bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing engineers’ public speaking efficacy using appreciative inquiry
Authors: Mehta Nikhil Kewalkrishna
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Existing methods of enhancing-based public speaking efficacy are based on the deficit-based model. On the other hand, public speaking is an ability that has a potential to produce anxiety, fear of negative evaluation. The purpose of this paper was to explore the use of strength-based learning pedagogy, i.e. appreciative inquiry to work upon enhancing public speaking skills of engineers.

Design/methodology/approach

An appreciative inquiry was conducted on 15 engineers using 4D model. The data were gathered using narrative analysis and grounded theory.

Findings

Participants shared their stories of past, present and future to derive meaningful insights that have potential to bring development.

Research limitations/implications

The study has an underpinning in Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. As practitioners of self-determination theory open the positive space for individuals to learn, appreciative inquiry aids in opening such positive space so that learners can experiment openly without any fear of negative evaluation. It prepares them by enhancing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

Practical implications

The study motivated engineers to focus on effortless delivery of their speeches and eliminate other associated fear. The study can be used as a classroom pedagogy.

Social implications

As public speaking is associated with fear of negative evaluation and anxiety, it has a potential to affect self-confidence and self-image adversely. As appreciative inquiry fosters one’s confidence positively through constructionism, the appreciative inquiry can be a choice of pedagogy and has positive implications for learners at the social level.

Originality/value

The study presents a fairly novel approach as it focuses on encouraging engineers to improve their presentation skills and to focus on what they do well (rather than what their weaknesses are) so they can build their confidence.
A critical examination of government budgeting and public funds management in Nigeria
Authors: Ajibolade Solabomi Omobola , Oboh Collins Sankay
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to attempt an empirical examination of government budgeting and expenditure processes in Nigeria, a developing country. It examines the current state of budgeting and public funds management (PFM) in Nigeria. It also examines the extent to which the government has used the budgetary mechanism to effectively manage the nation’s economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employed simple regression estimation technique for data analysis. Time series data set of budgetary information was constructed from different archival sources over a 16-years period (2000-2015), majorly the national Appropriation Acts, press releases, regulatory and governmental reports, reports of Transparency International, World Bank and Central Intelligence Agency.

Findings

The findings confirm that the nation’s annual budgeting approach is defective and lags in achieving its fiscal objectives. The budget indicates a state of poor accountability and transparency in PFM. Findings also suggest that the level of economic development in Nigeria is not commensurate with the size of government expenditure.

Practical implications

The paper draws the attention of the government to the need to restructure its approach to budgeting and adopt a more resilient approach that suits its environment and economic peculiarities in effort to ensure efficient management and accountability of public funds. The paper also offers value to other developing countries. It provides empirical evidence that explains an aspect why the African continent remains underdeveloped hitherto.

Originality/value

This paper lends a voice to the call for a restructuring of the Nigerian budgetary system and its implementation strategy. It advocates for the adoption of an alternative budgeting approach that matches Nigeria economic realities. The paper demonstrated that the traditional budgetary approach being used by many developing countries is limited in certain ways and could hinder sustainable development.
Refurbishing services and how services enhance consumer well-being
Authors: Durgee Jeffrey F. , Agopian Garo
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how services might impact a general consumer sense of everyday well-being or life satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

It was decided to focus on the existential benefits of refurbishing services and see how they might impact owner sense of self and overall life satisfaction. A qualitative study was fielded which consisted of analyses of website testimonials of customers of refurbishing services for products such as pianos, watches, boats, bicycles and other durables. Also analyzed were results from one-on-one qualitative interviews of customers of refurbishing services and selected refurbishers of similar products.

Findings

The study suggests that refurbish services provide a mix of hedonic and eudaimonic benefits. They provide an enhanced sense of self and general well-being insofar, as the newly restored item connects owners to loved ones, to other collectors or fans and to their own personal life histories. It also connects them to the refurbishers and their “magic”. Insofar as refurbishers invite customer involvement in the process, they co-create how the process will proceed, so customers feel a special involvement and gain an understanding of the workings of the item and how to best use it.

Practical implications

Refurbishing services might offer, like all the new internet-mediated sharing services, a more sustainable alternative to the buy-and-dispose consumption behaviors found in most world economies.

Originality value

This paper provides insights into the lives of products after purchase and the roles of relevant service providers. It also provides examples of how service providers in general might deepen and facilitate customers’ feelings about themselves and their daily lives. It shows how service providers can enhance customer hedonic and eudaimonic appreciation of provider knowledge, skills and efforts.
Biotic and abiotic modifications of leaf litter during dry periods affect litter mass loss and nitrogen loss during wet periods
Authors: Gliksman Daniel , Haenel Sabine , Grünzweig José M.
Published: November 2017

Decomposition of organic matter in semi‐arid ecosystems is a key component of the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle. The well‐known inaccuracies in predicting litter decay in water‐limited regions were lessened by considering solar radiation as an abiotic decay driver of photodegradation. Moreover, exposure to high solar irradiance in dry periods often led to massive facilitation of litter decay in subsequent wet periods (“photoacceleration”), though in many studies this effect was absent.

Recently, water vapour and dew were identified as modulators enabling substantial microbial degradation during rainless periods. Here, we investigated, (1) whether the activity of micro‐organisms modifies litter traits, such as litter quality and microbial community in dry periods, consequently altering the loss of litter mass and nitrogen (N) in wet periods, and (2) whether it can co‐occur with photoacceleration.

By successively introducing litter to the field at the beginning and the end of the dry season, we found that microbial activity during the dry season affected litter mass and N loss during the wet season. Low microbial activity in the dry season led to inhibition of mass loss in the wet season, while high microbial activity led to facilitation of mass loss. Microbial activity during the dry season also caused strong inhibition of N loss from litter during the wet season, likely by enhancing the dry‐season N loss. A microclimate manipulation experiment using radiation filters showed that microbial activity and exposure to solar radiation jointly modified the litter during the dry season and affected subsequent decay in the wet season.

Knowledge of biotic and abiotic modifications of litter during dry periods and their implication for wet periods enhances our understanding of litter decay in semi‐arid regions. Furthermore, it can improve biogeochemical model predictions of C and N cycling in drylands and in the many regions that are projected to experience a drier climate during the coming decades.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Male but not female zebra finches with high plasma corticosterone have lower survival
Authors: Jimeno Blanca , Briga Michael , Hau Michaela , Verhulst Simon
Published: November 2017

The glucocorticoid axis is essential for coping with predictable and unpredictable environmental variation. Despite this vital function, attempts to link individual variation in the glucocorticoid axis to survival have yielded mixed results, which may be due to endocrine variation caused by uncontrolled variation in environment and life‐history traits such as reproductive effort. We therefore studied the link between the glucocorticoid axis and long‐term survival using captive non‐breeding zebra finches.

We quantified the relationship between survival over a three‐year period and plasma corticosterone concentrations: (1) baseline, (2) stress‐induced, (3) after induction of negative feedback via dexamethasone injection and (4) after maximal adrenal stimulation via adrenocorticotropin hormone injection.

Only stress‐induced corticosterone predicted survival, with higher concentrations being associated with lower survival. However, this effect differed significantly between the sexes, being present only in males.

Stress‐induced corticosterone concentration is the sum of baseline corticosterone and the corticosterone increase in response to the standardized stressor, and both components were similarly associated with male survival in a model that included both variables. This implies that baseline corticosterone itself also exerts an effect on male survival, but this was only revealed when the stress‐induced corticosterone increase was included in the model, presumably because this increased statistical power.

Given that corticosterone concentrations are highly repeatable in our study population and independent of manipulated foraging conditions, these data suggest that endocrine stress reactivity may be a major component determining male life span, presumably also in wild populations.

Aplain language summaryis available for this article.
Towards a New Conceptualization of Innovation in Space: Territorial Patterns of Innovation
Authors: Capello Roberta
Published: November 2017

This article investigates the way in which regions innovate. Its conceptual framework departs from the simple notion that scientific activities equate with knowledge, which assumes that the presence of local knowledge produced by research centres, universities and firms is a necessary and sufficient condition for increasing the innovative capacities in local firms, fed by local spillovers. In particular, the paradigmatic jump in interpreting regional innovation processes lies in a conceptual framework interpreting not a single phase of the innovation process, but the different modes of performing different phases of the innovation process. This article conceptually identifies different territorial patterns of innovation and highlights the context conditions (internal and external to the region) that accompany each innovation pattern. Based on this debate, I express some doubts on the usefulness of EU policy aims for achieving a figure of 3% of the EU's GDP (public and private) to be invested in R&D/innovation and instead strongly support normative suggestions towards thematically and regionally focused innovation policies.
Spatial Spillovers Revisited: Innovation, Human Capital and Local Dynamics
Authors: Baycan Tuzin , Nijkamp Peter , Stough Roger
Published: November 2017

This symposium focuses on understanding key territorial‐level innovation trends and processes by country, region and technology. It questions various widely accepted assumptions, offers fresh perspectives, both conceptually and methodologically, and challenges a paradigm shift in the field of innovation and spatial dynamics. It consists of three articles analysing at different scales (urban, regional and national) the territorial dynamics of innovation and their determinants. The innovation process, with local symbiosis and spatial spillovers at its core, is analysed within the conceptual framework of national and regional innovation systems and regional economic development. Based on a discussion of spatial spillovers and the way they shape the evolutionary and symbiotic relationships between local agents and actors, including university, industry and local development agencies, the symposium highlights the relevance of this framework for a better understanding of the transformation of local economic development processes. It investigates the differences in the geography of innovation regarding different institutional settings, different systems of innovation, and different national innovation strategies. While addressing mainly the EU, the US, and emerging countries such as China and India, the contributions also highlight the critical role of current innovation policies from a general perspective. In so doing, the symposium recognizes a contrarian perspective that argues that contemporary information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide a way to leapfrog the dominant role of proximity in innovation processes, creating a complimentary rather than a substitution effect for more remote and peripheral places. That said, this symposium focuses primarily on an urban network view of the innovation process and proximal effects in this context.
Emergent literacy skills for five kindergartners with autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study
Authors: Kimhi Yael , Achtarzad Meital , Tubul‐Lavy Gila
Published: November 2017

In typical development, emergent literacy skills predict successful reading abilities. Code‐related literacy skills may include letter knowledge, print concepts, early writing and early phonological awareness. Meaning‐related literacy skills may include lexical and grammatical ability, story retelling and comprehension. Children with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) show, on the most part, poor reading comprehension abilities, yet up to date, research regarding emergent literacy skills in ASD is limited. We conducted a study to investigate a naturalistic, standards‐based national literacy programme, for five kindergartners with ASD, of age 5‐8 years in their kindergarten setting. We implemented an ASD‐adapted intervention as an intensive group treatment over 6 weeks, with a pretest–posttest design to examine emergent literacy gains. The children with ASD demonstrated gains in both code‐related and meaning‐related skills following intervention. The clinical and theoretical implications are discussed regarding the importance of an intensive structured literacy intervention for children with ASD before entering school.
Diabetes Canada 2017
Authors: Carracher Ann M. , Marathe Payal H. , Close Kelly L.
Published: November 2017

Ann M. Carracher, Payal H. Marathe, and Kelly L. Close are of Close Concerns (http://www.closeconcerns.com), a healthcare information company focused exclusively on diabetes and obesity care. Close Concerns publishes Closer Look, a periodical that brings together news and insights in these areas. Each month, the Journal of Diabetes includes this News feature, in which Carracher, Marathe, and Close review the latest developments relevant to researchers and clinicians.
Acquirer Internal Control Weaknesses in the Market for Corporate Control
Authors: Darrough Masako , Huang Rong , Zur Emanuel
Published: November 2017

This paper examines how disclosures regarding internal controls, required by sections 302 and 404 of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), affect the market for corporate control. We hypothesize that acquirers with internal control weaknesses (ICWs) make suboptimal acquisition decisions based on poor‐quality information generated by their ineffective controls over financial reporting. We expect that such acquirers will be more likely to misestimate the value of their targets or the potential synergies from mergers, thereby overpaying for completed deals. Using a treatment sample of acquisitions made by acquirers that have disclosed ICWs and two matched control samples without ICW disclosures, we document that ICW acquirers experience a substantially more negative market response to acquisition announcements and have lower future performance than the two matched control samples without ICW disclosures. Overall, our results suggest that ineffective internal controls hinder decision making related to mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Applying recommended evidence standards to understand the impact of e‐cigarettes on youth smoking and reporting of weak scientific evidence
Authors: Green Michael J. , Hilton Shona
Published: November 2017

Commentary to: How do we determine the impact of e‐cigarettes on cigarette smoking cessation or reduction? Review and recommendations for answering the research question with scientific rigor
The harm reduction impact of cryptomarkets: inequality and opportunity
Authors: Sumnall Harry R.
Published: November 2017

Commentary to: Will growth in cryptomarket drug buying increase the harms of illicit drugs?
Alcohol‐related harm in emergency departments: a prospective, multi‐centre study
Authors: Egerton‐Warburton Diana , Gosbell Andrew , Moore Katie , Wadsworth Angela , Richardson Drew , Fatovich Daniel M.
Published: November 2017

Background and aims

Emergency department (ED) alcohol‐related presentation data are not routinely collected in Australia and New Zealand. It is likely that previous research has underestimated the numbers of patients presenting with alcohol‐related conditions. This study aimed to quantify the level of alcohol harm presenting to EDs in Australia and New Zealand [Correction added on 23 Jan 2018, after first online publication: The ‘aims’ section was missing and is updated in this version].

Design

Multi‐centre, prospective study. Patients were screened prospectively for alcohol‐related presentations during a 7‐day period in December 2014. Part 1 involved screening to determine alcohol‐positive ED presentations and data collection of patient demographic and clinical information. Part 2 involved a consent‐based survey conducted with patients aged ≥ 14 years to perform Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores.

Setting

Eight EDs in Australia and New Zealand, representing differing hospital role delineations.

Participants

A total of 8652 patients aged ≥ 14 years attended and 8435 (97.5%) were screened.

Measurements

The main outcome measure was the proportion of patients who had an alcohol‐related presentation termed ‘alcohol‐positive’, using pre‐defined criteria. It included injuries, intoxication, medical conditions and injuries caused by an alcohol‐affected third party. Secondary outcomes included demographic and clinical information, the type of alcohol‐related presentations and AUDIT scores.

Findings

A total of 801 [9.5%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.9–10.1%] presentations were identified as alcohol‐positive, ranging between 4.9 and 15.2% throughout sites. Compared with alcohol‐negative patients, alcohol‐positive patients were more likely to be male [odds ratio (OR) = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.63–2.21], younger (median age 37 versus 46 years, P < 0.0001), arrive by ambulance (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.68–2.25) or police/correctional vehicle (OR = 4.56, 95% CI = 3.05–6.81) and require immediate treatment (OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 2.03–05.06). The median AUDIT score was 16 (interquartile range = 10–24).

Conclusions

Almost one in 10 presentations to emergency departments in Australia and New Zealand are alcohol related.
Papillary architecture of the lingual surface in the puma (Puma concolor)
Authors: Erdoğan S. , Villar S. , König H. E. , Pérez W.
Published: November 2017

This research presents the first anatomical description of the tongue and lingual papillae of the mountain lion (puma). The tongues of three adult male pumas were used in this study. The tongues were dissected and studied firstly by gross and stereomicroscopy. Samples of each part were processed by study with scanning electron microscopy. The margins of the lingual apex were surrounded by numerous filiform papillae, which had a bulky papillary body and a bifurcated tip. On the dorsal surface of the lingual apex, filiform papillae were remarkably pointed and had many secondary projections, which emerged from the base of the main papilla. In the rostral half of the lingual body, filiform papillae were longer, cylindrical and had blunt tips. On the caudal half of the lingual body, filiform papillae gave place to conical ones exhibiting a pointed tip. The fungiform papillae were scattered on the whole dorsal surface of the tongue. On each lateral half of the tongue, four circumvallate papillae were observed and each circumvallate papilla was surrounded by thick and horseshoe‐like annular pad, which were composed by pointed conical papillae on the caudal border of the lingual body. The dorsal surface of the circumvallate papilla was covered by many finger‐like protrusion, and the tip of each protrusion had a central orifice. Anatomical distribution of lingual papillae was different to other carnivores and represents the adaptation to the feeding habits of this mammal. General morphology of the lingual structures was similar to those of the tiger.
The role of indoleamine‐2,3‐dioxygenase in normal and pathological pregnancies
Authors: Chang Rui‐Qi , Li Da‐Jin , Li Ming‐Qing
Published: November 2017

The survival of allogeneic fetus during pregnancy contradicts the laws of immune responses. Behind this paradoxical phenomenon, the mechanism is quite complex. Indoleamine‐2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO) is the first and rate‐limiting enzyme of tryptophan catabolism. Emerging evidence shows that IDO is expressed at the maternal‐fetal interface, including trophoblast cells, decidual stroma cells, decidual immune cells (eg, natural killer cells, T cells, and macrophages), and vascular endothelial cells of decidua and chorion. Moreover, the expression and activity of IDO are different among non‐pregnant, normal pregnant, and pathological pregnant conditions. IDO plays important roles in normal pregnancy through immune suppression and regulation of fetal invasion and circulation. However, the abnormal expression and dysfunction of IDO are associated with some pathological pregnancies (including recurrent spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, preterm labor, and fetal growth restriction).
Treating amblyopia in adults with prosthetic occluding contact lenses
Authors: Garcia‐Romo Esperanza , Perez‐Rico Consuelo , Roldán‐Díaz Isabel , Arévalo‐Serrano Juan , Blanco Román
Published: November 2017

Purpose

To investigate the feasibility, effectiveness and acceptability of using prosthetic occluding contact lenses (OCLs) to treat moderate amblyopia in adults and of the role of the multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) as a predictor of postamblyopic therapy.

Methods

A comparative, prospective, interventional, case series pilot study with amblyopic adults (mean age: 40 years, range 20–50 years) allocated into two intervention groups: eye patching and OCL. The primary outcome variable was logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and secondary outcomes were mfVEP amplitude and latency and patients’ health‐related quality of life National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ‐25).

Results

Significant improvements in pre‐ to postamblyopic therapy BCVA were seen at 1.5 months in the OCL group [0.29 logMAR, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.10–0.47 versus 0.11 logMAR, 95% CI: 0.02–0.19; p < 0.001] and eye patching group (0.29 logMAR, 95% CI: 0.17–0.40 versus 0.18 logMAR, 95% CI: 0.12–0.23; p < 0.01). Post‐treatment BCVA was inversely related to age (R: 0.009, 95% CI: −0.02 to −0.001; p = 0.04) and the presence of strabismus (R: −0.3, 95% CI: −0.434 to −0.17; p = 0.001). No significant changes in the number and size of the abnormal mfVEP amplitude and latency defects were observed after occlusion. The NEI VFQ‐25 composite score showed significant improvement in the OCL users at 12 months compared to eye patching.

Conclusion

Significant vision improvement can be achieved, making occlusion with OCLs an effective and more acceptable therapy for adults with amblyopia.
Localization of surfactant protein‐D in the rheumatoid synovial membrane
Authors: Christensen Anne Friesgaard , Sorensen Grith Lykke , Junker Kirsten , Revald Peter Hvidbak , Varnum Claus , Sorensen Flemming Brandt , Junker Peter
Published: November 2017

Surfactant protein‐D (SP‐D) is a collectin, which plays an important role in airway protection and inflammation. The molecule has both pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory capacities depending on its molecular size. Its involvement in joint diseases is largely unknown and the aim of this investigation was to study SP‐D occurrence and distribution in the synovial membrane of patients with long‐standing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Six RA patients and six OA patients, who underwent total hip arthroplasty, were included in the study. Synovial tissue biopsies were obtained during surgery and subsequently prepared for immunohistochemistry. In this first, small‐scale comparative study on the occurrence of SP‐D in the synovial membrane of RA and OA, we report that SP‐D was only present in the microvascular endothelium in subsynovial and pannus tissue and that the immunostaining was much stronger than in OA. This distribution pattern suggests that SP‐D modulates RA inflammatory activities.
Significance of bizarre cells in cervical screening liquid‐based cytology: A prospective study of 15 cases
Authors: Ondič O. , Ferko R. , Kičinová J. , Bouda J. , Kinkorová‐Luňáčková I. , Kupcová L. , Zůchová M. , Chytra J. , Waloschek T. , Tůmová Bartošková M. , Alaghehbandan R. , Němcová J.
Published: November 2017

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the significance of bizarre cells (cells of squamous origin with a superficial squamous cell‐type cytoplasm and characterised by multinucleation that produces bizarre nuclear shapes) in liquid‐based cytology (LBC) Papanicoaou (pap) smears with clinical and histological follow‐up correlation.

Methods

Fifteen patients, all with LBC samples containing bizarre cells, were identified in routine ThinPrep® LBC workload. HPV testing was performed in each case using residual LBC material. Cytological‐histological correlations were reviewed.

Results

All 15 LBC samples contained bizarre cells and tested positive for high‐risk HPV types. Ten of the 15 cases were identified as atypical squamous cells ‐ cannot exclude an HSIL (ASC‐H) with secondary diagnosis of low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), while five cases were identified as high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), and a subsequent biopsy was recommended. Additionally, 13/15 cases underwent cone biopsy or hysterectomy within 1‐11 months, of which 10 showed histologically confirmed HSIL end‐points. LSIL was present in three cases. Bizarre cells were identified in the HSIL epithelium of five cone biopsies.

Conclusions

Identification of bizarre cells in LBC is straightforward and may facilitate diagnosis. The cytology of bizarre cells is associated with HSIL in cone biopsies. We recommend assigning LBC samples containing bizarre cells as ASC‐H with secondary diagnosis of LSIL.
Seeing Political Settlements through the City: A Framework for Comparative Analysis of Urban Transformation
Authors: Goodfellow Tom
Published: November 2017

This article presents a new analytical framework for studying cities in the developing world based on the ‘political settlements’ approach. This has a dual purpose: to enrich comparative urban research by bringing new theoretical ideas to bear on this field, but also to use capital cities as a lens to better understand national political settlements. The central argument is that urban built environments and their transformations in situations of late development reflect the workings of different varieties of clientelism, and by analysing the former we can better understand the latter. Specifically, issues such as the nature of urban land use and land allocation, the pace and form of construction, the effectiveness of environmental regulation and the provision of housing for different income groups are all revealing of political settlements and their broader development implications. The potential of this approach is explored through three narrative ‘sketches’ of contemporary urban development in Eastern Africa: the ‘city as marketplace’ (Kampala), the ‘city as expo’ (Kigali) and the ‘city as construction site’ (Addis Ababa). In presenting this framework, the article seeks to advance debate on epistemological and analytical approaches to the study of both power relations and differential patterns of urban development.
Fuelling Social Inclusion? Neo‐extractivism, State–Society Relations and Biofuel Policies in Latin America's Southern Cone
Authors: Córdoba Diana , Chiappe Marta , Abrams Jesse , Selfa Theresa
Published: November 2017

Scholarship on neo‐extractivism agrees that this ‘post‐neoliberal’ model of development is founded on an inherent contradiction between the commitment to continue natural resource extraction and the need to legitimize these activities by using their revenues for poverty reduction. Using the cases of the national biofuel policies of the ‘post‐neoliberal’ governments of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, this article enquires why and how these policies emerged, how they were implemented, and how the resulting national experiences exemplify the inherent contradictions embedded in neo‐extractivist policies. Adopting a strategic‐relational approach to analyse state–society interaction, it is argued that the scope of progressive policies is conditioned to a large extent by pre‐existing social structures, institutions and state–society interactions. The article shows how progressive reforms intersect with the prevailing interests of agribusiness and state actors and are recast and used for different ends as these interact with powerful actors such as the multinational soybean complex and agrarian movements. It is suggested that the prevailing over‐emphasis in the neo‐extractivist literature on the politics of domination and contestation overlooks the multiple and complex rural responses of the different progressive governments. It also obscures the possibilities to explore the ruptures and continuities of these countries’ governments with previous models, and therefore fails to recognize state advances.
Beta‐cell sensitivity to glucose is impaired after gastric bypass surgery
Authors: Salehi Marzieh , Gastaldelli Amalia , D'Alessio David A.
Published: November 2017

Aims

Patients who have undergone Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass surgery (GB) have exaggerated postprandial insulin secretion, which has been attributed to increased meal glucose appearance and enhanced incretin effect. Here, we sought to determine β‐cell glucose sensitivity in the absence of meal stimulation and insulinotropic gut factors.

Materials and methods

A total of 12 non‐diabetic subjects with prior GB, and 7 matched non‐surgical control subjects with normal glucose tolerance were studied. Blood glucose and insulin secretion rates were measured during a graded glucose infusion at increasing and then decreasing rates. Insulin sensitivity (SI) and glucose effectiveness (SG) were determined by the minimal model.

Results

GB subjects had SI comparable to that of control subjects. GB subjects had relative hyperglycaemia during the highest dose of glucose infusion associated with significantly reduced β‐cell glucose sensitivity throughout both step‐up (GB: 34 ± 6, CN: 82 ± 9 pmol min−1 mM−1 L, P < .0001) and step‐down (GB: 31 ± 6, CN: 74 ± 9 pmol min−1 mM−1 L, P < .0001) phases of the glucose infusion. GB subjects also had reduced SG (GB: 0.04 ± 0.00, CN: 0.07 ± 0.01 min−1, P = .004).

Conclusion

In the absence of enteric stimuli, β‐cell sensitivity to changes in glycaemia is blunted among individuals with GB, indicating a significant shift in a fundamental property of β‐cell function several years after surgery
Entrapped sand as a plant defence: effects on herbivore performance and preference
Authors: LOPRESTI ERIC F. , GROF‐TISZA PATRICK , ROBINSON MORIA , GODFREY JESSIE , KARBAN RICHARD
Published: November 2017

1. Abrasive material in the diet of herbivorous organisms comes from a variety of sources, including crystalline silica or calcium in plant tissues, accidentally ingested soil while digging or grazing, and entrapped substrate on the surfaces of plants. A wide variety of plants entrap substrate, usually with glandular trichomes.

2. A previous study demonstrated that entrapped sand provided resistance to herbivory in the field. In this study, the following questions were addressed: how does entrapped sand on Abronia latifolia (Nyctaginaceae) leaves and stems affect preference and performance of a common herbivore, the large‐bodied caterpillar Hyles lineata (Sphingidae); does this effect differ from those experienced by an internally feeding leaf miner?

3. Using a combination of experimental and observational approaches, it was found that sand comprised ∼4–5% of ingested weight during normal feeding of H. lineata caterpillars. This entrapped sand caused extensive wear to their mandibles, they avoided sand‐covered plants when given the choice, and the sand negatively impacted performance metrics, including pupal weight, development time, and growth rate. In contrast, a leaf‐mining caterpillar did not have a preference for or against feeding on sandy plants.

4. These results are similar to studies on mandibular wear due to grasses, and herbivorous insects that feed on these two plant groups may have similar morphologies. It is hypothesised that increased wear potential may be a convergent solution to abrasive plants in both mammals (hypsodonty) and insects.
Access to diagnostic and therapeutic facilities for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: An international survey by the ILAE PNES Task Force
Authors: Hingray Coraline , El‐Hage Wissam , Duncan Rod , Gigineishvili David , Kanemoto Kousuke , LaFrance W. Curt , de Marinis Alejandro , Paul Ravi , Pretorius Chrisma , Téllez‐Zenteno José F. , Wiseman Hannah , Reuber Markus
Published: November 2017

Objective

Studies from a small number of countries suggest that patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) have limited access to diagnostic and treatment services. The PNES Task Force of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) carried out 2 surveys to explore the diagnosis and treatment of PNES around the world.

Methods

A short survey (8 questions) was sent to all 114 chapters of the ILAE. A longer survey (36 questions) was completed by healthcare professionals who see patients with seizures. Questions were separated into 5 sections: professional role, diagnostic methods, management, etiology, and access to health care.

Results

Responses were received from 63 different countries. The short survey was completed by 48 ILAE chapters, and the long survey by 1098 health professionals from 28 countries. PNES were recognized as a diagnostic and therapeutic problem in all countries. Trauma and mental health issues were most commonly recognized as etiologic factors. There was a clear relationship between income and access to diagnostic tests and expertise. Psychological therapy was most commonly considered the treatment of choice. Although financial difficulties were the most commonly reported problem with service access in low‐income countries, in all countries stigma, lack of popular awareness, and lack of information posed challenges.

Significance

This global provider survey demonstrates that PNES are a health problem around the world. Health care for PNES could be improved with better education of healthcare professionals, the development of reliable and simple diagnostic procedures that do not rely on costly tests, and the provision of accessible information.
Standing transcutaneous surgical excision of a sialolith in an 11‐year‐old Thoroughbred mare
Authors: Poore L. , Smit Y. , Williams J. , Steenkamp G.
Published: November 2017

An 11‐year‐old Thoroughbred mare was diagnosed with sialolithiasis of the right parotid salivary duct. A firm nonpainful subcutaneous mass was palpable in the right maxillary region adjacent to premolar 4 (tooth 108). Radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations identified a discrete mineralised ovoid mass that was hyperechoic and produced an acoustic shadow. Surgical excision of the mass was performed under standing sedation using a transcutaneous approach and the excised sialolith submitted for histopathological and mineral composition analyses. Histological examination found no evidence of a nidus at the sialolith's core. Mineral analysis of the sialolith revealed its composition to be 40% calcium phosphate (apatite) and 60% calcium carbonate. The mare recovered with no post‐operative complications and was clinically unremarkable 2 years later.
Atomic force microscopy for biomechanical and structural analysis of human dermis: A complementary tool for medical diagnosis and therapy monitoring
Authors: Peñuela Leonardo , Negro Carola , Massa Michela , Repaci Erica , Cozzani Emanuele , Parodi Aurora , Scaglione Silvia , Quarto Rodolfo , Raiteri Roberto
Published: November 2017

Skin mechanical properties are usually measured considering the entire skin thickness and very little is known about the mechanical behaviour of individual skin layers. We propose atomic force microscopy (AFM) as a tool to quantify nanoscale changes in the biomechanical properties and ultrastructure of human papillary dermis exposed to different mechanical and physical stimuli. Samples from 3 human skin biopsies were studied: one stretched by obesity, one subjected to a high level of sun exposure and normal skin as control. Slices of the papillary dermis layer were harvested at controlled depths from each skin biopsy and 25 μm2 areas of each slice were imaged and D‐periodicity of collagen fibres measured by AFM, together with their stiffness. Standard histological analysis was also carried out to correlate biochemical properties and their distribution with stiffness and topography. We obtained similar stiffness values between the sample affected by obesity and the control sample at any depth level into the dermis, while the sun‐exposed sample presented a significantly lower stiffness. Additionally, all samples presented an increase in the stiffness at higher depths into the papillary dermis layer. Collagen fibres close to the epidermis of sample affected either by obesity and sun exposure—the former even more than the latter—are thicker and present a larger D‐period than those in the control sample. Our results open the possibility to use structural and mechanical analysis based on AFM as a complementary tool for medical diagnosis and therapy monitoring.
Contemporary public–private partnership: Towards a global research agenda
Authors: Hodge Graeme , Greve Carsten
Published: November 2017

This paper reviews the research agenda lineage on public–private partnerships (PPPs) from Broadbent and Laughlin's seminal piece in 1999. The PPP phenomenon is viewed at five levels: project delivery, organisational form, policy, governance tool and as a phenomenon within a broader historical and cultural context. We argue that whilst a variety of research issues will continue to be relevant, five corresponding areas deserve future visibility for a renewed research agenda: (1) Financialisation of PPPs, (2) global PPP market actors, (3) internationalisation of policy on PPPs, (4) long‐term complex contracts as a governing regime and (5) PPPs in BRICS and developing countries.
Exenatide upregulates gene expression of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor and nerve growth factor in streptozotocin/nicotinamide‐induced diabetic mice
Authors: Gumuslu Esen , Cine Naci , Ertan Merve , Mutlu Oguz , Komsuoglu Celikyurt Ipek , Ulak Guner
Published: November 2017

Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) is an incretin hormone that has modulating effects on insulin release. GLP‐1 and receptors for GLP‐1 are widely expressed throughout the body including the brain. The expression of GLP‐1 receptors is very specific to large neurons in hippocampus, neocortex, and cerebellum. GLP‐1 receptor stimulation enhances glucose‐dependent insulin secretion and lowers blood glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Studies on adipobiology of neurotrophins have focused on nerve growth factor (NGF) as an example of adipose‐derived neurotrophins. Compromised trophic factor signaling may underlie neurodegenerative diseases ranging from Alzheimer's disease to diabetic neuropathies. Exenatide, a potent and selective agonist for the GLP‐1 receptor, is currently approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of chronic exenatide treatment on the hippocampal gene expression levels of GLP‐1 receptor and NGF in diabetic mice. The effects of chronic exenatide treatment (0.1 μg/kg, s.c., twice daily for 2 weeks) on GLP‐1 receptor and NGF gene expression levels in the hippocampus of streptozotocin/nicotinamide (STZ–NA)‐induced diabetic mice were assessed by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). The results of this study revealed that hippocampal gene expression of GLP‐1 receptor and NGF were downregulated in diabetic mice. Importantly, a significant increase in the gene expression level of GLP‐1 receptor and NGF was determined after 2 weeks of exenatide administration. Increased gene expression level of GLP‐1 receptor and NGF may underlie the beneficial action of exenatide in STZ/NA‐induced diabetes.
How complex should models be? Comparing correlative and mechanistic range dynamics models
Authors: Fordham Damien A. , Bertelsmeier Cleo , Brook Barry W. , Early Regan , Neto Dora , Brown Stuart C. , Ollier Sébastien , Araújo Miguel B.
Published: November 2017

Criticism has been levelled at climate‐change‐induced forecasts of species range shifts that do not account explicitly for complex population dynamics. The relative importance of such dynamics under climate change is, however, undetermined because direct tests comparing the performance of demographic models vs. simpler ecological niche models are still lacking owing to difficulties in evaluating forecasts using real‐world data. We provide the first comparison of the skill of coupled ecological‐niche‐population models and ecological niche models in predicting documented shifts in the ranges of 20 British breeding bird species across a 40‐year period. Forecasts from models calibrated with data centred on 1970 were evaluated using data centred on 2010. We found that more complex coupled ecological‐niche‐population models (that account for dispersal and metapopulation dynamics) tend to have higher predictive accuracy in forecasting species range shifts than structurally simpler models that only account for variation in climate. However, these better forecasts are achieved only if ecological responses to climate change are simulated without static snapshots of historic land use, taken at a single point in time. In contrast, including both static land use and dynamic climate variables in simpler ecological niche models improve forecasts of observed range shifts. Despite being less skilful at predicting range changes at the grid‐cell level, ecological niche models do as well, or better, than more complex models at predicting the magnitude of relative change in range size. Therefore, ecological niche models can provide a reasonable first approximation of the magnitude of species' potential range shifts, especially when more detailed data are lacking on dispersal dynamics, demographic processes underpinning population performance, and change in land cover.
Antarctic emerald rockcod have the capacity to compensate for warming when uncoupled from CO2‐acidification
Authors: Davis Brittany E. , Flynn Erin E. , Miller Nathan A. , Nelson Frederick A. , Fangue Nann A. , Todgham Anne E.
Published: November 2017

Increases in atmospheric CO2 levels and associated ocean changes are expected to have dramatic impacts on marine ecosystems. Although the Southern Ocean is experiencing some of the fastest rates of change, few studies have explored how Antarctic fishes may be affected by co‐occurring ocean changes, and even fewer have examined early life stages. To date, no studies have characterized potential trade‐offs in physiology and behavior in response to projected multiple climate change stressors (ocean acidification and warming) on Antarctic fishes. We exposed juvenile emerald rockcod Trematomus bernacchii to three PCO2 treatments (~450, ~850, and ~1,200 μatm PCO2) at two temperatures (−1 or 2°C). After 2, 7, 14, and 28 days, metrics of physiological performance including cardiorespiratory function (heart rate [fH] and ventilation rate [fV]), metabolic rate (), and cellular enzyme activity were measured. Behavioral responses, including scototaxis, activity, exploration, and escape response were assessed after 7 and 14 days. Elevated PCO2 independently had little impact on either physiology or behavior in juvenile rockcod, whereas warming resulted in significant changes across acclimation time. After 14 days, fH, fV and significantly increased with warming, but not with elevated PCO2. Increased physiological costs were accompanied by behavioral alterations including increased dark zone preference up to 14%, reduced activity by 12%, as well as reduced escape time suggesting potential trade‐offs in energetics. After 28 days, juvenile rockcod demonstrated a degree of temperature compensation as fV, , and cellular metabolism significantly decreased following the peak at 14 days; however, temperature compensation was only evident in the absence of elevated PCO2. Sustained increases in fV and after 28 days exposure to elevated PCO2 indicate additive (fV) and synergistic () interactions occurred in combination with warming. Stressor‐induced energetic trade‐offs in physiology and behavior may be an important mechanism leading to vulnerability of Antarctic fishes to future ocean change.