bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
STAT3 Activation Impairs the Stability of Th9 Cells
Authors: Ulrich Benjamin J. , Verdan Felipe Fortino , McKenzie Andrew N. J. , Kaplan Mark H. , Olson Matthew R. 
Published: January 2017

Abstract
Th9 cells regulate multiple immune responses, including immunity to pathogens and tumors, allergic inflammation, and autoimmunity. Despite ongoing research into Th9 development and function, little is known about the stability of the Th9 phenotype. In this study, we demonstrate that IL-9 production is progressively lost in Th9 cultures during several rounds of differentiation. The loss of IL-9 is not due to an outgrowth of cells that do not secrete IL-9, as purified IL-9 secretors demonstrate the same loss of IL-9 in subsequent rounds of differentiation. The loss of IL-9 production correlates with increases in phospho-STAT3 levels within the cell, as well as the production of IL-10. STAT3-deficient Th9 cells have increased IL-9 production that is maintained for longer in culture than IL-9 in control cultures. IL-10 is responsible for STAT3 activation during the first round of differentiation, and it contributes to instability in subsequent rounds of culture. Taken together, our results indicate that environmental cues dictate the instability of the Th9 phenotype, and they suggest approaches to enhance Th9 activity in beneficial immune responses.
REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON MANAGEMENT OF ADULT FEMALE THALASSEMIA PATIEΝTS WITH HYPOGONADISM BASED ON LITERATURE REVIEW AND EXPERIENCE OF ICET-A NETWORK SPECIALISTS
Authors: De Sanctis Vincenzo 
Published: January 2017

Background: Multi-transfused thalassemia major (TM) patients frequently develop severe endocrine complications, mainly due to iron overload, anemia and chronic liver disease, which require prompt diagnosis, treatment and follow-up by specialists.The most common endocrine complication documented is hypogonadotropic hypogonadism which increases with age and associated comorbidities. It is thus important for physicians to have a clear understanding of the pathophysiology and management of this disorder. Also to be aware of the side effects, contraindications and monitoring of sex steroid therapy. In this paper practical ICET-A recommendations for the management of hypogonadism in adult females with TM are addressed.Methods: In March 2015, the Coordinator of the International Network of Clinicians for Endocrinopathies in Thalassemia and Adolescent Medicine (ICET-A) conducted a two-step survey to assess the attitudes and practices of doctors in the ICET-A network taking care of adult female TM patients with hypogonadism. They were clinically characterized by the absence of pubertal development, or discontinuation or regression of the maturation of secondary sex characteristics, and biochemically by persistent low FSH, LH and estradiol levels. Recently a supplementary survey on adult female hypogonadism in TM was undertaken within the ICET-A network.Results: The completed questionnaires were returned by 16 of 27 specialists (59.2%) following 590 female TM patients over the age of 18 years; 315 patients (53.3%) had hypogonadism and only 245 (74.6%) were on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Contraceptive oral pills (COC) were the first treatment choice in 11 centres (68.7%). A wide range of COCs were used with different progestin contents. In general, the patients’ compliance to treatment was reported as good in 81.2 % of centres. The frequency of required tests for follow-up HRT, in addition to the regular check-up for thalassemia, was variable in the participating centres.Conclusions: Doctors taking care of TM patients should have sound knowledge of the pathophysiology of hypogonadism in adult females with TM. They should know the potential effects of HRT including advantages and disadvantages of estrogen and progestins. Moreover, they should keep in consideration the emotional needs of these patients dreaming to attain a full pubertal development.Key words: Thalassemia, hypogonadism, hormone replacement therapy, benefits and disadvantages
A study of Chinese engineering students’ communication strategies in a mobile-assisted professional development course
Authors: Cheng Li 
Published: January 2017

<p class="Els-Abstract-text">The development of students’ professional skills is an important issue in higher education in China. This research reports a 3-month study investigating engineering students’ communication strategies (CS) while they were interacting to do a 12-week mobile-assisted learning project, i.e., “Organizing and Attending a Model International Conference”. This learning project was a major teaching module of the English course of Professional Applications, which used a blended mode of face-to-face instruction and mobile learning. The two theoretical constructs guiding the current study are Communication Strategies and Linguistic Interdependence. Fifty-seven students volunteered to participate in the study. The instruments included eight oral communication sessions, a questionnaire, stimulated recall interviews, the participants’ WeChat exchanges, etc. Results showed that the participants used a variety of CSs when completing the academic tasks. Moreover, these CSs were closely related to the students’ involvement in meaning negotiation and social interaction. Furthermore, the use of strategies to solve communication problems revealed that the participants employed different strategies at different times when doing different tasks. It is suggested that instructors have CS training tailored to their students’ professional needs. Future research should focus on a longitudinal investigation of the amount of scaffolding that helps students transfer their communication strategies across tasks.</p><p> </p>
Unanswered clinical questions: a survey of specialists and primary care providers
Authors: Brassil Ellen , Gunn Bridget , Shenoy Anant M. , Blanchard Rebecca 
Published: January 2017

Objective: With the myriad of cases presented to clinicians every day at the authors’ integrated academic health system, clinical questions are bound to arise. Clinicians need to recognize these knowledge gaps and act on them. However, for many reasons, clinicians might not seek answers to these questions. Our goal was to investigate the rationale and process behind these unanswered clinical questions. Subsequently, we explored the use of biomedical information resources among specialists and primary care providers and identified ways to promote more informed clinical decision making.Methods: We conducted a survey to assess how practitioners identify and respond to information gaps, their background knowledge of search tools and strategies, and their usage of and comfort level with technology.Results: Most of the 292 respondents encountered clinical questions at least a few times per week. While the vast majority often or always pursued answers, time was the biggest barrier for not following through on questions. Most respondents did not have any formal training in searching databases, were unaware of many digital resources, and indicated a need for resources and services that could be provided at the point of care.Conclusions: While the reasons for unanswered clinical questions varied, thoughtful review of the responses suggested that a combination of educational strategies, embedded librarian services, and technology applications could help providers pursue answers to their clinical questions, enhance patient safety, and contribute to patient-based, self-directed learning. This article has been approved for the Medical Library Association’s Independent Reading Program.
The Lord of the Flaws. The Autonomy of the Artist and the Function of Art
Authors: Schmücker Reinold 
Published: January 2017

In aesthetics a misleading idea of autonomy prevails: art is autonomous because it does not serve any heteronomous purposes. This conviction is deeply rooted in the philosophy of art from Romanticism to Heidegger and Adorno. However, it is not convincing because art is functional in various ways. It can have a variety of very different purposes – including some that the artist does not approve. Against this background, the article focuses on a peculiarity of modern aesthetics which has not been noticed so far: the development of the modern concept of art has made the category of the mistake almost disappear. Works of art are taken to be something given which is not supposed to be examined for mistakes but to be explained and made understandable by the artistic decisions they are based on. By reflecting this peculiarity, the author develops an understanding of the autonomy of art as a normative artistic competence, which is compatible with the functionality of works of art and can help to clarify the social importance of art.
Is There a Transmedial Dispositif? Aesthetic Epistemes and the Question of Disciplinarity
Authors: Grønstad Asbjørn 
Published: January 2017

In this article, I argue that one has yet to acknowledge the extent to which the notion of the aesthetic and its content is institutionally negotiated. A central question that we ought to bear in mind is: does the organization of “aesthetic knowledge” that the traditional disciplines facilitate promote or prevent insight into meta-aesthetic and transaesthetic concerns?
Rural and urban encounters in Reijo Kela's choreographies "Ilmari's Ploughed Field" (1988) and "Cityman" (1989)
Authors: Kukkonen Aino 
Published: January 2017

Since the early 1980s, the solo performances of Reijo Kela (b. 1952) have brought original perspectives to Finnish dance, particularly in terms of how he wanted to dance in close proximity to the spectator and how the lines between art-forms were blurred. In his first large-scale site-specific works, Ilmari's Ploughed Field (Ilmarin kynnös, 1988) and Cityman (1989), he dealt with the relationship between dance, site, and changing Finnish society. They occurred in the heart of rural and urban life: one, in an abandoned field in Suomussalmi Eastern Finland and the other, in the busiest shopping area of the capital. In my article I examine how and what kind of ideas of countryside and city Kela's work manifest. What kind of cultural images they represent? And how they were received at the time of their premiere? The theoretical approach includes Rosalyn Deutsche's ideas of assimilative space and disturbance of space.
Trigeminal Neuralgia Commonly Precedes the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Fallata Ahmad , Salter Amber , Tyry Tuula , Cutter Gary R. , Marrie Ruth Ann 
Published: January 2017

Background:
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a well-recognized cause of facial pain in the general population, and multiple sclerosis (MS) accounts for some of these cases. However, the prevalence of TN in MS is poorly understood. We investigated the prevalence of TN and how often TN is the initial presentation of MS in a large MS cohort.

Methods:
In 2009, we surveyed participants in the North America Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis Registry regarding TN, including date of onset and pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments used. We estimated the frequency of TN and the frequency with which TN preceded the diagnosis of MS. We compared the demographic and clinical characteristics of participants who reported TN with those of participants who did not using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.

Results:
Among 8590 eligible survey respondents, the prevalence of TN was 830 (9.7%). Of these respondents, 588 reported the year when TN was diagnosed. The diagnosis of TN preceded that of MS in 88 respondents (15.0%), and the mean ± SD age at diagnosis of TN was 45.3 ± 11.0 years. The odds of reporting TN were higher in women and those with greater disability and longer disease duration. Pharmacologic treatments were used by 88.3% of respondents; 9.7% underwent surgical interventions.

Conclusions:
In MS, TN occurs frequently and precedes the diagnosis of MS in 15.0% of individuals. Given the frequency of TN in MS, further epidemiological studies and clinical trials to identify effective pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies for TN in MS are warranted.
An early geikiid dicynodont from theTropidostomaAssemblage Zone (late Permian) of South Africa
Authors: Kammerer Christian F. , Smith Roger M.H. 
Published: January 2017

Based on specimens previously identified asTropidostoma, a new taxon of dicynodont (Bulbasaurus phylloxyrongen. et sp. nov.) from the Karoo Basin of South Africa is described.Bulbasaurusis a medium-sized dicynodont (maximum dorsal skull length 16.0 cm) restricted to theTropidostomaAssemblage Zone (early Lopingian) of the Beaufort Group.Bulbasauruscan be distinguished fromTropidostomaby an array of characters including the presence of a tall, sharp premaxillary ridge, large, rugose, nearly-confluent nasal bosses, a nasofrontal ridge, massive tusks, robust pterygoids, prominently twisted subtemporal bar, and absence of a distinct postfrontal. Inclusion ofBulbasaurusin a phylogenetic analysis of anomodont therapsids recovers it as a member of Geikiidae, a clade of otherwise later Permian dicynodonts such asAulacephalodonandPelanomodon.Bulbasaurusexhibits many of the characters typical of adultAulacephalodon, but at substantially smaller skull size (these characters are absent in comparably-sizedAulacephalodonjuveniles), suggesting that the evolution of typical geikiid morphology preceded gigantism in the clade.Bulbasaurusis the earliest known geikiid and the only member of the group known from theTropidostomaAssemblage Zone; discovery of this taxon shortens a perplexing ghost lineage and indicates that abundant clades from the later Permian of South Africa (e.g., Geikiidae, Dicynodontoidea) may have originated as rare components of earlier Karoo assemblage zones.
Nest-site selection, reproductive ecology and shifts within core-use areas of Black-necked Cranes at the northern limit of the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhang Lixun , An Bei , Shu Meilin , Yang Xiaojun 
Published: January 2017

We investigated population dynamics, breeding pairs, breeding habitat selection, nest density, distance between neighboring nests, nest survival, reproductive success, and recruitment rate for Black-necked Cranes (BNC,Grus nigricollis) during 2013–2015 in Yanchiwan National Nature Reserve (YCW), Gansu, China. Numbers of BNC and breeding pairs remained relatively stable at around 140 individuals and 40 pairs. Recruitment rates ranged from 15.7% to 25.8%. The average nest distance was 718.66 ± 430.50 m (2013), 1064.51 ± 323.99 m (2014) and 534.99 ± 195.45 m (2015). Average nest survival rate, hatching success, and breeding success of all 29 nests were 65.56 ± 5.09%, 57.04 ± 6.12% and 32.78% ± 2.55. Water depth, water body area, and distance to land were positively related to nest survival, while disturbance level showed a negative relationship. However, nest site selection of BNC was determined by habitat type, disturbance and water depth. BNC often foraged in mudflats and freshwater marsh but seldom foraged in saline-alkali wet meadows due to food density and quantity in April, the month when BNC choose nest sites. Conservation strategies based on habitats should consider ecological factors that may not be well predicted by nest site selection. Shifts within core-use areas from satellite tracking of BNC demonstrated that maintaining populations demands that conservation areas are large enough to permit breeding BNC changes in space use. Our results are important for conservation management and provide quantitative reproductive data for this species.
Boxer crabs induce asexual reproduction of their associated sea anemones by splitting and intraspecific theft
Authors: Schnytzer Yisrael , Giman Yaniv , Karplus Ilan , Achituv Yair 
Published: January 2017

Crabs of the genusLybiahave the remarkable habit of holding a sea anemone in each of their claws. This partnership appears to be obligate, at least on the part of the crab. The present study focuses onLybia leptochelisfrom the Red Sea holding anemones of the genusAlicia(family Aliciidae). These anemones have not been found free living, only in association withL. leptochelis. In an attempt to understand how the crabs acquire them, we conducted a series of behavioral experiments and molecular analyses. Laboratory observations showed that the removal of one anemone from a crab induces a “splitting” behavior, whereby the crab tears the remaining anemone into two similar parts, resulting in a complete anemone in each claw after regeneration. Furthermore, when two crabs, one holding anemones and one lacking them, are confronted, the crabs fight, almost always leading to the “theft” of a complete anemone or anemone fragment by the crab without them. Following this, crabs “split” their lone anemone into two. Individuals ofAliciasp. removed from freshly collectedL. leptocheliswere used for DNA analysis. By employing AFLP (Fluorescence Amplified Fragments Length Polymorphism) it was shown that each pair of anemones from a given crab is genetically identical. Furthermore, there is genetic identity between most pairs of anemone held by different crabs, with the others showing slight genetic differences. This is a unique case in which one animal induces asexual reproduction of another, consequently also affecting its genetic diversity.
Análise do efeito da plataforma vibratória na regeneração de defeito ósseo
Authors: Daltro Ana Flávia Calmon , Barreto Isabela Cerqueira , Rosa Fabiana Paim 
Published: January 2017

<p><strong>Introdução: </strong>a plataforma vibratória é um equipamento que produz movimentos oscilatórios sinusoidais, que geram estímulos mecânicos e aumentam a carga gravitacional, detectável às células, como as que compõem o tecido ósseo. <strong>Objetivo:</strong> comparar dois protocolos de utilização da plataforma vibratória como terapia auxiliar para a regeneração óssea, por meio de análise histomorfológica. <strong>Metodologia: </strong>foram utilizados 15 ratos, machos, distribuídos em três grupos experimentais: Grupo Plataforma Vibratória 30 minutos (GPV 30), Grupo Plataforma Vibratória 10 minutos (GPV 10) e Grupo Calvária Vazia Preenchida por Coágulo (GCVPC). Em todos os grupos, confeccionou-se um defeito ósseo com 5,0 mm de diâmetro na calvária dos animais. A partir do primeiro dia pós-operatório, os animais dos GPV 30 e GPV 10 foram submetidos ao protocolo de aplicação da plataforma vibratória por 30 e 10 minutos, respectivamente, em única sessão diária, por três dias semanais alternados, durante 15 dias. Após este período, os animais foram eutanasiados e os espécimes processados para análise histológica. <strong>Resultados: </strong>dentre os grupos experimentais, houve maior incremento da regeneração óssea no GPV 30, seguido do GPV 10 quando comparado ao GCVPC, em que houve neoformação óssea restrita à região de borda óssea. Em todos os grupos, a neoformação não reestabeleceu o volume ósseo original. <strong>Conclusão: </strong>o uso da plataforma vibratória incrementou a regeneração de defeito ósseo, com melhores resultados observados no maior tempo de aplicação (GPV30).</p><p> </p>
Bis(aminoaryl) Carbon‐Bridged Oligo(phenylenevinylene)s Expand the Limits of Electronic Couplings
Authors: Burrezo Paula Mayorga , Lin Nai‐Ti , Nakabayashi Koji , Ohkoshi Shin‐ichi , Calzado Eva M. , Boj Pedro G. , Díaz García María A. , Franco Carlos , Rovira Concepciò , Veciana Jaume , Moos Michael , Lambert Christoph , López Navarrete Juan T. , Tsuji Hayato , Nakamura Eiichi , Casado Juan 
Published: January 2017

AbstractCarbon‐bridged bis(aminoaryl) oligo(para‐phenylenevinylene)s have been prepared and their optical, electrochemical, and structural properties analyzed. Their radical cations are class III and class II mixed‐valence systems, depending on the molecular size, and they show electronic couplings which are among the largest for the self‐exchange reaction of purely organic molecules. In their dication states, the antiferromagnetic coupling is progressively tuned with size from quinoidal closed‐shell to open‐shell biradicals. The data prove that the electronic coupling in the radical cations and the singlet–triplet gap in the dications show similar small attenuation factors, thus allowing charge/spin transfer over rather large distances.
Electrospun poly(2‐aminothiazole)/cellulose acetate fiber membrane for removing Hg(II) from water
Authors: Zou Hua , Lv Peng‐Fei , Wang Xia , Wu Di , Yu Deng‐Guang 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACTFiber membrane adsorbent not only has the advantage of ease of handling, but also offers high specific surface area that can benefit the adsorption process when compared with powdered adsorbent. In this work, a poly(2‐aminothiazole) (PAT)/cellulose acetate (CA) composite fiber membrane is prepared by a coaxial electrospinning process, and used as adsorbent for removing Hg(II) from water. The adsorption processes are investigated as functions of pH value, contact time and temperature. The results suggest that the Hg(II) adsorption is preferred to be conducted at pH 6.5 and the adsorption is a monolayer process through chemical interaction. The maximum adsorption capacity in theory is 177 mg/g at 298 K with a very low PAT percentage (6.5 wt %), which is much higher than that of the nanoparticle‐type PAT through conversion. Desorption results exhibit excellent reusability of the composite fiber membrane. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44879.
Finite element method‐based approach for radiofrequency magnetic resonance coil losses estimation
Authors: Giovannetti Giulio , Tiberi Gianluigi , Tosetti Michela 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe simulation and the design of radiofrequency (RF) coils are fundamental tasks to maximize Signal‐to‐Noise Ratio (SNR) in Magnetic Resonance (MR) applications. The estimation of coil resistance, that is, the losses within the coil conductors, which depends on tuning frequency, allows the prediction of coil performance and data SNR. At RF, the conductor resistance is increased due to the skin effect, which distributes the current primarily near the conductor surface instead of uniformly over the cross section. Moreover, the radiative losses estimation as a function of tuning frequency permits a total coil performance characterization, especially for high‐frequency tuned coils when this loss mechanism could be the dominant one. In this work we compared Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations with analytical calculations performed in wire loop RF coils for MR applications. Our results showed that FEM can predict the losses within the coil conductors at 5.7 MHz with a relative difference of <3% compared to analytical calculation, while the relative difference increased to 58% at 127.8 MHz. Concerning the radiative losses, the relative difference between analytical formulation and FEM was lower than 3% at 5.7 MHz, and increasing to 44% at 127.8 MHz. Experimental measurements on a circular coil prototype were also performed at 85.2 MHz and 127.8 MHz, showing a better agreement with FEM simulations than with analytical calculations.