bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ferredoxins as interchangeable redox components in support of MiaB, a radical S‐adenosylmethionine methylthiotransferase
Authors: Arcinas Arthur J. , Maiocco Stephanie J. , Elliott Sean J. , Silakov Alexey , Booker Squire J.
Published: November 2018

MiaB is a member of the methylthiotransferase subclass of the radical S‐adenosylmethionine (SAM) superfamily of enzymes, catalyzing the methylthiolation of C2 of adenosines bearing an N6‐isopentenyl (i6A) group found at position 37 in several tRNAs to afford 2‐methylthio‐N6‐(isopentenyl)adenosine (ms2i6A). MiaB uses a reduced [4Fe–4S]+ cluster to catalyze a reductive cleavage of SAM to generate a 5′‐deoxyadenosyl 5′‐radical (5′‐dA•)—a required intermediate in its reaction—as well as an additional [4Fe–4S]2+ auxiliary cluster. In Escherichia coli and many other organisms, re‐reduction of the [4Fe–4S]2+ cluster to the [4Fe–4S]+ state is accomplished by the flavodoxin reducing system. Most mechanistic studies of MiaBs have been carried out on the enzyme from Thermotoga maritima (Tm), which lacks the flavodoxin reducing system, and which is not activated by E. coli flavodoxin. However, the genome of this organism encodes five ferredoxins (TM0927, TM1175, TM1289, TM1533, and TM1815), each of which might donate the requisite electron to MiaB and perhaps to other radical SAM enzymes. The genes encoding each of these ferredoxins were cloned, and the associated proteins were isolated and shown to support turnover by Tm MiaB. In addition, TM1639, the ferredoxin‐NADP+ oxidoreductase subunit α (NfnA) from Tm was overproduced and isolated and shown to provide electrons to the Tm ferredoxins during Tm MiaB turnover. The resulting reactions demonstrate improved coupling between formation of the 5′‐dA• and ms2i6A production, indicating that only one hydrogen atom abstraction is required for the reaction.
Structural Insights into the Microemulsion‐Mediated Formation of Fluoroquinolone Nanoantibiotics
Authors: Saleem Muhammad A. , Nazar Muhammad F. , Yameen Basit , Khan Asad M. , Hussain Syed Z. , Khalid Muhammad R.
Published: November 2018

Microemulsions (μEs) are being exploited as a potential route for yielding an extensive range of nanoparticles of different chemical nature, shapes and sizes. Nanodrugs offer new avenues for structuring better “drug delivery systems”. In this study, an oil‐in‐water (o/w) μE formulation comprising N‐butyl acetate/polysorbate 80/ethanol/water was developed for the preparation of nanoparticles of fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FLQ‐NPs). A pseudoternary phase diagram was mapped at constant surfactant/cosurfactant (1:2), revealing improved and high loading of FLQs in an optimum μE formulation. The as‐formulated μE showed high loading of FLQs as; levofloxacin (4.20 wt.%), ciprofloxacin (3.16 wt.%), moxifloxacin (2.53 wt.%), gatifloxacin (1.36 wt.%), ofloxacin (0.70 wt.%). Fourier transform IR analysis indicated good compatibility of each FLQ drug with μE excipients. However, dynamic light scattering showed an increase in the average particle size of the μE on drug loading, indicating the accumulation of FLQ at interface layer of the micelle. Additionally, lyophilized levofloxacin (a selected antibiotic) showed long‐term stability, amorphous morphology and improved dissolution rate, inspected by scanning transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and electronic spectroscopy, respectively. Moreover, fluorescence measurements suggested the interfacial vicinity of levofloxacin within the μE domain, which may support controlled release of drug during systemic circulation.
Concise Review: Exploring Immunomodulatory Features of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Humanized Mouse Models
Authors: Mehler Vera J. , Burns Chris , Moore Melanie L.
Published: November 2018

With their immunosuppressive features, human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), sometimes also termed as mesenchymal stem cells, hold great potential as a cell-based therapy for various immune-mediated diseases. Indeed, MSCs have already been approved as a treatment for graft versus host disease. However, contradictory data from clinical trials and lack of conclusive proof of efficacy hinder the progress toward wider clinical use of MSCs and highlight the need for more relevant disease models. Humanized mice are increasingly used as models to study immune-mediated disease, as they simulate human immunobiology more closely than conventional murine models. With further advances in their resemblance to human immunobiology, it is very likely that humanized mice will be used more commonly as models to investigate MSCs with regard to their therapeutic safety and their immunomodulatory effect and its underlying mechanisms. Recent studies that explore the immunosuppressive features of MSCs in humanized mouse models will be discussed in this review. Stem Cells  2019;37:298–305
The political economy of water infrastructure: An introduction to financialization
Authors: Loftus Alex , March Hug , Purcell Thomas F.
Published: November 2018

Water infrastructure has been financed by differing combinations of private and public ownership throughout history and across different geographies. In the present moment, processes of financialization suggest a radical reconfiguration of these arrangements in a number of locations, such that water infrastructure is being transformed into a wealth extraction mechanism. In this Primer Article, we introduce financialization, showing how the term describes a process through which financial actors have gained new power and in which the locus of profit making at least appears to have shifted from the “real economy” to a financial economy. In the case of water infrastructure, processes of financialization have enabled apparently fixed and stable forms such as pipes, water treatment plants, and sewers to be transformed into liquid assets, opening up new opportunities for sovereign wealth funds and pension fund investors. The super‐profits made by these financial actors are best conceptualized as forms of rent, derived in part from the monopoly ownership of a basic need. This distinctive shift needs to be positioned in relation to broader changes in the political economy of water infrastructure. We situate financialization historically in relation to the development of water utilities and networks: municipalization and nationalization during the first decades of the 20th century, privatization since the 1990s, and renewed interest in remunicipalization in some places alongside the deepening logic of financialization in others. We conclude by thinking through the likely implication of water financialization for future infrastructural arrangements.

This article is categorized under:

Human Water > Value of Water

Human Water > Water Governance

Engineering Water > Planning Water
Lead speciation of PM2.5 collected from Greater Cairo, Egypt and Zarqa, Jordan: An energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence and X‐ray absorption near edge structure study
Authors: Shaltout Abdallah A. , Ahmed Sameh I. , Harfouche Messaoud , Hassan Salwa K. , Eid Kamal A.
Published: November 2018

Fine aerosol particles with an aerodynamic diameter equal or less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) have been collected from two sites (residential and industrial) in Greater Cairo, Egypt and one site in Zarqa, Jordan. Based on the elemental quantitative analysis of PM2.5 using energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence with Mo secondary target, Pb concentrations increased remarkably during winter season regardless of the sampling location. Moreover, it reached the maximum concentration at the industrial location of Greater Cairo, Egypt, and it equals 415 ± 485 ng/m3. The remarkable high standard deviation is due to the significant variation of Pb concentration from time to time during that winter season. Depending on the energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence results, specific PM2.5 samples that have the highest concentration of Pb (two samples/location) have been selected for the X‐ray absorption near edge structure measurements to estimate the oxidation state of Pb species. The X‐ray absorption near edge structure measurements including 13 Pb references have been carried out at Pb‐L3 absorption edge (13.039 keV) using fluorescence mode. It was shown that PM2.5 contains divalent and tetravalent lead in both industrial site in Greater Cairo, Egypt and urban site of Zarqa, Jordan although that of a residential area of Greater Cairo‐Egypt is almost divalent lead.
The Persistence of Organizational Deviance: When Informal Sanctioning Systems Undermine Formal Sanctioning Systems
Authors: Warren Danielle E.
Published: November 2018

Organizations adopt formal sanctioning systems to deter ethical violations, but the formal systems’ effectiveness may be undermined by informal sanctioning systems which promote violations. I conducted an ethnographic study of six trading crowds on two financial exchanges to understand how informal and formal sanctioning systems, which are grounded in different interpretations of equity, interact to affect trader deviance from rules established by the financial exchange (exchange deviance). To deter informal trader norms that conflict with exchange rules, the exchanges formally prohibit traders’ informal sanctions. The exchanges, however, underestimate traders’ informal sanctions related to ostracism and social rejection, which are not only difficult for the exchanges to detect, but also interpersonally hurtful and harmful to trader performance. Consequently, the traders’ informal social sanctions lead to secondary sanctions from trading firms. Ultimately, the informal sanctioning system evades the formal sanctioning system by exploiting what the exchanges deem to be minor rule violations.
Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms in Canadian Hospitals. Comparison of point-prevalence survey results from 2010, 2012, and 2016
Authors: Martin Philippe , Abou Chakra Claire Nour , Williams Victoria , Bush Kathryn , Dyck Myrna , Hirji Zahir , Kiss Alex , Larios Oscar E. , McGeer Allison , Moore Christine , Weiss Karl , Simor Andrew E. ,   Infection Prevention and Control Canada
Published: November 2018

Objective

Point-prevalence surveys for infection or colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CREs), and for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) were conducted in Canadian hospitals in 2010 and 2012 to better understanding changes in the epidemiology of antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AROs), which is crucial for public health and care management.

Methods

A third survey of the same AROs in adult inpatients in Canadian hospitals with ≥50 beds was performed in February 2016. Data on participating hospitals and patient cases were obtained using standard criteria and case definitions. Associations between ARO prevalence and institutional characteristics were assessed using logistic regression models.

Results

In total, 160 hospitals from 9 of the 10 provinces with 35,018 adult inpatients participated in the survey. Median prevalence per 100 inpatients was 4.1 for MRSA, 0.8 for VRE, 1.1 for CDI, 0.8 for ESBLs, and 0 for CREs. No significant change occurred compared to 2012. CREs were reported from 24 hospitals (15%) in 2016 compared to 10 hospitals (7%) in 2012. Routine universal or targeted admission screening for VRE decreased from 94% in 2010 to 74% in 2016. Targeted screening for MRSA on admission was associated with a lower prevalence of MRSA infection. Large hospitals (>500 beds) had higher prevalences of CDI.

Conclusion

This survey provides national prevalence rates for AROs in Canadian hospitals. Changes in infection control and prevention policies might lead to changes in the epidemiology of AROs and our capacity to detect them.
Looking backward through the looking glass: Reference groups and social comparison
Authors: Lee Juil , Rhee Mooweon , Park Kyung Min
Published: November 2018

Scholars often assume that reference groups are industry-wide, homogeneous, and stable. We examine this assumption and suggest hypotheses based on managers’ motivations such as self-enhancement and self-improvement, social identity, and affiliation-based impression management. We test hypotheses on failure-induced changes in reference groups and their direction in terms of upward and downward comparisons. An empirical examination of changes in reference groups for firms listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index between 1993 and 2008 shows that performance below social aspirations induces changes in reference groups and toward upward comparisons. The results indicate that managers can choose to change the reference group – a cognition-centered response – as an alternative to such action-centered responses as organizational search and risk-taking in response to poor performance from social aspirations and that upward comparisons may be the result of social performance shortfalls to give a better impression and to improve firm performance.
An orb-weaver spider (Araneae, Araneidae) from the early Eocene of India
Authors: Patel Raman , Rana Rajendra Singh , Selden Paul A.
Published: November 2018

A new fossil spider is described from the early Eocene (Ypresian) Palana Formation (54 to 57 Ma) at the Gurha opencast lignite mine, near Bikaner, western Rajasthan, India. It is the first report of a nonamber fossil spider from India. The fossil is referred to the modern genusNephilaLeach, 1815, but with hesitation because, while its habitus is similar to that genus, it lacks the behavioral synapomorphies that distinguish the genus.
Why Does the American National Election Study Overestimate Voter Turnout?
Authors: Jackman Simon , Spahn Bradley
Published: November 2018

Surveys are a key tool for understanding political behavior, but they are subject to biases that render their estimates about the frequency of socially desirable behaviors inaccurate. For decades the American National Election Study (ANES) has overestimated voter turnout, though the causes of this persistent bias are poorly understood. The face-to-face component of the 2012 ANES produced a turnout estimate at least 13 points higher than the benchmark voting-eligible population turnout rate. We consider three explanations for this overestimate in the survey: nonresponse bias, over-reporting and the possibility that the ANES constitutes an inadvertent mobilization treatment. Analysis of turnout data supplied by voter file vendors allows the three phenomena to be measured for the first time in a single survey. We find that over-reporting is the largest contributor, responsible for six percentage points of the turnout overestimate, while nonresponse bias and mobilization account for an additional 4 and 3 percentage points, respectively.
Radiocarbon Dating Informs Tree Fern Population Dynamics and Disturbance History of Temperate Forests in Southeast Australia
Authors: Fedrigo Melissa , Stewart Stephen B , Kasel Sabine , Levchenko Vladimir , Trouvé Raphael , Nitschke Craig R
Published: November 2018

Tree ferns are slow-growing and long-lived components of temperate forests; however, these characteristics make determining size-age and population dynamics through mensuration approaches problematic while dendroecological approaches cannot be used. In this study, we use radiocarbon (14C) dating ofCyathea australisandDicksonia antarcticato (1) determine their age-to-size relationships, (2) reconstruct the age distribution of tree fern species, and (3) test if predicted ages align with the ages of the co-occurring tree community and observed disturbance history. We used the best age-size models to reconstruct the population structure of tree ferns sampled in five paired rainforest and old-growth eucalypt stands and compared these to the age structure of co-occurring tree species. The species had similar growth allometry; however,C. australisgrew four times faster thanD. antarctica. The age class structures of tree ferns were congruent with the associated tree species and reflected known fire history and snowfall events in the region. Tree fern abundance increased with increasing time-since-fire and post canopy disturbance. The study demonstrates that14C dating of tree ferns provides a means of investigating tree fern demographics and the role of disturbance in shaping their population structure in forests of southeast Australia.
Partitioning of Microbially Respired CO2 Between Indigenous and Exogenous Carbon Sources During Biochar Degradation Using Radiocarbon and Stable Carbon Isotopes
Authors: Munksgaard Niels C , McBeath Anna V , Ascough Philippa L , Levchenko Vladimir A , Williams Alan , Bird Michael I
Published: November 2018

Pyrolized carbon in biochar can sequester atmospheric CO2 into soil to reduce impacts of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. When estimating the stability of biochar, degradation of biochar carbon, mobility of degradation products, and ingress of carbon from other sources must all be considered. In a previous study we tracked degradation in biochars produced from radiocarbon-free wood and subjected to different physico-chemical treatments over three years in a rainforest soil. Following completion of the field trial, we report here a series of in-vitro incubations of the degraded biochars to determine CO2 efflux rates, 14C concentration and δ13C values in CO2 to quantify the contributions of biochar carbon and other sources of carbon to the CO2 efflux. The 14C concentration in CO2 showed that microbial degradation led to respiration of CO2 sourced from indigenous biochar carbon (≈0.5–1.4 μmoles CO2/g biochar C/day) along with a component of carbon closely associated with the biochars but derived from the local environment. Correlations between 14C concentration, δ13C values and Ca abundance indicated that Ca2+ availability was an important determinant of the loss of biochar carbon.
Food intake of women with gestational diabetes mellitus, in accordance with two methods of dietary guidance: a randomised controlled clinical trial
Authors: Gabriel da Silva Letícia Barbosa , Rosado Eliane Lopes , de Carvalho Padilha Patricia , Dias Juliana Rebelo , Moreira Tainá Marques , de Paula Tatiana Pereira , de Barros Denise Cavalcante , Saunders Cláudia
Published: November 2018

The aim of the study was to evaluate the food intake of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) according to two methods of dietary guidance. A randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted by appointment with a nutritionist and by using data from hospital records (2011–2014). The study population comprised adult women diagnosed with GDM treated in a public maternity hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The control group (CG) received nutritional advice by the traditional method and the intervention group (IG) were instructed on carbohydrate counting. The analysis of food intake and the consumption of processed foods (PF) and ultra-processed foods (UPF) were evaluated in the second and third trimester. A total of 286 pregnant women were initially assessed (145 in the CG and 141 in the IG). It was observed that 89/120 (74·2 %) and 183/229 (79·9 %) consumed PF daily in the second and third trimesters, respectively, whereas 117/120 (97·5 %) and 225/231 (97·4 %) consumed UPF daily in the second and third trimesters, respectively. When analysing the intake of macronutrients (%) by quartiles, women who had fat intake in the third quartile had the highest average postprandial blood glucose compared with those who consumed fat in the second quartile (P=0·02). The consumption of PF and UPF was high and dietary intake was similar in both groups, regardless of dietary guidance method deployed, suggesting that both methods tested in the study can be used for monitoring the nutritional status of pregnant women with GDM.
Correlates of the difference in plasma carotenoid concentrations between men and women
Authors: Allore Tatiana , Lemieux Simone , Vohl Marie-Claude , Couture Patrick , Lamarche Benoît , Couillard Charles
Published: November 2018

Health professionals consider the evaluation of eating habits to be challenging, given the potential biases of dietary questionnaires based on self-reported data. Circulating carotenoid concentrations are reliable biomarkers of dietary carotenoid intake and could be useful in the validation of dietary assessment tools. However, there is a sex difference in circulating carotenoids, with women displaying higher concentrations compared with men independent of intake. The aim of the present study was to identify the correlates of plasma carotenoid concentrations among men (n155) and women (n110) enrolled in six fully controlled dietary interventions with varying dietary carotenoid intakes. We looked at the associations of post-intervention fasting plasma carotenoid concentrations (α-carotene,β-carotene,β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene and zeaxanthin) with physical and metabolic characteristics. We found that increased body weight (r–0·47,P<0·0001) and waist circumference (r–0·46,P<0·0001) were associated with lower plasma total carotenoid concentrations, while elevated plasma LDL-cholesterol (r0·49,P<0·0001) and HDL-cholesterol (r0·50,P<0·0001) concentrations were correlated with higher total carotenoids in plasma. Women had significantly higher plasma total carotenoid concentrations compared with men, despite significantly lower dietary carotenoid intake. Adjustment of circulating carotenoid concentrations for plasma HDL-cholesterol eliminated sex difference in plasma carotenoid concentrations. Our results suggest that physical characteristics as well as plasma lipids are associated with circulating carotenoid concentrations and that these variables should be taken into account when using plasma carotenoids as biomarkers for food intake in men and women.
Diet quality and well-being in children and adolescents: the UP&DOWN longitudinal study
Authors: Esteban-Gonzalo Laura , Turner Anne I. , Torres Susan J. , Esteban-Cornejo Irene , Castro-Piñero José , Delgado-Alfonso Álvaro , Marcos Ascensión , Gómez-Martínez Sonia , Veiga Óscar L.
Published: November 2018

The present study examined the association between high-quality diet (using the Mediterranean diet (MD) as an example) and well-being cross-sectionally and prospectively in Spanish children and adolescents. Participants included 533 children and 987 adolescents at baseline and 527 children and 798 adolescents at 2-year follow-up, included in the UP&DOWN study (follow-up in schoolchildren and adolescents with and without Down’s syndrome). The present study excluded participants with Down’s syndrome. Adherence to an MD was assessed using the KIDMED index. Well-being was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and the KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaire. Associations between MD adherence and well-being were assessed using multi-level, mixed-effects linear regression. At baseline, MD adherence was positively related to health-related quality of life in secondary school girls and boys (β=0·41,se0·10,P<0·001;β=0·46,se0·10,P<0·001, respectively) and to positive affect in secondary school girls and boys (β=0·16,se0·05,P=0·006;β=0·20,se0·05,P<0·001, respectively) and in primary school boys (β=0·20,se0·08,P=0·019). At 2-year follow-up, MD adherence was negatively related to negative affect in secondary school adolescent girls and boys (β=–0·15,se0·07,P=0·047;β=–0·16,se0·06,P=0·019, respectively), and MD adherence was associated with higher positive affect scores in secondary school girls (β=0·30,se0·06,P<0·001) and in primary school boys (β=0·20,se0·09,P=0·023). However, MD adherence at baseline did not predict well-being indicators at 2-year follow-up. In conclusion, higher MD adherence was found to behave as a protective factor for positive well-being in cross-sectional analysis.
Effect ofα-linolenic acid on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure in untreated high-normal and stage I hypertensive subjects
Authors: Pieters Dorien J. , Zock Peter L. , Fuchs Dagmar , Mensink Ronald P.
Published: November 2018

Results of intervention studies on the effects ofα-linolenic acid (ALA; C18 : 3n-3) on blood pressure (BP) are conflicting. Discrepancies between studies may be due to differences in study population, as subjects with increased baseline BP levels may be more responsive. Therefore, we examined specifically the effects of ALA on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in (pre-)hypertensive subjects. In a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled parallel study, fifty-nine overweight and obese adults (forty males and nineteen females) with (pre-)hypertension (mean age of 60 (sd8) years) received daily 10 g refined cold-pressed flaxseed oil, providing 4·7 g (approximately 2 % of energy) ALA (n29) or 10 g of high-oleic sunflower oil as control (n30) for 12 weeks. Compliance was excellent as indicated by vial count and plasma phospholipid fatty-acid composition. Compared with control, the changes of –1·4 mmHg in mean arterial pressure (MAP; 24 h ABP) after flaxseed oil intake (95 % CI –4·8, 2·0 mmHg,P=0·40) of –1·5 mmHg in systolic BP (95 % CI –6·0, 3·0 mmHg,P=0·51) and of –1·4 mmHg in diastolic BP (95 % CI –4·2, 1·4 mmHg,P=0·31) were not statistically significant. Also, no effects were found for office BP and for MAP, systolic BP, and diastolic BP when daytime and night-time BP were analysed separately and for night-time dipping. In conclusion, high intake of ALA, about 3–5 times recommended daily intakes, for 12 weeks does not significantly affect BP in subjects with (pre-)hypertension.
Party Polarization, Ideological Sorting and the Emergence of the US Partisan Gender Gap
Authors: Gillion Daniel Q. , Ladd Jonathan M. , Meredith Marc
Published: November 2018

This article argues that the modern American partisan gender gap – the tendency of men to identify more as Republicans and less as Democrats than women – emerged largely because of mass-level ideological party sorting. As the two major US political parties ideologically polarized at the elite level, the public gradually perceived this polarization and better sorted themselves into the parties that matched their policy preferences. Stable pre-existing policy differences between men and women caused this sorting to generate the modern US partisan gender gap. Because education is positively associated with awareness of elite party polarization, the partisan gender gap developed earlier and is consistently larger among those with college degrees. The study finds support for this argument from decades of American National Election Studies data and a new large dataset of decades of pooled individual-level Gallup survey responses.
Does Counter-Attitudinal Information Cause Backlash? Results from Three Large Survey Experiments
Authors: Guess Andrew , Coppock Alexander
Published: November 2018

Several theoretical perspectives suggest that when individuals are exposed to counter-attitudinal evidence or arguments, their pre-existing opinions and beliefs are reinforced, resulting in a phenomenon sometimes known as ‘backlash’. This article formalizes the concept of backlash and specifies how it can be measured. It then presents the results from three survey experiments – two on Mechanical Turk and one on a nationally representative sample – that find no evidence of backlash, even under theoretically favorable conditions. While a casual reading of the literature on information processing suggests that backlash is rampant, these results indicate that it is much rarer than commonly supposed.
The influence of antibiotics on gut bacteria diversity associated with laboratory-reared Bactrocera dorsalis
Authors: Bai Z. , Liu L. , Noman M.S. , Zeng L. , Luo M. , Li Z.
Published: November 2018

The oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is a destructive insect pest of a wide range of fruit crops. Commensal bacteria play a very important part in the development, reproduction, and fitness of their host fruit fly. Uncovering the function of gut bacteria has become a worldwide quest. Using antibiotics to remove gut bacteria is a common method to investigate gut bacteria function. In the present study, three types of antibiotics (tetracycline, ampicillin, and streptomycin), each with four different concentrations, were used to test their effect on the gut bacteria diversity of laboratory-reared B. dorsalis. Combined antibiotics can change bacteria diversity, including cultivable and uncultivable bacteria, for both male and female adult flies. Secondary bacteria became the dominant population in female and male adult flies with the decrease in normally predominant bacteria. However, in larvae, only the predominant bacteria decreased, the bacteria diversity did not change a lot, likely because of the short acting time of the antibiotics. The bacteria diversity did not differ among fruit fly treatments with antibiotics of different concentrations. This study showed the dynamic changes of gut bacterial diversity in antibiotics-treated flies, and provides a foundation for research on the function of gut bacteria of the oriental fruit fly.
The IMF As a Biased Global Insurance Mechanism: Asymmetrical Moral Hazard, Reserve Accumulation, and Financial Crises
Authors: Lipscy Phillip Y. , Lee Haillie Na-Kyung
Published: November 2018

A large literature has established that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is heavily politicized. We argue that this politicization has important consequences for international reserve accumulation and financial crises. The IMF generates moral hazard asymmetrically, reducing the expected costs of risky lending and policies for states that are politically influential vis-à-vis the institution. Using a panel data set covering 1980 to 2010, we show that proxies for political influence over the IMF are associated with outcomes indicative of moral hazard: lower international reserves and more frequent financial crises. We support our causal claims by applying the synthetic control method to Taiwan, which was expelled from the IMF in 1980. Consistent with our predictions, Taiwan's expulsion led to a sharp increase in precautionary international reserves and exceptionally conservative financial policies.
The Boss Knows Best: Directors of Research and Subordinate Analysts
Authors: Bradley Daniel , Gokkaya Sinan , Liu Xi
Published: November 2018

Research departments are managed by directors of research (DORs). Subordinate analysts working for higher-quality DORs provide superior earnings forecasts that elicit stronger market reactions, provide better investment recommendations, and have better career outcomes. For the broker, higher-quality DORs drive more trading commissions. Economically, analysts benefit the most from DOR–analyst industry alignment resulting from DORs’ former analyst experience. We provide several tests to mitigate endogeneity concerns and explore various mechanisms to explain these results. Overall, our article identifies a unique channel whereby the industry-specific and general human capital of top management filters through to individual subordinates and consequently improves organizational performance.
Transverse instability of electron phase-space holes in multi-dimensional Maxwellian plasmas
Authors: Hutchinson I. H.
Published: November 2018

The stability of an initially one-dimensional electron hole to perturbations varying sinusoidally transverse to its trapping direction is analysed in detail. It is shown that the expected low-frequency eigenmode of the linearized Vlasov–Poisson system consists of a shift mode, proportional to the gradient of the equilibrium potential. The resulting dispersion relation is that the total jetting force exerted by a perturbed hole on the particles balances the electric restoring tension of the hole. The tension is quantitatively small and can often be ignored. The particle force is expressed as integrals of equilibrium parameters over the hole and is shown at low frequency to be exactly equal to what has recently been found (by different analysis) to express ‘kinematic’ hole momentum conservation. The mechanism of instability has nothing to do with the previously hypothesized transverse electron focusing. The unmagnetized growth rate$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE}(k)$is found numerically and is in excellent agreement with recent kinematic estimates. Magnetic field stabilization of the transverse mode is also evaluated. The resulting stability boundary for Maxwellian holes is in reasonable agreement with previously published criteria based on particle simulation. It arises from a change of trapped force sign across the resonance between bounce and cyclotron frequencies.
Local attitudes to the proposed translocation of blue sheepPseudois nayaurto Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal
Authors: Hanson Jonathan H. , Schutgens Maurice , Lama Rinzin P. , Aryal Achyut , Dhakal Maheshwar
Published: November 2018

Translocations are an important tool for the conservation of biodiversity, but although ecological feasibility studies are frequently conducted prior to implementation, social feasibility studies that consider how local communities perceive such projects are less common. The translocation of blue sheepPseudois nayaurto Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, has been proposed, to reduce livestock depredation by snow leopardsPanthera unciaby providing an alternative prey base in addition to the small population of Himalayan tharHemitragus jemlahicus. This study used systematic sampling, a quantitative questionnaire and qualitative interviews within the Park to provide data on the social viability of the proposed translocation. Quantitative analysis revealed moderate levels of support but qualitative analysis suggested that there are significant concerns about the proposal. In addition, multiple regression analysis found that women and livestock owners were significantly less supportive, although the model had low explanatory power. Potential crop damage and competition for forage were frequently cited as concerns, especially amongst those with a high level of dependence on natural resources. Given the mixed response to the proposed translocation of blue sheep to the Everest region, alleviating the reservations of local residents is likely to be key to any further consultation, planning or implementation.
Anthelmintic resistance and novel control options in equine gastrointestinal nematodes
Authors: Raza Ali , Qamar Abdul Ghaffar , Hayat Khizar , Ashraf Shoaib , Williams Andrew R.
Published: November 2018

Control of equine nematodes has relied on benzimidazoles (BZs), tetrahydropyrimidines and macrocyclic lactones. The intensive use of anthelmintics has led to the development of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in equine cyathostomins andParascaris equorum. Field studies indicate that BZ and pyrantel resistance is widespread in cyathostomins and there are also increasing reports of resistance to macrocyclic lactones in cyathostomins andP. equorum. The unavailability of reliable laboratory-based techniques for detecting resistance further augments the problem of nematode control in horses. The only reliable test used in horses is the fecal egg count reduction test; therefore, more focus should be given to develop and validate improved methodologies for diagnosing AR at an early stage, as well as determining the mechanisms involved in resistance development. Therefore, equine industry and researchers should devise and implement new strategies for equine worm control, such as the use of bioactive pastures or novel feed additives, and control should increasingly incorporate alternative and evidence-based parasite control strategies to limit the development of AR. This review describes the history and prevalence of AR in equine nematodes, along with recent advances in developing resistance diagnostic tests and worm control strategies in horses, as well as giving some perspective on recent research into novel control strategies.
A machine learning ensemble to predict treatment outcomes following an Internet intervention for depression
Authors: Pearson Rahel , Pisner Derek , Meyer Björn , Shumake Jason , Beevers Christopher G.
Published: November 2018

Background

Some Internet interventions are regarded as effective treatments for adult depression, but less is known about who responds to this form of treatment.

Method

An elastic net and random forest were trained to predict depression symptoms and related disability after an 8-week course of an Internet intervention, Deprexis, involving adults (N = 283) from across the USA. Candidate predictors included psychopathology, demographics, treatment expectancies, treatment usage, and environmental context obtained from population databases. Model performance was evaluated using predictive R2 $\lpar R_{{\rm pred}}^2\rpar\comma $ the expected variance explained in a new sample, estimated by 10 repetitions of 10-fold cross-validation.

Results

An ensemble model was created by averaging the predictions of the elastic net and random forest. Model performance was compared with a benchmark linear autoregressive model that predicted each outcome using only its baseline. The ensemble predicted more variance in post-treatment depression (8.0% gain, 95% CI 0.8–15; total $R_{{\rm pred}}^2 \; $= 0.25), disability (5.0% gain, 95% CI −0.3 to 10; total $R_{{\rm pred}}^2 \; $= 0.25), and well-being (11.6% gain, 95% CI 4.9–19; total $R_{{\rm pred}}^2 \; $= 0.29) than the benchmark model. Important predictors included comorbid psychopathology, particularly total psychopathology and dysthymia, low symptom-related disability, treatment credibility, lower access to therapists, and time spent using certain Deprexis modules.

Conclusion

A number of variables predict symptom improvement following an Internet intervention, but each of these variables makes relatively small contributions. Machine learning ensembles may be a promising statistical approach for identifying the cumulative contribution of many weak predictors to psychosocial depression treatment response.
Impact of language dominance on phonetic transfer in Cantonese–English bilingual language switching
Authors: TSUI RACHEL KA-YING , TONG XIULI , CHAN CHUCK SIU KI
Published: November 2018

Bilinguals are susceptible to interaction between their two phonetic systems during speech processing. Using a language-switching paradigm, this study investigated differences in phonetic transfer of Cantonese–English bilingual adults with various language dominance profiles (Cantonese-dominant, English-dominant, and balanced bilinguals). Measurements of voice onset time revealed that unbalanced bilinguals and balanced bilinguals responded differently to language switching. Among unbalanced bilinguals, production of the dominant language shifted toward the nondominant language, with no effect in the opposite direction. However, balanced bilinguals’ speech production was unaffected by language switching. These results are analogous to the inhibitory control model, suggesting an asymmetrical switch cost of language switching at the phonetic level of speech production in unbalanced bilinguals. In contrast, the absence of switch cost in balanced bilinguals implies differences in the mechanism underlying balanced bilinguals’ and unbalanced bilinguals’ speech production.
Development of mini-undulators for a table-top free-electron laser
Authors: Petrov G. , Davis J. , Schumaker W. , Vargas M. , Chvykov V. , Hou B. , Maksimchuk A. , Yanovsky V. , Thomas A. G. R. , Krushelnick K. , Garraud A. , Arnold D. P. , Peterson B. A. , Allen M. G.
Published: November 2018

The development of laser wakefield accelerators (LWFA) over the past several years has led to an interest in very compact sources of X-ray radiation – such as “table-top” free electron lasers. However, the use of conventional undulators using permanent magnets also implies system sizes which are large. In this work, we assess the possibilities for the use of novel mini-undulators in conjunction with a LWFA so that the dimensions of the undulator become comparable with the acceleration distances for LWFA experiments (i.e., centimeters). The use of a prototype undulator using laser machining of permanent magnets for this application is described and the emission characteristics and limitations of such a system are determined. Preliminary electron propagation and X-ray emission measurements are taken with a LWFA electron beam at the University of Michigan.
A Weapon of the Weak? Shareholding, Property Rights and Villager Empowerment in China
Authors: Kan Karita
Published: November 2018

As urbanization continues to fuel land and property conflicts in rural China, shareholding has been promoted as a reform in property rights that would enhance bottom-up control in the governance of collective assets. The recent proliferation of community-based shareholding companies has been credited for giving villagers new identities as shareholders, which entitle them to vote, receive their share of collective profits, and elect the managers of their wealth. This paper critically appraises these reforms and offers a contrarian perspective to singular narratives of villager empowerment. While shareholding clarifies villagers’ rights of control, income and transfer in collective property, the effective exercise of such powers is often forestalled on the ground by the concentration of power in elite hands. To the extent that formal and informal constraints on cadre power remain tenuous, shareholding could function as a vehicle for the powerful to appropriate collective wealth rather than as a weapon of the weak.
Reconstruction and prediction of viral disease epidemics
Authors: Kraemer M. U. G. , Cummings D. A. T. , Funk S. , Reiner R. C. , Faria N. R. , Pybus O. G. , Cauchemez S.
Published: November 2018

A growing number of infectious pathogens are spreading among geographic regions. Some pathogens that were previously not considered to pose a general threat to human health have emerged at regional and global scales, such as Zika and Ebola Virus Disease. Other pathogens, such as yellow fever virus, were previously thought to be under control but have recently re-emerged, causing new challenges to public health organisations. A wide array of new modelling techniques, aided by increased computing capabilities, novel diagnostic tools, and the increased speed and availability of genomic sequencing allow researchers to identify new pathogens more rapidly, assess the likelihood of geographic spread, and quantify the speed of human-to-human transmission. Despite some initial successes in predicting the spread of acute viral infections, the practicalities and sustainability of such approaches will need to be evaluated in the context of public health responses.
Self-injuring adolescent girls exhibit insular cortex volumetric abnormalities that are similar to those seen in adults with borderline personality disorder
Authors: Beauchaine Theodore P. , Sauder Colin L. , Derbidge Christina M. , Uyeji Lauren L.
Published: November 2018

Self-inflicted injury (SII) in adolescence is a serious public health concern that portends prospective vulnerability to internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, borderline personality development, suicide attempts, and suicide. To date, however, our understanding of neurobiological vulnerabilities to SII is limited. Behaviorally, affect dysregulation is common among those who self-injure. This suggests ineffective cortical modulation of emotion, as observed among adults with borderline personality disorder. In borderline samples, structural and functional abnormalities are observed in several frontal regions that subserve emotion regulation (e.g., anterior cingulate, insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex). However, no volumetric analyses of cortical brain regions have been conducted among self-injuring adolescents. We used voxel-based morphometry to compare cortical gray matter volumes between self-injuring adolescent girls, ages 13–19 years (n = 20), and controls (n = 20). Whole-brain analyses revealed reduced gray matter volumes among self-injurers in the insular cortex bilaterally, and in the right inferior frontal gyrus, an adjacent neural structure also implicated in emotion and self-regulation. Insular and inferior frontal gyrus gray matter volumes correlated inversely with self-reported emotion dysregulation, over-and-above effects of psychopathology. Findings are consistent with an emotion dysregulation construal of SII, and indicate structural abnormalities in some but not all cortical brain regions implicated in borderline personality disorder among adults.
Building Local Capacity in Hand-Rub Solution Production during the 2014-2016 Ebola Outbreak Disaster: The Case of Liberia and Guinea
Authors: Jacquerioz Bausch Frederique A , Heller Olivia , Bengaly Loséni , Matthey-Khouity Béatrice , Bonnabry Pascal , Touré Yakaria , Kervillain Garrison J , Bah Elhadj Ibrahima , Chappuis François , Hagon Olivier
Published: November 2018

Background

During the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the lack of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in health care facilities amplified human-to-human transmission and contributed to the magnitude of this humanitarian disaster.

Case Report

In the summer of 2014, the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG; Geneva, Switzerland) conducted an IPC assessment and developed a project based on the local needs and their expertise with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Humanitarian Aid Unit (SDC/HA; Bern, Switzerland). The project consisted of building local capacity in the production of alcohol-based hand-rub solution (ABHRS) based on the World Health Organization (WHO; Geneva, Switzerland) formula in non-Ebola health facilities at the peak of the outbreak in Liberia (Fall 2014) and during recovery in Guinea (September 2015) to promote safer care. Twenty-one pharmacists in Liberia and 22 in Guinea were trained and one years’ worth of laboratory equipment, chemical products, containers for personal use, and bioethanol were delivered to 10 hospitals per country with more than 8,000 100 ml bottles of solution produced at the end of the project.

Discussion

Hand hygiene using hand-rub solution is a critical component of safer care, especially in health care settings lacking runnable water. Throughout the Ebola outbreak, it was a timely moment to promote hand-rub solution and to reinforce IPC measures in non-Ebola health facilities. During the project implementation, a substantial challenge was the unavailability of bioethanol in Liberia and Guinea. In the long run, sustainability of the production can become an issue as it depends heavily on the local government’s financial and political commitment, the capacity to create an on-going demand for hand-rub solution in health facilities, the local purchase and replacement of the materials and chemical products, as well as the availability of continuous local partners’ support.

Conclusion:

The project demonstrated that it was feasible to build local capacity in ABHRS production during an emergency and in limited-resource settings when materials and training are provided. Future programs in similar contexts should identify and address the factors of sustainability during the implementation phase and provide regular, long-term technical support.

Jacquerioz BauschFA, HellerO, BengalyL, Matthey-KhouityB, BonnabryP, TouréY, KervillainGJ, BahEI, ChappuisF, HagonO. Building local capacity in hand-rub solution production during the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak disaster: the case of Liberia and Guinea.. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(6):660–667.