent morbidity and mortality in the workplace and provide occupational medical services for the working population in Thailand. Qualifying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Medicine in Thailand can be achieved in 2 ways: through a 3-year residency training or 5 years of working experience in the field of occupational medicine combined with an elective 2-month short course. There are currently 159 Thai board-certified occupational medicine physicians. Occupational medicine physicians in Thailand work in both public and private healthcare facilities. A number of certified occupational physicians occupy leading national health positions in various government and academic organizations. Knowledge of occupational medicine is currently essential for undergraduate medical students as specified in the medical competency assessment criteria of the Thai Medical Council. Updating content and incorporating needs of employers are keys to success for Thailand, as a country with an occupational medicine training program in its initial stages. In Thailand, the supply of occupational medicine physicians is still less than the increasing demand. Advancement of health research schemes would contribute to the curriculum. Occupational medicine development in Thailand needs to address challenges in local issues including work in the informal sector, particularly in agriculture, and incorporate standardization and international consistency into the training curriculum and qualifying management.
Innovation, specialization and growth in a model of structural change
Authors: Andergassen Rainer , Nardini Franco , Ricottilli Massimo 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
In this paper we investigate the process of creation and destruction of industries as it stems from productivity increasing innovations and from the induced changes of consumption patterns. In our model industries whose demand increases experience an expansion of the number of intermediate goods and hence of their research effort, while those whose demand declines undergo a cost-cutting restructuring with a corresponding reduction of the number of intermediates. We show that if aggregate consumption is concentrated on high (low) priority goods in the early (later) stages of the economy’s development and spread out more evenly in an intermediate stage, then the diversification of the economy over the development path is inversely U-shaped: a result that is consistent with the empirical evidence in Imbs and Wacziarg 2003 “Stages of Diversification.” American Economic Review 93: 63–86.
Discovering novel enzymes from marine ecosystems: a metagenomic approach
Authors: Kamble Priyanka , Vavilala Sirisha L. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
There exists a massive pool of biodiversity in marine ecosystems. This biodiversity is an excellent source for acquiring an inventory of enzymes that can be used for a variety of biotech applications. This diversity has, to date, not been fully exploited. One major reason being the difficulties that arise in culturing many microorganisms in the laboratory, as opposed to natural conditions. However, advents of newer omics techniques, such as metagenomics have greatly enhanced the opportunity for sustainable resource management. It is in this context that metagenomics is rapidly emerging as an alternative approach to conventional microbial screening. Metagenomics allows for exhaustive screening of microbial genomes in their natural environments. In this review, an overview of work that uses genomic strategies to examine the biotechnological potential of the marine reservoir was explored. These genomic strategies include homology-driven screening of enormous amounts of sequence data and activity-based functional screening of genomic and metagenomic libraries. Finally, the review concludes with an overview of some of the potential challenges and future prospects of metagenomics in bioprospecting novel biocatalysts and bioactive compounds from marine sources.
Antibodies to phosphatidylserine/prothrombin (aPS/PT) enhanced the diagnostic performance in Chinese patients with antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Zhang Shulan , Wu Ziyan , Zhang Wen , Zhao Jiuliang , Norman Gary L. , Zeng Xiaofeng , Zhang Fengchun , Li Yongzhe 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Background:
Increasing evidence has highlighted the role of non-criteria antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) as important supplements to the current criteria aPLs for the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). In this retrospective study, we evaluated the clinical relevance of antibodies to phosphatidylserine/prothrombin (aPS/PT) in Chinese patients with APS.

Methods:
A total of 441 subjects were tested, including 101 patients with primary APS (PAPS), 140 patients with secondary APS (SAPS), 161 disease controls (DCs) and 39 healthy controls (HCs). Serum IgG/IgM aPS/PT was determined by ELISA.

Results:
The levels of IgG/IgM aPS/PT were significantly increased in patients with APS compared with DCs and HCs. IgG and IgM aPS/PT were present in 29.7% and 54.5% of PAPS, and 42.1% and 53.6% of SAPS, respectively. For diagnosis of APS, IgG aCL exhibited the highest positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 21.60, followed by LA (13.84), IgG aβ2GP1 (9.19) and IgG aPS/PT (8.49). aPS/PT was detected in 13.3% of seronegative PAPS patients and 31.3% of seronegative SAPS patients. LA exhibited the highest OR of 3.64 in identifying patients with thrombosis, followed by IgG aCL (OR, 2.63), IgG aPS/PT (OR, 2.55) and IgG aβ2GP1 (OR, 2.33). LA and IgG aCL were correlated with both arterial and venous thrombosis, whereas IgG aPS/PT and IgG aβ2GP1 correlated with venous or arterial thrombosis, respectively.

Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that the inclusion of IgG/IgM aPS/PT may enhance the diagnostic performance for APS, especially in those in whom APS is highly suspected, but conventional aPLs are repeatedly negative. In addition, IgG aPS/PT may contribute to identify patients at risk of thrombosis.
Airbnb and the Hotel Industry in Warsaw: An Example of the Sharing Economy?
Authors: Gyódi Kristóf 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The aim of this analysis is to examine the characteristics of the Airbnb network, to verify the share of Airbnb offers that belong to the sharing economy and to identify the differences between the spatial distribution of the Airbnb network and the traditional hotel industry. The article is based on a unique dataset of web-scraped data on Airbnb listings in Warsaw (Poland), combined with district-level official statistics on the hotel industry. The analysis shows that only approximately 11% of offers belong to the sharing economy (“individuals granting each other temporary access to their under-utilised assets”), while at least one third of offers are provided by professional firms. The Airbnb network shows a strong centre-periphery pattern, with 75% of offers located within a range of 4.3 kilometres from the centre. The spatial concentration of Airbnb offers is strongly driven by their distance from metro lines, while it is weakly related to the amount of living space. On the district-level, the spatial distribution of Airbnb listings is correlated with that of the hotel industry, although Airbnb contributes to a more even spread of tourism in the city. The major contribution of this analysis is its presentation of the size and characteristics of the platform, which is essential for data-driven policy making.
The Determinants of Export Performance of Firms in Selected MENA Countries: Comparison with CEE Countries, Israel and Turkey
Authors: Cieślik Andrzej , Michałek Jan Jakub , Tovias Alfred 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
In this paper, we study the export performance determinants of firms in selected MENA countries, both jointly and separately, as well as compare them with the performance of firms from countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The analysis is based on information about individual firms found in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and World Bank Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS) V database, covering the period 2011-2014. We estimate the probability of exports, while controlling for country- and sector-specific effects, using the probit model. We find that, in both groups of countries, similar variables affect firm export performance. Our empirical results obtained for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and CEE countries indicate that the probability of exporting is positively related to the level of productivity, firm size, spending on research and development (R&D), the share of university graduates in productive employment and the internationalization of firms. State ownership and the perception of corruption by firms are mostly not statistically significant. The results obtained for the two groups of countries are statistically not very different, but enough to have some policy implications, while results for particular countries and subgroups of countries reveal a large degree of heterogeneity.
DSC, FT-IR, NIR, NIR-PCA and NIR-ANOVA for determination of chemical stability of diuretic drugs: impact of excipients
Authors: Gumieniczek Anna , Trębacz Hanna , Komsta Łukasz , Atras Agnieszka , Jopa Beata , Szumiło Michał , Popiołek Łukasz 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
It is well known that drugs can directly react with excipients. In addition, excipients can be a source of impurities that either directly react with drugs or catalyze their degradation. Thus, binary mixtures of three diuretics, torasemide, furosemide and amiloride with different excipients, i.e. citric acid anhydrous, povidone K25 (PVP), magnesium stearate (Mg stearate), lactose, D-mannitol, glycine, calcium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous (CaHPO4) and starch, were examined to detect interactions. High temperature and humidity or UV/VIS irradiation were applied as stressing conditions. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), FT-IR and NIR were used to adequately collect information. In addition, chemometric assessments of NIR signals with principal component analysis (PCA) and ANOVA were applied.
Between the excipients examined, lactose and starch did not show any interactions while citric acid, PVP, Mg stearate and glycine were peculiarly operative. Some of these interactions were shown without any stress, while others were caused or accelerated by high temperature and humidity, and less by UV/VIS light. Based on these results, potential mechanisms for the observed interactions were proposed Finally, we conclude that selection of appropriate excipients for torasemide, furosemide and amiloride is an important question to minimize their degradation processes, especially when new types of formulations are being manufactured.
Repellent activity of monoterpenoid esters with neurotransmitter amino acids against yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti
Authors: Nesterkina Mariia , Bernier Ulrich R. , Tabanca Nurhayat , Kravchenko Iryna 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Repellent activity of monoterpenoid esters (1-6) with neurotransmitter amino acids (GABA and glycine) was investigated against Aedes aegypti by using a “cloth-patch” assay and compared to reference standard N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET). Monoterpenoid esters showed repellent activity with minimum effective dosages (MED) in the range of 0.031-0.469 mg/cm2. The carvacrol ester of GABA (2, MED of 0.031 ± 0.008 mg/cm2) exhibited the highest repellency of six monoterpenoid esters tested in comparison to the standard repellent DEET (MED of 0.009 ± 0.002 mg/cm2); however, the repellent activity of carvacrol-glycine ester (5) decreased 4-fold compared to the carvacrol-GABA derivative (2). The repellent activities of menthol GABA (1, MED= 0.375 ± 0.000 mg/cm2) and glycine ester (4, MED=0.312 ± 0.063 mg/cm2) were similar The guaiacol-glycine ester (6) was 3.75-fold more efficacious than the guaiacol ester of GABA (3). In the present study, we report repellent efficacy of prolonged exposure to GABA and glycine esters of menthol, carvacrol, guaiacol (1-6) as compared to the repellent activities of their monoterpene moieties alone.