bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct estimate of the rate of germline mutation in a bird
Authors: Smeds Linnéa , Qvarnström Anna , Ellegren Hans
Published: July 2016

The fidelity of DNA replication together with repair mechanisms ensure that the genetic material is properly copied from one generation to another. However, on extremely rare occasions when damages to DNA or replication errors are not repaired, germline mutations can be transmitted to the next generation. Because of the rarity of these events, studying the rate at which new mutations arise across organisms has been a great challenge, especially in multicellular nonmodel organisms with large genomes. We sequenced the genomes of 11 birds from a three-generation pedigree of the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) and used highly stringent bioinformatic criteria for mutation detection and used several procedures to validate mutations, including following the stable inheritance of new mutations to subsequent generations. We identified 55 de novo mutations with a 10-fold enrichment of mutations at CpG sites and with only a modest male mutation bias. The estimated rate of mutation per site per generation was 4.6 × 10−9, which corresponds to 2.3 × 10−9 mutations per site per year. Compared to mammals, this is similar to mouse but about half of that reported for humans, which may be due to the higher frequency of male mutations in humans. We confirm that mutation rate scales positively with genome size and that there is a strong negative relationship between mutation rate and effective population size, in line with the drift-barrier hypothesis. Our study illustrates that it should be feasible to obtain direct estimates of the rate of mutation in essentially any organism from which family material can be obtained.
SHARP: a distributed GPU-based ptychographic solver
Authors: Marchesini Stefano , Krishnan Hari , Daurer Benedikt J. , Shapiro David A. , Perciano Talita , Sethian James A. , Maia Filipe R. N. C.
Published: July 2016

Ever brighter light sources, fast parallel detectors and advances in phase retrieval methods have made ptychography a practical and popular imaging technique. Compared to previous techniques, ptychography provides superior robustness and resolution at the expense of more advanced and time-consuming data analysis. By taking advantage of massively parallel architectures, high-throughput processing can expedite this analysis and provide microscopists with immediate feedback. These advances allow real-time imaging at wavelength-limited resolution, coupled with a large field of view. This article describes a set of algorithmic and computational methodologies used at the Advanced Light Source and US Department of Energy light sources. These are packaged as a CUDA-based software environment namedSHARP(http://camera.lbl.gov/sharp), aimed at providing state-of-the-art high-throughput ptychography reconstructions for the coming era of diffraction-limited light sources.
Condor: a simulation tool for flash X-ray imaging
Authors: Hantke Max F. , Ekeberg Tomas , Maia Filipe R. N. C.
Published: July 2016

Flash X-ray imaging has the potential to determine structures down to molecular resolution without the need for crystallization. The ability to accurately predict the diffraction signal and to identify the optimal experimental configuration within the limits of the instrument is important for successful data collection. This article introducesCondor, an open-source simulation tool to predict X-ray far-field scattering amplitudes of isolated particles for customized experimental designs and samples, which the user defines by an atomic or a refractive index model. The software enables researchers to test whether their envisaged imaging experiment is feasible, and to optimize critical parameters for reaching the best possible result. It also aims to support researchers who intend to create or advance reconstruction algorithms by simulating realistic test data.Condoris designed to be easy to use and can be either installed as a Python package or used from its web interface (http://lmb.icm.uu.se/condor). X-ray free-electron lasers have high running costs and beam time at these facilities is precious. Data quality can be substantially improved by using simulations to guide the experimental design and simplify data analysis.
Unexpected ring-closure products derived from 3-(2-allylanilino)-3-phenylacrylate esters: crystal and molecular structures of 3-acetyl-8-allyl-6-methyl-2-phenylquinolin-4-yl acetate and (2RS)-2,8-dimethyl-4-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-6H-pyrrolo[3,2,1-ij]quinolin-6-one
Authors: Luque Adriana L. , Sanabria Carlos M. , Palma Alirio , Cobo Justo , Glidewell Christopher
Published: July 2016

The reactions of two 3-(2-allylanilino)-3-phenylacrylate esters with acetic anhydride and with strong acids has revealed a richly diverse reactivity providing a number of unexpected products. Thus, acetylation of ethyl 3-(2-allylanilino)-3-phenylacrylate, (Ia), or ethyl 3-(2-allyl-4-methylanilino)-3-phenylacrylate, (Ib), with acetic anhydride yields not only the expected acetylated esters, (II), as the major products but also the unexpected polysubstituted quinolines 3-acetyl-8-allyl-2-phenylquinolin-4-yl acetate, (IIIa), and 3-acetyl-8-allyl-6-methyl-2-phenylquinolin-4-yl acetate, (IIIb), as minor products. Subsequent reaction of the major product ethyl 2-[(2-allyl-4-methylanilino)(phenyl)methylidene]-3-oxobutanoate, (IIb), with concentrated sulfuric acid did not provide the expected 3-acetylquinoline derivative, but instead two unexpected products, namely ethyl 4-ethyl-2-phenyl-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylate, (IV), and ethyl 3-acetyl-4-ethyl-2-phenyl-3,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylate, (V), in yields of 39 and 22%, respectively. The reaction of (Ib) with Eaton's reagent gave both the quinoline (Z)-6-methyl-2-phenyl-8-(prop-1-en-1-yl)quinolin-4(1H)-one, (VI), and the unexpected tricyclic product (2RS)-2,8-dimethyl-4-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-6H-pyrrolo[3,2,1-ij]quinolin-6-one, (VII), in yields of 71 and 12%, respectively. The products (II)–(VII) have all been fully characterized spectroscopically and the crystal structures of two of the unexpected products,i.e.(IIIb) (C23H21NO3) and (VII) (C19H17NO), are reported here. The formation of compounds (IV), (V) and (VII) all require an isomerization of the initial allyl substituent, with migration of the C=C double bond from the terminal site to the internal site. In (IIIb), the two acetyl substituents are oriented such that the intramolecular distance between the two carbonyl O atoms is only 3.243 (2) Å, and in (VII), the five-membered ring adopts a twisted half-chair conformation. The molecules of compound (IIIb) are linked by two independent hydrogen bonds to form sheets built fromR43(20) rings and the sheets are linked by a π–π stacking interaction to form a three-dimensional framework structure. The molecules of compound (VII) are linked by a single type of C—H...O hydrogen bond to form centrosymmetricR22(14) dimers. The molecules of compound (V), which crystallizes withZ′ = 2, are linked by two N—H...O and two C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming a chain of rings.
Conceptualizations of professional competencies in school health promotion
Authors: Carlsson Monica
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is to contribute to the conceptualization and discussion of professional competencies needed for supporting the development of the whole-school approach in school health promotion (SHP).

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is based on a conceptual synthesis of literature, guided by a theoretical perspective on health promotion agency and professional competencies to identify core competency domains and elements. This is followed by a discussion of focus, gaps and links in conceptualizations of competency domains and elements.

Findings

– The synthesis identifies five core competency domains: policy-development; organizational development; professional development; development of students’ learning; and development of health promotion activities. Three critical gaps in the conceptualizations of competency domains and elements are identified and discussed: the downplay of the development of learning domain and the narrow focus on cognitive elements within it; the narrow focus on cognitive elements and technical-organizational elements in the development of HP activities domain; and the downplay of affective competency elements across domains.

Practical implications

– The five competency domains may provide an overall guiding tool for professionals tasked with practice and competency development in SHP, and a point of departure for the development of conceptualizations of professional competencies in concrete practice contexts.

Originality/value

– The paper delineates an overall professional competency model for SHP, discusses the specific demands on professional competencies within this field in relation to this model, and addresses three critical gaps in the conceptualizations of competency.
Collective action competence: an asset to campus sustainability
Authors: Clark Charlotte R.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to operationalize theories of social learning and collective action for campus sustainability practitioners at higher education instititions (IHEs) to enhance their work, and to introduce the concept of collective action competence as a practical tool.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a theoretical argument based on the concepts of learning and collective action for stronger consideration of social learning, action competence and voluntary collective action in campus sustainability initiatives.

Findings

Many important sustainability outcomes depend heavily on voluntary behaviors by groups of campus stakeholders, making voluntary collective action an important, although underused, tool for campus sustainability practitioners. The term “collective action competence” is introduced and defined as the capability of a group of people to direct their behavior toward a common goal based on a collective literacy, a collective competence, and a collective need or goal.

Originality/value

The term “collective action competence” is introduced as a novel unifying concept that articulates a critical capability needed for collective behavior change in social settings such as HEIs. Collective action competence is based on the theories of collective action and of social and free-choice learning and on the concepts of action competence and strategic competence.
The United Fruit Company's tourist business and the creation of the “Golden Caribbean”, 1899-1940
Authors: Martin James W.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the tourist business and marketing strategies of a US agribusiness giant, the United Fruit Company (UFCO), between its incorporation in 1899 and 1940. It considers how tourist marketing served the company’s public-relations interest and tourism’s broader connection to narratives of US ascendancy in the Caribbean Basin.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on original research in a series of published company materials, including annual reports and a wide variety of marketing materials, as well as a variety of rare primary sources documenting the experiences of US tourists on UFCO cruises.

Findings

From its incorporation in 1899, the UFCO developed a Caribbean cruise business as a vital part of its strategies of vertical integration and expansion around the region. Marketing tropical travel at a time when tropical disease dominated US perceptions of such places required a thorough conceptual makeover, and UFCO publicity played an important part in this process. The company advertised Caribbean destinations first for their therapeutic possibilities, but by the 1920s, a framework of anachronistic space and picturesque primitivism predominated in marketing campaigns. The structure of this narrative naturalized the company’s, and more broadly, US, hegemony in the region. While on cruises, tourists became witnesses to and participants in a series of spectacles and activities highlighting the company’s technological prowess and benevolence.

Originality/value

This analysis centers on a largely overlooked dimension of the famed banana company’s enterprise. It is grounded in a wide collection of primary sources largely untapped by researchers, a source base that brings tourist perception and experience into the story of this company’s marketing efforts. This research brings tourism and leisure into the historical discussion of US power in early-twentieth-century Latin America.
Emigration and imperial business: the New Zealand Company brand 1839-1841
Authors: Thomas Patricia Ann
Published: July 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to offer an example of a comprehensive mid-nineteenth century branding strategy in practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper follows a historical research methodology using archival resources and secondary sources within a conceptual framework of present-day branding theory (Bastos and Levy) and communication theory (Perloff). It interrogates visual and material data to construct a production-led examination of the development of a company brand.

Findings

The examination of the material suggests, first, that the company developed a sophisticated, multi-dimensional, multi-functional and materially coherent branding system. Second, it demonstrates that such a system represents an early example of a strategic practice that many scholars have considered to have arisen only in the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries. Third, it provides evidence that the origin, if not always the implementation, of the strategy lay with one man, Edward Gibbon Wakefield.

Originality/value

This paper is novel in its use of visual and material culture artifacts to demonstrate the intentions of those who produced them. It also offers an example of practice in an area that is often only explored in theory. It will be of interest to cultural, marketing, visual and material culture historians.
Maternal tobacco use and extremely premature birth – a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Dahlin S , Gunnerbeck A , Wikström A‐K , Cnattingius S , Edstedt Bonamy A‐K
Published: July 2016

Objective

To study the associations of maternal tobacco use (smoking or use of snuff) and risk of extremely preterm birth, and if tobacco cessation before antenatal booking influences this risk. To study the association between tobacco use and spontaneous or medically indicated onset of delivery.

Design

Population‐based cohort study.

Setting

Sweden.

Population

All live singleton births, registered in the Swedish Medical Birth Register, 1999–2012.

Methods

Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using multiple logistic regression analysis.

Main outcome measures

Extremely preterm birth (<28 weeks of gestation), very preterm birth (28–31 weeks), moderately preterm birth (32–36 weeks).

Results

Maternal snuff use (OR 1.58; 95% CI: 1.14–2.21) and smoking (OR 1.61; 95% CI: 1.39–1.87 and OR 1.91; 95% CI: 1.53–2.39 for moderate and heavy smoking, respectively) were associated with an increased risk of extremely preterm birth. When cessation of tobacco use was obtained there was no increased risk of preterm birth. Snuff use was associated with a twofold risk increase of medically indicated extremely preterm birth, whereas smoking was associated with increased risks of both medically indicated and spontaneous extremely preterm birth.

Conclusions

Snuff use and smoking in pregnancy were associated with increased risks of extremely preterm birth. Women who stopped using tobacco before the antenatal booking had no increased risk. These findings indicate that nicotine, the common substance in cigarettes and snuff, is involved in the mechanisms behind preterm birth. The use of nicotine should be minimized in pregnancy.

Tweetable abstract

Tobacco use increases risk of extremely preterm birth. Cessation is preventive. Avoid nicotine in pregnancy.
Effects of naltrexone on alcohol self‐administration and craving: meta‐analysis of human laboratory studies
Authors: Hendershot Christian S. , Wardell Jeffrey D. , Samokhvalov Andriy V. , Rehm Jürgen
Published: July 2016

Randomized clinical trials have established the efficacy of naltrexone for reducing quantity of alcohol consumption and incidence of relapse to heavy drinking. To evaluate putative treatment mechanisms, human laboratory studies have examined naltrexone's effects on alcohol responses and self‐administration during short‐term medication protocols. Results from these studies are inconsistent and have yet to be examined in aggregate. This meta‐analysis aimed to quantify naltrexone's effects on alcohol self‐administration and craving in the context of placebo‐controlled human laboratory trials. Potential moderators of medication effects were also examined. Meta‐analyses of alcohol self‐administration (k = 9, N = 490) and craving (k = 16, N = 748) confirmed that, under controlled experimental conditions, naltrexone reduces the quantity of consumption (Hedges' g = −.277, SE = .074, 95 percent CI = −.421, −.133, p < .001) and magnitude of self‐reported craving (g = −.286, SE = .066, 95 percent CI = −.416, −.156, p < .001) relative to placebo. Subgroup and moderation analyses found no evidence that effect sizes differed by study population (dependent versus non‐dependent drinkers), laboratory paradigm or duration of medication exposure. These results substantiate prior evidence for reductions in event‐level craving and consumption as potential treatment mediators, also establishing effect sizes to inform future human laboratory trials. From a clinical perspective, these results may provide additional evidence regarding naltrexone's efficacy in the context of acute or subacute dosing regimens.
Fifteen years of Belgian experience with external quality assessment of semen analysis
Authors: Punjabi U. , Wyns C. , Mahmoud A. , Vernelen K. , China B. , Verheyen G.
Published: July 2016

Semen analysis is difficult to standardize, quality control and quality assurance are necessary to ensure that results are accurate and precise. This Belgian EQA survey over a 15‐year period, involving 121 laboratories, attempted to reduce interlaboratory variability and at the same time, encouraged participating laboratories to implement correct techniques as advised by the WHO. Over the total period, the median coefficient of variation (CV) for sperm count, irrespective of the method used was 19.2%, while using improved Neubauer chamber resulted in a significantly (p < 0.001) lower median CV (14.4%). The overall median CV for rapid progressive motility was high (37.1%), but progressive motility (15.1%) and total motility (13.8%) were acceptable. Sperm morphology revealed a large variability in 79.4% irrespective of the staining procedures or evaluation criteria used. Participation in the Belgian EQA is on voluntary basis. Both, participation and implementation of the correct techniques should be made mandatory for accreditation and benefit of patient treatment. The existing Belgian EQA program should now be harmonized with other existing EQA schemes in Europe.
Left Bundle Branch Block and Complete Heart Block Complicating Inferior Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Gruber Jillian S. , Stair Brad , Aktas Mehmet , Bravo‐Jaimes Katia
Published: July 2016

Left bundle branch block following inferior myocardial infarction remains uncommon and scarcely reported in the literature. We describe a rare presentation of a 58‐year‐old male patient who developed left bundle branch block and third degree atrioventricular block after inferior myocardial infarction requiring permanent pacemaker placement. Pathophysiology, impact on mortality, and management options are discussed.
Positioning newborns on their back or right side for umbilical venous catheter insertion
Authors: Kieran Emily A. , Laffan Eoghan E. , O'Donnell Colm P.F.
Published: July 2016

Aim

Newborns are placed supine for umbilical venous catheter insertion, and catheter tip position is confirmed with X‐ray. Umbilical venous catheters are considered correctly positioned when the tip is in the inferior vena cava; however, frequently, the catheter tip enters the portal venous circulation. We wished to determine whether placing infants on their right side, rather than on the back, for umbilical venous catheter insertion results in more correctly placed catheters.

Methods

Newborns were randomised to be placed on their back, or turned onto their right side for catheter insertion. Primary outcome was correct catheter tip position on X‐ray (visible in the midline at diaphragm level).

Results

Umbilical venous catheter insertion was successful in all infants enrolled. There was no difference in the proportion of correctly positioned catheters between the groups [back 23/44 (52%) versus right side 27/44 (61%), p = 0.389]. More infants randomised to back had the catheter tip in the portal circulation [back 13/44 (30%) versus right side 5/44 (11%), p = 0.034].

Conclusion

Positioning newborn infants on their right side did not result in more correctly placed umbilical venous catheters. The procedure was well tolerated and reduced the rate of tip insertion into the portal venous circulation.
Modulation of chromatin function through linker histone H1 variants
Authors: Kowalski Andrzej , Pałyga Jan
Published: July 2016

In this review, the structural aspects of linker H1 histones are presented as a background for characterization of the factors influencing their function in animal and human chromatin. The action of H1 histone variants is largely determined by dynamic alterations of their intrinsically disordered tail domains, posttranslational modifications and allelic diversification. The interdependent effects of these factors can establish dynamic histone H1 states that may affect the organization and function of chromatin regions.
Frequency of occurrence of specific reading disorder and associated psychiatric comorbidity in a sample of Egyptian primary school students
Authors: El Sheikh Mona M. , El Missiry Marwa A. , Hatata Hisham A. , Sabry Walaa M. , El Fiky Abdul Aala A. , Essawi Heba I.
Published: July 2016

Background

Specific reading disorder (dyslexia) is common in primary school students. Data on prevalence rates in Egypt are needed along with better screening tools to guide future research. We aimed to estimate the frequency of dyslexia in a sample of fourth and fifth graders.

Method

A cross‐sectional study was conducted in Eastern Cairo through multistage random selection of students from three governmental primary schools. A total of 586 students were recruited. Only 567 students fulfilled the inclusion criteria; they were subjected to screening by Goodenough Draw‐a‐Man test for intellectual quotient (IQ), the Reading Disability Test of Nasra Gilgil (RDT) to identify dyslexic children, Wechsler Children Intelligence Scale for thorough detection of IQ, and the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K‐SADS‐PL) to detect psychiatric comorbidity.

Results

The frequency of occurrence of specific reading disorder (dyslexia) was 11.3% among the studied sample of Egyptian primary school students. The gender ratio was nearly 1.3:1 boys to girls. Comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders was found in 57.8% of the sample. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was present in 33%, generalized anxiety disorder in 21.6%, and major depressive disorder in 16.2% of patients.

Conclusion

Dyslexia was prevalent in fourth and fifth graders. A meaningful presence of ADHD, anxiety, and depressed mood was detected in students. There is a need for better screening and awareness for early intervention and service provision. The cross‐sectional design, lack of collateral information, and records precluded inference of casualty. The lack of rural comparator and samples from other governorates limit generalization of results.
Quantitative assessment of chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neurotoxicity using a point‐of‐care nerve conduction device
Authors: Matsuoka Ayumu , Mitsuma Ayako , Maeda Osamu , Kajiyama Hiroaki , Kiyoi Hitoshi , Kodera Yasuhiro , Nagino Masato , Goto Hidemi , Ando Yuichi
Published: July 2016

Chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) seriously impairs patients’ quality of life cumulatively and dose‐dependently. Because assessment of CIPN usually depends on patients’ subjective evaluation of symptoms, objective and quantitative measures are needed. We evaluated a point‐of‐care nerve conduction device (POCD), previously validated for the assessment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitude and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) of the sural nerve were measured using a portable, automated POCD (DPNCheck; NeuroMetrix Inc., Waltham, MA, USA) in patients with a clinical diagnosis of CIPN of grade 1 or higher. We compared SNAP and SNCV among patients with different grades of CIPN according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. A total of 50 patients (22 men, 28 women; median age, 64 years; grade 1/2/3, 21/18/11) were evaluated. Anticancer drugs responsible for CIPN were cisplatin in five patients, oxaliplatin in 15, carboplatin in 5, paclitaxel in 16, docetaxel in 14, nab‐paclitaxel in 7, vincristine in 6, and bortezomib in 3. Unadjusted SNAP was 8.45 ± 3.67 μV (mean ± SD) in patients with grade 1 CIPN, 5.42 ± 2.68 μV with grade 2, and 2.45 ± 1.52 μV with grade 3. Unadjusted SNCV was 49.71 ± 4.77 m/s in patients with grade 1 CIPN, 48.78 ± 6.33 m/s with grade 2, and 44.14 ± 7.31 m/s with grade 3. The adjusted SNAP after controlling for age significantly differed between each CTCAE grade (P < 0.001, ancova). The adjusted SNCV after controlling for age and height also differed significantly (P = 0.027). Differences in the severity of CIPN could be detected objectively and quantitatively using this POCD.
Acute cellular rejection and HLA mismatch in heart transplantation: insights from a developing country
Authors: Schtruk Lígia Beatriz Chaves Espinoso , Guimarães Tereza Cristina Fellipe , Pôrto Luis Cristóvão , Kuschnir Maria Cristina Caetano , Colafranceschi Alexandre Siciliano , Filho Paulo Moreira da Silva , De Lorenzo Andrea
Published: July 2016

The notable evolution of heart transplant (HTX) has paralleled the capacity of diagnosing rejection and, consequently, initiating timely treatment. Acute cellular rejection, diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy, is the most frequent in the first 6 months after HTX. HLA matching is not routinely performed in HTX due to the absence of consensus regarding its usefulness. However, the use of HLA typing might be underscored if it could predict an increased risk of rejection. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate, at a public cardiology center in Brazil, the association between HLA mismatches and the incidence of acute cellular rejection in the first 6 months after HTX. Data were obtained from hospital records and from the National Transplant System. Overall, there was no association between the number of HLA mismatches and the frequency of acute cellular rejection, but there was a tendency toward a higher incidence of rejection with HLA‐DR incompatibility.
Hepatic abscess: a rare complication after liver transplant
Authors: Kornasiewicz Oskar , Hołówko Wacław , Grąt Michał , Gorski Zuzanna , Dudek Krzysztof , Raszeja‐Wyszomirska Joanna , Krawczyk Marek
Published: July 2016

Background

This study was conducted to evaluate the predisposing factors, microbiology, treatment, and outcomes associated with hepatic abscess, a rare but serious complication which may accur after an orthotopic liver transplant (OLT).

Methods

This was a retrospective study based on a prospectively maintained database of 1100 patients who underwent OLT at the Medical University of Warsaw. An abscess was defined on imaging as solitary or multiple localized parenchymal collections in patients with clinical signs of infection, with or without positive cultures from blood or abscess aspirate.

Results

Fifteen patients (1.4%) developed hepatic abscess, including 12 (80%) with multiple abscesses. Predisposing factors included biliary pathology (eight patients), hepaticojejunostomy (six patients), and hepatic artery stenosis or thrombosis (five patients). Ten patients were treated using multiple percutaneous and endoscopic interventional procedures in addition to antimicrobial treatment whereas five were treated solely with antibiotics. Five patients (33.3%) died due to multi‐organ failure secondary to abscess treatment, including one unsuccessful case of re‐OLT. Thirteen patients (87%) had bacterial growth and five (33.3%) had fungal growth in their blood or abscess aspirates.

Conclusions

Hepatic abscess after liver transplantation may be treated successfully with percutaneous and endoscopic intervention, along with antibiotics according to the results of microbial cultures of blood and/or abscess aspirates.
Ocean acidification influences hostDNAmethylation and phenotypic plasticity in environmentally susceptible corals
Authors: Putnam Hollie M. , Davidson Jennifer M. , Gates Ruth D.
Published: July 2016

As climate change challenges organismal fitness by creating a phenotype–environment mismatch, phenotypic plasticity generated by epigenetic mechanisms (e.g.,DNAmethylation) can provide a temporal buffer for genetic adaptation. Epigenetic mechanisms may be crucial for sessile benthic marine organisms, such as reef‐building corals, where ocean acidification (OA) and warming reflect in strong negative responses. We tested the potential for scleractinian corals to exhibit phenotypic plasticity associated with a change inDNAmethylation in response toOA. Clonal coral fragments of the environmentally sensitivePocillopora damicornisand more environmentally robustMontipora capitatawere exposed to fluctuating ambient pH(7.9–7.65) and low pH(7.6–7.35) conditions in common garden tanks for ~6 weeks.M. capitataresponded weakly, or acclimated more quickly, toOA, with no difference in calcification, minimal separation of metabolomic profiles, and no change inDNAmethylation between treatments. Conversely,P. damicornisexhibited diminished calcification at low pH, stronger separation in metabolomic profiles, and responsiveness ofDNAmethylation to treatment. Our data suggest corals differ in their temporal dynamics and sensitivity for environmentally triggered real‐time epigenetic reprogramming. The generation of potentially heritable plasticity via environmental induction ofDNAmethylation provides an avenue for assisted evolution applications in corals under rapid climate change.
Balanced harvesting can emerge from fishing decisions by individual fishers in a small‐scale fishery
Authors: Plank Michael J , Kolding Jeppe , Law Richard , Gerritsen Hans D , Reid David
Published: July 2016

Catching fish in proportion to their productivity, termed balanced harvesting, has been suggested as a basis for the ecosystem approach to fishing. Balanced harvesting has been criticized as uneconomical and unachievable because of the level of micromanagement it would require. Here, we investigate the consequences of allowing a fixed number of fishers in a small‐scale fishery to choose what size fish to attempt to catch. We examine this from a game‐theoretic perspective and test our predictions using an agent‐based model for fishers’ decisions coupled with a size‐spectrum model for the dynamics of a single fish species. We show that small‐scale gillnet fishers, operating without size‐based regulations, would end up catching small and large fish in proportion to their productivity, in other words balanced harvesting. This is significant because it shows that, far from being unachievable, balanced harvesting can emerge without external intervention under some circumstances. Controls are needed to prevent overfishing, but minimum size regulations alone are not sufficient to achieve this, and actually reduce the sustainable yield by confining fishing to a relatively unproductive part of the size‐spectrum. Our findings are particularly relevant for small‐scale fisheries in areas where there is poverty and malnutrition because here provision of biomass for food is more important than the market value of the catch.
Taking Brief Strategic Family Therapy from Bench to Trench: Evidence Generation Across Translational Phases
Authors: Horigian Viviana E. , Anderson Austen R. , Szapocznik José
Published: July 2016

In this article, we review the research evidence generated over 40 years on Brief Strategic Family Therapy illustrating theNIHstages of intervention development and highlighting the translational process. Basic research (Stage 0) led to the discovery of the characteristics of the population and the nature of the problems that needed to be addressed. This step informed the selection of an intervention model that addressed the problems presented by the population, but in a fashion that was congruent with the population's culture, defined in terms of its value orientations. From this basic research, an intervention that integrated structural and strategic elements was selected and refined through testing (Stage I). The second stage of translation (StageII) included efficacy trials of a specialized engagement module that responded to challenges to the provision of services. It also included several other efficacy trials that documented the effects of the intervention, mostly in research settings or with research therapists. StagesIII/IVin the translational process led to the testing of the effectiveness of the intervention in real‐world settings with community therapists and some oversight from the developer. This work revealed that an implementation/organizational intervention was required to achieve fidelity and sustainability of the intervention in real‐world settings. The work is currently in Stage V in which new model development led to an implementation intervention that can ensure fidelity and sustainability. Future research will evaluate the effectiveness of the current implementation model in increasing adoption, fidelity, and long‐term sustainability in real‐world settings.
The Impact of Cross‐Listing on the Home Market's Information Environment and Stock Price Efficiency
Authors: Dodd Olga , Gilbert Aaron
Published: July 2016

We empirically examine changes in information asymmetry and informational efficiency of cross‐listed stocks in their home market around a cross‐listing in the United States. We estimate intraday market microstructure measures of information asymmetry and price efficiency, and find that a U.S. cross‐listing significantly improves the quality of a firm's information environment and stock price efficiency in the home market. This improvement is stronger for cross‐listings that take place after the adoption of Sarbanes‐Oxley Act. Our results demonstrate that stricter disclosure from a U.S. cross‐listing is beneficial, in line with the legal and reputational bonding hypotheses.
Gender Quotas and Human Capital Formation: A Relative Deprivation Approach
Authors: Hyll Walter
Published: July 2016

We study a quota’s effect on individual human capital investment incentives beyond merely altering individual’s overall probability of being promoted. We assume that individuals sense relative deprivation from unfavorable (income) comparisons within their reference group and that comparisons take place within the same gender. The introduction of a female quota increases (decreases) the number of women (men) holding top positions. On one hand, the relative deprivation to which female individuals are subjected to increases. These female individuals respond to an increase in their relative deprivation by acquiring additional human capital which, because it enables them to increase their earnings, reduces their relative deprivation. On the other hand, male individuals invest less in human capital in response to a decrease in relative deprivation. We show that the human capital formed by women who are encouraged to do so by the quotas is larger than the human capital that men who are discouraged by the quotas refrain from forming. However, the positive human capital accumulation effect hinges on a certain level of ability by gender and on how much individuals perceive relative deprivation.
Tillage effects, soil quality and production potential of kikuyu–ryegrass pastures in South Africa
Authors: Swanepoel P. A. , Habig J. , du Preez C. C. , Snyman H. A. , Botha P. R.
Published: July 2016

Soil quality of tillage systems receives much attention worldwide, although few studies attempt to link soil quality to yield. Partial least‐squares regression analysis is a suitable method to construct predictive models around plural, highly collinear factors, such as soil quality and its effects on yield. This study aimed at identifying the soil quality properties which best model pasture herbage yield by relating soil quality indicators with variations in yield as a result of soil disturbance caused by tillage. The study was conducted on kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) over‐sown with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) using different tillage methods. Tillage methods involved over‐sowing kikuyu with ryegrass using a minimum‐tillage seed drill, eradication of kikuyu with herbicide and ryegrass sown with a minimum‐tillage planter, shallow and deep disturbance, and a control. Most changes in soil quality indicators as a result of soil tillage were observed shortly after tillage and occurred mostly at the 0–100 mm soil layer. Few of these effects were still visible 420 d after tillage. Microbiological indicators changed most in response to the treatments, but unlike the chemical and physical indicators, microbiological indicators have no causal link to pasture production. The contribution of individual soil quality indicators to variance in pasture productivity could not be isolated and should thus be seen as complex processes which affect yield. Although mechanisms of how some soil quality indicators affect yield is clear, more research is required to determine mechanisms of how a combination of multiple soil quality indicators affects yield.
Association between migraine and risk of venous thromboembolism: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Peng Kuan‐Po , Chen Yung‐Tai , Fuh Jong‐Ling , Tang Chao‐Hsiun , Wang Shuu‐Jiun
Published: July 2016

Background.—The link between arterial thromboembolism and migraine is well‐documented; however, few studies investigated the link between venous thromboembolism (VTE) and migraine. We aimed to evaluate the association between migraine and VTE and to examine whether demographics or comorbid risk factors modulate VTE development.

Methods.—We conducted a cohort study accessing a nationwide claims‐based database with an adult cohort of 102,159 neurologist‐diagnosed migraine patients, and 102,159 nonheadache comparison subjects, matched on sex and propensity score for the diagnosis of migraine. Both cohorts were followed until the end of 2010, death, or VTE development. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated based on Cox proportional hazards regression analyses and compared between the two groups.

Results.—During a mean follow‐up period of 4.2 years, VTE developed in 226 patients (460,047 person‐years) in the migraine cohort and in 203 subjects (462,401 person‐years) in the comparison cohort. Overall, likelihood of VTE for the migraine cohort did not differ from that in the comparison cohort (aHR 1.12; 95% CI, 0.92–1.35; P = .251). However, subgroup analysis by migraine subtypes (P = .004 for interaction) revealed an elevated risk of VTE in patients with migraine with aura (aHR 2.42; 95% CI, 1.40–4.19; P = .002), but not in those with migraine without aura. The association was not altered in subsequent subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions Risk of VTE development is elevated specifically in patients diagnosed with migraine with aura. This association suggests a linked disease mechanism and warrants further exploration.
Responding to N.T. Wright's Rejection of the Soul
Authors: Rickabaugh Brandon L.
Published: July 2016

At a 2011 meeting of the Society of Christian Philosophers, N. T. Wright offered four reasons for rejecting the existence of soul. This was surprising, as many Christian philosophers had previously taken Wright's defense of a disembodied intermediate state as a defense of a substance dualist view of the soul. In this paper, I offer responses to each of Wright's objections, demonstrating that Wright's arguments fail to undermine substance dualism. In so doing, I expose how popular arguments against dualism fail, such as (1) dualism is merely an unwarranted influence of Greek culture on Christianity, and (2) substance dualism is merely a soul‐of‐the‐gaps hypothesis. Moreover, I demonstrate that Wright himself has offered a powerful reason for adopting substance dualism in his previous works. In conclusion I offer a view that explains why the human soul needs a resurrected body.
Distributive Politics, Electoral Institutions and European Structural and Investment Funding: Evidence from Italy and France
Authors: Dellmuth Lisa Maria , Schraff Dominik , Stoffel Michael F.
Published: July 2016

Extensive research suggests that political factors bias the domestic allocation of the European Structural and Investment Funds (SIF) in ways that may not be in line with EU goals. This article offers the first systematic and comparative analysis of the role of electoral institutions in shaping county‐level allocations of SIF. Drawing on theories of distributive politics and federalism, this article argues that electoral institutions provide politicians in the executive branch of national government with incentives to use at least a part of the SIF to buy votes in NUTS 3‐level counties, whereby vote‐buying is more common under majority voting than under proportional representation. The results of a statistical analysis of SIF allocations across 202 Italian and French NUTS 3‐level counties during 2007–13 confirm this argument. The article concludes by discussing the findings and their implications for future research on EU budgetary implementation and cohesion policy.
Short message service as an alternative in the drug consumption evaluation of persons with tuberculosis in Malang, Indonesia
Authors: Kumboyono
Published: July 2016

Aim

Short message service (SMS) is an applied technology of communication that enables the transfer of information and can be used as a part of medical efforts to motivate clients to improve their behavior regarding drug consumption. This study attempts to observe the differences in patients’ behavior as a result of either using SMS to motivate their drug consumption or by using only health providers and outreach workers to monitor them.

Methods

This study used a post‐test‐only controlled‐group design with a simple random sampling technique and was held in Malang, Indonesia. The sample in this study consisted of 45 patients with tuberculosis (TB) who received motivating SMS messages and 45 patients with only health providers and outreach workers to monitor them.

Results

Fisher's Exact test using a 95% confidence interval showed that the result of this study had a P‐value of 0.059, which means that there was no difference in compliance with drug consumption between the patients who received SMS messages and the patients who were under the supervision of health providers and outreach workers.

Conclusion

It is highly recommended that the application of SMS be included in TB treatment and the evaluation of patients as an alternative method of controlling patients’ compliance with consuming anti‐TB drugs at home.
Genotype differences in anxiety and fear learning and memory of WT and ApoE4 mice associated with enhanced generation of hippocampal reactive oxygen species
Authors: Villasana Laura E. , Weber Sydney , Akinyeke Tunde , Raber Jacob
Published: July 2016

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), involved in cholesterol and lipid metabolism, also influences cognitive function and injury repair. In humans, apoE is expressed in three isoforms. E4 is a risk factor for age‐related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease, particularly in women. E4 might also be a risk factor for developing behavioral and cognitive changes following 56Fe irradiation, a component of the space environment astronauts are exposed to during missions. These changes might be related to enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we compared the behavioral and cognitive performance of sham‐irradiated and irradiated wild‐type (WT) mice and mice expressing the human E3 or E4 isoforms, and assessed the generation of ROS in hippocampal slices from these mice. E4 mice had greater anxiety‐like and conditioned fear behaviors than WT mice, and these genotype differences were associated with greater levels of ROS in E4 than WT mice. The greater generation of ROS in the hippocampus of E4 than WT mice might contribute to their higher anxiety levels and enhanced fear conditioning. In E4, but not WT, mice, phorbol‐12‐myristate‐13‐acetate‐treated hippocampal slices showed more dihydroxy ethidium oxidation in sham‐irradiated than irradiated mice and hippocampal heme oxygenase‐1 levels were higher in irradiated than sham‐irradiated E4 mice.

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Mice with apolipoprotein E4 (E4), a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, have greater anxiety‐like and conditioned fear behaviors than wild‐type (WT) mice. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS, in red) 3 months following 56Fe irradiation, a component of the space environment astronauts are exposed to, is more pronounced in the hippocampus of E4 than WT mice. In E4, but not WT, mice, hippocampal levels of the oxidative stress‐relevant marker heme oxygenase‐1 are higher in irradiated than sham‐irradiated E4 mice.
Antifungal Activity of Rhein and Aloe‐Emodin from Rheum palmatum on Fish Pathogenic Saprolegnia sp.
Authors: Yao Jia‐Yun , Lin Ling‐Yun , Yuan Xue‐Mei , Ying Wen‐Lin , Xu Yang , Pan Xiao‐Yi , Hao Gui‐Jie , Shen Jin‐Yu , Wu Jin‐Chun , Ye Ting , Ge Pei‐Hong
Published: July 2016

Saprolegnia infections cause severe economic losses among freshwater fish farming. In this study, two known compounds, rhein and aloe‐emodin, were isolated from Rheum palmatum, and the in vitro inhibitory activity of both compounds against mycelial growth and spore germination of Saprolegnia was tested. Both rhein and aloe‐emodin were able to decrease Saprolegnia mycelial growth and spore activity in all tested concentrations after exposure for 48 h. Complete inhibition of mycelial growth was observed at 20 mg/L for rhein and at 50 mg/L for aloe‐emodin, while spore germination was 100% prevented at 16 and 40 mg/L for rhein and aloe‐emodin, respectively. Because rhein showed stronger in vitro anti‐Saprolegnia activity, it was further tested in vivo to measure the prevention and treatment efficacy on Saprolegnia infection of grass carp. Its acute activity to grass carp was also evaluated. The results revealed that exposure to rhein at 20 mg/L for 7 d could prevent 93.3% of infections by Saprolegnia in abraded grass carp, while 67.7% of infected fish could be recovered by treatment with rhein. The 48‐h median lethal concentration (48 h‐LC50) to grass carp was 148.5 mg/L, which is about 7.4 times the effective dose indicating the safety for the use of rhein. This study suggests that rhein has promising anti‐Saprolegnia activity and may be an option in preventing and controlling Saprolegnia infection.