bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The interaction of land‐use legacies and hurricane disturbance in subtropical wet forest: twenty‐one years of change
Authors: Hogan James Aaron , Zimmerman Jess K. , Thompson Jill , Nytch Christopher J. , Uriarte María
Published: August 2016

Disturbance shapes plant communities over a wide variety of spatial and temporal scales. How natural and anthropogenic disturbance interact to shape ecological communities is highly variable and begs a greater understanding. We used five censuses spanning the years 1990–2011 from the 16‐ha Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot (LFDP) in northeast Puerto Rico to investigate the interplay of human land‐use legacies dating to the early 20th century and two recent hurricanes (Hugo, 1989 and Georges, 1998). The LFDP is a landscape mosaic comprised of an area of mature subtropical wet forest and three areas of secondary forest with differing past land‐use intensities. We examined the degree to which hurricane disturbance–effect and subsequent community recovery varied across past land‐use classes. We expected areas with greater intensity of human land use to be more affected by hurricane disturbance therefore exhibiting greater initial damage and longer successional recovery times. Structurally, areas of secondary forest contained smaller trees than old‐growth areas; hurricanes caused widespread recruitment of shrubs and saplings that thinned with time since the first hurricane. Species richness of the plot declined over time, mostly due to the loss of rare species, but also due to the loss of some heliophilic, pioneer species that became abundant after the first hurricane. Species composition differed strongly between areas of secondary and mature forest, and these differences were largely constant over time, except for an increase in compositional differences following the second hurricane. An indicator species analysis attributed this pattern to the longer persistence of pioneer species in areas of greater past land‐use intensity, likely due to the more open canopy in secondary forest. When secondary forest areas of differing past land‐use intensity were considered separately, few species of low community rank were found as indicators. When these areas were combined, more and higher‐ranked species emerged as indicators, creating ecologically meaningful indicator species combinations that better captured the broad‐scale plant community response to past land use. Our findings support the idea that effects of past land use can persist for decades to centuries following land‐use abandonment, illustrating the importance of land‐use legacies in shaping regenerating tropical secondary forests.
The demography of tree species response to climate: seedling recruitment and survival
Authors: Canham Charles D. , Murphy Lora
Published: August 2016

Seedling recruitment and survival are critical bottlenecks in tree population dynamics and are likely to play central roles in shifts in species distributions under climate change. We use data from the Forest Inventory and Analysis program to quantify the relationships between two key climate variables—mean annual temperature and growing season water deficit—and rates of seedling recruitment and survival for the 50 most common tree species in the eastern United States. Our statistical models include the positive effects of conspecific adult abundance on recruitment and the potentially negative competitive effects of total canopy abundance on seedling survival. The tradeoff between these two effects creates a range from positive to negative conspecific density dependence, depending on the absolute and relative abundance of conspecific vs. heterospecific adults in a plot. Variation along the climate gradients mirrors patterns found previously in adult distributions. The clearest signal is in variation in the presence/absence of seedlings, while seedling density when present is only weakly related to local climate. The relatively narrow niche breadths for the presence of both seedlings and adults suggest that the frequency of occurrence of species within the landscape, rather than their relative abundance when present, will show the greatest response to climate change. Our analyses predict seedling survival as a function of mean annual temperature independent of the effects of competition and water deficit and thus provide an indication of the fundamental niche for seedling distribution along the temperature gradient. For more than half of the 50 species, their realized seedling niches are displaced to warmer climates. This reflects the prevalence of species in which survival declines with increasing temperature across a significant portion of at least their southern range. Our results show that when the effects of warmer climates are taken into account, seedling survival generally increases with increasing water deficit in the generally humid climates of the eastern United States. This result is consistent with recent global surveys of the relationship between net primary productivity and forest turnover rates, but contrasts with recent studies highlighting the potential impact of drought stress on tree mortality in more arid climates.
Collaborative Water Resource Management: What makes up a supportive governance system?
Authors: de Boer Cheryl , Vinke‐de Kruijf Joanne , Özerol Gül , Bressers Hans
Published: August 2016

Collaboration is increasingly seen as an important aspect of successful water management, and yet it remains insufficiently understood. This paper examines how collaboration is influenced by the governance system that guides and organizes the related actions and interactions. Building upon an existing governance assessment tool, this paper provides the basis for predicting how supportive (or restrictive) a governance system will be towards collaboration, according to eight different governance system classes. The validity of this framework is reflected upon in case studies from five countries: Mexico, the Netherlands, Canada, Romania and Turkey. The collaborative processes in Mexico, Romania and Turkey are embedded in restrictive governance systems and show low levels of collaboration. The governance system in the Canadian case is assessed as neutral and shows a medium level of collaboration, whereas the governance system in the Netherlands shows high levels of collaboration and is assessed as supportive. The results are encouraging, as the case studies demonstrate the predicted influences of a governance system on collaboration. Yet, the case studies also highlight the potential importance of characteristics of the collaborative process and collaborating actors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
In the Eye of the Beholder: Network location and sustainability perception in flood prevention
Authors: Balsiger Jörg , Ingold Karin
Published: August 2016

The aim of this paper is to investigate how sustainability perceptions are emergent properties of collaborative networks in flood governance in Switzerland. In recent decades, the impact of global warming and multiple stresses on water regimes has influenced the design of new approaches to flood risk management, especially in Western Europe. The use of non‐structural measures such as planning tools and watershed campaigns indicates a change from technocratic to more integrated flood governance perspectives. Flood governance is increasingly influenced by the principle of sustainability, understood as stronger horizontal integration of its social, economic and environmental dimensions. The paper examines the integration of sustainability in the design of flood prevention and policies, suggesting that integration relates to participating actors’ perceptions of sustainability and that these perceptions are reflected in network structures. Focusing on four regional case studies, we use survey data and social network analysis to investigate how actors relate to each other and how they rank sustainability indicators. Results show that sustainability perceptions differ strongly across cases, and tend to be more balanced (assigning equal importance to environmental, economic and social indicators) within and sometimes even across actor types and sectors. We find that while actors in central network positions tend to have more balanced sustainability perceptions, context‐ and project‐specific factors impact sustainability perceptions even more. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Dynamic functional connectivity of neurocognitive networks in children
Authors: Marusak Hilary A. , Calhoun Vince D. , Brown Suzanne , Crespo Laura M. , Sala‐Hamrick Kelsey , Gotlib Ian H. , Thomason Moriah E.
Published: August 2016

The human brain is highly dynamic, supporting a remarkable range of cognitive abilities that emerge over the course of development. While flexible and dynamic coordination between neural systems is firmly established for children, our understanding of brain functional organization in early life has been built largely on the implicit assumption that functional connectivity (FC) is static. Understanding the nature of dynamic neural interactions during development is a critical issue for cognitive neuroscience, with implications for neurodevelopmental pathologies that involve anomalies in brain connectivity. In this work, FC dynamics of neurocognitive networks in a sample of 146 youth from varied sociodemographic backgrounds were delineated. Independent component analysis, sliding time window correlation, and k‐means clustering were applied to resting‐state fMRI data. Results revealed six dynamic FC states that re‐occur over time and that complement, but significantly extend, measures of static FC. Moreover, the occurrence and amount of time spent in specific FC states are related to the content of self‐generated thought during the scan. Additionally, some connections are more variable over time than are others, including those between inferior parietal lobe and precuneus. These regions contribute to multiple networks and likely play a role in adaptive processes in childhood. Age‐related increases in temporal variability of FC among neurocognitive networks were also found. Taken together, these findings lay the groundwork for understanding how variation in the developing chronnectome is related to risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Understanding how brain systems reconfigure with development should provide insight into the ontogeny of complex, flexible cognitive processes. Hum Brain Mapp 38:97–108, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pretreatment count of peripheral neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes as independent prognostic factor in patients with head and neck cancer
Authors: Valero Cristina , Pardo Laura , López Montserrat , García Jacinto , Camacho Mercedes , Quer Miquel , León Xavier
Published: August 2016

Background

The purpose of this study was to analyze the prognostic value of pretreatment count of peripheral neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods

Local, regional, and distant recurrence‐free survival and disease‐specific survival were analyzed according to the count of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and NLR.

Results

We observed a decrease in disease‐specific survival as the quartile category of neutrophils, monocytes, and NLR increased. In the case of lymphocytes, patients in the lower quartile had lower disease‐specific survival. Considering the disease‐specific survival as the dependent variable, a recursive partitioning analysis classified the patients according to the neutrophil and monocyte counts.

Conclusion

High pretreatment count of peripheral neutrophils and/or monocytes was independently related with worse prognosis in patients with HNSCC. Classification based on pretreatment neutrophil and monocyte counts enabled the identification of different prognostic profiles. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 219–226, 2017
Role of pulmonary macrophages in initiation of lung metastasis in anaplastic thyroid cancer
Authors: Li Xiu Juan , Gangadaran Prakash , Kalimuthu Senthilkumar , Oh Ji Min , Zhu Liya , Jeong Shin Young , Lee Sang‐Woo , Lee Jaetae , Ahn Byeong‐Cheol
Published: August 2016

Several clinical studies have demonstrated that increased macrophage infiltration into tumors confers metastatic potential and poor prognosis in cancer. Preclinical studies are needed to develop new strategies for countering metastasis. Our study was designed to investigate the impact of pulmonary macrophages on lung metastasis of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). ATC (CAL‐62) and macrophage (Raw264.7) were transfected with the effluc (CAL‐62/effluc, Raw264.7/effluc). Coculture and migration assays were used to assess the effect of Raw264.7 or THP1 (human macrophage) (or conditioned medium) on the proliferation and/or migration of CAL‐62/effluc cells in vitro. The effect of clodro‐lipo or PBS‐lipo on macrophage depletion was confirmed in vitro and in vivo. CAL‐62/effluc cells (1 × 106) were intravenously injected into nude mice 24 h after clodro‐lipo or PBS‐lipo administration. Effect of clodro‐lipo on the lung metastasis of CAL‐62/effluc was assessed by bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Micro computed tomography (micro‐CT) and histology. BLI signals of CAL‐62/effluc and Raw264.7/effluc increased to cell number. Raw264.7 cells and THP1 cells promoted CAL‐62/effluc proliferation, and conditioned medium of Raw264.7 cells promoted CAL‐62/effluc migration. Clodro‐lipo significantly depleted pulmonary macrophages in vitro and in vivo. Intensity of BLI signals in ATC lung metastasis was weaker in the clodro‐lipo group than PBS‐lipo control. Micro‐CT imaging and hematoxylin/eosin staining revealed smaller tumor masses in the clodro‐lipo group than PBS‐lipo control. Our findings indicate that pulmonary macrophages have an important role in initiation of lung metastasis of ATC. New therapeutic strategies that preclude initiation of pulmonary metastasis could potentially be developed by targeting pulmonary macrophages.
MAEL expression links epithelial‐mesenchymal transition and stem cell properties in colorectal cancer
Authors: Li Qingguo , Wei Ping , Huang Ben , Xu Ye , Li Xinxiang , Li Yaqi , Cai Sanjun , Li Dawei
Published: August 2016

MAEL plays a central role during spermatogenesis by repressing transposable elements and preventing their mobilisation, however, its role on cancers is unclear. In this study, MAEL expression was analysed in a tissue microarray containing 185 samples of primary colon cancer tumor samples and human colon cancer cell lines. The effect of MAEL on cell proliferation, tumorigenesis, metastasis and drug resistance was examined in vitro and in vivo. Immunoprecipitation assay, confocal immunofluorescent analysis and luciferase assay were used for mechanism study. As results, MAEL was significantly upregulated in colon cancer patient tissue samples, and elevated MAEL protein levels positively correlated with overall survival and disease free survival of colon cancer patients. Using in vitro and in vivo models, we demonstrated that MAEL expression was correlated with cell proliferation, invasion and drug resistance of colon cancer cells by inducing epithelial‐mesenchymal transition and stemness characteristics. Mechanistically, our study demonstrated that MAEL interacts with Snail and inhibit E‐cadherin promoter activity. Collectively, MAEL is an oncogene that plays an important role in the development and progression of colon cancer, which may be a novel potential therapeutic target for colon cancer.
Birth order and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in multiplex families from Taiwan
Authors: Liu Zhiwei , Coghill Anna E. , Pfeiffer Ruth M. , Hsu Wan‐Lun , Lou Pei‐Jen , Wang Cheng‐Ping , Yu Kelly J. , Niwa Shelley , Brotzman Michelle , Ye Weimin , Chen Chien‐Jen , Hildesheim Allan
Published: August 2016

A small proportion of individuals infected with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) develop nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Timing of initial exposure could alter immunological responses to primary EBV infection and explain variation in cancer risk later in life. We measured early life family structure as a proxy for the timing of primary EBV infection to examine whether earlier age at infection alters NPC risk. We utilized data from 480 NPC cases and 1,291 unaffected siblings from Taiwanese NPC multiplex families (≥ 2 family members with NPC, N = 2,921). Information on birth order within the family was derived from questionnaires. We utilized logistic regression models to examine the association between birth order and NPC, accounting for correlations between relatives. Within these high‐risk families, older siblings had an elevated risk of NPC. Compared with being a first‐born child, the risk (95% CIs) of NPC associated with a birth order of two, three, four and five or more was 1.00 (0.71, 1.40), 0.88 (0.62, 1.24), 0.74 (0.53, 1.05) and 0.60 (0.43, 0.82), respectively (P for trend = 0.002). We observed no associations between NPC risk and the number of younger siblings or cumulative infant‐years exposure. These associations were not modified by underlying genetic predisposition or family size. We observed that early life family structure was important for NPC risk in NPC multiplex families, with older siblings having a greater risk of disease. Future studies focusing on more direct measures of the immune response to EBV in early childhood could elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
Salinity‐dependent toxicity of water‐dispersible, single‐walled carbon nanotubes to Japanese medaka embryos
Authors: Kataoka Chisato , Nakahara Kousuke , Shimizu Kaori , Kowase Shinsuke , Nagasaka Seiji , Ifuku Shinsuke , Kashiwada Shosaku
Published: August 2016

To investigate the effects of salinity on the behavior and toxicity of functionalized single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), which are chemical modified nanotube to increase dispersibility, medaka embryos were exposed to non‐functionalized single‐walled carbon nanotubes (N‐SWCNTs), water‐dispersible, cationic, plastic‐polymer‐coated, single‐walled carbon nanotubes (W‐SWCNTs), or hydrophobic polyethylene glycol‐functionalized, single‐walled carbon nanotubes (PEG‐SWCNTs) at different salinities, from freshwater to seawater. As reference nanomaterials, we tested dispersible chitin nanofiber (CNF), chitosan‐chitin nanofiber (CCNF) and chitin nanocrystal (CNC, i.e. shortened CNF). Under freshwater conditions, with exposure to 10 mg l−1 W‐SWCNTs, the yolk sacks of 57.8% of embryos shrank, and the remaining embryos had a reduced heart rate, eye diameter and hatching rate. Larvae had severe defects of the spinal cord, membranous fin and tail formation. These toxic effects increased with increasing salinity. Survival rates declined with increasing salinity and reached 0.0% in seawater. In scanning electron microscope images, W‐SWCNTs, CNF, CCNF and CNC were adsorbed densely over the egg chorion surface; however, because of chitin's biologically harmless properties, only W‐SWCNTs had toxic effects on the medaka eggs. No toxicity was observed from N‐SWCNT and PEG‐SWCNT exposure. We demonstrated that water dispersibility, surface chemistry, biomedical properties and salinity were important factors in assessing the aquatic toxicity of nanomaterials. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Simple, Convenient One‐Pot Synthesis of Dithio‐Carbamide Derivatives of Heterocyclic 1,3‐Dicarbonyl Systems
Authors: Nikam B. P. , Kappe Thomas
Published: August 2016

A various new dithi‐ocarbamides were synthesized from heterocyclic six‐membered 1,3‐dicarbonyl systems, such as 4‐hydroxy‐2,5‐pyranopyridines, 4‐hydroxy‐2‐pyridones, 4‐Hydroxy‐2‐quinolones, 4‐hydroxy‐coumarins, and 4‐hydroxy‐1‐methyl‐2‐quinolones. The dicarbonyl compounds in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate in dimethyformamide react with tetraalkylthiuram disulfides to yield 3‐dialkylaminothiocarbonylthio derivatives through a simple, convenient one‐pot reaction. The structures were confirmed by using IR, NMR, and elemental analysis.
Impact of state medicaid expansion status on length of stay and in‐hospital mortality for general medicine patients at US academic medical centers
Authors: Anderson Mary E. , Glasheen Jeffrey J. , Anoff Debra , Pierce Read , Lane Molly , Jones Christine D.
Published: August 2016

BACKGROUND

Medicaid is often associated with longer hospitalizations and higher in‐hospital mortality than other insurance types.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the impact of state Medicaid expansion status under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on payer mix, length of stay (LOS), and in‐hospital mortality.

DESIGN/SETTING/PATIENTS

Retrospective cohort study of general medicine patients discharged from academic medical centers (AMCs) within the University HealthSystem Consortium from October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2015.

INTERVENTION/MEASUREMENTS

Hospitals were stratified according to state Medicaid expansion status. The proportion of discharges by primary payer, LOS index, and mortality index were compared between Medicaid‐expansion and nonexpansion hospitals before and after ACA implementation. ACA implementation was defined as January 1, 2014, for all states except Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, which had unique dates of Medicaid expansion.

RESULTS

We identified 3,144,488 discharges from 156 hospitals in 24 Medicaid‐expansion states and Washington, DC, and 1,114,464 discharges from 55 hospitals in 14 nonexpansion states during the study period. Hospitals in Medicaid‐expansion states experienced a significant 3.7% increase in Medicaid discharges (P = 0.013) and a 2.9% decrease in uninsured discharges (P < 0.001) after ACA implementation, whereas hospitals in nonexpansion states saw no significant change in payer mix. In a difference‐in‐differences analysis, the changes in LOS and mortality indices pre‐ to post‐ACA implementation did not differ significantly between hospitals in Medicaid‐expansion versus nonexpansion states.

CONCLUSIONS

The differential shift in payer mix between Medicaid‐expansion and nonexpansion states under the ACA did not influence LOS or in‐hospital mortality for general medicine patients at AMCs in the United States. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;11:847–852. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Uterine junctional zone thickness in infertile women evaluated by MRI
Authors: Meylaerts Liesbeth J. , Wijnen Leen , Ombelet Willem , Bazot Marc , Vandersteen Marjan
Published: August 2016

Purpose

To prospectively evaluate and compare the junctional zone (JZ) and outer myometrial thickness in infertile and healthy nulliparous women at different locations in the uterine wall during the menstrual cycle by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials and Methods

We performed pelvic 1.5T MRI (T2‐weighted turbo spin echo sequences) on 28 infertile women: 5 with infertility of unknown origin, 12 anovulating, and 11 on ovarian stimulation therapy (mean age 28.5, 30.8, and 29.3 years, respectively); and a control group consisting of 18 healthy nulliparous volunteers (mean age 26.4 years). The women with unknown infertility origin and the control group underwent MRI investigations during their follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phase. The JZ and outer myometrial thicknesses were measured at six locations in the uterine wall: anterior and posterior wall of the isthmus, midcorpus, and fundus.

Results

The JZ in the anovulating women at the posterior wall of the isthmus (4.2 mm) was significantly thicker compared to the control group (3.2, 3.0, and 2.9 mm, in respectively the three menstrual phases) (P = 0.027). The outer myometrium in the anovulating women was significantly thicker at all measured locations (average 11.5 mm) in comparison to the control group (8.1, 8.0, and 8.5 mm, in respectively the three menstrual phases) (P < 0.050). The infertile women on ovarian stimulation therapy showed a significantly thicker outer myometrium at the anterior wall (isthmus, midcorpus, and fundus) (P < 0.050).

Conclusion

The results indicate that a thickened JZ, and especially a thickened outer myometrium, might be associated with infertility.

Level of Evidence: 1

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;45:926–936.
Management of Grazing Intensity in the Semi‐Arid Rangelands of Southern Australia: Effects on Soil and Biodiversity
Authors: Waters Cathleen Maria , Orgill Susan Elizabeth , Melville Gavin John , Toole Ian Douglas , Smith Warren John
Published: August 2016

Overgrazing contributes to rangeland degradation altering plant community composition, erosion and biodiversity. Little unanimity in the literature exists on the effects of livestock grazing on soil carbon and biodiversity, in part, due to uncontrolled grazing pressure from native and feral animals. Paired paddock contrasts at three, long‐term (>8 years) study locations in the southern Australian rangelands were used to examine the effects of managing grazing intensity through the use of exclusion fencing and rotational grazing on soil organic carbon (SOC), soil nitrogen (TN), ground cover and biodiversity (flora and invertebrates). Grazing management had no effect on SOC or TN on grey soils (Vertisols), but for red soils (Lixisols), significantly higher levels of SOC were found for both the 0 to 5 and 5 to 10‐cm soil depths (0·3% and 0·27% respectively) and associated with increased TN. We found strong and consistent relationships among SOC and higher perennial (p < 0·001), higher litter (p < 0·05) cover and close proximity to trees (p < 0·05). Managing grazing intensity resulted in significantly higher perennial ground cover (p < 0·001) on Vertisols (8·9 to 11%) and Lixisols (12·5 to 15%) and higher plant diversity (both native and exotic) but negatively impacted invertebrate diversity, indicating trade‐offs between production and resources. We provide evidence that the effects of grazing management on SOC are mediated by ground cover and increased organic matter supply and/or reduced soil carbon redistribution (erosion), which indicates that the management of grazing intensity may provide a tool to avoid soil carbon loss in rangelands. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dielectric relaxation and ionic transport in poly(ethylene carbonate)‐based electrolytes
Authors: Motomatsu Joh , Kodama Hidekazu , Furukawa Takeo , Tominaga Yoichi
Published: August 2016

To study the ion‐conductive and dielectric properties of polymer electrolytes based on poly(ethylene carbonate) (PEC) with lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), the complex permittivity and conductivity were measured using broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The temperature dependence of the relaxation frequency and ionic conductivity for PEC‐LiTFSI electrolytes (1 – 200 mol%) indicates that the segmental motion of PEC chains decreases with the addition of just 1 mol% of Li salt and increases with increasing concentration above 10 mol%. According to the Walden rule for PEC‐based electrolytes, the value of deviation from the reference line increased, and the fragility and decoupling exponents decreased with increasing salt concentration. These results indicate that there are large numbers of ion pairs and aggregated ions, which imply low ionicity and reduced fragility in highly concentrated PEC‐based electrolytes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Laser ablation electrospray ionization high‐resolution mass spectrometry for regulatory screening of domoic acid in shellfish
Authors: Beach Daniel G. , Walsh Callee M. , Cantrell Pamela , Rourke Wade , O'Brien Sinead , Reeves Kelley , McCarron Pearse
Published: August 2016

Rationale

Domoic acid (DA) is a potent neurotoxin that accumulates in shellfish. Routine testing involves homogenization, extraction and chromatographic analysis, with a run time of up to 30 min. Improving throughput using ambient ionization for direct analysis of DA in tissue would result in significant time savings for regulatory testing labs.

Methods

We assess the suitability of laser ablation electrospray ionization high‐resolution mass spectrometry (LAESI‐HRMS) for high‐throughput screening or quantitation of DA in a variety of shellfish matrices. The method was first optimized for use with HRMS detection. Challenges such as tissue sub‐sampling, isobaric interferences and method calibration were considered and practical solutions developed. Samples included 189 real shellfish samples previously analyzed by regulatory labs as well as mussel matrix certified reference materials.

Results

Domoic acid was selectively analyzed directly from shellfish tissue homogenates with a run time of 12 s. The limits of detection were between 0.24 and 1.6 mg DA kg−1 tissue, similar to those of LC/UV methods. The precision was between 27 and 44% relative standard deviation (RSD), making the technique more suited to screening than direct quantitation. LAESI‐MS showed good agreement with LC/UV and LC/MS and was capable of identifying samples above and below 5 mg DA kg−1 wet shellfish tissue, one quarter of the regulatory limit.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate the suitability of LAESI‐MS for routine, high‐throughput screening of DA. This approach could result in significant time savings for regulatory labs carrying out shellfish safety testing on thousands of samples annually. © 2016 The Authors. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Reading as a Nursing Intervention for Agitation in Patients With Anoxic Brain Injury
Authors: Schwark James , Fields Willa
Published: August 2016

Purpose:

The purpose of this article is to describe and recommend reading as a nursing intervention for agitated patients with anoxic brain injury.

Design:

The design of this study is a case report of the results from reading to an agitated patient with anoxic brain injury.

Methods:

Observation of the effects of reading to an agitated patient.

Findings:

Fifteen minutes of reading to an agitated patient during the evening hours had a calming effect.

Conclusions:

Reading to agitated patients is an additional nursing intervention with little risk and represents efficient, patient-centered care.

Clinical Relevance:

Reading is a successful nursing intervention that has a calming effect on agitated patients.
Analysis of monday night football viewership
Authors: Shetty Bhupesh , Ohlmann Jeffrey W. , Gaeth Gary J.
Published: August 2016

We conduct a three‐pronged analysis of one of the most watched television series in history: Monday Night Football (MNF). First, we identify factors that affect the viewership of MNF from 1993 to 2014. This descriptive model explains over 90% of the variability in viewership, but includes factors known only ex post facto and the week of the game. As the Monday Night Football schedule must be set prior to the beginning of the season, we construct an alternative regression model to predict the full season's viewership of potential games. This predictive model relies only on factors that are known before the release of the National Football League schedule in April preceding the season. Using the predictive regression model to estimate the objective function coefficients for potential games, we then recommend MNF schedules that maximize the total season viewership using an integer programming formulation. We conduct simulations to determine the impact of forecast error on the structure of our optimal MNF schedule. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining: The ASA Data Science Journal, 2016
An Introduction to Recording, Editing, and Streaming Picture‐in‐Picture Ultrasound Videos
Authors: Rajasekaran Sathish , Hall Mederic M. , Finnoff Jonathan T.
Published: August 2016

This paper describes the process by which high‐definition resolution (up to 1920 × 1080 pixels) ultrasound video can be captured in conjunction with high‐definition video of the transducer position (picture‐in‐picture). In addition, we describe how to edit the recorded video feeds to combine both feeds, and to crop, resize, split, stitch, cut, annotate videos, and also change the frame rate, insert pictures, edit the audio feed, and use chroma keying. We also describe how to stream a picture‐in‐picture ultrasound feed during a videoconference.
PAIR CORRELATION OF LOW-LYING ZEROS OF QUADRATIC -FUNCTIONS
Authors: SONO KEIJU
Published: August 2016

In this paper, we investigate the nontrivial zeros of quadratic $L$-functions near the real axis. Assuming the generalized Riemann hypothesis, we give an asymptotic formula for the weighted pair correlation function of quadratic $L$-functions associated to the Kronecker symbols. From this formula, we obtain several results on the rate of simple zeros of quadratic $L$-functions and on the average distance of such nontrivial zeros.
Cognitive reserve lessens the burden of white matter lesions on executive functions in bipolar disorder
Authors: Rolstad S. , Abé C. , Olsson E. , Eckerström C. , Landén M.
Published: August 2016

Background

The concept of cognitive reserve (CR) hypothesizes that intellectually stimulating activities provide resilience against brain pathology/disease. Whereas brain abnormalities and cognitive impairment are frequently reported in bipolar disorder (BD), it is unknown whether the impact of brain alterations can be lessened by higher CR in BD.

Method

We tested if higher CR would reduce the influence of total volumes of deep white matter hypointensities (WMH), ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and prefrontal cortex on memory, executive, and attention/speed functions in patients with BD (n= 75). Linear regression models with interaction terms for CR and brain volumes were applied to directly test if CR reduces the influence of brain pathology on cognitive domains.

Results

CR reduced the influence of total volumes of deep WMH (β = −0.38,Q= 0.003) and ventricular CSF (β = −41,Q= 006) on executive functions.

Conclusions

The interactions between CR and total volumes of deep WMH/ventricular CSF appear to account for executive functioning in BD. The results suggest that the concept of CR is applicable in BD. Higher reserve capacity in BD alters the relationship between brain pathology and clinical presentation.
Economics, Empire, Eschatology: The Global Context of Jewish Settlement in the Americas, 1650–70
Authors: Roitman Jessica Vance
Published: August 2016

The Dutch and English offered Spanish and Portuguese Jews inducements such as liberties unheard of in Europe until the mid-nineteenth century in order to lure them to their New World colonies. As compelling as the economic and military rationales for Jewish settlement were, there were also “spiritual” reasons to encourage Jewish settlement – and for Jews, themselves, to venture to the colonies. The mid-seventeenth century was a time of eschatological fervor in both Christian and the Jewish communities and millenarianism and messianism formed the backdrops against which Jewish colonization in the New World occurred. The seventeenth century saw an increasingly acute expectation of apocalyptic events by Christians and Jews, and was marked by an outpouring of messianic prophecy all over Europe and the Mediterranean. This article will discuss whether the English and/or the Dutch encouraged Jewish settlement in the New World with the idea that it could help in ushering in the much yearned for second coming. It will also discuss whether Jews may have been tempted to go to the colonies with the idea that they were helping to bring about the dispersion described in Daniel 12:7 – a scattering that was necessary before the prophesized “Second Coming”.
Achromobacter xylosoxidans is the predominant Achromobacter species isolated from diverse non-respiratory samples
Authors: AMOUREUX L. , BADOR J. , VERRIER T. , MJAHED H. , DE CURRAIZE C. , NEUWIRTH C.
Published: August 2016

Achromobacter spp. are emerging opportunistic Gram-negative rods responsible for diverse nosocomial or community-acquired infections. We describe, for the first time, the distribution of Achromobacter spp., defined by nrdA gene sequencing, and their antimicrobial susceptibility in a variety of non-respiratory samples recovered from hospitalized patients from 2010 to 2015. Of the 63 isolates studied, A. xylosoxidans was the most prevalent (41 isolates), and with the exception of A. insuavis (four isolates), the remaining 10 species identified were represented by one or two isolates only. All isolates were uniformly susceptible to piperacillin and piperacillin-tazobactam and 97% to meropenem, but 76% showed resistance to ciprofloxacin. This study confirms the diversity of Achromobacter spp. in non-cystic fibrosis (CF) isolates and the predominance of A. xylosoxidans, as previously reported for CF sputum isolates. There was no apparent link between the clinical site of infection and the species of Achromobacter.
Impact and long-term protection of hepatitis B vaccination: 17 years after universal hepatitis B vaccination in Tunisia
Authors: CHAOUCH H. , HACHFI W. , FODHA I. , KALLALA O. , SAADI S. , BOUSAADIA A. , LAZRAG F. , BOUGMIZA I. , AOUNI M. , TRABELSI A. , BEN JAZIA E. , LETAIEF A.
Published: August 2016

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination has been part of the Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) in Tunisia since 1995. The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the impact of mass vaccination in Tunisia 17 years after this programme was implemented, and in parallel, assess the long-term persistence of anti-HBs antibody in the vaccinated Tunisian population. A total of 1422 students were recruited (703 vaccinated, 719 non-vaccinated). HBV seromarkers were checked. None of the students from either group had positive HBsAg. The overall prevalence of anti-HBc was 0·8%. A Significantly higher prevalence of anti-HBc was noted in unvaccinated students than in vaccinated (1·4% vs. 0·3%, P = 0·02). The overall seroprotection rate (anti-HBs titre ⩾10 mIU/ml) was 68·9% in vaccinated subjects. Seroprotection rates and geometric mean titres decreased significantly with increasing age, reflecting waning anti-HBs titre over time. No significant difference was detected between seroprotection rates and gender or students’ area of origin. Incomplete vaccination was the only factor associated with an anti-HBs titre <10 mIU/ml. This study demonstrates the excellent efficacy of the HBV vaccination programme in Tunisia 17 years after its launch. However, a significant decline of anti-HBs seroprotection has been observed in ⩾15-year-old adolescents which places them at risk of infection. Additional studies are needed in hyperendemic regions in Tunisia.
Estimating minimal important differences for several scales assessing function and quality of life in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Hodgkins Paul , Lloyd Andrew , Erder M. Haim , Setyawan Juliana , Weiss Margaret D. , Sasané Rahul , Nafees Beenish
Published: August 2016

Objective

Defining minimal important difference (MID) is critical to interpreting patient-reported outcomes data and treatment efficacy in clinical trials. This study estimates the MID for the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale–Parent Report (WFIRS-P) and the Child Health and Illness Profile–Parent Report (CHIP-CE-PRF76) among parents of young people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the UK.

Methods

Parents of children (6–12 years; n=100) and adolescents (13–17 years; n=117) with ADHD completed a socio-demographic form, the CHIP-CE-PRF76, the WFIRS-P, and the Pediatric Quality of Life scale at baseline and 4 weeks later. At follow-up, a subset of parents completed anchor questions measuring change in the child/adolescent from baseline. MIDs were estimated using anchor-based and distribution-based methods, and separately for children and adolescents.

Results

The MID estimates for overall change in the WFIRS-P total score ranged from 11.31 (standard error of measurement) to 13.47 (anchor) for the total sample. The range of MID estimates for the CHIP-CE-PRF76 varied by domain: 6.80–7.41 (satisfaction), 6.18–7.34 (comfort), 5.60–6.72 (resilience), 6.06–7.57 (risk avoidance), and 4.00–5.63 (achievement) for the total sample. Overall, MID estimates for WFIRS-P MID and CHIP-CE-PRF76 were slightly higher for adolescents than for children.

Conclusion

This study estimated MIDs for these instruments using several methods. The observed convergence of the MID estimates increases confidence in their reliability and could assist clinicians and decision makers in deriving meaningful interpretations of observed changes in the WFIRS-P and CHIP-CE in clinical trials and practice.
Situation de la sociologie Contribution à une sociologie de la sociologie
Authors: Bie Pierre de
Published: August 2016

La sociologie accoutume l'esprit à considérer toute espèce de manifestation de l'activité humaine comme un fait, comme une donnée offerte à l'observation. Le propre de la sociologie est de situer ce fait parmi d'autres faits qui composent le contexte social et de mettre en lumière les multiples dépendances de chaque phénomène social.
Secession from a Member State and EU Membership: the View from the Union
Authors: Closa Carlos
Published: August 2016

Arguments in favour of a more explicit and clearer EU stance on secession from a member state – two different cases for secession and their implications – the inadmissibility of unilateral secession within the EU – consensual secession does not create a legal entitlement for automatic membership – the need to follow the route of Article 49 TEU – no need for a specific secession provision in EU treaties
Optimal policy for value-based decision-making
Authors: Tajima Satohiro , Drugowitsch Jan , Pouget Alexandre
Published: August 2016

For decades now, normative theories of perceptual decisions, and their implementation as drift diffusion models, have driven and significantly improved our understanding of human and animal behaviour and the underlying neural processes. While similar processes seem to govern value-based decisions, we still lack the theoretical understanding of why this ought to be the case. Here, we show that, similar to perceptual decisions, drift diffusion models implement the optimal strategy for value-based decisions. Such optimal decisions require the models’ decision boundaries to collapse over time, and to depend on thea prioriknowledge about reward contingencies. Diffusion models only implement the optimal strategy under specific task assumptions, and cease to be optimal once we start relaxing these assumptions, by, for example, using non-linear utility functions. Our findings thus provide the much-needed theory for value-based decisions, explain the apparent similarity to perceptual decisions, and predict conditions under which this similarity should break down.
Past and estimated future impact of invasive alien mammals on insular threatened vertebrate populations
Authors: McCreless Erin E. , Huff David D. , Croll Donald A. , Tershy Bernie R. , Spatz Dena R. , Holmes Nick D. , Butchart Stuart H. M. , Wilcox Chris
Published: August 2016

Invasive mammals on islands pose severe, ongoing threats to global biodiversity. However, the severity of threats from different mammals, and the role of interacting biotic and abiotic factors in driving extinctions, remain poorly understood at a global scale. Here we model global extirpation patterns for island populations of threatened and extinct vertebrates. Extirpations are driven by interacting factors including invasive rats, cats, pigs, mustelids and mongooses, native species taxonomic class and volancy, island size, precipitation and human presence. We show that controlling or eradicating the relevant invasive mammals could prevent 41–75% of predicted future extirpations. The magnitude of benefits varies across species and environments; for example, managing invasive mammals on small, dry islands could halve the extirpation risk for highly threatened birds and mammals, while doing so on large, wet islands may have little benefit. Our results provide quantitative estimates of conservation benefits and, when combined with costs in a return-on-investment framework, can guide efficient conservation strategies.
Responses of sequential and hierarchical phenological events to warming and cooling in alpine meadows
Authors: Li Xine , Jiang Lili , Meng Fandong , Wang Shiping , Niu Haishan , Iler Amy M. , Duan Jichuan , Zhang Zhenhua , Luo Caiyun , Cui Shujuan , Zhang Lirong , Li Yaoming , Wang Qi , Zhou Yang , Bao Xiaoying , Dorji Tsechoe , Li Yingnian , Peñuelas Josep , Du Mingyuan , Zhao Xinquan , Zhao Liang , Wang Guojie
Published: August 2016

Organisms’ life cycles consist of hierarchical stages, from a single phenological stage (for example, flowering within a season), to vegetative and reproductive phases, to the total lifespan of the individual. Yet phenological events are typically studied in isolation, limiting our understanding of life history responses to climate change. Here, we reciprocally transfer plant communities along an elevation gradient to investigate plastic changes in the duration of sequential phenological events for six alpine species. We show that prolonged flowering leads to longer reproductive phases and activity periods when plants are moved to warmer locations. In contrast, shorter post-fruiting leaf and flowering stages led to shorter vegetative and reproductive phases, respectively, which resulted in shorter activity periods when plants were moved to cooler conditions. Therefore, phenological responses to warming and cooling do not simply mirror one another in the opposite direction, and low temperature may limit reproductive allocation in the alpine region.
Mechanosensing by the α6-integrin confers an invasive fibroblast phenotype and mediates lung fibrosis
Authors: Chen Huaping , Qu Jing , Huang Xiangwei , Kurundkar Ashish , Zhu Lanyan , Yang Naiheng , Venado Aida , Ding Qiang , Liu Gang , Antony Veena B. , Thannickal Victor J. , Zhou Yong
Published: August 2016

Matrix stiffening is a prominent feature of pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we demonstrate that matrix stiffness regulates the ability of fibrotic lung myofibroblasts to invade the basement membrane (BM). We identify α6-integrin as a mechanosensing integrin subunit that mediates matrix stiffness-regulated myofibroblast invasion. Increasing α6-expression, specifically the B isoform (α6B), couples β1-integrin to mediate MMP-2-dependent pericellular proteolysis of BM collagen IV, leading to myofibroblast invasion. Human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis lung myofibroblasts express high levels of α6-integrin in vitro and in vivo. Genetic ablation of α6 in collagen-expressing mesenchymal cells or pharmacological blockade of matrix stiffness-regulated α6-expression protects mice against bleomycin injury-induced experimental lung fibrosis. These findings suggest that α6-integrin is a matrix stiffness-regulated mechanosensitive molecule which confers an invasive fibroblast phenotype and mediates experimental lung fibrosis. Targeting this mechanosensing α6(β1)-integrin offers a novel anti-fibrotic strategy against lung fibrosis.