bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plant growth and oil contamination alter the diversity and composition of bacterial communities in agricultural soils across China
Authors: Jiao Shuo , Chen Weimin , Wang Junman , Zhang Lu , Yang Fan , Lin Yanbing , Wei Gehong
Published: March 2018

The dynamics of microbial diversity in response to biotic and abiotic disturbances provide a sensitive indicator for evaluating the potential stability and degradation of soils in agro‐ecosystems. To determine the effect on soil bacterial communities of disturbances by plant growth (Robinia pseudoacacia) and oil contamination, we sequenced 16S rRNA genes using MiSeq technology. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using 21 agro‐soils from 19 provinces in China. Abiotic and biotic disturbances, including treating the soils with sterile water, crude oil, and/or an invasive plant, altered the bacterial community structure in the soils, increased bacterial richness, and reduced bacterial dispersion. Oil contamination exerted stronger effects on the bacterial α‐ and β‐diversity than plant growth. The different responses of bacterial communities and the core microbiome indicated that the disturbances shifted the prevalent soil microbial groups in agro‐ecosystems. Among different sampling sites, community dissimilarity increased with spatial distance. Edaphic factors (deterministic processes) exerted the primary influence on the assembly of soil microbiomes in agricultural fields, whereas geographic factors (stochastic processes) were less influential. The bacterial communities in agro‐soils from warmer regions were more sensitive to the disturbances. This study provides new insight into the alteration of soil microbiota by plant growth and oil contamination in agro‐ecosystems across a large spatial scale.
Effects of nutrient loading on sediment bacterial and pathogen communities within seagrass meadows
Authors: Liu Songlin , Jiang Zhijian , Deng Yiqin , Wu Yunchao , Zhang Jingping , Zhao Chunyu , Huang Delian , Huang Xiaoping , Trevathan‐Tackett Stacey M.
Published: March 2018

Eutrophication can play a significant role in seagrass decline and habitat loss. Microorganisms in seagrass sediments are essential to many important ecosystem processes, including nutrient cycling and seagrass ecosystem health. However, current knowledge of the bacterial communities, both beneficial and detrimental, within seagrass meadows in response to nutrient loading is limited. We studied the response of sediment bacterial and pathogen communities to nutrient enrichment on a tropical seagrass meadow in Xincun Bay, South China Sea. The bacterial taxonomic groups across all sites were dominated by the Gammaproteobacteria and Firmicutes. Sites nearest to the nutrient source and with the highest NH4+ and PO43− content had approximately double the relative abundance of putative denitrifiers Vibrionales, Alteromonadales, and Pseudomonadales. Additionally, the relative abundance of potential pathogen groups, especially Vibrio spp. and Pseudoalteromonas spp., was approximately 2‐fold greater at the sites with the highest nutrient loads compared to sites further from the source. These results suggest that proximity to sources of nutrient pollution increases the occurrence of potential bacterial pathogens that could affect fishes, invertebrates and humans. This study shows that nutrient enrichment does elicit shifts in bacterial community diversity and likely their function in local biogeochemical cycling and as a potential source of infectious diseases within seagrass meadows.
Hazardous weather conditions and multiple‐vehicle chain‐reaction crashes in the United States
Authors: Call David A. , Wilson Caleb S. , Shourd Kacie N.
Published: March 2018

Motor vehicle crashes are a significant cause of death and injury worldwide, and adverse weather conditions are often a primary or underlying cause of crashes. This study focuses specifically on how weather contributes to multi‐vehicle ‘chain‐reaction’ crashes. Such crashes occur when a single crash halts traffic on a roadway and triggers a series of additional crashes due to motorists being unable to stop in time. Weather often contributes to such crashes by limiting visibility or making a roadway slick. By using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) of the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this study found that more than 100 such crashes occurred between 2001 and 2012, and weather conditions were a factor in more than half of them. Radar, observations and satellite imagery were analysed for both 1 h before and 1 h after the crash to see if any diagnostic patterns were observed. Radar and observations were most useful for snow‐related crashes. Dramatic increases in snow intensity and corresponding decreases in visibility were observed before most crashes. Dust‐related crashes also show substantial decreases in visibility just before the crash. Satellite imagery sometimes showed plumes of dust in these cases. Meteorologists, law enforcement officials and others may find the results helpful in recognizing situations that could lead to multi‐vehicle chain‐reaction crashes, allowing them to take preventative action to reduce the risk of such crashes.
An efficient numerical treatment of fourth‐order fractional diffusion‐wave problems
Authors: Li Xuhao , Wong Patricia J. Y.
Published: March 2018

In this paper, we consider the numerical treatment of a fourth‐order fractional diffusion‐wave problem. Our proposed method includes the use of parametric quintic spline in the spatial dimension and the weighted shifted Grünwald‐Letnikov approximation of fractional integral. The solvability, stability, and convergence of the numerical scheme are rigorously proved. It is shown that the theoretical convergence order improves those of earlier work. Simulation is further carried out to demonstrate the numerical efficiency of the proposed scheme and to compare with other methods.
Entheseal changes and demographic/health indicators in the upper extremity of modern Americans: Associations with age and physical activity
Authors: Godde K. , Wilson Taylor R.J. , Gutierrez C.
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study is to further the understanding of the relationship between age and entheseal changes by using trends in living Americans compared to skeletal remains of modern Americans, and applying the knowledge to the bioarchaeological record. Documentation of age, activity level, body mass index, stature, and body mass was combined with entheseal change scores gathered from the upper extremity to statistically test the relationship between age and entheseal change with and without controls of documented demographic and health factors. An active subsample was constructed using self‐reported repetitive activities and discernment of position within stated career. Fibrocartilaginous entheses reported in the literature to be better suited to estimate occupation were separated from other entheses. A series of Cochran–Mantel–Hanzel and analysis of variance‐based tests were applied to the data. Interobserver reliability was also examined with a linear‐weighted Cohen's kappa. Statistical analysis shows only 1 enthesis has a significant positive relationship with age and 2 with activity. Body mass index and body mass were associated with 9 entheses that were spread across the occupation‐associated fibrocartilaginous entheses and all other entheses. Interobserver reliability ranged from low to substantial agreement. Interobserver error estimates suggest some entheses are more reliable than others. Results provide little support for a relationship between age and entheseal changes and activity and entheseal changes, which partially coincides with previous research. An increase in activity with age in our sample, around the age of retirement, mirrors trends in living Americans and supports our conclusions. For bioarchaeologists, these results suggest interpretations of entheses should be cautiously applied and revolve around body size rather than activity levels.
Protein kinase C zeta suppresses low‐ or high‐grade colorectal cancer (CRC) phenotypes by interphase centrosome anchoring
Authors: Deevi Ravi Kiran , Javadi Arman , McClements Jane , Vohhodina Jekaterina , Savage Kienan , Loughrey Maurice Bernard , Evergren Emma , Campbell Frederick Charles
Published: March 2018

Histological grading provides prognostic stratification of colorectal cancer (CRC) by scoring heterogeneous phenotypes. Features of aggressiveness include aberrant mitotic spindle configurations, chromosomal breakage, and bizarre multicellular morphology, but pathobiology is poorly understood. Protein kinase C zeta (PKCz) controls mitotic spindle dynamics, chromosome segregation, and multicellular patterns, but its role in CRC phenotype evolution remains unclear. Here, we show that PKCz couples genome segregation to multicellular morphology through control of interphase centrosome anchoring. PKCz regulates interdependent processes that control centrosome positioning. Among these, interaction between the cytoskeletal linker protein ezrin and its binding partner NHERF1 promotes the formation of a localized cue for anchoring interphase centrosomes to the cell cortex. Perturbation of these phenomena induced different outcomes in cells with single or extra centrosomes. Defective anchoring of a single centrosome promoted bipolar spindle misorientation, multi‐lumen formation, and aberrant epithelial stratification. Collectively, these disturbances induce cribriform multicellular morphology that is typical of some categories of low‐grade CRC. By contrast, defective anchoring of extra centrosomes promoted multipolar spindle formation, chromosomal instability (CIN), disruption of glandular morphology, and cell outgrowth across the extracellular matrix interface characteristic of aggressive, high‐grade CRC. Because PKCz enhances apical NHERF1 intensity in 3D epithelial cultures, we used an immunohistochemical (IHC) assay of apical NHERF1 intensity as an indirect readout of PKCz activity in translational studies. We show that apical NHERF1 IHC intensity is inversely associated with multipolar spindle frequency and high‐grade morphology in formalin‐fixed human CRC samples. To conclude, defective PKCz control of interphase centrosome anchoring may underlie distinct categories of mitotic slippage that shape the development of low‐ or high‐grade CRC phenotypes. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Characteristics of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber and mechanical properties of its unidirectional composites
Authors: Cheng Teo Siew , Uy Lan Du Ngoc , Phillips Steven , Tran Le Quan Ngoc
Published: March 2018

The characteristics of waste oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber (OPEFB) including fiber morphology and mechanical properties were investigated for use as reinforcement in polymer composites. The mechanical properties of the OPEFB fiber were determined by the single fiber tensile test which was carried out at different span lengths (20, 40, and 60 mm) to obtain the reliable strength and stiffness of the fiber. The extrapolated E‐modulus at infinite fiber length was found to be around 4.36 GPa. The fiber strength was in the range of 150–190 MPa. The unidirectional (UD) composite of OPEFB fibers in various polymer matrices, namely polypropylene, poly(lactic acid), and epoxy, were prepared and characterized. Three‐point bending test (3PBT) was performed on the UD composites in both fiber transverse and longitudinal directions to determine fiber‐matrix interfacial adhesion and composite flexural properties, respectively. Besides, It was found that the efficiency factors achieved for OPEFB in poly(lactic acid) and epoxy were 0.72 and 0.87, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of OPEFB in polypropylene. This result was consistent with the interfacial strength measured by transverse 3PBT. The study provides fundamental understanding for design and application of OPEFB in polymer composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:1158–1164, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Anton Chekhov and Robert Koch Cheek to Cheek: A Proteomic Study
Authors: D'Amato Alfonsina , Zilberstein Gleb , Zilberstein Svetlana , Golovan Mikhail Ivanovich , Zhuravleva Anastasiya Anatolyevna , Righetti Pier Giorgio
Published: March 2018

Five different letters and post cards as well as the shirt worn by Anton Chekhov on his death bed, stored in the State Literary‐Memorial Museum‐Reserve A. P. Chekhov Melikhovo (nearby Moscow), have been analyzed by applying EVA (an ethyl vinyl acetate foil studded with crushed strong anion and cation exchangers and with C8 resins) diskettes to these surfaces. Three different eluates (under acidic and basic conditions and with acetonitrile) were analyzed by high resolution mass spectrometry. The environmental microbiota present on samples and the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain were described by a meta‐proteomics approach. Eight identified M. tuberculosis proteins confirmed the presence of the bacterium and the cause of Chekhov's death, in addition to several sequenced peptides belonging to other bacterial species. The human plasma proteins and human keratins, detected on a tiny blood spot on the shirt, demonstrated the power of the combined approach.
Class IV laser therapy for trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis: Study protocol for a randomized placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Medina‐Porqueres Ivan , Cantero‐Tellez Raquel
Published: March 2018

Objective

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic and prevalent joint disorder with great impact on quality of life and high economic burden. Although a number of conservative therapies have proven to be effective for the management of hand OA, only modest treatment effects were reported for most individual interventions. The aim of the proposed study is to assess the effect of Class IV laser therapy (LT) on pain and pinch strength in patients with thumb carpometacarpal (TCMC) OA.

Methods

A randomized, controlled, single‐centre, double‐blind, clinical trial, with 1:1 allocation ratio, will be carried out involving patients presenting TCMC‐OA Grades 1–2 (aged >18 years). Both assessor and statistician will remain blinded. Patients with TCMC‐OA will be randomly assigned to the experimental group (will receive LT) and control group (will receive a placebo treatment). Outcome measures will be pain scores at the base of the thumb measured with visual analogue scale (0–10: 0, no pain and 10, worst pain) and changes in pinch strength, both collected at baseline, 4, and 12 weeks. Statistical analyses will be based on an intention‐to‐treat analysis using the last value forward method. A two‐tailed independent Student's t test for the continuous variable of age and baseline scores will be used for comparison of baseline characteristics and outcome variables. Paired Student's t tests will be used to determine the level of significance of the differences between the pretreatment and posttreatment measurements of the individual groups. Repeated measures analysis of variance will be used to determine the differences in time as the within‐subjects factor and group as the between‐subjects factor.

Discussion

To our knowledge, the results of this study will provide the first double‐blinded evidence for Class IV LT in patients with TCMC‐OA.
The nucleotide‐bound/substrate‐bound conformation of the Mycoplasma genitalium DnaK chaperone
Authors: Adell Maria , Calisto Bárbara M. , Fita Ignacio , Martinelli Luca
Published: March 2018

Hsp70 chaperones keep protein homeostasis facilitating the response of organisms to changes in external and internal conditions. Hsp70s have two domains—nucleotide binding domain (NBD) and substrate binding domain (SBD)—connected by a conserved hydrophobic linker. Functioning of Hsp70s depend on tightly regulated cycles of ATP hydrolysis allosterically coupled, often together with cochaperones, to the binding/release of peptide substrates. Here we describe the crystal structure of the Mycoplasma genitalium DnaK (MgDnaK) protein, an Hsp70 homolog, in the noncompact, nucleotide‐bound/substrate‐bound conformation. The MgDnaK structure resembles the one from the thermophilic eubacteria DnaK trapped in the same state. However, in MgDnaK the NBD and SBD domains remain close to each other despite the lack of direct interaction between them and with the linker contacting the two subdomains of SBD. These observations suggest that the structures might represent an intermediate of the protein where the conserved linker binds to the SBD to favor the noncompact state of the protein by stabilizing the SBDβ‐SBDα subdomains interaction, promoting the capacity of the protein to sample different conformations, which is critical for proper functioning of the molecular chaperone allosteric mechanism.

Comparison of the solved structures indicates that the NBD remains essentially invariant in presence or absence of nucleotide.
Black Hole Solutions in Gauss‐Bonnet‐Massive Gravity in the Presence of Power‐Maxwell Field
Authors: Hendi S. H. , Eslam Panah B. , Panahiyan S.
Published: March 2018

Motivated by recent progresses in the field of massive gravity, the paper at hand investigates the thermodynamical structure of black holes with three specific generalizations: i) Gauss‐Bonnet gravity which is motivated from string theory ii) PMI nonlinear electromagnetic field which is motivated from perspective of the QED correction iii) massive gravity which is motivated by obtaining the modification of standard general relativity. The exact solutions of this setup are extracted which are interpreted as black holes. In addition, thermodynamical quantities of the solutions are calculated and their critical behavior are studied. It will be shown that although massive and Gauss‐Bonnet gravities are both generalizations in gravitational sector, they show opposing effects regarding the critical behavior of the black holes. Furthermore, a periodic effect on number of the phase transition is reported for variation of the nonlinearity parameter and it will be shown that for super charged black holes, system is restricted in a manner that prevents it to reach the critical point and to acquire phase transition. In addition, the effects of geometrical structure on thermodynamical phase transition will be highlighted.
Ultraviolet–visible phototransformation of dehydroacetic acid – Structural characterization of photoproducts and global ecotoxicity
Authors: De Vaugelade Ségolène , Nicol Edith , Vujovic Svetlana , Bourcier Sophie , Pirnay Stéphane , Bouchonnet Stéphane
Published: March 2018

Rationale

The present work is devoted to the structural elucidation of by‐products issued from the direct ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) irradiation of dehydroacetic acid (DHA) in solution and in cosmetic emulsion.

Methods

Analyses were carried out using gas chromatography coupled with ion trap mass spectrometry and by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultrahigh‐resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LC/UHRMS). The potential toxicities of by‐products were estimated by in silico calculations based on a QSAR (Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship) approach and by in vitro bioassays conducted on Vibrio fischeri bacteria.

Results

Three photoproducts were detected by LC/MS while one photoproduct was detected by GC/MS. The first photoproduct (PP1) corresponds to an isomer of DHA while two isomeric compounds correspond to dimeric structures. The oral rat LD50 of PP1 was evaluated to be 4.5 times lower than that of the parent molecule which classes it in the category ‘moderately toxic’ on the Hodge and Sterne toxicity classification. In vitro assays on Vibrio fischeri bacteria showed that the global ecotoxicity of the DHA solution increases with irradiation time.

Conclusions

With the exception of one photoproduct, the structures proposed for the photoproducts on the basis of mass spectral interpretation have not been reported in previous studies. All photoproducts, with the exception of dimers, were detected after irradiation in the cosmetic emulsion. This result shows that personal care products containing DHA must be protected from direct sunlight to prevent photodegradation.
Ultrafine Molybdenum Carbide Nanocrystals Confined in Carbon Foams via a Colloid‐Confinement Route for Efficient Hydrogen Production
Authors: Kou Zongkui , Wang Tingting , Cai Yi , Guan Cao , Pu Zonghua , Zhu Changrong , Hu Yating , Elshahawy Abdelnaby M. , Wang John , Mu Shichun
Published: March 2018

Precise size‐controlled synthesis and multiscale assembly of ultrafine non‐noble‐metal‐based catalysts play a key role in electrochemical energy conversion. Herein, a novel colloid‐confinement strategy for facile synthesis of ultrafine molybdenum carbide nanocrystals with sub‐2 nm average size assembled in carbon foams (uf‐Mo2C/CF) is reported. First, uniformly sized colloidal SiO2 nanospheres are chosen to confine the metal source (NH4)6Mo7O24 molecules and the glucose is as carbon source. Subsequently, by a high temperature reduction–carbonization, Mo2C nanocrystals are achieved and uniformly assembled on the in situ formed amorphous carbon foams. The as formed uf‐Mo2C/CF demonstrates superior hydrogen evolution activity and outstanding stability in the whole pH range. These results indicate the validity of size control and multiscale structural assembly of metal carbide nanocrystals by consideration of the overall mass transport, accessibility, and quantity, as well as the capability of the active sites toward efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. This strategy can also be expanded to other energy‐related application.
Adjudicating Student Sexual Misconduct: Parameters, Pitfalls, and Promising Practices
Authors: Wilgus Jay Kennedy , Lowery John Wesley
Published: March 2018

In this chapter, we describe the legal parameters in which sexual misconduct adjudication processes take place and highlight both noteworthy pitfalls and promising practices.
Solid‐state organo‐modification of montmorillonite for manufacturing of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) nanocomposites
Authors: Petersen Henrik , Jakubowicz Ignacy , Enebro Jonas , Yarahmadi Nazdaneh
Published: March 2018

The preparation of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) nanocomposites via direct melt processing is still posing problems mainly because of the lack of availability of suitable commercial organoclays and because of the low thermal stability of PVC. A new type of organic compounds for modifying montmorillonite (MMT), which is suitable for use in plasticized PVC, has been found earlier. The current study shows that it is possible to achieve partially exfoliated PVC nanocomposites with greatly improved mechanical properties using a method of liquid‐solid–state intercalation of MMT when using tributyl citrate and diisononyl phthalate (DINP) plasticizers as organic modifiers. It is also shown that liquid mixed metal stabilizers have the ability to intercalate the clay at least when DINP is used. The observation raises questions regarding how this phenomenon can affect the thermal stability of PVC composites. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 24:E146–E153, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Magnetic Fe3O4@ polydopamine biopolymer: Synthesis, characterization and fabrication of promising nanocomposite
Authors: Davodi Behzad , Jahangiri Mansoor , Ghorbani Mohsen
Published: March 2018

In this work, Functional Fe3O4@ polydopamine nanocomposite (Fe3O4@PDA) with magnetic response and special surface area were successfully assembled utilizing the strong coordination interactions between these two versatile materials. The morphology and size, crystal structure, specific saturation magnetization, chemical structure, and thermal properties were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), vibration magnetometer (VSM), point of zero charge (pHpzc), Fourier infrared (FT‐IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The self‐polymerization of dopamine could be completed within 3 days, and Fe3O4 nanoparticles were embedded into PDA polymer. TGA results showed that PDA content of nanocomposite can be up to 51.7 wt% and also showed a significant decrease in the decomposition temperature of PDA from 530 to 270°C in the presence of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Through TGA analysis the coating thickness was estimated to be about 0.86 nm that it is well coincident with the measured values using TEM images and XRD analysis. At room temperature by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Fe3O4 and Fe3O4@PDA exhibit superparamagnetic behavior with a saturation moment of 57.87 and 44.7 emu/g, respectively. Furthermore, PZC value reduced for Fe3O4@PDA compared with Fe3O4 nanoparticles and fell from 6.7 to 3.04. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 25:41–47, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Heads from the North: Transcultural Memorialization of the 1965 Indonesian Killings at the National Gallery of Australia
Authors: McGregor Katharine
Published: March 2018

This chapter considers the functions and messages of an Australian memorial dedicated to those killed in the 1965 Indonesian killings. Using the concept of transcultural memory, McGregor examines the personal and transcultural connections between the violence and the Indonesian artist behind the work, Dadang Christanto and between Australia and Indonesia more broadly. McGregor advocates for a new conceptualization of globalized memories of violence that reflects not only the movement of people and memory through migration, but also the processes by which we can see national histories as entwined.
A Novel Wound Retractor Combining Continuous Irrigation and Barrier Protection Reduces Incisional Contamination in Colorectal Surgery
Authors: Papaconstantinou Harry T. , Ricciardi Rocco , Margolin David A. , Bergamaschi Roberto , Moesinger Robert C. , Lichliter Warren E. , Birnbaum Elisa H.
Published: March 2018

Background

Surgical site infection (SSI) remains a persistent and morbid problem in colorectal surgery. Key to its pathogenesis is the degree of intraoperative bacterial contamination at the surgical site. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel wound retractor at reducing bacterial contamination.

Methods

A prospective multicenter pilot study utilizing a novel wound retractor combining continuous irrigation and barrier protection was conducted in patients undergoing elective colorectal resections. Culture swabs were collected from the incision edge prior to device placement and from the exposed and protected incision edge prior to device removal. The primary and secondary endpoints were the rate of enteric and overall bacterial contamination on the exposed incision edge as compared to the protected incision edge, respectively. The safety endpoint was the absence of serious device‐related adverse events.

Results

A total of 86 patients were eligible for analysis. The novel wound retractor was associated with a 66% reduction in overall bacterial contamination at the protected incision edge compared to the exposed incision edge (11.9 vs. 34.5%, P < 0.001), and 71% reduction in enteric bacterial contamination (9.5% vs. 33.3%, P < 0.001). The incisional SSI rate was 2.3% in the primary analysis and 1.2% in those that completed the protocol. There were no adverse events attributed to device use.

Conclusions

A novel wound retractor combining continuous irrigation and barrier protection was associated with a significant reduction in bacterial contamination. Improved methods to counteract wound contamination represent a promising strategy for SSI prevention (NCT 02413879).
Factors That Influence Pancreatic Beta Cell Function and Insulin Resistance in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Sub-Analysis of the MARCH Trial
Authors: Duan Yan , Liu Jia , Xu Yuan , Yang Ning , Yang Wenying , Wang Guang
Published: March 2018

Introduction

The Metformin and Acarbose in Chinese as the initial Hypoglycemic treatment (MARCH) trial has demonstrated a similar efficacy in HbA1c reduction between acarbose and metformin treatments in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. The current sub-analysis of the MARCH trail aims to evaluate the baseline characteristics that may influence the improvement of pancreatic β-cell function and insulin resistance after acarbose therapy in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed T2DM.

Methods

Of the 784 patients who entered the MARCH trail, 391 were assigned to the acarbose therapy group; 304 of these completed 48 weeks of follow-up of acarbose therapy. At 48 weeks, on the basis of the tertiles of change in homeostasis model assessment–beta cell function (∆HOMA-β) and homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance (∆HOMA-IR), the subjects were divided into lowly, mediumly, and highly improved groups.

Results

In the highly improved HOMA-β group, patients had higher systolic blood pressure (SBP), 2-h postprandial blood glucose (PBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), fasting serum insulin (FINS) concentration, and HOMA-IR in comparison to the lowly improved group (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between HbA1c, SBP, and highly improved ∆HOMA-β (p < 0.05), while an inverse correlation was evident between HDL-c and highly improved ∆HOMA-β (p < 0.05). The highly improved HOMA-IR group had a significantly higher body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), FINS concentration, and HOMA-β in comparison to the lowly improved group (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between FBG, waist circumference, and highly improved HOMA-IR (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Newly diagnosed T2DM Chinese patients with lower baseline HDL-c and higher HbA1c and SBP values are more likely to achieve improvement in beta cell function whereas baseline fasting blood glucose and waist circumference were the significant factors associated with improvement in insulin resistance with acarbose therapy.

Trial Registration

The clinical trial registry number was ChiCTR-TRC-08000231.
Managing subjectivity: Omission and expression of first-person singular object a mí in Spanish media discourse
Authors: Serrano María José
Published: March 2018

In considering the cognitive notion of informativeness, variants of the Spanish first-person singular objecta mí‘to me’, ‘myself’ convey different meanings. These meanings are used to pursue communicative goals in discursive interactions. A qualitative examination of specific examples of first-person singular objecta mívariants (omitted, preverbal, and postverbal) as well as a quantitative analysis of these variants across different socio-professional affiliations of speakers was conducted to ascertain how these variants contribute to the construction of communicative styles based on the cognitive dimension of subjectivity. This article demonstrates that these forms and their meanings are unevenly distributed across the socio-professional affiliations of speakers; thus, it may be concluded that variation of first-person singular objecta míshape different communicative styles.
“A Bull in Our China Shop:” Japanese Imports and the American Pottery Industry
Authors: VINCENT STEPHANIE
Published: March 2018

From its beginning, the American pottery industry had to contend with the presence of imports. At first, manufacturers coped by promoting their own products and striving to improve design and quality. However, when Japan began importing china in greater quantities, American potters faced a challenge unlike any before. Initial attempts to attack imports outright through boycotts met with limited success through World War II. Following the peace, Cold War economic policy designed to reintroduce Japan to the global market led to another round of increasing importation. U.S. potters decried the poor quality and low wages connected to Japanese china, yet could not agree on a strategy to overcome the growing number of imports. Some filed lawsuits over copied designs while others hoped to contract with the Japanese to import on their own terms. The failure of these manufacturers to unify in response to Japan proved one of the most damaging blows to this small industry.
Glacial–interglacial change in chlorite concentration from the Lingtai section in the Chinese Loess Plateau over the past 1.2 Ma and its possible forcing mechanisms
Authors: He Tong , Liu Lianwen , Chen Yang , Sheng Xuefen , Ji Junfeng , Chen Jun
Published: March 2018

High-precision concentrations of chlorite minerals from the Lingtai section in the Chinese Loess Plateau and the surrounding deserts are presented through a mineral liberation analyzer technique. Variations in chlorite concentration over the last 0.5 Ma display a typical pattern of glacial–interglacial changes, with its bulk content in loess units approximately twice that in paleosol units. This climate-driven chlorite change is more pronounced in the fine-size fraction (5–20 μm) of the loess deposits. Evidence from changes in hornblende and muscovite along the same profile suggests that the glacial–interglacial oscillations were likely controlled by changes in atmospheric circulation and shifts in the dust provenance instead of postdepositional weathering. A relatively high chlorite content in several deserts near Mt. Qilian compared with the other desert basins suggests that a transport pathway in the west–east direction, associated with southward shifts of the winter monsoons, may play an important role in modulating the chlorite records. In addition, enhanced saltation and transportation of dust materials is thought to be a main driver of the pronounced changes in the fine-size fraction. Finally, we discuss a possible forcing mechanism behind different long-term trends between the chlorite and its secondary weathering products we observed here.
When Do Renters Behave Like Homeowners? High Rent, Price Anxiety, and NIMBYism
Authors: HANKINSON MICHAEL
Published: March 2018

How does spatial scale affect support for public policy? Does supporting housing citywide but “Not In My Back Yard” (NIMBY) help explain why housing has become increasingly difficult to build in once-affordable cities? I use two original surveys to measure how support for new housing varies between the city scale and neighborhood scale. Together, an exit poll of 1,660 voters during the 2015 San Francisco election and a national survey of over 3,000 respondents provide the first experimental measurements of NIMBYism. While homeowners are sensitive to housing’s proximity, renters typically do not express NIMBYism. However, in high-rent cities, renters demonstrate NIMBYism on par with homeowners, despite continuing to support large increases in the housing supply citywide. These scale-dependent preferences not only help explain the deepening affordability crisis, but show how institutions can undersupply even widely supported public goods. When preferences are scale dependent, the scale of decision-making matters.
Dominant Party Rule, Elections, and Cabinet Instability in African Autocracies
Authors: Kroeger Alex M.
Published: March 2018

This article draws on the authoritarian institutions literature to explain the role of dominant parties in constraining the ability of autocrats to reshuffle cabinet ministers. Dominant party leaders are constrained in their ability to frequently reshuffle ministers by the need to maintain credible power-sharing commitments with party elites. These constraints also produce distinct temporal patterns of instability where large reshuffles occur following elections. Conversely, personalist leaders face fewer power-sharing constraints and engage in more extensive cabinet reshuffles at more arbitrary intervals. Military leaders face complex constraints that depend on whether officers or civilians occupy cabinet posts and the extent to which leaders are dependent upon civilian ministers for regime performance and popular support. Empirical analyses using data on the cabinets of ninety-four authoritarian leaders from thirty-seven African countries between 1976 and 2010 support the theoretical expectations for dominant party and personalist leaders, but are inconclusive for military leaders.
Staying on Top of the Curve: A Cascade Model of Term Structure Dynamics
Authors: Calvet Laurent E. , Fisher Adlai J. , Wu Liuren
Published: March 2018

This paper specifies term structure dynamics by a recursive cascade of heterogeneously persistent factors. The cascade naturally orders economic shocks by their adjustment speeds, and generates smooth interest-rate curves in closed form. For a class of specifications, the number of parameters is invariant to the size of the state space, and the term structure converges to a stochastic limit as the state dimension goes to infinity. High-dimensional specifications fit observed term structure almost perfectly, match the observed low correlation between movements in different maturities, and produce stable interest-rate forecasts that outperform lower-dimensional specifications.
The association between executive functioning and psychopathology: general or specific?
Authors: Bloemen A. J. P. , Oldehinkel A. J. , Laceulle O. M. , Ormel J. , Rommelse N. N. J. , Hartman C. A.
Published: March 2018

Background

We modeled both psychopathology and executive function (EF) as bi-factor models to study if EF impairments are transdiagnostic or relate to individual syndromes, and concurrently, if such associations are with general EF or specific EF impairments.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Tracking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS; N = 2230). Psychopathology was assessed with parent-report questionnaires at ages 11, 14, 16, and 19, and EF with tasks from the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks program at ages 11 and 19. Bi-factor models were fitted to the data using confirmatory factor analysis. Correlations were estimated to study the associations between general or specific components of both psychopathology and EF.

Results

A bi-factor model with a general psychopathology factor, alongside internalizing (INT), externalizing, attention deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD), and autism spectrum (ASD) problem domains, and a bi-factor model with a general EF factor, alongside specific EFs were adequately fitting measurement models. The best-fitting model between EF and psychopathology showed substantial associations of specific EFs with the general psychopathology factor, in addition to distinct patterns of association with ASD, ADHD, and INT problems.

Conclusions

By studying very diverse psychopathology domains simultaneously, we show how EF impairments cross diagnostic boundaries. In addition to this generic relation, ADHD, ASD, and INT symptomatology show separable profiles of EF impairments. Thus, inconsistent findings in the literature may be explained by substantial transdiagnostic EF impairments. Whether general EF or specific EFs are related to psychopathology needs to be further studied, as differences in fit between these models were small.
Visual working memory encoding in schizophrenia and first-degree relatives: neurofunctional abnormalities and impaired consolidation
Authors: Stäblein Michael , Storchak Helena , Ghinea Denisa , Kraft Dominik , Knöchel Christian , Prvulovic David , Bittner Robert A. , Reif Andreas , Oertel-Knöchel Viola
Published: March 2018

Background

Working memory (WM) deficits in schizophrenia (SCZ) have been linked to impairments in the encoding phase that are associated with aberrant neuronal functioning. Similar abnormalities have been observed in unaffected first-degree relatives (REL) and are thus discussed as candidate endophenotypes. The process of WM consolidation – i.e. the formation of durable WM representations – is assumed to be impaired in SCZ, but no study has investigated WM consolidation and neuronal correlates of visual WM encoding in REL before.

Method

We examined whole-brain activation during the encoding phase with an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study design in 25 SCZ subjects, 22 REL subjects, and 25 healthy controls. Subjects performed a visual masked change detection task that assessed WM performance and consolidation.

Results

SCZ showed deficient WM performance indicating an impairment consolidation process, accompanied by broad neuronal hypoactivation, most prominently in frontal brain regions, as well as increased activity of the anterior cingulate during the encoding phase. REL showed decreased neuronal activity in the middle and medial frontal gyrus and increased activity in the precentral gyrus and insula during encoding, but no significant behavioral deficits were observed. In respect of given consolidation times, REL showed a shift from decreased frontal activity at short time intervals to increased frontal activity at longer time intervals.

Conclusions

Findings suggest WM consolidation may be slowed in REL so that the deployment of compensatory neuronal resources during encoding is needed to assure proper WM performance. This supports the view of WM-related neuronal dysfunctions as a potential endophenotypic marker.
Fermes etvillaeromaines en Gaule chevelue: La difficile confrontation des sources classiques et des données archéologiques
Authors: Reddé Michel
Published: March 2018

Les termes de «ferme indigène» et de«villa»romaines, souvent opposés par les historiens, ressortissent à un débat historiographique ancien, mais toujours actuel car jamais véritablement tranché. En Gaule du Nord, ils renvoient notamment aux travaux déjà anciens de Roger Agache, dont les prospections aériennes avaient donné à voir un paysage peuplé de grandesvillae, volontiers considérées comme de vastes domaines aristocratiques par opposition à de petits établissements de tradition indigène. Cette image a fini peu ou prou par s'imposer, donnant l'impression d'une mutation rapide et radicale des systèmes agraires du Nord de la Gaule après la conquête. Malgré de nombreuses tentatives de correction, la notion d'une économie agricole fondée sur la productivité des grands domaines reste dominante dans la pensée des historiens. Cet article se propose de rappeler la difficulté d'appréhender, à travers les sources classiques, la complexité des campagnes de l'Antiquité, afin de mieux examiner l'apport récent des grands décapages de l'archéologie préventive et les problèmes d'interprétation posés par l'intrication de nombreux établissements ruraux, dont la taille et le luxe ne constituent pas nécessairement des indicateurs pertinents de productivité.
L'archéologie de la construction: Une nouvelle approche de l'architecture romaine
Authors: Dessales Hélène
Published: March 2018

Nouvelle orientation disciplinaire, l'archéologie de la construction se définit comme l’étude de toutes les traces matérielles qui informent sur la conception, la construction et la gestion d'un édifice. Elle permet d’élargir l'approche de l'architecture romaine, jusqu'alors envisagée principalement du point de vue des typologies monumentales et décoratives. L'objectif de cette contribution est d'en caractériser les différentes spécificités et les apports. Si l'archéologie de la construction entretient des liens méthodologiques évidents avec l'archéologie du bâti, notamment par la stratigraphie verticale des élévations, elle s'en distingue par son échelle d’étude, celle du chantier de construction, dont elle entend restituer le contexte de production et toute la dynamique. Sept composantes sont considérées, éclairées par des recherches archéologiques récentes : le projet initial de l’édifice, la préparation du site, la mise en place des infrastructures, la production des matériaux, leur transformation, leur mise en œuvre dans la construction, les opérations de finition et de décoration. Les données recueillies permettent d'associer l'archéologie des techniques et l'histoire socio-économique, en considérant le chantier de construction comme un système de production et d’échange, dans toutes ses interactions avec la société romaine.
L'Anthropocène et le temps des historiens
Authors: Quenet Grégory
Published: March 2018

La notion d'Anthropocène a surgi si rapidement sur la scène politique et académique qu'il est parfois difficile de s'orienter parmi la masse des publications et des événements, et de situer les différents arguments. Cet article propose de prendre du recul en s'interrogeant sur ce que cette notion fait au temps des historiens. En l'absence d'une étude sociologique et intellectuelle qui cartographierait précisément les acteurs et les lieux, une approche généalogique permet de révéler un certain nombre de déplacements conceptuels depuis la proposition initiale : le passage d'un temps géologique à un temps historique a, en effet, transformé la nature de l’événement Anthropocène. De plus, la réponse des sciences humaines et sociales a été critique, révélant la tension entre, d'un côté, le label et le forum, de l'autre, le cadre analytique appliqué à des études empiriques. En définitive, la notion de période appliquée à l'Anthropocène pose un certain nombre de difficultés (téléologie, retour d'un global occidentalo-centré, synchronisation de l'histoire. . .), alors que la pluralisation des seuils et des césures temporelles apparaît comme un enrichissement de l’écriture de l'histoire, engageant de nouveaux chantiers de recherche ouverts à la matérialité et aux acteurs non-humains.
An Analysis of N2 Event-Related-Potential Correlates of Sequential and Response-Facilitation Effects in Cognitive Control
Authors: Feldman Julia L. , Freitas Antonio L.
Published: March 2018

Abstract. According to conflict-monitoring theory ( Botvinick, Braver, Barch, Carter, & Cohen, 2001 ), sequential adjustments in cognitive control indicate that encountering information-processing conflict engages cognitive-control mechanisms. With 20 participants in an event-related-potential (ERP) experiment, we found significant congruence-sequence effects (CSEs) for behavioral measures and for N2 amplitude, a negative-going ERP component established in previous work to be related to cognitive control. We also found an interaction between the Stroop-trajectory manipulation and a response-compatibility manipulation for behavioral measures and, to a lesser extent, for N2 amplitude, such that the Stroop-trajectory congruence effect was larger on response-compatible than on response-incompatible trials. This study is the first to identify N2 amplitude as a neural correlate of the CSE in a confound-minimized task. Accordingly, these results found N2 amplitude to be associated with adjustments in cognitive control as a function of sequential and response-facilitation effects while also validating the Stroop-trajectory task as a confound-minimized means of assessing neural correlates of CSEs.
Direct fiber vector eigenmode multiplexing transmission seeded by integrated optical vortex emitters
Authors: Liu Jun , Li Shi-Mao , Zhu Long , Wang An-Dong , Chen Shi , Klitis Charalambos , Du Cheng , Mo Qi , Sorel Marc , Yu Si-Yuan , Cai Xin-Lun , Wang Jian
Published: March 2018

Spatial modes have received substantial attention over the last decades and are used in optical communication applications. In fiber-optic communications, the employed linearly polarized modes and phase vortex modes carrying orbital angular momentum can be synthesized by fiber vector eigenmodes. To improve the transmission capacity and miniaturize the communication system, straightforward fiber vector eigenmode multiplexing and generation of fiber-eigenmode-like polarization vortices (vector vortex modes) using photonic integrated devices are of substantial interest. Here, we propose and demonstrate direct fiber vector eigenmode multiplexing transmission seeded by integrated optical vortex emitters. By exploiting vector vortex modes (radially and azimuthally polarized beams) generated from silicon microring resonators etched with angular gratings, we report data-carrying fiber vector eigenmode multiplexing transmission through a 2-km large-core fiber, showing low-level mode crosstalk and favorable link performance. These demonstrations may open up added capacity scaling opportunities by directly accessing multiple vector eigenmodes in the fiber and provide compact solutions to replace bulky diffractive optical elements for generating various optical vector beams.