bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Patagonian Eocene Archaeopithecidae Ameghino, 1897 (Notoungulata): systematic revision, phylogeny and biostratigraphy
Authors: Vera Bárbara 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe Archaeopithecidae is a very poorly known group of native ungulates from the Eocene of Patagonia (Argentina), whose alpha taxonomy has remained obscure since Ameghino’s times. It is traditionally considered as a family representative of the Casamayoran (middle Eocene) South American Land Mammal Age, and is thought to be morphologically close to the notopithecids. After studying >200 specimens from several institutions, including all the type specimens, a taxonomic overestimation is established. Out of the six species considered originally as archaeopithecids,Archaeopithecus rogeriAmeghino, 1897 is here recognized as the only valid name and species; subsequent synonymies are proposed and previous taxonomic hypotheses discarded. This exhaustive revision has permitted improving the knowledge ofA.rogeriand, for the first time, it has revealed many craniodental characters, which allow amending its diagnosis and differentiating this taxon from other Eocene notoungulates.Archaeopithecus rogeriis a small-sized taxon characterized by its complete and rooted dentition, which is relatively higher than that of other contemporaneous short-crowned notoungulates and shows ontogenetic variation in size and morphology. The body mass range ofA.rogeri(1.4–2.5 kg) is comparable to those of notopithecids and some small hegetotheriids. The phylogenetic analysis showsA.rogeriis not directly related to any family within Notoungulata, appearing into a polytomy, as a basal taxon of typotherians. The biochronological range ofA.rogeriis adjusted to Vacan (middle Eocene) through Barrancan subages (late middle Eocene); older (Riochican, late early Eocene) and younger (Mustersan, late Eocene) records remain to be confirmed.
Aid Allocation and Targeted Development in an Increasingly Connected World
Authors: Bermeo Sarah Blodgett 
Published: August 2017

AbstractAid donors pursue a strategy of targeted development with regard to recipient states. The determinants of aid allocation have shifted significantly. Industrialized states are increasingly unable to insulate themselves from spillovers caused by underdevelopment abroad. Donors attempt to use aid to decrease these spillovers, targeting developing countries where the effects on the donor are anticipated to be large. Once a recipient is chosen, concern for recipient government capacity guides the composition of aid. Empirical analysis of aid allocation from 1973 to 2012 demonstrates that, while explanations based on security and economic ties to the donor explain allocation well in the Cold War, the post-2001 period is best understood by incorporating a role for targeted development. This framework helps synthesize various findings in the aid allocation literature and has important implications for studying aid effectiveness.
Justification by faith
Authors: DUNNINGTON KENT 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThis article advances a non-doxastic account of saving faith that nevertheless emphasizes the connection between faith and belief. I argue that saving faith epistemically justifies some religious beliefs. I offer an account that is meant to show how faith can play a variety of significant roles it is often purported to play, that is, how a specific virtue of faith can secure salvation, epistemically justify theistic belief, practically justify religious ways of life, and belong to practitioners of different religions. The account also provides an alternative to evidentialist, fideist, and Reformed Epistemology approaches to faith and reason.
Engineering the emergence of norms: a review
Authors: Haynes Chris , Luck Michael , McBurney Peter , Mahmoud Samhar , Vítek Tomáš , Miles Simon 
Published: August 2017

AbstractComplex systems often exhibit emergent behaviour, unexpected macro-level behaviour caused by the interaction of micro-level components. In multiagent systems, these micro-level components may be autonomous agents and the emergent behaviour may be expressed as norms—patterns of behaviour that arise among the agents in response to their environment and each other. These emergent norms may be beneficial (e.g. by encouraging cooperative behaviour), or detrimental, but in either case it is useful to recognize these norms as they emerge and either encourage or discourage their establishment. We term this process engineering the emergence of norms and have identified three steps: the identification of a possible norm, evaluation of its benefit and its encouragement (or discouragement). This paper is an attempt to provide a survey of existing research related to these steps. We also provide an analysis of the approaches based upon their suitability for a variety of normative systems: we examine the requirements for agents to have autonomy over their choice of norms, the degree of observability required in the system, and the norm enforcement methods. The paper concludes with an discussion of open issues.
Characterizing environmental risk factors for West Nile virus in Quebec, Canada, using clinical data in humans and serology in pet dogs
Authors: ROCHELEAU J. P. , MICHEL P. , LINDSAY L. R. , DREBOT M. , DIBERNARDO A. , OGDEN N. H. , FORTIN A. , ARSENAULT J. 
Published: August 2017

SUMMARYThe identification of specific environments sustaining emerging arbovirus amplification and transmission to humans is a key component of public health intervention planning. This study aimed at identifying environmental factors associated with West Nile virus (WNV) infections in southern Quebec, Canada, by modelling and jointly interpreting aggregated clinical data in humans and serological data in pet dogs. Environmental risk factors were estimated in humans by negative binomial regression based on a dataset of 191 human WNV clinical cases reported in the study area between 2011 and 2014. Risk factors for infection in dogs were evaluated by logistic and negative binomial models based on a dataset including WNV serological results from 1442 dogs sampled from the same geographical area in 2013. Forested lands were identified as low-risk environments in humans. Agricultural lands represented higher risk environments for dogs. Environments identified as impacting risk in the current study were somewhat different from those identified in other studies conducted in north-eastern USA, which reported higher risk in suburban environments. In the context of the current study, combining human and animal data allowed a more comprehensive and possibly a more accurate view of environmental WNV risk factors to be obtained than by studying aggregated human data alone.
Mitotic index and morphological characteristics of ovarian small follicles from goats submitted to nutritionally unbalanced regimens
Authors: Rondina Davide , Freitas Vicente J.F. , Bruno Jamily B. , Celestino Juliana J.H. , Santos Regiane R. 
Published: August 2017

SummaryThe objective of this study was to assess the influence of nutritional regimens such as adequate feeding, restricted feeding, and underfeeding–refeeding on the follicle growth and development from caprine ovaries. Goats were divided into three different groups (n = 5 per group). For 24 weeks, goats received elephant grass plus concentrate to provide 1.5 (n = 5) and 0.72 (n = 10) times the energy requirements for maintenance of live weight. Underfed goats were subsequently refed for 6 weeks with the diet of the nourished group (1.5 times the energetic requirements of maintenance). Follicular morphology and morphometry, as well as granulosa cells mitotic index were assessed. Ovarian follicles were classified as small or large preantral follicles, or as small or large antral follicles. Ovarian volume was smaller in animals from both underfed and refed groups than in those animals from fed group. Although no difference in the total number of normal follicles was observed among the nutritional groups, underfed animals presented higher percentages of atretic preantral and small antral follicles when compared with fed animals. Large antral follicles from underfed and refed goats presented a lower mitotic index when compared with fed ones. In conclusion, ovaries from goats challenged with prolonged undernutrition will be functionally compromised, which is characterized by atresia of preantral and small antral follicles and decreased mitotic index of large antral follicles. Refeeding those animals will not recover ovarian function to a same level experienced by goats fed a diet with adequate energy requirements.
Factors affecting storage of Slovak native rabbit semen in the gene bank
Authors: Kulíková Barbora , Oravcová Marta , Baláži Andrej , Supuka Peter , Chrenek Peter 
Published: August 2017

SummaryIn this study, fresh and frozen–thawed semen of Nitra and Zobor rabbit breeds were evaluated for potential inter-breed or inter-male differences in sperm quality traits. Individual male semen from four rabbits of each breed were diluted (v:v; 1:1) in a freezing medium composed of a commercial diluent, 16% of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), 4% of Ficoll 70 and 2% of sucrose and frozen in liquid nitrogen vapours before being plunged into liquid nitrogen. Different motility traits, viability and plasma membrane integrity of fresh and frozen–thawed semen were evaluated in vitro using computer-assisted sperm analysis and flow cytometry. To evaluate the sperm fertilization ability, artificial insemination of fresh and frozen–thawed sperm was performed. Our results showed the effect of breed (P ≤ 0.05) on frozen–thawed sperm viability and plasma membrane integrity. Moreover, individual variability in semen quality among the rabbits was revealed (0.31 to 0.71 among quality traits). Our results thereby confirmed that the cryopreservation procedure could not ensure comparable sperm post-thaw survival for different breeds or males. Nevertheless, correlations between numbers of fresh total motile and progressively moving sperm and several quality parameters measured post thawing were revealed. Therefore, we suggest that the objective assessment of fresh rabbit sperm motility may be an effective indicator of frozen–thawed semen quality. Consequently, regular semen assessment is required in order to preserve good-quality insemination doses from native breeds.
“Giant within a giant”: a case of typical Kawasaki disease with a giant coronary aneurysm and a large coronary thrombus – a rare case report
Authors: Rajasekharan Sandeep , Kalliath Suneesh , Govindan Sajeev C. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractKawasaki disease is a febrile vasculitis affecting young children, which may lead to coronary aneurysms. Echocardiography, although sensitive in detecting coronary aneurysms, has a limited role in diagnosing coronary thrombus. Here we report the case of a 10-year-old boy who presented with typical features of Kawasaki disease with giant coronary aneurysms. His follow-up echocardiogram revealed coronary arterial thrombus.
Kant on Moral Illusion and Appraisal of Others
Authors: Hakim David 
Published: August 2017

AbstractKant’s accounts of moral education, appraisal respect and gratitude each depend on the assumption that human beings see and judge each other’s actions to be morally good. This assumption appears to stand in tension with the Opacity Thesis, Kant’s claim that we can never know if an action is morally good. This paper examines Kant’s discussion of moral illusion to relieve this tension. It is argued that we are required to uphold moral illusion, i.e. to represent others’ actions to be morally good (while knowing that we may be mistaken), due to the duty of beneficence for others’ moral well-being.
A Good Enough Heart: Kant and the Cultivation of Emotions
Authors: Thomason Krista K. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractOne way of understanding Kant’s views about moral emotions is thecultivation view. On this view, emotions play a role in Kantian morality provided they are properly cultivated. I evince a sceptical position about the cultivation view. First, I show that the textual evidence in support of cultivation is ambiguous. I then provide an account of emotions in Kant’s theory that explains both his positive and negative views about them. Emotions capture our attention such that they both disrupt the mind’s composure and serve as a surrogate for reason. As such, Kant cannot recommend that we cultivate our emotions.
Structural and Chemical Analysis of Hydroxyapatite (HA)-Boron Nitride (BN) Nanocomposites Sintered Under Different Atmospheric Conditions
Authors: Bakan Feray , Sezen Meltem , Gecgin Merve , Goncu Yapincak , Ay Nuran 
Published: August 2017

AbstractCalcium phosphate derivatives have been widely employed in medical and dental applications for hard tissue repair, as they are the main inorganic constitution of hard tissue; such as bones and teeth. Owing to their excellent osteoconductive and bioactive properties, hydroxyapatite- (HA) based ceramics are the best candidates of this group for medical, bioscience, and dental applications. However, when replacing a bone or tooth, HA is not able to sustain similar mechanical properties. In this study, to improve the mechanical properties, nanoscale hexagonal boron nitride with different compositional percentages was added to the nano HA to form composites. The effect of compositional changes and sintering parameters on microstructural and morphological properties of the ceramic composites was comparatively investigated. Detailed chemical characterization of the composite materials was carried out using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, whereas scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy investigations were employed to monitor morphological and surface features. Additional transmission electron microscopy investigations were carried out to reveal the nanostructure and crystal structure of the composites.
Treatment of non-melanoma superficial skin cancer with custom-made wax moulds using Iridium-192 high-dose-rate brachytherapy source
Authors: Shah Kamran Ali , Ahmad Habib , Khatak Muhammad Rauf , Ahmad Misbah , Javed Nabila , Shah Syed Jawad Ali , Shaheen Wajeeha 
Published: August 2017

AbstractIntroductionIn non-melanoma skin cancer—that is, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)—brachytherapy treatment is preferred over surgical excision because of cosmetic reasons, acceptability and preference of patients.Material and methodsMoulds are prepared of wax to match the size of the lesion. This represents the area to be considered in treatment planning. A total of 85 patients who had either SCC or BCC were treated, and all these patients were classified on the basis of age, gender and origin.ResultsPatients were treated with 39 Gy in 13 fractions (biological effective dose=50·7 Gy). In 52 BCC patients, treatment achieved excellent cosmetic results in 49 cases, with 17 of these patients experiencing Grade-1 skin reactions related to treatment in the first 24 weeks of follow-up. A single patient experienced Grade-II hyper-pigmentation reaction in the third week. In 33 SCC patients, treatment achieved excellent cosmetic results in 28 cases, with 17 of these patients experiencing Grade-I reaction in the first 36 weeks after treatment. Among the remaining four patients, only one developed Grade-II hypo-pigmentation and one patient experienced tumour recurrence near the primary site. The overall outcome efficacy of the treatment was 98·8%.FindingsThe treatment outcome not only enhances our confidence in brachytherapy but also improves the patient’s satisfaction regarding cosmetic results and curative output achieved by avoiding a surgical procedure for non-melanoma skin cancers.
Constraints, lazy constraints, or propagators in ASP solving: An empirical analysis
Authors: CUTERI BERNARDO , DODARO CARMINE , RICCA FRANCESCO , SCHÜLLER PETER 
Published: August 2017

AbstractAnswer set programming (ASP) is a well-established declarative paradigm. One of the successes of ASP is the availability of efficient systems. State-of-the-art systems are based on the ground+solve approach. In some applications, this approach is infeasible because the grounding of one or a few constraints is expensive. In this paper, we systematically compare alternative strategies to avoid the instantiation of problematic constraints, which are based on custom extensions of the solver. Results on real and synthetic benchmarks highlight some strengths and weaknesses of the different strategies.
Self-employment in Italy: the role of Social Security Wealth
Authors: BORELLA MARGHERITA , BELLONI MICHELE 
Published: August 2017

AbstractUsing a rich micro dataset drawn from administrative archives, we explore whether Social Security Wealth (SSW) is an important factor affecting the decision to become self-employed. We focus on the two main categories of self-employed professions covered by the Italian public pension system: craftsmen and shopkeepers. We use the large exogenous variation in individual expected SSW that occurred as a result of the policy reform process undertaken in Italy during the 1990s to identify the effect of this variable and we study how the probability of being self-employed or employed depends, amongst other things, on the difference in the expected SSW that accrues under the two alternative employment scenarios. Our key finding is that a higher difference in expected SSW from self-employment compared with employment has a positive effect on the probability of being self-employed and on the probability of switching to self-employment, whereas it has a negative effect on the probability of switching from self-employment to employment.
Confirmatory factor analysis of the Beck Depression Inventory–II in patients with advanced cancer: A theory-driven approach
Authors: Tobias Kristen G. , Lehrfeld Jonathan , Rosenfeld Barry , Pessin Hayley , Breitbart William 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTObjective:The diagnosis and treatment of depression are complicated by the presence of a serious medical illness, such as cancer. The role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of depression remains unknown; however, the symptom cluster of sickness behavior is more clearly related to inflammation. Symptom clusters may provide the specificity needed to improve treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study is to use confirmatory factor analysis to examine the construct of sickness behavior in patients with advanced cancer using the Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI–II).Method:Patients (N = 167) were recruited from chemotherapy clinics and the Department of Psychiatry at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Symptoms were a priori delineated using the factor labels sickness behavior and negative affectivity (two-factor model), and affective, cognitive, and sickness behavior (three-factor model). These data were also fit for a more traditional model using affective, cognitive, and somatic factors.Results:The mean total BDI–II score was 14.74 (SD = 8.52; range = 1–46). Fit statistics for all models were good, but the novel three-factor model with sickness behavior provided the best fit: χ2(186) = 273.624; p < 0.001; root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.053; comparative fit index = 0.949.Significance of results:Both the two- and three-factor models provide support for the unique construct of sickness behavior in patients with advanced cancer. High factor correlations with the BDI–II and other measures of distress were observed, which raises questions about theoretically distinct, but related, constructs.
MET/SMAD3/SNAIL circuit mediated by miR-323a-3p is involved in regulating epithelial–mesenchymal transition progression in bladder cancer
Authors: Li Jiangfeng , Xu Xin , Meng Shuai , Liang Zhen , Wang Xiao , Xu Mingjie , Wang Song , Li Shiqi , Zhu Yi , Xie Bo , Lin Yiwei , Zheng Xiangyi , Liu Ben , Xie Liping 
Published: August 2017

AbstractBladder cancer (BCa) is the one of the most common cancers with high incidence, occurrence and low 5-year survival rate. Emerging evidence indicates that DLK1-DIO3 genomic region especially the miRNA cluster in this region is involved in several pathologic processes and various cancers, and miR-323a-3p is a member of this miRNA cluster. In this study, we investigate the function and regulatory network of miR-323a-3p in BCa. miR-323a-3p is frequently downregulated in BCa tissues and three cell lines compared with adjacent non-tumorous tissues and bladder normal cell line (SV-HUC-1). Besides, downregulation of miR-323a-3p is significantly associated with poor overall survival rate of BCa. Methylation of DLK1-MEG3 intergenic DMR (IG-DMR) contributes to the reduction of miR-323a-3p. Overexpression of miR-323a-3p significantly inhibits the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression of BCa. Both upregulated MET and SMAD3 are direct targets of miR-323a-3p, and the knockdown of MET and SMAD3 also represses the EMT progression consistently with overexpression of miR-323a-3p. SNAIL is detected in the last targeted confocal protein of both MET and SMAD3 signaling that trigger EMT consequently. Hence, a miR-323a-3p/MET/SMAD3/SNAIL circuit is established to regulate the EMT progression of BCa. And a mutual regulatory mechanism between miR-323a-3p/miR-433/miR-409 and MET also participates in this circuit. In conclusion, our study demonstrates a novel regulatory mechanism of the miR-323a-3p/MET/SMAD3/SNAIL circuit that is involved in the EMT regulation of BCa, which may be a potential therapy target for BCa.
Discovery of (4-bromophenyl)(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)methanone through upregulating hTERT induces cell apoptosis and ERS
Authors: Cheng Xiu , Shi Jing Bo , Liu Hao , Chen Liu Zeng , Wang Yang , Tang Wen Jian , Liu Xin Hua 
Published: August 2017

AbstractDominant-negative mutants of telomerase hTERT were demonstrated to have selective effects in tumor cells. However, no any effective and highly selective hTERT inhibitor has been developed so far. We focused on developing new hTERT modulators and synthesized a small molecular compound, named (4-bromophenyl)(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)methanone. Our in vitro studies found that title compound showed high inhibitory activity against telomerase, had high antiproliferative capacity on SMMC-7721 cells with IC50 value 88 nm, and had no obvious toxic effect on human normal hepatocyte cells with IC50 value 10 μM. Our in vivo studies showed that this compound significantly inhibited tumor growth in xenograft tumor models. The further molecular mechanisms of title compound inhibition SMMC-7721 cell proliferation by modulating hTERT were explored; the results showed that endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) through ER over response (EOR) activates the expression of hTERT, and then induces ERS, which is believed to be intricately associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in apoptotic cell death, thereby modulating the expression of downstream signaling molecules including CHOP (CAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein)) and mitochondrion pathway of apoptosis, leading to inhibition of cell proliferation.