bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internalized HIV stigma, bullying, major depressive disorder, and high-risk suicidality among HIV-positive adolescents in rural Uganda
Authors: Ashaba S. , Cooper-Vince C. , Maling S. , Rukundo G. Z. , Akena D. , Tsai A. C.
Published: June 2018

Background.

Studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa suggest a high prevalence of depression and suicidality among adolescents living with HIV (ALWH). This is an important public health issue because depression is known to compromise HIV treatment adherence. However, the drivers of depression and suicidality in this population are unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the associations between internalized stigma, bullying, major depressive disorder, and suicidality.

Methods.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey between November 2016 and March 2017, enrolling a consecutive sample of 224 ALWH aged 13–17 years. We collected information on demographic characteristics, internalized HIV-related stigma (using the six-item Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale), bullying victimization (using the nine-item Social and Health Assessment Peer Victimization Scale), major depressive disorder [using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID)], and suicidality (also using the MINI-KID). We fitted multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the associations between stigma, bullying, major depressive disorder, and suicidality.

Results.

Thirty-seven participants (16%) had major depressive disorder, 30 (13%) had suicidality, and nine (4%) had high-risk suicidality. Ninety-one participants (41%) had high levels of internalized stigma, while 97 (43%) reported two or more bullying events in the past year. In multivariable logistic regression models, major depressive disorder had a statistically significant association with bullying (AOR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.00–1.20;p= 0.04); while suicidality (low, moderate, high risk) had statistically significant associations with both bullying (AOR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.01–1.17;p= 0.02) and stigma (AOR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.03–1.30;p= 0.02).

Conclusions.

Among ALWH in rural Uganda, stigma and bullying are strongly associated with major depressive disorder and suicidality. There is a need to incorporate psychological interventions in the mainstream HIV care to address these challenges for optimal management of HIV among ALWH.
Blocks of decimal digits
Authors: McLean K. Robin
Published: June 2018

Recently a friend kindly made me a birthday card whose background consisted of rows and rows of digits, some 3000 in all. There appeared to be no discernible pattern in the digits. Perhaps they had been taken from a table of random numbers. They were certainly not the opening digits of the decimal parts of π or , although they might, so far as I knew, have been consecutive digits of either number in some section remote from the decimal point.

On thinking about this, I realised that they must be the opening digits of the decimal part of the square root of some whole number. Indeed, they must be the opening digits of the decimal parts of the square roots of infinitely many positive integers. It is remarkably easy to prove this and the argument is simple enough to be appreciated and understood in school classrooms at GCSE level.
GLACiAR, an Open-Source Python Tool for Simulations of Source Recovery and Completeness in Galaxy Surveys
Authors: Carrasco D. , Trenti M. , Mutch S. , Oesch P. A.
Published: June 2018

The luminosity function is a fundamental observable for characterising how galaxies form and evolve throughout the cosmic history. One key ingredient to derive this measurement from the number counts in a survey is the characterisation of the completeness and redshift selection functions for the observations. In this paper, we present GLACiAR, an open python tool available on GitHub to estimate the completeness and selection functions in galaxy surveys. The code is tailored for multiband imaging surveys aimed at searching for high-redshift galaxies through the Lyman-break technique, but it can be applied broadly. The code generates artificial galaxies that follow Sérsic profiles with different indexes and with customisable size, redshift, and spectral energy distribution properties, adds them to input images, and measures the recovery rate. To illustrate this new software tool, we apply it to quantify the completeness and redshift selection functions for J-dropouts sources (redshift z ~ 10 galaxies) in the Hubble Space Telescope Brightest of Reionizing Galaxies Survey. Our comparison with a previous completeness analysis on the same dataset shows overall agreement, but also highlights how different modelling assumptions for the artificial sources can impact completeness estimates.
Mea Culpa: Apology Legislation, Accountability and Care
Authors: Levasseur Karine , MacDonald Fiona
Published: June 2018

Increasingly, jurisdictions are adopting “apology legislation” that allow medical professionals to apologize to patients and family members when an adverse event occurs while disallowing the introduction of the apology in a liability case as evidence of fault or liability. While apology legislation itself is fairly straightforward, its potential meaning and impact is much more complex. This paper conceptualizes apology legislation from an accountability and ethics of care perspective. These two concepts—accountability and care—are distinct but interrelated concepts and this dual theoretical approach offers a rich analysis on the potential impact(s) of apology legislation. We argue that apology legislation is a mechanism added to the existing accountability regime that can offer important opportunities to express and practise care. As an accountability mechanism, apology legislation creates space for an accountability relationship to emerge between medical professionals and their patients. Apology legislation also addresses long-standing gaps in how we as a society think about health care and respond to patients and families in ways that challenge the dominant “consumer of services” role. It is in this sense that apology legislation has the potential to destabilize traditional notions of social citizenship. Last, we argue that empirical research is urgently needed to know to what degree apologies contribute to accountability and the transformation of health care.
SOCIAL STATUS AND CLASSICISM IN THE VISUAL AND MATERIAL CULTURE OF THE SWEET BANQUET IN EARLY MODERN ENGLAND
Authors: STEWART LOUISE
Published: June 2018

Around 1520, at the court of Henry VIII of England, a new meal type emerged. Called the ‘banquet’, this took place after the main meal, in a distinct space, and consisted of sweet foods, spiced wine, and sculptural sugarwork. Originally developing at court, the sweet banquet was quickly embraced by the nobility and gentry. This article investigates the adoption of this dining practice in the wealthy country houses of early modern England and the reasons for its popularity in this specific context. It draws on state papers, published works, and household accounts to establish the ways in which the banquet was utilized and understood by early modern elites. This evidence makes it clear that a high-status person would have expected to be entertained with a sweet banquet at any important social occasion involving their peers. An examination of the visual and material cultures associated with the banquet establishes that it was a highly effective means by which to express class status at a time of anxiety regarding social mobility. As an appropriation of the ancient symposium, it provided opportunities to engage with the intellectual and visual cultures of the classical world and the Renaissance.
Governance Practices and Symbolism: De facto sovereignty and public authority in ‘Tigerland’
Authors: TERPSTRA NIELS , FRERKS GEORG
Published: June 2018

This article focuses on how the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) insurgency performed de facto sovereignty and public authority in Northeastern Sri Lanka. It is situated within the wider academic debate on governance by state and non-state actors. We venture to unravel the complex linkages between the LTTE's governance practices and legitimation strategies by looking at narratives, performances, and inscriptions. While monopolizing the justice and policing sectors, in other sectors the LTTE operated pragmatically in conjunction with the state. The organization tried to generate and sustain public authority and legitimacy through a variety of violent and non-violent practices and symbols. It ‘mimicked’ statehood by deploying, among others, policing, uniforms, ceremonies, nationalist songs, commemorations of combatants, and the media. This not only consolidated its grip on the Northeast, but also engineered a level of support and compliance. We conclude that the LTTE's governance included practices that were created and carried out independently from the Sri Lankan state, while others took shape within a pre-existing political order and service provision by the state. The article elucidates the LTTE's mimicry of the state, as well as the operation of parallel structures and hybrid forms of state-LTTE collaboration. This facilitates a nuanced understanding of rebel governance beyond a simple state versus non-state binary.
THE GAP BETWEEN ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS ON DABIGATRAN FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
Authors: Rolden Herbert J.A. , van der Wilt Gert Jan , Maas Angela H.E.M. , Grutters Janneke P.C.
Published: June 2018

Objectives:

As model-based economic evaluations (MBEEs) are widely used to make decisions in the context of policy, it is imperative that they represent clinical practice. Here, we assess the relevance of MBEEs on dabigatran for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods:

We performed a systematic review on the basis of a developed questionnaire, tailored to oral anticoagulation in patients with AF. Included studies had a full body text in English, compared dabigatran with a vitamin K antagonist, were not dedicated to one or more subgroup(s), and yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. The relevance of all MBEEs was assessed on the basis of ten context-independent factors, which encompassed clinical outcomes and treatment duration. The MBEEs performed for the United States were assessed on the basis of seventeen context-dependent factors, which were related to the country's target population and clinical environment.

Results:

The search yielded twenty-nine MBEEs, of which six were performed for the United States. On average, 54 percent of the context-independent factors were included per study, and 37 percent of the seventeen context-dependent factors in the U.S. studies. The share of relevant factors per study did not increase over time.

Conclusions:

MBEEs on dabigatran leave out several relevant factors, limiting their usefulness to decision makers. We strongly urge health economic researchers to improve the relevance of their MBEEs by including context-independent relevance factors, and modeling context-dependent factors befitting the decision context concerned.
SIEVES AND THE MINIMAL RAMIFICATION PROBLEM
Authors: Bary-Soroker Lior , Schlank Tomer M.
Published: June 2018

The minimal ramification problem may be considered as a quantitative version of the inverse Galois problem. For a nontrivial finite group $G$, let $m(G)$ be the minimal integer $m$ for which there exists a $G$-Galois extension $N/\mathbb{Q}$ that is ramified at exactly $m$ primes (including the infinite one). So, the problem is to compute or to bound $m(G)$.

In this paper, we bound the ramification of extensions $N/\mathbb{Q}$ obtained as a specialization of a branched covering $\unicode[STIX]{x1D719}:C\rightarrow \mathbb{P}_{\mathbb{Q}}^{1}$. This leads to novel upper bounds on $m(G)$, for finite groups $G$ that are realizable as the Galois group of a branched covering. Some instances of our general results are: $$\begin{eqnarray}1\leqslant m(S_{k})\leqslant 4\quad \text{and}\quad n\leqslant m(S_{k}^{n})\leqslant n+4,\end{eqnarray}$$ for all $n,k>0$. Here $S_{k}$ denotes the symmetric group on $k$ letters, and $S_{k}^{n}$ is the direct product of $n$ copies of $S_{k}$. We also get the correct asymptotic of $m(G^{n})$, as $n\rightarrow \infty$ for a certain class of groups $G$.

Our methods are based on sieve theory results, in particular on the Green–Tao–Ziegler theorem on prime values of linear forms in two variables, on the theory of specialization in arithmetic geometry, and on finite group theory.
Measurement and Conceptual Approaches to Religious Violence: The Use of Natural Language Processing to Generate Religious Violence Event-Data
Authors: Brathwaite Robert , Park Baekkwan
Published: June 2018

How do we measure religious violence? This study is focused on utilizing new methodological approaches and data sources to measure religiously motivated violence. Previous attempts to measure religious violence concentrated on coding U.S. State Department International Religious Freedom reports or utilizing existing datasets on armed conflict/civil wars. These previous attempts provided state-level data of the levels of religiously motivated violence, but due to data limitations cannot provide more fine-grained measures of specific acts of violence tied to religious motivation. In particular, accounting for varying levels of intensity especially in regards to non-lethal acts of religiously motivated violence is missing. This study builds upon previous attempts focusing on the creation of more fine-grained measures and accounting for its variation at the sub-national level utilizing natural language processing. The data generated are used to examine incidences of reported religious violence in India from 2000 to 2015.
Transformative change through Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES): a conceptual framework and application to conservation agriculture in Malawi
Authors: Bell Andrew Reid , Benton Tim G. , Droppelmann Klaus , Mapemba Lawrence , Pierson Oliver , Ward Patrick S.
Published: June 2018

Non-technical summary

A major challenge in addressing the loss of benefits and services provided by the natural environment is that it can be difficult to find ways for those who benefit from them to pay for their preservation. We examine one such context in Malawi, where erosion from soils disturbed by agriculture affects not only farmers’ incomes, but also damages aquatic habitat and inhibits the storage and hydropower potential of dams downstream. We demonstrate that payments from hydropower producers to farmers to maintain land cover and prevent erosion can have benefits for all parties involved.
Co-producing climate policy and negative emissions: trade-offs for sustainable land-use
Authors: Dooley Kate , Christoff Peter , Nicholas Kimberly A.
Published: June 2018

Non-technical summary

Under the Paris Agreement, nations have committed to preventing dangerous global warming. Scenarios for achieving net-zero emissions in the second half of this century depend on land (forests and bioenergy) to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Modelled levels of land-based mitigation could reduce the availability of productive agricultural land, and encroach on natural land, with potentially significant social and environmental consequences. However, these issues are poorly recognized in the policy-uptake of modelled outputs. Understanding how science and policy interact to produce expectations about mitigation pathways allows us to consider the trade-offs inherent in relying on land for mitigation.
Pharmakotherapie schizophrener Psychosen: State of the Art
Authors: Eich Philipp E. , Nick Beat
Published: June 2018

Zusammenfassung. Die Schizophrenie ist eine Erkrankung, deren Ursache und Verlauf immer noch viele Rätsel aufgibt. In der Behandlung konnten in den letzten Jahrzehnten grosse Fortschritte erzielt werden. Eine frühe Erkennung und Behandlung der Erkrankung ist für den Verlauf sehr wichtig. Jede der vier bekannten Krankheitsphasen bei dieser Erkrankung bedarf eines spezifischen Behandlungsansatzes. Während einer psychotischen Akutphase werden heute v. a. Antipsychotika der 2. Generation (Atypika) eingesetzt. Dabei wird den unerwünschten Arzneimittelwirkungen (UAW) sowohl in Bezug auf die Erreichung einer Remission als auch im Rahmen der Rückfallprophylaxe eine Schlüsselrolle eingeräumt. Eine Adhärenz und eine geeignete Prophylaxe zur Verhinderung weiterer psychotischer Episoden können den Verlauf dieser ernsthaften Erkrankung deutlich verbessern. Lang wirksame Präparate (Depotpräparate) haben sich hier sehr bewährt. Patienten mit einer schizophrenen Störung haben eine deutlich geringere Lebenserwartung als die Normalbevölkerung, weshalb das Monitoring durch den Allgemeinarzt in Bezug auf metabolische Parameter eine grosse Rolle spielt.
Ferroic domains regulate photocurrent in single-crystalline CH3NH3PbI3 films self-grown on FTO/TiO2 substrate
Authors: Huang Boyuan , Kong Guoli , Esfahani Ehsan Nasr , Chen Shulin , Li Qian , Yu Junxi , Xu Ningan , Zhang Ying , Xie Shuhong , Wen Haidan , Gao Peng , Zhao Jinjin , Li Jiangyu
Published: June 2018

Photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE) of halide perovskite solar cells has risen spectacularly, yet the very crystalline structure of CH3NH3PbI3 remains ambiguous after extensive researches, and its polar nature remains hotly debated. Here we present compelling evidences that CH3NH3PbI3 crystals self-grown on FTO/TiO2 substrate consist of ferroic domains with alternating polar and nonpolar orders, in contrast to previous experimental and theoretical expectations, and polar domains possess reduced photocurrent. It is found that polar and nonpolar orders of CH3NH3PbI3 can be distinguished from their distinct lateral piezoresponse, energy dissipation, first and second harmonic electromechanical couplings, and temperature variation, even though their difference in crystalline lattice is very subtle, and they possess two-way memory effect through cubic-tetragonal phase transition. We hope these findings resolve key questions regarding polar nature of CH3NH3PbI3 and its implication on photovoltaics, reconcile contradictory data widely reported, and point a direction toward engineering ferroic domains for enhanced PCE.
Enzymatic Reactive Absorption and Distillation
Authors: Wierschem Matthias , Leimbrink Mathias , Skiborowski Mirko , Heils Rene , Smirnova Irina , Górak Andrzej
Published: June 2018

In this work, innovative concepts for reactive separation processes, such as reactive absorption and distillation, that make use of bio-based catalysts, in specific enzymes, are discussed. Enzymatic Reactive Absorption (ERA) and Distillation (ERD) offer potential for energy and investment savings or improved selectivity by exploiting enzyme merits like high enantioselectivity and high reaction rates at milder reaction conditions than chemical catalysts. Potential process equipment, application strategies to supply enzyme for ERA and ERD processes as well as suitable modeling and design approaches are presented. Despite the huge potential, addressing these issues is crucial in order to promote ERA and ERD as vital technologies for process intensification in bio-based industries. The application of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase in an ERA column with common MDEA-based solvent can drastically improve the absorption of CO2 by more than 9-fold. Furthermore, the production of butyl butyrate and enantiomerically pure (R)-1-phenylethyl acetate or (S)-2-pentanol were successfully demonstrated in an ERD column. These processes provided high conversion rates of the substrates and purities of the product stream at milder process conditions compared to conventional processes.
Acoustic Reflex Testing in Neonatal Hearing Screening and Subsequent Audiological Evaluation
Authors: Jacob-Corteletti Lilian Cássia Bórnia , Araújo Eliene Silva , Duarte Josilene Luciene , Zucki Fernanda , Alvarenga Kátia de Freitas
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The aims of the study were to examine the acoustic reflex screening and threshold in healthy neonates and those at risk of hearing loss and to determine the effect of birth weight and gestational age on acoustic stapedial reflex (ASR).

Method

We assessed 18 healthy neonates (Group I) and 16 with at least 1 risk factor for hearing loss (Group II); all of them passed the transient evoked otoacoustic emission test that assessed neonatal hearing. The test battery included an acoustic reflex screening with activators of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz and broadband noise and an acoustic reflex threshold test with all of them, except for the broadband noise activator.

Results

In the evaluated neonates, the main risk factors were the gestational age at birth and a low birth weight; hence, these were further analyzed. The lower the gestational age at birth and birth weight, the less likely that an acoustic reflex would be elicited by pure-tone activators. This effect was significant at the frequencies of 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz for gestational age at birth and at the frequencies of 1 and 2 kHz for birth weight. When the broadband noise stimulus was used, a response was elicited in all neonates in both groups. When the pure-tone stimulus was used, the Group II showed the highest acoustic reflex thresholds and the highest percentage of cases with an absent ASR. The ASR threshold varied from 50 to 100 dB HL in both groups. Group II presented higher mean ASR thresholds than Group I, this difference being significant at frequencies of 1, 2, and 4 kHz.

Conclusions

Birth weight and gestational age at birth were related to the elicitation of the acoustic reflex. Neonates with these risk factors for hearing impairment were less likely to exhibit the acoustic reflex and had higher thresholds.
Blood Pressure and Cognitive Performance After a Single Administration of a Camphor-Crataegus Combination in Adolescents with Low Blood Pressure
Authors: Schandry Rainer , Lindauer Daniela , Mauz Matthias
Published: June 2018

Low blood pressure is rather widespread among adolescents and frequently accompanied by complaints. Two single-center, double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trials were performed with adolescent participants in the age range of 14 – 17 y having a systolic blood pressure below 118 mmHg (boys) or 110 mmHg (girls). They received a single dose of 20 drops of a fixed combination of natural D-camphor and an ethanolic extract from fresh Crataegus berries (CCC) or of an ethanolic placebo. The efficacy of CCC (commercial name Korodin) has proven its efficacy in the treatment of low blood pressure in adults of all ages, although related placebo-controlled, double-blind studies for adolescents following European (EU) pediatric regulations are lacking. Blood pressure and heart rate were assessed during a rest period, prior to substance administration, 1 min thereafter, and after about 5 min. Additionally, performance was assessed by two cognitive tests. After administration of CCC, a significantly greater rise in blood pressure occurred compared to placebo. In the cognitive tasks, no significant differences were observed. No adverse events or subjective complaints were reported at the final examination; thus, the present study provides evidence for the safety and tolerability of CCC after a single administration.
Dental Imaging – A basic guide for the radiologist
Authors: Masthoff Max , Gerwing Mirjam , Masthoff Malte , Timme Maximilian , Kleinheinz Johannes , Berninger Markus , Heindel Walter , Wildgruber Moritz , Schülke Christoph
Published: June 2018

Background As dental imaging accounts for approximately 40 % of all X-ray examinations in Germany, profound knowledge of this topic is essential not only for the dentist but also for the clinical radiologist. This review focuses on basic imaging findings regarding the teeth. Therefore, tooth structure, currently available imaging techniques and common findings in conserving dentistry including endodontology, periodontology, implantology and dental trauma are presented.

Methods Literature research on the current state of dental radiology was performed using Pubmed.

Results and Conclusion Currently, the most frequent imaging techniques are the orthopantomogram (OPG) and single-tooth radiograph, as well as computer tomography (CT) and cone beam CT mainly for implantology (planning or postoperative control) or trauma indications. Especially early diagnosis and correct classification of a dental trauma, such as dental pulp involvement, prevents from treatment delays or worsening of therapy options and prognosis. Furthermore, teeth are commonly a hidden focus of infection.

Since radiologists are frequently confronted with dental imaging, either concerning a particular question such as a trauma patient or regarding incidental findings throughout head and neck imaging, further training in this field is more than worthwhile to facilitate an early and sufficient dental treatment.

Key points 

Citation Format
Effects of Acute Stress on Thrombosis
Authors: Bentur Ohad , Sarig Galit , Brenner Benjamin , Jacob Giris
Published: June 2018

Stress, the nonspecific response to any demand for change, is an adaptive response of the human body to various stimulants. As such, stress-induced hypercoagulation may represent an adaptive response to bleeding. Numerous epidemiological studies have revealed that a correlation exists between stress and thrombotic risk and biochemically, links of the relationship between psychological stress and coagulation pathways have been made. The stress reaction is coupled with neurohormonal changes mediated mainly by the sympathetic neural system and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. Singling out the specific pathways affecting coagulation in this complex response is hampered by many confounders. The mediators of the stress reaction (neurotransmitters and hormones) can directly affect platelets and the coagulation cascade and indirectly affect hemostasis via changes in hemodynamics. In this review, the authors will delineate the distinct neurobiological mechanisms that govern the effects of stress on coagulation, and report their recent findings.
Identification of a common immune regulatory pathway induced by small heat shock proteins, amyloid fibrils, and nicotine
Authors: Rothbard Jonathan B. , Rothbard Jesse J. , Soares Luis , Fathman C. Garrison , Steinman Lawrence
Published: June 2018

Significance

The identification of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 NAChR) as the principal receptor for amyloid fibrils and small heat shock proteins clarifies their mechanism of immune suppression. The discovery of the receptor allows previous experiments using amyloid fibrils to be interpreted based on the extensive body of literature detailing the NAChR signaling pathway. In addition, the data further support the realization that amyloid fibrils are immune suppressive, which may be an important factor in neurodegenerative diseases. The demonstration that NAChR agonists are effective in limiting ischemia and autoimmunity emphasizes that the α7-specific partial agonists, which failed in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia, could be reconsidered as therapeutics for a spectrum of inflammatory indications.
Spinoza and the problem of other substances
Authors: Barry Galen
Published: June 2018

Most of Spinoza’s arguments for God’s existence do not rely on any special feature of God, but instead on merely general features of substance. This raises the following worry: those arguments prove the existence of non-divine substances just as much as they prove God’s existence, and yet there is not enough room in Spinoza’s system for all these substances. I argue that Spinoza attempts to solve this problem by using a principle of plenitude to rule out the existence of other substances and that the principle cannot be derived from the PSR, as many claim.

Abbreviation:PSR: Principle of Sufficient Reason
A Case of Bilateral Nocardia francinia Adrenal Abscesses in an Intravenous Drug–Using Splenectomized Patient With Tricuspid Endocarditis
Authors: Jackson Lesley E , Shorman Mahmoud
Published: June 2018

Adrenal abscesses due to disseminated nocardiosis are exceedingly rare in clinical practice, and to date only 8 cases have been reported in the literature, most of which were confined to a single adrenal gland. These infections often occur in patients with underlying immune deficiency. We report a rare case of bilateral nocardial adrenal abscesses in an intravenous drug–using splenectomized patient that presumably originated from direct inoculation using intravenous opana, as his admission chest radiograph was normal.
National survey of Salmonella prevalence in lymph nodes of sows and market hogs1
Authors: Bessire Baylee C , Thomas Milton , Gehring Kerri B , Savell Jeffrey W , Griffin Davey B , Taylor T Matthew , Mikel W Benjy , Campbell Jonathan A , Arnold Ashley N , Scaria Joy
Published: June 2018

Livestock are known to harbor Salmonella in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract and lymphatic tissues. Pathogens may be transferred from the GI tract to external carcass surfaces during normal harvest procedures but can be mitigated by antimicrobial carcass interventions. Lymph nodes (LNs) are typically encased in fat and are protected from antimicrobial carcass surface treatments, thus serving as a possible root cause of foodborne illnesses attributed to Salmonella in meat products. Members of the pork industry are committed to food safety and want to better understand Salmonella as a potential contaminant in pork products. To establish a baseline of Salmonella prevalence in porcine LNs across the United States, 21 commercial pork harvest facilities, representing northern (n = 12) or southern (n = 9) geographical regions, participated in this study. As processing volumes allowed, 25 carcasses were selected from each establishment. From each carcass, left and right superficial inguinal LNs (n =1,014 LNs) were removed and pooled to yield one sample per animal or n = 507 total LN samples. Salmonella prevalence rates differed (P < 0.05) between hog types in both regions. Specifically, 6.4% of market hog and 37.0% of sow samples were Salmonella positive in the northern region. This was reversed in the southern region as 13.0% of market hog and 4.8% of sow samples were Salmonella positive. There also was a difference (P < 0.05) in prevalence rates between northern and southern regions for sows, but not market hogs (P > 0.05). Type of chilling method (conventional, blast, or other) used at each market hog facility (n = 12) was documented. In the northern region, prevalence rates of Salmonella across chilling types were as follows: 20.0%, 2.7%, and 1.3% positive samples for conventional, other, and blast chill methods, respectively. In the southern region, 20.0% of samples were positive for conventional, 0.0% for blast, and 12.0% for other chilling methods. In both regions, samples from conventionally chilled carcasses returned more (P < 0.05) positive results than any other chill method. Overall, the higher rate of Salmonella prevalence in northern sows warrants further investigation, and members of the pork industry would benefit from the identification of possible methods to address the presence of Salmonella in porcine LNs.
Chirality provides a direct fitness advantage and facilitates intermixing in cellular aggregates
Authors: George Ashish B. , Korolev Kirill S.
Published: June 2018

Short Abstract

Is it better to be left- or right-handed? The answer depends on whether the goal is making a handshake or winning a boxing match. The need for coordination favors the handedness of the majority, but being different could also provide an advantage. The same rules could apply to microbial colonies and cancer tumors. Like humans, cells often have handedness (chirality) that reflects the lack of mirror symmetry in their shapes or movement patterns. We find that cells gain a substantial fitness advantage by either increasing the magnitude of their chirality or switching to the opposite handedness. Selection for specific chirality is mediated by the formation of bulges along the colony edge in regions where cells with different chiralities meet.

Long Abstract

Chirality in shape and motility can evolve rapidly in microbes and cancer cells. To determine how chirality affects cell fitness, we developed a model of chiral growth in compact aggregates such as microbial colonies and solid tumors. Our model recapitulates previous experimental findings and shows that mutant cells can invade by increasing their chirality or switching their handedness. The invasion results either in a takeover or stable coexistence between the mutant and the ancestor depending on their relative chirality. For large chiralities, the coexistence is accompanied by strong intermixing between the cells, while spatial segregation occurs otherwise. We show that the competition within the aggregate is mediated by bulges in regions where the cells with different chiralities meet. The two-way coupling between aggregate shape and natural selection is described by the chiral Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation coupled to the Burgers’ equation with multiplicative noise. We solve for the key features of this theory to explain the origin of selection on chirality. Overall, our work suggests that chirality could be an important ecological trait that mediates competition, invasion, and spatial structure in cellular populations.
Look before you jump: jumping spiders discriminate different ants by visual cues
Authors: Vijayan Sajesh , Casiker Chethana , Uma Divya
Published: June 2018

Ants, being ubiquitous, aggressive, and top predators, play a predominant role in terrestrial ecosystems. Jumping spiders are another prominent invertebrate predator that are present in similar habitats as that of ants. Most jumping spiders are thought to avoid ants, yet little is known if they discriminate among them. In this study we examined the response of jumping spider genusPlexippustowards three different ant species (Oecophylla smaragdina, the weaver ants;Camponotus sericeusthe golden-back carpenter ants, andLeptogenys processionalis, the procession ants). In a behavioral assay that excluded tactile and chemical cues, we tested if spiders distinguish the three ants by visual cues alone. We recorded and analysed behaviors such as ‘look’, ‘approach’, ‘stalk’, ‘attack’, and ‘avoidance’ by spiders towards ants. Our results show that the three ants differ in their color, movement and aggressive behavior. Spiders gave ‘short looks’ to live ants, suggesting movement is important in detecting ants. Furthermore, spiders gave significantly more ‘long looks’ to procession and golden-back ants compared to weaver ants. Spiders approached, stalked and attacked procession ants more compared to weaver ants. Numerous jumping spiders and ants overlap in their habitat, and it is advantageous to selectively avoid some ants over others. Our results suggests that jumping spiders can indeed distinguish ants that co-occur in their habitat by visual cues alone, however, the precise nature of visual cues warrants further studies.
Using action research for change in organizations: processes, reflections and outcomes
Authors: Molineux John
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary and recommendations on systemic approaches to designing and implementing change in organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a viewpoint on successful change management techniques using action research based on experience in the use of systemic thinking and systems practices.

Findings

The use of a systems approach to change using relevant systems practices enables more successful change outcomes.

Practical implications

Change management practitioners should utilise systemic approaches to enable more successful change implementation.

Originality/value

The paper provides valuable advice for practitioners and researchers in change management through the author’s unique experience in systemic change processes.
On the Matter of Resources and Techno‐Politics: The Case of Water and Iron in the South Indian Iron Age
Authors: Johansen Peter G. , Bauer Andrew M.
Published: June 2018

Water management and iron production were two socio‐technical practices deeply entrained with the politics of emerging social distinctions in northern Karnataka during the South Indian Iron Age (1200–300 BCE). In this article, we approach resources by building a theoretical convergence between “resource materialities” and “techno‐politics,” which allows us to assess the historically specific constitution of certain materials as culturally valued resources while maintaining analytical attention on how assemblages of technical practices and active material properties shape social conditions. By differentially anticipating and responding to the social and material distributions of a range of dynamic matter (for example, granitic rock, iron ores, bloom, and metal, water, soils, and vegetation), Iron Age peoples transformed substances into resources and simultaneously produced a historically unique political sociology of resource relations. Our approach dissolves the processual distinction between natural resource and cultural product and directs attention to how substances become resources through ongoing historical articulations of humans and nonhumans in contexts oriented by cultural values. Contrasting the material properties and distributions of iron and water resource assemblages allows us to more fully understand the distinctiveness of different forms of techno‐politics and resource relations within the same cultural and historical context. [resource materialities, techno‐politics, resource assemblage, entrainment, South Indian Iron Age]
Changing moralities: Rethinking elderly care in Spain
Authors: Bofill‐Poch Sílvia
Published: June 2018

Demographic and social changes in Europe and OECD countries have increased the number of dependents in recent decades, challenging the organisation of health systems and raising calls for re‐definition of long‐term care services. In Spain the crisis of care has challenged a care regime based strongly on the family. Recent social policies have attempted to address this challenge. This article analyses the ideal of family care expressed by women who have traditionally played the role of caregivers. Reflecting a disruption of previously held moral attitudes throughout society, elderly women manifest new expectations in relation to their own care, redefining the scope of filial obligation and linking it to a renewed notion of independency and autonomy. However, in the current context of financial crisis, family care appears not as a choice, but an undesirable consequence of the lack of public policies. The study applies a theoretical approach based on the anthropology of moralities.
Acoustic analysis of misarticulated trills in cleft lip and palate children
Authors: Vikram C. M. , Macha Sashank Kumar , Kalita Sishir , Mahadeva Prasanna S. R.
Published: June 2018

In this paper, acoustic analysis of misarticulated trills in cleft lip and palate speakers is carried out using excitation source based features: strength of excitation and fundamental frequency, derived from zero-frequency filtered signal, and vocal tract system features: first formant frequency (F1) and trill frequency, derived from the linear prediction analysis and autocorrelation approach, respectively. These features are found to be statistically significant while discriminating normal from misarticulated trills. Using acoustic features, dynamic time warping based trill misarticulation detection system is demonstrated. The performance of the proposed system in terms of the F1-score is 73.44%, whereas that for conventional Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients is 66.11%.
Endophytes of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativaL.) cultivars: identification of culturable bacteria and fungi in leaves, petioles, and seeds
Authors: Scott Maryanne , Rani Mamta , Samsatly Jamil , Charron Jean-Benoit , Jabaji Suha
Published: June 2018

Plant endophytes are a group of microorganisms that reside asymptomatically within the healthy living tissue. The diversity and molecular and biochemical characterization of industrial hemp-associated endophytes have not been previously studied. This study explored the abundance and diversity of culturable endophytes residing in petioles, leaves, and seeds of three industrial hemp cultivars, and examined their biochemical attributes and antifungal potential. A total of 134 bacterial and 53 fungal strains were isolated from cultivars Anka, CRS-1, and Yvonne. The number of bacterial isolates was similarly distributed among the cultivars, with the majority recovered from petiole tissue. Most fungal strains originated from leaf tissue of cultivar Anka. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses grouped the endophytes into 18 bacterial and 13 fungal taxa, respectively. The most abundant bacterial genera were Pseudomonas, Pantoea, and Bacillus, and the fungal genera were Aureobasidium, Alternaria, and Cochliobolus. The presence of siderophores, cellulase production, and phosphorus solubilization were the main biochemical traits. In proof-of-concept experiments, re-inoculation of tomato roots with some endophytes confirmed their migration to aerial tissues of the plant. Taken together, this study demonstrates that industrial hemp harbours a diversity of microbial endophytes, some of which could be used in growth promotion and (or) in biological control designed experiments.
Perioperative Anaphylaxis Including Kounis Syndrome due to Selective Cefazolin Allergy
Authors: Mota Inês , Gaspar Ângela , Morais-Almeida Mário
Published: June 2018

Background: Perioperative use of cefazolin has been associated with severe allergic reactions, and patients are usually labelled as allergic to penicillin afterwards. The aim of our study was to describe a group of patients with immediate reactions to cefazolin, with proven selective hypersensitivity reactions. Methods: Systematic review of all patients followed at our drug centre with cefazolin-related reactions, between January 2012 and December 2016. All patients were investigated according to the European Network for Drug Allergy (ENDA) recommendations through skin testing (major and minor penicillin determinants, penicillin, amoxicillin, cefazolin, cefuroxime and ceftriaxone) and oral challenges tests. Results: We included 7 patients (median age 40 years) with perioperative anaphylactic reactions immediately after cefazolin injection, 4 with hypotension and 1 with Kounis syndrome (KS) type I. The presence of a selective IgE-mediated hypersensitivity through positive skin tests to cefazoline has been proven in all patients. Two patients experienced systemic reactions during skin testing. All patients were successfully challenged with amoxicillin, and they tolerated cefuroxime. Conclusions: Cefazolin can be responsible for immediate severe allergic reactions in perioperative setting, including KS. Allergological workup is essential for an accurate diagnosis and to explore cross-reactivity between cefazolin and other beta-lactams. Our experience confirmed that patients with IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to cefazolin can tolerate other beta-lactams. This selective pattern of clinical reactivity may be explained by its particular chemical structure, whose R1 side-chain is different from other beta-lactams.
Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease Affects HDL Impact on Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL)-Mediated VLDL Lipolysis Efficiency
Authors: Ćwiklińska Agnieska , Cackowska Monika , Wieczorek Ewa , Król Ewa , Kowalski Robert , Kuchta Agnieszka , Kortas-Stempak Barbara , Gliwińska Anna , Dąbkowski Kamil , Zielińska Justyna , Dębska-Ślizień Alicja , Jankowski Maciej
Published: June 2018

Background/Aims: Hypertriglyceridaemia (HTG) and reduction and dysfunction of high density lipoprotein (HDL) are common lipid disturbances in chronic kidney disease (CKD). HTG in CKD is caused mainly by the decreased efficiency of lipoprotein lipase (LPL)-mediated very low density lipoprotein triglyceride (VLDL-TG) lipolysis. It has not been clarified whether HDL dysfunction in CKD contributes directly to HTG development; thus, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of CKD progression on the ability of HDL to enhance LPL-mediated VLDL-TG lipolysis efficiency. Methods: VLDL was isolated from non-dialysis patients in CKD stages 3 and 4 and from non-CKD patients. The VLDL was incubated with LPL at the constant LPL:VLDL-TG ratio, in the absence or presence of HDL. After incubation, the VLDL was separated and the percentage (%) of hydrolyzed TG was calculated. Results: HDL presence increased the lipolysis efficiency of VLDL isolated from CKD and non-CKD patients, for the VLDL-TG> 50 mg/dl. Its effect was dependent on the VLDL-TG and HDL-cholesterol concentrations in the reaction mixtures: the higher the concentrations of VLDL-TG and HDL-cholesterol, the greater the effect. The positive impact of HDL on VLDL lipolysis was modified by CKD progression: the percentage of lipolyzed VLDL-TG in the presence of HDL decreased with a reduction in eGFR (r=0.43, p=0.009), and for patients with stage 4 CKD, no positive impact of HDL on lipolysis was observed. The percentage of lipolyzed TG correlated negatively with apoE and apoCs content in VLDL, and positively with HDL-apoCII, as well as with VLDL and HDL apoCII/ apoCIII ratios. The progression of CKD was associated with unfavourable changes in VLDL and HDL composition; apoE and apoCs levels increased in VLDL with a decrease in eGFR whereas the HDL-cholesterol level decreased. Conclusion: The progression of CKD affects lipoprotein composition and properties, and modulates the positive impact of HDL on VLDL lipolysis efficiency. In CKD patients, HDL deficiency and dysfunction can directly affect hypertriglyceridaemia development.
Sympathetic Nerve Traffic Activation in Essential Hypertension and Its Correlates
Authors: Grassi Guido , Pisano Anna , Bolignano Davide , Seravalle Gino , D’Arrigo Graziella , Quarti-Trevano Fosca , Mallamaci Francesca , Zoccali Carmine , Mancia Giuseppe
Published: June 2018

Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) has shown that sympathetic activation may occur in essential hypertension (EHT). However, the small sample size of the studies, the heterogeneity of the patients examined, and the presence of confounders represented major weaknesses not allowing to draw definite conclusions. Among the 432 studies identified providing information in EHT on MSNA, 63 were eligible (1216 patients) and meta-analyzed grouping them on the basis of clinically relevant questions: (1) Is MSNA increased in hypertension of mild/moderate-to-severe degree? (2) Does sympathetic activation occur in borderline, white-coat, and masked EHT? (3) Is MSNA related to clinic and ambulatory blood pressure and target organ damage? (4) Are heart rate and venous plasma norepinephrine valuable surrogate markers of MSNA in clinical practice? The results show that MSNA was significantly greater (1.5×;
P
<0.001) in mild-to-moderate and severe EHT as compared with normotensive controls and that this was the case also in borderline, white-coat, and masked hypertension as well. Interestingly, MSNA was significantly greater in both untreated and treated hypertension (
P
<0.001 for both), related to clinic and ambulatory blood pressure (
r
=0.67 and
r
=0.83;
P
<0.001 for both), inversely related to heart rate (
r
=−0.38;
P
<0.001) and directly to venous plasma norepinephrine (
r
=0.28;
P
<0.001) and left ventricular mass index (
r
=0.27;
P
<0.001). Thus, EHT is a condition characterized by a sustained sympathetic overdrive, whose magnitude is proportional to its clinical severity. This is more clearly manifest when MSNA rather than indirect markers of adrenergic drive, such as heart rate and plasma norepinephrine, are used.