bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parvalbumin interneuron dysfunction in a thalamus - prefrontal cortex circuit in Disc1 deficiency mice
Authors: Delevich Kristen , Jaaro-Peled Hanna , Penzo Mario , Sawa Akira , Li Bo
Published: May 2016

Two of the most consistent findings across disrupted-in-schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) mouse models are impaired working memory and reduced number or function of parvalbumin interneurons within the prefrontal cortex. While these findings suggest parvalbumin interneuron dysfunction in DISC1-related pathophysiology, to date, cortical inhibitory circuit function has not been investigated in depth in DISC1 deficiency mouse models. Here we assessed the function of a feedforward circuit between the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in mice harboring a deletion in one allele of the Disc1 gene. We found that the inhibitory drive onto layer 3 pyramidal neurons in the mPFC was significantly reduced in the Disc1 deficient mice. This reduced inhibition was accompanied by decreased GABA release from local parvalbumin, but not somatostatin, inhibitory interneurons, and by impaired feedforward inhibition in the MD-mPFC circuit. Our results reveal a cellular mechanism by which deficiency in DISC1 causes neural circuit dysfunction frequently implicated in psychiatric disorders.
The LifeMatters programme for developing life-skills in children: an evaluation
Authors: O'Rourke Margaret , Hammond Sean , O'Sullivan David , Staunton Ciara , O'Brien Siobhan
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– LifeMatters is a cognitive behavioural coaching programme that provides tools and techniques for developing and applying five areas of life skill competency: taking care of the body, feeling positive, thinking wisely, acting wisely, and taking care of the spirit. The purpose of paper is to evaluate the viability of the LifeMatters programme with a cohort of secondary school students (12-15 years) in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

– Open-ended feedback obtained from 196 participants who completed an open-ended questionnaire. These responses were subjected to a thematic analysis. Subsequent quantitative analysis of the resulting categorical data were carried out using correspondence analysis.

Findings

– Categorical analysis produced statistically significant sex and age differences showing that males and females differed in their experience of the programme. Girls benefited more from a focus upon stress and self-confidence whereas boys benefited more from a focus on relationship building.

Originality/value

– This study demonstrates the viability of the LifeMatters programme for secondary school students as an aid to develop life skills. It highlights the different needs of boys and girls in this area.
The relevance of credit ratings over the business cycle
Authors: Fieberg Christian , Mertens Richard Lennart , Poddig Thorsten
Published: May 2016

Purpose

Credit market models and the microstructure theory of the ratings market suggest that information provided by credit rating agencies becomes more relevant in recessions when agency costs are high and less relevant in expansions when agency costs are low. The purpose of this paper is to empirically test these hypotheses with regard to equity markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use business cycle identification algorithms to map rating events (credit rating changes and watchlist inclusions) to business cycle phases and apply the event study methodology. The results are backed by cross-sectional regressions using a variety of control variables.

Findings

The authors find that the relevance of information provided by credit rating agencies for equity prices heavily depends on the level of agency costs. Furthermore, the authors detect a “flight-to-quality” during recessions in the speculative grade segment and a weakened relevance of rating events in expansions in the investment grade segment.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to empirically analyse how equity investors perceive credit rating changes and watchlist inclusions over the business cycle. In the empirical analysis, the authors use a large sample of about 25,000 rating events in all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development markets. The presented results underline that credit ratings address the agency problem in financial markets and can thus be regarded as useful for risk management or regulation.
Survival analysis of supply chain financial risk
Authors: Dellana Scott , West David
Published: May 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to apply survival analysis, using Cox proportional hazards regression (CPHR), to the problem of predicting if and when supply chain (SC) customers or suppliers might file a petition for bankruptcy so that proactive steps may be taken to avoid a SC disruption.

Design/methodology/approach

CPHR is first compared to multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) and logistic regression (LR) to assess its suitability and accuracy to SC applications using three years of financial quarterly data for 69 non-bankrupt and 74 bankrupt organizations. A k-means clustering approach is then applied to the survival curves of all 143 organizations to explore heuristics for predicting the timing of bankruptcy petitions.

Findings

CPHR makes bankruptcy predictions at least as accurately as MDA and LR. The survival function also provides valuable information on when bankruptcy might occur. This information allows SC members to be prioritized into three groups: financially healthy companies of no immediate risk, companies with imminent risk of bankruptcy and companies with intermediate levels of risk that need monitoring.

Originality/value

The current paper proposes a new analytical approach to scanning and assessing the financial risk of SC members (suppliers or customers). Traditional models are able to predict if but not when a financial failure will occur. Lacking this information, it is impossible for SC managers to prioritize risk mitigation activities. A simple decision rule is developed to guide SC managers in setting these priorities.
Characteristics of milk tablets supplemented with nanopowdered eggshell or oyster shell
Authors: Lee Yun‐Kyung , Kim Augustine Yonghwi , Min Sang‐Gi , Kwak Hae‐Soo
Published: May 2016

This study was performed to investigate the characteristics of milk tablets supplemented with nanopowdered eggshell (NPES) or nanopowdered oyster shell (NPOS). The particle size of NPES, NPOS, NPES with zinc (Zn‐NPES) and NPOS with activated zinc (Zn‐NPOS) ranged from 20 to 300 nm. The hardness of the milk tablets containing these calcium supplements did not differ significantly from that of the control milk tablets (P > 0.05). Regarding the sensory properties, the appearance, flavour, taste, texture and cumulative sensory score of all the test tablets were similar to those of the control tablets. In conclusion, the quality of all the test milk tablets was similar to that of the control.
inbreedR: an R package for the analysis of inbreeding based on genetic markers
Authors: Stoffel Martin A. , Esser Mareike , Kardos Marty , Humble Emily , Nichols Hazel , David Patrice , Hoffman Joseph I.
Published: May 2016

Heterozygosity–fitness correlations (HFCs) have been widely used to explore the impact of inbreeding on individual fitness. Initially, most studies used small panels of microsatellites, but more recently with the advent of next‐generation sequencing, large SNP datasets are becoming increasingly available and these provide greater power and precision to quantify the impact of inbreeding on fitness.

Despite the popularity of HFC studies, effect sizes tend to be rather small. One reason for this may be low variation in inbreeding levels among individuals. Using genetic markers, it is possible to measure variance in inbreeding through the strength of correlation in heterozygosity across marker loci, termed identity disequilibrium (ID).

ID can be quantified using the measure , which is also a central parameter in HFC theory that can be used within a wider framework to estimate the direct impact of inbreeding on both marker heterozygosity and fitness. However, no software exists to calculate for large SNP datasets nor to implement this framework.

inbreedR is an R package that provides functions to calculate based on microsatellite and SNP markers with associated P‐values and confidence intervals. Within the framework of HFC theory, inbreedR also estimates the impact of inbreeding on marker heterozygosity and fitness. Finally, inbreedR implements user‐friendly simulations to explore the precision and magnitude of estimates based on different numbers of genetic markers. We hope this package will facilitate good practice in the analysis of HFCs and help to deepen our understanding of inbreeding effects in natural populations.
From heterogeneous worlds: western privilege, class and positionality in the South
Authors: Griffiths Mark
Published: May 2016

The aim of this paper is to meet a repeated challenge that comes from within postcolonial writing: to turn postcolonial theory and strategies ‘inward’, and to examine our postcoloniality. Specifically I use social class to interrogate the idea of western privilege in a postcolonial context, examining whether postcolonialism can enable the politics of class to intersect with the politics of ‘Otherness’ in such a way to open up ethnography to a more ethical geographical praxis. The paper first presents a genealogy of the figure of the privileged western researcher, drawing attention to the historical contingency within subsequent issues of positionality in the South. Taking this figure, the discussion is then guided by two ‘heteros’ of postcolonial writing – heterogeneity and heterotemporality – to disrupt the assumption of historical contingency. I use my own class history as a heterotemporality to insist on a more heterogeneous conceptualisation of western postcoloniality that accounts for the varied experiences of the British working classes. The paper closes with the crucial question of what this largely theoretical work might offer the empirical business of ethnography in (especially) poor areas of the South, asking explicitly: can class, like gender and ethnicity, qualify western privilege in a way that reduces researcher–researched power imbalance? The main argument made is that geography's imperial past is an elite historiography that cannot draw the contours of western researcher relations with postcolonial ‘Others’. Consequently, I propose social class as an aspect of subjectivity that moves hyper self‐reflexivity towards a more ethical praxis across difference.
Diversity and fluctuation in ciliate protozoan population in the rumen of cattle
Authors: Abrar Arfan , Watanabe Haruki , Kitamura Tasuku , Kondo Makoto , Ban‐Tokuda Tomomi , Matsui Hiroki
Published: May 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diversity and fluctuation in the ciliate protozoan population in the rumen of cattle. DNA was extracted from the rumen of three ruminally cannulated, crossbred cattle and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐derived clone library was constructed, using a specific primer set targeting 18S ribosomal RNA genes of ciliate protozoa. DNA fragments of seven selected clones were validated for standard DNA of the protozoa‐specific real‐time PCR assay. Furthermore, population fluctuation of ciliate protozoa and methanogens in the cattle rumen was determined by real‐time PCR. A total of 60 clones were sequenced, phylogenetically analyzed, and classified into 24 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on a 99% similarity criterion. More than 80% sequences were phylogenetically placed in the genus Entodinium. The rest of the sequences were placed in the genus Diploplastron (5%), Dasytricha (8.3%) and Isotricha (3.3%). The results suggest that Entodinium was the dominant group in the rumen of cattle used in this study. The ciliate protozoan population showed no significant change in numbers during the monitoring period and reached a peak at 3 h after feeding. Changes in the protozoa population were lower than those of the methanogens.
Comparison of prostate cancer survival in Germany and the USA: can differences be attributed to differences in stage distributions?
Authors: Winter Alexander , Sirri Eunice , Jansen Lina , Wawroschek Friedhelm , Kieschke Joachim , Castro Felipe A. , Krilaviciute Agne , Holleczek Bernd , Emrich Katharina , Waldmann Annika , Brenner Hermann ,   the Association of Population‐based Cancer Registries in Germany (GEKID) Cancer Survival Working Group
Published: May 2016

Objectives

To better understand the influence of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) screening and other health system determinants on prognosis of prostate cancer, up‐to‐date relative survival (RS), stage distributions, and trends in survival and incidence in Germany were evaluated and compared with the United States of America (USA).

Patients and Methods

Incidence and mortality rates for Germany and the USA for the period 1999–2010 were obtained from the Centre for Cancer Registry Data at the Robert Koch Institute and the USA Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. For analyses on stage and survival, data from 12 population‐based cancer registries in Germany and from the SEER‐13 database were analysed. Patients (aged ≥ 15 years) diagnosed with prostate cancer (1997–2010) and mortality follow‐up to December 2010 were included. The 5‐ and 10‐year RS and survival trends (2002–2010) were calculated using standard and model‐based period analysis.

Results

Between 1999 and 2010, prostate cancer incidence decreased in the USA but increased in Germany. Nevertheless, incidence remained higher in the USA throughout the study period (99.8 vs 76.0 per 100,000 in 2010). The proportion of localised disease significantly increased from 51.9% (1998–2000) to 69.6% (2007–2010) in Germany and from 80.5% (1998–2000) to 82.6% (2007–2010) in the USA. Mortality slightly decreased in both countries (1999–2010). Overall, 5‐ and 10‐year RS was lower in Germany (93.3%; 90.7%) than in the USA (99.4%; 99.6%) but comparable after adjustment for stage. The same patterns were seen in age‐specific analyses. Improvements seen in prostate cancer survival between 2002–2004 and 2008–2010 (5‐year RS: 87.4% and 91.2%; +3.8% units) in Germany disappeared after adjustment for stage (P = 0.8).

Conclusion

The survival increase in Germany and the survival advantage in the USA might be explained by differences in incidence and stage distributions over time and across countries. Effects of early detection or a lead‐time bias due to the more widespread utilisation and earlier introduction of PSA testing in the USA are likely to explain the observed patterns.
Lumen‐apposing metal stents for drainage of pancreatic fluid collections: When and for whom?
Authors: Bang Ji Young , Hasan Muhammad K. , Navaneethan Udayakumar , Sutton Bryce , Frandah Wesam , Siddique Sameer , Hawes Robert H. , Varadarajulu Shyam
Published: May 2016

Background and Aim

Although lumen‐apposing metal stents (LAMS) are increasingly being used for drainage of pancreatic fluid collections (PFC), their advantage over plastic stents is unclear.

Methods

In this retrospective case–control study, 20 patients who underwent PFC drainage using LAMS were matched with 40 patients treated with plastic stents according to PFC type (walled‐off necrosis [WON] vs pseudocyst) and procedural technique (conventional vs multi‐gate). Main outcome measures were treatment success, reintervention, clinical and stent‐related adverse events, procedural duration, length of hospital stay (LOS) and hospital costs.

Results

At median follow up of 570 days, except for median procedural duration (8.5 vs 25 min, P < 0.001), there was no significant difference in treatment success (95.0 vs 92.5%, P = 0.99), reintervention (25.0 vs 30.0 %, P = 0.77), clinical (10.0 vs 12.5 %, P = 0.99) and stent‐related adverse events (10.0 vs 2.5 %, P = 0.26) or median LOS (2 [IQR 1–5] vs 2 [IQR 1–7] days, P = 0.58) between patients treated with LAMS versus plastic stents. Although there was no difference for WON ($16 708 for LAMS vs $17 221 for plastic stents, P = 0.90), mean hospital costs were significantly lower for pseudocysts using plastic stents ($18 996 vs $58 649, P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Although there is no difference in clinical outcomes, treating pseudocysts using plastic stents is less expensive. It is also possible that the short procedural duration is a surrogate marker for procedural complexity and this may drive the use of LAMS in sicker patients.
Universal, easy access to geotemporal information: FetchClimate
Authors: Grechka Dmitry A. , Berezin Sergey B. , Emmott Stephen , Lyutsarev Vassily , Smith Matthew J. , Purves Drew W.
Published: May 2016

Geotemporal information, information associated with geographical space and time, has always been critical to climate and environmental science. However, this information is certainly not universally or easily accessible. In fact, obtaining and using geotemporal information often comes with a considerable technical overheads, impeding research progress. To address this, we introduce FetchClimate: a cloud service designed to provide easy, universal access to geotemporal information. FetchClimate enables and accelerates the use of geotemporal information by enabling it to be accessed programmatically from a Web service (such as the statistical software R) or non‐programmatically using a Web browser. We intend the service to accelerate the pace of ecological and environmental research by eliminating the technical overheads currently needed to obtain geotemporal information. The software, online manual, and user support are freely available at < http://www.fetchclimate.com >.
Emergent spatial synaptic structure from diffusive plasticity
Authors: Sweeney Yann , Clopath Claudia
Published: May 2016

Some neurotransmitters can diffuse freely across cell membranes, influencing neighbouring neurons regardless of their synaptic coupling. This provides a means of neural communication, alternative to synaptic transmission, which can influence the way in which neural networks process information. Here, we ask whether diffusive neurotransmission can also influence the structure of synaptic connectivity in a network undergoing plasticity. We propose a form of Hebbian synaptic plasticity which is mediated by a diffusive neurotransmitter. Whenever a synapse is modified at an individual neuron through our proposed mechanism, similar but smaller modifications occur in synapses connecting to neighbouring neurons. The effects of this diffusive plasticity are explored in networks of rate‐based neurons. This leads to the emergence of spatial structure in the synaptic connectivity of the network. We show that this spatial structure can coexist with other forms of structure in the synaptic connectivity, such as with groups of strongly interconnected neurons that form in response to correlated external drive. Finally, we explore diffusive plasticity in a simple feedforward network model of receptive field development. We show that, as widely observed across sensory cortex, the preferred stimulus identity of neurons in our network become spatially correlated due to diffusion. Our proposed mechanism of diffusive plasticity provides an efficient mechanism for generating these spatial correlations in stimulus preference which can flexibly interact with other forms of synaptic organisation.
What's Critical about Vulnerability? Rethinking Interdependence, Recognition, and Power
Authors: Petherbridge Danielle
Published: May 2016

Images of vulnerability have populated the philosophical landscape from Hobbes to Hegel, Levinas to Foucault, often designating a sense of corporeal susceptibility to injury, or of being threatened or wounded and therefore have been predominantly associated with violence, finitude, or mortality. More recently, feminist theorists such as Judith Butler and Adriana Cavarero have begun to rethink corporeal vulnerability as a critical or ethical category, one based on our primary interdependence and intercorporeality. However, many contemporary theorists continue to associate vulnerability with violence and finitude rather than providing an account of the normative theory that might underpin vulnerability as a critical category. In this article, I explore an alternative notion of vulnerability in relation to both a theory of power and a normative account that draws on recognition theory. My aim in this article is twofold: first, to examine the complexity of vulnerability and how it relates to forms of recognition; second, to outline how the notion of vulnerability can operate as the basis for critiquing objectionable forms of vulnerability. This is to consider vulnerability not only as an ethical or ontological question but as a political one, and shifts arguments about its abuse and entanglement with power and violence to the public political sphere.
Angiotensin I‐converting enzyme inhibitory peptides FQPSF and LKYPI identified in Bacillus subtilis A26 hydrolysate of thornback ray muscle
Authors: Lassoued Imen , Mora Leticia , Barkia Ahmed , Aristoy M‐Concepción , Nasri Moncef , Toldrá Fidel
Published: May 2016

Angiotensin I‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides have been searched in thornback ray (Raja clavata) muscle hydrolysed with Bacillus subtilis A26 proteases until a hydrolysis degree of 18.35%. The hydrolysate showed an IC50 of 0.83 mg mL−1. To identify peptides responsible for this activity, the extract was eluted through size‐exclusion chromatography and fractions collected. The highest ACE inhibitory activity was found for fractions F2 and F3 which had IC50 of 0.42 and 0.51 mg mL−1, respectively. These fractions were analysed by nano‐liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (nLC‐MS/MS). A total of 131 and 108 peptide sequences mainly derived from actin, myosin heavy chain and procollagen alpha 1 chain proteins were identified in fractions F2 and F3, respectively. FQPSF and LKYPI showed the best results with an IC50 of 12.56 and 27.07 μM, respectively. These results prove the potential of thornback ray muscle hydrolysate as a source of ACE inhibitory peptides.
Pollination, mating and reproductive fitness in a plant population with bimodal floral‐tube length
Authors: Anderson B. , Pauw A. , Cole W. W. , Barrett S. C. H.
Published: May 2016

Mating patterns and natural selection play important roles in determining whether genetic polymorphisms are maintained or lost. Here, we document an atypical population of Lapeirousia anceps (Iridaceae) with a bimodal distribution of floral‐tube length and investigate the reproductive mechanisms associated with this pattern of variation. Flowers were visited exclusively by the long‐proboscid fly Moegistorhynchus longirostris (Nemestrinidae), which exhibited a unimodal distribution of proboscis length and displayed a preference for long‐tubed phenotypes. Despite being visited by a single pollinator species, allozyme markers revealed significant genetic differentiation between open‐pollinated progeny of long‐ and short‐tubed phenotypes suggesting mating barriers between them. We obtained direct evidence for mating barriers between the floral‐tube phenotypes through observations of pollinator foraging, controlled hand pollinations and measurements of pollen competition and seed set. Intermediate tube‐length phenotypes produced fewer seeds in the field than either long‐ or short‐tubed phenotypes. Although floral‐tube length bimodality may not be a stable state over long timescales, reproductive barriers to mating and low ‘hybrid’ fitness have the potential to contribute to the maintenance of this state in the short term.
Virtual Water Flows in the EU27: A Consumption‐based Approach
Authors: Serrano Ana , Guan Dabo , Duarte Rosa , Paavola Jouni
Published: May 2016

The use of water resources has traditionally been studied by accounting for the volume of water removed from sources for specific uses. This approach focuses on surface and groundwater only and it ignores that international trade of products with substantial amounts of embodied water can have an impact on domestic water resources. Using current economic and environmental data, we conduct a consumption‐based assessment of virtual water flows in the European Union (EU27). We find that the total water footprint (WF) of 2,280 cubic meters (m3) per capita for the EU27 mostly consists of green water use (precipitation stored as soil moisture), which is omitted in the conventional water accounting. Blue water (surface and groundwater.) and gray water use (the volume of freshwater needed to dilute pollutants to meet the applicable water quality standards), which are targeted by current EU water policies, only make up 32% of the total WF. We also find that Europeans imported 585 cubic kilometers (km3) (109 m3) of virtual water, or around 28% of global virtual water trade flows, in 2009. Within Europe, Germany is a key net importer of water through the trade of products in agriculture, the food industry, the chemical sector, and electricity generation. Countries in Southern and Eastern Europe have specialized in water‐intensive agriculture and are key exporters of virtual water despite experiencing physical scarcity of water. Our results suggest that there is a need to reconsider water policy in the EU to address water transfers occurring through trade and to grasp the interlinkages between green, blue, and gray water—which are likely to become more important in water‐scarce parts of Europe, with a changing climate.
Efficacy of Boric Acid, Monopotassium Phosphate and Sodium Metabisulfite on the Control of Apple Scab
Authors: Arslan Umit
Published: May 2016

In vitro experiments indicated that boric acid, monopotassium phosphate, sodium metabisulfite and synthetic fungicide fluopyram + tebuconazole were effective in inhibiting conidia germination and germ‐tube elongation of Venturia inaequalis. Monopotassium phosphate even at the highest concentration used in the study reduced conidia germination and germ‐tube elongation of V. inaequalis by 22.1% and 28.8%, respectively; however, the difference between two compounds at lower concentrations except 0.05% (for conidia germination) and 0.1% (for germ‐tube elongation) of boric acid was statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). Complete inhibition was achieved by 0.01% sodium metabisulfite, 0.035% fluopyram + tebuconazole and 0.2% boric acid. Two orchard trials were conducted on the highly susceptible cv. Mutsu to apple scab to ascertain the efficacy of 0.2% boric acid, 0.5% monopotassium phosphate, 0.5% sodium metabisulfite and 0.035% fluopyram + tebuconazole for the control of apple scab. In both 2013 and 2014, except for the applications of monopotassium phosphate and sodium metabisulfite, the applications of boric acid and fluopyram + tebuconazole to trees at 10‐day intervals significantly reduced disease incidence and severity on leaves and fruit compared to the water‐treated control. In both years, the efficacy of boric acid and fluopyram + tebuconazole treatments was similar in reducing both disease incidence and severity on leaves and fruit in all monthly assessments from July to September. All treatments were neither phytotoxic to leaves and fruit nor did they adversely affect quality parameters of harvested fruit. These results show that boric acid treatment may be applied as an alternative chemical for the control of apple scab.
Diagrammatic Scales for Assessing Brown Eye Spot (Cercospora coffeicola) in Red and Yellow Coffee Cherries
Authors: Azevedo de Paula Paulo V. A. , Pozza Edson A. , Santos Leandro A. , Chaves Eugênio , Maciel Matheus P. , Paula Júlio César A.
Published: May 2016

Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer. Brown eye spot (BES) (Cercospora coffeicola) is a major crop disease that can cause 15–30% production losses and decrease the coffee beverage quality. Although the influence of this disease on beverage quality has been studied, diagrammatic scales for assessment of the disease severity in berries are still unexplored. Thus, this study has developed and validated diagrammatic scales to assess the severity of BES. Two diagrammatic scales were designed to assess the disease in berries, which can be yellow or red depending on the cultivar. The scale of yellow berries had nine grades: grade 0: 0%; 1: 0.1–5.0%; 2: 5.1–10.0%; 3: 10.1–15.0%; 4: 15.1–20.0%; 5: 20.1–30.0%; 6: 30.1–40.0%; 7: 40.1–60.0%; and 8: higher than 60.0%, while the scale of red berries had eight grades: grade 0: 0%; 1: 0.1–2.5%; 2: 2.6–5.0%; 3: 5.1–10.0%; 4: 10.1–20.0%; 5: 20.1–30.0%; 6: 30.1–50.0%; and 7: higher than 50.0% severity. Using scales improved accuracy and precision with R2 = 0.99 and provided good repeatability and reproducibility of assessments of disease severity. Both scales can be used because the different berry colour influenced the accuracy and precision between the scales.
Dentist shortage: an analysis of dentists, practices, and populations in the underserved areas
Authors: Voinea‐Griffin Andreea , Solomon Eric S.
Published: May 2016

Objectives

The objectives of this study are to identify and describe the characteristics of dental underserved geographic areas. Understanding these characteristics is an important step in addressing access to dental care barriers.

Methods

Dental underserved areas were identified from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) database and converted to census tracts for analysis. Characteristics of dental underserved geographic areas were compared with areas not designated as underserved. Dental practices included in the Dun & Bradstreet Business information database were geocoded and analyzed according to the underserved designation of their location and census demographic data. Thus, the relationships between dental underserved status, practice, and population characteristics were evaluated.

Results

Dental underserved areas are more likely to comprise individuals with lower socio‐economic status (income and education levels), higher levels of underrepresented population groups, and have lower population densities than non‐underserved areas. The populations living in dental underserved areas are more likely to experience geographic, financial, and educational barriers to dental care.

Conclusions

The study identifies the geographic and financial barriers to dental care access. These findings suggest that the likelihood of a market‐driven solution to dental underserved geographic areas is low and support public sector interventions to improve the status quo.
Interplay between mast cells, enterochromaffin cells, and sensory signaling in the aging human bowel
Authors: Yu Y. , Daly D. M. , Adam I. J. , Kitsanta P. , Hill C. J. , Wild J. , Shorthouse A. , Grundy D. , Jiang W.
Published: May 2016

Background

Advanced age is associated with a reduction in clinical visceral pain perception. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Previous studies have suggested that an abnormal interplay between mast cells, enterochromaffin (EC) cells, and afferent nerves contribute to nociception in gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate how aging affects afferent sensitivity and neuro‐immune association in the human bowel.

Methods

Mechanical and chemical sensitivity of human bowel afferents were examined by ex vivo afferent nerve recordings. Age‐related changes in the density of mast cells, EC cells, sensory nerve terminals, and mast cell‐nerve micro‐anatomical association were investigated by histological and immune staining.

Key Results

Human afferents could be broadly classified into subpopulations displaying mechanical and chemical sensitivity, adaptation, chemo‐sensitization, and recruitment. Interestingly human bowel afferent nerve sensitivity was attenuated with age. The density of substance P‐immunoreactive (SP‐IR) nerve varicosities was also reduced with age. In contrast, the density of ileal and colonic mucosal mast cells was increased with age, as was ileal EC cell number. An increased proportion of mast cells was found in close apposition to SP‐IR nerves.

Conclusions & Inferences

Afferent sensitivity in human bowel was reduced with advancing age. Augmentation of mast cells and EC cell numbers and the mast cell‐nerve association suggest a compensatory mechanism for sensory neurodegeneration.
Relationship between retinal distance and object field angles for finite schematic eyes
Authors: Suheimat Marwan , Zhu Hai‐Feng , Lambert Andrew , Atchison David A.
Published: May 2016

Aim

Retinal anatomical studies have used the Drasdo & Fowler three‐refracting surface schematic eye to convert between retinal distances and object field angles. We compared its performance at this task with those of more sophisticated four‐refracting surface schematic eyes.

Method

Raytracing was performed for Drasdo & Fowler, Lotmar, Navarro, Liou & Brennan, Kooijman and Atchison schematic eyes, and some of their variants.

Results

The Drasdo & Fowler eye gives a greater rate of change of object field angle with retinal distance at the retinal centre of about 5% than the other schematic eyes. This rate of change also increases much more quickly into the peripheral retina for the Drasdo & Fowler eye than for the other eyes. The reason for these differences is only that the Drasdo & Fowler eye is shorter than the other eyes. The relationship between retinal distance and visual field angle appears robust to changes in retinal radius of curvature when the retina is spherical. The retinal asphericity of Kooijman and Atchison eyes appears to play a role beyond 14 mm (~50°).

Conclusion

Changing the length of the Drasdo & Fowler eye, to match those of the four‐refracting surface schematic eyes, gives similar relationships between retinal distance and object field angle up to a retinal distance of approximately 14 mm (~50°). The relationship will change with refractive error as this is related to axial length and to retinal shape, and this should be taken into consideration for accurate conversions. For distances and angles beyond 14 mm and ~50°, retinal shape should be taken into account.
Application of a Gondwanan perspective to restore ecological integrity in the south‐western Australian global biodiversity hotspot
Authors: Wardell‐Johnson Grant , Wardell‐Johnson Angela , Bradby Keith , Robinson Todd , Bateman Philip W. , Williams Kim , Keesing Amanda , Braun Klaus , Beckerling Jess , Burbridge Mike
Published: May 2016

Bounded by ocean and desert, the isolated, predominately Mediterranean‐climate region of south‐western Australia (SWA) includes nine bioregions (circa 44 million hectares). The ecological integrity of the landscapes in this global biodiversity hotspot has been compromised by deforestation, fragmentation, exploitation, and introduced biota. Nature and degree of transformation varies between four interconnected landscapes (Swan Coastal Plain; South‐west Forests; Wandoo Woodlands; and Great Western Woodlands). A Gondwanan perspective emphasizes a venerable biota and a cultural component to deep time. The particular importance of remnants and protected areas is recognized in restoring ecological integrity to Gondwanan landscapes. The nature and magnitude of the restoration task in these ancient, and neighboring, landscapes require higher levels of investment and more time than do recent landscapes. The protection, conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of ecological integrity require multiple approaches in each landscape as well as consideration of the whole. Active conservation of biota and minimizing the impact of industrial‐ and agricultural‐use are priorities. Integrating a climate focus and rethinking fire are critical restoration considerations to future trajectories under anthropogenic climate change. A legislative mandate to coordinate industrial‐scale restoration and active conservation to build from protected areas must become a societal priority to restore ecological integrity.
Devonian lacustrine shore zone architecture: Giving perspective to cliff exposures with ground penetrating radar
Authors: Andrews Steven D. , Moreau Julien , Archer Stuart
Published: May 2016

Lake margin sedimentary systems have been the subject of only limited study. The cyclic Middle Devonian lacustrine succession of Northern Scotland contains repeated developments of shore zone sandstones and thus provides an ideal location for the study of these units. The cycles comprise deep lake, shallow lake, playa and shore zone facies. Detailed field observations are presented alongside ground penetrating radar data which has aided large‐scale and three‐dimensional characterization of the shore zone sand bodies. Loading and discrete channel forms are recognized in thin‐bedded sandstones within the lower portion of the lake shore zone successions. Up‐section, the sandstone beds appear to become amalgamated, forming subtle low angle accretionary bar complexes. Where imaged on the radar profiles, the repeated development of shoreward migrating features succeeded by more shallow angled lakeward accreting surfaces is recognized; these are ascribed to washover and swash–backwash processes, respectively. The orientation of these features is similar to palaeocurrent measurements from oscillation ripples, suggesting an alignment of the shore zone bars perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. Further loaded sandstone beds and sand‐filled shallow channel features overlie the bar forms. The context of the shore zone facies allows the controls on its formation to be examined. The shore zone sandstones overlie playa facies which contain abundant desiccation horizons, reflecting the most arid phase in the climatically controlled lacustrine cycle. As climatic conditions ameliorated, the rejuvenation of fluvial systems resulted in the transport of sand out into the basin. Initial deposition was limited to intermittent events where sediment was laid down on a water‐saturated substrate. High resolution fluctuations in lake level resulted in periodic short‐lived reworking events along the lake margins which produced amalgamated sands, forming low relief bars. Shore zone reworking is likely to have occurred over a wide  area as the lake margin migrated back and forth, and gradually transgressed.
Evaluating Topological Queries in Linked Data Using DBpedia and GeoNames in Switzerland and Scotland
Authors: Grütter Rolf , Purves Ross S. , Wotruba Lukas
Published: May 2016

This article explores the practicability and assesses the quality of searches for Wikipedia pages of topologically related administrative divisions in Switzerland and Scotland via Linked Data. To this end, the quality of searches in the English and German versions of DBpedia is compared, as is that of searches in GeoNames and DBpedia using DBpedia's links to GeoNames or a manually created list of links. In addition, the effects of updates to Swiss municipality borders in the English version of DBpedia on standard quality metrics are studied. It turns out that live searches are practicable with acceptable performance, but that the quality of searches in terms of recall and precision is acceptable only if DBpedia is queried via GeoNames and DBpedia's links to GeoNames are replaced by manually created links. Searches for Scottish unitary authority wards perform poorly for all approaches investigated. Recall and precision are strongly influenced by changes in municipality borders, with a relatively long latency suggesting that, at least in some cases, administrative changes propagate slowly into DBpedia. These results have important implications for those seeking to use location as a means to link data.
A Review of Sampling Effects and Response Bias in Internet Participatory Mapping (PPGIS/PGIS/VGI)
Authors: Brown Greg
Published: May 2016

Global interest in participatory mapping described as public participation GIS (PPGIS), participatory GIS (PGIS), and volunteered geographic information (VGI) continues to grow, but systematic study of spatial data quality and sampling effects is limited. This article provides a review and meta‐analysis of Internet‐based PPGIS studies conducted during the period 2006–2015 (n=26) to answer the following research questions: (1) How does mapping effort, as a proxy measure for spatial data quality, differ by sampling group? (2) Does the purpose and context of PPGIS influence mapping results? (3) What is the potential for mapping bias through sampling design? (4) Given the results, what should be the focus of future PPGIS research? Mapping effort was highest in sampling groups whose livelihoods were closely related to the purpose of the study, there was greater mapping effort in household sampling groups compared to volunteer groups, and participant domicile had strong effects on mapped results through spatial discounting. The use of online Internet panels provides higher response rates but lower spatial data quality. Future research should focus on increasing sampling response rates, assessing social trade‐offs using alternative spatial weighting schemes, and examining the capacity of the public to select land use alternatives as a complement to traditional expert‐driven planning systems.
A homemade atomic force microscope based on a quartz tuning fork for undergraduate instruction
Authors: Li Yingzi , Zhang Liwen , Shan Guanqiao , Song Zihang , Yang Rui , Li Hua , Qian Jianqiang
Published: May 2016

Atomic force microscopes are a key tool in nanotechnology that overcome the limitations of optical microscopes and provide imaging capabilities with nanoscale resolution. We have developed an atomic force microscope that uses an inexpensive quartz tuning fork as a micro cantilever. Because of its ease of operation and its open structure, it can be easily customized by students. Due to its low costs, it is possible that every student in the course has access to one setup, allowing all students to obtain deep insights into nanotechnology and to understand the principles of atomic force microscopy.
Not all counterclockwise thermodynamic cycles are refrigerators
Authors: Dickerson R. H. , Mottmann J.
Published: May 2016

Clockwise cycles on PV diagrams always represent heat engines. It is therefore tempting to assume that counterclockwise cycles always represent refrigerators. This common assumption is incorrect: most counterclockwise cycles cannot be refrigerators. This surprising result is explored here for quasi-static ideal gas cycles, and the necessary conditions for refrigeration cycles are clarified. Three logically self-consistent criteria can be used to determine if a counterclockwise cycle is a refrigerator. The most fundamental test compares the counterclockwise cycle with a correctly determined corresponding Carnot cycle. Other criteria we employ include a widely accepted description of the functional behavior of refrigerators, and a corollary to the second law that limits a refrigerator's coefficient of performance.
Ghostly action at a distance: A non-technical explanation of the Bell inequality
Authors: Alford Mark G.
Published: May 2016

We present a non-mathematical explanation of Bell's inequality. Using the inequality, we show how the results of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) experiments violate the principle of strong locality. This indicates, given some reasonable-sounding assumptions, that some sort of faster-than-light influence is present in nature. We discuss the implications, emphasizing the relationship between EPR and the Principle of Relativity, the distinction between causal influences and signals, and the tension between EPR and determinism.
Coaching and Coach Education in Portugal
Authors: Resende Rui , Sequeira Pedro , Sarmento Hugo
Published: May 2016

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of coaching and coaching education in Portugal. In Portugal, sport coaching is traditionally considered a part-time vocation. There has been a growing concern of the Portuguese authorities to increase the standards of quality for sport coaching. Following the 1974 revolution there were profound alterations in how coaching and coach education are regulated. The legislative changes in coach education occurred mainly due to the harmonisation of the qualifications in the European Union. More recently, the responsibility for coach certification has moved from the different sports federations to a national sports organization that has created four grades of coach education. Coach education in all grades requires a general and a specific curricular component as well as an internship supervised by an accredited mentor. The academic formation is now well regulated. However, some sport federations are resistant to this academic certification process because they fear losing their exclusive control of their coach certification.
Effects of congruence between preferred and perceived learning environments in nursing education in Taiwan: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Yeh Ting-Kuang , Huang Hsiu-Mei , Chan Wing P , Chang Chun-Yen
Published: May 2016

Objective

To investigate the effects of congruence between preferred and perceived learning environments on learning outcomes of nursing students.

Setting

A nursing course at a university in central Taiwan.

Participants

124 Taiwanese nursing students enrolled in a 13-week problem-based Fundamental Nursing curriculum.

Design and methods

Students' preferred learning environment, perceptions about the learning environment and learning outcomes (knowledge, self-efficacy and attitudes) were assessed. On the basis of test scores measuring their preferred and perceived learning environments, students were assigned to one of two groups: a ‘preferred environment aligned with perceived learning environment’ group and a ‘preferred environment discordant with perceived learning environment’ group. Learning outcomes were analysed by group.

Outcome measures

Most participants preferred learning in a classroom environment that combined problem-based and lecture-based instruction. However, a mismatch of problem-based instruction with students' perceptions occurred. Learning outcomes were significantly better when students' perceptions of their instructional activities were congruent with their preferred learning environment.

Conclusions

As problem-based learning becomes a focus of educational reform in nursing, teachers need to be aware of students' preferences and perceptions of the learning environment. Teachers may also need to improve the match between an individual student's perception and a teacher's intention in the learning environment, and between the student's preferred and actual perceptions of the learning environment.