bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Aplastic anemia: possible associations with lymphoproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Tzankov A. , Medinger M. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryAplastic anemia (AA) may precede, co‐occur, or follow a lymphoproliferative neoplasm. The best molecularly clarified scenario is that of concurrent AA and unsuspected (occult) T‐cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia. Several reported cases of AA and concurrent small B‐cell lymphomas/leukemias and Hodgkin lymphomas suggest also a possible link to simultaneous or preceding AA that might be sought in an antineoplastic immunological attempt to ‘eradicate’ the underlying malignant clone. The ‘immuno‐deregulatory’ potential and the direct cytotoxicity of regimens used for lymphoma therapy might be able to trigger AA in cases evolving after lymphoma treatment too. Alternative explanations of AA associated with lymphoproliferative disorders might be particular (immuno‐)genetic patient backgrounds predisposing to both AA and lymphoid neoplasms or exposures to environmental factors, increasing the risk for both diseases. Finally, the most common causal relationship of AA and lymphoma is that of immunosuppression‐ or allogeneous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation‐associated posttransplantational lymphoproliferative disorders in AA patients, who are treated in the respective manner. As all above scenarios are differently (specifically) therapeutically approachable and accompanied by diverse outcomes, they should be actively sought for and diagnosed as precisely as possible. This review summarizes the current knowledge on associations between AA and lymphoproliferative neoplasms.
Commonalities and contrasts in recent guidelines for lupus anticoagulant detection
Authors: Moore G. W. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryUpdates to guidelines covering lupus anticoagulant (LA) detection have recently been published by the International Society on Haemostasis and Thrombosis (ISTH) and British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH), in 2009 and 2012, respectively. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) published its first LA guideline in 2014. Cross‐panel agreement exists on sample manipulation, use of dRVVT analysis, conversion of clotting times to ratios, calculations to demonstrate phospholipid dependence, mixing test interpretation and provision of interpretive reporting. Whilst ISTH restricts assay choice to just dRVVT and activated partial thromboplastin time, BCSH and CLSI consider the case for additional tests. All panels acknowledge the potential for false‐negative mixing tests, yet they remain mandated by ISTH and BCSH, the latter, however, indicating that a negative mixing test need not exclude a LA if testing on undiluted plasma is unequivocal. CLSI reprioritizes test order to screen‐confirm‐mix to reduce false‐negative reporting when antibodies are diluted to undetectable levels in mixing tests. Recommendations differ on how to derive cut‐off levels, particularly in view of the realities of relatively low donor numbers. Each guideline considers testing of anticoagulated patients, BCSH and CLSI endorsing Taipan snake venom time as a useful supplementary assay in patients on vitamin K antagonists. Although full consensus is not apparent, these publications represent significant moves towards engendering common practices.
Flow cytometric pattern recognition of lymph node biopsies with lymphomas that lack lineage characteristics
Authors: Hebeda K. , Preijers F. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryAlthough immunophenotyping (IPT) using flow cytometry is a routine technique that is applied in many laboratories as a diagnostic tool for lymphadenopathy, some diagnostic challenges persist. In this review, we will discuss pitfalls in the daily practice of lymph node diagnostics with the focus on general characteristics as lymphoid scatter patterns and lineage specific antigens that are used to define lymphoid populations. The absence of these characteristics on proliferating lymphoid cells can potentially lead to a wrong diagnosis. At the same time, this provides evidence for malignant transformation. Sporadic examples of reactive lymphoid proliferations with similar phenotypes are also discussed, illustrating the need for correlating IPT with morphology and clinical features.
ICSH: on board for new projects
Authors: Zini G. , Kern W. , Brereton M. , Stephens A. D. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryThe International Council for Standardization in Hematology (ICSH) is a not‐for‐profit organization aimed at improving global quality and harmonization of analytical methods, and achieving reliable and reproducible results in diagnostic hematology. ICSH co‐ordinates Working Groups of experts to examine laboratory methods and instruments for hematological analyses, and co‐operates with different international organizations which have similar scientific goals. Among seven ongoing approved projects, three ICSH projects have been selected and will be presented in the ICSH session at the XXVIIth ISLH International Symposium on Technological Innovations in Laboratory Hematology in The Hague, on May 2014. The project on ‘Guideline for flow cytometric evaluation of patients with suspected acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)’ covers different aspects of the application of immunophenotyping by multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) in the diagnosis of AML and MDS including integration into multimodal diagnostic workflow, quality control, antibody selection, interpretation of findings, reporting, and personnel. Data from the pilot study of the project for ‘International Standardization of Hematology Reporting Units’ suggest that there is a wide variation in reporting units for the routine blood cell count and highlights the areas of nomenclature and units of measurement where standardization is necessary and feasible, such as units for cell counts, white cell differentials, and hemoglobin concentration. The project on ‘Standardization of HbA2 measurement and its implications for clinical practice’ starts from the observation that different instruments give different results for hemoglobin A2; it is aimed at producing recommendations as to how instrument manufacturers and laboratories should assess their equipment before using it to analyze patient samples. These projects are examples of how the ICSH represents a great opportunity for scientists involved in hematology laboratory to participate in a process of expert collaboration and discussion all around the world.
Red blood cell: from its mechanics to its motion in shear flow
Authors: Viallat A. , Abkarian M. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryThere is a number of publications on red blood cell deformability, that is, on the remarkable cell ability to change its shape in response to an external force and to pass through the narrowest blood capillaries and splenic sinuses. Cell deformability is postulated to be a major determinant of impaired perfusion, increase of blood viscosity, and occlusion in microvessels. Current deformability tests like ektacytometry measure global parameters, related to shape changes at the whole cell scale. Despite strong advances in our understanding of the molecular organization of red blood cells, the relationships between the rheology of each element of the cell composite structure, the global deformability tests, and the cell behavior in microflows are still not elucidated. This review describes recent advances in the description of the dynamics of red blood cells in shear flow and in the mechanistic understanding of this dynamics at the scale of the constitutive rheological and structural elements of the cell. These developments could open up new horizons for the determination of red blood cell mechanical parameters by analyzing their motion under low shear flows.
Antiphospholipid antibody testing and standardization
Authors: Devreese K. M. J. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryThe laboratory criteria that define patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) include lupus anticoagulant (LAC), anticardiolipin antibodies and anti‐β2 glycoprotein I antibodies (aβ2GPI). All assays show methodological shortcomings and the combination of the three tests, each with different sensitivity and specificity, and hence, differences in clinical utility make the laboratory diagnosis of APS challenging. Consensus guidelines and proposals for antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) testing have been published in the last 20 years and have led to a substantial improvement. Despite efforts so far, standardization is not reached yet, but progress has been made. On‐going efforts to reduce the interlaboratory/interassay variations remain important; even an absolute standardization cannot be feasibly achieved. Taking into account the methodological shortcomings of the means we have available, more detailed guidelines may help in adequate performance of aPL testing. This review will focus on the efforts and achievements in standardization and on the weaknesses and strengths of the current available laboratory methods.
Interpretation of coagulation test results under direct oral anticoagulants
Authors: Mani H. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryDiagnostic of global coagulation parameters is part of the daily clinical routine practice in conservative as well in operative disciplines. The correct interpretation of in vitro test results in context to the ex vivo influence of anticoagulant drugs and the in vivo hemostatic system of the individual patient is dependent on the doctors clinical and laboratory experience. This article shortly reviews the laboratory interference of oral anticoagulants including the target‐specific inhibitors dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban on coagulation parameters and discusses the potential of several methods for measuring the anticoagulant effect of the direct oral anticoagulants.
Current insights into the laboratory diagnosis of HIT
Authors: Bakchoul T. , Zöllner H. , Greinacher A. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryHeparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an adverse drug reaction and prothrombotic disorder caused by immunization against platelet factor 4 (PF4) after complex formation with heparin or other polyanions. After antibody binding to PF4/heparin complexes, HIT antibodies are capable of intravascular platelet activation by cross‐linking Fc gamma receptor IIa (FcγRIIa) on the platelet surface leading to a platelet count decrease and/or thrombosis. In contrast to most other immune‐mediated disorders, the currently available laboratory tests for anti‐PF4/heparin antibodies show a high sensitivity also for clinically irrelevant antibodies. This makes the diagnosis of HIT challenging and bears the risk to substantially overdiagnose HIT. The strength of the antigen assays for HIT is in ruling out HIT when the test is negative. Functional assays have a higher specificity for clinically relevant antibodies, but they are restricted to specialized laboratories. Currently, a Bayesian approach combining the clinical likelihood estimation for HIT with laboratory tests is the most appropriate approach to diagnose HIT. In this review, we give an overview on currently available diagnostic procedures and discuss their limitations.
Toward routine detection of extracellular vesicles in clinical samples
Authors: van der Meel R. , Krawczyk‐Durka M. , van Solinge W. W. , Schiffelers R. M. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryThe majority, if not all, of human cell types secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) into their environment, at least partly as a means of intercellular communication. These secreted vesicles can be detected in most bodily fluids including blood, urine, and saliva. The number of secreted vesicles and their composition is altered in various pathological conditions, raising opportunities to exploit EVs as diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers. For this to become a reality, it is important to reach consensus regarding the standardization of protocols for sample collection, EV isolation, handling, and storage for valid comparison and interpretation of measurements. Depending on the information required, there are several detection options including EV number and size distribution, molecular surface markers, procoagulation activity, and RNA content. For these purposes, different techniques are currently utilized or under development. This review discusses the techniques that have the potential to become standard EV detection methods in a clinical diagnostic setting. In addition to the accuracy of the detection technique, other factors such as high‐throughput, cost‐effectiveness, time consumption, and required operator skill are important to consider. A combination of increasing fundamental knowledge, technological progress, standardization of sample collection, and processing protocols is required for EVs to become reliable predictors of altered physiology or development of disease suitable for routine clinical diagnostics. Cancer and (cardio)vascular disorders are examples of pathologies where EV detection may be applied in the near future for diagnosis and/or prognosis.
Quinoa in Morocco – Effect of Sowing Dates on Development and Yield
Authors: Hirich A. , Choukr‐Allah R. , Jacobsen S.‐E. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractQuinoa is a highly nutritious food product, being cultivated for several thousand years in South America, and it is recently introduced in Morocco and showed a high potential of adaptation in Morocco. A field study was carried out in the south of Morocco in order to investigate the effects of sowing date on quinoa performance in a series of experiments conducted for adaptation of quinoa. The experiment took place in Agadir, with a test of 10 sowing dates, each 15 days from 1st November to 15th March. Sowing dates affected the growth and productivity due to differences in temperature, precipitation and radiation over the year. Highest seed yield and dry matter yield were obtained when quinoa sown in November and early December. The growing season length has been affected by accumulated radiation. In addition to abiotic factors (temperature, radiation, rainfall) affecting quinoa growth, biotic factors such as downy mildew and weeds affected the yield. Early sowing in November to early December secured good plant development when low temperatures occurred in January and February and downy mildew appeared in March.
Saline Water Irrigation of Quinoa and Chickpea: Seedling Rate, Stomatal Conductance and Yield Responses
Authors: Hirich A. , Jelloul A. , Choukr‐Allah R. , Jacobsen S.‐E. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractA pot experiment was conducted in the south of Morocco to evaluate the response of chickpea and quinoa to different irrigation water salinity treatments (1, 4, 7 and 10dSm−1for chickpea and 1, 10, 20 and 30 dS m−1for quinoa). Increasing salinity affected significantly (P < 0.05) seedling rate and height and caused delay and reduction in seed emergence, quinoa was shown to be more resistant than chickpea. Dry biomass, seed yield, harvest index and crop water productivity were affected significantly (P < 0.05) by salinity where increasing salinity level led to decrease in dry biomass, root volume and seed yield for both quinoa and chickpea while increasing salinity resulted in increase – in the case of quinoa – and decrease – in the case of chickpea – in harvest index and crop water productivity. Na+and Na+/K+ratio increased with increasing irrigation water salinity, while K+content decreased – in the case of quinoa – and increased – in the case of chickpea – with increasing salinity. Through this study, it was demonstrated that the salinity threshold in which seedling starts to be affected by salinity was equal to 2 and 8 dS m−1for chickpea and quinoa, respectively. Quinoa was shown to be more resistant to salinity of all investigated parameters.
Rights Offerings and Expropriation by Controlling Shareholders
Authors: Fong Wai‐Ming , Lam Kevin C.K. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractWe investigate rights issues and open offers in Hong Kong. We observe that the greater the severity of firms’ management‐agency problems, the more unfavourably shareholders tend to react, leading to more negative cumulative abnormal returns or rights forfeiture. Controlling shareholders do not forfeit rights, and may increase their percentage ownership at deep price discounts by underwriting rights offerings. Our results suggest that, although certain rights offerings can be described as value‐enhancing, many other rights offerings closely resemble the expropriation activities of controlling shareholders.
Earnings Quality Measures and Excess Returns
Authors: Perotti Pietro , Wagenhofer Alfred 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThis paper examines how commonly used earnings quality measures fulfill a key objective of financial reporting, i.e., improving decision usefulness for investors. We propose a stock‐price‐based measure for assessing the quality of earnings quality measures. We predict that firms with higher earnings quality will be less mispriced than other firms. Mispricing is measured by the difference of the mean absolute excess returns of portfolios formed on high and low values of a measure. We examine persistence, predictability, two measures of smoothness, abnormal accruals, accruals quality, earnings response coefficient and value relevance. For a large sample of US non‐financial firms over the period 1988–2007, we show that all measures except for smoothness are negatively associated with absolute excess returns, suggesting that smoothness is generally a favorable attribute of earnings. Accruals measures generate the largest spread in absolute excess returns, followed by smoothness and market‐based measures. These results lend support to the widespread use of accruals measures as overall measures of earnings quality in the literature.
Can We Stay Ahead of the Obsolescence Curve? On Inflection Points, Proactive Preemption, and the Future of Supply Chain Management
Authors: Fawcett Stanley E. , Waller Matthew A. 
Published: April 2014

Great companies—like great products and great nations—have always endured a four‐stage life cycle: emergence, growth, maturity, and decline. Faster clockspeeds—enabled by compressed technology cycles and accelerated by new knowledge‐sharing routines such as crowdsourcing—are shrinking life cycles. What does this mean? Entities of all kinds now find themselves in a constant race against obsolescence. We thus ask a vital question,”Can we (as a discipline) stay ahead of the obsolescence curve?” Technological and sociological inflection points promise to change the rules of engagement. For instance, 3D printing, Big Data, and drones promise to change management practice. Budget deficits, poor skill improvement, and MOOCs promise to change academe. We discuss adaptation challenges and proactive preemption as preludes to presenting various visions of the future of supply chain management.
The effect of maternal and paternal immune challenge on offspring immunity and reproduction in a cricket
Authors: McNamara K. B. , van Lieshout E. , Simmons L. W. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractTrans‐generational immune priming is the transmission of enhanced immunity to offspring following a parental immune challenge. Although within‐generation increased investment into immunity demonstrates clear costs on reproductive investment in a number of taxa, the potential for immune priming to impact on offspring reproductive investment has not been thoroughly investigated. We explored the reproductive costs of immune priming in a field cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus. To assess the relative importance of maternal and paternal immune status, mothers and fathers were immune‐challenged with live bacteria or a control solution and assigned to one of four treatments in which one parent, neither or both parents were immune‐challenged. Families of offspring were reared to adulthood under a food‐restricted diet, and approximately 10 offspring in each family were assayed for two measures of immunocompetence. We additionally quantified offspring reproductive investment using sperm viability for males and ovary mass for females. We demonstrate that parental immune challenge has significant consequences for the immunocompetence and, in turn, reproductive investment of their male offspring. A complex interaction between maternal and paternal immune status increased the antibacterial immune response of male offspring. This increased immune response was associated with a reduction in son's sperm viability, implicating a trans‐generational resource trade‐off between investment into immunocompetence and reproduction. Our data also show that these costs are sexually dimorphic, as daughters did not demonstrate a similar increase in immunity, despite showing a reduction in ovary mass.
Evidence of trade‐offs shaping virulence evolution in an emerging wildlife pathogen
Authors: Williams P. D. , Dobson A. P. , Dhondt K. V. , Hawley D. M. , Dhondt A. A. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractIn the mid‐1990s, the common poultry pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) made a successful species jump to the eastern North American house finch Haemorhous mexicanus (HM). Subsequent strain diversification allows us to directly quantify, in an experimental setting, the transmission dynamics of three sequentially emergent geographic isolates of MG, which differ in the levels of pathogen load they induce. We find significant among‐strain variation in rates of transmission as well as recovery. Pathogen strains also differ in their induction of host morbidity, measured as the severity of eye lesions due to infection. Relationships between pathogen traits are also investigated, with transmission and recovery rates being significantly negatively correlated, whereas transmission and virulence, measured as average eye lesion score over the course of infection, are positively correlated. By quantifying these disease‐relevant parameters and their relationships, we provide the first analysis of the trade‐offs that shape the evolution of this important emerging pathogen.
Constraints imposed by pollinator behaviour on the ecology and evolution of plant mating systems
Authors: Devaux C. , Lepers C. , Porcher E. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractMost flowering plants rely on pollinators for their reproduction. Plant‐pollinator interactions, although mutualistic, involve an inherent conflict of interest between both partners and may constrain plant mating systems at multiple levels: the immediate ecological plant selfing rates, their distribution in and contribution to pollination networks, and their evolution. Here, we review experimental evidence that pollinator behaviour influences plant selfing rates in pairs of interacting species, and that plants can modify pollinator behaviour through plastic and evolutionary changes in floral traits. We also examine how theoretical studies include pollinators, implicitly or explicitly, to investigate the role of their foraging behaviour in plant mating system evolution. In doing so, we call for more evolutionary models combining ecological and genetic factors, and additional experimental data, particularly to describe pollinator foraging behaviour. Finally, we show that recent developments in ecological network theory help clarify the impact of community‐level interactions on plant selfing rates and their evolution and suggest new research avenues to expand the study of mating systems of animal‐pollinated plant species to the level of the plant‐pollinator networks.