Lobbying in the face of politicisation: interest group strategies in trade policy.

How does the politicisation of trade policy affect the lobbying strategies chosen by interest groups? Several studies have shown that business associations tend to focus more on inside lobbying and citizen groups more on outside lobbying. We argue that politicisation makes this difference in lobbying strategy even more pronounced. Facing an issue that is contested and publicly salient, we should see business actors move even more toward inside lobbying and citizen groups move even more toward outside lobbying.

Measuring Subnational Trade Competitiveness.

Much research has tried to measure the competitiveness of territorial units such as countries and subnational regions. We propose new measures of subnational trade competitiveness that reflect the economic focus of regions on their country's comparative advantage. Our approach starts with data on the revealed comparative advantage of countries at the industry level.

Post hoc deconvolution of human mitochondrial DNA mixtures by EMMA 2 using fine-tuned Phylotree nomenclature.

In this paper we present a new algorithm for splitting (partial) human mitogenomes into components with high similarity to haplogroup motifs of Phylotree. The algorithm reads a (partial) mitogenome coded by the differences to the reference (rCRS) and outputs the estimated haplogroups of the putative components. The algorithm requires no special information on the raw data of the sequencing process and is therefore suited for the post hoc analysis of mixtures of any sequencing technology.

Genetic and phylogeographic evidence for Jewish Holocaust victims at the Sobibór death camp.

Six million Jews were killed by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II. Archaeological excavations in the area of the death camp in Sobibór, Poland, revealed ten sets of human skeletal remains presumptively assigned to Polish victims of the totalitarian regimes. However, their genetic analyses indicate that the remains are of Ashkenazi Jews murdered as part of the mass extermination of European Jews by the Nazi regime and not of otherwise hypothesised non-Jewish partisan combatants.

Fine-Tuning Phylogenetic Alignment and Haplogrouping of mtDNA Sequences.

In this paper, we present a new algorithm for alignment and haplogroup estimation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences. Based on 26,011 vetted full mitogenome sequences, we refined the 5435 original haplogroup motifs of Phylotree Build 17 without changing the haplogroup nomenclature. We adapted 430 motifs (about 8%) and added 966 motifs for yet undetermined subclades.

In Xenopus ependymal cilia drive embryonic CSF circulation and brain development independently of cardiac pulsatile forces.

Background: Hydrocephalus, the pathological expansion of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-filled cerebral ventricles, is a common, deadly disease. In the adult, cardiac and respiratory forces are the main drivers of CSF flow within the brain ventricular system to remove waste and deliver nutrients. In contrast, the mechanics and functions of CSF circulation in the embryonic brain are poorly understood.

Pathogenic Variant Filtering for Mitochondrial Genome Haplotype Reporting.

Given the enhanced discriminatory power of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome (mitogenome) over the commonly sequenced control region (CR) portion, the scientific merit of mitogenome sequencing is generally accepted. However, many laboratories remain beholden to CR sequencing due to privacy policies and legal requirements restricting the use of disease information or coding region (codR) information. In this report, we present an approach to obviate the reporting of sensitive codR data in forensic haplotypes.

Host prion protein expression levels impact prion tropism for the spleen.

Prions are pathogens formed from abnormal conformers (PrPSc) of the host-encoded cellular prion protein (PrPC). PrPSc conformation to disease phenotype relationships extensively vary among prion strains. In particular, prions exhibit a strain-dependent tropism for lymphoid tissues.

Successful treatment of BCG-related immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome following ex vivo T-cell-depleted haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A case report.

IRIS is a phenomenon describing localized inflammatory reactions at BCG vaccination site and development of lymphadenopathy as immune system recovers. It is a rare entity in children following haploidentical HSCT. We represent the successful treatment of a case with fluctuating lymphadenopathy due to BCG vaccine during immune reconstitution period following ex vivo T-cell-depleted haploidentical HSCT.

How interest groups influence public opinion: Arguments matter more than the sources.

Through what mechanism do interest groups shape public opinion on concrete policies? In this article, three hypotheses are proposed that distinguish between the effect of the arguments conveyed by interest groups and the effect of interest groups as source cues. Two survey experiments on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TIPP) and the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change allow the testing of these hypotheses. The resulting evidence from several countries shows that, with respect to interest groups' attempts at shaping public opinion, arguments matter more than their sources.

Next generation database search algorithm for forensic mitogenome analyses.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation is being reported relative to the corrected version of the first sequenced human mitochondrial genome. A review of the existing literature across disciplines that employ mtDNA demonstrates that insertions and deletions are not reported in a standardized way. This may lead to false exclusions of identical sequences, unidentified matches in missing persons mtDNA databases, biased mtDNA database frequency estimates and overestimation of the genetic evidence.

Oxidative Status and DNA Damage Following Analgesic Treatment in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis.

Background: This study is designed to investigate the effect of three different analgesics, used to treat pain in AP, on oxidative stress, DNA damage in mononuclear leukocytes, and on oxidative status.

Methods: This parallel design randomized controlled trial is composed of three treatment arms, intravenous paracetamol, intravenous dexketoprofen, and intravenous tramadol.

Results: A total of 107 patients were diagnosed with acute pancreatitis within the study period in the ED.

Divergent prion strain evolution driven by PrP expression level in transgenic mice.

Prions induce a fatal neurodegenerative disease in infected host brain based on the refolding and aggregation of the host-encoded prion protein PrP into PrP. Structurally distinct PrP conformers can give rise to multiple prion strains. Constrained interactions between PrP and different PrP strains can in turn lead to certain PrP (sub)populations being selected for cross-species transmission, or even produce mutation-like events.

The relationship between anemia and recurrence of ischemic stroke in patients with Trousseau's syndrome: A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The relationship between cancer and thrombosis was first recognized by the French internist Armand Trousseau in 1865. Trousseau's syndrome is a spectrum of symptoms that result from recurrent thromboembolism associated with cancer or malignancy-related hypercoagulability. In this study, we investigated whether demographics, clinical features, or laboratory findings were able to predict recurrent stroke episodes in patients with Trousseau's syndrome.

The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of thymoquinone on ceruleine induced acute pancreatitis in rats.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to investigate the potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of thymoquinone (TQ) on ceruleine induced acute pancreatitis.

Material And Methods: A total of 14 male Wistar albino rats were divided into 2 groups as follows: (1) normal saline-treated group and (2) thymoquinone- treated groups. For achieving acute pancreatitis, intraperitoneal (IP) cerulein, a stable cholecystokinin (CCK) analogue, was applied in a 50 mcg/kg dose 2 times in one-hour interval in total.

Pain treatment in patients with acute pancreatitis: A randomized controlled trial.

Background/aims: In this study, the analgesic effectiveness of tramadol, a synthetic opioid, was compared with paracetamol and dexketoprofen in adult patients with acute pancreatitis in the emergency department.

Materials And Methods: Study drugs were similar in color and appearance, enabling the patients to be blind to the intervention. Study patients were intravenously administered 1 g paracetamol, 50 mg dexketoprofen trometamol, or 1 mg/kg tramadol with 100 mL normal saline with a 4-5 min infusion.

Oxidative status and lymphocyte DNA damage in patients with acute pancreatitis and its relationship with severity of acute pancreatitis.

Background/aims: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a life-threatening disease with a rising incidence. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between oxidative status, lymphocyte deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage, and acute pancreatitis.

Materials And Methods: A total of 45 patients with AP and 35 healthy controls were included in the study.

Investigation of ischemia modified albumin, oxidant and antioxidant markers in acute myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is still one of the most common causes of death worldwide. In recent years, for diagnosis of myocardial ischemia, a new parameter, called ischemia modified albumin (IMA), which is thought to be more advantageous than common methods, has been researched.

Aim: In this study, systematic analysis of parameters considered to be related to myocardial ischemia has been performed, comparing between control and myocardial ischemia groups.

Mad honey intoxication mimicking acute coronary syndrome.

Mad honey intoxication or grayanotoxin poisoning is caused by consumption of grayanotoxin-containing toxic honey produced from leaves and flowers of the Rhododendron family. Despite the rarity of intoxication cases, the correct diagnosis and treatment are required because of the significance of haemodynamic disturbance and confounding of symptoms for disease identification. We report herein a case of a patient with mad honey intoxication mimicking acute non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and review the pathophysiology and diagnostic considerations.

Effect of harmless acute pancreatitis score, red cell distribution width and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio on the mortality of patients with nontraumatic acute pancreatitis at the emergency department.

Background: Harmless acute pancreatitis score (HAPS), neutrophile/lymphocyte ratio and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) are used to determine the early prognosis of patients diagnosed with nontraumatic acute pancreatitis in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: Patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis (K 85.9) in the ED according to the ICD10 coding during one year were included in the study.

The efficacy of absorbable polysaccharide haemostats in wound healing.

Wound healing represents an ancient problem for humans, and various materials and methods have been tried for wound dressing. A dressing should protect against infection and shorten healing; moreover, it should not cause tissue damage and should be nonallergenic, cost effective and easy to apply. These are characteristics that may be found in herbal extracts.

Improved visibility of character conflicts in quasi-median networks with the EMPOP NETWORK software.

Aim: To provide a valuable tool for graphical representation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) data that enables visual emphasis on complex substructures within the network to highlight possible ambiguities and errors.

Method: We applied the new NETWORK graphical user interface, available via EMPOP (European DNA Profiling Group Mitochondrial DNA Population Database; www.empop.

The efficacy of a hemostatic agent in anticoagulant drug-induced rat bleeding model.

Background: Bleeding is a major problem in warfarin pretreated patients who need emergency surgical procedures. APH is a hemostatic agent with ultra-hydrophilic and particulate properties. This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo hemostatic effect of APH in rats pretreated with warfarin.

Concept for estimating mitochondrial DNA haplogroups using a maximum likelihood approach (EMMA).

The assignment of haplogroups to mitochondrial DNA haplotypes contributes substantial value for quality control, not only in forensic genetics but also in population and medical genetics. The availability of Phylotree, a widely accepted phylogenetic tree of human mitochondrial DNA lineages, led to the development of several (semi-)automated software solutions for haplogrouping. However, currently existing haplogrouping tools only make use of haplogroup-defining mutations, whereas private mutations (beyond the haplogroup level) can be additionally informative allowing for enhanced haplogroup assignment.