bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Old‐growth forests buffer climate‐sensitive bird populations from warming
Authors: Betts Matthew G. , Phalan Ben , Frey Sarah J. K. , Rousseau Josée S. , Yang Zhiqiang
Published: December 2017

Aim

Habitat loss and climate change constitute two of the greatest threats to biodiversity worldwide, and theory predicts that these factors may act synergistically to affect population trajectories. Recent evidence indicates that structurally complex old‐growth forest can be cooler than other forest types during spring and summer months, thereby offering potential to buffer populations from negative effects of warming. Old growth may also have higher food and nest‐site availability for certain species, which could have disproportionate fitness benefits as species approach their thermal limits.

Location

Pacific Northwestern United States.

Methods

We predicted that negative effects of climate change on 30‐year population trends of old‐growth‐associated birds should be dampened in landscapes with high proportions of old‐growth forest. We modelled population trends from Breeding Bird Survey data for 13 species as a function of temperature change and proportion old‐growth forest.

Results

We found a significant negative effect of summer warming on only two species. However, in both of these species, this relationship between warming and population decline was not only reduced but reversed, in old‐growth‐dominated landscapes. Across all 13 species, evidence for a buffering effect of old‐growth forest increased with the degree to which species were negatively influenced by summer warming.

Main conclusions

These findings suggest that old‐growth forests may buffer the negative effects of climate change for those species that are most sensitive to temperature increases. Our study highlights a mechanism whereby management strategies to curb degradation and loss of old‐growth forests—in addition to protecting habitat—could enhance biodiversity persistence in the face of climate warming.
The International Dimension of Financialization in Developing and Emerging Economies
Authors: Bortz Pablo G. , Kaltenbrunner Annina
Published: December 2017

This contribution discusses the international aspect of financialization in developing and emerging economies (DEEs). It argues that international financialization is more than just an increase in cross‐border capital flows but entails distinct qualitative changes in the way economic agents are integrated into international financial markets. Moreover, in line with the emerging literature on subordinated financialization, the article shows how these changes have been shaped by, and have themselves exacerbated, the subordinated position of DEEs in the international economic and financial system and hence have contributed to uneven international development. Based on an empirical discussion of recent changes in DEEs’ international financial integration, the article concludes with some concrete policy proposals on how to confront these international aspects of financialization.
IMMIGRANTS' GENES: GENETIC DIVERSITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Ager Philipp , Brueckner Markus
Published: December 2017

This paper examines the relationship between immigrants' genetic diversity and economic development in the United States during the late nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries, a period commonly referred to as the age of mass migration from Europe to the New World. Our panel model estimates show that during this period, immigrants' genetic diversity is significantly positively correlated with measures of U.S. counties' economic development. There exists also a significant positive relationship between immigrants' genetic diversity in 1870 and contemporaneous measures of U.S. counties' average income. (JELJ11, O51, Z13)
GROUP LENDING WITH HETEROGENEOUS TYPES
Authors: Gan Li , Hernandez Manuel A. , Liu Yanyan
Published: December 2017

This paper proposes and implements a mixture structure to model repayment behavior in group lending with unobserved group heterogeneity. We discuss the model properties and identification and estimate the model using a rich dataset from a group lending program in India. The estimation results support the existence of two different group types: “responsible” and “irresponsible” groups. We find that the effects of the factors driving repayment behavior differ across types. The model also shows a higher predictive performance than standard probabilistic models, particularly in the identification of potential defaulters. We provide evidence supporting the robustness of our estimations. (JEL O16, C35)
Modeling pathogenesis and treatment response in childhood absence epilepsy
Authors: Knox Andrew T. , Glauser Tracy , Tenney Jeffrey , Lytton William W. , Holland Katherine
Published: December 2017

Objective

Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is a genetic generalized epilepsy syndrome with polygenic inheritance, with genes for γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors and T‐type calcium channels implicated in the disorder. Previous studies of T‐type calcium channel electrophysiology have shown genetic changes and medications have multiple effects. The aim of this study was to use an established thalamocortical computer model to determine how T‐type calcium channels work in concert with cortical excitability to contribute to pathogenesis and treatment response in CAE.

Methods

The model is comprised of cortical pyramidal, cortical inhibitory, thalamocortical relay, and thalamic reticular single‐compartment neurons, implemented with Hodgkin‐Huxley model ion channels and connected by AMPA, GABAA, and GABAB synapses. Network behavior was simulated for different combinations of T‐type calcium channel conductance, inactivation time, steady state activation/inactivation shift, and cortical GABAA conductance.

Results

Decreasing cortical GABAA conductance and increasing T‐type calcium channel conductance converted spindle to spike and wave oscillations; smaller changes were required if both were changed in concert. In contrast, left shift of steady state voltage activation/inactivation did not lead to spike and wave oscillations, whereas right shift reduced network propensity for oscillations of any type.

Significance

These results provide a window into mechanisms underlying polygenic inheritance in CAE, as well as a mechanism for treatment effects and failures mediated by these channels. Although the model is a simplification of the human thalamocortical network, it serves as a useful starting point for predicting the implications of ion channel electrophysiology in polygenic epilepsy such as CAE.
Impaired muscle relaxation and mitochondrial fission associated with genetic ablation of cytoplasmic actin isoforms
Authors: O'Rourke Allison R. , Lindsay Angus , Tarpey Michael D. , Yuen Samantha , McCourt Preston , Nelson D'anna M. , Perrin Benjamin J. , Thomas David D. , Spangenburg Espen E. , Lowe Dawn A. , Ervasti James M.
Published: December 2017

While α‐actin isoforms predominate in adult striated muscle, skeletal muscle‐specific knockouts (KOs) of nonmuscle cytoplasmic βcyto‐ or γcyto‐actin each cause a mild, but progressive myopathy effected by an unknown mechanism. Using transmission electron microscopy, we identified morphological abnormalities in both the mitochondria and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in aged muscle‐specific βcyto‐ and γcyto‐actin KO mice. We found βcyto‐ and γcyto‐actin proteins to be enriched in isolated mitochondrial‐associated membrane preparations, which represent the interface between mitochondria and sarco‐endoplasmic reticulum important in signaling and mitochondrial dynamics. We also measured significantly elongated and interconnected mitochondrial morphologies associated with a significant decrease in mitochondrial fission events in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts lacking βcyto‐ and/or γcyto‐actin. Interestingly, mitochondrial respiration in muscle was not measurably affected as oxygen consumption was similar in skeletal muscle fibers from 12 month‐old muscle‐specific βcyto‐ and γcyto‐actin KO mice. Instead, we found that the maximal rate of relaxation after isometric contraction was significantly slowed in muscles of 12‐month‐old βcyto‐ and γcyto‐actin muscle‐specific KO mice. Our data suggest that impaired Ca2+ re‐uptake may presage development of the observed SR morphological changes in aged mice while providing a potential pathological mechanism for the observed myopathy.
Deep hooking, landing success and gear loss using inline and offset circle and J hooks when bait fishing for white sturgeon
Authors: Lamansky J. A. , Meyer K. A. , DuPont J. M. , Bowersox B. J. , Bentz B. , Lepla K. B.
Published: December 2017

The issue of deep hooking is of concern in white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, fisheries because nearly all anglers use bait with a stationary presentation on the river bottom to catch them, and bait fishing is often associated with higher instances of deep hooking and hooking mortality. Deep hooking rates, landing success and catch rates were investigated for anglers bait fishing for white sturgeon using circle and J hooks with inline and offset alignments fished with both active and passive hook‐setting methods. Anglers hooked 578 white sturgeon and landed 508 fish, ranging in size from 60 to 316 cm total length (mean = 137 cm). Deep hooking rates averaged 0.6% and did not differ between hook types, hook alignments or hook‐setting methods. Landing success (the proportion of hooked sturgeon that were successfully landed) and catch rates were also equivalent between hook types, hook alignments and hook‐setting methods; landing success averaged 88% and catch rates averaged 0.27 fish/hr. Results of this study indicate that deep hooking is rare when angling for white sturgeon using standard bait‐fishing gear regardless of hook‐setting method or whether circle or J hooks were used; regulations restricting hook type in sturgeon bait fisheries are therefore unwarranted.
Plasticity in the diel vertical movement of two pelagic predators (Prionace glauca and Alopias vulpinus) in the southeastern Indian Ocean
Authors: Heard Matthew , Rogers Paul J. , Bruce Barry D. , Humphries Nicolas E. , Huveneers Charlie
Published: December 2017

Management and conservation of marine predator species relies on a fundamental knowledge of their movements and behaviour. Pop‐up satellite archival tags were used to investigate the vertical movement patterns of five blue sharks (Prionace glauca) and one thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus) within the southeastern Indian Ocean. Sections of similar depth distribution, identified using a split moving window analysis, were investigated in relation to the thermal structure of the water column and activity rates. Minimum horizontal displacement of between 66 and 5,187 km for blue sharks and 16 km for the thresher shark were recorded over 863 tracking days. Maximum depths ranged from 540 to 807 m for blue sharks and 144 m for the thresher shark. All sharks displayed plasticity in their depth distribution, with diel vertical movements and surface‐oriented movements the two most common patterns. Diel movement of prey is the most likely explanation for diel vertical movements of thresher and blue sharks. This study has improved our understanding of the vertical movement patterns of these pelagic predators and the relationship between their depth distribution, temperature, and activity.
Long‐term increases in tropical flowering activity across growth forms in response to rising CO2 and climate change
Authors: Pau Stephanie , Okamoto Daniel K. , Calderón Osvaldo , Wright S. Joseph
Published: December 2017

Mounting evidence suggests that anthropogenic global change is altering plant species composition in tropical forests. Fewer studies, however, have focused on long‐term trends in reproductive activity, in part because of the lack of data from tropical sites. Here, we analyze a 28‐year record of tropical flower phenology in response to anthropogenic climate and atmospheric change. We show that a multidecadal increase in flower activity is most strongly associated with rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations using yearly aggregated data. Compared to significant climatic factors, CO2 had on average an approximately three‐, four‐, or fivefold stronger effect than rainfall, solar radiation, and the Multivariate ENSO Index, respectively. Peaks in flower activity were associated with greater solar radiation and lower rainfall during El Niño years. The effect of atmospheric CO2 on flowering has diminished over the most recent decade for lianas and canopy trees, whereas flowering of midstory trees and shrub species continued to increase with rising CO2. Increases in flowering were accompanied by a lengthening of flowering duration for canopy and midstory trees. Understory treelets did not show increases in flowering but did show increases in duration. Given that atmospheric CO2 will likely continue to climb over the next century, a long‐term increase in flowering activity may persist in some growth forms until checked by nutrient limitation or by climate change through rising temperatures, increasing drought frequency and/or increasing cloudiness and reduced insolation.
Disentangling the long‐term effects of disturbance on soil biogeochemistry in a wet tropical forest ecosystem
Authors: Gutiérrez del Arroyo Omar , Silver Whendee L.
Published: December 2017

Climate change is increasing the intensity of severe tropical storms and cyclones (also referred to as hurricanes or typhoons), with major implications for tropical forest structure and function. These changes in disturbance regime are likely to play an important role in regulating ecosystem carbon (C) and nutrient dynamics in tropical and subtropical forests. Canopy opening and debris deposition resulting from severe storms have complex and interacting effects on ecosystem biogeochemistry. Disentangling these complex effects will be critical to better understand the long‐term implications of climate change on ecosystem C and nutrient dynamics. In this study, we used a well‐replicated, long‐term (10 years) canopy and debris manipulation experiment in a wet tropical forest to determine the separate and combined effects of canopy opening and debris deposition on soil C and nutrients throughout the soil profile (1 m). Debris deposition alone resulted in higher soil C and N concentrations, both at the surface (0–10 cm) and at depth (50–80 cm). Concentrations of NaOH‐organic P also increased significantly in the debris deposition only treatment (20–90 cm depth), as did NaOH‐total P (20–50 cm depth). Canopy opening, both with and without debris deposition, significantly increased NaOH‐inorganic P concentrations from 70 to 90 cm depth. Soil iron concentrations were a strong predictor of both C and P patterns throughout the soil profile. Our results demonstrate that both surface‐ and subsoils have the potential to significantly increase C and nutrient storage a decade after the sudden deposition of disturbance‐related organic debris. Our results also show that these effects may be partially offset by rapid decomposition and decreases in litterfall associated with canopy opening. The significant effects of debris deposition on soil C and nutrient concentrations at depth (>50 cm), suggest that deep soils are more dynamic than previously believed, and can serve as sinks of C and nutrients derived from disturbance‐induced pulses of organic matter inputs.
Prevalence, predictors and clinical impact of potentially inappropriate prescriptions in hospital‐discharged older patients: A prospective study
Authors: Bo Mario , Quaranta Valeria , Fonte Gianfranco , Falcone Yolanda , Carignano Giulia , Cappa Giorgetta
Published: December 2017

Aim

Potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIP) have been highly reported in older patients, but few studies have investigated their association with adverse clinical outcomes. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of PIP in hospital‐discharged older adults, and to explore the association of PIP with death and rehospitalization.

Methods

We carried out a multicenter prospective cohort study on hospital‐discharged patients aged ≥65 years. Each patient underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment, and the prevalence of PIP was obtained by applying Beers Criteria 2015 to discharge documents. Telephone follow up was carried out at 6 months.

Results

The prevalence of PIP was 63%, and was associated with psychiatric–behavioral disorders (OR 1.64), the number of daily taken medications (OR 1.08) and long‐term care discharge (OR 1.91), whereas better functional performance was protective (OR 0.93). Neither the presence nor the number of PIP were associated with rehospitalization or mortality at 6 months. However, insulin sliding scale (OR 4.97) and use of drugs inappropriate in heart failure (OR 4.64) were associated with an increased risk of rehospitalization, whereas prescription of digoxin ≥0.125 mg/daily (OR 1.77) and antipsychotics (OR 1.65) were associated with a higher risk of mortality.

Conclusions

Among older hospital‐discharged patients, we documented a high prevalence of PIP that was significantly associated with polytherapy, the presence of psychiatric–behavioral disorders and discharge to long‐term care facilities. Although the presence and the number of PIP were not associated with adverse outcomes, some specific inappropriate prescriptions were associated with a higher risk of hospital readmission and death. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 561–568.
Plantar fibromatosis: Surgical approach of a giant bilateral case
Authors: Ocampo‐Garza Jorge , Azevedo Cunha Rafael , Silva Pereira Caroline , Sanderson Angela , Pinto‐Desmond Karina , Machado‐Filho Carlos D'Apparecida , Haneke Eckart , Marques de Carvalho Mario
Published: December 2017

Background

Plantar fibromatosis or Ledderhose disease is characterized by a benign fibroblastic proliferation of the plantar fascia. It is an illness with unknown etiology and a complex treatment in its most intense manifestation.

Objective

The authors describe a surgical option for extensive cases where conservative treatments are not successful. Surgical techniques may vary according to the site and extent of the lesions.

Methods

Surgical treatment with wide resection of the lesion and second intention healing using a hydrocolloid dressing.

Results

After a 3‐year follow‐up with no recurrence, the authors demonstrated an excellent result, which led to an important improvement in the patient's quality of life.

Conclusion

Surgical treatment can be a good option for plantar fibromatosis. Giant lesions can be treated with wide excisions and second intention healing, with low risk of aesthetic and functional complications.
Prevalence of skin cancer in Native American kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Ilyas Muneeb , Ginsberg Zachary , Temkit M'hamed , Keddis Mira , Sharma Amit
Published: December 2017

Background

Skin cancer prevalence is well‐characterized for white solid organ transplant recipients. Although the prevalence of skin cancer in non‐white (Black, Asian, Hispanic) kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) has been assessed, no study has reported the prevalence of skin cancer in Native American (NA) KTRs. The aim of this study is to determine if the prevalence of skin cancer in NAKTRs is the same as in white KTRs.

Methods

We conducted a case‐controlled retrospective review from a single transplant center. One hundred thirteen NAKTRs who received a transplant between 2001 and 2011 were age‐ and transplant‐year matched with 113 white controls.

Results

The 226 KTRs consisted of 141 (62.4%) men and 85 (37.6%) women, with a mean age of 50.2 ± 10.8 years. There was no skin cancer found in NAKTRs prior to or post transplantation, while seven (6.2%) white KTRs had eight skin cancers prior to transplantation, and 28 (24.8%) white KTRs developed 66 skin cancers post transplantation. Twenty‐two (19.5%) NAKTRs did not follow‐up with dermatology at this institution. The median follow‐up in NAKTRs was 3.3 years compared to 3.0 years in white KTRs.

Conclusion

NAKTRs have a decreased prevalence of skin cancer compared to their white counterparts.
Predictors of postoperative bleeding after vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage in patients with diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Motoda Saori , Shiraki Nobuhiko , Ishihara Takuma , Sakaguchi Hirokazu , Kabata Daijiro , Takahara Mitsuyoshi , Kimura Takekazu , Kozawa Junji , Imagawa Akihisa , Nishida Kohji , Shintani Ayumi , Iwahashi Hiromi , Shimomura Iichiro
Published: December 2017

Aims/Introduction

To clarify the association between perioperative variables and postoperative bleeding in pars plana vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage in diabetic retinopathy.

Materials and Methods

The present retrospective study enrolled 72 eyes of 64 patients who were admitted to Osaka University Hospital between April 2010 and March 2014, and underwent vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage as a result of diabetic retinopathy.

Results

Postoperative bleeding developed in 12 eyes. Using binomial logistic regression analysis, we found that the duration of operation was the only significant variable associated with postoperative bleeding within 12 weeks after vitrectomy. Furthermore, Poisson regression analysis identified fasting blood glucose just before vitrectomy, no treatment with antiplatelet drugs and treatment with antihypertensive drugs, as well as duration of operation, to be significantly associated with the frequency of bleeding within 52 weeks after vitrectomy.

Conclusions

Long duration of operation can be used to predict bleeding within both 12 and 52 weeks after vitrectomy. In addition, fasting blood glucose just before vitrectomy, no treatment with antiplatelet drugs and treatment with antihypertensive drugs might be risk factors for postoperative bleeding up to 1 year after vitrectomy.
Efficacy and safety of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy immediately after endoscopic submucosal dissection
Authors: Takahashi Yoshiaki , Takeuchi Toshihisa , Kojima Yuichi , Nagami Yasuaki , Ominami Masaki , Uedo Noriya , Hamada Kenta , Suzuki Haruhisa , Oda Ichiro , Miyaoka Youichi , Yamanouchi Satoshi , Tokioka Satoshi , Tomatsuri Naoya , Yoshida Norimasa , Naito Yuji , Nonaka Takashi , Kodashima Shinya , Ogata Shinichi , Hongo Yasushi , Oshima Tadayuki , Li Zhaoliang , Shibagaki Kotaro , Oikawa Tomoyuki , Tominaga Kazunari , Higuchi Kazuhide
Published: December 2017

Background and Aims

In the treatment of patients after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), there is no consensus on the optimum time to start Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy or on whether eradication therapy improves ulcer healing rate after ESD. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of immediate eradication of H. pylori on ulcer healing after ESD in patients with early gastric neoplasms.

Methods

A total of 330 patients who underwent ESD for early gastric neoplasms were enrolled. Patients were assigned to either H. pylori eradication group (Group A: H. pylori eradication + proton pump inhibitor 7 weeks) or non‐eradication group (Group B: proton pump inhibitor 8 weeks). The primary end point was gastric ulcer healing rate (Group A vs Group B) determined on week 8 after ESD.

Results

Patients in Group A failed to meet non‐inferiority criteria for ulcer scarring rate after ESD compared with that in Group B (83.0% vs 86.5%, P for non‐inferiority = 0.0599, 95% confidence interval: −11.7% to 4.7%). There were, however, neither large differences between the two groups in the ulcer scarring rate nor the safety profile.

Conclusions

This study failed to demonstrate the non‐inferiority of immediate H. pylori eradication therapy after ESD to the non‐eradication therapy in the healing rate of ESD‐caused ulcers. However, because the failure is likely to attribute to small number of patients enrolled, immediate eradication therapy may be a treatment option for patients after ESD without adverse effects on eradication therapy in comparison with the standard therapy.
QTL mapping for resistance of maize to grey leaf spot
Authors: He Wenzhu , Yang Lin , Leng Yifeng , Zhang Biao , Yang Junpin , Li Lujiang , Chen Yunping , Kang Jiwei , Tang Haitao , Deng Luchang , Wu Yuanqi , Cao Moju , Rong Tingzhao
Published: December 2017

Grey leaf spot (GLS) is a global maize leaf disease that seriously endangers maize production. Discovering and utilizing genetic loci for GLS resistance would be useful for breeding new varieties with improved resistance. In this study, 233 F2:3 families (produced from the susceptible inbred line 08‐641 × the resistant inbred line 446) were used for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping of resistance to GLS. Five GLS resistance QTLs were detected on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, which explained 6.7%‐21.3% of the phenotypic variation. The QTLs, qRgls.CH‐4, qRgls.CH‐1, qRgls.CH‐2, and qRgls.CH‐6, were stably expressed in the four environments, and all loci for GLS resistance were derived from the resistant parent, 446. The additive effects of qRgls.CH‐4, qRgls.CH‐1, and qRgls.CH‐6 were significantly greater than their single dominant effects, which may be beneficial for GLS resistance breeding. The QTL qRgls.CH‐6, located in bins 6.02–6.05, did not overlap with any previously reported resistance QTL and thus was identified here for the first time. QTL analysis of PI (leaf performance index) detected three leaf function QTLs on chromosomes 4, 8, and 9 were related to GLS resistance and explained 4.8%‐6.2% of the phenotypic variation. Among them, qPI.CH‐4 was significantly stronger expressed in several environments; this allele associated with increased leaf function came from the resistant parent, 446, and its interval overlapped with that of qRgls.CH‐4. Furthermore, both qRgls.CH‐4 and qPI.CH‐4 were located in a hotspot area for GLS resistance in bins 4.05‐4.06, indicating that GLS resistance was significantly related to leaf performance and that GLS significantly reduced leaf photosynthetic performance.
Effects of a Danish Student‐Centered Prosocial Intervention Program Among Japanese Children
Authors: Umino Ayumi , Dammeyer Jesper
Published: December 2017

Japan and Denmark represent two different educational cultures. Where Danish students in general report high scores on self‐esteem, Japanese children report low. A student‐centered and interaction‐based prosocial intervention program that was designed according to Danish educational culture was administered to children aged 11–12 years in Japan. Questionnaires measuring the children's quality of life (QoL) and metacognitive awareness were applied. Overall, the results showed that the student‐centered intervention improved the emotional well‐being aspect of QoL among Japanese boys. In contrast, Japanese boys’ scores on the declarative knowledge of metacognitive regulation declined. The teachers’ attitudes towards the intervention program were analyzed by use of interviews. The effect of the student‐centered intervention program is discussed with respect to the educational cultures in Japan.
Association of eating while television viewing and overweight/obesity among children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies
Authors: Ghobadi S. , Hassanzadeh‐Rostami Z. , Salehi‐Marzijarani M. , Bellissimo N. , Brett N. R. , Totosy de Zepetnek J. O. , Faghih S.
Published: December 2017

The objective of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to examine the association between eating while television viewing (TVV) and overweight or obesity in children (<18 years). A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, PreQuest and Embase was conducted up to April 2017; pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random effects model. Of 4,357 articles identified, 20 observational studies met inclusion criteria (n = 84,825) and 8 of these 20 (n = 41,617) reported OR. Eating while TVV was positively associated with obesity‐related anthropometric measurements in 15 studies (75%). The meta‐analysis revealed that eating while TVV was positively associated with being overweight (OR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.39). Subgroup analyses showed similar positive associations in both girls and boys, as well as in children who ate dinner while TVV. There was no evidence of publication bias. The present systematic review and meta‐analysis suggests that eating while TVV could be a risk factor for being overweight or obese in childhood and adolescents.
The Ralstonia solanacearum csp22 peptide, but not flagellin‐derived peptides, is perceived by plants from the Solanaceae family
Authors: Wei Yali , Caceres‐Moreno Carlos , Jimenez‐Gongora Tamara , Wang Keke , Sang Yuying , Lozano‐Duran Rosa , Macho Alberto P.
Published: December 2017

Ralstonia solanacearum, the causal agent of bacterial wilt disease, is considered one of the most destructive bacterial pathogens due to its lethality, unusually wide host range, persistence and broad geographical distribution. In spite of the extensive research on plant immunity over the last years, the perception of molecular patterns from R. solanacearum that activate immunity in plants is still poorly understood, which hinders the development of strategies to generate resistance against bacterial wilt disease. The perception of a conserved peptide of bacterial flagellin, flg22, is regarded as paradigm of plant perception of invading bacteria; however, no elicitor activity has been detected for R. solanacearum flg22. Recent reports have shown that other epitopes from flagellin are able to elicit immune responses in specific species from the Solanaceae family, yet our results show that these plants do not perceive any epitope from R. solanacearum flagellin. Searching for elicitor peptides from R. solanacearum, we found several protein sequences similar to the consensus of the elicitor peptide csp22, reported to elicit immunity in specific Solanaceae plants. A R. solanacearum csp22 peptide (csp22Rsol) was indeed able to trigger immune responses in Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato, but not in Arabidopsis thaliana. Additionally, csp22Rsol treatment conferred increased resistance to R. solanacearum in tomato. Transgenic A. thaliana plants expressing the tomato csp22 receptor (SlCORE) gained the ability to respond to csp22Rsol and became more resistant to R. solanacearum infection. Our results shed light on the mechanisms for perception of R. solanacearum by plants, paving the way for improving current approaches to generate resistance against R. solanacearum.
Evaluating Collaboration: The Solution to One Problem Often Causes Another
Authors: Silvia Chris
Published: December 2017

Collaboration has become the predominant approach to solving complex public problems. This choice, however, often is not driven by demonstrated effectiveness. Collaboration is instead chosen in the hope that a networked arrangement will be more effective than individual organizations working on the issue alone. Questions regarding collaborative effectiveness persist and constitute a significant challenge facing both public management practitioners and public administration scholars. In light of the case study in this issue of Public Administration Review by Maurits Waardenburg and colleagues, this article reviews the current thinking on the measurement of collaborative performance and discusses steps that professionals can take to evaluate the effectiveness of their collaborative endeavors.
Managerial Optimism Level and Investment Decision: Decision Tree Analysis
Authors: Azouzi Mohamed Ali , Jarboui Anis
Published: December 2017

This paper deals with the relationship existing between the emotional aspect and decision-making. More speciﬁcally, it examines the links between managerial optimism, and effectiveness of the investment decision. We introduce an approach based Decision Tree analysis with a series of semi-directive interviews. CEO optimism level was measured using a questionnaire with several items. As for the selected sample was composed of 100 Tunisian managers. The originality of this research paper is guaranteed since it traits the behavioral corporate policy choice in emergent markets. In the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in the Tunisian context that explores such area of research. Our results show that Tunisian optimistic leader who seeks the pioneering advantage for him and his company is encouraged to adjust its specific investment decision (investment, overinvestment or under-investment in the short term or long term ...) to ensure that advantage pioneer.
"It Is Not Good For Man To Be Alone" The Struggle against Loneliness in Old Age: Basic Assumptions for an Integrative Operational Concept –The Israeli Case
Authors: Bitzur Avi , Fisher Eran
Published: December 2017

The widespread expression saying that "loneliness is the No. 1 enemy of old age" has, in the 21st century, becomes obvious and banal now that suicide rates among the elderly in many countries and in Israel, the case study for this paper, is higher than among other age groups in those countries.Loneliness itself, its ramifications, consequences, and implications on the lives of the elderly have made it a dominant factor in terms of its potential damage.Old age and loneliness have been the subjects of many different definitions, studies and theories, but despite the quantity and quality of these attempts worldwide, and particularly in Israeli research, there is a conspicuous lack of any comprehensive plan that would address the implications and destructive effects of the loneliness experienced by the elderly. Many limited-scale programs exist on a local level, but they fail to address the clear need to eradicate menacing loneliness.The authors of this essay plan to outline basic principles for designing an operational concept for a national plan to combat the consequences and effects of depression among the elderly, using Israel as an example.This paper will begin with a review of the definitions and literature on the phenomenon of depression, and a review of the literature dealing with the unhealthy connection between old age and depression. We will then review various programs worldwide that deal with the phenomenon of loneliness and old age; continue to present data on the effects of loneliness on elderly Israelis; present various Israeli programs and projects that attempt to deal with this phenomenon; and conclude by detailing the proposed principles for a comprehensive operational approach that maps out this painful phenomenon in Israel and proposes a plan of action on how to best deal with it.
Millisecond precision temporal encoding of stimulus features during cortically generated gamma oscillations in the rat somatosensory cortex
Authors: Bessaih Thomas , Higley Michael J. , Contreras Diego
Published: December 2017

Key points

Rodents explore their immediate environment using their whiskers. Such exploration leads to micromotions, which contain many high‐frequency (50–200 Hz) components.

High‐frequency whisker motion is represented faithfully in the temporal structure of the spike trains of trigeminal neurons. However, the representation of high‐frequency sensory inputs in cortex is not fully understood.

By combining extracellular and intracellular recordings in the rat somatosensory cortex and thalamus, we show that high‐frequency sensory inputs, either sinusoidal or white noise, elicit internally generated gamma (20–60 Hz) band oscillations in cortical networks.

Gamma oscillations modulate cortical spike probability while preserving sub‐millisecond phase relations with high‐frequency sensory inputs.

Consequently, our results indicate that millisecond precision stimulus‐locked spiking activity and sensory‐induced gamma oscillation can constitute independent multiplexed coding schemes at the single‐cell level.

In the natural environment, tactile exploration often leads to high‐frequency vibrations at the level of the sensory organs. Single‐unit recordings of cortical neurons have pointed towards either a rate or a temporal code for representing high‐frequency tactile signals. In cortical networks, sensory processing results from the interaction between feedforward inputs relayed from the thalamus and internally generated activity. However, how the emergent activity represents high‐frequency sensory input is not fully understood. Using multisite single‐unit, local field potential and intracellular recordings in the somatosensory cortex and thalamus of lightly sedated male rats, we measured neuronal responses evoked by sinusoidal and band‐pass white noise whisker stimulation at frequencies that encompass those observed during texture exploration (50–200 Hz). We found that high‐frequency sensory inputs relayed from the thalamus elicit both sub‐millisecond stimulus‐locked responses and internally generated gamma (20–60 Hz) band oscillations in cortical networks. Gamma oscillations modulate spike probability while preserving sub‐millisecond phase relations with sensory inputs. Therefore, precise stimulus‐locked spiking activity and sensory‐induced gamma oscillations can constitute independent multiplexed coding schemes at the single‐cell level.
Ab Initio Study of Iodine-Doped Carbon Nanotube Conductors
Authors: Li Yangchuan , Fahrenthold Eric
Published: December 2017

The widespread use of copper in power and data cabling for aircraft, ships, and ground vehicles imposes significant mass penalties and limits cable ampacity. Experimental research has suggested that iodine-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can serve as energy efficient replacements for copper in mass sensitive cabling applications. The high computational costs of ab initio modeling have limited complimentary modeling research on the development of high specific conductance materials. In recent research, the authors have applied two modeling assumptions, single zeta basis sets and approximate geometric models of the CNT junction structures, to allow an order of magnitude increase in the atom count used to model iodine-doped CNT conductors. This permits the ab initio study of dopant concentration and dopant distribution effects, and the development of a fully quantum based nanowire model which may be compared directly with the results of macroscale experiments. The accuracy of the modeling assumptions is supported by comparisons of ballistic conductance calculations with known quantum solutions and by comparison of the nanowire performance predictions with published experimental data. The validated formulation offers important insights on dopant distribution effects and conduction mechanisms not amenable to direct experimental measurement.
Building Integrated Photovoltaic Module-Based on Aluminum Substrate With Forced Water Cooling
Authors: Pang Wei , Zhang Yongzhe , Cui Yanan , Yu Hongwen , Liu Yu , Yan Hui
Published: December 2017

The increase of operating temperature on a photovoltaic (PV) cell degrades its electrical efficiency. This paper is organized to describe our latest design of an aluminum substrate—based photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system. The electrical efficiency of the proposed PV/T can be increased by ∼ 20% in comparison with a conventional glass substrate-based PV. The work will benefit hybrid utilization of solar energy in development of building integrated photovoltaic systems.
Two famous results of Einstein derived from the Jarzynski equality
Authors: Gittes Fred
Published: December 2017

The Jarzynski equality (JE) is a remarkable statement relating transient irreversible processes to infinite-time free energy differences. Although 20 years old, the JE remains unfamiliar to many; nevertheless, it is a robust and powerful law. We examine two of Einstein's most simple and well-known discoveries, one classical and one quantum, and show how each of these follows from the JE. Our first example is Einstein's relation between the drag and diffusion coefficients of a particle in Brownian motion. In this context, we encounter a paradox in the macroscopic limit of the JE which is fascinating but also warns us against using the JE too freely outside of the microscopic domain. Our second example is the equality of Einstein's B coefficients for absorption and stimulated emission of quanta. Here, resonant light does irreversible work on a sample, and the argument differs from Einstein's equilibrium reasoning using the Planck black-body spectrum. We round out our examples with a brief derivation and discussion of Jarzynski's remarkable equality.
One step beyond the electric dipole approximation: An experiment to observe the 5p → 6p forbidden transition in atomic rubidium
Authors: Ponciano-Ojeda F. , Hernández-Gómez S. , Mojica-Casique C. , Ruiz-Martínez E. , López-Hernández O. , Colín-Rodríguez R. , Ramírez-Martínez F. , Flores-Mijangos J. , Sahagún D. , Jáuregui R. , Jiménez-Mier J.
Published: December 2017

An advanced undergraduate experiment to study the 5P3/2→6P3/2 electric quadrupole transition in rubidium atoms is presented. The experiment uses two external cavity diode lasers, one operating at the D2 rubidium resonance line and the other built with commercial parts to emit at 911 nm. The lasers produce the 5s→5p→6p excitation sequence in which the second step is the forbidden transition. Production of atoms in the 6P3/2 state is observed by detection of the 420 nm fluorescence that results from electric dipole decay into the ground state. Lines whose widths are significantly narrower than the Doppler width are used to study the hyperfine structure of the 6P3/2 state in rubidium. The spectra illustrate characteristics unique to electric dipole forbidden transitions, like the electric quadrupole selection rules; they are also used to show general aspects of two-color laser spectroscopy such as velocity selection and hyperfine pumping.
Harmonic oscillator thermal density matrix: First-order differential equations for the position representation
Authors: Barragán-Gil L. F. , Walser R.
Published: December 2017

A first-order partial differential equation is derived whose solution enables us to find straightforwardly the off-diagonal matrix elements in the position representation of the harmonic oscillator density operator. This approach constitutes an alternative to techniques that require advanced knowledge of mathematical and quantum mechanical results.
Parallel programming with Easy Java Simulations
Authors: Esquembre F. , Christian W. , Belloni M.
Published: December 2017

Nearly all of today's processors are multicore, and ideally programming and algorithm development utilizing the entire processor should be introduced early in the computational physics curriculum. Parallel programming is often not introduced because it requires a new programming environment and uses constructs that are unfamiliar to many teachers. We describe how we decrease the barrier to parallel programming by using a java-based programming environment to treat problems in the usual undergraduate curriculum. We use the easy java simulations programming and authoring tool to create the program's graphical user interface together with objects based on those developed by Kaminsky [Building Parallel Programs (Course Technology, Boston, 2010)] to handle common parallel programming tasks. Shared-memory parallel implementations of physics problems, such as time evolution of the Schrödinger equation, are available as source code and as ready-to-run programs from the AAPT-ComPADRE digital library.
IL-2Rβ abundance differentially tunes IL-2 signaling dynamics in CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cells
Authors: Smith Geoffrey A. , Taunton Jack , Weiss Arthur
Published: December 2017

Receptor abundance determines the temporal signaling pattern and proliferative response in T cells stimulated with interleukin-2.
Effect of Genetic Variation of
NAT2
on Isoniazid and
SLCO1B1
and
CES2
on Rifampin Pharmacokinetics in Ghanaian Children with Tuberculosis
Authors: Dompreh Albert , Tang Xiaoli , Zhou Jianlin , Yang Hongmei , Topletz Ariel , Adu Ahwireng Eugene , Antwi Sampson , Enimil Antony , Langaee Taimour , Peloquin Charles A. , Court Michael H. , Kwara Awewura
Published: December 2017

Isoniazid and rifampin are essential components of first-line antituberculosis (anti-TB) therapy. Understanding the relationship between genetic factors and the pharmacokinetics of these drugs could be useful in optimizing treatment outcomes, but this is understudied in children. We investigated the relationship between N-acetyltransferase type 2 (
NAT2
) genotypes and isoniazid pharmacokinetics, as well as that between the solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 1B1 (encoded by
SLCO1B1
) and carboxylesterase 2 (
CES2
) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and rifampin pharmacokinetics in Ghanaian children. Blood samples were collected at times 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 h postdose in children with tuberculosis on standard first-line therapy for at least 4 weeks. Isoniazid and rifampin concentrations were determined by a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental analysis. Genotyping of
NAT2
,
SLCO1B1
, and
CES2
SNPs were performed using validated TaqMan genotyping assays. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare pharmacokinetic parameters among the three genotypic groups and was followed by the Wilcoxon rank sum test for pairwise group comparisons. Genotype status inferred by the
NAT2
4-SNP and 7-SNP genotyping panels identified children with a slow acetylator phenotype but not the rapid genotype. For rifampin, only the rare
SLCO1B1*1b
homozygous variant was associated with rifampin pharmacokinetics. Our findings suggest that
NAT2
and
SCLCO1B1*1b
genotyping may have minimal clinical utility in dosing decisions at the population level in Ghanaian children, but it could be useful at the individual level or in populations that have a high frequency of implicated genotypes. Further studies in other populations are warranted.
Enzyme Activities at Different Stages of Plant Biomass Decomposition in Three Species of Fungus-Growing Termites
Authors: da Costa Rafael R. , Hu Haofu , Pilgaard Bo , Vreeburg Sabine M. E. , Schückel Julia , Pedersen Kristine S. K. , Kračun Stjepan K. , Busk Peter K. , Harholt Jesper , Sapountzis Panagiotis , Lange Lene , Aanen Duur K. , Poulsen Michael
Published: December 2017

Fungus-growing termites rely on mutualistic fungi of the genusTermitomycesand gut microbes for plant biomass degradation. Due to a certain degree of symbiont complementarity, this tripartite symbiosis has evolved as a complex bioreactor, enabling decomposition of nearly any plant polymer, likely contributing to the success of the termites as one of the main plant decomposers in the Old World. In this study, we evaluated which plant polymers are decomposed and which enzymes are active during the decomposition process in two major genera of fungus-growing termites. We found a diversity of active enzymes at different stages of decomposition and a consistent decrease in plant components during the decomposition process. Furthermore, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that termites transport enzymes from the older mature parts of the fungus comb through young worker guts to freshly inoculated plant substrate. However, preliminary fungal RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses suggest that this likely transport is supplemented with enzymes producedin situ. Our findings support that the maintenance of an external fungus comb, inoculated with an optimal mixture of plant material, fungal spores, and enzymes, is likely the key to the extraordinarily efficient plant decomposition in fungus-growing termites.

IMPORTANCEFungus-growing termites have a substantial ecological footprint in the Old World (sub)tropics due to their ability to decompose dead plant material. Through the establishment of an elaborate plant biomass inoculation strategy and through fungal and bacterial enzyme contributions, this farming symbiosis has become an efficient and versatile aerobic bioreactor for plant substrate conversion. Since little is known about what enzymes are expressed and where they are active at different stages of the decomposition process, we used enzyme assays, transcriptomics, and plant content measurements to shed light on how this decomposition of plant substrate is so effectively accomplished.