bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
More or less likely to offend? Young adults with a history of identified developmental language disorders*
Authors: Winstanley Maxine , Webb Roger T. , Conti‐Ramsden Gina
Published: November 2017

Background

There is now substantial literature demonstrating that a disproportionate number of young people who come into contact with youth justice services evidence unidentified language difficulties. These young people, therefore, have received little or no professional input in this area. Conversely, there is a dearth of research pertaining to criminality outcomes among those individuals with identified developmental language disorders (DLD) who have received such interventions.

Aims

To examine police‐initiated contact and substance use outcomes of young adults with a history of identified DLD versus age‐matched peers (AMP). Additionally, self‐reported rule breaking behaviours and aggression are considered. We hypothesize that early identification/intervention reduces engagement with risky behaviour such as substance and alcohol use as well as offending‐related behaviours.

Methods & Procedures

Adversarial police‐initiated contacts were examined in 84 young adults with a history of DLD and 88 AMP. Rule‐breaking and aggression were evaluated using the Achenbach Adult Self‐Report for ages 18–59 years.

Outcomes & Results

Adults with a history of DLD who received targeted intervention during their school years reported less contact with their local police service compared with AMPs at age 24. Comparable proportions of both groups reported current alcohol consumption, but group differences were found relating to alcohol use. No group differences in rule‐breaking behaviours were found, but the DLD group was found to have a statistically significant higher raw score on the aggressive behaviour scale.

Conclusions & Implications

There is a need for early identification of children with DLD. Early intervention aimed at ameliorating such difficulties could possibly have distal outcomes in relation to offending.
Spoken sentence production in college students with dyslexia: working memory and vocabulary effects
Authors: Wiseheart Rebecca , Altmann Lori J. P.
Published: November 2017

Background

Individuals with dyslexia demonstrate syntactic difficulties on tasks of language comprehension, yet little is known about spoken language production in this population.

Aims

To investigate whether spoken sentence production in college students with dyslexia is less proficient than in typical readers, and to determine whether group differences can be attributable to cognitive differences between groups.

Methods & Procedures

Fifty‐one college students with and without dyslexia were asked to produce sentences from stimuli comprising a verb and two nouns. Verb types varied in argument structure and morphological form and nouns varied in animacy. Outcome measures were precision (measured by fluency, grammaticality and completeness) and efficiency (measured by response times). Vocabulary and working memory tests were also administered and used as predictors of sentence production performance.

Outcomes & Results

Relative to non‐dyslexic peers, students with dyslexia responded significantly slower and produced sentences that were significantly less precise in terms of fluency, grammaticality and completeness. The primary predictors of precision and efficiency were working memory, which differed between groups, and vocabulary, which did not.

Conclusions & Implications

College students with dyslexia were significantly less facile and flexible on this spoken sentence‐production task than typical readers, which is consistent with previous studies of school‐age children with dyslexia. Group differences in performance were traced primarily to limited working memory, and were somewhat mitigated by strong vocabulary.
Comparison of animal, action and phonemic fluency in aphasia
Authors: Faroqi‐Shah Yasmeen , Milman Lisa
Published: November 2017

Background

The ability to generate words that follow certain constraints, or verbal fluency, is a sensitive indicator of neurocognitive impairment, and is impacted by a variety of variables.

Aims

To investigate the effect of post‐stroke aphasia, elicitation category and linguistic variables on verbal fluency performance.

Methods & Procedures

Twenty‐eight persons with aphasia (PWA) with a single left‐hemisphere lesion and 40 age‐matched neurotypical community‐dwelling adults were administered three verbal fluency tasks: two semantic (animals and actions) and one phonemic (the letters F, A and S). Data analysis included comparison of total scores, clusters and perseverations. Individual responses were coded for frequency of occurrence, age of acquisition and syllable length to investigate qualitative differences in word generation.

Outcomes & Results

PWA performed worse than neurotypical participants across all verbal fluency tasks, and animal fluency scores were farthest from neurotypical performance. PWAs’ animal and action fluency were correlated with other language measures, while phonemic fluency was uncorrelated with language measures. While some PWAs showed dissociations between verbal fluency tasks, the dissociations did not pattern along with aphasia fluency. PWAs produced fewer clusters and responses with higher word frequency across all three verbal fluency tasks. Responses had earlier age of acquisition and shorter word length for animal and phonemic fluency, but not action fluency.

Conclusions & Implications

Verbal fluency, particularly animal fluency, is sensitive to even mild aphasia. PWA produced lexically simpler responses than their neurotypical peers. This study identifies the relevance of qualitative analysis of verbal fluency responses.
Struggle and failure on clinical placement: a critical narrative review
Authors: Davenport Rachel , Hewat Sally , Ferguson Alison , McAllister Sue , Lincoln Michelle
Published: November 2017

Background

Clinical placements are crucial to the development of skills and competencies in speech–language pathology (SLP) education and, more generally, a requirement of all health professional training programmes. Literature from medical education provides a context for understanding how the environment can be vital to all students’ learning. Given the increasing costs of education and demands on health services, students who struggle or fail on clinical placement place an additional burden on educators. Therefore, if more is known or understood about these students and their experience in relation to the clinical learning environment, appropriate strategies and support can be provided to reduce the burden. However, this literature does not specifically explore marginal or failing students and their experience.

Aims

To review existing research that has explored failing and struggling health professional students undertaking clinical placements and, in particular, SLP students.

Methods & Procedures

A critical narrative review was undertaken. Three electronic databases, ProQuest, CINAHL and OVID (Medline 1948–), were searched for papers exploring marginal and failing students in clinical placement contexts across all health professions, published between 1988 and 2017. Data were extracted and examined to determine the breadth of the existing research, and publications were critically appraised and major research themes identified.

Main Contribution

Sixty‐nine papers were included in the review. The majority came from medicine and nursing in the United States and United Kingdom, with other allied health disciplines less well represented. The review identified key themes with the majority of papers focused on identification of at risk students and support and remediation. The review also highlighted the absence of literature relating to the student voice and in the allied health professions.

Conclusions & Implications

This review highlighted the limited research related to failing/struggling student learning in clinical contexts, and only a handful of papers have specifically addressed marginal or failing students in allied health professions. The complexity of interrelated factors in this field has been highlighted in this review. Further research needs to include the student's voice to develop greater understanding and insights of struggle and failure in clinical contexts.
Interrogating marine virus‐host interactions and elemental transfer with BONCAT and nanoSIMS‐based methods
Authors: Pasulka Alexis L. , Thamatrakoln Kimberlee , Kopf Sebastian H. , Guan Yunbin , Poulos Bonnie , Moradian Annie , Sweredoski Michael J. , Hess Sonja , Sullivan Mathew B. , Bidle Kay D. , Orphan Victoria J.
Published: November 2017

While the collective impact of marine viruses has become more apparent over the last decade, a deeper understanding of virus‐host dynamics and the role of viruses in nutrient cycling would benefit from direct observations at the single‐virus level. We describe two new complementary approaches – stable isotope probing coupled with nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS) and fluorescence‐based biorthogonal non‐canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) – for studying the activity and biogeochemical influence of marine viruses. These tools were developed and tested using several ecologically relevant model systems (Emiliania huxleyi/EhV207, Synechococcus sp. WH8101/Syn1 and Escherichia coli/T7). By resolving carbon and nitrogen enrichment in viral particles, we demonstrate the power of nanoSIMS tracer experiments in obtaining quantitative estimates for the total number of viruses produced directly from a particular production pathway (by isotopically labelling host substrates). Additionally, we show through laboratory experiments and a pilot field study that BONCAT can be used to directly quantify viral production (via epifluorescence microscopy) with minor sample manipulation and no dependency on conversion factors. This technique can also be used to detect newly synthesized viral proteins. Together these tools will help fill critical gaps in our understanding of the biogeochemical impact of viruses in the ocean.
Identification of Syntrophobacteraceae as major acetate‐degrading sulfate reducing bacteria in Italian paddy soil
Authors: Liu Pengfei , Pommerenke Bianca , Conrad Ralf
Published: November 2017

Methane is an important greenhouse gas and acetate is the most important intermediate (average 70%) of the carbon flow to CH4 in paddy fields. Sulfate (e.g., gypsum) application can reduce CH4 emissions up to 70%. However, the effect of gypsum application on acetate degradation and the microbial communities involved are unclear. Therefore, we studied acetate‐dependent sulfate reduction in anoxic microcosms of Italian rice paddy soil, combining profiling of 16S rRNA and dissimilatory sulfite reductase (dsrB) genes and transcripts and rRNA based stable isotope probing (SIP) analysis. Methane production was completely inhibited by gypsum in the absence of exogenous acetate. Amended acetate (either 13C labelled or non‐labelled) was stoichiometrically coupled to sulfate reduction or CH4 production. With methyl fluoride in the presence of sulfate, added propionate and butyrate were incompletely oxidized to acetate, which transiently accumulated. After the depletion of propionate and butyrate the accumulated acetate was rapidly consumed. The relative abundance of dsrB and 16S rRNA genes and transcripts from Syntrophobacteraceae (Desulfovirga spp., Syntrophobacter spp. and unclassified Syntrophobacteraceae) increased upon addition of gypsum and acetate. Simultaneously, Syntrophobacteraceae affiliated species were significantly labelled with 13C. In addition, minor groups like Desulforhabdus spp., Desulfobacca spp. and Desulfotomaculum spp. substantially incorporated 13C into their nucleic acids. The relative abundance of Desulfovibrio spp. slightly increased upon gypsum amendments. However, 13C labelling of Desulfovibrio spp. was only moderate. In summary, Syntrophobacteraceae affiliated species were identified as the major acetotrophic sulfate reducers (SRB) in Italian paddy soil. The identification of these SRB as dominant acetate degraders well explained the scenarios of competition between SRB and acetoclastic methanogens as observed in rice paddy soil.
Farmers’ Preferences For Bluetongue Vaccination Scheme Attributes: An Integrated Choice and Latent Variable Approach
Authors: Sok Jaap , van der Lans Ivo A. , Hogeveen Henk , Elbers Armin R. W. , Oude Lansink Alfons G. J. M.
Published: November 2017

Re‐emergence of the bluetongue disease in Europe poses a continuous threat to European livestock production. Large‐scale vaccination is the most effective intervention to control virus spread. Compared to command‐and‐control approaches, voluntary vaccination approaches can be effective at lower costs, provided that farmers are willing to participate. We use a discrete choice experiment to estimate the preferences for vaccination scheme attributes, accounting for preference heterogeneity via an integrated choice and latent variable approach. In designing livestock disease control schemes, it is often argued that governments should use financial, incentive‐based policy instruments to compensate farmers for externalities, assuming they act in rational self‐interest. Our results suggest that in addition to economic motives, farmers can have intrinsic or social motives to invest in livestock disease control. Implications for the effectiveness of providing subsidy or information to motivate voluntary participation are discussed.
Mechanical colon cleansing for screening colonoscopy: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ayub Kamran , Ketwaroo Gyanprakash , Abudayyeh Suhaib , Ibrahim Abeer , Cole Rhonda A , Brumfield‐Brown Rosetta , Qureshi Waqar A , Rabeneck Linda , Graham David Y
Published: November 2017

OBJECTIVE

Effective screening colonoscopy depends on the quality of colon preparation. This study aimed to compare pulsed irrigation evacuation (PIE), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sodium phosphate colon preparations.

METHODS

Outpatients at a VA hospital were randomized using sealed envelopes. Preparations consisted of polyethylene glycol 4L, Fleet sodium phosphate 90 mL with four to six glasses water twice daily and 296 mL of magnesium citrate in the evening with PIE prior to colonoscopy. Colon cleansing was assessed blindly using a five‐point scale: 0 (very poor) to 4 (excellent).

RESULTS

Altogether 391 patients participated in the study (129 in the PEG group, 127 in the sodium phosphate and 135 in the PIE group), with a mean age of 62 years, of whom 75% were men. PIE and sodium phosphate were superior to PEG: median cleansing scored 4 (excellent) versus 3 with PEG (P < 0.01). Inadequate preparations were more common with PEG than PIE (18% vs 5%) (P < 0.01). Side‐effects included vomiting: 37% in the sodium phosphate group versus 5% in the PEG and 2% in the PIE groups (P < 0.01). The three preparations were judged intolerable in ≤ 5%.

CONCLUSIONS

PIE and sodium phosphate are superior to PEG for colon preparations. PIE is the preferred preparation for those at high risk of unsatisfactory preparations or with unsatisfactory traditional preparations.
Multiple ABC glucoside transporters mediate sugar‐stimulated growth in the heterocyst‐forming cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120
Authors: Nieves‐Morión Mercedes , Flores Enrique
Published: November 2017

Cyanobacteria are generally capable of photoautotrophic growth and are widely distributed on Earth. The model filamentous, heterocyst‐forming strain Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 has long been considered as a strict photoautotroph but is now known to be able to assimilate fructose. We have previously described two components of ABC glucoside uptake transporters from Anabaena that are involved in uptake of the sucrose analog esculin: GlsC [a nucleotide‐binding domain subunit (NBD)] and GlsP [a transmembrane component (TMD)]. Here, we created Anabaena mutants of genes encoding three further ABC transporter components needed for esculin uptake: GlsD (NBD), GlsQ (TMD) and GlsR (periplasmic substrate‐binding protein). Phototrophic growth of Anabaena was significantly stimulated by sucrose, fructose and glucose. Whereas the glsC and glsD mutants were drastically hampered in sucrose‐stimulated growth, the different gls mutants were generally impaired in sugar‐dependent growth. Our results suggest the participation of Gls and other ABC transporters encoded in the Anabaena genome in sugar‐stimulated growth. Additionally, Gls transporter components influence the function of septal junctions in the Anabaena filament. We suggest that mixotrophic growth is important in cyanobacterial physiology and may be relevant for the wide success of these organisms in diverse environments.
p100 functions as a metastasis activator and is targeted by tumor suppressing microRNA‐320a in lung cancer
Authors: Xing Aimin , Pan Li , Gao Jingzhen
Published: November 2017

Background

Lung cancer is among the most frequently diagnosed types of cancer worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality. Metastasis accounts for the deadliest and most poorly understood feature of lung cancer. Herein, we demonstrate that SND1 (also known as p100) acts as a candidate metastasis activator and is targeted by microRNA‐320a (miR‐320a) in lung cancer cells.

Methods

p100 expression in lung cancer cell lines and tissues was determined by quantitative real time‐PCR and Western blot. RNA interference was applied to investigate the functions of p100 in lung cancer cell migration, reflected by wound healing and transwell assays. Luciferase reporter assay, quantitative real time‐PCR, and Western blot were finally used to examine miR‐320a targeting of p100 in lung cancer cells.

Results

p100 expression was significantly higher in lung cancer cell lines and tissues compared to normal human bronchial epithelial cells and matched normal lung tissues. Downregulation of p100 by RNA interference obviously inhibited lung cancer cell migration in vitro. Moreover, we validated p100 as a direct target of miR‐320a, a tumor suppressing microRNA repressing lung cancer cell migration. Finally, we showed an inversely expressed correlation between p100 and miR‐320a in tested lung cancer tissues and cell lines, both of which acted as important prognostic factors in lung cancer.

Conclusion

Our findings identify that p100, targeted by tumor suppressing miR‐320a, is a key metastasis activator in lung cancer, and both p100 and miR‐320a could be considered as biomarkers for prognosis of lung cancer patients.
A Randomized Double Blind Trial of Needle‐free Injected Lidocaine Versus Topical Anesthesia for Infant Lumbar Puncture
Authors: Caltagirone Ryan , Raghavan Vidya R. , Adelgais Kathleen , Roosevelt Genie E.
Published: November 2017

Objectives

Lumbar punctures (LPs) are commonly performed in febrile infants to evaluate for meningitis, and local anesthesia increases the likelihood of LP success. Traditional methods of local anesthesia require injection that may be painful or topical application that is not effective immediately. Recent advances in needle‐free jet injection may offer a rapid alternative to these modalities. We compared a needle‐free jet‐injection system (J‐Tip) with 1% buffered lidocaine to topical anesthetic (TA) cream for local anesthesia in infant LPs.

Methods

This was a single‐center randomized double‐blind trial of J‐Tip versus TA for infant LPs in an urban tertiary care children's hospital emergency department. A computer randomization model was used to allocate patients to either intervention. Patients aged 0 to 4 months were randomized to J‐Tip syringe containing 1% lidocaine and a placebo TA cream or J‐Tip syringe containing saline and TA. The primary outcome was the difference between the Neonatal Faces Coding Scale (NFCS) before the procedure and during LP needle insertion. Secondary outcomes included changes in heart rate (HR) and NFCS throughout the procedure, difficulty with LP, number of LP attempts, provider impression of pain control, additional use of lidocaine, skin changes at LP site, and LP success.

Results

We enrolled 66 subjects; 32 were randomized to J‐Tip with lidocaine and 34 to EMLA. Six participants were excluded from the final analysis due to age greater than 4 months, and the remaining 58 were analyzed in their respective groups (32 J‐Tip, 34 TA). There was no difference detected in NFCS between the two treatment groups before the procedure and during needle insertion for the LP (p = 0.58, p = 0.37). Neither HR nor NCFS differed among the groups throughout the procedure. Median perception of pain control by the provider and the need for additional lidocaine were comparable across groups. LPs performed with a J‐Tip were twice as likely to be successful compared to those performed using TA (relative risk = 2.0; 95% confidence interval = 1.01–3.93; p = 0.04) with no difference in level of training or number of prior LPs performed by providers.

Conclusions

In a randomized controlled trial of two modalities for local anesthesia in infant LPs, J‐Tip was not superior to TA cream as measured by pain control or physiologic changes. Infant LPs performed with J‐Tip were twice as likely to be successful.
Reproductive phenology of two Mimusops species in relation to climate, tree diameter and canopy position in Benin (West Africa)
Authors: Sinasson Sanni Gisèle K. , Shackleton Charlie M. , Sinsin Brice
Published: November 2017

Assessing species phenology provides useful understanding about their autecology, to contribute to management strategies. We monitored reproductive phenology of Mimusops andongensis and Mimusops kummel, and its relationship with climate, tree diameter and canopy position. We sampled trees in six diameter classes and noted their canopy position. For both species flowering began in the dry season through to the rainy season, but peaked in the dry season, whilst fruiting occurred in the rainy season and peaked during the most humid period. Flowering was positively correlated with temperature. Conversely, fruiting was negatively correlated with temperature and positively with rainfall, only in the Guineo‐Sudanian zone. For M. andongensis, flowering and fruiting prevalences were positively linked to stem diameter, while only flowering was significantly related to canopy position. For M. kummel, the relationship with stem diameter was significant for flowering prevalence only and in the Guineo‐Sudanian zone. Results suggest that phylogenetic membership is an important factor restricting Mimusops species phenology. Flowering and fruiting of both species are influenced by climate, and consequently climate change might shift their phenological patterns. Long‐term investigations, considering flowering and fruiting abortion, will help to better understand the species phenology and perhaps predict demographic dynamics.
Positive affect as a moderator of liking effects on trust and attraction
Authors: Singh Ramadhar , Teng Jocelyn Shu Qing , Bhullar Naureen , Sankaran Krithiga
Published: November 2017

Attitude similarity effects on attraction appear to be mediated sequentially by positive affect, inferred attraction, and trust. That is, the first two supposedly distal mediators influence each other in building trust, a mediator proximal to attraction. However, the correlational nature of data reported heretofore precludes definitive conclusions about sequential dependency between the two distal mediators. In the research reported, therefore, the authors manipulated positive affect in the participants (Time 1) and liking of the partner for them (Time 2), and measured trust before attraction. As predicted, liking effects on trust and attraction were stronger when positive affect in the participants was high than when it was low. Importantly, the interaction effect in trust fully mediated the interaction effect in attraction.
Control and Abandonment: The Power of Surveillance on Refugees in Italy, During and After the Mare Nostrum Operation
Authors: Pinelli Barbara
Published: November 2017

Migrants' daily arrivals to Italy's southern coasts and continuous shipwrecks in the Mediterranean have captured international media attention, producing a fixation on the scene of landing and a deliberate marginalization of what happens to migrants and refugees after the moment of landing. This paper aims to refocus analytical attention on the lives of asylum seekers after landing in Europe, breaking through the institutional silence that is cast upon the infrastructure of the camp, the logic of assistance and the bureaucratic waiting zone asylum seekers are stuck in. By documenting political changes in European and national policies, the paper reflects on the forms of institutional control and abandonment refugees are subjected to once they land in Italy, and are housed in the governmental camps and extraordinary structures which arose at the time of the Mare Nostrum Operation where strict discipline, carelessness, uncertainty and confusion intertwine.
Long‐term safety of adalimumab in clinical trials in adult patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
Authors: Colombel J.‐F. , Sandborn W. J. , Reinisch W. , Peyrin‐Biroulet L. , Panaccione R. , Rutgeerts P. , Hanauer S. B. , Ghosh S. , Van Assche G. , Robinson A. M. , Lau W. , Maa J.‐F. , Huang B. , Pappalardo B. , Read H.
Published: November 2017

Background

Adalimumab is used to treat moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) when conventional therapies fail.

Aim

To update long‐term adalimumab safety from CD and UC trials; the previous report was CD only, 3160 patients/3402 patient‐years (PYs).

Methods

Treatment‐emergent adverse events (AEs; first dose to 70 days after last dose/December 31, 2015) in adults in phase 2/3 and 3/3b trials and open‐label extensions were coded using Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA‐v18.1). Rates were assessed as events/100 (E/100 PYs).

Results

The database (16 trials; CD, N = 3606; UC, N = 1739) represented 4145 and 3397 PYs of exposure, respectively. For CD, incidences of any AEs with adalimumab were 60.8%‐65.1%, depending on dose, and 71.5% with placebo; for UC, the incidences were 53.5%‐54.8% and 56.1%, respectively. Rates of any AEs (CD, 605 E/100 PYs; UC, 361 E/100 PYs), serious AEs (CD, 36.1 E/100 PYs; UC, 18.9 E/100 PYs), and malignancies (CD, 1.2 E/100 PYs; UC, 1.0 E/100 PYs) were similar between current and prior analyses. Apparent rate of opportunistic infections was lowered to 0.3 and 0.2 E/100 PYs for CD and UC, respectively, by recent MedDRA changes excluding oral candidiasis and tuberculosis. Standardised incidence ratios for malignancies were similar to the general population (CD, 1.45 [95% CI, 0.90‐2.22]; UC, 1.36 [95% CI, 0.84‐2.07]). Demyelinating disorders were uncommon (CD, 0.1 E/100 PYs; UC, <0.1 E/100 PYs).

Conclusions

Patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis continued to experience acceptable safety with adalimumab, without new safety signals.
MicroRNA 26b promotes colorectal cancer metastasis by downregulating phosphatase and tensin homolog and wingless‐type MMTV integration site family member 5A
Authors: Fan Dejun , Lin Xutao , Zhang Feng , Zhong Weijie , Hu Jiancong , Chen Yufeng , Cai Zerong , Zou Yifeng , He Xiaowen , Chen Xiuting , Lan Ping , Wu Xiaojian
Published: November 2017

Invasion and metastasis are crucially important factors in the survival of malignant tumors. Epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an early step in metastatic progression and the presence of cancer stem cells is closely related to tumor survival, proliferation, metastasis, and recurrence. Herein we report that ectopic overexpression of microRNA 26b (miR‐26b) in colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines promoted EMT and stem cell‐like phenotypes in vitro. Furthermore, miR‐26b directly targeted and suppressed multiple tumor suppressors, including phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and wingless‐type MMTV integration site family member 5A (WNT5A). Notably, miR‐26b is markedly upregulated in tumor samples from patients with lymphatic metastases. These results indicate that miR‐26b promotes CRC metastasis by downregulating PTEN and WNT5A, and may represent a therapeutic target for metastatic CRC.
Twin models of environmental and genetic influences on pubertal development, salivary testosterone, and estradiol in adolescence
Authors: Grotzinger Andrew D. , Mann Frank D. , Patterson Megan W. , Herzhoff Kathrin , Tackett Jennifer L. , Tucker‐Drob Elliot M. , Paige Harden K.
Published: November 2017

Objective

Research on sources of variation in adolescent's gonadal hormone levels is limited. We sought to decompose individual differences in adolescent testosterone, estradiol, and pubertal status, into genetic and environmental components.

Design

A sample of male and female adolescent twins from the greater Austin and Houston areas provided salivary samples, with a subset of participants providing longitudinal data at 2 waves.

Participants

The sample included 902 adolescent twins, 49% female, aged 13‐20 years (M = 15.91) from the Texas Twin Project. Thirty‐seven per cent of twin pairs were monozygotic; 30% were same‐sex dizygotic (DZ) pairs; and 33% were opposite‐sex DZ pairs.

Measurements

Saliva samples were assayed for testosterone and estradiol using chemiluminescence immunoassays. Pubertal status was assessed using self‐report. Biometric decompositions were performed using multivariate quantitative genetic models.

Results

Genetic factors contributed substantially to variation in testosterone in males and females in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle (h2 = 60% and 51%, respectively). Estradiol was also genetically influenced in both sexes, but was predominately influenced by nonshared environmental factors. The correlation between testosterone and estradiol was mediated by a combination of genetic and environmental influences for males and females. Genetic and environmental influences on hormonal concentrations were only weakly correlated with self‐reported pubertal status, particularly for females.

Conclusions

Between‐person variability in adolescent gonadal hormones and their interrelationship reflects both genetic and environmental processes, with both testosterone and estradiol containing sizeable heritable components.
Parents who wait: Acknowledging the support needs and vulnerabilities of approved adopters during their wait to become adoptive parents
Authors: Rogers Ruth
Published: November 2017

There is a significant amount of existing research exploring adoption policies, processes, and the experiences and safeguarding of children. However, although much research has children at the focus, little research has been conducted into the experiences of approved and waiting adopters. Where research has included adopters, focus tends to be on how adopters can aid an adoptive placement and what support they can provide to an adoptive child. In this article, the experiences of approved and waiting adopters are at the centre. This article reports on a digital ethnographic research project, which used unobtrusive methods to conduct a thematic analysis of over 600 posts made by waiting adopters on publically available UK online adoption forums in 2015. Online posts discussed the perceived over‐recruitment of adopters; the decision‐making behind adopters' initial preferences; and the negative emotional effects of the waiting period following approval. This article argues that more consideration needs to be given to the needs of and support for approved adopters whilst they wait for an adoptive child.
Mindfulness, Emotion and Behaviour: An Intervention Study with Chinese Migrant Children
Authors: Lu Shuang , Rios Juan A. , Huang Chien‐Chung
Published: November 2017

Migrant children in China who move from rural to urban areas face significantly greater emotional and behavioural challenges than their urban peers. In recent decades, western countries have used mindfulness to enhance child psychosocial and behavioural outcomes. This approach has not yet been applied to rural‐to‐urban migrant children in China. This study utilised one‐group pretest‐posttest design to examine the effects of a 4‐week school‐based mindfulness intervention on Chinese migrant children's emotions and behaviours. The results show that mindfulness training significantly improved participants’ mindfulness. The training was particularly effective for those with lower mindfulness at baseline. There was significant decrease in students’ internalising and externalising problems after mindfulness training, particularly internalising problems.
Context Effects and Spoken Word Recognition of Chinese: An Eye‐Tracking Study
Authors: Yip Michael C. W. , Zhai Mingjun
Published: November 2017

This study examined the time‐course of context effects on spoken word recognition during Chinese sentence processing. We recruited 60 native Mandarin listeners to participate in an eye‐tracking experiment. In this eye‐tracking experiment, listeners were told to listen to a sentence carefully, which ended with a Chinese homophone, and look at different visual probes (Chinese characters or different line‐drawing pictures) presented concurrently on the computer screen naturally. Different types of context and probe types were manipulated in the experiment. The results showed that (1) preceding sentence context had an early effect on spoken word recognition processes and (2) phonological information of the distracters had only a negligible effect on the spoken word recognition processes. Finally, the patterns of eye‐tracking results seemed to favor an interactive approach in spoken word recognition.
Proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells on scaffolds containing chitosan, calcium polyphosphate and pigeonite for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Dhivya S. , Keshav Narayan A. , Logith Kumar R. , Viji Chandran S. , Vairamani M. , Selvamurugan N.
Published: November 2017

Objectives

Treatment of critical‐sized bone defects with cells and biomaterials offers an efficient alternative to traditional bone grafts. Chitosan (CS) is a natural biopolymer that acts as a scaffold in bone tissue engineering (BTE). Polyphosphate (PolyP), recently identified as an inorganic polymer, acts as a potential bone morphogenetic material, whereas pigeonite (Pg) is a novel iron‐containing ceramic. In this study, we prepared and characterized scaffolds containing CS, calcium polyphosphate (CaPP) and Pg particles for bone formation in vitro and in vivo.

Materials and methods

Chitosan/CaPP scaffolds and CS/CaPP scaffolds containing varied concentrations of Pg particles (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1%) were prepared and characterized by SEM, XRD, EDAX, FT‐IR, degradation, protein adsorption, mechanical strength and biomineralization studies. The cytocompatibility of these scaffolds with mouse mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs, C3H10T1/2) was determined by MTT assay and fluorescence staining. Cell proliferation on scaffolds was assessed using MUSE™ (Merck‐Millipore, Germany) cell analyser. The effect of scaffolds on osteoblast differentiation at the cellular level was evaluated by Alizarin red (AR) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining. At the molecular level, the expression of osteoblast differentiation marker genes such as Runt‐related transcription factor‐2 (Runx2), ALP, type I collagen‐1 (Col‐I) and osteocalcin (OC) was determined by real‐time reverse transcriptase (RT‐PCR) analysis. Bone regeneration was assessed by X‐ray radiographs, SEM and EDAX analyses, and histological staining such as haematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining (MTS) in a rat critical‐sized tibial defect model system.

Results

The inclusion of iron‐containing Pg particles at 0.25% concentration in CS/CaPP scaffolds showed enhanced bioactivity by protein adsorption and biomineralization, compared with that shown by CS/CaPP scaffolds alone. Increased proliferation of mMSCs was observed with CS/CaPP/Pg scaffolds compared with control and CS/CaPP scaffolds. Increase in cell proliferation was accompanied by G0/G1 to G2/M phase transition with increased levels of cyclin(s) A, B and C. Pg particles in CS/CaPP scaffolds enhanced osteoblast differentiation at the cellular and molecular levels, as evidenced by increased calcium deposits, ALP activity and expression of osteoblast marker genes. In vivo implantation of scaffolds in rat critical‐sized tibial defects displayed accelerated bone formation after 8 weeks.

Conclusion

The current findings indicate that CS/CaPP scaffolds containing iron‐containing Pg particles serve as an appropriate template to support proliferation and differentiation of MSCs to osteoblasts in vitro and bone formation in vivo and thus support their candidature for BTE applications.
Impact of CYP3A5 genomic variances on clinical outcomes among African American kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Asempa Tomefa E. , Rebellato Lorita M. , Hudson Suzanne , Briley Kimberly , Maldonado Angela Q.
Published: November 2017

Little is known about the impact of CYP3A5 polymorphisms on transplantation outcomes among African American (AA) kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). To assess this issue, clinical outcomes were compared between AA CYP3A5*1 expressers and nonexpressers. This retrospective cohort study analyzed AA KTRs. Biopsy‐proven acute rejection (BPAR), delayed graft function (DGF), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), infections, and tacrolimus dosing requirements were examined in 106 immunologically high‐risk AA kidney transplant patients over a 2‐year follow‐up period. In CYP3A5*1 expressers compared to nonexpressers, the incidence of BPAR was significantly higher in the first 6 months (13% vs 0%; P = .016) compared to 24 months (13% vs 7%; P = .521). Tacrolimus total daily dose at first therapeutic level was significantly higher in CYP3A5*1 expressers (12 mg/day) compared to nonexpressers (8 mg/day; P < .001). Compared to CYP3A5*1 nonexpressers, DGF incidence was significantly higher among CYP3A5*1 expressers (27.6% vs 6.7%; P = .006). By contrast, median GFR was significantly higher in CYP3A5*1 expressers compared to nonexpressers (54.5 mL/min vs 50.0 mL/min; P = .003) at 24 months. The findings from this retrospective study suggest that AAs with CYP3A5*1 expression require 50% more tacrolimus and have an increased incidence of DGF and acute rejection.
Climate change impacts on selected global rangeland ecosystem services
Authors: Boone Randall B. , Conant Richard T. , Sircely Jason , Thornton Philip K. , Herrero Mario
Published: November 2017

Rangelands are Earth's dominant land cover and are important providers of ecosystem services. Reliance on rangelands is projected to grow, thus understanding the sensitivity of rangelands to future climates is essential. We used a new ecosystem model of moderate complexity that allows, for the first time, to quantify global changes expected in rangelands under future climates. The mean global annual net primary production (NPP) may decline by 10 g C m−2 year−1 in 2050 under Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5, but herbaceous NPP is projected to increase slightly (i.e., average of 3 g C m−2 year−1). Responses vary substantially from place‐to‐place, with large increases in annual productivity projected in northern regions (e.g., a 21% increase in productivity in the US and Canada) and large declines in western Africa (−46% in sub‐Saharan western Africa) and Australia (−17%). Soil organic carbon is projected to increase in Australia (9%), the Middle East (14%), and central Asia (16%) and decline in many African savannas (e.g., −18% in sub‐Saharan western Africa). Livestock are projected to decline 7.5 to 9.6%, an economic loss of from $9.7 to $12.6 billion. Our results suggest that forage production in Africa is sensitive to changes in climate, which will have substantial impacts on the livelihoods of the more than 180 million people who raise livestock on those rangelands. Our approach and the simulation tool presented here offer considerable potential for forecasting future conditions, highlight regions of concern, and support analyses where costs and benefits of adaptations and policies may be quantified. Otherwise, the technical options and policy and enabling environment that are needed to facilitate widespread adaptation may be very difficult to elucidate.
Effect of Zr content on friction and wear behavior of Cr‐Zr‐N coating system
Authors: Fellah Mamoun , Aissani Linda , Abdul Samad Mohammed , Purnama Agung , Djebaili Hamid , Montagne Alex , Iost Alain , Nouveau Corinne
Published: November 2017

Nanostructured Cr‐Zr‐N thin film with different Zr content (0 to 48.8 at.%) was deposited, using an RF magnetron‐sputtering technique. The structural evolution and morphological changes were performed. The tribological performances were evaluated, using a ball‐on‐disk type Oscillating tribometer. The tests were carried out under normal loads of 2, 4 and 6 N, respectively, with an alumina ball (Al2O3) as a counter face. The results showed that the crystallite size of the Cr‐Zr‐N system was reduced to 10.8 nm at 31.8 at.% Zr content. Morphological studies of the films showed that the roughness continuously decreased with increasing Zr content, exhibiting a value of 11.2 nm at 31.8 at.% Zr. The wear rate tends to decrease with the increasing of Zr content to reach a lowest value of 1.95 × 10‐2 μm3.N.μm‐1 at 31.8 at.% Zr. The wear rate and friction coefficient were lower in the samples with 31.8 at.% Zr content. The improved friction and wear resistance were attributed to the grain refinement strengthening mechanism at 31.8 at.% of Zr.
Effect of micronisation on dietary fibre content and hydration properties of lotus node powder fractions
Authors: Hussain Shehzad , Li Jie , Jin Wenjun , Yan Shoulei , Wang Qingzhang
Published: November 2017

Fibre‐rich fractions were obtained from nodes of lotus root and micronised by nine different ball‐milling treatments. The optimum milling conditions were screened out by comparing its effects on physicochemical and hydration properties of micro‐sized particles of lotus node powder fraction (LNPF). The micronisation by ball‐milling treatments was carried out at different speeds (200–400 r min−1) and time (4–12 h). Ball‐milling treatments could effectively (P < 0.05) pulverise the LNPF particles to different micro‐sizes. As particle size decreased, a redistribution of fibre components from insoluble to soluble fractions was observed. Furthermore, micronisation treatments, especially 12 h at 300 r min−1, could significantly (P < 0.05) increase the hydration characteristics, as well as impart lightness in colour to different extents. Our findings suggested that micronisation can improve physicochemical and hydration characteristics of the fibre components, which provide an opportunity to improve the utilisation and application of lotus node dietary fibre.
Massive Migration and Elections: Evidence from the Refugee Crisis in Greece
Authors: Vasilakis Chrysovalantis
Published: November 2017

This article explores whether the massive arrival of refugees at Greek islands has had an impact on natives’ voting behaviour. Our results show a positive and significant effect of refugees’ presence on votes for the Greek extreme‐right party Golden Dawn. More precisely, we find that a 1 per cent increase in the share of refugees is associated with an increase of 5 per cent in the share of votes for Golden Dawn. This outcome is robust under different estimation methodologies and placebo regressions.
Efficient red‐emitting phosphor of Eu3+‐activated (Na0.5Gd1.5)(TiSb)O7 derived via cation‐substitutions in Gd‐Pyrochlore
Authors: Gao Zhiwen , Zhao Lei , Liu Shihua , Wu Zhaoyi , Yu Ruijin
Published: November 2017

Rare‐earth (RE) titanate pyrochlore with perovskite‐layered structure is a well‐known engineering material in applied in many field. In this work, a red‐emitting phosphor of Gd2−xNaxTi2−2xSb2xO7:Eu3+ (x = 0‐0.5) was developed via cation substitutions of (Sb5+→Ti4+) and (Na+→Gd3+) in Gd2Ti2O7. The motivation is based on the fact that the introduction of cation‐disorders has been regarded to be an effective approach for improving the luminescent efficiency and thermal stability of RE‐activated materials. All the samples were synthesized via facile solid‐state reaction method. The morphology properties were measured via SEM and EDS measurements. The structural Rietveld refinement was performed to investigate the microstructure in pyrochlore lattices. The luminescence properties of Gd2−xNaxTi2−2xSb2xO7:0.15Eu3+ (x = 0‐0.5) has a strict dependence on the cation substitution levels. The band energy of Gd2Ti2O7 is 2.9 eV with a direct transition nature. The incorporation of Sb5+ and Na+ in the lattices moves the optical absorption to a longer wavelength. The cation disorder results in significant improvements of luminescence intensity, excitation efficiency in the blue region, longer emission lifetime and thermal stability.
Thermoelectric performance and crystal phase of calcium cobalt oxides sintered in oxygen gas
Authors: Tahashi Masahiro , Takahashi Makoto , Goto Hideo
Published: November 2017

Calcium hydroxide and tricobalt tetroxide were used as starting materials in a Ca:Co molar ratio of 3:4 and sintered at 1073‐1373 K in a pure oxygen atmosphere. Polycrystalline single‐phase Ca3Co4O9 was obtained at all sintering temperatures in oxygen gas, and comparison with a sample sintered in air showed that controlling the oxygen partial pressure during sintering was important. In the sample sintered at 1373 K, the Seebeck coefficient was slightly lower than that of the samples sintered at lower temperatures, but the resistivity was decreased by half, so the power factor was doubled.
Thermodynamics of amorphous SiN(O)H dielectric films synthesized by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Chen Jiewei , Niu Min , Calvin Jason , Asplund Megan , King Sean W. , Woodfield Brian F. , Navrotsky Alexandra
Published: November 2017

Thin films of amorphous SiNH (a‐SiNH) and amorphous SiNOH (a‐SiNOH) synthesized by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are used extensively in the semiconductor industry, but little is known regarding their thermodynamic stability, and there are several long‐term reliability issues for these materials. To address the stability issues, a detailed thermodynamic investigation has been conducted on a series of a‐SiNH, and a‐SiNOH dielectric films. High‐temperature oxidative drop‐solution calorimetry in molten sodium molybdate solvent at 1075 K was utilized to determine the formation enthalpies from the elements and from crystalline counterparts/gaseous products. Together with entropy data derived from cryogenic heat capacity measurements, we confirmed that the incorporation of more hydrogen and oxygen leads to more negative enthalpies and Gibbs free energies of formation from elements. Coupled with FTIR structural analysis, the thermochemical data suggest that the Si–H2 chain structure and Si–O–Si bonding configurations provide the system with extra thermodynamic stability. However, the Gibbs free energies of formation from crystalline constituents and gaseous products are either positive or nearly zero, indicating that these amorphous films are not stable against decomposition, which may cause problems in high‐temperature applications.