bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Equity Financial Assets: A Tool for Earnings Management—A Case Study of a Chinese Corporation
Authors: Guo Yuanyuan , Lu Siqi , Ronen Joshua , Ye Jianfang
Published: March 2019

With China’s adoption of principles‐based international accounting standards and its convergence with International Accounting Standard 39 (IAS 39), Chinese companies have discretion under the original Accounting Standards for Enterprises 22 (CAS 22) as to how they account for the initial measurement, sale, and subsequent reclassification of financial assets. We use a Chinese company (‘Company A’) as a case study to illustrate how earnings are managed to exploit this discretion. We document that the company re‐classifies its available for sale equity investments as long‐term equity investments to decrease the volatility of the company’s apparent profits. We also make some predictions regarding how the company will handle its financial assets under the new standard, which is the same as IFRS 9. Our research contributes to the continuous improvement of China’s accounting standards and has implications for regulators of the capital market.
Epidemiology and survival of Merkel cell carcinoma in New Zealand: A population‐based study between 2000 and 2015 with international comparison
Authors: Lee Young , Chao Phillip , Coomarasamy Christin , Mathy Jon A
Published: March 2019

Background/Objectives

Merkel cell carcinoma is an aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. Australian studies report high incidence and poor survival rates compared internationally. While New Zealand has a comparable UV index and racial composition to Australia, survival outcomes are currently unknown. The role of Merkel cell polyoma virus in oncogenesis of Merkel cell carcinoma is an active area of research. We describe the incidence and survival of Merkel cell carcinoma in New Zealand with correlation to demographic and clinical factors including regional polyoma virus prevalence.

Methods

Retrospective study of population‐based data from the New Zealand Cancer Registry. Incidence rates were directly standardised to the US standard 2000 population. Survival was investigated using Kaplan–Meier and multivariable Cox regression models.

Results

Six hundred and one cases were diagnosed in New Zealand between 2000 and 2015. The overall incidence rate was 0.96/100 000 population. Merkel cell carcinoma is more common in males, elderly and on sun‐exposed areas. Eighteen percent of patients were diagnosed with distant metastasis at time of presentation. The overall 5‐year survival rate and relative 5‐year survival rate were 31% and 45%, respectively. Mortality was 1.9 and 2.5 times higher for stage III and IV disease, respectively, relative to stage I/II disease. Patients over age 80 had twice the mortality compared to those aged 60–69.

Conclusions

New Zealand has a high incidence of Merkel cell carcinoma and poor survival outcomes when compared internationally. We have the highest proportion of distant metastatic disease at time of diagnosis. Further research into the role of nonpolyoma‐related Merkel cell carcinoma is warranted to improve Merkel cell carcinoma outcomes in New Zealand and abroad.
RESORPTION OF INTRASPINAL FRAGMENTS OF DISPLACED BONE GRAFT FOLLOWING ANTERIOR SPINAL FUSION
Authors: HOSKING O. R. , MCCORMICK C. C.
Published: March 2019

A case of accidental graft protrusion into the intervertebral foramen following anterior spinal fusion is presented. The displaced graft resorbed spontaneously over a 12‐month period and neurological deficit resolved.
HISTOGENESIS OF ARTERIAL INTIMAL HYPERPLASIA AND ATHEROSCLEROSIS
Authors: TENNANT MARC , DILLEY RODNEY J. , MCGEACHIE JOHN K. , PRENDERGAST FRANCIS J.
Published: March 2019

This article briefly reviews the histological evidence for the genesis of intimal hyperplasia and atherosclerosis in arteries. It concentrates upon the origin, structure and behaviour of vascular smooth muscle cells in the intimal (subendothelial) layer. The interactions between these intimal muscle cells, the endothelium and the blood are discussed with particular reference to their role in the histogenesis of intimal hyperplasia and atherosclerosis.
SUPERFICIAL (EARLY) GASTRIC CANCER
Authors: BEACH MELISSA J. , CADE RICHARD J. , STEEDMAN PAUL K.
Published: March 2019

A review of superficial gastric cancer (sgc) has been carried out. Data on the 20 cases who underwent surgery in the 6 years 1982–87 were obtained. The diagnosis of malignancy was established histologically preoperatively in 95% of cases, although more than one endoscopy was required in 50%. In 75%, the primary was confined to the mucosa and in the remainder it had penetrated the submucosa. Lymph node metastases were present in 20%, but distant metastases were not detected. There were no postoperative deaths, and no patient was diagnosed as having recurrent disease during a median follow‐up period of 33 months.
Not About Land, Not Quite a Grab: Dispersed Dispossession in Rural Russia
Authors: Vorbrugg Alexander
Published: March 2019

In most literature in geography and agrarian studies, rural dispossession is neatly related to land rights or access, a trend that increased with debates about the recent wave of farmland investments worldwide. Drawing on long‐term fieldwork in rural Russia, this paper critiques that focus and the assumed nexus between rural dispossession and farmland, as is prevents an understanding of more dispersed stakes, modes and temporalities of dispossession. I introduce the concept of dispersed dispossession which advances our understanding of social and relational objects of dispossession beyond natural resources (such as sustaining institutions and infrastructures), and the tangled, complex, often slow and silent modes and temporalities of dispossession beyond spectacular events. I show how the concept sheds new light on current agrarian change in Russia, and how it contributes to debates on (rural) dispossession and “land grabs” more generally.
Deracinated Dispossessions: On the Foreclosures of “Gentrification” in Oakland,CA
Authors: McElroy Erin , Werth Alex
Published: March 2019

This paper challenges dominant geographies of urban theory by conceptualising the dynamics of displacement in Oakland through place‐specific histories of racial/spatial politics. It argues that the repeated transposition of a San Francisco‐based model of “tech gentrification” results inderacinated dispossessions, or accounts of displacement uprooted from grounded histories of racial violence and resistance. It also argues that, while urban scholars acknowledge the role of historical difference in contouring dispossessions in metropolitan versus postcolonial cities, this consideration should be broadened to account for the racial/colonial dimensions of urbanism in theUSas well. Treating Oakland as a “crossroads of theory”, this paper joins calls for a deeper engagement between postcolonial urban studies and critical race and ethnic studies from North America. Drawing upon the authors’ activist and empirical work, it contends that “thinking from Oakland” demands a foregrounding of racial capitalism, policing, and refusal.
Effect of intravitreal conbercept treatment on the expression of Long Noncoding RNAs and mRNAs in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Patients
Authors: Wang Jiawei , Gao Xue , Liu Jing , Wang Jing , Zhang Yue , Zhang Tonghe , Zhang Han
Published: March 2019

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of conbercept on the expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and mRNAs in the fibrovascular membranes of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients.

Methods

Twenty patients, diagnosed with PDR, who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), were recruited for this study. Ten patients were treated for PPV alone (Control Group), and the others received conbercept injections before PPV (Treated Group). The fibrovascular membranes were harvested during surgery. Expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs in the membranes was tested using lncRNA Arrays. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to identify the related biological modules and pathways of the differentially expressed genes. A lncRNA/mRNA coexpression network was built to identify the correlations between lncRNAs and mRNAs. Real‐time PCR was conducted to verify the microarray results.

Results

We identified 427 differentially expressed lncRNAs, of which 263 were upregulated and 164 were downregulated. Gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated that these lncRNAs–coexpressed mRNAs targeted various metabolic processes, especially the gluconeogenesis. Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) results indicated that 16 pathways had significant differences in gene expression, including gluconeogenesis, HIF‐1 signalling pathway, NOD‐like receptor pathway, etc. The lncRNA/mRNA coexpression network revealed that many differentially expressed lncRNAs were enriched in the HIF‐1, TNF‐α and NOD‐like receptor pathways. LincRNAs were the largest category and further bioinformatics analysis implied that these lincRNAs–coexpressed mRNAs were mainly involved in PDR‐related biological processes and pathological pathways.

Conclusion

Conbercept treatment can change the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in the fibrovascular membranes of PDR patients. A complete understanding of the relationship between lncRNAs and anti‐VEGF drugs may contribute to new therapeutic regimen for PDR.
Quantitative choriocapillaris evaluation in intermediate age‐related macular degeneration by swept‐source optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Vujosevic Stela , Toma Caterina , Villani Edoardo , Muraca Andrea , Torti Emanuele , Florimbi Giordana , Pezzotti Marco , Nucci Paolo , De Cillà Stefano
Published: March 2019

Purpose

To investigate choriocapillaris (CC) perfusion, by evaluating flow voids (FV), in eyes with intermediate age‐related macular degeneration (iAMD) using swept‐source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS‐OCT‐A).

Methods

Patients with bilateral or unilateral iAMD and normal controls underwent SS‐OCT and OCT‐A examination. Choriocapillaris (CC) FVs were quantitatively assessed on OCT‐A images using matlab (version 2017b; MathWorks, Natick, MA, USA), after a preprocessing aimed at compensating for CC attenuation artefacts. Three different thresholds [1 standard deviation (SD), 1.25 SD and 1.5 SD] were applied. Final FV percentage (FV%) was calculated as the ratio between area with absent flow and total scanned area.

Results

Of 41 patients with iAMD and 16 normal subjects enrolled in the study, 39 eyes (39 patients) with iAMD and all 16 normal eyes (16 control subjects) were included in the final analysis. Mean FV% (1 SD) was 13.45 ± 0.66 in controls, 14.19 ± 1.23 in bilateral iAMD and 14.21 ± 0.99 in unilateral iAMD (p = 0.03, for difference between controls and bilateral iAMD). Mean FV% (1.25 SD) was 6.55 ± 0.65 in controls, 7.33 ± 1.4 in bilateral iAMD and 7.06 ± 1.4 in unilateral iAMD (p = 0.048, for difference between controls and bilateral iAMD). Mean FV% (1.5 SD) was 2.71 ± 0.82 in controls, 2.55 ± 1.12 in bilateral iAMD and 3.25 ± 1.17 in unilateral iAMD (p = 0.038, for difference between bilateral and unilateral iAMD).

Conclusion

A significantly higher FV% was found in patients with iAMD versus controls. A higher trend in FV% was found in unilateral iAMD (with neovascular AMD in the fellow eye) versus bilateral iAMD, when applying the lowest threshold. Further, larger and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this data.
Diurnal variations in flow density measured using optical coherence tomography angiography and the impact of heart rate, mean arterial pressure and intraocular pressure on flow density in primary open‐angle glaucoma patients
Authors: Müller Viktoria Constanze , Storp Jens Julian , Kerschke Laura , Nelis Pieter , Eter Nicole , Alnawaiseh Maged
Published: March 2019

Purpose

To determine the diurnal variations in peripapillary and macular flow density (FD), as measured using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to elaborate on the relationship between diurnal FD, circulatory parameters and intraocular pressure (IOP) variations in primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods

Forty eyes of 40 POAG patients were drawn into this cross‐sectional study. The retinal microvasculature of the macula (superficial and deep layers) and optic nerve [radial peripapillary capillary (RPC)] was examined by OCTA (AngioVue®, Optovue). Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) measurements were conducted at 08:00, 11:00, 15:00 and 20:00 over the course of two consecutive days. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and circulatory parameters were assessed accordingly. Diurnal variations in FD were analysed using linear mixed models.

Results

While superficial macular FD and RPC FD revealed not to be affected by diurnal variations (p = 0.492, p = 0.319), FD in the deep layer of the macula increased throughout the day (p < 0.001). Superficial macular FD was influenced significantly by mean arterial pressure (MAP) (p = 0.006) and heart rate (HR) (p = 0.033), whereas FD in the RPC layer was significantly affected by HR (p = 0.010). No statistically significant effect of IOP fluctuations on FD was observed.

Conclusion

This study shows diurnal fluctuations of deep macular FD measured by OCTA and outlines the relationship between FD and hemodynamic parameters (MAP/HR) in POAG patients.
Organic additives used in beef cattle feedlot: Effects on metabolic parameters and animal performance
Authors: Leite Rhaony Gonçalves , Romanzini Eliéder Prates , Delevatti Lutti Maneck , Hoffmann Alvair , Ferrari Adriana Cristina , D'Aurea André Pastori , Fernandes Lauriston Bertelli , Oliveira Amanda Prates , Reis Ricardo Andrade
Published: March 2019

Organic additives are recently being used in animal diets owing to their ability to control metabolic issues and result in better animal performance. Specifically, the organic additive Fator P® presents an additional advantage that is to cause a lesser greenhouse gas emission. This study evaluated whether Fator P® intake changes ruminal parameters or animal performance of beef cattle. Evaluations were carried out in a feedlot experiment divided into growing (46 days; two diets [control mix—CM and standard mix—SM] and finishing (lasted 83 days; four diets: CM, SM, Fator P® + virginiamycin, and Fator P® alone [FP]) trials. Animal performance study involved 48 animals allocated to 12 collective pens in completely randomized experimental design. Ruminal parameters were evaluated in separate metabolism study developed carried out using individual pen with four steers. During growing trial, FP diet resulted in higher (p < 0.05) dry matter intake (DMI) and ruminating time. In the finishing trial, diets containing Fator P® resulted in higher DMI than obtained with CM. Most of the ruminal parameters did not differ (p > 0.05) among dietary treatments. Therefore, Fator P® represents a viable and safe strategy for supplementation to beef cattle finished using high‐concentrate diet in feedlot systems.
The independent association of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease with lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia and erectile function scores
Authors: Eren Huseyin , Horsanali Mustafa O.
Published: March 2019

Objectives

To evaluate the association between non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)/benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and erectile function.

Patients and methods

In all, 356 men diagnosed with LUTS/BPH were evaluated retrospectively between January 2016 and March 2018. Anthropometric and laboratory data were collected. According to the liver echogenicity degree, patients were divided into four NAFLD groups: Grade 0 was considered as normal with no NAFLD, whilst Grades 1–3 NAFLD had increasing fat deposits. LUTS symptoms, prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels, prostate volumes (PVs), and five‐item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF‐5) scores were compared statistically between the NAFLD grades.

Results

PSA levels did not differ between the groups. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), PV and post‐voided residual urine volume (PVR) were significantly greater in men with higher NAFLD grades. Conversely, the maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) and IIEF‐5 score were lower in men with higher NAFLD grades. The NAFLD grade, rather than being metabolic syndrome (MetS) positive, affected prostate parameters and IIEF‐5 scores. NAFLD grade correlated positively with IPSS, PV and PVR, whereas there was a negative correlation with Qmax and IIEF‐5 score. Age and NAFLD were independent predictors of IPSS, PV, Qmax, and PVR on multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

We found that NAFLD was an independent predictive factor for IPSS, PV, Qmax, PVR and IIEF‐5 score. MetS was only a significant predictive factor for IIEF‐5 score, thus NAFLD may identify patients at high risk of LUTS better than MetS.
Elevated insulin‐like growth factor‐1 in Cushing’s disease
Authors: English Katherine , Chikani Viral , Dimeski Goce , Inder Warrick J.
Published: March 2019

Objective

To determine if patients with untreated Cushing's disease have higher serum insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) compared to matched controls, and if IGF‐1 decreases following remission of Cushing's disease.

Design

Retrospective case‐control study matching Cushing's disease cases to control patients for adenoma size, age, sex, diabetic and gonadal status, body mass index and serum IGF‐1 measured within one year. Paired analysis of pre‐operative (untreated) and >3 months post‐operative (remission) serum IGF‐1 for cases.

Patients and measurements

All patients were investigated at the Princess Alexandra Hospital Endocrine Unit between 2005 and 2017. Serum IGF‐1 was measured in 25 cases and 49 controls, 23 case‐control pairs and 13 cases pre‐ and post‐operatively.

Results

Mean serum IGF‐1 in cases was significantly higher compared to controls—32 ± 12 nmol/L compared to 25 ± 8 nmol/L, (P = 0.005). The proportion of cases with elevated serum IGF‐1 above an age‐adjusted reference range was higher compared to 1:1 matched controls (8/23 (35%) vs 1/23 (4%), P = 0.02). In 13 cases in remission post‐operatively, serum IGF‐1 decreased significantly from 31 (IQR 29‐40.5) nmol/L to 23 (IQR 15‐28.5) nmol/L, (P < 0.001), despite no difference in the prevalence of pre‐ vs post‐operative pituitary hormone dysfunction (P = 0.47).

Conclusion

Patients with untreated Cushing's disease may have elevated IGF‐1, which decreases following remission. Mildly elevated IGF‐1 in Cushing's disease does not imply pathological growth hormone (GH) excess.
Guidelines for Facilitating Parental Prevention Discussions about the Choking Game
Authors: Davies W. Hobart , Sejkora Ellen K. D. , Erato Gina A. , Bernacki Jessica M.
Published: March 2019

The Choking Game (TCG), practiced by adolescents, involves forced asphyxiation to obtain a ‘high’, occasionally causing seizures or death. Few parents report discussing TCG with their child despite their critical role in injury‐prevention. This paper examined parental knowledge of TCG and perceptions of TCG‐related discussions with their child. From parent responses, eight thematic elements were identified: Risks; Awareness; Peer Context; External Resources; Basic Information; Prevention Strategy; Participation; and Told Not To. We propose a guide for parents planning a TCG prevention discussion is offered based on naturally occurring parental conversations.
Untangling theEchiniscusGordian knot: paraphyly of the “arctomysgroup” (Heterotardigrada: Echiniscidae)
Authors: Gąsiorek Piotr , Morek Witold , Stec Daniel , Michalczyk Łukasz
Published: March 2019

The genusEchiniscusC.A.S. Schultze, 1840, one of the earliest established and speciose tardigrade genera, has been hypothesized to be polyphyletic. Moreover, the presence or absence of trunk appendages, the type of cuticular sculpturing and body colour have been argued to hold taxonomic significance at the genus level inEchiniscus‐line taxa. Here, by combining morphological and genetic analyses, we demonstrate that the so‐called “arctomysgroup”, i.e.Echiniscusspp. lacking trunk appendages, comprises numerous separate evolutionary lineages within the family Echiniscidae. As a result, we erect five new echiniscid genera:Barbariagen. nov., presumably of Neotropical (Gondwanan) origin, previously classified as theEchiniscus bigranulatusgroup; the pantropical and subtropicalKristenseniscusgen. nov.(thetessellatusgroup), characterized by a peculiar subdivision of dorsal plates;Claxtoniagen. nov.(thewendtigroup), with large and evident endocuticular pillars in the form of polygons;Nebularmisgen. nov.(thereticulatusgroup), with an elusive dorsal sculpturing; andViridiscusgen. nov.(theviridisgroup), with body colour ranging from light green through brownish to even almost black. Additionally, we briefly address appendagedEchiniscus s.s. and divide the genus into several groups based on dorsal plate sculpturing and suggest that these could also represent separate supraspecific entities.
Background knowledge: the assumptions of pattern cladistics
Authors: Brower Andrew V. Z.
Published: March 2019

This paper reviews the ontogeny of pattern cladistics from the 1970s and 1980s, rebuts criticisms by contemporary anti‐cladists, and endeavours to clarify persistent misunderstandings about the philosophical foundations of the approach.
Bird conservation and the land sharing‐sparing continuum in farmland‐dominated landscapes of lowland England
Authors: Finch Tom , Gillings Simon , Green Rhys E. , Massimino Dario , Peach Will J. , Balmford Andrew
Published: March 2019

Empirical evidence from many regions suggests that most species would be least negatively affected if human food demand were met through high‐yield agricultural production and conservation of nonfarm ecosystems (land sparing), rather than through wildlife‐friendly farming over a larger area (land sharing). However, repeated glaciation and a long history of agriculture may lead to different results in regions such as western Europe. We compared the consequences of land sparing and land sharing on breeding bird species in 2 lowland regions of England, The Fens, with 101 species, and Salisbury Plain, with 83. We derived density–yield responses for each species and then estimated regional population size under regional food production strategies, including land sharing and land sparing, a range of intermediate strategies, and a novel mixed strategy. In both regions, more species achieved maximum regional population size under land sparing than land sharing. In The Fens, the majority of birds were loser species (estimated to have smaller populations under all food production strategies than in the preagricultural baseline scenario), whereas in Salisbury Plain the majority were winners (smaller populations in the preagricultural baseline scenario). Loser species overwhelmingly achieved maximum regional population size under land sparing, whereas winner species achieved maximum regional population size under either land sharing or an intermediate strategy, highlighting the importance of defining which groups of species are the target of conservation. A novel 3‐compartment strategy (combining high‐yield farming, natural habitat, and low‐yield farming) often performed better than either land sharing or land sparing. Our results support intermediate or 3‐compartment land‐sparing strategies to maximize bird populations across lowland agricultural landscapes. To deliver conservation outcomes, any shift toward land sparing must, however, ensure yield increases are sustainable in the long term, do not entail increased negative effects on surrounding areas, and are linked to allocation of land for nature.
Understanding and minimizing environmental impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative
Authors: Hughes Alice C.
Published: March 2019

China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) sets to create connections and build infrastructure across Eurasia, Asia, and parts of the African continent in its initial phase and is the largest infrastructure project of all time. Any infrastructure project on this scale will necessarily pass through ecofragile regions and key biodiversity areas (KBAs). This creates an imperative to identify possible areas of impact and probable effects on conservation values to facilitate adaptive planning and to mitigate, minimize, or avoid impacts. Using the highest resolution route maps of the BRI available, I overlaid the proposed road and rail routes on KBAs, protected areas, and predicted biodiversity hotspots for over 4138 animal and 7371 plant species. I also assessed the relationship between the proposed route with the distribution of mines across BRI countries and the proportion of deforestation and forest near routes. Infrastructure, especially mining, was clustered near the proposed route; thus, construction and development along the route may increase the size and number of mines. Up to 15% of KBAs were within 1 km of proposed railways. Thus, planned and probable development along the routes may pose a significant risk to biodiversity, especially because the majority of KBAs are unprotected. Many biodiversity hotspots for different taxa were near the route. These hotspots varied between taxa, making systematic management and environmental impact assessments an effective strategy for at least some taxa. A combination of planning and mitigation strategies will likely be necessary to protect the most important areas for biodiversity proximal to development, especially in currently unprotected KBAs and other regions that need protection. A fuller assessment of trade‐offs between conservation and other values will be necessary to make good decisions for each project and site being developed, including potentially modifying parts of the route to minimize impacts. Modification or foregoing of infrastructure may be needed if stakeholders consider the conservation costs too high.
From Context to Code: Information Transfer Constrains the Emergence of Graphic Codes
Authors: Winters James , Morin Olivier
Published: March 2019

Humans commit information to graphic symbols for three basic reasons: as a memory aid, as a tool for thinking, and as a means of communication. Yet, despite the benefits of transmitting information graphically, we still know very little about the biases and constraints acting on the emergence of stable, powerful, and accurate graphic codes (such as writing). Using a reference game, where participants play as Messengers and Recipients, we experimentally manipulate the function of the task (communicative or non‐communicative) and investigate whether this shapes the emergence of stable, powerful, and accurate codes for both synchronous and asynchronous modes of information transfer. Only in the Dialogue condition, where Messenger and Recipient are two different persons communicating within the same time frame (i.e., synchronously), do we consistently observe the emergence of stable, powerful, and accurate graphic codes. Such codes are unnecessary for participants in Recall, where Messenger and Recipient are the same person transferring information within the same time frame, and they fail to emerge in Correspondence, where Messenger and Recipient are two different persons communicating across time frames (i.e., asynchronously). Lastly, in the Mnemonic condition, where Messenger and Recipient are the same person at different points in time, participants achieve high accuracy but with codes that are suboptimal in terms of power and stability. Our results suggest that the rarity and late arrival of stable, powerful, and accurate graphic codes in human history largely stems from strong constraints on information transfer. In particular, we suggest that these constraints limit a code's ability to reach an adequate tradeoff between information that needs to be explicitly encoded and information that needs to be inferred from context.
Do Additional Features Help or Hurt Category Learning? The Curse of Dimensionality in Human Learners
Authors: Vong Wai Keen , Hendrickson Andrew T. , Navarro Danielle J. , Perfors Andrew
Published: March 2019

The curse of dimensionality, which has been widely studied in statistics and machine learning, occurs when additional features cause the size of the feature space to grow so quickly that learning classification rules becomes increasingly difficult. How do people overcome the curse of dimensionality when acquiring real‐world categories that have many different features? Here we investigate the possibility that the structure of categories can help. We show that when categories follow a family resemblance structure, people are unaffected by the presence of additional features in learning. However, when categories are based on a single feature, they fall prey to the curse, and having additional irrelevant features hurts performance. We compare and contrast these results to three different computational models to show that a model with limited computational capacity best captures human performance across almost all of the conditions in both experiments.
Encapsulation of colorants by natural polymers for food applications
Authors: de Boer Frankjen Y. , Imhof Arnout , Velikov Krassimir P.
Published: March 2019

Product appearance is an important factor for consumers when determining the quality of a product, and colour is one of the most important factors which contribute to product appearance. Currently, the safety and consumer acceptance of some colorants used in food products, such as titanium dioxide and some synthetic colorants, are under discussion. Therefore, new ways to use natural colorants as alternatives to these suspect colorants for future applications are being investigated. A promising method for increasing the applicability of the often sensitive natural colorants is the encapsulation of these colorants in colloidal particles by natural polymers such as carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. In recent years, micro‐ and nano‐encapsulation have increasingly been used for various purposes concerning several food properties such as colour, flavour and micronutrient content. This technique results in improved stability for the often sensitive natural colorants and presents the possibility of entrapping water‐insoluble colorants for improved use in an aqueous system. This paper reviews the main methods that are used for encapsulation by natural polymers, discusses the different types thereof that are used for encapsulation of colorants, and provides a short overview of natural colorants successfully encapsulated in these natural polymers.
Cryptococcosis in solid organ transplantation—Guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice
Authors: Baddley John W. , Forrest Graeme N. ,   the AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice
Published: March 2019

These updated guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Community of Practice of the American Society of Transplantation review the diagnosis, prevention, and management of cryptococcosis in the pre‐ and post‐transplant period. The current update now includes a discussion of cryptococcosis, which is the third most common invasive fungal infection in SOT recipients. Infection often occurs a year after transplantation; however, early infections occur and donor‐derived infections have been described within 3 months after transplant. There are two main species that cause infection, Cryptococcus neoformans and C gattii. Clinical onset may be insidious, but headaches, fevers, and mental status changes should warrant diagnostic testing. The lateral flow cryptococcal antigen assay is now the preferred test from serum and cerebrospinal fluid due to its rapidity, accuracy, and cost. A lumbar puncture with measurement of opening pressure is recommended for patients with suspected or proven cryptococcosis. Lipid amphotericin B plus 5‐flucytosine is used as initial treatment of meningitis, disseminated infection, and moderate‐to‐severe pulmonary infection, followed by fluconazole as consolidation therapy. Fluconazole is effective for mild‐to‐moderate pulmonary infection. Immunosuppression reduction as part of management may lead to immune reconstitution syndrome that may resemble active disease.
Pneumonia in solid organ transplantation: Guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice
Authors: Dulek Daniel E. , Mueller Nicolas J. ,   on behalf of the AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice
Published: March 2019

These guidelines from the AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice review the diagnosis and management of pneumonia in the post‐transplant period. Clinical presentations and differential diagnosis for pneumonia in the solid organ transplant recipient are reviewed. A two‐tier approach is proposed based on the net state of immunosuppression and the severity of presentation. With a lower risk of opportunistic, hospital‐acquired, or exposure‐specific pathogens and a non‐severe presentation, empirical therapy may be initiated under close clinical observation. In all other patients, or those not responding to the initial therapy, a more aggressive diagnostic approach including sampling of tissue for microbiological and pathological testing is warranted. Given the broad range of potential pathogens, a microbiological diagnosis is often key for optimal care. Given the limited literature comparatively evaluating diagnostic approaches to pneumonia in the solid organ transplant recipient, much of the proposed diagnostic algorithm reflects clinical experience rather than evidence‐based data. It should serve as a template which may be modified according to local needs. The same holds true for the suggested empiric therapies, which need to be adapted to the local resistance patterns. Further study is needed to comparatively evaluate diagnostic and empiric treatment strategies in SOT recipients.
Do Consumption Habit and Income Difference Eliminate the Risk Premium in Chinese Capital Market?
Authors: Wang Yajie , Geng Zhongyuan , Yang Wuting
Published: March 2019

This paper explores the effects of Chinese urban residents' consumption habits with income differences on financial asset pricing over the period 1991–2016. With the use of generalized method of moments estimation, the results reveal that the specific values of habit‐formation parameter k eliminate the high‐risk premium puzzle in the standard consumption‐based Capital Asset Pricing Model to a certain extent based on the data of consumption of urban residents at different income levels, the rate of total stock market return, and the risk‐free asset return rate. Moreover, the empirical tests also uncover income differences that cannot explain the risk premium themselves but do reveal that people with different income levels have different attitudes toward risks.
Plague and long‐term development: the lasting effects of the 1629–30 epidemic on the Italian cities
Authors: Alfani Guido , Percoco Marco
Published: March 2019

This article aims to analyse the effects of plague on the long‐term development of Italian cities, with particular attention to the 1629–30 epidemic. By using a new dataset on plague mortality rates in 56 cities covering the period c. 1575–1700, an economic geography model verifying the existence of multiple equilibria is estimated. It is found that cities severely affected by the 1629–30 plague were displaced to a lower growth path. It is also found that plague caused long‐lasting damage to the size of Italian urban populations and to urbanization rates. These findings support the hypothesis that seventeenth‐century plagues played a fundamental role in triggering the process of relative decline of the Italian economies.
Identifying patients who will not reachieve remission after breakthrough seizures
Authors: Hughes David M. , Bonnett Laura J. , Marson Anthony G. , García‐Fiñana Marta
Published: March 2019

Objective

We aim to identify people with epilepsy who are unlikely to reachieve a 12‐month remission within 2 years after experiencing a breakthrough seizure following an initial 12‐month remission.

Methods

We apply a novel longitudinal discriminant approach to data from the Standard and New Antiepileptic Drugs study to dynamically predict the risk of a patient not achieving a second remission after a breakthrough seizure by combining both baseline covariates (collected at the time of breakthrough seizure) and follow‐up data.

Results

The model classifies 83% of patients. Of these, 73% of patients (95% confidence interval [CI] = 58%‐88%) who did not achieve a second remission were correctly identified (sensitivity), and 84% of patients (95% CI = 69%‐96%) who achieved a second remission were correctly identified (specificity). The area under the curve from our model was 87% (95% CI = 80%‐94%). Patients who did not achieve a second remission were correctly identified on average after 10 months of observation postbreakthrough. Occurrence of seizures after breakthrough and the number of seizures experienced were the most informative longitudinal variables. These longitudinal profiles were influenced by the following baseline covariates: age at breakthrough seizure, presence of neurological insult, and number of antiepileptic drugs required to achieve first remission.

Significance

Using longitudinal data gathered during patient follow‐up allows more accurate predictions than using baseline covariates in a standard Cox model. The model developed in this paper is a useful first step in developing a tool for identifying patients who develop drug resistance after an initial remission.
Clinical findings in 10 horses diagnosed with monorchidism following exploratory laparotomy or standing laparoscopic surgery
Authors: Clements P. E. , Coomer R. P. C. , McKane S. A. , Gorvy D. , Bladon B. , Mair T.
Published: March 2019

Monorchidism describes the complete absence of one testis and is rare in horses. This study reports the clinical findings in 10 horses diagnosed as monorchids by standing laparoscopy or exploratory laparotomy. Hospital records for all horses undergoing cryptorchidectomy (2000–2016) in four centres were reviewed from which horses diagnosed with monorchidism were identified. Surgery was by either standing flank laparoscopy or an inguinal exploration and subsequent exploratory laparotomy under general anaesthesia. Ten horses were diagnosed as monorchids, five by laparoscopy (one bilateral laparoscopy) and five by laparotomy. Nine horses had a normally descended scrotal testicle, which was also removed at surgery. The right testicle was absent in three horses, and the left testicle was absent in seven horses. Anatomical findings were recorded in each case; the vaginal process was present in all horses, ductus deferens and epididymis were present in 80% of horses and the ligament of the tail of the epididymis and testicular vessels were present in 50% of horses. Laparoscopy allowed easy identification of spermatic structures enabling a prompt diagnosis of monorchidism. In conclusion, when monorchidism occurs, most other associated spermatic structures are likely to be present. A diagnosis of true monorchidism is reliant on hormonal testing and absence of testicular tissue on histopathology and so some of these horses may strictly be somewhere on the spectrum of testicular degeneration. This information is particularly useful in the surgical situation when it is not clear whether the testicle is present or not.
Aquatic macroinvertebrate community responses to wetland mitigation in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Authors: Swartz Leah K. , Hossack Blake R. , Muths Erin , Newell Robert L. , Lowe Winsor H.
Published: March 2019

Wetlands are critical components of freshwater biodiversity and provide ecosystem services, but human activities have resulted in large‐scale loss of these habitats across the globe. To offset this loss, mitigation wetlands are frequently constructed, but their ability to replicate the functions of natural wetlands remains uncertain. Further, monitoring of mitigation wetlands is limited and often focuses exclusively on vegetation and physical characteristics.

Wetland fauna are assumed to be present if suitable habitat restoration is achieved, but this assumption is rarely tested. We used the macroinvertebrate community as a proxy for wetland function to compare recently created mitigation wetlands, natural wetlands impacted but not destroyed by road construction activity, and unimpacted reference wetlands along a highway corridor in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Unlike most other studies of invertebrate communities in created wetlands which have occurred in warm climates, our study area has a cold temperate climate with short growing seasons.

We estimated macroinvertebrate taxonomic richness and used linear models to test for effects of wetland design features (wetland age, isolation, depth, vegetation, size, and pH) on invertebrate richness. We also used non‐metric multidimensional scaling to visualise differences in community composition among wetland types and used indicator species analysis to determine which taxa were causing observed differences.

Taxonomic richness of macroinvertebrates was lower in created wetlands than impacted or reference wetlands, whereas richness was similar in impacted and reference wetlands. Wetland age was positively correlated with taxonomic richness. The amount of aquatic vegetation in wetlands had the greatest influence on taxonomic richness, so that recently created wetlands with little vegetation had the simplest invertebrate communities. Community composition of invertebrates in created wetlands also differed from community composition in reference and impacted wetlands. Most notably, created wetlands lacked some passive dispersers that were common in other wetland types, although we found no relationship between taxonomic richness and wetland isolation.

Overall, constructed wetlands had diminished and altered macroinvertebrate communities relative to reference and impacted wetlands, suggesting that periods in excess of 5 years may be required for wetland mitigation projects in cold temperate climates to attain full functionality.
Positive co‐occurrence between feeding‐associative savannah fishes depends on species and habitat
Authors: Arnhold Tatiane R. , Penha Jerry , Peoples Brandon K. , Mateus Lúcia A. F.
Published: March 2019

Understanding the relative importance of abiotic factors and biotic interactions in determining species co‐occurrence is a fundamental goal in ecology. Most studies of ecology of freshwater fishes have focused on negative biotic interactions (competition and predation), and much less is known about more positive interactions. The goal of this study was to quantify the relative importance of habitat features and biotic interactions (positive and negative) on co‐occurrence of three pairs of feeding‐associative Leporinus (L.) fishes in rivers of central Brazil (L. friderici–L. octomaculatus, L. striatus–L. octomaculatus, L. friderici–L. striatus).

We sampled 146 sites on two rivers of central Brazil and used two‐species occupancy models to examine the relative importance of habitat features and commensalistic feeding association for determining co‐occurrence of the three species pairs. Using an information–theoretic framework, we compared weight‐of‐evidence for models containing effects of habitat covariates only, biotic interactions only, and their combination.

Model evidence supported the hypothesis that feeding activity of L. friderici facilitates occurrence of L. octomaculatus and that the interaction is mediated by habitat covariates. In contrast, most evidence suggested that occurrence of L. striatus is independent of L. friderici, and is instead determined entirely by habitat features. Evidence for facilitation of L. octomaculatus by L. striatus was mixed—there is evidence supporting the habitat‐only hypothesis as well as habitat‐mediated facilitation.

Our results suggest that positive interactions can affect co‐occurrence among freshwater fishes, at least for species that interact strongly. More facultative interactions, such as those between L. friderici and L. striatus, may be less important, at least in certain abiotic contexts. This study indicates that biotic interactions between species of freshwater fish can be evident beyond the microhabitat scale to positively influence species co‐occurrence and adds to evidence from other groups of freshwater organisms indicating the importance of biotic interactions in facilitating species co‐occurrence.
Damming interacts with the flood pulse to alter zooplankton communities in an Amazonian river
Authors: Souza Carla Albuquerque de , Vieira Ludgero Cardoso Galli , Legendre Pierre , Carvalho Priscilla de , Velho Luiz Felipe Machado , Beisner Beatrix E.
Published: March 2019

Flow modification of lotic ecosystems is one of the main threats to global freshwater biodiversity. Commonly, and in the river studied here, modification results from hydroelectric dam installation.

We evaluated the impacts of damming on zooplankton communities in the Amazonian floodplain of the Madeira River (Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil) following construction in 2012 of the run‐of‐river dam of Jirau Hydroelectric Power Plant. Using data sampled between 2009 and 2015, we tested for discontinuities in zooplankton community composition attributable to damming and the naturally occurring flood pulse.

The flood pulse remained the main predictor explaining variation in zooplankton community structure even with the installation of the dam on the Madeira River. Despite this, discontinuities for the entire zooplankton community and for the main compositional groups (testate amoebae, rotifers, cladocerans, and copepods) were detected in relation to the dam (pre‐/post‐dam periods), mainly in ebb and low water, and with weaker evidence of dam effects during flood and highwater hydrological periods.

A multivariate regression tree explained 9.6% of the variation in zooplankton communities and identified four groups: (1) flood and high‐water periods; (2) low water post‐dam; (3) low water pre‐dam; and (4) ebb hydrological periods. The deviance in each multivariate regression tree node was attributable to variation in eight rotifer, three testate amoeba, and three copepod taxa.

Our study demonstrates that the flood pulse, dam construction, and interaction between both of these factors affect zooplankton community structure in the Madeira River. While for many zooplankton community variables, effects occurred mainly during ebb and low‐water periods, some effects were also observed during high water and flood periods. We thus recommend the establishment of a permanent environmental monitoring programme during all hydrological periods in tropical floodplain rivers and the addition of sampling sites downstream from dams.

Many rivers in the world are increasingly disrupted by multiple dams, yet little is known of their effects, especially for run‐of‐river dams. Our study identified short‐term impacts of only one run‐of‐river dam on zooplankton communities. More research is needed on the effects of multiple run‐of‐river dams on zooplankton and other biota, especially in tropical floodplain rivers, so that negative effects can be understood and ameliorated.