bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Oral and written picture description in individuals with aphasia
Authors: Vandenborre Dorien , Visch‐Brink Evy , van Dun Kim , Verhoeven Jo , Mariën Peter 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBackgroundAphasia is characterized by difficulties in connected speech/writing.AimsTo explore the differences between the oral and written description of a picture in individuals with chronic aphasia (IWA) and healthy controls. Descriptions were controlled for productivity, efficiency, grammatical organization, substitution behaviour and discourse organization.Methods & ProceduresFifty IWA and 50 healthy controls matched for age, gender and education provided an oral and written description of a black‐and‐white situational drawing from the Dutch version of the Comprehensive Aphasia Test. Between‐ and within‐group analyses were carried out and the reliability of the test instrument was assessed.Outcomes & ResultsThe language samples of the healthy controls were more elaborate, more efficient, syntactically richer, more coherent, and consisted of fewer spoken and written language errors than the samples of the IWA. Within‐group comparisons showed that connected writing is more sensitive than connected speech to capture aphasic symptoms.Conclusions & ImplicationsThe analysis of both modalities (speech and writing) at the discourse level allows one to assess simultaneously micro‐ and macro‐linguistic skills and their potential interrelations in a given IWA. Connected writing appears to be more sensitive in discriminating IWA from healthy controls than connected speech. This method for analyzing language samples should, however, be used in conjunction with other assessment tools.
The Employment and Earnings Gaps between Natives and Immigrants in the UK between 1981 and 2006
Authors: Lemos Sara 
Published: November 2017

AbstractWe exploit the sizeable and long Lifetime Labour Market Database (LLMDB) to estimate the immigrant–native employment gap across gender, across continents of nationality and across lengths of stay in the UK between 1981 and 2006. These estimates are a novel contribution, as estimates for men and women are scarce in the literature and estimates across immigrants’ origins and lengths of stay are as yet unavailable. Furthermore, we estimate the employment gap as the differential in the number of employed weeks in the year between immigrants and natives, which has not been done before – this contrasts with the employment probability gap usually estimated in the literature. We also estimate the immigrant–native earnings gap across gender, across the entire earnings distribution, across continents of nationality and across lengths of stay. Estimates across the earnings distribution are also a novel contribution, as these are also as yet unavailable in the literature. Our main conclusion is that both the immigrant–native employment and earnings gaps vary across gender, continents of nationality and lengths of stay. Immigrant women earn more than native women throughout the distribution. The earnings gap is positive throughout for females: smaller at the bottom, larger at the top and relatively constant in the middle of the distribution. In contrast, it increases monotonically across the distribution for males: it is negative at the bottom and positive at the top. In the main, immigrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Central and South America, and Eastern Europe suffer larger employment and earnings penalties, which are reduced as their length of stay increases. In contrast, immigrants from North America have a more favourable labour market experience.
How Common Are Intentional GAAP Violations? Estimates from a Dynamic Model
Authors: ZAKOLYUKINA ANASTASIA A. 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACTThis paper uses data on detected misstatements—earnings restatements—and a dynamic model to estimate the extent of undetected misstatements that violate GAAP. The model features a CEO who can manipulate his firm's stock price by misstating earnings. I find the CEO's expected cost of misleading investors is low. The probability of detection over a five‐year horizon is 13.91%, and the average misstatement, if detected, results in an 8.53% loss in the CEO's retirement wealth. The low expected cost implies a high fraction of CEOs who misstate earnings at least once at 60%, with 2%–22% of CEOs starting to misstate earnings in each year 2003–2010, inflation in stock prices across CEOs who misstate earnings at 2.02%, and inflation in stock prices across all CEOs at 0.77%. Wealthier CEOs manipulate less, and the average misstatement is larger in smaller firms.
Alcohol Drinking and Blood Alcohol Concentration Revisited
Authors: Dilley Julian E. , Nicholson Emily R. , Fischer Stephen M. , Zimmer Robin , Froehlich Janice C. 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundIt is widely assumed that the amount of alcohol in the blood reflects the amount of alcohol consumed. However, several factors in addition to amount of alcohol consumed can influence blood alcohol concentration (BAC). This study examines the effect of alcohol dose, concentration, and volume on BAC in rats with a high‐alcohol‐drinking (HAD) phenotype.MethodsStudy 1 examined the relationship between the amount of alcohol consumed and BAC. Alcohol‐naïve, male, HAD rats (N = 7) were given access to alcohol for 2 h/d for 9 consecutive days with food and water ad libitum. Alcohol intake and BAC were measured at 30, 60, and 90 minutes after onset of access. Study 2 examined the effects of altering alcohol dose, concentration, and volume on BAC (as measured by area under the curve). Alcohol‐naïve, male, HAD rats (N = 39) were infused, via an intragastric cannulus, with 1.16, 2.44, or 3.38 g alcohol/kg body weight (BW), produced by varying alcohol volume while holding concentration constant or by holding volume constant while varying concentration. Other rats were infused with 10, 15, or 20% v/v alcohol solutions while holding dose constant.ResultsBAC was more strongly correlated with the ratio of alcohol intake (g/kg BW) to total fluid intake (mls) (R = 0.85 to 0.97, p < 0.05 to p < 0.001) than it was with the amount of alcohol consumed (g/kg BW) (R = 0.70 to 0.81, p < 0.05). No effect of alcohol dose was seen during the first hour following the onset of an alcohol infusion regardless of whether dose was achieved by altering alcohol volume or concentration. After 1 hour, higher alcohol doses were predictive of greater BACs.ConclusionsThe fact that a 3‐fold difference in alcohol dose did not result in significant differences in BACs during the first 30 minutes after ingestion of alcohol has potentially important implications for interpretation of studies that measure alcohol‐sensitive end points during this time.
Role of Gut‐Derived Endotoxin on Type I Collagen Production in the Rat Pancreas After Chronic Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Li Hongyan , Xiu Ming , Wang Shuhua , Brigstock David R. , Sun Li , Qu Limei , Gao Runping 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundPancreatic fibrosis is a key pathological feature of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP). Bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is considered as an important cofactor in the fibrogenesis of ACP. However, there are limitations in the use of exogenous LPS for evaluating the role of endotoxin in ACP pathogenesis. In this study, we determined the relationship between the concentration of LPS in the portal vein and pancreatic type I collagen (Col1) content in chronic alcohol‐fed rats.MethodsMale Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 2 groups and fed with Lieber–DeCarli isocaloric control (CON) liquid diet or ethanol (EtOH) (15 g/kg/d) liquid diet. Eleven CON or EtOH rats were euthanized at the end of week 8, 9, or 10. The plasma LPS from portal vein was determined. Pancreatic inflammatory injury and fibrosis were assessed. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and macrophages were identified; pancreatic type I collagen alpha 1 (Col1A1) and Toll‐like receptor (TLR4) mRNA and protein were examined; pancreatic chemokines and transforming growth factor‐beta1 (TGF‐β1) were determined.ResultsPancreatic inflammatory scores were increased in 10‐week EtOH rats compared with CON rats, but there was no significant difference in collagen deposition between 2 groups. The levels of portal vein LPS and pancreatic TLR4 and Col1A1 mRNA and protein were increased in a time‐dependent fashion in EtOH rats, with the highest levels occurring at 10 weeks. Additionally, by 8 weeks, pancreatic TLR4 and Col1A1 mRNA in EtOH rats were statistically increased as compared to CON rats, whereas portal vein LPS remained unchanged. The number of PSCs and macrophages and expression of chemokines (MCP‐1, MIP‐1α, and RANTES), TGF‐β1, or Col1A1 were significantly increased, each of which was positively correlated with the level of portal vein LPS in 10‐week EtOH rats.ConclusionsThese results suggest that LPS is associated with alcohol‐induced fibrosis in pancreatitis and targeting of bacterial endotoxin may be a promising therapeutic strategy for ACP.
Harmonization of food trade standards and regulations in ASEAN: the case of Malaysia's food imports
Authors: Devadason Evelyn S. , Chandran VGR , Kalirajan Kaliappa 
Published: November 2017

AbstractRegulatory heterogeneity continues to be identified as a challenge for food trade in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the progress of harmonization of food standards among member states remains slow. Using a new and comprehensive database on nontariff measures (NTMs), this article examines the coverage, frequency, and diversity of NTMs for the food sector in Malaysia, and then estimates their impact on food imports from ASEAN. The food sector in Malaysia is found to be highly regulated, dominated by technical measures, namely, labeling for sanitary and phytosanitary and technical barriers to trade reasons, product quality, and restricted substances. The empirical results subsequently verify that, overall, technical measures are import restrictive. This article therefore contends that harmonization of food standards and regulations at the regional level is important for enhancing trade. However, building common ground for food safety regulations should be NTM‐ and sector‐specific, to realize progress in terms of regulatory convergence. This is particularly true for the food sector, since complete harmonization is not practical and not politically feasible.
The panorama of cerebral palsy in Sweden part XII shows that patterns changed in the birth years 2007–2010
Authors: Himmelmann K , Uvebrant P 
Published: November 2017

AbstractAimThis was the 12th population‐based study to explore the epidemiology of cerebral palsy (CP) in western Sweden.MethodsFrom 2007 to 2010, there were 104 713 live births in the area. We analysed the birth characteristics, aetiology and neuroimaging findings, calculated the prevalence and compared the results with previous study cohorts.ResultsCerebral palsy was found in 205 children, corresponding to a crude prevalence of 1.96 per 1000 live births. The gestational age‐specific prevalence for <28 gestational weeks was 59.0 per 1000 live births, 45.7 for 28–31 weeks, 6.0 for 32–36 weeks and 1.2 for >36 weeks. Hemiplegia accounted for 44%, diplegia for 34%, tetraplegia for 5%, dyskinetic CP for 12% and ataxia for 3%. Neuroimaging showed maldevelopment in 12%, white matter lesions in 49%, cortical/subcortical lesions in 15% and basal ganglia lesions in 11%. The aetiology was considered prenatal in 38%, peri/neonatal in 38% and remained unclassified in 24%. CP due to term or near‐term asphyxia had decreased.ConclusionA nonsignificant decrease in CP prevalence was seen in term‐born children. Hemiplegia was still the most prevalent CP type, while the prevalence of dyskinetic CP had decreased. One in two children had white matter lesions, indicating late second‐ or early third‐trimester timing.
STATE‐OWNED ENTERPRISES IN GREECE: THE EVOLUTION OF A PARADIGM 1996–2016
Authors: LAMPROPOULOU Manto 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACTThis paper provides an overview of the major State‐Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in Greece with the aim of identifying the key features of the dominant paradigm and the critical turning points in its evolution. The process of SOEs’ reform is analysed with reference to corporatization, restructuring, privatization and liberalization policies. Drawing on theoretical and empirical evidence, the paper explores the impact of these reforms on the ownership, governance and public mission of SOEs, also addressing their current social and economic role. The hypothesis of a ‘paradigm shift’ is tested within the changing context of government intervention, market structure, management relationships, public service and control and accountability of SOEs. The case studies include 15 major enterprises in key economic‐industrial and utility sectors. The paper concludes that over the past two decades the SOE sector has shifted towards new governance and organizational patterns that have substantially affected the traditional SOE paradigm.
Functional Characterization of 22 CYP3A4 Protein Variants to Metabolize Ibrutinib In Vitro
Authors: Xu Ren‐ai , Wen Jian , Tang Pengfei , Wang Chenchen , Xie Saili , Zhang Bo‐wen , Zhou Quan , Cai Jian‐ping , Hu Guo‐xin 
Published: November 2017

AbstractCytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is quantitatively the most important P450 enzyme in adults. It is suggested that CYP3A4 genetic polymorphisms may influence the rate of the metabolism and elimination of CYP3A4 substrates in human beings. Ibrutinib is an anticancer drug and primarily metabolized by CYP3A4. The aim of this study was to systematically investigate the effects of 22 CYP3A4 protein variants on the metabolism of ibrutinib in vitro. When compared with wild‐type CYP3A4.1, two variants (CYP3A4.17 and CYP3A4.24) had no detectable enzyme activity; five variants (CYP3A4.10, .11, .18, .23 and .33) exhibited no significant differences; another five variants (CYP3A4.3, .4, .9, .19 and .34) showed increased intrinsic clearance values, while the remaining nine variants (CYP3A4.2, .5, .14, .15, .16, .28, .29, .31 and .32) displayed decreased enzymatic activities in different degrees. As the first study of 22 CYP3A4 protein variants in ibrutinib metabolism, these comprehensive data may help in the clinical assessment of the metabolism and elimination of ibrutinib and also offer a reference to the personalized treatment of ibrutinib in clinic.
Evaluation of the Influence of Three Newly Developed Bispyridinium Anti‐nicotinic Compounds (MB408, MB442, MB444) on the Efficacy of Antidotal Treatment of Nerve Agent Poisoning in Mice
Authors: Kassa Jiri , Timperley Christopher M. , Bird Mike , Williams Rebecca L. , Green A. Christopher , Tattersall John E. H. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe influence of three newly developed bispyridinium antinicotinic compounds (the non‐oximes MB408, MB442 and MB444) on the therapeutic efficacy of a standard antidotal treatment (atropine in combination with an oxime) of acute poisoning by the organophosphorus nerve agents tabun and soman was studied in mice. The therapeutic efficacy of atropine in combination with an oxime with or without one of the bispyridinium non‐oximes was evaluated by determination of the LD50 values of the nerve agents and measurement of the survival time after supralethal poisoning. Addition of all the tested non‐oximes increased significantly the therapeutic efficacy of atropine in combination with an oxime against tabun poisoning. They also positively influenced the number of surviving mice 6 hr after supralethal poisoning with tabun. However, they were only slightly effective for the treatment of soman poisoning. The benefit of the tested bispyridinium non‐oximes was dose‐dependent. To conclude, the addition of bispyridinium non‐oximes to the standard antidotal treatment of acute poisoning with tabun was beneficial regardless of the chosen non‐oxime, but only slightly beneficial in the case of soman poisoning.
Integrated Powered Density: Screening Ultrahigh Dimensional Covariates with Survival Outcomes
Authors: Hong Hyokyoung G. , Chen Xuerong , Christiani David C. , Li Yi 
Published: November 2017

Summary
Modern biomedical studies have yielded abundant survival data with high-throughput predictors. Variable screening is a crucial first step in analyzing such data, for the purpose of identifying predictive biomarkers, understanding biological mechanisms, and making accurate predictions. To nonparametrically quantify the relevance of each candidate variable to the survival outcome, we propose integrated powered density (IPOD), which compares the differences in the covariate-stratified distribution functions. The proposed new class of statistics, with a flexible weighting scheme, is general and includes the Kolmogorov statistic as a special case. Moreover, the method does not rely on rigid regression model assumptions and can be easily implemented. We show that our method possesses sure screening properties, and confirm the utility of the proposal with extensive simulation studies. We apply the method to analyze a multiple myeloma study on detecting gene signatures for cancer patients’ survival.
How Can New Players Establish Themselves in Highly Institutionalized Labour Markets? A Belgian Case Study in the Area of Project‐Based Work
Authors: Xhauflair Virginie , Huybrechts Benjamin , Pichault François 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHow can new players seeking to serve nonstandard worker categories (such as project‐based workers) establish themselves into labour markets that are highly institutionalized? This paper explores the case of SMart, a Belgian community‐based labour market intermediary that successfully developed solutions to better represent the interests of project‐based workers and secure their discontinuous careers. Using an organizational legitimacy approach, we find that labour market entry and growth involve different types of boundary‐crossing when addressing the needs of workers that do not fit into established categories. However, to justify boundary‐crossing, the new player must complement its pragmatic work on delivering new services and tools with conceptual (cognitive) and structural (moral) legitimation work.
Sociology as Moral Philosophy (and Vice Versa)
Authors: Vandenberghe Frédéric 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIn this article, I want to make an attempt to reconnect sociology to moral philosophy and moral philosophy to sociology. The thesis I want to defend is that sociology continues by other means the venerable tradition of practical and moral philosophy. Like its forebears, it stands and falls with a defense of “practical wisdom” (Aristotle) and “practical reason” (Kant). The development of a moral sociology presupposes, however, that one recognizes and rejects Max Weber's theory of axiological neutrality as an extremist position and that one carefully articulates prescriptive and descriptive, internal and external, as well as observer and actor positions.
Values on Paper, in the Head, and in Action: On Max Weber and Value Freedom Today
Authors: Betta Michela , Swedberg Richard 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis article starts out with a summary of Weber's views on value freedom, by emphasizing: (1) that value freedom constitutes a special constellation of values; and (2) that value freedom makes it possible for the social scientist to theorize on the basis of new and more extensive knowledge than if she had simply stated her own values and focused the analysis around these. The latter point emerges most clearly in Weber's instructions for how a social scientist should proceed when carrying out an analysis of her own preferred social policy. After the section on Weber's views on value freedom, an attempt is made to update his views. This is done by arguing that the impact of values (and value freedom) differs, depending on where these can be found: on paper, in the head of the social scientist, or in her actions. “Actions,” in the context of value freedom, refer to the research process and especially to the element of theorizing. Value freedom helps to guide the research into new and fruitful directions and to steer it clear of propaganda.
How Terrorism Affects Attitudes toward Democracy: Tunisia in 2015
Authors: Andersen Robert , Brym Robert 
Published: November 2017

AbstractTunisia is the only country that emerged from the Arab Spring as a democracy. However, Tunisian democracy is threatened by political divisions, economic problems, and the threat of terrorist attacks. We shed light on Tunisia's democratic prospects by examining (1) the degree to which major terrorist attacks in 2015 influenced Tunisian public opinion on democracy and (2) the extent to which preference for a democratic system affected opinions on the prospects for democracy in Tunisia. We use data from three waves of a nationwide survey conducted just before and just after Tunisia's first major terrorist attack, and just after the country's second major terrorist attack. We demonstrate that after the attacks the Tunisian public became less favourable toward democracy and less optimistic that Tunisia would soon be ready for it. Such scepticism was widespread, affecting people who preferred democracy as much as those who did not. We conclude that the prospects for Tunisian democracy are more precarious than is sometimes assumed.
Xanthohumol inhibits angiogenesis by suppressing nuclear factor‐κB activation in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Saito Kenta , Matsuo Yoichi , Imafuji Hiroyuki , Okubo Tomotaka , Maeda Yuzo , Sato Takafumi , Shamoto Tomoya , Tsuboi Ken , Morimoto Mamoru , Takahashi Hiroki , Ishiguro Hideyuki , Takiguchi Shuji 
Published: November 2017

Xantohumol, a prenylated chalcone from hops (Humulus lupulus L.), has been shown to inhibit proliferation in some cancers. However, little is known regarding the effects of xanthohumol in pancreatic cancer. We have previously reported that activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) plays a key role in angiogenesis in pancreatic cancer. In this study, we investigated whether xanthohumol inhibited angiogenesis by blocking NF‐κB activation in pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo. We initially confirmed that xanthohumol significantly inhibited proliferation and NF‐κB activation in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Next, we demonstrated that xanthohumol significantly suppressed the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) at both the mRNA and protein levels in pancreatic cancer cell lines. We also found that coculture with BxPC‐3 cells significantly enhanced tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and treatment with xanthohumol significantly blocked this effect. In vivo, the volume of BxPC‐3 subcutaneous xenograft tumors was significantly reduced in mice treated with weekly intraperitoneal injections of xanthohumol. Immunohistochemistry revealed that xanthohumol inhibited Ki‐67 expression, CD31‐positive microvessel density, NF‐κB p65 expression, and VEGF and IL‐8 levels. Taken together, these results showed, for the first time, that xanthohumol inhibited angiogenesis by suppressing NF‐κB activity in pancreatic cancer. Accordingly, xanthohumol may represent a novel therapeutic agent for the management of pancreatic cancer.
Discovery of a novel class of pyridine derivatives that selectively inhibits mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 2
Authors: Wang Fangying , Li Zhuoling , Zhang Tao , Yan Guoyi , Hu Mingxing , Zhao Lifeng , Zhao Yinglan , Chen Yuanwei 
Published: November 2017

This paper presents synthesis and structure–activity relationship of pyridine derivatives as inhibitors of mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2). A series of 2,4,6‐trisubstituted pyridine derivatives have been prepared and evaluated in vitro. Among these compounds, 14n exhibited excellent inhibition activity with the IC50 of 54.6 nm, which is approximately onefold improvement compared to drug candidate AG‐221 (Enasidenib) that is in Phase III trial. Exquisite selectivity of 14n for IDH2 R140Q mutant isoform was demonstrated by the poor activity against the wild‐type IDH1 and IDH2.