bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detecting local Zika virus transmission in the continental United States: a comparison of surveillance strategies
Authors: Russell Steven P , Ryff Kyle R , Gould Carolyn V , Martin Stacey W , Johansson Michael A
Published: June 2017

Introduction

The 2015-2017 Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in the Americas has driven efforts to strengthen surveillance systems and to develop interventions, testing, and travel recommendations. In the continental U.S. and Hawaii, where limited transmission has been observed, detecting local transmission is a key public health objective. We assessed the effectiveness of three general surveillance strategies for this situation: testing all pregnant women twice during pregnancy, testing blood donations, and testing symptomatic people who seek medical care in an emergency department (ED).

Methods

We developed a simulation model for each surveillance strategy and simulated different transmission scenarios with varying population sizes and infection rates. We then calculated the probability of detecting transmission, the number of tests needed, and the number of false positive test results.

Results

The probability of detecting ZIKV transmission was highest for testing ED patients with Zika symptoms, followed by pregnant women and blood donors, in that order. The magnitude of the difference in probability of detection between strategies depended on the incidence of infection. Testing ED patients required fewer tests and resulted in fewer false positives than surveillance among pregnant women. The optimal strategy identified was to test ED patients with at least two Zika virus disease symptoms. This case definition resulted in a high probability of detection with relatively few tests and false positives.

Discussion

In the continental U.S. and Hawaii, where local ZIKV transmission is rare, optimizing the probability of detecting infections while minimizing resource usage is particularly important. Local surveillance strategies will be influenced by existing public health system infrastructure, but should also consider the effectiveness of different approaches. This analysis demonstrated differences across strategies and indicated that testing symptomatic ED patients is generally a more efficient strategy for detecting transmission than routine testing of pregnant women or blood donors.
Massive variation of short tandem repeats with functional consequences across strains ofArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Press Maximilian O. , McCoy Rajiv C. , Hall Ashley N. , Akey Joshua M. , Queitsch Christine
Published: June 2017

Short tandem repeat (STR) mutations may be responsible for more than half of the mutations in eukaryotic coding DNA, yet STR variation is rarely examined as a contributor to complex traits. We assess the scope of this contribution across a collection of 96 strains ofArabidopsis thalianaby massively parallel STR genotyping. We found that 95% of examined STRs are polymorphic, with a median of six alleles per STR in these strains. Modest STR expansions are found in most strains, some of which have evident functional effects. For instance, three of six intronic STR expansions are associated with intron retention. Coding STRs are depleted of variation relative to non-coding STRs, consistent with the action of purifying selection, and some STRs show hypervariable patterns consistent with diversifying selection. Finally, we detect dozens of novel STR-phenotype associations that could not be detected with SNPs alone, validating several with follow-up experiments. Our results demonstrate that STRs comprise a large, unascertained reservoir of functionally relevant genomic variation.
Genetically modified human type II collagen for N- and C-terminal covalent tagging
Authors: Wieczorek Andrew , Chan Clara K. , Kovacic Suzana , Li Cindy , Dierks Thomas , Forde Nancy R.
Published: June 2017

Collagen is the predominant structural protein in vertebrates, where it contributes to connective tissues and the extracellular matrix; it is also widely used in biomaterials and tissue engineering. Dysfunction of this protein and its processing can lead to a wide variety of developmental disorders and connective tissue diseases. Recombinantly engineering the protein is challenging due to posttranslational modifications generally required for its stability and secretion from cells. Introducing end labels into the protein is problematic, because the N- and C-termini of the physiologically relevant tropocollagen lie internal to the initially flanking N- and C-propeptide sequences. Here, we introduce mutations into human type II procollagen in a manner that address these concerns, and purify the recombinant protein from a stably transfected HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cell line. Our approach introduces chemically addressable groups into the N- and Ctelopeptide termini of tropocollagen. Simultaneous overexpression of formylglycine generating enzyme (FGE) allows the endogenous production of an aldehyde tag in a defined, substituted sequence in the N-terminus of the mutated collagen, while the C-terminus of each chain presents a sulfhydryl group from an introduced cysteine. These modifications are designed to enable specific covalent end-labelling of collagen. We find that the doubly-mutated protein folds and is secreted from cells, while higher-order assembly into well-ordered collagen fibrils is demonstrated through transmission electron microscopy. Chemical tagging of thiols is successful, however background from endogenous aldehydes present in wildtype collagen has thus far obscured the desired specific N-terminal labelling. Strategies to overcome this challenge are proposed.
Sexual imprinting and speciation in twoPeromyscusspecies
Authors: Delaney E.K. , Hoekstra H.E.
Published: June 2017

Sexual isolation, a reproductive barrier, can prevent interbreeding between diverging populations or species. Sexual isolation can have a clear genetic basis; however, it may also result from learned mate preferences that form via sexual imprinting. Here, we demonstrate that two sympatric species of mice—the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) and its sister species, the cotton mouse (P. gossypinus)—hybridize only rarely in the wild despite co-occurrence in the same habitat and lack of any measurable intrinsic postzygotic barriers in laboratory crosses. We present evidence that strong conspecific mating preferences in each species result in significant sexual isolation. We find that these preferences are learned in at least one species:P. gossypinussexually imprints on its parents, but inP. leucopus,additional factors influence mating preferences. Our study demonstrates that sexual imprinting contributes to reproductive isolation that reduces hybridization between otherwise interfertile species, supporting the role for learning in mammalian speciation.
Genetic identification Of brain cell types underlying schizophrenia
Authors: Skene Nathan G. , Bryois Julien , Bakken Trygve E. , Breen Gerome , Crowley James J , A Gaspar Héléna , Giusti-Rodriguez Paola , Hodge Rebecca D , Miller Jeremy A. , Muñoz-Manchado Ana , O’Donovan Michael C , Owen Michael J , Pardiñas Antonio F , Ryge Jesper , Walters James T R , Linnarsson Sten , Lein Ed S. ,   Major Depressive Disorder Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Sullivan Patrick F , Hjerling-Leffler Jens
Published: June 2017

With few exceptions, the marked advances in knowledge about the genetic basis for schizophrenia have not converged on findings that can be confidently used for precise experimental modeling. Applying knowledge of the cellular taxonomy of the brain from single-cell RNA-sequencing, we evaluated whether the genomic loci implicated in schizophrenia map onto specific brain cell types. The common variant genomic results consistently mapped to pyramidal cells, medium spiny neurons, and certain interneurons but far less consistently to embryonic, progenitor, or glial cells. These enrichments were due to distinct sets of genes specifically expressed in each of these cell types. Many of the diverse gene sets associated with schizophrenia (including antipsychotic targets) implicate the same brain cell types. Our results provide a parsimonious explanation: the common-variant genetic results for schizophrenia point at a limited set of neurons, and the gene sets point to the same cells. While some of the genetic risk is associated with GABAergic interneurons, this risk largely does not overlap with that from projecting cells.
Orexin/hypocretin immunoreactivity in the lateral hypothalamus is reduced in genetically obese but not in diet-induced obese mice
Authors: González J. Antonio , Prehn Jochen H. M.
Published: June 2017

The mechanisms that link diet and body weight are not fully understood. A diet high in fat often leads to obesity, and this in part is the consequence of diet-induced injury to specific hypothalamic nuclei. It has been suggested that a diet high in fat leads to cell loss in the lateral hypothalamus, which contains specific populations of neurones that are essential for regulating energy homoeostasis; however, we do not know which cell types are affected by the diet. We studied the possibility that high-fat diet leads to a reduction in orexin/hypocretin (O/H) and/or melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) immunoreactivity in the lateral hypothalamus. We quantified immuno-labelled O/H and MCH cells in brain sections of mice fed a diet high in fat for up to 12 weeks starting at 4 weeks of age and found that this diet did not modify the number of O/H- or MCH-immunoreactive neurones. By contrast, there were fewer O/H- (but not MCH-) immunoreactive cells in geneticallyobesedb/dbmice compared to wild-type mice. Non-obese, heterozygousdb/+mice also had fewer O/H-immunoreactive cells. Differences in the number of O/H-immunoreactive cells were only a function of thedbgenotype but not of diet or body weight. Our findings show that the lateral hypothalamus is affected differently in genetic and in diet-induced obesity, and support the idea that hypothalamic neurones involved in energy balance regulation are not equally sensitive to the effects of diet.
Principled Multi-Omic Analysis Reveals Gene Regulatory Mechanisms Of Phenotype Variation
Authors: Hanson Casey , Cairns Junmei , Wang Liewei , Sinha Saurabh
Published: June 2017

Recent studies have analyzed large scale data sets of gene expression to identify genes associated with inter-individual variation in phenotypes ranging from cancer sub-types to drug sensitivity, promising new avenues of research in personalized medicine. However, gene expression data alone is limited in its ability to reveal cis-regulatory mechanisms underlying phenotypic differences. In this study, we develop a new probabilistic model, called pGENMi, that integrates multi-omics data to investigate the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying inter-individual variation of a specific phenotype – that of cell line response to cytotoxic treatment. In particular, pGENMi simultaneously analyzes genotype, DNA methylation, gene expression and transcription factor (TF)-DNA binding data, along with phenotypic measurements, to identify TFs regulating the phenotype. It does so by combining statistical information about expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and expression-correlated methylation marks (eQTMs) located within TF binding sites, as well as observed correlations between gene expression and phenotype variation. Application of pGENMi to data from a panel of lymphoblastoid cell lines treated with 24 drugs, in conjunction with ENCODE TF ChIP data, yielded a number of known as well as novel TF-drug associations. Experimental validations by TF knock-down confirmed 41% of the predicted and tested associations, compared to a 12% confirmation rate of tested non-associations (controls). Extensive literature survey also corroborated 62% of the predicted associations above a stringent threshold. Moreover, associations predicted only when combining eQTL and eQTM data showed higher precision compared to an eQTL-only or eQTM-only analysis with the same method, further demonstrating the value of multi-omic integrative analysis.
Multiple antibodies identify glypican-1 associated with exosomes from pancreatic cancer cells and serum from patients with pancreatic cancer
Authors: Dong Chengyan , Huang Li , Melo Sonia A. , Kurywchak Paul , Peng Qian , Kahlert Christoph , LeBleu Valerie , Kalluri Raghu
Published: June 2017

Exosomes are man-sized vesicles shed by all cells, including cancer cells. Exosomes can serve as novel liquid biopsies for diagnosis of cancer with potential prognostic value. The exact mechanism/s associated with sorting or enrichment of cellular components into exosomes are still largely unknown. We reported Glypican-1 (GPC1) on the surface of cancer exosomes and provided evidence for the enrichment of GPC1 in exosomes from patients with pancreatic cancer1. Several different laboratories have validated this novel conceptual advance and reproduced the original experiments using multiple antibodies from different sources. These include anti-GPC1 antibodies from ThermoFisher (PA5-28055 and PA-5-24972)1,2, Sigma (SAB270028), Abnova (MAB8351, monoclonal antibodies clone E9E)3, EMD Millipore (MAB2600-monoclonal antibodies)4, SantaCruz5, and R&D Systems (BAF4519)2. This report complements such independent findings and report on the specific detection of Glypican-1 on the exosomes derived from the serum of pancreas cancer patients using multiple antibodies. Additionally, the specificity of the antibodies to GPC1 was determined by western blot and Protein Simple analyses of pancreatic cancer cells and their exosomes. Interestingly, our results highlight a specific enrichment of high molecular weight GPC1 on exosomes, potentially contributed by heparan sulfate and other glycosylation modifications.
Overcoming the SPS concerns of the Bangladesh fisheries and aquaculture sector
Authors: Alam Shawkat , Tomossy George F.
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the challenges developing countries face in attempting to balance sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) health and safety measures against concerns about protectionism, illustrated by the impact of trade barriers on the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Bangladesh. The paper then provides recommendations to overcome the effects of these trade barriers.

Design/methodology/approach

The author uses a close doctrinal approach for the first three parts of the paper by analysing the provisions of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) SPS Agreement and the effect of those provisions in creating domestic compliance gaps in the Bangladeshi fisheries and aquaculture sector. A qualitative approach is then adopted in suggesting potential reforms and future directions to assist the Bangladeshi fisheries and aquaculture sector overcome SPS trade barrier issues.

Findings

To overcome the market access issues created by SPS trade barriers, Bangladesh and other developing countries require multilateral assistance, accommodation by trading partners and internal reforms. This includes reforming internal governance structures, improving trade participation and negotiation, increasing infrastructure investment and learning from similar countries who have improved their supply chain management.

Research limitations/implications

This paper will have significant implications by contributing to law and policy reform debates involving international trade law and domestic compliance gaps. It will also assist other developing countries that experience SPS trade barriers to learn from the experience of the Bangladeshi fisheries and aquaculture sector.

Practical implications

This paper has practical implications by providing recommendations for how Bangladesh can overcome SPS trade barriers and improve its market access. This will help Bangladesh integrate into the global trading system by enhancing its participation in the SPS framework.

Social implications

By addressing and providing recommendations for the SPS trade barrier challenges faced by Bangladesh fishery and aquaculture sector, this paper provides a framework to improve the economic development and global competitiveness of the industry. This will contribute the gross domestic product growth and help increase the overall living standards of the people involved in the fisheries and aquaculture business in Bangladesh.

Originality/value

This paper is an original work that has not been published elsewhere. It is the first time a paper has dealt with the legal, policy and compliance challenges faced by the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Bangladesh.
Story composition, mental state language and self‐regulated strategy instruction for writers with autism spectrum conditions
Authors: Mourgkasi Vasiliki , Mavropoulou Sofia
Published: June 2017

In this single‐subject study, we evaluated the effects of an intervention using a modified version of the Self‐Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) approach on the story composition skills and the use of mental state language in three writers with autism spectrum conditions (ASC). Interestingly, the intervention was not found to be effective in increasing the number of words, sentences and advanced words for all participants, while only two participants used more story elements and improved the holistic quality of their compositions. Nevertheless, all participants used more mental state terms, spent more time for story planning, transferred their new skills to different writing tasks and maintained them 4 weeks post‐intervention. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the extended version of the SRSD approach on the use of mental state language in the writings of children with ASC.
Measurement Model or Asset Type: Evidence from an Evaluation of the Relevance of Financial Assets
Authors: Freeman Willoe , Wells Peter , Wyatt Anne
Published: June 2017

This study focuses on the operation of the Level 1, 2, and 3 measurement uncertainty hierarchy embedded in the SFAS 157 accounting for financial assets. Prior studies conclude the SFAS 157 fair value measurement model and prevailing financial market conditions are causal factors for the lower value relevance of the Level 3 financial assets. The contribution of our paper is to provide evidence on an additional, hitherto undocumented source of measurement uncertainty impacting the relevance of SFAS 157 financial assets to investors: the type of asset appearing in Level 3 financial assets as a result of asset securitizations and SFAS 140 securitization accounting. The paper also presents evidence that suggests the SFAS 166 amendments were unable to fully address informational transparency for financial assets arising from securitizations. The key contribution is evidentiary insights suggesting the prescribed measurement model has a relatively lower impact on measurement uncertainty and relevance of financial assets compared to the effects of the asset type.
Luther in Context: With Illustrations
Authors: Wengert Timothy J.
Published: June 2017

The author explores his work on the first volume of The Annotated Luther detailing Luther's commitment to humanism's “good letters” and his developing theology of preaching law and gospel, especially indicated by the Ninety‐five Theses and Freedom of a Christian.
Luther and Justification
Authors: Pedersen Else Marie Wiberg
Published: June 2017

In this article, I reflect on Luther's doctrine on justification as it came out in different ways in some of his seminal writings between 1518 and 1538, all represented in volume 2 of The Annotated Luther. Discovering the righteousness of God as something already given to humans opened fundamentally new perspectives to Luther.
Luther's Schem Hamphoras
Authors: Schramm Brooks
Published: June 2017

This article provides a concise summary of Luther's anti‐Jewish treatise, On the Schem Hamphoras and On the Lineage of Christ (March 1543) and describes its purpose, interworkings, and scatological rhetoric. The treatise is interpreted as Luther's defense of the Second Commandment over against Jewish superstitions regarding the name of God; his attempt to undermine the credibility of the rabbis and their influence on the Christian Hebraists; and his further strengthening of his platform for the expulsion of the Jews as initially articulated in On the Jews and Their Lies (January 1543).
Relationships, Human Nature, and the Four “Words” of Inspector Gamache1
Authors: Largen Kristin Johnston
Published: June 2017

The Inspector Gamache mysteries by Louise Penny are very popular, in no small part because of the appeal of the main character, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. However, another main draw of the series is the small set of recurring main characters. In this article, I delve deeply into their lives and relationships, using as a lens the four sayings of Gamache as a means of illuminating both the brokenness and grace that characterize human relationality.
“These Things Continue”: Violence as Contamination in Everyday Life After War in Northern Uganda
Authors: Meinert Lotte , Whyte Susan Reynolds
Published: June 2017

After decades of violent war, families are rebuilding their lives in the Acholi subregion of Northern Uganda. The return to normal order is marked by problems people see as consequences of the years of insecurity: mental illness, alcoholism, domestic violence, marital instability, and land conflicts that sometimes turn vicious. The ravages of war and years of constraint have left a legacy of troubles that is contagious and contaminating. The war is over, but people say that “these things continue.” In this article, we follow the case of one family and explore the social contagion and contamination of “these things.” We relate Acholi ideas ofcen, the spirits of the vengeful dead, to Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and phenomenological conceptions of violence and “the alien” in human experience.
The Shareholder Base Hypothesis of Stock Return Volatility: Empirical Evidence
Authors: Jankensgård Håkan , Vilhelmsson Anders
Published: June 2017

We use Swedish ownership data to explore whether a large and diversified shareholder base leads to lower volatility by improving the information content of stock prices. We find that volatility increases in the number of shareholders with respect to both the number of relatively large shareholders and the fraction of shares held by investors with stakes below 0.1%. Volatility is also positively related to the number of institutional owners but negatively related to the number of large and underdiversified institutional owners. Foreign investors have no impact. Our results suggest that a large shareholder base does not lower volatility.
Topical equol preparation improves structural and molecular skin parameters
Authors: Magnet U. , Urbanek C. , Gaisberger D. , Tomeva E. , Dum E. , Pointner A. , Haslberger A.G.
Published: June 2017

Objective

Equol has been shown to improve skin health and regeneration, due to its antioxidative, phytoestrogenic and epigenetic characteristics. The effects of a topical intervention on skin structure, telomere length and epigenetic markers in skin cells were analysed.

Methods

Sixty‐four participants were divided in four groups and three of them treated topically with the following: emulsion with Equol powder (Isoflavandiol‐E‐55‐RS®); emulsion with microencapsulated Equol (Vesisorb® Isoflavandiol‐E‐55‐RS®) and an emulsion with lecithin (Vesisorb® placebo). A control group of 6 volunteers did not receive any intervention. The active compound was a 0.5% equol‐racemate. For 58 participants, all samples were collected. Structural analysis, molecular analysis and questionnaires were performed at the start of the study and after 8 weeks of intervention, twice a day. Structural skin parameters were analysed by Visioscan® VC 98 and Cutometer® dual MPA 580. Molecular analyses from epidermal cells collected by skin stripping of the forehead included telomere length and LINE‐1 methylation, following DNA extraction, bisulfite conversion and qPCR as well as high‐resolution melting curve analysis. Effects of nutrition and lifestyle habits were evaluated with a standardized food and lifestyle questionnaire.

Results and discussion

The surface analysis showed significant improvements in skin roughness, skin texture and skin smoothness after both interventions. Cutometer® dual MPA 580 measurement revealed improvement of skin firmness and elasticity parameters for both preparations. A decrease in mean LINE‐1 methylation (n.s.) and telomere length (sign. P < 0.05) was observed in the sample group with age. In the treated groups, significantly longer telomeres were observed after intervention. Whether changes in telomere length reflect changes in the regulation of telomerase, epigenetic interactions or turnover of keratinocytes needs further research. Stability and availability of preparations in skin seems to be high as not many significant differences in the activity of pure or encapsulated substances were seen.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that equol has beneficial effects on structural as well as molecular skin parameters and encourages further investigations to decipher the epigenetic regulation of skin ageing and interactions of equol.
Life of Martha Entwistle: Australia's first convict mental health nurse
Authors: Raeburn Toby , Liston Carol , Hickmott Jarrad , Cleary Michelle
Published: June 2017

The present position paper provides an account of the life of Martha Entwistle, the earliest recorded convict nurse who worked within the Castle Hill Asylum. In our review of primary historical sources, Australia's first convict mental health nurse was found to be a resilient woman who endured several traumatic life experiences. Her nursing within Australia's first mental health asylum was highly valued by the superintendent of the service. She nursed in a harsh colonial environment, short of adequate resources, during an era of fast‐paced industrial and technological a change. Martha Entwistle's experiences provide a historical account of the role of the early convict mental health nurse. Her life story enables modern‐day nurses to reflect on the advances made in mental health nursing and contexts of care for nurses today.
A worldwide phylogenetic classification of the Poaceae (Gramineae) II: An update and a comparison of two 2015 classifications
Authors: Soreng Robert J. , Peterson Paul M. , Romaschenko Konstantin , Davidse Gerrit , Teisher Jordan K. , Clark Lynn G. , Barberá Patricia , Gillespie Lynn J. , Zuloaga Fernando O.
Published: June 2017

We present a new worldwide phylogenetic classification of 11 506 grass species in 768 genera, 12 subfamilies, seven supertribes, 52 tribes, five supersubtribes, and 90 subtribes; and compare two phylogenetic classifications of the grass family published in 2015 (Soreng et al. and Kellogg). The subfamilies (in descending order based on the number of species) are Pooideae with 3968 species in 202 genera, 15 tribes, and 30 subtribes; Panicoideae with 3241 species in 247 genera, 13 tribes, and 19 subtribes; Bambusoideae with 1670 species in 125 genera, three tribes, and 15 subtribes; Chloridoideae with 1602 species in 124 genera, five tribes, and 26 subtribes; Aristidoideae with 367 species in three genera, and one tribe; Danthonioideae with 292 species in 19 genera, and one tribe; Micrairoideae with 184 species in eight genera, and three tribes; Oryzoideae with 115 species in 19 genera, four tribes, and two subtribes; Arundinoideae with 40 species in 14 genera, two tribes, and two subtribes; Pharoideae with 12 species in three genera, and one tribe; Puelioideae with 11 species in two genera, and two tribes; and the Anomochlooideae with four species in two genera, and two tribes. We also include a radial tree illustrating the hierarchical relationships among the subtribes, tribes, and subfamilies. Newly described taxa include: supertribes Melicodae and Nardodae; supersubtribes Agrostidodinae, Boutelouodinae, Gouiniodinae, Loliodinae, and Poodinae; and subtribes Echinopogoninae and Ventenatinae.
Anatomy, microstructure, and endogenous hormone changes in Gnetum parvifolium during anthesis
Authors: Lan Qian , Liu Jian‐Feng , Shi Sheng‐Qing , Deng Nan , Jiang Ze‐Ping , Chang Er‐Mei
Published: June 2017

The study of the sexual systems of plants is very important for understanding their evolutionary process. Gnetum is a pivotal species in comprehending the seed plant phylogeny. However, the sexual systems of this genus are not fully understood. To investigate the sexual system of Gnetum, the anatomical structure, microstructure, and endogenous hormones were investigated from the differentiation of flower buds to fertilization in the floral organs of female and male of G. parvifolium (Warb.) C.Y. Cheng, widely distributed in the north of China. After 2 years of field investigations, the staminate strobili were observed on female plants for the first time and the abortive ovules were also found on male plants. In addition, high levels of gibberellin A3 and zeatin riboside led to masculinization, whereas a high level of indole‐3‐acetic acid favored feminization. A comprehensive analysis of the results indicates that G. parvifolium may not be completely dioecious on morphology, but female and male plants can only perform their own gender function, which would provide a better understanding of the diversity of sexual systems in Gnetum, and reproductive structures of seed plants.
On Proprioception in Action: Multimodality versus Deafferentation
Authors: Wong Hong Yu
Published: June 2017

Recent research on proprioception reveals that it relies on a systematically distorted model of bodily dimensions. This generates a puzzle about proprioception in action control: action requires accurate bodily parameters. Proprioception is crucial for ordinary action, but if it relies on a systematically distorted body model, then proprioception should contain systematic errors. But we cannot respond by discarding proprioception from motor control, since we know from the severe problems deafferented agents face in acting that ordinary action requires proprioception. The solution is that the possibility of bodily action is provided for by multimodal body representations for action (the ‘body schema’).
Is the Quarter of Birth Endogenous? New Evidence from Taiwan, the US, and Indonesia
Authors: Fan Elliott , Liu Jin‐Tan , Chen Yen‐Chien
Published: June 2017

Recent evidence based on US data suggests that the quarter or month of birth (QOB or MOB) may be endogenous, since family characteristics can explain up to 50% of the effects of QOB on the education outcomes and earnings of adult males. In this study, based on a sample of one million Taiwanese siblings, we examine university admission at age 18 as our outcome variable and find that at school entry, the oldest (September born) children are 31–38% more likely to be admitted into university at age 18 than the youngest (August born) children, indicating strong seasonality in university admission. The inclusion of controls for family background is found to explain only a small portion of these effects, particularly for males. Given that such results are at odds with the recent US evidence, we revisit the US Census data and find that when racial differences are properly controlled for in the estimation, even a rich set of family characteristics is capable of explaining only a minor proportion of the QOB effects. Furthermore, using data from the US and Indonesia, we find that seasonal temperature variation is unlikely to be an important contributor to the US‐Taiwan disparity. Our findings imply that the validity of using QOB or MOB as an instrumental variable may be dependent on the population being studied and the sample selected.
The Caspian Disputes: Nationalism and Nomadism in Early Soviet Central Asia
Authors: THOMAS ALUN
Published: June 2017

Immediately following the Russian Civil War, new Soviet authorities sought to resolve a series of conflicts involving the nomadic communities living along the north and eastern shores of the Caspian Sea. To the north, beyond the Ural River, nomads competed with Russian farmers for pasturage. Further south, around the Garabogazkol Lagoon, nomads from different tribes were engaged in a cycle of violence and recrimination. Communist party members, working alongside local elites, interpreted all these conflicts as disagreements between nations and proffered solutions congruent with this analysis. Peace agreements were written and signed, borders drawn, and national territorial jurisdictions extended and defended. In both areas conflict was not resolved and nomadic hardship was in fact exacerbated. The Caspian Disputes and their incomplete resolution contain lessons on the Soviet state's treatment of two minorities: non‐Russian nationalities and nomads. For the former, we see the limited utility of a European conception of nationalism applied to Soviet Central Asia. For the latter, we see what influenced and complicated the relationship between nomad and state before the collectivization campaign endowed that relationship with a brutal simplicity. This represents a step towards a more comprehensive understanding of how Soviet power treated nomads from its very inception.
Structure Mapping and Vocabularies for Thinking
Authors: Loewenstein Jeffrey
Published: June 2017

While extremes tend to capture attention, the ordinary is often most of the story. So it may be with the structure‐mapping process. The structure‐mapping process can account for such pinnacles of thinking as analogy and metaphor, which can lead to overlooking the mundane, incremental use of structure mapping. Consequently, the current discussion shifts focus to the value of close comparisons between literally similar items for the development of knowledge. The intent is to foster greater integration between process and content as well as between individuals and collectives. The payoff is identifying some undue simplifications and some promising new directions.
Removal of 17α‐ethinylestradiol, salicylic acid, trimethoprim, carbamazepine and nonylphenol through biological carbon and nitrogen removal processes
Authors: Odize Victory , Rahman Arifur , Jones Kimberly , Khunjar Wendell , Murthy Sudhir
Published: June 2017

This study investigated five different trace organic contaminants (TOrCs) (one hormone: 17α‐ethinylestradiol (EE2), two pharmaceuticals: salicylic acid (SA) and trimethoprim (TMP), one analgesic drug: carbamazepine (CBZ), and one surfactant metabolite: nonylphenol (NP)) removal efficiency at a full‐scale Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (AWTP). The AWTP achieved average EE2, SA and NP removal over 80% at the biological carbon removal stages. The results also showed a 66% removal of TMP at the nitrogen removal stages. CBZ was recalcitrant throughout the plant, due to its high solubility and low distribution coefficient between wastewater and sludge. Batch experiments were conducted on active and inactive secondary, nitrification and denitrification sludge by adding TOrCs to understand the removal mechanism through sorption and biodegradation. Sorption was the dominant mechanism to remove EE2, SA and NP in secondary treatment processes. In nitrification and denitrification processes, higher percentage of TOrCs removal through biodegradation were observed compared to removal through sorption.
Can Placement Test Score Predict Success for a First-semester Community College Student in Their First Online Course?
Authors: MacGregor Philip C. , O’Reilly Frances L. , Matt John
Published: June 2017

This study examined the following question: What is the relationship, if any, between COMPASS placement scores and the student success in the first online course during the students first semester? Discriminant function analysis was used to examine the relationship.This study used existing data from new students, who took the COMPASS placement test, and were enrolled in an online course at community colleges in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington over 5 academic years from 2010 to 2015. Data collected from the participating community colleges included COMPASS placement test scores for reading, and writing, any of the four math sections, online course(s) attempted in the first semester, age, gender, course grade, and number of credits attempted during the student’s first semester.Statistically significant relationships were found between reading and writing COMPASS test scores and success in online humanities, natural science, and social science courses. For the math COMPASS scores, pre-algebra had a statistically significant relationship to success in online math courses and natural science courses. College algebra had a statistically significant relationship to success in an online natural science course. Prediction model results were just above and below 70% for each of the statistically significant relationships. The models included students who were predicted to be successful but were unsuccessful.
Applying the Integrated Behavior Change Model to Understanding Physical Activity Among Older Adults: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Arnautovska Urska , O’Callaghan Frances , Hamilton Kyra
Published: June 2017

We explored older adults’ experiences of physical activity (PA) and related decision-making processes underlying PA. Twenty Australians (Mage = 73.8 years) participated in semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and identified themes were matched deductively within motivational, volitional, and implicit processes of the integrated behavior change model for PA. Motivational influences such as participants’ time orientation toward health and perceptions of what PA should be like were frequently featured in participants’ narratives. Volitional processes were also identified, with participants reporting different ways of coping with competing priorities. Physical surroundings and habitual PA were the identified themes within implicit processes. Together, these findings contribute to a better understanding of subjective experiences of older adults regarding PA. They also add to a more contextual understanding of multiple decision-making processes underpinning older adults’ PA engagement. Identified concepts may be used in future research and PA interventions targeting older adults.
Anaerobic Copper Toxicity and Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis in Escherichia coli
Authors: Tan Guoqiang , Yang Jing , Li Tang , Zhao Jin , Sun Shujuan , Li Xiaokang , Lin Chuxian , Li Jianghui , Zhou Huaibin , Lyu Jianxin , Ding Huangen
Published: June 2017

While copper is an essential trace element in biology, pollution of groundwater from copper has become a threat to all living organisms. Cellular mechanisms underlying copper toxicity, however, are still not fully understood. Previous studies have shown that iron-sulfur proteins are among the primary targets of copper toxicity in
Escherichia coli
under aerobic conditions. Here, we report that, under anaerobic conditions, iron-sulfur proteins in
E. coli
cells are even more susceptible to copper in medium. Whereas addition of 0.2 mM copper(II) chloride to LB (Luria-Bertani) medium has very little or no effect on iron-sulfur proteins in wild-type
E. coli
cells under aerobic conditions, the same copper treatment largely inactivates iron-sulfur proteins by blocking iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis in the cells under anaerobic conditions. Importantly, proteins that do not have iron-sulfur clusters (e.g., fumarase C and cysteine desulfurase) in
E. coli
cells are not significantly affected by copper treatment under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, indicating that copper may specifically target iron-sulfur proteins in cells. Additional studies revealed that
E. coli
cells accumulate more intracellular copper under anaerobic conditions than under aerobic conditions and that the elevated copper content binds to the iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins IscU and IscA, which effectively inhibits iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. The results suggest that the copper-mediated inhibition of iron-sulfur proteins does not require oxygen and that iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis is the primary target of anaerobic copper toxicity in cells.

IMPORTANCE
Copper contamination in groundwater has become a threat to all living organisms. However, cellular mechanisms underlying copper toxicity have not been fully understood up to now. The work described here reveals that iron-sulfur proteins in
Escherichia coli
cells are much more susceptible to copper in medium under anaerobic conditions than they are under aerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions,
E. coli
cells accumulate excess intracellular copper, which specifically targets iron-sulfur proteins by blocking iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. Since iron-sulfur proteins are involved in diverse and vital physiological processes, inhibition of iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis by copper disrupts multiple cellular functions and ultimately inhibits cell growth. The results from this study illustrate a new interplay between intracellular copper toxicity and iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis in bacterial cells under anaerobic conditions.
Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus subtilis GQJK2, a Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium with Antifungal Activity
Authors: Ma Jinjin , Liu Hu , Wang Chengqiang , Xia Zhilin , Liu Kai , Hou Qihui , Li Yuhuan , Zhang Tongrui , Wang Haide , Wang Beibei , Wang Yun , Ge Ruofei , Xu Baochao , Yao Gan , Jiang Zhensheng , Hou Wentong , Ding Yanqin , Du Binghai
Published: June 2017

Bacillus subtilis
GQJK2 is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium with antifungal activity which was isolated from
Lycium barbarum
L. rhizosphere. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of
B. subtilis
GQJK2. Ten gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of antagonistic compounds were predicted.
An unusual position of retromandibular vein: a surgical challenge in parotid surgeries
Authors: Saravanam Prasanna Kumar , Manimaran Vinoth
Published: June 2017

A 44-year-old man presented with swelling in the left parotid region. The swelling was firm and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology report proved pleomorphic adenoma. In the CT scan, the tumour was confined to the superficial lobe of parotid. So, left superficial parotidectomy was planned. Modified Wilson Blair’s incision was used. On course of identifying the facial nerve, a large calibre vein was identified running vertically through the parotid substance. Assuming it as retromandibular vein, further dissection was carried out more meticulously. Marginal mandibularbranch of facial nerve was identified near the angle of mandible and retrograde dissection showed the cervicofacial division running medial to retromandibular vein with the main facial nerve trunk lying unusually medial and posterior to it. Adding to it, the temporofacial division was found ‘forked’ between the branches of retromandibular vein. These variations in head and neck venous channels are not that rare as we believe. All these variations have an embryological basis. Therefore, knowledge and understanding of this complex anatomy will help us preventing devastating complications like bleeding and facial nerve injury in such cases.
The effect of life course socioeconomic position on crystallised cognitive ability in two large UK cohort studies: a structured modelling approach
Authors: Landy Rebecca , Head Jenny , Richards Marcus , Hardy Rebecca
Published: June 2017

Objectives

This study systematically compared accumulation, sensitive period, critical period and social mobility models relating life course socioeconomic position (SEP) and adult crystallised cognitive ability, which has not been comprehensively investigated.

Design

Two prospective cohort studies.

Participants

Five thousand three hundred and sixty-two participants in the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) Birth Cohort Study and 10 308 participants in the Whitehall II Occupational Cohort Study.

Measures

Childhood SEP was measured by father’s occupational SEP, early adulthood SEP by educational qualifications and adult SEP by own occupational SEP. Each life course model was compared with a saturated model.

Results

Using multiple imputation to account for missing data, the sensitive period model, which contained childhood, early adulthood and adult SEP terms, with different coefficients, provided the best fit for both men and women in the NSHD and Whitehall II cohorts. Early adulthood SEP had the largest coefficient in NSHD women, whereas for NSHD men early adulthood and adult SEP had similar coefficients. In Whitehall II adult SEP had the largest effect size for both men and women.

Conclusions

Sensitive period with all three time periods was the most appropriate life course models for adult crystallised cognitive ability in both cohorts, including an effect of childhood SEP. It is important to directly compare the life course models to determine which is the most appropriate.
Barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asians to health research: a scoping review
Authors: Quay Teo AW , Frimer Leora , Janssen Patricia A , Lamers Yvonne
Published: June 2017

Objectives

People of South Asian ethnicity are under-represented in health research studies. The objectives of this scoping review were to examine the barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asians to health research studies and to describe strategies for improving recruitment.

Design

Scoping review

Methods

Using the Arksey and O’Malley framework for scoping reviews, we comprehensively searched electronic databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and PsycINFO). Studies that identified barriers and facilitators to recruitment, or recruitment strategies for South Asian populations were included. Recruitment barriers, facilitators and strategies were grouped thematically and summarised narratively.

Synthesis

Of 1846 potentially relevant articles, 15 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the thematic synthesis. Multiple facilitators and barriers to enrolment of South Asians in health research studies were identified; these most commonly related to logistical challenges, language and cultural barriers, concerns about adverse consequences of participating and mistrust of research. Several actionable strategies were discussed, the most common being engagement of South Asian communities, demonstration of cultural competency, provision of incentives and benefits, language sensitivity through the use of translators and translated materials and the development of trust and personal relationships.

Conclusion

There is a growing awareness of the barriers and facilitators to recruitment of South Asian participants to health research studies. Knowledge of effective recruitment strategies and implementation during the grant funding stages may reduce the risk of poor recruitment and representation of South Asians.