bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Why aren’t we doing better in asthma: time for personalised medicine?
Authors: Thomas Mike 
Published: March 2015

AbstractAfter decades of improvement, asthma outcomes have stalled. Mortality, hospitalisations, exacerbations and symptom control remain sub-optimal. In controlled trials, most patients gain high levels of control, but in ‘real-life’ routine clinical practice most patients do not. Avoidable factors are found in most asthma deaths and hospital admissions. This perspective paper considers and contextualises the factors underlying poor asthma outcomes, and it suggests approaches that could improve the situation. Factors discussed include severe, therapy-resistant disease and the role of new and upcoming pharmacological therapies in improving outcomes. These are likely to be beneficial when targeted on patients with severe disease and discrete phenotypic characteristics, identified through biomarkers. However, for the majority of patients treated in the community, they are unlikely to be used widely, and better use of current therapy classes will be more important. Non-adherence with regular inhaled corticosteroid treatment and over-use of rescue bronchodilators are common, and many patients have poor inhaler technique. Self-management is frequently poor, particularly in those with psychosocial disadvantages and co-morbidities. Communication between clinicians and patients is sometimes poor, with failure to detect avoidable poor control and non-adherence, and failure to provide the necessary information and education to support efficient self-management. Strategies for improving monitoring and clinician–patient interactions to allow personalised treatment are considered. These strategies have the potential to allow individual patient needs to be recognised and efficient targeting of the variety of effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that we possess, which has the potential to improve both individual and population outcomes.
Super low threshold plasmonic WGM lasing from an individual ZnO hexagonal microrod on an Au substrate for plasmon lasers
Authors: Dong H. M. , Yang Y. H. , Yang G. W. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractWe demonstrate an individual ZnO hexagonal microrod on the surface of an Au substrate which can become new sources for manufacturing miniature ZnO plasmon lasers by surface plasmon polariton coupling to whispering-gallery modes (WGMs). We also demonstrate that the rough surface of Au substrates can acquire a more satisfied enhancement of ZnO emission if the surface geometry of Au substrates is appropriate. Furthermore, we achieve high Q factor and super low threshold plasmonic WGM lasing from an individual ZnO hexagonal microrod on the surface of the Au substrate, in which Q factor can reach 5790 and threshold is 0.45 KW/cm2 which is the lowest value reported to date for ZnO nanostructures lasing, at least 10 times smaller than that of ZnO at the nanometer. Electron transfer mechanisms are proposed to understand the physical origin of quenching and enhancement of ZnO emission on the surface of Au substrates. These investigations show that this novel coupling mode holds a great potential of ZnO hexagonal micro- and nanorods for data storage, bio-sensing, optical communications as well as all-optic integrated circuits.
An efficient strategy for producing a stable, replaceable, highly efficient transgene expression system in silkworm, Bombyx mori
Authors: Long Dingpei , Lu Weijian , Zhang Yuli , Bi Lihui , Xiang Zhonghuai , Zhao Aichun 
Published: March 2015

AbstractWe developed an efficient strategy that combines a method for the post-integration elimination of all transposon sequences, a site-specific recombination system and an optimized fibroin H-chain expression system to produce a stable, replaceable, highly efficient transgene expression system in the silkworm (Bombyx mori) that overcomes the disadvantages of random insertion and post-integration instability of transposons. Here, we generated four different transgenic silkworm strains and of one the transgenic strains, designated TS1-RgG2, with up to 16% (w/w) of the target protein in the cocoons, was selected. The subsequent elimination of all the transposon sequences from TS1-RgG2 was completed by the heat-shock-induced expression of the transposase in vivo. The resulting transgenic silkworm strain was designated TS3-g2 and contained only the attP-flanked optimized fibroin H-chain expression cassette in its genome. A phiC31/att-system-based recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) method could be used to integrate other genes of interest into the same genome locus between the attP sites in TS3-g2. Controlling for position effects with phiC31-mediated RMCE will also allow the optimization of exogenous protein expression and fine gene function analyses in the silkworm. The strategy developed here is also applicable to other lepidopteran insects, to improve the ecological safety of transgenic strains in biocontrol programs.
Stochastic transitions into silence cause noise correlations in cortical circuits
Authors: Mochol Gabriela , Hermoso-Mendizabal Ainhoa , Sakata Shuzo , Harris Kenneth D. , de la Rocha Jaime 
Published: March 2015

Significance
Neurons in the cerebral cortex emit action potentials in a seemingly random manner. One puzzling aspect of this neuronal “noise” is that it is correlated among neighboring neurons, something thought to reflect the tendency of neurons to fire together. Here, we recorded the activity from populations of cortical neurons in rats and found that correlations could be largely explained by the tendency of cortical neurons to stop firing together. A computational network model whose activity alternated between periods of activity and silence was able to reproduce the pattern of correlations found in the experiments. Our findings shed light on the mechanisms causing neuronal variability and may contribute to elucidate its role in a neural code.
Crystal structure of Hop2–Mnd1 and mechanistic insights into its role in meiotic recombination
Authors: Kang Hyun-Ah , Shin Ho-Chul , Kalantzi Alexandra-Styliani , Toseland Christopher P. , Kim Hyun-Min , Gruber Stephan , Peraro Matteo Dal , Oh Byung-Ha 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
In meiotic DNA recombination, the Hop2−Mnd1 complex promotes Dmc1-mediated single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) invasion into homologous chromosomes to form a synaptic complex by a yet-unclear mechanism. Here, the crystal structure of Hop2−Mnd1 reveals that it forms a curved rod-like structure consisting of three leucine zippers and two kinked junctions. One end of the rod is linked to two juxtaposed winged-helix domains, and the other end is capped by extra α-helices to form a helical bundle-like structure. Deletion analysis shows that the helical bundle-like structure is sufficient for interacting with the Dmc1-ssDNA nucleofilament, and molecular modeling suggests that the curved rod could be accommodated into the helical groove of the nucleofilament. Remarkably, the winged-helix domains are juxtaposed at fixed relative orientation, and their binding to DNA is likely to perturb the base pairing according to molecular simulations. These findings allow us to propose a model explaining how Hop2−Mnd1 juxtaposes Dmc1-bound ssDNA with distorted recipient double-stranded DNA and thus facilitates strand invasion.
Enhanced tribological performance of CuS thin film on Si substrate: the case of APS-PAA buffer layer
Authors: Zhang Yidong 
Published: March 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate the influence of a 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane–polyacrylic acid (amino propyl silane (APS)-PAA) buffer layer on the tribological performance of copper sulfide (CuS) thin film on silicon (Si) substrate.

Design/methodology/approach
– The APS-PAA buffer layer was first deposited on Si substrate by a self-assembling method. Then, the deposited film was coated by a CuS film by a successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The structures and morphologies of the prepared films were characterized by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The results showed that the prepared CuS film with a PAA-APS double layer had a good crystallinity and surface morphology. The tribological performance of the prepared film was analyzed on UMT-2 tribometer and scanning electric microscope.

Findings
– With use of an APS-PAA buffer layer, the CuS thin films became compact, smooth and uniform. The tribological performance of the CuS film was greatly enhanced by using an APS-PAA buffer layer.

Originality/value
– The paper is the first to demonstrate that the CuS film exhibited enhanced structure, morphology and tribological characteristics by using an APS-PAA buffer layer.
Adopting continuous auditing
Authors: Sun Ting , Alles Michael , Vasarhelyi Miklos A. 
Published: March 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the hurdles, compared with that in the United States, for the implementation of Continuous Auditing in China. As a timely, cost-saving and efficient auditing method, continuous auditing is being increasingly adopted throughout the world. However, while it is increasingly applied in the USA, continuous auditing is still in its infancy in China.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper compares and contrasts China and the USA in three important dimensions that determine the “economic architecture” of assurance: the business environment, the audit profession and technology.

Findings
– The authors find that excessive government intervention in business, the lack of competition, independence of auditors, the support from management and the continuous auditing-specific regulations, as well as the technology gap between these two countries, are the main barriers for the implementation of continuous auditing in China.

Research limitations/implications
– The findings of this paper provide better understanding of the drivers of continuous auditing adoption in the USA and the barriers toward doing so in China.

Practical implications
– The term “continuous auditing” has never been formally introduced until the release of the draft of the Internal Control Audit Guide in 2011.

Originality/value
– The paper highlights how technology by itself is not deterministic, but given the extraordinary rise in the Chinese economy in both its size and its sophistication, it has be to assumed that its “leapfrog” into parity if not outright leadership in continuous assurance is still a matter of “when” and not of “if”.
Schizophrenia, psychiatry and East African Muslim families in the United Kingdom: a pilot study
Authors: Ally Farida , Brennan Toni 
Published: March 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of East African Muslim families who have a family member diagnosed with schizophrenia in the UK mental health system.

Design/methodology/approach
– In-depth semi-structured interviews with East African Muslim participants who had a close family member diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Findings
– Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed participants’ concerns over diagnosis, over the side effects of medication and over the lack of choice of treatment. They reported disappointment and frustration with the rejection by psychiatric services of alternative conceptualizations of mental distress incorporating religious beliefs. Participants called for more culturally sensitive service provision open to taking into account non-western conceptualizations of mental distress and its treatment.

Research limitations/implications
– Caution should be exercised in drawing firm conclusions from a pilot study with only four participants although generalization is not an aim of small-scale qualitative research.

Practical implications
– The overall negative perceptions of psychiatric services in the participants’ accounts point to poor communication between services and service users and their families. If there are attempts at culturally sensitive service provision, according to this study, they are implemented elsewhere/not extensive enough/not reaching everyone – which warrants further investigation.

Originality/value
– This study is valuable because it offers insights on how East African Muslim families living in the UK (an under-researched minority) experience the impact of living with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and contact with mental health services, within the context of a “Western” model of mental distress dramatically different from and rarely open to the conceptualization shared in their culture of origin.
Law enforcement executive and principal perspectives on school safety measures
Authors: Chrusciel Margaret M. , Wolfe Scott , Hansen J. Andrew , Rojek Jeff J , Kaminski Robert 
Published: March 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to assess the perspectives of law enforcement executives and public school principals regarding school resource officers (SROs), armed teachers, and armed school administrators in order to inform the policy discussion surrounding school safety issues.

Design/methodology/approach
– This study utilizes data collected from two surveys that were sent to law enforcement executives and public school principals in South Carolina. Respondents were asked about their experience with SROs and their perspectives on these officers’ ability to maintain school safety. Both groups of respondents were also asked about their attitudes regarding arming school employees.

Findings
– There is a large amount of support for SROs from both law enforcement executives and principals. However, in general, both groups of respondents do not believe armed administrators or armed teachers to be an effective school safety strategy.

Originality/value
– SROs have been the primary strategy adopted by schools to maintain safety, but in the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, public outcry and political debate has spawned a number of proposed alternatives. Among these alternative security measures has been the idea of arming school teachers and/or administrators. However, there appears to have been little effort to empirically consider the perspectives of those directly impacted by school safety policy decisions. In particular, a gap in the literature remains regarding the perceptions of police executives and school principals concerning school safety policies and how the attitudes of these key actors compare. Thus, the current study addresses this gap by exploring the perspectives of key school safety stakeholders.
The polycomb group protein enhancer of zeste 2 is a novel therapeutic target for cervical cancer
Authors: Ding Muyang , Zhang Hang , Li Zhen , Wang Cuili , Chen Jasmine , Shi Liyun , Xu Dakang , Gao Yane 
Published: March 2015

SummaryEnhancer of zeste 2 (EZH2), a polycomb histone methyltransferase, is overexpressed in various cancers, including cervical cancer. Gene expression analysis revealed that increased expression of EZH2 is associated with cervical cancer progression, particularly the progression to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Enhancer of zeste 2 is known to trimethylate lysine 27 on histone H3, leading to gene silencing that contributes to the progression of tumours into a more aggressive form of cancer. However, the specific molecular mechanisms by which EZH2 contributes to the development of cervical cancer remain largely unknown. Recently, an EZH2 inhibitor was reported to selectively inhibit trimethylated lysine 27 on histone H3 and to reactivate silenced genes in cancer cells. In this study, we found that GSK343 (a specific inhibitor of EZH2 methyltransferase) induces phenotypic reprogramming of cancer cells from mesenchymal to epithelial cells, reducing proliferation and cell motility and blocking the invasion of cervical cancer cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with the EZH2 inhibitor led to increased levels of the epithelial marker E‐cadherin and decreased levels of mesenchymal markers such as N‐cadherin and vimentin. The observed reprogramming is associated with restrained cervical cancer progression and provides direct evidence in support of EZH2 as a therapeutic target.
Host litter‐associated gut dynamics affect Escherichia coli abundance and adhesion genotype in rats
Authors: Blyton Michaela D. J. , Herawati Nur ‘Aini , O'Brien Claire L. , Gordon David M. 
Published: March 2015

SummaryThe probability of detecting Escherichia coli varies between host species with different diets and body sizes. An experimental study that mimicked the effect of different carnivore body masses found that digesta transit times influence E. coli abundance. In this study, we investigated how the host's gastrointestinal dynamics affected E. coli abundance and genotype in a system that reflected an herbivorous host. Forty rats from nine litters were fed a diet high in fermentable fibre. We found a small effect of fibre concentration on the difference between the liquid and particle digesta retention times. However, the rats' litter membership explained the majority of the retention time differences (79%). In turn, we found that as the difference between liquid and particle retention times increased, E. coli faecal cell densities decreased, while the likelihood that an animal's dominant E. coli strain possessed a gene involved in adhesion (agn43) increased. Thus, this experiment revealed an unanticipated high degree of association between the hosts' litter, their gastrointestinal dynamics and the E. coli genotypes. Furthermore, by comparing our findings to previous work, we show that the presence of fermentable fibre in the diet appears to change the relationship between the host's phenotype and E. coli.
Coloured sweat in two brothers: First report of familial chromhidrosis
Authors: Gaffney Daniel C , Cooper Hywel L 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe uncommon diagnosis of chromhidrosis is most frequently made in young adults. This sweat gland disease, although benign, may impact significantly on the patient's quality of life. We describe the first report of familial chromhidrosis of pseudo‐eccrine type (pseudochromhidrosis) occurring in two brothers aged 9 and 12 years. The classification and causality of chromhidrosis is described and approaches to assessment and management are outlined.
Merkel cell carcinoma: A case of palliative upper limb amputation in a patient with refractory in‐transit metastases
Authors: Gunaratne Dakshika A , Howle Julie R , Veness Michael J 
Published: March 2015

AbstractWe report an unusual case of Merkel cell carcinoma in a 70‐year‐old woman with the rapid development of left upper limb in‐transit and hepatic metastases. The patient had a preceding history of left‐sided breast cancer. Palliative chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide produced a minimal response. The in‐transit metastases rapidly progressed and were refractory to chemotherapy and a single fraction of palliative radiotherapy, leading to a marked impact on her quality of life, secondary to sepsis and bleeding. After lengthy discussion, she consented to an above‐elbow amputation resulting in a marked improvement in her well‐being. In this case, we believe that palliative amputation of the involved arm was justified and beneficial to the patient.
The contribution of astrocytes and microglia to traumatic brain injury
Authors: Karve Ila P , Taylor Juliet M , Crack Peter J 
Published: March 2015

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a major cause of death and disability in developed countries. Brain injuries are highly heterogeneous and can also trigger other neurological complications, including epilepsy, depression and dementia. The initial injury often leads to the development of secondary sequelae; cellular hyperexcitability, vasogenic and cytotoxic oedema, hypoxia‐ischaemia, oxidative stress and inflammation, all of which influence expansion of the primary lesion. It is widely known that inflammatory events in the brain following TBI contribute to the widespread cell death and chronic tissue degeneration. Neuroinflammation is a multifaceted response involving a number of cell types, both within the CNS and in the peripheral circulation. Astrocytes and microglia, cells of the CNS, are considered key players in initiating an inflammatory response after injury. These cells are capable of secreting various cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, and following injury to the CNS, undergo changes in morphology. Ultimately, these changes can influence the local microenvironment and thus determine the extent of damage and subsequent repair. This review will focus on the roles of microglia and astrocytes following TBI, highlighting some of the key processes, pathways and mediators involved in this response. Additionally, both the beneficial and the detrimental aspects of these cellular responses will be examined using evidence from animal models and human post‐mortem TBI studies.Linked ArticlesThis article is part of a themed section on Inflammation: maladies, models, mechanisms and molecules. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2016.173.issue-4
‘We were not planning on this, but …’: Adoptive parents' reactions and adaptations to unmet expectations
Authors: Moyer April M. , Goldberg Abbie E. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThis study explored adoptive parents' responses to unexpected characteristics of their children with a lens of family stress theory. Ninety individuals in 45 couples, 30 of whom adopted via child welfare and 15 of whom adopted via private domestic adoption, were interviewed 3 months post‐adoptive placement regarding unfulfilled expectations about their child's age, gender, race and special needs. Unmet expectations were especially stressful when parents lacked support and when they perceived themselves as having little power to ‘mould’ their children. In contrast, perceptions of adequate support and cognitive flexibility appeared to facilitate positive experiences during parents' transition to adoptive parenthood. Implications for professionals are discussed, including suggestions for pre‐adoption training and provision of post‐adoption support.
Public perceptions of child physical abuse in Beijing
Authors: Qiao Dong Ping , Xie Qian Wen 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe present study focuses on public perceptions of parental child beating and child physical abuse (CPA) in mainland China. In‐depth interviews were conducted with 20 parents and a quantitative survey was administered to a sample of 1033 adults in urban districts of Beijing. The quantitative and qualitative results are consistent: both parents and the general public were hesitant to consider the beating of one's own child (by biological parents) as a case of CPA. Respondents indicated that only when parents beat their children malevolently and frequently, so as to cause serious physical injuries, could it be considered CPA. The majority of respondents supported governmental interventions in severe cases of CPA. However, respondents' perceptions of CPA in mainland China are different from those that are prevalent in the West. Therefore, it is essential to develop programmes that educate the public in order to improve their awareness and knowledge of CPA in mainland China.