bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ethnic disparities in progression to advanced liver disease and overall survival in patients with chronic hepatitis C: impact of a sustained virological response
Authors: Le A. K. , Zhao C. , Hoang J. K. , Tran S. A. , Chang C. Y. , Jin M. , Nguyen N. H. , Yasukawa L. A. , Zhang J. Q. , Weber S. C. , Garcia G. , Nguyen M. H. 
Published: August 2017

SummaryBackgroundChronic hepatitis C (CHC) can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A sustained virological response (SVR) is associated with improved outcomes, however, its impact on different ethnic groups is unknown.AimTo evaluate ethnic differences in the natural history of CHC and the impact of SVR.MethodsWe conducted a cohort study of 8039 consecutive adult CHC patients seen at two medical centres in California between January 1997 and June 2016. Individual chart review confirmed CHC diagnosis.ResultsAsian and Hispanic but not African American patients had significantly higher cirrhosis and HCC incidence than Caucasians. On multivariate analysis, Hispanic ethnicity was independently associated with increased cirrhosis (adjusted HR 1.37, CI, confidence interval 1.10‐1.71, P=.006) and HCC risk (adjusted HR 1.47, CI 1.13‐1.92, P=.004) compared to Caucasian. Asian ethnicity had a significant association with cirrhosis (adjusted HR 1.28, CI 1.02‐1.61, P=.034) and HCC risk (adjusted HR 1.29, CI 0.94‐1.77, P=.025). In patients who achieved SVR, Hispanic ethnicity was no longer independently associated with cirrhosis (adjusted HR 1.76, CI 0.66‐4.71, P=.26) or HCC (adjusted HR 1.05, CI 0.27‐4.08, P=.94); nor was Asian ethnicity (adjusted HR 0.62, CI 0.21‐1.82, P=.38 for cirrhosis; 2.01, CI 0.63‐6.36, P=.24 for HCC). Similar findings were observed with overall survival among the ethnicities by SVR status.ConclusionHispanic and Asian ethnicity was independently associated with increased cirrhosis and HCC risk. Achieving an SVR eliminates the ethnic disparity in liver disease progression and overall survival between Hispanic and Asian vs Caucasian CHC patients.
Blocked and New Frontiers for Trade Unions: Contesting ‘the Meaning of Work’ in the Creative and Caring Sectors
Authors: Umney Charles , Coderre‐LaPalme Genevieve 
Published: August 2017

AbstractMany jobs feature tensions between workers’ own motivations, and the objectives imposed on them by management or economic imperatives. We call these tensions ‘meaning of work conflicts’. We ask whether trade unions can intervene in them, or whether they are simply too subjective to be a credible campaigning focus. We examine two professional groups in Britain and France, musicians and healthcare staff. Among musicians, workers tend to negotiate meaning of work conflicts themselves, seeing little role for unions in this process. This engenders legitimacy problems that unions have had to find ways around. By contrast, in the hospitals sector, there is more scope for unions to campaign over the meaning of work, thus potentially increasing legitimacy among staff and the public. The difference is explained by the more diffuse and fragmented nature of employer structures in music, and the more chaotic set of motivations found among music workers.
Positive Action Towards Gender Equality: Evidence from the Athena SWAN Charter in UK Medical Schools
Authors: Gregory‐Smith Ian 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThis article provides evidence on the effectiveness of voluntary positive action in addressing inequality between female and male careers. The setting is UK medical schools where two natural experiments are exploited. The first is the introduction of the Athena SWAN charter in 2005, whereby 12 UK universities signed up to the principles of the charter. The second is the announcement in 2011 by the National Institute for Health Research to only shortlist medical schools with a ‘silver’ Athena SWAN award for certain research grants. This second change potentially impacts schools that are further away from silver status more than those that were already close in 2011. While there is a marked improvement of women succeeding in medical schools between 2004 and 2013, early Athena SWAN adopters have not increased female participation by more than other schools whose institution signed up later. In addition, tying funding to Athena SWAN silver status has yet to have an impact on female careers, although medical schools have invested in efforts to achieve silver status. Together, these results emphasize the challenges associated with addressing gender equality through voluntary self‐regulation.
Temperamental Anger and Effortful Control, Teacher–Child Conflict, and Externalizing Behavior Across the Elementary School Years
Authors: Crockett Lisa J. , Wasserman Alexander Michael , Rudasill Kathleen Moritz , Hoffman Lesa , Kalutskaya Irina 
Published: August 2017

This study examined teacher–child conflict as a possible mediator of the effects of temperamental anger and effortful control on subsequent externalizing behavior. Reciprocal influences between teacher–child conflict and externalizing behavior were also examined. Participants were 1,152 children (49% female; 81.6% non‐Hispanic White) from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Multivariate growth curve modeling revealed that greater effortful control at age 54 months indirectly predicted lower levels of, and subsequent changes in, externalizing behavior from kindergarten to Grade 6 through reduced teacher–child conflict. An alternative model, in which greater effortful control predicted lower teacher–child conflict through lower externalizing behavior, received less support. Within persons, greater‐than‐expected teacher–child conflict predicted greater‐than‐expected teacher‐reported externalizing behavior concurrently and over time.
Paradoxes of Transnational Labour Rights Campaigns: The Case of Play Fair in Indonesia
Authors: Hauf Felix 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTNeoliberal globalization has moved industrial production to low‐wage countries such as China or Indonesia, fuelling rapid economic growth and rising national income. New employment opportunities, however, have been under‐pinned by poverty wages and inhumane working conditions as states ‘race to the bottom’ in terms of labour rights and regulations in order to be competitive and attract capital investment. Labour agency at the bottom of transnational supply chains is often said to be structurally powerless because of the international mobility of capital. The ‘boomerang effect’ has often been presented as a remedy that increases local bargaining power in the global South by mobilizing consumer pressure in the global North through multi‐stakeholder initiatives or transnational advocacy networks. The problem with this perspective is that it overstates the Northern dimension of this transnational politics and underestimates the local power base of Southern trade unions and labour movements. The incipient debate about Networks of Labour Activism (NOLA) aims to overcome this Northern bias. This article contributes to this debate by highlighting some of the limitations and unintended effects of multi‐stakeholder initiatives and taking a closer look at the Play Fair alliance and the ‘Freedom of Association Protocol’ in Indonesia's athletic footwear industry.
Inactivation of Beclin‐1‐dependent autophagy promotes ursolic acid‐induced apoptosis in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts
Authors: Cao Chuan , Wang Wenping , Lu Lele , Wang Liang , Chen XiaoSong , Guo Rui , Li Shirong , Jiang Junzi 
Published: August 2017

AbstractA hypertrophic scar (HS) is caused by abnormal proliferation of dermal fibroblasts. Thus, promoting hypertrophic scar fibroblast (HSFB) apoptosis is an effective strategy for HS therapy. Ursolic acid (UA) has been widely used as an inducer of apoptosis in diverse cancers. However, whether UA plays an inhibitory role in HS formation is still unknown. In our study, UA was used to treat HSFBs and the cell viability, apoptosis, and collagen synthesis were determined by a Cell Counting Kit 8 assay, flow cytometry, and an H3‐proline incorporation assay, respectively. Autophagy activity was detected by LC3 immunoblotting and electron microscopy, and siRNAs targeting Beclin‐1 were used to inhibit autophagy. Western blotting was performed to investigate the molecular changes in HSFBs after various treatments. We found that UA inhibited collagen synthesis and induced cell apoptosis in HSFBs, evidenced by the deregulated expression of Bim, Bcl‐2 and Cyto C. Furthermore, we demonstrated that UA induced autophagy and inactivation of autophagy promoted UA‐induced apoptosis and collagen synthesis inhibition in HSFBs. Molecular investigation indicated that UA‐induced autophagy through upregulation of Beclin‐1 and knockdown of Beclin‐1 prevent UA‐induced autophagy. Overexpression of Bcl‐2 prevents UA‐induced autophagy, Beclin‐1 upregulation, apoptosis and collagen synthesis inhibition in HSFBs. Collectively, our study demonstrated that UA is a novel agent for inhibiting HS formation by promoting apoptosis, especially in combination with an autophagy inhibitor. Our results provide strong evidence of the application of UA in clinical HS treatment.
What about physical contacts between epidermal keratinocytes and sensory neurons?
Authors: Talagas Matthieu , Lebonvallet Nicolas , Leschiera Raphael , Marcorelles Pascale , Misery Laurent 
Published: August 2017

AbstractRecent studies have demonstrated that keratinocytes closely participate in sensory transduction, and therefore, intra‐epidermal free nerve endings are not exclusive transducers of pain. This discovery implies the existence of close afferent communication from keratinocytes to sensory neurons. Although reciprocal interactions between keratinocytes and intra‐epidermal free nerve endings via soluble mediators are well established, little attention has been paid to physical contacts between keratinocytes and intra‐epidermal free nerve endings. This review proposes to consider the ultrastructural and functional knowledge of these contacts, in both human skin biopsies and keratinocyte‐sensory neuron cocultures to speculate on the possible existence of synaptic contacts.
Acute exacerbation of chronic disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm after tooth extraction
Authors: Hino Shunsuke , Takeda Akio , Kaneko Takahiro , Horie Norio , Shimoyama Tetsuo 
Published: August 2017

ObjectiveTo present a rare case of persistent bleeding from the tooth extraction socket in a patient with chronic disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).BackgroundAcute exacerbation of chronic DIC occurs by various trigger factors.Clinical reportThe patient's chronic DIC in association with thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm was activated by tooth extraction, resulting in persistent bleeding from the socket.ConclusionPatients with chronic DIC may have persistent bleeding following tooth extraction.
Effects of substituting alfalfa hay for concentrate on energy utilization and feeding cost of crossbred Simmental male calves in Gansu Province, China
Authors: Kobayashi Nobuyuki , Hou Fujiang , Tsunekawa Atsushi , Chen Xianjiang , Yan Tianhai , Ichinohe Toshiyoshi 
Published: August 2017

AbstractFrom August to September 2015 (trial 1 [T1]) and September to November 2015 (trial 2 [T2]), the effects of replacing concentrate feed (C) with alfalfa hay (AH) on the daily gain (DG), dietary energy utilization status and the economic advantage of AH feeding for growing beef cattle were studied in crossbred male Simmental calves (n = 18) in Gansu Province, China. The target DG was set as 1 kg for both trials. Animals in each trial were allocated to a conventional feeding group (CTRL), a low‐level AH feeding group (LA), and a high‐level AH feeding group (HA). In a one‐way‐layout design, they were fed iso‐energetic experimental diets comprising harvested corn stover (CS) and C (T1‐CTRL, T2‐CTRL), diets replacing 22% (T1‐LA) or 44% (T1‐HA) of the quantity of C for T1‐CTRL with AH, and diets replacing 13% (T2‐LA) or 25% (T2‐HA) of the quantity of C for T2‐CTRL with AH. Measurements of feed intake and DG, respiration and metabolism trials were performed for 49 and 41 days in T1 and T2, respectively. Average DG did not reach the target value for HA in T1 and CTRL in T2. Energy metabolizability was slightly greater for CTRL than for LA and HA in T1 and significantly greater for CTRL than for the other groups in T2. There was no marked difference in energy metabolizability between LA and HA in both trials. Dietary substituting AH for C did not impair the feed intake of the animals, but it did not improve feed efficiency. In terms of economic feasibility, low‐level AH inclusion in the diets of growing beef cattle appeared more profitable at the 1‐kg DG level as compared with CTRL and high‐level AH inclusion, and should be practiced in the drylands of Gansu Province, China.
Improving adherence to multiple medications in older people in primary care: Selecting intervention components to address patient‐reported barriers and facilitators
Authors: Patton Deborah E. , Cadogan Cathal A. , Ryan Cristín , Francis Jill J. , Gormley Gerard J. , Passmore Peter , Kerse Ngaire , Hughes Carmel M. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractBackgroundMedication adherence is vital to ensuring optimal patient outcomes, particularly amongst multimorbid older people prescribed multiple medications. Interventions targeting adherence often lack a theoretical underpinning and this may impact on effectiveness. The theoretical domains framework (TDF) of behaviour can aid intervention development by systematically identifying key determinants of medication adherence.ObjectivesThis study aimed to (i) identify determinants (barriers, facilitators) of adherence to multiple medications from older people's perspectives; (ii) identify key domains to target for behaviour change; and (iii) map key domains to intervention components [behaviour change techniques (BCTs)] that could be delivered in an intervention by community pharmacists.MethodFocus groups were conducted with older people (>65 years) receiving ≥4 medications. Questions explored the 12 domains of the TDF (eg “Knowledge,” “Emotion”). Data were analysed using the framework method and content analysis. Identification of key domains and mapping to intervention components (BCTs) followed established methods.ResultsSeven focus groups were convened (50 participants). A wide range of determinants were identified as barriers (eg forgetfulness, prioritization of medications) and facilitators (eg social support, personalized routines) of adherence to multiple medications. Eight domains were identified as key targets for behaviour change (eg “Social influences,” “Memory, attention and decision processes,” “Motivation and goals”) and mapped to 11 intervention components (BCTs) to include in an intervention [eg “Social support or encouragement (general),” “Self‐monitoring of the behaviour,” “Goal‐setting (behaviour)”].ConclusionThis study used a theoretical underpinning to identify potential intervention components (BCTs). Future work will incorporate the selected BCTs into an intervention that will undergo feasibility testing in community pharmacies.
Above all, garnish and presentation: An evaluation of Fanny Cradock's contribution to home cooking in Britain
Authors: Geddes Kevin 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe development of cooking on television, and the associated rise in ‘celebrity chefs’ is often seen as a modern phenomenon involving cooks like Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson in Britain. Fanny Cradock (1909–1994) is from time to time credited as a pioneer in television cooking and Britain's ‘first celebrity chef’. However little detail of her career has been documented, despite working as a journalist, radio and television presenter, food demonstrator, writer of fiction, children's books and cookbooks spanning from 1942 until 1986. Cradock was prominent on television between 1955 and 1975, with her final appearance in 1985. Cradock is as often remembered for her colourful character as for the colourful food she presented and her name remains synonymous with elaborate cooking in ball gowns, using copious amounts of food colouring and aspic, and for berating her husband who assisted her on stage, on television, and in print. However, from Cradock's personal archive a far more substantive contribution to home cooking through the development of television cooking and cookbooks, looking at her undocumented ideas and innovations. Additional archive materials and collections of newspaper clippings collected between 1942 and 1982 by Cradock herself shed light on how she was perceived at the time, her role as an entrepreneur and her own ‘brand’ identity. From this documentary evidence, it is argued that Cradock deserves to be much better remembered for her contribution to British food culture.
Other‐regarding principal and moral hazard: The single‐agent case
Authors: Banerjee Swapnendu , Sarkar Mainak 
Published: August 2017

AbstractUsing the classic moral hazard problem with limited liability, we characterize the optimal incentive contracts when first an other‐regarding principal interacts with a self‐regarding agent. The optimal contract differs considerably when the principal is “inequity averse” vis‐à‐vis the self‐regarding case. Also the agent is generally (weakly) better‐off under an “inequity averse” principal compared to a “status seeking” principal. Then we extend our analysis and characterize the optimal contracts when both other‐regarding principal and other‐regarding agent interact.
Identification of glutathione S‐transferases in Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and evidence that GSTd7 helps explain the difference in insecticide susceptibility between B. tabaci Middle East‐Minor Asia 1 and Mediterranean
Authors: He C. , Xie W. , Yang X. , Wang S.‐L. , Wu Q.‐J. , Zhang Y.‐J. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera:Aleyrodidae) species complex includes invasive and destructive pests of field crops, and the sibling species MEAM1 and MED are its two most damaging members. Previous research indicated that the replacement of Middle East‐Minor Asia 1 (MEAM1) by Mediterranean (MED) as the dominant B. tabaci species in China can be mainly attributed to MED's greater tolerance to insecticides. Glutathione S‐transferases (GSTs) play important roles in the detoxification of hydrophobic toxic compounds. To increase our understanding of differences in insecticide resistance between B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED, we searched the genomic and transcriptomic databases and identified 23 putative GSTs in both B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED. Through measuring mRNA levels of 18 of the GSTs after B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED adults were exposed to the insecticide imidacloprid, we found that the expression levels were increased more in B. tabaci MED than in MEAM1 (in particular, the expression level of GST‐d7 was increased by 4.39‐fold relative to the control). Knockdown of GST‐d7 in B. tabaci MED but not in B. tabaci MEAM1 resulted in a substantial increase in the mortality of imidacloprid‐treated adults. These results indicate that differences in GST‐d7 may help explain why insecticide tolerance is greater in B. tabaci MED than in B. tabaci MEAM1.
Saponin seed priming improves salt tolerance in quinoa
Authors: Yang A. , Akhtar S. S. , Iqbal S. , Qi Z. , Alandia G. , Saddiq M. S. , Jacobsen S.‐E. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractQuinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a facultative halophyte of great value, and World Health Organization has selected this crop, which may assure future food and nutritional security under changing climate scenarios. However, germination is the main critical stage of quinoa plant phenology affected by salinity. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to improve its performance under salinity by use of saponin seed priming. Seeds of cv. Titicaca were primed in seven different solutions with varying saponin concentrations (i.e. 0%, 0.5%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 25% and 35%), and then, performances of primed seeds were evaluated based on mean germination time and final germination percentage in germination assays (0 and 400 mM NaCl stress). Saponin solutions of 10%, 15% and 25% concentration were found most effective priming tools for alleviating adverse effects of salt stress during seed germination. Performances of these primed seeds were further evaluated in pot study. At six‐leaf stage, plants were irrigated with saline water having either 0 or 400 mM NaCl. The results indicated that saline irrigation significantly decreased the growth, physiology and yield of quinoa, whereas saponin priming found operative in mitigating the negative effects of salt stress. Improved growth, physiology and yield performance were linked with low ABA concentration, better plant water (osmotic and water potential) and gas relations (leaf photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance), low Na+ and high K+ contents in leaves. Our results suggest that saponin priming could be used as an easy‐operated and cost‐effective technology for sustaining quinoa crop growth on salt‐affected soils.
Antithrombin III prevents progression of chronic kidney disease following experimental ischaemic‐reperfusion injury
Authors: Yin Jianyong , Wang Feng , Kong Yiwei , Wu Rui , Zhang Guangyuan , Wang Niansong , Wang Ling , Lu Zeyuan , Liang Mingyu 
Published: August 2017

AbstractAcute kidney disease (AKI) leads to increased risk of progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Antithrombin III (ATIII) is a potent anticoagulant with anti‐inflammatory properties, and we previously reported that insufficiencies of ATIII exacerbated renal ischaemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats. In this study, we examined the characteristic of AKI‐CKD transition in rats with two distinct AKI models. Based on our observation, left IRI plus right nephrectomy (NX‐IRI) was used to determine whether ATIII had therapeutic effects in preventing CKD progression after AKI. It was observed that NX‐IRI resulted in significant functional and histological damage at 5 weeks after NX‐IRI compared with sham rats, which was mitigated by ATIII administration. Besides, we noticed that ATIII administration significantly reduced NX‐IRI‐induced interstitial fibrosis. Consistently, renal expression of collagen‐1, α‐smooth muscle actin and fibronectin were substantial diminished in ATIII‐administered rats compared with un‐treated NX‐IRI rats. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of ATIII were accompanied with decreased M1‐like macrophage recruitment and down‐regulation of M1‐like macrophage‐dependent pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor α, inducible nitric oxide synthase and interleukin‐1β, indicating that ATIII prevented AKI‐CKD transition via inhibiting inflammation. Overall, ATIII shows potential as a therapeutic strategy for the prevention of CKD progression after AKI.
MMP‐2 and MMP‐13 affect vasculogenic mimicry formation in large cell lung cancer
Authors: Li Yanlei , Sun Baocun , Zhao Xiulan , Wang Xudong , Zhang Danfang , Gu Qiang , Liu Tieju 
Published: August 2017

AbstractMatrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have critical functions in tumour vasculogenic mimicry (VM). This study explored the mechanisms underlying MMP‐13 and MMP‐2 regulation of tumour VM formation in large cell lung cancer (LCLC). In our study, laminin5 (Ln‐5) fragments cleaved by MMP‐2 promoted tubular structure formation by the LCLC cell lines H460 and H661 in three‐dimensional (3D) cultures. Transient up‐regulation of MMP‐13 or treatment with recombinant MMP‐13 protein abrogated tubular structure formation of H460 cells in 3D culture. Treated cells with Ln‐5 fragments cleaved by MMP‐2 stimulated EGFR and F‐actin expression. Ln‐5 fragments cleaved by MMP‐13 decreased EGFR/F‐actin expression and disrupted VM formation. MMP‐13 expression was negatively correlated with VM, Ln‐5 and EGFR in LCLC tissues and xenograft. In vivo experiments revealed that VM was decreased when the number of endothelium‐dependent vessels (EDVs) increased during xenograft tumour growth, whereas MMP‐13 expression was progressively increased. In conclusion, MMP‐2 promoted and MMP‐13 disrupted VM formation in LCLC by cleaving Ln‐5 to influence EGFR signal activation. MMP‐13 may regulate VM and EDV formation.