bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of alien fish (the centrarchidMicropterus salmoides)in lake food webs highlighted by stable isotope analysis
Authors: Costantini Maria Letizia , Carlino Pasquale , Calizza Edoardo , Careddu Giulio , Cicala Davide , Sporta Caputi Simona , Fiorentino Federico , Rossi Loreto
Published: May 2018

Non‐native freshwater fish species can have adverse ecological impacts on native populations. However, the mechanisms determining the success or otherwise of their invasion and their role in invaded communities remain largely unknown. This is particularly true for the Mediterranean region, where endemic species characterised by restricted natural ranges may be at high risk of extinction. The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is native to North America but is invasive in the Italian Peninsula. The aim of this study was to explore the trophic position ofM. salmoides, its diet and niche overlap with native fish species in the littoral areas of a Mediterranean lake.

Our study was supported by analysis of stable C and N isotopes in the tissues of fish and their potential food sources, twenty years after the introduction of the largemouth bass to Lake Bracciano (Italy). Samples were collected in locations varying in terms of physical structure and resource availability at lower trophic levels in the food web, which was greater in the southern (hereafter: South) than in the northern (hereafter: North) area of the lake. These differences made it possible to explore the mechanisms linking environmental conditions and the role of alien predators in the invaded food web.

The abundance ofM. salmoideswas higher, and the diversity of native fish species was lower, in North than South. In North,M. salmoideshad a piscivorous diet and occupied a higher trophic position in the food web than in South, where invertebrates constituted an important part of its diet. As a consequence, trophic niche interference with other fish species at intermediate trophic levels was higher in South. In contrast, in North,M. salmoidesshowed stronger trophic interference with the percidPerca fluviatilis,a native top predator in the food web, but weaker interference with remaining fish species.

Our results help to understand the role of alien species in the food webs of Lake Bracciano, which primarily depends on the habitat and the availability of prey across trophic levels. Physical and ecological variations in the habitat were associated with differences in predatory interactions among native and alien fish species. This suggests that a reduction in productivity and biodiversity at lower trophic levels in lake food webs may favour the success of opportunistic invasive fish species, given the ability of the invaders to maintain some of their characteristics silent, and to fully express their genotype under favourable environmental conditions.
Regional versus local drivers of water quality in the Windermere catchment, Lake District, United Kingdom: The dominant influence of wastewater pollution over the past 200 years
Authors: Moorhouse Heather L. , McGowan Suzanne , Taranu Zofia E. , Gregory‐Eaves Irene , Leavitt Peter R. , Jones Matthew D. , Barker Philip , Brayshaw Susan A.
Published: May 2018

Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by multiple anthropogenic stressors acting over different spatial and temporal scales, resulting in toxic algal blooms, reduced water quality and hypoxia. However, while catchment characteristics act as a ‘filter’ modifying lake response to disturbance, little is known of the relative importance of different drivers and possible differentiation in the response of upland remote lakes in comparison to lowland, impacted lakes. Moreover, many studies have focussed on single lakes rather than looking at responses across a set of individual, yet connected lake basins. Here we used sedimentary algal pigments as an index of changes in primary producer assemblages over the last ~200 years in a northern temperate watershed consisting of 11 upland and lowland lakes within the Lake District, United Kingdom, to test our hypotheses about landscape drivers. Specifically, we expected that the magnitude of change in phototrophic assemblages would be greatest in lowland rather than upland lakes due to more intensive human activities in the watersheds of the former (agriculture, urbanization). Regional parameters, such as climate dynamics, would be the predominant factors regulating lake primary producers in remote upland lakes and thus, synchronize the dynamic of primary producer assemblages in these basins. We found broad support for the hypotheses pertaining to lowland sites as wastewater treatment was the main predictor of changes to primary producer assemblages in lowland lakes. In contrast, upland headwaters responded weakly to variation in atmospheric temperature, and dynamics in primary producers across upland lakes were asynchronous. Collectively, these findings show that nutrient inputs from point sources overwhelm climatic controls of algae and nuisance cyanobacteria, but highlights that large‐scale stressors do not always initiate coherent regional lake response. Furthermore, a lake's position in its landscape, its connectivity and proximity to point nutrients are important determinants of changes in production and composition of phototrophic assemblages.
A spatially explicit representation of conservation agriculture for application in global change studies
Authors: Prestele Reinhard , Hirsch Annette L. , Davin Edouard L. , Seneviratne Sonia I. , Verburg Peter H.
Published: May 2018

Conservation agriculture (CA) is widely promoted as a sustainable agricultural management strategy with the potential to alleviate some of the adverse effects of modern, industrial agriculture such as large‐scale soil erosion, nutrient leaching and overexploitation of water resources. Moreover, agricultural land managed under CA is proposed to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation through reduced emission of greenhouse gases, increased solar radiation reflection, and the sustainable use of soil and water resources. Due to the lack of official reporting schemes, the amount of agricultural land managed under CA systems is uncertain and spatially explicit information about the distribution of CA required for various modeling studies is missing. Here, we present an approach to downscale present‐day national‐level estimates of CA to a 5 arcminute regular grid, based on multicriteria analysis. We provide a best estimate of CA distribution and an uncertainty range in the form of a low and high estimate of CA distribution, reflecting the inconsistency in CA definitions. We also design two scenarios of the potential future development of CA combining present‐day data and an assessment of the potential for implementation using biophysical and socioeconomic factors. By our estimates, 122–215 Mha or 9%–15% of global arable land is currently managed under CA systems. The lower end of the range represents CA as an integrated system of permanent no‐tillage, crop residue management and crop rotations, while the high estimate includes a wider range of areas primarily devoted to temporary no‐tillage or reduced tillage operations. Our scenario analysis suggests a future potential of CA in the range of 533–1130 Mha (38%–81% of global arable land). Our estimates can be used in various ecosystem modeling applications and are expected to help identifying more realistic climate mitigation and adaptation potentials of agricultural practices.
Fire in sub‐Saharan Africa: The fuel, cure and connectivity hypothesis
Authors: Kahiu M. Njoki , Hanan N. P.
Published: May 2018

Aim

Past analyses of satellite‐based fire activity in tropical savannas support the intermediate fire–productivity hypothesis (IFP), which posits a close correlation with estimates of total net primary productivity in drier savannas and declines towards the extremes. However, these analyses ignore the distinct roles played by herbaceous and woody vegetation in fire ignition and spread. We hypothesize that, as herbaceous vegetation provides the primary fuel, fire activity in African savannas is asymptotically correlated with herbaceous production. Conversely, woody production affects fires indirectly through effects on herbaceous production and its connectivity. In contrast to the IFP, we propose the fuel, cure and connectivity (FCC) conceptual model for tropical fire activity. The FCC model makes explicit the distinct role of herbaceous and woody fuels, avoiding the confounding interpretation of the role of total production, while providing opportunities to quantify fuel curability, effects of trees on herbaceous fuel growth and connectivity, and human management.

Location

Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA).

Time period

2003–2015.

Major taxa studied

Woody and herbaceous vegetation.

Methods

We used boosted regression tree analysis to test competing models explaining fire activity: (a) aggregate fuel loads; and (b) partitioned woody and herbaceous fuel loads; both derived from MODIS leaf area index.

Results

Herbaceous fuel load was consistently most influential, providing more explanatory power than overall biomass in fire activity. Fuel curability rated second, then human population density (HPD), and woody biomass was least important. We observed an asymptotic relationship between herbaceous fuel load and fire activity consistent with the FCC model; trees promote fires at low densites but suppress fires at higher densities; fires were rare in wetter regions, emphasizing the need for fuel to cure; and fires were concentrated in areas of low human population, underscoring the crucial role of land management.

Conclusions

The proposed FCC framework provides a more nuanced understanding of fire activity in tropical ecosystems, where herbaceous biomass is the key determinant of fire activity.
Mediated remittances: transnational economic contributions from second‐generation Filipino Americans
Authors: GUTIERREZ ARMAND
Published: May 2018

In this article, I explore the varying logic of second‐generation Filipino‐Americans' decisions to send economic support to family members in the Philippines. I extend the conceptual framework of remittance scripts to that of second‐generation migrants. I find that second‐generation Filipino Americans rely heavily on their first‐generation migrant parents to mediate both remittance requests and sending. As a result, respondents send what I refer to as ‘mediated remittances’. This type of remittance among second‐generation migrants leads to material, relational, and emotional aspects of a transaction being directed towards both first‐generation migrants, as well as non‐migrant recipients. Furthermore, I discuss the repertoire of scripts that second‐generation migrants employ when refusing the request to remit. Analysis of the emotional milieu associated with decisions to remit or not remit reveals an additional dimension beyond the sender–recipient dyad with the inclusion of a mediator. In doing so, this article sheds light on how second‐generation migrants participate in the transnational social field.
Building history: Historiography of architectural history in South Asia
Authors: Sohoni Pushkar
Published: May 2018

Architectural history informed the colonial government in their creation of an Indian empire, helped the self‐fashioning of the princely states, and eventually became the source of national narratives for the countries of India and Pakistan as they were carved from British India. The historiography of architecture in South Asia is therefore significant as a tool to understand political processes. Several studies on architecture in South Asia are limited to debates about built forms and their chronology, and not as reflections of society at large. The reception of architecture through time is at least as important as the creation of architecture, and the scholarship on architecture is a societal index of this reception. This essay reviews the study of architectural history in South Asia in order to trace the trajectory of the field. South Asia commonly includes the present‐day nations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives and was largely congruous with British India in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
A protracted war for order:Police violence in the twentieth century United States
Authors: Ponton David
Published: May 2018

Although a formal historiography of police violence has yet to develop, historians have had much to say about police brutality. Building on the insights of race theorists from critical legal, critical race, and sociological studies on racial formation and the law, they have argued that police violence has been constitutive to racial formation in the United States, that is has been a primary means through which crime is socially constructed, that is has always been employed in the interest of preserving “order,” that it has inspired sustained movements of resistance, and that its militarization and sustained patterns of brutality are a collective telltale sign of the failures of Great Society liberalism and the fragility of neoliberalism and neoconservatism. This article synthesizes the scattered historical literature to plainly articulate these prevailing arguments about the form, function, and consequences of police violence, much of which has been produced by scholars of Black American and labor histories, but which is also appearing more frequently in other ethnic histories as well as queer and gender histories. Historians can continue to take an interdisciplinary approach to shaping research questions and producing a body of work that attends specifically to the history of police violence. We will need to borrow sources from other disciplines and re‐imagine data as evidence; create new archives, even as we rediscover old ones as we face the near‐insurmountable challenge of extracting police misconduct information from police department archives; and consider that the challenge for developing a police brutality historiography is not in determining the magnitude of violence, but rather in teasing out the political and legal apparatuses that make such violence immune to reform.
Les différences de salaire au sein de l'Union européenne
Authors: PEREIRA João , GALEGO Aurora
Published: May 2018

Les auteurs recherchent les déterminants des écarts salariaux au sein de l'Union européenne selon la position dans la distribution des salaires, suivant en cela la méthode proposée par Firpo, Fortin et Lemieux (2009) et par Fortin, Lemieux et Firpo (2011). Ils expliquent ces écarts à la fois par un effet de composition et par un effet de structure. Ce dernier effet, plus puissant, dépend surtout des facteurs non observés, alors que l'effet de composition peut ětre attribué principalement au niveau de diplôme, à la profession, à la fréquence des fonctions d'encadrement et, dans une moindre mesure, au secteur d'activité.
Syndicats et inégalités de salaire: la naissance du «salaire familial»
Authors: LURIE Lilach
Published: May 2018

Dans de nombreux pays de l'OCDE, la législation consacre le droit des hommes et des femmes à percevoir une rémunération égale pour un travail de valeur égale. Pourtant, dans la première moitié du XXe siècle, employeurs et syndicats ont parfois défendu l'idée d'un «salaire familial» synonyme d'inégalité salariale. L'auteure retrace les origines historiques et sociologiques de ce système, à la fois dans une perspective comparative et à partir de documents d'archive sur la situation en Israël. Elle met en lumière le rôle complexe des syndicats, guidés dans leur défense du salaire familial à la fois par une vision patriarcale et par des valeurs socialistes.
La segregación ocupacional por horas de trabajo en Europa
Authors: SPARREBOOM Theo
Published: May 2018

En este artículo se cuantifican los niveles de segregación ocupacional entre el trabajo a tiempo parcial y a tiempo completo según los datos de la Encuesta Europea de Población Activa para quince países europeos, tratando de identificar algunos determinantes de la segregación mediante un análisis de regresión con tres grupos de indicadores (cantidad de empleo, calidad del empleo y factores institucionales). Por lo general, la segregación ocupacional por horas de trabajo es más alta para los hombres que para las mujeres y más alta para los trabajadores jóvenes que para los adultos. Así como entre los hombres la segregación se correlaciona solamente con la cantidad de empleo, en el caso de las mujeres adultas y los trabajadores jóvenes inciden variables asociadas a los tres grupos de indicadores.
La brecha salarial de género al inicio de la vida activa. Análisis basado en datos de Alemania
Authors: BEHR Andreas , THEUNE Katja
Published: May 2018

Se investigan las diferencias salariales entre hombres y mujeres graduados universitarios al inicio de la vida activa en todos los percentiles de la distribución salarial. Tales diferencias se descomponen según el modelo de índice único de DiNardo, Fortin y Lemieux (1996) y Fortin y Lemieux (1998), analizando los efectos de la dotación, el precio y la función de rendimiento de competencias. Los salarios iniciales de los varones son más altos en todos los percentiles, con una brecha de magnitud variable. Los efectos de la dotación y el precio son favorables a los hombres. La diferencia en la función de rendimiento de competencias es ventajosa para las graduadas.
Diferencias salariales en una ocupación mayoritariamente femenina. El trabajo doméstico informal y flexible en Portugal
Authors: SULEMAN Fátima , FIGUEIREDO Maria da Conceição
Published: May 2018

Se investigan los efectos de las modalidades contractuales informales y flexibles sobre los salarios de los trabajadores domésticos contratados por empleadores privados en Portugal, a partir de una muestra de datos transversales originales. Las estimaciones MCO indican que la formalidad beneficia a los trabajadores tanto en contratos estables como flexibles. Los procesos sociales y del mercado de trabajo tienden a perpetuar la desigualdad, principalmente en detrimento de los trabajadores migrantes. Aunque las competencias están infravaloradas y mal retribuidas, los trabajadores eventuales que prestan servicio a múltiples empleadores o cuidan de los ancianos perciben salarios más altos y, aun así, están sujetos a explotación e inseguridad.
El sindicalismo y la desigualdad salarial en el régimen de «salario familiar»
Authors: LURIE Lilach
Published: May 2018

Las leyes de igualdad salarial de numerosos países de la OCDE consagran el principio de igualdad de remuneración para hombres y mujeres por un trabajo de igual valor. Sin embargo, durante la primera mitad del siglo xx, antes de la promulgación de esas leyes, empleadores y sindicatos promovieron la desigualdad a través del régimen de «salario familiar». Se investigan los orígenes históricos y sociológicos del «salario familiar» desde una perspectiva comparativa e histórica, esta última referida al caso de Israel. La compleja decisión sindical de promover este complemento salarial reflejaba una concepción patriarcal de la sociedad y se regía por principios socialistas.
Molecular characterization, expression pattern and metabolic activity of flavin‐dependent monooxygenases inSpodoptera exigua
Authors: Tian X. , Zhao S. , Guo Z. , Hu B. , Wei Q. , Tang Y. , Su J.
Published: May 2018

Enhanced detoxification is one of the important mechanisms for insecticide resistance. Most research in this field to date has focused on the role of cytochrome P450s. Our previous work revealed that flavin‐dependent monooxygenases (FMOs) were involved in metabolic resistance ofSpodoptera exigua. In the present study we investigated the molecular characteristics, expression patterns and oxidative activities of SeFMO on insecticides. Three FMO genes, which encode proteins with the typical FMO motifs, were cloned fromS. exigua. The oxidative activities of eukaryotically expressed SeFMO enzymes were verified with the model substrate of FMO. Importantly, the SeFMOs had significantly higher oxidative activities on metaflumizone and lambda‐cyhalothrin than on model substrates and other insecticides tested. The three SeFMOs were mainly expressed in the midgut, fat body and Malpighian tubules. The tissues responsible for xenobiotic metabolism and their expression characteristics were similar to those of P450s acting as detoxification genes. The study also revealed that the expression of SeFMOs could be induced by insecticide exposure, and that SeFMOs were over‐expressed in a metaflumizone‐resistant strain ofS. exigua. These results suggest that SeFMOs are important insecticide detoxifying enzymes, and that over‐expression of FMO genes may be one of the mechanisms for metabolic resistance inS. exigua.
Policies for Recruiting Talented Professionals from the Diaspora: India and China Compared
Authors: Li Wei , Bakshi Kanika , Tan Yining , Huang Xuanyu
Published: May 2018

Despite the continuous asymmetrical power relations between the Global North and South, the “global race for talent” is no longer a privilege enjoyed only by developed countries. Comparative analysis of policy content and effectiveness has attracted increasing interest. The examination of policy initiatives resulting in return migration of highly‐skilled migrants from the Global North to the Global South, however, remains inadequate. In this article, we provide a comparative analysis of policies targeting high‐level Chinese and Indian professionals including full‐time returnees. Two key differences in policy instruments and outcomes in the two countries are identified and they have implications for migration policies in other countries in the Global South and North.
Salivary‐gland‐protective regulatory T‐cell dysfunction underlies female‐specific sialadenitis in the non‐obese diabetic mouse model of Sjögren syndrome
Authors: Barr Jennifer Y. , Wang Xiaofang , Kreiger Portia A. , Lieberman Scott M.
Published: May 2018

Immune cell‐mediated destruction of salivary glands is a hallmark feature of Sjögren syndrome. Similar to the female predominance in humans, female non‐obese diabetic (NOD) mice develop spontaneous salivary gland autoimmunity. However, in both humans and mice it is unclear what factors contribute to the initial immune infiltration of the salivary glands. Here, we used an adoptive transfer model of Sjögren syndrome to determine if female mice harbor a sex‐specific defect in salivary‐gland‐protective regulatory T (Treg) cells. Transfer of cervical lymph node (LN) cells from female NOD mice into sex‐matched NOD‐severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) recipients resulted in sialadenitis, regardless of the presence or absence of Treg cells. In contrast, transfer of cervical LN cells from male NOD mice into sex‐matched NOD‐SCID recipients only resulted in sialadenitis when Treg cells were depleted before transfer, suggesting that male NOD mice have functional salivary‐gland‐protective Treg cells. Notably, the host environment affected the ability of Treg cells to prevent sialadenitis with testosterone promoting salivary gland protection. Treg cells from male mice did not protect against sialadenitis in female recipients. Testosterone treatment of female recipients of bulk cervical LN cells decreased sialadenitis, and Treg cells from female mice were capable of protecting against development of sialadenitis in male recipients. Hence, our data demonstrate that female NOD mice develop sialadenitis through a defect in salivary‐gland‐protective Treg cells that can be reversed in the presence of testosterone.
incR: a new R package to analyse incubation behaviour
Authors: Capilla‐Lasheras Pablo
Published: May 2018

Incubation represents a life stage of crucial importance for the optimal development of avian embryos. For most birds, incubation poses a trade‐off between investing in self‐maintenance and offspring care. Furthermore, incubation is affected by environmental temperatures and, therefore, will be likely impacted by climate change. Despite its relevance and readily available temperature logging methods, avian incubation research is hindered by recognised limitations in available software. In this paper, a new quantitative approach to analyse incubation behaviour is presented. This new approach is embedded in a free R package, incR. The flexibility of the R environment eases the analysis, validation and visualisation of incubation temperature data. The core algorithm in incR is validated here and it is shown that the method extracts accurate metrics of incubation behaviour (e.g. number and duration of incubation bouts). This paper also presents a suggested workflow along with detailed R code to aid the practical implementation of incR.
The relationship of renal function to segmental vascular stiffness, ankle‐brachial index, and peripheral artery disease
Authors: Lin Yueh‐Hung , Sung Kuo‐Tzu , Tsai Cheng‐Ting , Wu Pei‐Chen , Lai Yau‐Huei , Lo Chi‐In , Yu Fa‐Chang , Wu Hsu‐Ping , Lan Wei‐Ran , Kuo Jen‐Yuan , Hou Charles Jia‐Yin , Yen Chi‐Hsuan , Peng Ming‐Cheng , Hung Ta‐Chuan , Hung Chung‐Lieh , Lai Edward , Yeh Hung‐I
Published: May 2018

The authors consecutively assessed various arterial pulse‐wave velocity (PWV) indices and ankle‐brachial index (ABI) by an automatic device (VP2000, OMRON Health Care Co. Ltd., Kyota, Japan) in outpatients with ≥ 1 cardiovascular risk. PAD was defined as ABI ≤ 0.9. Among 2309 outpatients (mean age 62.4 years), worse renal function was associated with higher brachial‐ankle PWV, heart‐carotid PWV, heart‐femoral PWV (hf‐PWV), and lower ABI (all P < .001). Multivariate regression models showed independent associations between lower eGFR, lower ABI (Coef: 0.42 & 0.41 for right and left), higher hf‐PWV (Coef: −11.4 [95% CI: −15.4, −7.3]) and greater PAD risk (adjusted OR: 0.83 [95% CI: 0.76, 0.91], all P < .05). eGFR set at 77 mL/min/1.73m2 was observed to be useful clinical cutoff (c‐statistics: 0.67) for identifying PAD (P for ΔAUROC: .009; likelihood X2: 93.82 to 137.43, P < .001) when superimposed on clinical risks. This study suggested early renal insufficiency is tightly linked to region‐specific vascular stiffness and PAD.
Using forecast modelling to evaluate treatment effects in single‐group interrupted time series analysis
Authors: Linden Ariel
Published: May 2018

Rationale, aims, and objectives

Interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) is an evaluation methodology in which a single treatment unit's outcome is studied serially over time and the intervention is expected to “interrupt” the level and/or trend of that outcome. ITSA is commonly evaluated using methods which may produce biased results if model assumptions are violated. In this paper, treatment effects are alternatively assessed by using forecasting methods to closely fit the preintervention observations and then forecast the post‐intervention trend. A treatment effect may be inferred if the actual post‐intervention observations diverge from the forecasts by some specified amount.

Method

The forecasting approach is demonstrated using the effect of California's Proposition 99 for reducing cigarette sales. Three forecast models are fit to the preintervention series—linear regression (REG), Holt‐Winters (HW) non‐seasonal smoothing, and autoregressive moving average (ARIMA)—and forecasts are generated into the post‐intervention period. The actual observations are then compared with the forecasts to assess intervention effects.

Results

The preintervention data were fit best by HW, followed closely by ARIMA. REG fit the data poorly. The actual post‐intervention observations were above the forecasts in HW and ARIMA, suggesting no intervention effect, but below the forecasts in the REG (suggesting a treatment effect), thereby raising doubts about any definitive conclusion of a treatment effect.

Conclusions

In a single‐group ITSA, treatment effects are likely to be biased if the model is misspecified. Therefore, evaluators should consider using forecast models to accurately fit the preintervention data and generate plausible counterfactual forecasts, thereby improving causal inference of treatment effects in single‐group ITSA studies.
Experience and the meaning of stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and their families: A qualitative study
Authors: Rezayat Fatemeh , Mohammadi Eesa , Fallahi‐khoshknab Masoud , Sharifi Vandad
Published: May 2018

Aim

This study aimed to explore the experiences of stigma in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and their families.

Methods

This qualitative content analysis study was carried out in 2016–2017 in a psychiatric hospital in Tehran, Iran. A total of 16 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and their families were chosen purposefully. In order to collect the data, unstructured interviews were conducted. For the data analysis, an inductive content analysis approach was used.

Results

The data analysis led to the formation of two categories, “being socially rejected” and “being oppressed by others,” and nine subcategories. In being socially rejected, others do not have a desire to communicate and start or continue cohabitation with the patients and their families and stay at a distance from them with fear. In being oppressed by others, persons behave aggressively with the patients and their families, violate their rights, and humiliate and ridicule them with their incorrect judgment.

Conclusions

Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and their families have the unpleasant and upsetting experiences of stigma. This problem imposes pressures and extreme difficulties on them, besides the difficulties related to the nature and the symptoms of the disorder. The findings reveals the need to develop strategies to help patients and their families effectively encounter stigma.
Fingolimod's Impact on MRI Brain Volume Measures in Multiple Sclerosis: Results from MS‐MRIUS
Authors: Zivadinov Robert , Medin Jennie , Khan Nasreen , Korn Jonathan R. , Bergsland Niels , Dwyer Michael G. , Chitnis Tanuja , Naismith Robert T. , Alvarez Enrique , Kinkel Peter , Cohan Stanley , Hunter Samuel F. , Silva Diego , Weinstock‐Guttman Bianca ,   on behalf of MS‐MRIUS investigators
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Evidence is needed to understand the effect of fingolimod on slowing down brain atrophy progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in clinical practice. We investigated the effect of fingolimod on brain atrophy in MS patients with active disease (clinically and/or magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) versus no evidence of active disease (NEAD).

METHODS

MS and clinical outcome and MRI in the United States (MS‐MRIUS) is a multicenter, retrospective study that included 590 relapsing‐remitting MS patients, who initiated fingolimod, and were followed for a median of 16 months. Patients with active disease at baseline (245, 41.5%) were defined as those who had one or more relapses in the year previous starting fingolimod, and/or displayed gadolinium enhancing lesions(s) at baseline MRI scan, whereas patients with NEAD at baseline (345, 58.5%) did not fulfill these criteria. Annualized percentage brain volume change (PBVC) and percentage lateral ventricle volume change (PLVVC) over the follow‐up were analyzed in both groups.

RESULTS

Over the follow‐up, the rate of PBVC was −.38% in active disease and −.25% in NEAD patients (P = .076), whereas PLLVC was 1.76% in active disease and .28% in NEAD patients (P = .046). No changes in timed 25‐foot walk (P = .619) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (P = .275) scores or MRI lesion accumulation (P > 0.08) were detected, although the active disease group had a higher proportion of relapses during the follow‐up period (P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

The study provides real‐world evidence that rate of brain atrophy in MS patients with underlying active disease and NEAD in fingolimod treated patients is below the established pathological cutoff for loss of whole brain volume (>−.4%) or expansion of lateral ventricles (> 3.5%).
How does proactive personality promote creativity? A multilevel examination of the interplay between formal and informal leadership
Authors: Pan Jingzhou , Liu Songbo , Ma Bin , Qu Zhiyao
Published: May 2018

Based on the social perspective on creativity, which highlights the importance of social network parameters for individual creativity, this study examines the relationship between employees’ proactive personality and their individual creativity in the context of visionary leadership behaviour. Using survey data from 247 employees and their direct supervisors from 54 work teams in China, we find that informal leadership status mediates the relationship between an employee's proactive personality and his/her creativity. We also demonstrate that the link between an employee's informal leadership status and his/her individual creativity is moderated by formal leaders’ visionary behaviour. Overall, a moderated‐mediation model is established such that, when a formal leader shows a high level of visionary behaviour, the relationship between an employee's proactive personality and his/her creativity via informal leadership status is stronger than with a low level of visionary leader behaviour.

Practitioner points

Employees with more proactive personalities should be aware of and take advantage of their potential informal leadership status in work teams for increased individual creativity.

We suggest that managers recognize informal leaders and provide visionary guidance to promote the informal leaders’ creativity.
School‐Level Practices and Perceptions Associated With Salad Bars in Schools
Authors: Bruening Meg , Adams Marc A. , Ohri‐Vachaspati Punam , Hurley Jane
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND

Salad bars are placed in schools to promote fruit and vegetable consumption among students. This study assessed differences in school nutrition practices and perceptions in schools with and without salad bars.

METHODS

Cross‐sectional surveys were completed by school nutrition managers (N = 648) in Arizona schools participating in the National School Lunch Program during 2013–2014. Mixed general estimating equation binomial regressions assessed factors related to having a salad bar after mutually adjusting for clustering within districts, school level, free/reduced rate, and respondents' time in current position.

RESULTS

On average, 61% of schools reported having a salad bar. After adjustment, school nutrition managers were significantly more likely to report having a salad bar if they served lunch by grade level (vs mixed grades), had a full‐service kitchen, and their personal perception of salad bars was positive; schools were less likely to have a salad bar if menu and food service decisions were made at the school level.

CONCLUSIONS

Several school‐level nutrition practices and perceptions were associated with having a salad bar in schools. Enhancement of these factors may facilitate having salad bars in schools.
The Link Between Nutrition and Physical Activity in Increasing Academic Achievement
Authors: Asigbee Fiona M. , Whitney Stephen D. , Peterson Catherine E.
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND

Research demonstrates a link between decreased cognitive function in overweight school‐aged children and improved cognitive function among students with high fitness levels and children engaging in regular physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to examine whether regular PA and proper nutrition together had a significant effect on academic achievement.

METHODS

Using the seventh wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class 1998–99 (ECLS‐K) dataset, linear regression analysis with a Jackknife resampling correction was conducted to analyze the relationship among nutrition, PA, and academic achievement, while controlling for socioeconomic status, age, and sex. A nonactive, unhealthy nutrition group and a physically active, healthy nutrition group were compared on standardized tests of academic achievement.

RESULTS

Findings indicated that PA levels and proper nutrition significantly predicted achievement scores. Thus, the active, healthy nutrition group scored higher on reading, math, and science standardized achievement tests scores.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a strong connection between healthy nutrition and adequate PA, and the average performance within the population. Thus, results from this study suggest a supporting relationship between students' health and academic achievement. Findings also provide implications for school and district policy changes.
The Apples of Academic Performance: Associations Between Dietary Patterns and Academic Performance in Australian Children
Authors: Pearce Karma , Golley Rebecca , Lewis Lucy , Cassidy Leah , Olds Timothy , Maher Carol
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was an association between dietary patterns and children's academic performance.

METHODS

This cross‐sectional study involved 315 children aged 9‐11 years from 26 schools in Australia. Academic performance was measured in 4 domains (reading, writing, numeracy, and language—subdomains: spelling, grammarm and punctuation) using the National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). A self‐reported child questionnaire collected dietary intake data. “Core” (healthy) and “noncore” (unhealthy) dietary patterns were derived using principal components analysis.

RESULTS

The noncore pattern was associated with lower NAPLAN scores across all academic domains (mean: −12.6, 95% CI: −18.7 to −6.4, r2 = .073, p < .001) except writing, while the core foods pattern was not associated with NAPLAN scores across all domains. When the noncore model was adjusted for sociodemographic covariates (child body mass index, ethnicity, sex, parental education, household income, marital status, mother's employment hours, and number of siblings), the association was attenuated but remained statistically significant (NAPLAN summary score: −8.5, 95% CI −15.0 to −1.9, r2 = .123, p = .011).

CONCLUSIONS

Academic performance was deleteriously associated with a nutrient‐poor, energy‐dense diet, yet not associated with a nutritious diet.
The spatial structure of phylogenetic and functional diversity in the United States and Canada: An example using the sedge family (Cyperaceae)
Authors: Spalink Daniel , Pender Jocelyn , Escudero Marcial , Hipp Andrew L. , Roalson Eric H. , Starr Julian R. , Waterway Marcia J. , Bohs Lynn , Sytsma Kenneth J.
Published: May 2018

Systematically quantifying diversity across landscapes is necessary to understand how clade history and ecological heterogeneity contribute to the origin, distribution, and maintenance of biodiversity. Here, we chart the spatial structure of diversity among all species in the sedge family (Cyperaceae) throughout the USA and Canada. We first identify areas of remarkable species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and functional trait diversity, and highlight regions of conservation priority. We then test predictions about the spatial structure of this diversity based on the historical biogeography of the family. Incorporating a phylogeny, over 400 000 herbarium records, and a database of functional traits mined from online floras, we find that species richness and functional trait diversity peak in the Northeastern USA, while phylogenetic diversity peaks along the Gulf of Mexico. Floristic turnover among assemblages increases significantly with distance, but phylogenetic turnover is twice as rapid along latitudinal gradients as along longitudinal gradients. These patterns reflect the expected distribution of Cyperaceae, which originated in the tropics but radiated in temperate regions. We identify assemblages with an abundance of rare, range‐restricted lineages, and assemblages composed of species generally lacking from diverse regions. We argue that both of these metrics are useful for developing targeted conservation strategies. We use the data generated here to establish future research priorities, including the testing of a series of hypotheses regarding the distribution of chromosome numbers, photosynthetic pathways, and resource partitioning in sedges.
Effects of immunosuppressive agents on the hemostatic system in normal dogs
Authors: Thomason John M. , Archer Todd M. , Wills Robert W. , Mackin Andrew J.
Published: May 2018

Background

In dogs, the effects of immunosuppressive medications on hemostasis are not well known.

Hypothesis/Objectives

The objective was to determine the effects of immunosuppressive medications on primary and secondary hemostasis. Our hypothesis was that cyclosporine and prednisone would increase markers of hypercoagulability and thromboxane synthesis, while azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, and leflunomide would have minimal effects on hemostasis.

Animals

Eight healthy dogs.

Methods

A randomized, cross‐over study used aggregometry, the PFA‐100 platelet function analyzer, viscoelastometry, platelet count, and prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin times to evaluate hemostasis during the administration of prednisone, azathioprine, cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and leflunomide for 1 week each at standard oral doses. Urine 11‐dehydro‐thromboxane‐B2 (11‐dTXB2) and 6‐keto‐prostaglandin‐F1α (6‐keto‐PGF1α) concentrations, normalized to urine creatinine concentration, were measured.

Results

The aggregometry amplitude decreased from 51 ± 21 to 27 ± 14 (P = .002) during leflunomide treatment (ADP activation), but there were no differences in amplitude (P = .240) for any medications when platelets were activated with collagen. For all medications, there were no significant differences in viscoelastometry indices (ACT, P = .666; ClotRate, P = .340; and platelet function, P = .411) and platelet count (P = .552). Compared with pretreatment values, urinary 11‐dTXB2‐to‐creatinine ratio increased (P = .001) after drug administration (from 3.7 ± 0.6 to 5.6 ± 1.1). Cyclosporine was associated with an increase (P < .001) in the 6‐keto‐PGF1α‐to‐creatinine ratio (from 10.3 ± 4.6 to 22.1 ± 5.3).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Most immunosuppressive drugs do not enhance platelet function or coagulation in healthy dogs, suggesting that these medications might not predispose hypercoagulable dogs to thromboembolism. The results of our study need to be correlated with the clinical outcomes of hypercoagulable dogs.
Establishment of reference values of the caudal vena cava by fast‐ultrasonography through different views in healthy dogs
Authors: Darnis Elodie , Boysen Soren , Merveille Anne‐Christine , Desquilbet Loïc , Chalhoub Serge , Gommeren Kris
Published: May 2018

Background

Clinical assessment of intravascular volume status is challenging. In humans, ultrasonographic assessment of the inferior vena cava diameter, directly or as a ratio to the aortic diameter is used to estimate intravascular volume status.

Objectives

To ultrasonographically obtain reference values (RV) for caudal vena cava diameter (CVCD), area (CVCa) and aortic ratios using 3 views in awake healthy dogs.

Animals

One hundred and twenty‐six healthy adult dogs from clients, students, faculty, or staff.

Methods

Prospective, multicenter, observational study. Two observer pairs evaluated CVCDby a longitudinal subxiphoid view (SV), a transverse 11th‐13th right hepatic intercostal view (HV), and a longitudinal right paralumbar view (PV). Inter‐rater agreements were estimated using concordance correlation coefficients (CCC). For body weight (BW)‐dependent variables, RVs were calculated using allometric scaling for variables with a CCC ≥ 0.7.

Results

The CCC was ≤0.43 for the CVC/aorta ratio at the PV and ≤0.43 in both inspiration and expiration for CVC at the SV. The RVs using allometric scaling for CVCaat the HV for inspiration, expiration, and for CVCDat the PV were 6.16 × BW0.762, 7.24 × BW0.787, 2.79 × BW0.390, respectively.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The CVCD, measured at the HV and PV in healthy awake dogs of various breeds has good inter‐rater agreement suggesting these sites are reliable in measuring CVCD. Established RVs for CVCDfor these sites need further comparison to results obtained in hypovolemic and hypervolemic dogs to determine their usefulness to evaluate volume status in dogs.
Emergence of Edwardsiella piscicida in Farmed Channel ♀, Ictalurus punctatus × Blue ♂, Ictalurus furcatus, Hybrid Catfish Cultured in Mississippi
Authors: Griffin Matt J. , Reichley Stephen R. , Baumgartner Wes A. , Aarattuthodiyil Suja , Ware Cynthia , Steadman James M. , Lewis Marsha , Gaunt Patricia S. , Khoo Lester H. , Wise David J.
Published: May 2018

There is a trend toward the increased incidence and prevalence of Edwardsiella piscicida septicemia in US catfish aquaculture, particularly in channel ♀, Ictalurus punctatus, × blue ♂, I. furcatus, hybrid catfish. From 2013 to 2017, a total of 3242 disease case submissions were made to the Aquatic Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (ARDL) at the Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center in Stoneville, MS. Of these, 1400 (43.2%) were hybrids. E. piscicida was suspected in 138 (4.3%) of cases, the majority of which (89.1%) were from hybrid catfish. A molecular survey of these isolates confirmed the majority (92.0%) to be E. piscicida. Furthermore, cases of E. piscicida from hybrids submitted to the ARDL and the Aquatic Diagnostic Laboratory of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Starkville, MS, were documented for gross lesions and histological analysis. Grossly, E. piscicida presents with small dermal ulcerations, a raised fluid‐filled cranial midline lesion that is frequently ulcerated, hemorrhage in the gills, exophthalmia, and abdominal distension. Internally, lesions include splenomegaly, straw‐colored ascites, renomegaly, and occasionally hemorrhagic intestines. Histopathological examination is in agreement with gross observations, and infected fish repeatedly demonstrate a mononuclear meningoencephalitis, hemorrhagic branchitis, splenitis, ulcerative dermatitis, granulomatous interstitial nephritis, and hepatitis coupled with a hemorrhagic enteritis.
Hierarchy and Stratification in the Israeli Legal Profession
Authors: Kricheli-Katz Tamar , Rosen-Zvi Issi , Ziv Neta
Published: May 2018

Hierarchy and stratification characterize labor markets all over the Western world. Racial, ethnic, and national minorities; women; and those belonging to lower socioeconomic classes are underrepresented in prestigious positions and overrepresented in lower-paying jobs in proportion to their percentage in the general population. Even when employed in similar positions, members of devalued social groups earn lower wages and are promoted less frequently. The legal profession is no different. Decades of research have clearly shown that the market for legal services follows the same patterns that determine the outcomes in other domains of social and economic life (see, e.g., Carson 2004). Yet in the spirit of Tolstoy's famous maxim, while all egalitarian labor markets are alike, each hierarchical market is stratified in its own way. Stratification is based on numerous distinctive characteristics such as the legal profession's structure, size, and degree of homogeneity, as well as the regulations governing it and the legal culture it exists in. Likewise, factors related to the general social structure—such as the stratification in broader society and the social role of the legal profession—also affect stratification within the legal profession. In this paper we seek to contribute to the literature on hierarchy and stratification within the legal profession through an in-depth examination of the patterns of inequality in the Israeli legal profession.