bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of lianas to community‐level canopy transpiration in a warm‐temperate forest
Authors: Ichihashi Ryuji , Chiu Chen‐Wei , Komatsu Hikaru , Kume Tomonori , Shinohara Yoshinori , Tateishi Makiko , Tsuruta Kenji , Otsuki Kyoichi
Published: April 2017

Lianas (woody climbers) have a greater amount of leaves relative to basal area or standing biomass than trees, and very wide vessels that permit efficient water transport. These features suggest that lianas possibly consume proportionally more water through transpiration than trees. Despite their potential importance, researchers have made only limited attempts to evaluate effects of lianas on forest water dynamics.

We conducted sap flow measurements for 1 year using a thermal dissipation method for four species each of lianas and trees in a liana‐rich, warm‐temperate forest in Japan and estimated the contribution of lianas to stand canopy transpiration.

Based on a calibration measuring water uptake rates from cut‐stem ends, the actual sap flux (Fd) in liana stems was several times greater than those estimated from the original calibration provided for the method. In the field, lianas showed an average of 2–4 times greater Fd than trees throughout the year. Except for this difference, diurnal and seasonal patterns of relative changes of Fd were similar in both groups. The whole‐plant transpiration (Qt) of sample plants was exponentially related to basal diameter for both lianas and trees; Qt of lianas increased more steeply with basal diameter than that of trees. By extrapolating the relationships between Qt and basal diameter to the inventory data of the study plot, we estimated that lianas contributed 12·8% to the annual stand canopy transpiration while comprising 2·3% of stand basal area, which probably reflected the top‐heavy architecture of lianas.

Our results indicate that the contribution of lianas to forest water dynamics may be several times greater than their contribution to forest basal area. This implies that a slight increase of liana abundance might have greater effects on water dynamics and, through competitions with trees for limited water, the carbon sequestration capacity of forests than expected from the increase in basal area. This study underlines the necessity of evaluating the relative importance of lianas to forest water dynamics in forests world‐wide.

A lay summary is available for this article.
A three decade assessment of climate‐associated changes in forest composition across the north‐eastern USA
Authors: Bose Arun K. , Weiskittel Aaron , Wagner Robert G.
Published: April 2017

Climate‐associated changes in forest composition have been widely reported, particularly where changes in abiotic conditions have resulted in high mortality of sensitive species and have disproportionately favoured certain species better adapted to these newer conditions. In the north‐eastern USA and south‐eastern Canada, few studies have examined climate‐related influences associated with forest composition, and none have considered broad‐scale changes over a long temporal (>25 years) period.

We used US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data from 1983 to 2014 across four north‐eastern states (Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont) to assess temporal and spatial changes in the occurrence and abundance of American beech Fagus grandifolia Ehrh, sugar maple Acer saccharum L., red maple Acer rubrum L. and birch Betula spp. saplings. We also tested the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on the distribution of the four studied deciduous species over the entire period examined.

Occurrence and abundance of American beech have increased substantially over the past three decades, whereas the occurrence and abundance of three other deciduous species have decreased in all ecological provinces of the north‐eastern USA, except the Midwest Broadleaf ecological province. Consequently, a clear shift in species composition is currently underway in the beech‐maple‐birch (BMB) forests of the north‐eastern USA, with uncertain consequences for future ecosystem structure and function.

In the studied region and over the entire period examined, the distribution of increased occurrence and abundance of beech relative to the three other deciduous species were associated with higher temperature and precipitation as well as higher conspecific basal area and dead tree basal area.

Synthesis and applications. The change from beech‐maple‐birch forests to more beech‐dominated forests with beech encroachment to new forest areas across the north‐eastern USA may continue if higher intensity harvesting and disturbances (i.e. large‐scale canopy openings) do not occur. This would be a significant management concern as beech is associated with a widespread bark disease, is commercially less desirable, and can limit natural regeneration from other species. Our results emphasize the need for management strategies such as higher intensity harvesting methods, vegetation control and limiting browsing pressure to reduce beech dominance.
The Chastity Society: disciplining Muslim men
Authors: Hughes Geoffrey Fitzgibbon
Published: April 2017

At a time when Western humanitarian rescue discourses seek to save Muslim women from irrational and violent Islamic masculinities, the Jordanian Islamist charity ‘the Chastity Society’ seeks to train young men to restrain their excessive masculine passions to ensure that Muslim women are spared the fate of the benighted and oppressed Western woman. This article traces parallel emphases on gender essentialism, rationality, cultural pathology, and abjection to argue that a shared language of contention unites both Islamists and those who advocate for Western humanitarian interventions. I explore how several kinds of social control are legitimized through these symmetrical polemics about gender, order, and civilization.
Epistemic artefacts: on the uses of complexity in anthropology
Authors: Dan‐Cohen Talia
Published: April 2017

Distinctions between the ‘simple’ and the ‘complex’ have enjoyed a long and varied career in anthropology. Simplicity was once part of a collective fantasy about what life was like elsewhere, tingeing studies of tribal life with human longing for simpler ways of being. With the reflexive turn and the rise of cultural critique, simplicity has been all but excommunicated in favour of widespread diagnoses of complexity. In this article, I tease out some transformations in the uses of complexity in anthropology, and weave in some critical responses to these uses, spanning many decades, from within the discipline. I pay special attention to recent critiques by anthropologists who are beginning to grow weary of complexity as both an end‐in‐itself for scholarship and an empirical diagnosis. For these critics, complexity is deeply entwined with anthropological methods and knowledge practices. Drawing on these critical views, I suggest that complexity may be an epistemological artefact, rather than something that can be diagnosed ‘out there’, and offer a way of reframing complexity as a ‘dominant problematic’ in anthropology and beyond.
Dodged debts and the submissive predator: perspectives on Amazonian relations of dependence
Authors: Penfield Amy
Published: April 2017

This article explores the nature of inter‐ethnic asymmetry and the dynamic of long‐term dependence in Amazonia. Drawing on the case of the Sanema and their neighbouring Ye'kwana, it seeks to gain a deeper understanding of submission and indebtedness with a view to rethinking where the power might lie in such relationships. The association between the two groups, I argue, is motivated by the Sanema's pursuit of manufactured items, access to which the Ye'kwana had historically monopolized. The dynamic entered into in order to procure these goods is one of voluntary deference on the part of the Sanema, a demeanour that is actively pursued because it enables morally valued autonomy and a freedom from ongoing reciprocity. I conclude that this ‘submissive extraction’ can offer new perspectives on the relationship between debt, predation, and freedom.
Exact identification of six starter‐strain candidates of Streptococcus thermophilus by analysing genotypic and industrial properties
Authors: Tian Hui , Muhammad Zafarullah , Evivie Smith Etareri , Gu Chun Tao , Huo Gui Cheng
Published: April 2017

Six strains of Streptococcus thermophilus isolated as starter candidates were precisely identified by analysing their genotypic and industrial properties. The combination of three methods, multilocus sequence typing, CRISPR1 and epsCD with 16S‐23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer, differentiated the six isolates into five groups. Only strains s60 and s79 could not be distinguished from each other. The industrial properties of the six tested strains were more diverse, especially in their firmness, viscosity and exopolysaccharide production. The six S. thermophilus isolates were identified and typed at the strain level by analysing genotypic and industrial properties.
Physical activity and the risk of preterm birth: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of epidemiological studies
Authors: Aune D , Schlesinger S , Henriksen T , Saugstad OD , Tonstad S
Published: April 2017

Background

Physical activity has been inconsistently associated with risk of preterm birth, and the strength of the association and the shape of the dose–response relationship needs clarification.

Objectives

To conduct a systematic review and dose–response meta‐analysis to clarify the association between physical activity and risk of preterm birth.

Search strategy

PubMed, Embase and Ovid databases were searched for relevant studies up to 9 February 2017.

Selection criteria

Studies with a prospective cohort, case‐cohort, nested case‐control or randomized study design were included.

Data collection and analysis

Data were extracted by one reviewer and checked for accuracy by a second reviewer. Summary relative risks (RRs) were estimated using a random effects model.

Main results

Forty‐one studies (43 publications) including 20 randomized trials and 21 cohort studies were included. The summary RR for high versus low activity was 0.87 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.70–1.06, I2 = 17%, n = 5] for physical activity before pregnancy, and it was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78–0.95, I2 = 0%, n = 30) for early pregnancy physical activity. The summary RR for a 3 hours per week increment in leisure‐time activity was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.85–0.95, I2 = 0%, n = 5). There was evidence of a nonlinear association between physical activity and preterm birth, Pnonlinearity < 0.0001, with the lowest risk observed at 2–4 hours per week of activity.

Conclusion

This meta‐analysis suggests that higher leisure‐time activity is associated with reduced risk of preterm birth. Further randomized controlled trials with sufficient frequency and duration of activity to reduce the risk and with larger sample sizes are needed to conclusively demonstrate an association.

Tweetable abstract

Physically active compared with inactive women have an 10–14% reduction in the risk of preterm birth.
Antioxidants Bound to an Insoluble Food Matrix: Their Analysis, Regeneration Behavior, and Physiological Importance
Authors: Cömert Ezgi Doğan , Gökmen Vural
Published: April 2017

Dietary antioxidants play an important role in human health by counteracting oxidative stress and preventing chronic diseases. Most common dietary antioxidants in foods are vitamins, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, sulfur‐containing compounds, and neoformed antioxidants. Antioxidants may be present in free soluble or bound insoluble forms in foods. Antioxidants bound to insoluble food matrices have gained the spotlight because they exert their antioxidant effects much longer than free soluble ones. A direct procedure called QUENCHER has been shown to accurately measure the antioxidant capacity of antioxidants bound to insoluble matrices. This procedure overcomes the drawbacks of extraction‐dependent classical assays leading to underestimation of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of foods. This review focuses on antioxidants that are found naturally in foods or are formed in foods during processing specifically the antioxidants bound to the insoluble food matrices. The literature gap on the importance of bound antioxidants, their physiological relevance, and methods for measurement of their antioxidant capacity will be filled by this comprehensive review. In particular, chemical properties and health effects of food antioxidants, measurement of the TAC of foods by the QUENCHER method, digestion behavior of bound insoluble antioxidants, and their interactions with free soluble antioxidants are discussed throughout this review.
Optimizing Ballistic Imaging Operations
Authors: Wang Can , Beggs‐Cassin Mardy , Wein Lawrence M.
Published: April 2017

Ballistic imaging systems can help solve crimes by comparing images of cartridge cases, which are recovered from a crime scene or test‐fired from a gun, to a database of images obtained from past crime scenes. Many U.S. municipalities lack the resources to process all of their cartridge cases. Using data from Stockton, CA, we analyze two problems: how to allocate limited capacity to maximize the number of cartridge cases that generate at least one hit, and how to prioritize the cartridge cases that are processed to maximize the usefulness (i.e., obtained before the corresponding criminal case is closed) of hits. The number of hits can be significantly increased by prioritizing crime scene evidence over test‐fires, and by ranking calibers by their hit probability and processing only the higher ranking calibers. We also estimate that last‐come first‐served increases the proportion of hits that are useful by only 0.05 relative to first‐come first‐served.
Pre‐hospital and retrieval medicine: Clinical governance and workforce models
Authors: Kennedy Marcus , Elcock Mark , Ellis Daniel , Tall Gary
Published: April 2017

Pre‐hospital and retrieval medicine (PHARM) has developed significantly in the past decade. This perspective article proposes that PHARM should develop with a clear focus on contemporary health governance principles, and that its workforce and models of care adopt modern interdisciplinary approaches. Many of the older systems of managing clinical standards, and outdated cultural approaches to professional ‘turf’, workforce and scope of practice have little place in high‐performance organisations. This paper calls us to attention with a recommendation that best and safest systems of care, structured to optimise patient outcomes and system performance should be our goal.
Expression of juvenile hormone acid O‐methyltransferase and juvenile hormone synthesis in Blattella germanica
Authors: Dominguez Claudia V. , Maestro Jose L.
Published: April 2017

Juvenile hormone (JH), a sesquiterpenoid synthetized by the insect corpora allata (CA), plays critical roles in metamorphosis and reproduction. Penultimate or last step of JH synthesis is catalyzed by juvenile hormone acid O‐methyltransferase (JHAMT). Here we report the cloning and expression analysis of the JHAMT orthologue in the cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.) (BgJHAMT). BgJHAMT is mainly expressed in CA, with only expression traces in ovary. Three different isoforms, differing in the 3′‐UTR sequence, were identified. Isoform A shows between 35 and 65 times higher expression than B and C in CA from penultimate nymphal instar and adult females. RNAi‐triggered knock down of BgJHAMT produces a dramatic reduction of JH synthesis, concomitant with a decrease of fat body vitellogenin expression and basal follicle length. BgJHAMT mRNA levels in CA of females along the gonadotrophic cycle parallel, with a slight advancement, JH synthesis profile. BgJHAMT mRNA levels were reduced in starved females and in females in which we reduced nutritional signaling by knocking down insulin receptor and target of rapamycin (TOR). Results show that conditions that modify JH synthesis in adult B. germanica females show parallel changes of BgJHAMT mRNA levels and that the JH‐specific branch of the JH synthesis pathway is regulated in the same way as the mevalonate branch. Furthermore, we demonstrate that nutrition and its signaling through the insulin receptor and TOR pathways are essential for activating BgJHAMT expression, which suggests that this enzyme can be a checkpoint for the regulation of JH production in relation to nutritional status.
Graphics for relatedness research
Authors: Galván‐Femenía Iván , Graffelman Jan , Barceló‐i‐Vidal Carles
Published: April 2017

Studies of relatedness have been crucial in molecular ecology over the last decades. Good evidence of this is the fact that studies of population structure, evolution of social behaviours, genetic diversity and quantitative genetics all involve relatedness research. The main aim of this article was to review the most common graphical methods used in allele sharing studies for detecting and identifying family relationships. Both IBS‐ and IBD‐based allele sharing studies are considered. Furthermore, we propose two additional graphical methods from the field of compositional data analysis: the ternary diagram and scatterplots of isometric log‐ratios of IBS and IBD probabilities. We illustrate all graphical tools with genetic data from the HGDP‐CEPH diversity panel, using mainly 377 microsatellites genotyped for 25 individuals from the Maya population of this panel. We enhance all graphics with convex hulls obtained by simulation and use these to confirm the documented relationships. The proposed compositional graphics are shown to be useful in relatedness research, as they also single out the most prominent related pairs. The ternary diagram is advocated for its ability to display all three allele sharing probabilities simultaneously. The log‐ratio plots are advocated as an attempt to overcome the problems with the Euclidean distance interpretation in the classical graphics.
Spatially balanced designs that incorporate legacy sites
Authors: Foster Scott D. , Hosack Geoffrey R. , Lawrence Emma , Przeslawski Rachel , Hedge Paul , Caley M. Julian , Barrett Neville S. , Williams Alan , Li Jin , Lynch Tim , Dambacher Jeffrey M. , Sweatman Hugh P.A. , Hayes Keith R.
Published: April 2017

A robust scientific conclusion is the result of a rigorous scientific process. In observational ecology, this process involves making inferences about a population from a sample. The sample is crucial, and is the result of implementing a survey design. A good survey design ensures that the data from the survey are capable of answering the research question. Better designs, such as spatially balanced designs, will also be as precise as possible given the constraints of the budget.

Many study areas will have previously sampled ‘legacy sites’ that already have accumulated a time series of observations. For estimating trent, it is often beneficial to include these sites within a new survey. In this paper, we propose a method to incorporate the locations of legacy sites into new spatially balanced survey designs to ensure spatial balance among all sample locations.

Simulation experiments indicate that incorporating the spatial location of legacy sites increases spatial balance and decreases uncertainty in inferences (smaller standard errors in mean estimates) when compared to designs that ignore legacy site locations. We illustrate the process of incorporating legacy sites using a proposed survey of a large marine reserve in South‐Eastern Australia, although the method is applicable to all environments.

Our approach allows for integration of legacy sites into a new spatially balanced design, increasing efficiency. Scientists, managers and funders alike will benefit from this methodology – it provides a tool to provide efficient survey designs around established ones, including in‐the‐field adjustments. In this way, it can aid integrated monitoring programmes. An R‐package that implements these methods, called MBHdesign, is available from CRAN.
Single‐node vs. multi‐node centrality in landscape graph analysis: key habitat patches and their protection for 20 bird species in NE Spain
Authors: Pereira Juliana , Saura Santiago , Jordán Ferenc
Published: April 2017

Habitat connectivity is a major concern in biodiversity conservation. Network analysis provides efficient tools for assessing landscape connectivity and identifying priority areas for protection. Widespread approaches consist of ranking individual habitat patches by their importance for connectivity. However, depending on the spatial arrangement of patches, and on the complementarity or redundancies between different patches in the network, the group of patches that together best contribute to connectivity may differ from the top individual patches.

Here we apply individual ranking (single‐node) and group prioritization (multi‐node) methods to identify key patches in the habitat network of 20 bird species in Catalonia, Spain. We compare single‐node evaluation using the landscape index probability of connectivity (PC) and two multi‐node evaluations that focus on two different aspects of connectivity: reachability and fragmentation. We quantify how well the species’ habitats and key patches are covered by the Natura 2000 network of protected areas, as given by all three methods. We discuss some species‐specific differences between results, and general, multi‐species solutions.

The key patches for reachability were widely scattered, while patches that best prevented fragmentation were concentrated in core areas. Key patches according to single‐node PC were in intermediate position, although more similar to the fragmentation patches. The patches that minimized fragmentation were highlighted as more crucial for low‐mobility species, while reachability patches scored higher for long‐distance dispersers. For most species, the key patches were not better protected than total habitat. We identify two main areas that concentrate priority patches for all the studied species (including the endangered Neophron percnopterus) and offer suggestions for the potential improvement of the Natura 2000 network.

Our work provides a significant step towards the inclusion of multi‐node prioritization in landscape network analysis. The concept of multi‐node reachability, especially, provides an additional viewpoint to the assessment of connectivity. The multi‐patch algorithm we applied optimizes efficiency, overcoming computational limits associated with the high number of combinations that potentially arise in multi‐node analysis. We believe that a combination of multi‐node evaluations and PC has the potential to increase the realism and applicability of landscape network analysis for biodiversity conservation.
frair: an R package for fitting and comparing consumer functional responses
Authors: Pritchard Daniel W. , Paterson Rachel A. , Bovy Helene C. , Barrios‐O'Neill Daniel
Published: April 2017

Consumer‐resource interactions (i.e. the functional response) underpin decades of ecological advancements. However, selecting, fitting and comparing functional response models using appropriate methods remains a non‐trivial endeavour.

The R packagefrairprovides tools for selecting and differentiating various forms of consumer functional response models, a consistent interface for fitting and visualising response curves, and a selection of statistically robust methods for comparing fitted parameters.

Using real data from crustacean predator‐prey systems, we demonstrate the utility offrair, highlighting best practice and common analytical mistakes.
From animal tracks to fine‐scale movement modes: a straightforward approach for identifying multiple spatial movement patterns
Authors: Morelle Kevin , Bunnefeld Nils , Lejeune Philippe , Oswald Stephen A.
Published: April 2017

Thanks to developments in animal tracking technology, detailed data on the movement tracks of individual animals are now attainable for many species. However, straightforward methods to decompose individual tracks into high‐resolution, spatial modes are lacking but are essential to understand what an animal is doing.

We developed an analytical approach that combines separately validated methods into a straightforward tool for converting animalGPStracks into short‐range movement modes. Our three‐step analytical process comprises: (i) decomposing data into separate movement segments using behavioural change point analysis; (ii) defining candidate movement modes and translating them into nonlinear or linear equations between net squared displacement (NSD) and time and (iii) fitting each candidate equation toNSDsegments and determining the best‐fitting modes using Concordance Criteria, Akaike's Information Criteria and other fine‐scale segment characteristics. We illustrate our approach for three sub‐adults, male wild boarSus scrofatracked at 15‐min intervals over 4 months usingGPScollars. We defined five candidate movement modes based on previously published studies of short‐term movements: encamped, ranging, round trips (complete and partial) and wandering.

Our approach successfully classified over 80% of the tracks into these movement modes lasting between 5 and 54 h and covering between 300 m to 20 km. Repeated analyses ofGPSdata resampled at different rates indicated that one positional fix every 3–4 h was sufficient for >70% classification success. Classified modes were consistent with published observations of wild boar movement, further validating our method.

The proposed approach advances the status quo by permitting classification into multiple movement modes (where these are adequately discernable from spatial fixes) facilitating analyses at high temporal and spatial resolutions, and is straightforward, largely objective, and without restrictive assumptions, necessary parameterizations or visual interpretation. Thus, it should capture the complexity and variability of tracked animal movement mode for a variety of taxa across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales.
HistMapR: Rapid digitization of historical land‐use maps in R
Authors: Auffret Alistair G. , Kimberley Adam , Plue Jan , Skånes Helle , Jakobsson Simon , Waldén Emelie , Wennbom Marika , Wood Heather , Bullock James M. , Cousins Sara A.O. , Gartz Mira , Hooftman Danny A.P. , Tränk Louise
Published: April 2017

Habitat destruction and degradation represent serious threats to biodiversity, and quantification of land‐use change over time is important for understanding the consequences of these changes to organisms and ecosystem service provision.

Comparing land use between maps from different time periods allows estimation of the magnitude of habitat change in an area. However, digitizing historical maps manually is time‐consuming and analyses of change are usually carried out at small spatial extents or at low resolutions.

HistMapR contains a number of functions that can be used to semi‐automatically digitize historical land use according to a map's colours, as defined by the RGB bands of the raster image. We test the method on different historical land‐use map series and compare results to manual digitizations.

Digitization is fast, and agreement with manually digitized maps of around 80–90% meets common targets for image classification. We hope that the ability to quickly classify large areas of historical land use will promote the inclusion of land‐use change into analyses of biodiversity, species distributions and ecosystem services.
Emergency Department Vital Signs and Outcomes After Discharge
Authors: Gabayan Gelareh Z. , Gould Michael K. , Weiss Robert E. , Derose Stephen F. , Chiu Vicki Y. , Sarkisian Catherine A.
Published: April 2017

Objective

Vital signs are critical markers of illness severity in the emergency department (ED). Providers need to understand the abnormal vital signs in older adults that are problematic. We hypothesized that in patients age > 65 years discharged from the ED, there are abnormal vital signs that are associated with an admission to an inpatient bed within 7 days of discharge.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from a regional integrated health system of members age > 65 years during the years 2009 to 2010. We used univariate contingency tables to assess the relationship between hospital admission within 7 days of discharge and vital sign (including systolic blood pressure [sBP], heart rate [HR], body temperature, and pulse oximetry [SpO2] values measured closest to discharge) using standard thresholds for abnormal and thresholds derived from the study data.

Results

Of 104,025 ED discharges, 4,638 (4.5%) were followed by inpatient admission within 7 days. Vital signs had a greater odds of admission beyond a single cutoff. The vital signs with at least twice the odds of admission were sBP < 97 mm Hg (odds ratio [OR] = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.57–2.60), HR > 101 beats/min (OR = 2.00 95% CI = 1.75–2.29), body temperature > 37.3°C (OR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.90–2.41), and pulse oximetry < 92 SpO2 (OR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.55–2.68). Patients with two vital sign abnormalities per the analysis had the highest odds of admission. A majority of patients discharged with abnormal vital signs per the analysis were not admitted within 7 days of ED discharge.

Conclusion

While we found a majority of patients discharged with abnormal vital signs as defined by the analysis, not to be admitted after discharge, we identified vital signs associated with at least twice the odds of admission.
Community demographics, socio‐economic and health status among older Australian residents of Japanese origin living in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Watanabe Yuriko , Honda Kazuma
Published: April 2017

Objective

This study aimed to describe demographic and socio‐economic characteristics and to assess baseline health status and care needs among Japanese residents aged 60 years and over living in New South Wales, Australia.

Methods

A postal questionnaire was used to survey older community‐dwelling Japanese residents recruited from a number of different sources.

Results

Eighty‐two residents responded to the questionnaire (mean age: 70.5 years, range 60–85), and 56 (68.3%) were female. The respondents appeared to be socio‐economically comfortable. While 63.4% of respondents noticed reduced strength and balance, and 45% had at least one chronic medical condition, the majority did not require help with personal care or domestic chores. However, there were respondents who were considered at risk of subsequent development of major mobility limitations.

Conclusion

Overall, the respondents in this study demonstrated good function. There may be a role for interventional programs aimed at maintaining functional independence.
Genome‐wide expression profiling and bioinformatics analysis of deregulated genes in human gastric cancer tissue after gastroscopy
Authors: Mao Yudi , Zhao Qihong , Yin Shi , Ding Xiping , Wang Hua
Published: April 2017

Aim

The aim of this study was to analyze the gene expression profile and biological processes enriched in gastric cancer.

Methods

We collected five human advanced gastric cancer tissues by gastroscopy and five peritumor normal tissues as controls and examined the gene expression changes by microarray. KEGG Orthology Based Annotation System annotation was used to identify pathways and biological processes regulated by the deregulated genes. Protein–protein interaction network analysis identified protein complex and functional modules. We also selected 14 genes for further verification by real‐time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

Results

Human gene expression profile analysis showed that 2028 deregulated genes were detected in gastric cancer compared with the control group (at least a 2.0‐fold change and P < 0.05), among which there were 689 upregulated and 1339 downregulated genes. Interestingly, we identified some important genes, such as CXCL17, OTX1 and CCDC125, which have not previously been reported in gastric cancer. Real‐time quantitative PCR results verified that CXCL8, OTX1, CEBPB, FOSL1, FOXS1, ARFRP1 and IRF9 were upregulated in gastric cancer and CCDC125, PPP1R36, SOX2, JUN and MIA2 were downregulated. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that the biological processes of inflammatory response, angiogenesis, cell migration and pathways of chemokine signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway were enriched. We also selected the top 30 significant Gene Ontology terms and select pathways for a brief summary.

Conclusion

We performed a global analysis of the mRNA landscape in gastric cancer. Our results may stimulate a deeper understanding of the disease, and lead to the development of potential therapies and the identification of novel biomarkers.
Intrapartum and neonatal outcomes in singleton pregnancies following conception by assisted reproduction techniques
Authors: Rozdarz Kellie M. , Flatley Christopher J. , Kumar Sailesh
Published: April 2017

Background

To characterise maternal demographics and ascertain whether clinically important differences exist in the intrapartum and neonatal outcomes associated with assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Materials and methods

A retrospective study was undertaken between January 2007 and December 2013 of all singleton pregnancies conceived via ART at a major tertiary unit in Brisbane, Australia. Intrapartum outcomes were mode of delivery and indication for emergency caesarean. Neonatal outcomes investigated were gestation at delivery, birth weight, Apgar scores, acidosis at birth, respiratory distress, need for resuscitation, admission to neonatal intensive care and stillbirth.

Results

There were 4733 (7.4%) ART and 59 277 (92.6%) spontaneous conception pregnancies. Women who conceived using ART were less likely to have a spontaneous vaginal delivery (odds ratio (OR) 0.60, 95% CI 0.57–0.64) and were more likely to require operative or assisted birth: elective caesarean (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.31, 95% CI 1.22–1.40), emergency caesarean (aOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.09–1.28), or instrumental delivery (aOR 1.45, 95% CI 1.32–1.58). Neonates who were conceived using ART were less likely to be born at term (aOR 0.64, 95% CI 0.58–0.71) and have lower birth weights. No differences were observed in rates of respiratory distress, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, or stillbirth between the ART and spontaneous conception cohorts. The odds of neonatal acidosis (OR 0.71, 95% CI0.63–0.81) were lower in the ART cohort.

Conclusion

Although higher rates of operative deliveries were seen for women who conceive using ART, neonatal outcomes were generally no different between the two cohorts.
Dynamics of Policymaking: Stepping Back to Leap Forward, Stepping Forward to Keep Back
Authors: Buisseret Peter , Bernhardt Dan
Published: April 2017

We study dynamic policymaking when today's policy agreement becomes tomorrow's status quo, agents account for the consequences of today's policies for future policy outcomes, and there is uncertainty about who will hold future political power to propose and veto future policy changes. Today's agenda setter holds back from fully exploiting present opportunities to move policy toward her ideal point whenever future proposer and veto players are likely to be alignedeitherin favor of reform or against it. Otherwise, agenda setters advance their short‐run interests. Optimal proposals can vary discontinuously and nonmonotonically with political fundamentals.
Cervical collagen is reduced in non‐pregnant women with a history of cervical insufficiency and a short cervix
Authors: Sundtoft Iben , Langhoff‐Roos Jens , Sandager Puk , Sommer Steffen , Uldbjerg Niels
Published: April 2017

Introduction

Preterm cervical shortening and cervical insufficiency may be caused by a constitutional weakness of the cervix. The aim of this study was to assess the cervical collagen concentration in non‐pregnant women with a history of cervical insufficiency or of a short cervix in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Material and methods

In this case‐control study we included non‐pregnant women one year or more after pregnancy: 55 controls with a history of normal delivery; 27 women with a history of cervical insufficiency; and 10 women with a history of a short cervix (<5th percentile) and 10 women with a history of a long cervix (>95th percentile) at gestational weeks 18–20. We obtained biopsies (3 × 3–4 mm) from the ectocervix and determined the collagen concentration by measuring the hydroxyproline concentration.

Results

Women with cervical insufficiency had lower collagen concentrations (63.5 ± 5.1%; mean ± SD) compared with controls (68.2 ± 5.4%; p = 0.0004); area under the ROC curve 0.73 (95% CI 0.62–0.84). A cut‐off value at 67.6% collagen resulted in a positive likelihood ratio of 3.2, a sensitivity of 60%, and a specificity of 81%. Also, women with a short cervix in the second trimester had lower collagen concentrations in a non‐pregnant state (62.1% ± 4.9%) compared with women with a long cervix (67.8% ± 5.0%; p = 0.02).

Conclusions. Both cervical insufficiency and a short cervix in the second trimester of pregnancy are associated with low cervical collagen concentrations in a non‐pregnant state more than one year after pregnancy.
Additive effects and safety of fixed combination therapy with 1% brinzolamide and 0.5% timolol versus 1% dorzolamide and 0.5% timolol in prostaglandin‐treated glaucoma patients
Authors: Aihara Makoto , Adachi Misato , Matsuo Hiroshi , Togano Tetsuya , Fukuchi Takeo , Sasaki Noriyuki ,   the JAC Study group
Published: April 2017

Purpose

To compare the additive effects and safety of 1% brinzolamide/0.5% timolol fixed combination (BTFC) versus the low‐dose regimen of 1% dorzolamide/0.5% timolol fixed combination (DTFC) in patients with open‐angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension (OAG/OH) following treatment with prostaglandin analogues (PGAs).

Methods

A prospective, randomized, double‐masked, multicentre, parallel‐group and active‐controlled study included 201 Japanese OAG/OH patients who had been treated with PGA. Efficacy was assessed as the change in intra‐ocular pressure (IOP) from baseline after weeks 4 and 8. Safety was assessed with adverse event rates, ocular discomfort score, blur scale, blood pressure and heart rates, best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and slit lamp examinations.

Results

Intra‐ocular pressure (IOP) change from baseline at 9 AM/11 AM pooled over the 8 weeks was −3.3/−3.3 mmHg in the BTFC group and −2.9/−3.4 mmHg in the DTFC group, demonstrating non‐inferiority of BTFC to DTFC. Ocular irritation was frequently seen in DTFC group. Although blurred vision was frequently seen in BTFC group, it was transient and blurring became the equivalent 3 min after instillation between two groups. No noteworthy issue was observed in other safety outcome.

Conclusion

Non‐inferiority of BTFC to DTFC in IOP reduction was demonstrated after adding onto PGA therapy in Japanese OAG/OH patients. Although the score of blurred vision was transiently higher in BTFC than DTFC, treatment difference decreased and disappeared with time. Thus, BTFC can be considered as a safe and effective agent for glaucoma treatment.
Systematic review of maternal voice interventions demonstrates increased stability in preterm infants
Authors: Filippa Manuela , Panza Costantino , Ferrari Fabrizio , Frassoldati Rossella , Kuhn Pierre , Balduzzi Sara , D'Amico Roberto
Published: April 2017

We systematically reviewed how effectively maternal voice interventions supported the clinical outcomes and development of preterm infants. A total of 512 preterm infants were included in 15 studies with different designs, from January 2000 to July 2015. Live and recorded maternal voice interventions were associated with the physiologic and behavioural stabilisation of preterm infants, with fewer cardiorespiratory events, but the evidence was insufficient to evaluate the long‐term effects. Well‐defined determinants and clear setting conditions are needed for such interventions.

Conclusion

Further research that investigates the long‐term efficacy and effects of live maternal voices on preterm infant development is needed.
Editorial: therapeutic de‐escalation of anti‐tumour necrosis factor therapy – is less enough?
Authors: Papamichael K. , Cheifetz A. S.
Published: April 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Pariente and Laharie paper. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.12838.
Editorial: are earlier referrals to transplant centres responsible for improved outcomes in patients with acute liver failure? Authors’ reply
Authors: Donnelly M. C. , Davidson J. S. , Martin K. , Baird A. , Hayes P. C. , Simpson K. J.
Published: April 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Brandman and Donnelly et al papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14006 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.13943.
Editorial: combining elastography with blood test for fibrosis assessment in chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Trivedi H. D. , Lai M.
Published: April 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Calès and Boursier, and Calès et al papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14032 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.13954.
Editorial: vedolizumab in pregnancy – is gut selectivity as good for baby as it is for mum?
Authors: Shim H. H. , Seow C. H.
Published: April 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Mahadevan et al papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14054 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.13960.
Letter: the coeliac stomach – a significant increase in tissue transglutaminase antibodies is associated with gastritis
Authors: Therrien A. , Bernard G. , Hetu P.‐O. , Bouin M.
Published: April 2017

Linked Content

This article is linked to Banaszkiewicz et al paper. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.13789.
GIS mapping and analysis of behaviour in small urban public spaces
Authors: Ghavampour Ensiyeh , Del Aguila Mark , Vale Brenda
Published: April 2017

In city centres where public space is at a premium, checklists and images of design quality attributes generated from observations of successful public spaces are increasingly being utilised in designs of new or refurbished areas. This replication assumes the success and popularity of these elements will generalise to other locations. However, the accuracy and reliability of observations in using current methods of behaviour mapping can miss important details in the small and often crowded successful public spaces. Coding of time interval photographic records of public spaces in Geographic Information System (GIS) is introduced as a data collection methodology for mapping and analysing behaviour. The results indicate that actualised affordance is a function of the spatial configuration of design elements with respect to the number of users, the availability of choice, climate (sun and shade), and the enclosure and exposure of design elements within subspaces. Although design elements are selected for their potential affordance, actualised affordance is defined by the configuration within which elements are embedded in a specific location.
Matrix Metalloproteinase‐2 Activity is Associated with Divergent Regulation of Calponin‐1 in Conductance and Resistance Arteries in Hypertension‐induced Early Vascular Dysfunction and Remodelling
Authors: Parente Juliana M. , Pereira Camila A. , Oliveira‐Paula Gustavo H. , Tanus‐Santos José E. , Tostes Rita C. , Castro Michele M.
Published: April 2017

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 participates in hypertension‐induced maladaptive vascular remodelling by degrading extra‐ and intracellular proteins. The consequent extracellular matrix rearrangement and phenotype switch of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) lead to increased cellular migration and proliferation. As calponin‐1 degradation by MMP‐2 may lead to VSMC proliferation during hypertension, the hypothesis of this study is that increased MMP‐2 activity contributes to early hypertension‐induced maladaptive remodelling in conductance and resistance arteries via regulation of calponin‐1. The main objective was to analyse whether MMP‐2 exerts similar effects on the structure and function of the resistance and conductance arteries during early hypertension. Two‐kidney, one‐clip (2K‐1C) hypertensive male rats and corresponding controls were treated with doxycycline (30 mg/kg/day) or water until reaching one week of hypertension. Systolic blood pressure was increased in 2K‐1C rats, and doxycycline did not reduce it. Aortas and mesenteric arteries were analysed. MMP‐2 activity and expression were increased in both arteries, and doxycycline reduced it. Significant hypertrophic remodelling and VSMC proliferation were observed in aortas but not in mesenteric arteries of 2K‐1C rats. The contractility of mesenteric arteries to phenylephrine was increased in 2K‐1C rats, and doxycycline prevented this alteration. The potency of phenylephrine to contract aortas of 2K‐1C rats was increased, and doxycycline decreased it. Whereas calponin‐1 expression was increased in 2K‐1C mesenteric arteries, calponin‐1 was reduced in aortas. Doxycycline treatment reverted changes in calponin‐1 expression. MMP‐2 contributes to hypertrophic remodelling in aortas by decreasing calponin‐1 levels, which may result in VSMC proliferation. On the other hand, MMP‐2‐dependent increased calponin‐1 in mesenteric arteries may contribute to vascular hypercontractility in 2K‐1C rats. Divergent regulation of calponin‐1 by MMP‐2 may be an important mechanism that leads to maladaptive vascular effects in hypertension.
Comparative Analysis of the Suspected Heparin‐Induced Thrombocytopenia Level in Korea
Authors: Kim Hun‐Sung , Kim Hyunah , Jeong Yoo Jin , Lee Hyunyong , Yim Hyeon Woo , Kim Ji il , Moon In Sung , Kim Jang‐Yong
Published: April 2017

The primary objective of our study was to evaluate the frequency of suspected heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) among patients treated with different formulations of heparin and investigate the factors that affect the incidence of HIT. This study is an electronic medical record (EMR)‐based large‐scale retrospective cohort study conducted from 2009 to 2014 in Korea. After hospitalization, patient platelet count was determined before heparin was prescribed, and all platelet count values obtained during hospitalization were extracted. Suspected HIT was estimated by three 4Ts scores (acute thrombocytopenia, timing onset and other possible causes), which when combined yielded a high probability of HIT. Among 6046 patients enrolled in this study, HIT was suspected in 641 cases (10.6%) and a statistically significant increase in HIT incidence rate was observed for three heparins used (p < 0.001). Dalteparin (HR = 0.55, p = 0.036) and enoxaparin (HR = 0.40, p < 0.001) showed a relatively low HIT incidence rate, compared to unfractionated heparin. Majority of suspected HIT cases (76.9 and 66.7%) occurred in days 8–10 and 5–7 of dalteparin and enoxaparin treatments, respectively. Most of the patients medicated with dalteparin were cancer patients; however, no statistically significant relationship was observed between HIT occurrence and cancer. HIT can cause serious complications, making early diagnosis crucial. Clinical practitioners first prescribing heparin should focus on preventing and detecting complications early by conducting frequent, regular platelet counts before and after heparin administration.