bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predicting drug‐induced arrhythmias by multiscale modeling
Authors: Sahli Costabal Francisco , Yao Jiang , Kuhl Ellen 
Published: February 2018

AbstractDrugs often have undesired side effects. In the heart, they can induce lethal arrhythmias such as torsades de pointes. The risk evaluation of a new compound is costly and can take a long time, which often hinders the development of new drugs. Here, we establish a high‐resolution, multiscale computational model to quickly assess the cardiac toxicity of new and existing drugs. The input of the model is the drug‐specific current block from single cell electrophysiology; the output is the spatio‐temporal activation profile and the associated electrocardiogram. We demonstrate the potential of our model for a low‐risk drug, ranolazine, and a high‐risk drug, quinidine: For ranolazine, our model predicts a prolonged QT interval of 19.4% compared with baseline and a regular sinus rhythm at 60.15 beats per minute. For quinidine, our model predicts a prolonged QT interval of 78.4% and a spontaneous development of torsades de pointes both in the activation profile and in the electrocardiogram. Our model reveals the mechanisms by which electrophysiological abnormalities propagate across the spatio‐temporal scales, from specific channel blockage, via altered single cell action potentials and prolonged QT intervals, to the spontaneous emergence of ventricular tachycardia in the form of torsades de pointes. Our model could have important implications for researchers, regulatory agencies, and pharmaceutical companies on rationalizing safe drug development and reducing the time‐to‐market of new drugs.
Stakeholder Engagement for Corporate Sustainability: A Comparative Analysis of B2C and B2B Companies
Authors: Johnson Matthew , Redlbacher Friederike , Schaltegger Stefan 
Published: February 2018

AbstractStakeholder engagement is vital for corporate sustainability for various reasons from securing legitimacy to spurring innovation. While stakeholder engagement is well established in academic discourse, recent studies have examined the effects of customer segments on this engagement for corporate sustainability. Initial empirical analyses indicated that business‐to‐consumer companies are more frequently scrutinized on their sustainability activities than business‐to‐business companies, and subsequently they are more likely to report on sustainability activities. Nevertheless, further approaches of stakeholder engagement, including stakeholder engagement tools, environmental management standards, and various activities, have not been investigated thus far. This paper compares various approaches of stakeholder engagement according to customer segment based on a 2012 empirical study of large German companies. The results show that customer segment has no major significant influence on stakeholder engagement, but rather value‐oriented aspects of firms, including family‐run operations and sustainability values in a company's business, make a difference to these activities. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Stable isotopes document the winter foraging ecology of king penguins and highlight connectivity between subantarctic and Antarctic ecosystems
Authors: Cherel Yves , Parenteau Charline , Bustamante Paco , Bost Charles‐André 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe poorly known winter foraging ecology of the king penguin, a major Southern Ocean consumer, was investigated at the subantarctic Crozet Islands where the largest global population breeds. Blood δ13C and δ15N values were used as proxies of the birds’ foraging habitat and diet, respectively, and circulating prolactin levels helped in determining the birds’ reproductive status. Plasma prolactin concentrations showed that king penguin adults of unknown breeding status (n = 52) that were present at the colony in winter were in fact breeders and failed breeders, but were not non ‐breeders. Circulating prolactin was neither related to δ13C nor δ15N values, thus suggesting that both breeders and failed breeders used the same foraging habitats and fed on the same prey. Plasma and blood cell isotopic values depicted four new relevant biological features on the feeding strategies of king penguins during the critical winter period: (1) 42% of the birds foraged in the distant Antarctic Zone, but 58% fed primarily in subantarctic waters (δ13C), (2) they preyed upon myctophids in both zones (δ15N), (3) individuals were consistent in their foraging strategies over the winter months (δ13C and δ15N), and (4) a higher proportion of females (77%–80%) than males (27%–31%) favored feeding in distant Antarctic waters (δ13C). This study highlights trophic connectivity between subantarctic and Antarctic ecosystems and hence the key role of energy export from Antarctic waters to sustain breeding populations of subantarctic predators, including during the Austral winter.
Response of phreatophytes to short‐term groundwater pumping in a semiarid region: Field experiments and numerical simulations
Authors: Yin Lihe , Zhou Yangxiao , Xu Dandan , Zhang Jun , Wang Xiaoyong , Ma Hongyun , Dong Jiaqiu 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBalancing the water demand between human usage and ecosystems remains a challenge in water‐limited regions where one of the main groundwater uses is short‐term pumping. A 23‐day pumping test was performed in a semiarid site of north‐west China to test the hypothesis that native phreatophytes can tolerate short‐term pumping. The monitoring indicated that sap flow velocity of groundwater‐dependent willow trees began to decrease on Day 4 after pumping and almost fully recovered on Day 9 after the cessation of pumping. Numerical simulations using HYDRUS‐1D were conducted for the period of 1954–2013 to assess the response of phreatophytes to groundwater withdrawal under various climatic conditions. The modelling results reveal that phreatophytes can recover from the stress induced by groundwater pumping because they can adapt to short periods of water stress using physiological and morphological traits and the degree of water stress depends on the amount and/or frequency of rainfall during and after pumping. Therefore, pulsed pumping, under particular climatic conditions, could be used to reduce negative impacts of groundwater extraction on phreatophytes, while still providing groundwater for socio‐economic activities in semiarid zones.
Predicting new‐onset HF in patients undergoing coronary or peripheral angiography: results from the Catheter Sampled Blood Archive in Cardiovascular Diseases (CASABLANCA) study
Authors: Ibrahim Nasrien E. , Lyass Asya , Gaggin Hanna K. , Liu Yuyin , van Kimmenade Roland R.J. , Motiwala Shweta R. , Kelly Noreen P. , Gandhi Parul U. , Simon Mandy L. , Belcher Arianna M. , Harisiades Jamie E. , Massaro Joseph M. , D'Agostino Ralph B. , Januzzi James L. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractAimsMethods to identify patients at risk for incident HF would be welcome as such patients might benefit from earlier interventions.Methods and resultsFrom a registry of 1251 patients referred for coronary and/or peripheral angiography, we sought to identify independent predictors of incident HF during follow‐up and develop a clinical and biomarker strategy to predict this outcome. There were 991 patients free of prevalent HF at baseline. Cox proportional hazard models were developed to predict adjudicated diagnosis of incident HF. Model discrimination and reclassification were evaluated. At follow‐up, 177 (18%) developed new‐onset HF. Independent predictors of new‐onset HF included five clinical variables (age, male sex, heart rate, history of atrial fibrillation/flutter, and history of hypertension) and two biomarkers (amino‐terminal pro‐B type natriuretic peptide and ST2). The c‐statistic for the model without biomarkers was 0.69; including biomarkers increased the c‐statistic to 0.76 (P < 0.001). A score was developed from the model. Patients in the highest score quintile had shortest time to incident HF compared with lower quintiles (log‐rank P < 0.001). Following 100 bootstrap iterations, internal validation was confirmed with Harrell's c‐statistic of 0.77. Use of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and beta‐blockers at enrollment was associated with substantial attenuation of predictive value of the risk score.ConclusionsPatients undergoing coronary/peripheral angiographic procedures are a population at high risk for incident HF. We describe an accurate clinical and biomarker strategy for predicting incident HF and possibly intervening in such patients (NCT00842868).
Local condiments from fermented tropical legume seeds modulate activities of critical enzymes relevant to cardiovascular diseases and endothelial function
Authors: Ademiluyi Adedayo O. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractInvestigation into modulatory effects of local condiments produced from fermented legume (African locust bean and soybean) seeds on activities of enzymes relevant to endothelial function and cardiovascular disease (arginase, phosphodiesterase‐5, acetylcholinesterase, and, ecto 5′‐nucleotidase) in vitro was the focus of this study. The condiments were prepared according to traditional methods of fermentation. Thereafter, modulatory effects of aqueous extracts from the condiments on activities of the enzymes were subsequently carried out. Results showed the extracts significantly inhibited activities of arginase, phosphodiesterase‐5 and acetylcholinesterase, while the activity of ecto 5′‐nucleotidase was stimulated at sample concentrations tested. Thus, the observed enzyme modulatory properties exhibited by the condiments could be novel mechanisms to support their use as functional foods and nutraceuticals for the management of cardiovascular disease and associated endothelial dysfunction.
Assessment of banana fruit handling practices and associated fungal pathogens in Jimma town market, southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Kuyu Chala G. , Tola Yetenayet B. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBanana fruits are highly perishable and affected by different microbial contaminates because ripe bananas are very perishable. One of the most important factors causing great economical loss of banana fruits is postharvest fungal diseases caused by lack of proper handling along postharvest chains. In line with this, the study was carried out to assess banana fruits handling practices and identify the major causal agents of postharvest fungal disease of banana fruits in Jimma town of bishishe market. Assessment was carried out using purposive sampling to select the study area, followed by simple random sampling to collect information on handling practices through observation and interview using pretested questioners. The survey result revealed that losses of banana fruits due to spoilage and physical injury were common problems for all fruit vendors. Practices such as lack of sanitation, temperature management, and improper packaging and transportation problems were identified among the common causes for observed losses. A total of 48 fruits were purposively selected from open market, wholesales and retailers and fruit damage, disease incidence, disease severity and identification of diseases causing fungal pathogen were conducted under laboratory. The highest fruit damage (56.2%) was recorded in sample taken from retailers’ shop, and the associated disease incidence and severity were 54.2% and 34%, respectively. Morphological identification of pure culture revealed that anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum musae and crown rot caused by fusarium spp. are the most important disease causing agents and result in large percentage of fruit loss in Jimma town of bishishe market.
Differential local tissue permissiveness influences the final fate of GPR17‐expressing oligodendrocyte precursors in two distinct models of demyelination
Authors: Coppolino Giusy T. , Marangon Davide , Negri Camilla , Menichetti Gianluca , Fumagalli Marta , Gelosa Paolo , Dimou Leda , Furlan Roberto , Lecca Davide , Abbracchio Maria P. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractPromoting remyelination is recognized as a novel strategy to foster repair in neurodegenerative demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. In this respect, the receptor GPR17, recently emerged as a new target for remyelination, is expressed by early oligodendrocyte precursors (OPCs) and after a certain differentiation stage it has to be downregulated to allow progression to mature myelinating oligodendrocytes. Here, we took advantage of the first inducible GPR17 reporter mouse line (GPR17‐iCreERT2xCAG‐eGFP mice) allowing to follow the final fate of GPR17+ cells by tamoxifen‐induced GFP‐labeling to unveil the destiny of these cells in two demyelination models: experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), characterized by marked immune cell activation and inflammation, and cuprizone induced demyelination, where myelin dysfunction is achieved by a toxic insult. In both models, demyelination induced a strong increase of fluorescent GFP+ cells at damaged areas. However, only in the cuprizone model reacting GFP+ cells terminally differentiated to mature oligodendrocytes, thus contributing to remyelination. In EAE, GFP+ cells were blocked at immature stages and never became myelinating oligodendrocytes. We suggest these strikingly distinct fates be due to different permissiveness of the local CNS environment. Based on previously reported GPR17 activation by emergency signals (e.g., Stromal Derived Factor‐1), we propose that a marked inflammatory milieu, such as that reproduced in EAE, induces GPR17 overactivation resulting in impaired downregulation, untimely and prolonged permanence in OPCs, leading, in turn, to differentiation blockade. Combined treatments with remyelinating agents and anti‐inflammatory drugs may represent new potential adequate strategies to halt neurodegeneration and foster recovery.
Ageing and healthcare expenditures: Exploring the role of individual health status
Authors: Carreras Marc , Ibern Pere , Inoriza José María 
Published: February 2018

AbstractIn 1999, Zweifel, Felder, and Meiers questioned conventional wisdom on ageing and healthcare expenditure (HCE). According to these authors, the positive association between age and HCE is due to an increasing age‐specific mortality and the high cost of dying. After a weighty academic debate, a new consensus was reached on the importance of proximity to death when analysing HCE. Nevertheless, the influence of individual health status remains unknown.The objective of our study is to analyse the influence individual health status has on HCE, when compared to proximity to death and demographic effects and considering a comprehensive view of healthcare services and costs.We examined data concerning different HCE components of N = 61,473 persons aged 30 to 95 years old. Using 2‐part models, we analysed the probability of use and positive HCE.Regardless of the specific group of healthcare services, HCE at the end of life depends mainly on the individual health status. Proximity to death approximates individual morbidity when it is excluded from the model. The inclusion of morbidity generally improves the goodness of fit. These results provide implications for the analysis of ageing population and its impact on HCE that should be taken into account.
The gift of time? School starting age and mental health
Authors: Dee Thomas S. , Sievertsen Hans Henrik 
Published: February 2018

AbstractUsing linked Danish survey and register data, we estimate the causal effect of age at kindergarten entry on mental health. Danish children are supposed to enter kindergarten in the calendar year in which they turn 6 years. In a "fuzzy" regression‐discontinuity design based on this rule and exact dates of birth, we find that a 1‐year delay in kindergarten entry dramatically reduces inattention/hyperactivity at age 7 (effect size = –0.73), a measure of self‐regulation with strong negative links to student achievement. The effect is primarily identified for girls but persists at age 11.
Report on Strategy Theme ‘ON‐FARM’
Authors: Lee Bonghoon , Ahmed Kadhim Mohsin 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) organized four strategy themes in order to realize various missions of ICID: ON‐FARM, SCHEMES, BASIN and KNOWLEDGE. The Working Groups (WGs) under the theme ON‐FARM deal with the application of water at the farm level and the best way to use it to increase the productivity and impacts of application of irrigation water, including its quality at the farm level.After presenting a review of the recent activities of three WGs under the strategy theme ON‐FARM, this report suggests the way forward and recommendations to contribute to addressing ICID's mission as follows: to foster sufficient capacity to the extent that ICID can cope with her mission in the future, it is necessary to foster young professionals (YPs) and to develop their capacity through designating a proper training centre from National Committees (NCs) with the cooperation of donor agency, e.g. UNESCO. In addition, it is important that ICID provide and develop an open international platform to involve all relevant stakeholders of water and agriculture, including the private sector. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
HEALTH RISK ANALYSIS AND SOCIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES OF THE SELF: PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE GETS INTO HEALTH PROMOTION
Authors: Cheek Julianne , Willis Eileen 
Published: February 2018

In October 1994 the then Australian Federal Minister for Health, Dr. Carmen Lawrence, announced that Medicare, the Australian universal national healthcare fund was considering introducing Healthtrac a computerised health promotion program. The change of government in 1995 put paid to this plan, however, lifestyle based health promotion programs, including computerised programs, are an increasing trend in contemporary health care. Research from the United States indicates a growing interest by private insurers and Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) in funding and encouraging members, particularly older members and retirees, to engage in healthy lifestyle programs, some of which provide written reports, periodic up‐dates and checks to members as well as summary advice to employers and insurers.In this article we argue that while many of these programs are well researched programs that take cognisance of the contradictions surrounding scientific research related to lifestyle behaviours, disease and disability, they take a narrow approach to health promotion. Further, in the hands of private insurers and HMOs these programs have the potential to become sociomedical techniques (Stone 1989) of dominance, arising out of risk analysis that informs and refines techniques of governance of the self (Burchell 1993; Rose 1993). Consistent with Stevensen and Burke (1991) we see health promotion not as a new social movement, but as a political strategy of the state and capitalism to deal with among other things, escalating health care budgets. Given this, health promotion strategies that overly focus on risk analysis for the individual citizen reinforce techniques of self‐governance by linking lifestyle behaviour to immorality as well as potentially creating a culture of anxiety ‐ surely a public health problem in itself.
SUPPRESSING THE VOICES OF THE SURVIVORS: SEXUAL EXPLOITATION BY HEALTH PRACTITIONERS
Authors: Easteal Patricia 
Published: February 2018

It has been speculated that the effects of sexual assault on victims are exacerbated by non‐disclosure. It is therefore important to explore the reasons why survivors do not disclose or make formal reports. This paper looks at some of the factors that have stopped many survivors of sexual assault or exploitation by health professionals from reporting sexual assault. A sense of shame is the principal deterrent; this is coupled with other factors derived from the nature of the relationship ‐ the inequality and trust inherent between the patient and practitioner and, in counselling contexts, possibly the added power inequity in transference.For those who do report, their experiences with complaints units, Medical Review Boards and the courts may prove to be less than satisfactory. The article looks in depth at an example of the latter, illustrating how interpretations of consent in sexual assault legislation can be particularly problematic with health practitioner perpetrators. The courts and boards may fail to understand the consent issue and delay in reporting from the point of view of survivors. Consequently, their voices will continue to be suppressed.
Epiproteome profiling of cadmium‐transformed human bronchial epithelial cells by quantitative histone post‐translational modification–enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay
Authors: Liang Zhan‐Ling , Wu Dan‐Dan , Yao Yue , Yu Fei‐Yuan , Yang Lei , Tan Heng Wee , Hylkema Machteld N. , Rots Marianne G. , Xu Yan‐Ming , Lau Andy T. Y. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractCadmium (Cd), a carcinogenic toxic metal, is pervasively distributed in the soil, water and air. Chronic exposure to Cd has been correlated to lung disease development including cancers. Although many studies have been conducted to investigate the proteome response of cells challenged with Cd, the epiproteomic responses (i.e., global histone post‐translational modifications [PTMs]), particularly in human lung cells, are largely unexplored. Here, we provide an epiproteome profiling of human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS‐2B) chronically treated with cadmium chloride (CdCl2), with the aim of identifying global epiproteomic signatures in response to Cd epigenotoxicity. Total histone proteins from Cd‐treated and untreated BEAS‐2B cells were isolated and subject to quantitative histone PTM–enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay using 18 histone PTM antibodies. Our results unveiled that chronic Cd treatment led to the marked downregulation of H3K4me2 and H3K36me3 and upregulation of H3K9acS10ph, H4K5ac, H4K8ac and H4K12ac PTM marks. Cd‐treated cells exhibit transformed cell properties as evidenced by enhanced cell migration and the ability of anchorage‐independent growth on soft agar. Notably, treatment of Cd‐transformed cells with C646, a potent histone acetyltransferase inhibitor, suppressed the expression of mesenchymal marker genes and cell migration ability of these cells. Taken together, our studies provide for the first time the global epiproteomic interrogation of chronic Cd‐exposed human lung cells. The identified aberrant histone PTM alterations associated with Cd‐induced epigenotoxicity likely account for the epithelial−mesenchymal transition and neoplastic survival of these cells.