bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Activity‐based probes for the ubiquitin conjugation–deconjugation machinery: new chemistries, new tools, and new insights
Authors: Hewings David S. , Flygare John A. , Bogyo Matthew , Wertz Ingrid E.
Published: February 2017

The reversible post‐translational modification of proteins by ubiquitin and ubiquitin‐like proteins regulates almost all cellular processes, by affecting protein degradation, localization, and complex formation. Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are proteases that remove ubiquitin modifications or cleave ubiquitin chains. Most DUBs are cysteine proteases, which makes them well suited for study by activity‐based probes. These DUB probes report on deubiquitinase activity by reacting covalently with the active site in an enzyme‐catalyzed manner. They have proven to be important tools to study DUB selectivity and proteolytic activity in different settings, to identify novel DUBs, and to characterize deubiquitinase inhibitors. Inspired by the efficacy of activity‐based probes for DUBs, several groups have recently reported probes for the ubiquitin conjugation machinery (E1, E2, and E3 enzymes). Many of these enzymes, while not proteases, also posses active site cysteine residues and can be targeted by covalent probes. In this review, we will discuss how features of the probe (cysteine‐reactive group, recognition element, and reporter tag) affect reactivity and suitability for certain experimental applications. We will also review the diverse applications of the current probes, and discuss the need for new probe types to study emerging aspects of ubiquitin biology.
Dissent and Cultural Pessimism in Ernst Wiechert'sDer weiße Büffel oder Von der großen Gerechtigkeit: Literary “Inner Emigration” under National Socialism
Authors: Klapper John
Published: February 2017

The use of Aesopian forms of disguise was a key technique for inner emigrant writers under National Socialism who sought to target nonconformist, “esoteric” readers through camouflaged literature. Ernst Wiechert's little‐known novellaDer weiße Büffel oder Von der großen Gerechtigkeitprovides an illuminating study of the oppositional potential but also ideological limitations of such dissident writing. Discussion of the writer's development fromvölkischnationalist to principled opponent of Nazi injustice is followed by an examination of the novella's genesis, reception, and claim to oppositional status, showing how its affirmation of spiritual values offered sensitized readers reassurance and encouragement but also how the writer's deep‐seated cultural pessimism might be misinterpreted as a call to fateful passivity. The work thus illustrates the problematic nature of all writing in Nazi Germany but also the distinctive features that underline the continuing significance for contemporary readers of inner emigrant literary nonconformism.
The Epistemology of Writing Childhood: Hans‐Ulrich Treichel'sDer Verlorene
Authors: Baackmann Susanne
Published: February 2017

The child's voice and her/his suffering from the cruelties of history have served as a point of identification with the victim, but often at the cost of diffusing historical specificity and culpability. Against the backdrop of such a trend, this reading of Hans‐Ulrich Treichel'sDer Verloreneexamines how this text mobilizes the perspective of a child witness. The central role of a child enables a literary perspective that carefully over‐writes the child's sense of immediacy and emotional vulnerability with an adult's sense of critical distance and belatedness. In this way, the text simultaneously accentuates and contests the stance of naiveté as a way to gain insight into the complexity of a past that resides in the present. This analysis is linked to the broader question whether literature has the potential to intervene critically in collective projections about the past. As a postmemory text,Der Verlorenegains poignancy in the context of critical memory studies that engage with our ongoing conversations about the past in non‐linear, composite, and palimpsestic ways.
Frontline worker compliance with transparency reforms: Barriers posed by family and financial responsibilities
Authors: Hyun Christopher , Post Alison E. , Ray Isha
Published: February 2017

Significant development funding flows to informational interventions intended to improve public services. Such “transparency fixes” often depend on the cooperation of frontline workers who produce or disseminate information for citizens. This article examines frontline worker compliance with a transparency intervention in Bangalore's water sector. Why did compliance vary across neighborhoods, and why did workers exhibit modest rates of compliance overall? Drawing on ethnographic observation and an original data set, this article finds that variation in workers' family responsibilities and financial circumstances largely explains variation in compliance with the intervention. Furthermore, workers often prioritize long‐standing responsibilities over new tasks seen as add‐ons, leading to modest rates of compliance overall. Perceptions of “core” jobs can be sticky—especially when reaffirmed through interactions with citizens. This article represents one of the first multimethod companions to a field experiment, and illustrates how the analysis of qualitative and observational data can contribute to impact evaluation.
“It goes against the grain”: A qualitative study of the experiences of parents’ administering distressing health‐care procedures for their child at home
Authors: Spiers Gemma , Beresford Bryony
Published: February 2017

Background

Parents caring for children with complex and long‐term conditions at home take on responsibility for technical health‐care procedures that may cause their child distress. Little evidence exists about parents’ experience of this specific aspect of their caring role.

Aims

To explore and understand parents’ experiences of administering distressing health‐care procedures as part of caring for their child at home.

Design

An explorative qualitative study.

Methods

A purposive sample of parents who were currently carrying out, or had previously carried out, health‐care procedures they thought their child found distressing was recruited. Data were collected using in‐depth interviews and analysed thematically.

Findings

Administering these procedures was not just a clinical task. That the procedures caused distress for the child meant there were additional issues to consider and address. A major issue for parents was being able to prevent or minimize their child's distress, which in turn was closely linked to parents’ own emotional discomfort in the situation. Parents also had to manage their child's physical and verbal resistance, their own emotional discomfort during the procedure, and the presence and reaction of siblings in the home. The types of support that were valued by parents included advice about managing their child's distress and resistance, occasional assistance with procedures, addressing the emotional aspects of the role, and adequate training and on‐going supervision.

Conclusion

The “added” challenges of assuming this responsibility have implications for the support of parents caring for ill children at home.
Genetically modified foods: Consumer awareness, opinions and attitudes in selected EU countries
Authors: Popek Stanisław , Halagarda Michał
Published: February 2017

The dynamic development of biotechnology in recent years has raised serious public concerns about the possible risks arising from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The aim of this study was to investigate consumer opinions regarding genetically modified (GM) foods. The research also aimed at verifying the differences in the attitudes of respondents from two, relatively culturally diverse research sites. To obtain empirical data a face‐to‐face survey was conducted in 2015. It covered a total of 976 randomly selected individuals. The study was performed in the capital of the United Kingdom—London and the Polish capital—Warsaw. The results of the study show that almost half of the respondents were familiar with the GMO concept. According to the respondents, the greatest benefits arising from the genetic modification are: enhanced shelf‐life of food and crops' resistance to extreme climatic conditions. The main disadvantages were: unpredictable consequences of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) modification, production of species‐specific toxins and food allergenicity. Over two thirds of people surveyed support the idea of the obligatory labeling of GM foods. The information presented on food packaging should primarily include potential contraindications to the consumption, indication that food was produced using transgenic sources and a warning about potential allergenicity. An almost equal number of respondents showed intention for purchasing GM food products, an intention to act otherwise, or was not decided. As many as 27.7% of survey participants showed negative attitudes toward GM foods, whereas only 19.8% predominantly positive. It is worth noticing that, with only one exception, no statistically significant differences were observed between the opinions of Polish and British respondents.
Depression and medication adherence among older Korean patients with hypertension: Mediating role of self‐efficacy
Authors: Son Youn‐Jung , Won Mi Hwa
Published: February 2017

Many studies have reported the negative effects of depression on adherence to antihypertensive medication. However, little is known about the mechanism underlying this relationship in elderly patients with hypertension. The aim of this cross‐sectional study is to examine the mediating role of self‐efficacy in the relationship between depression and medication adherence among older patients with hypertension. The data were collected from October to December 2014. A total of 255 older patients with hypertension were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Self‐efficacy for Appropriate Medication Use Scale, and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale. Hierarchical linear regression analysis and the Sobel test were used to examine the mediating role of self‐efficacy in the relationship between depression and medication adherence. Depression and self‐efficacy were statistically significant predictors of medication adherence in older patients with hypertension. Self‐efficacy partially mediated the relationship between depression and medication adherence. Interventions targeting self‐efficacy could increase the confidence of patients in their ability to actively take their medicines. Moreover, health care providers should be aware of the importance of early detection of depression in older patients with hypertension. Future studies with longitudinal data are warranted to clarify the multidirectional relationships between depression, self‐efficacy, and medication adherence.
Disparities in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction: long‐term trends from the Hunter region
Authors: Davies Allan J. , Naudin Crystal , Al‐Omary Mohammed , Khan Arshad , Oldmeadow Chris , Jones Mark , Bastian Bruce , Bhagwandeen Rohan , Fletcher Peter , Leitch James , Boyle Andrew
Published: February 2017

Background

Trends in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) provide important information for healthcare providers and can allow for accurate planning of future health needs and targeted interventions in areas with an excess burden of cardiovascular disease.

Aim

To investigate the regional variations in AMI incidence in the Hunter region.

Methods

Incident cases of AMI identified between 1996 and 2013 from the Hunter New England Health Cardiac and Stroke Outcomes Unit were prospectively collected for this study. We calculated crude and age‐adjusted incidence of AMI over an 18‐year period and explored differences in remoteness, age, sex and indigenous status.

Results

During 1996–2013, a total of 15 480 cases of AMI were identified. There was a significantly higher incidence of AMI in patients from regional areas compared to patients from metropolitan areas. More importantly, while rates of AMI declined by 28% in metropolitan patients, they increased by 8% in regional patients. Males had higher rates of AMI throughout the study period than females, however there was trend over time towards a reduction in AMI incidence in males that was not seen in females. The age‐adjusted incidence of AMI for indigenous patients increased by 48% from 2007 to 2013, compared to a 23% decrease in non‐indigenous patients.

Conclusion

Between 1996 and 2013 in the Hunter region, the adjusted incidence of AMI increased for regional patients compared to metropolitan patients with a trend towards a higher adjusted incidence of AMI in the indigenous population.
Stream Recharge Water Balance for the Barton Springs Segment of the Edwards Aquifer
Authors: Hauwert Nico M.
Published: February 2017

Channel water balance analysis based on streamflow loss coupled with traced groundwater basins allow refinement of upland autogenic recharge values comparable to those derived from more precise site‐scaled measurements. Based on total discharge and calculated flow loss in major stream channels, the channel contributions to recharge on the Barton Springs Segment of the Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) Aquifer are: Onion Creek (32.6%), Barton Creek (less than 10.5%), Slaughter Creek (7.2%), Bear Creek (6.2%), Blanco River (6%), Little Bear Creek (3.4%), and Williamson Creek (1%). Major stream channels contributed from 56% to 67% of total groundwater recharge to the groundwater system, 17% of which was stream autogenic recharge, while upland autogenic recharge and other smaller sources contributed the remaining 33% to 44%. As a percent of precipitation over the Edwards Aquifer outcrop source area, autogenic recharge (upland and tributary recharge in the major stream channels) was 22% to 28%, compared with a recharge value of 28% of precipitation from climate tower water balances in Central Texas. Prior to delineation of groundwater basins using injected tracers, older channel water balance studies determined that upland autogenic recharge was only 15% of the total groundwater recharge (about 1% of precipitation). This study suggests that the channel water balance approach, based on gauged streamflow and spring discharge, is more accurate when one incorporates groundwater basins delineated by groundwater tracing, especially in karst aquifers. Refinement of an appropriate catchment area for the calculation of autogenic recharge also significantly affected the results of a precipitation water balance.
Well Decommission, Policy, Processes, and the Urban Environment
Authors: Hodder Eric A.
Published: February 2017

An afterthought in many well construction and design plans is the regulatory compliant destruction or decommission of the well at some point in the future. Agricultural lands that evolved into urban areas in southern California are likely to have thousands of lost or unmanaged wells. For the general public, landowners, and others these wells pose safety, environmental, logistical, and monetary issues. This discussion will cover regulatory guidelines, procedures, and case examples of well decommissioning. In California, regulations for well destruction are rooted in Department of Water Resources bulletins, state water code, legislation, local ordinance, and drilling contractor licensing compliance. In most cases the county departments of public health take the lead role for permitting and enforcing well destruction requirements. Well terminology used can be misleading; for example, by state law, an abandoned well is a noncompliant hazard‐ not a safely destroyed or decommissioned well adhering to standards. Permitted well decommission typically involves cement‐bentonite sealing and casing perforation. With the goal of effective prevention of surface liquid intrusion or aquifer cross contamination, sometimes explosives, over‐drilling, and other practices are applied. Challenges are frequent in locating and decommissioning abandoned wells. Lost records lead to reconnaissance, geophysical investigations, and excavation of unintended anomalies. Urban development may surround an abandoned well within a structure, foundation, or utilities. Environmentally sensitive areas will affect standard techniques. With increasing water demand and urbanization, effective well decommission is important for analysis and regulatory emphasis.
Fundamental mechanisms responsible for the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency in microwave dielectric ceramics
Authors: Zhang Shengke , Sahin Hasan , Torun Engin , Peeters Francois , Martien Dinesh , DaPron Tyler , Dilley Neil , Newman Nathan
Published: February 2017

The temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τf) of a microwave resonator is determined by three materials parameters according to the following equation: τf=−(½ τε + ½ τμ + αL), where αL, τε, and τμ are defined as the linear temperature coefficients of the lattice constant, dielectric constant, and magnetic permeability, respectively. We have experimentally determined each of these parameters for Ba(Zn1/3Ta2/3)O3, 0.8 at.% Ni‐doped Ba(Zn1/3Ta2/3)O3, and Ba(Ni1/3Ta2/3)O3 ceramics. These results, in combination with density functional theory calculations, have allowed us to develop a much improved understanding of the fundamental physical mechanisms responsible for the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency, τf.
Ferroic ordering and charge‐spin‐lattice order coupling in Gd‐doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles relaxor multiferroic system
Authors: Laha Suvra S. , Abdelhamid Ehab , Arachchige Maheshika P. , Kumar Ajay , Dixit Ambesh
Published: February 2017

We investigated the effect of gadolinium doping (1‐5 at.%) on the magnetic and dielectric properties of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, synthesized by the chemical co‐precipitation technique, primarily to understand the onset of multifunctional properties such as ferroelectricity and magnetodielectric coupling. The substitution of larger Gd3+ ions at smaller Fe3+ octahedral sites in inverse spinel Fe3O4 has significantly influenced the morphology, average crystallite size, and more importantly, the magneto‐crystalline anisotropy and saturation magnetization. The magneto‐crystalline anisotropy and the saturation magnetization decreases substantially, however, significant increase in the average crystallite size is observed upon Gd doping. Furthermore, temperature‐dependent dielectric studies suggest that these nanoparticle systems exhibit relaxor ferroelectric behavior, with much pronounced ferroelectric polarization moment recorded for 5 at.% Gd doped Fe3O4 as compared to its undoped counterpart.
The legacy of Columbus in American horse populations assessed by microsatellite markers
Authors: Cortés O. , Dunner S. , Gama L.T. , Martínez A.M. , Delgado J.V. , Ginja C. , Jiménez L.M. , Jordana J. , Luis C. , Oom M.M. , Sponenberg D.P. , Zaragoza P. ,   Biohorse Consortium, Vega‐Pla J.L.
Published: February 2017

Criollo horse populations descend from horses brought from the Iberian Peninsula over the period of colonization (15th to 17th century). They are spread throughout the Americas and have potentially undergone genetic hybridization with other breeds in the recent past. In this study, 25 autosomal microsatellites were genotyped in 50 horse breeds representing Criollo populations from 12 American countries (27 breeds), breeds from the Iberian Peninsula (19), one breed each from France and Morocco and two cosmopolitan horse breeds (Thoroughbred and Arabian). The genetic relationships among breeds identified five clusters: Celtic; Iberian; North American with Thoroughbred influence; most Colombian breeds; and nearly all other Criollo breeds. The group of “all other Criollo breeds” had the closest genetic relationship with breeds originating from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically with the Celtic group. For the whole set of Criollo breeds analysed, the estimated genetic contribution from other breeds was approximately 50%, 30% and 20% for the Celtic, Iberian and Arab‐Thoroughbred groups, respectively. The spatial distribution of genetic diversity indicates that hotspots of genetic diversity are observed in populations from Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Paraguay and western United States, possibly indicating points of arrival and dispersion of Criollo horses in the American continent. These results indicate that Criollo breeds share a common ancestry, but that each breed has its own identity.
Association between reduced arterial stiffness and preserved diastolic function of the left ventricle in middle‐aged and elderly patients
Authors: Park Kyung‐Taek , Kim Hack‐Lyoung , Oh Sohee , Lim Woo‐Hyun , Seo Jae‐Bin , Chung Woo‐Young , Kim Sang‐Hyun , Kim Myung‐A , Zo Joo‐Hee
Published: February 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate whether arterial stiffness plays a role in retaining normal diastolic function in a middle‐aged and elderly Korean population. A total of 267 patients without documented cardiovascular disease, 50 years and older (mean age, 57.3±6.3 years; 69.8% men) were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent both transthoracic echocardiography and brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity measurement on the same day. Patients with septal annular peak velocity (e’) ≥8 cm/s and left atrial volume index <34 mL/m2 were considered as having normal diastolic function. Ninety‐eight patients (36.7%) had normal diastolic function. Low brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity (<1314 cm/s) was an independent factor for determining normal diastolic function even after controlling for potential confounders in multiple logistic regression analysis (odds ratio, 2.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.46–4.57; P=.001). Our results suggest that compliant arteries may play an important role in maintaining normal left ventricular diastolic function in middle‐aged and elderly patients without documented cardiovascular disease.
Structural hierarchy of autism spectrum disorder symptoms: an integrative framework
Authors: Kim Hyunsik , Keifer Cara M. , Rodriguez‐Seijas Craig , Eaton Nicholas R. , Lerner Matthew D. , Gadow Kenneth D.
Published: February 2017

Background

In an attempt to resolve questions regarding the symptom classification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), previous research generally aimed to demonstrate superiority of one model over another. Rather than adjudicating which model may be optimal, we propose an alternative approach that integrates competing models using Goldberg's bass‐ackwards method, providing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying symptom structure of ASD.

Methods

The study sample comprised 3,825 individuals, consecutive referrals to a university hospital developmental disabilities specialty clinic or a child psychiatry outpatient clinic. This study analyzed DSM‐IV‐referenced ASD symptom statements from parent and teacher versions of the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory‐4R. A series of exploratory structural equation models was conducted in order to produce interpretable latent factors that account for multivariate covariance.

Results

Results indicated that ASD symptoms were structured into an interpretable hierarchy across multiple informants. This hierarchy includes five levels; key features of ASD bifurcate into different constructs with increasing specificity.

Conclusions

This is the first study to examine an underlying structural hierarchy of ASD symptomatology using the bass‐ackwards method. This hierarchy demonstrates how core features of ASD relate at differing levels of resolution, providing a model for conceptualizing ASD heterogeneity and a structure for integrating divergent theories of cognitive processes and behavioral features that define the disorder. These findings suggest that a more coherent and complete understanding of the structure of ASD symptoms may be reflected in a metastructure rather than at one level of resolution.
Decision‐making at the borderline of viability: Who should decide and on what basis?
Authors: Gillam Lynn , Wilkinson Dominic , Xafis Vicki , Isaacs David
Published: February 2017

Parents and medical staff usually agree on the management of preterm labour at borderline viability, when there is a relatively high risk of long‐term neurodevelopmental problems in survivors. If delivery is imminent and parents and staff cannot agree on the best management, however, who should decide what will happen when the baby is delivered? Should the baby be resuscitated? Should intensive care be initiated? Three ethicists, one of whom is also a neonatologist, discuss this complex issue.
Personal smartphones for neonatal diagnostic imaging: A prospective crossover study
Authors: Westberg Margreta , Vasko Theresia , Owen Louise S , Bhatia Risha , Lluch Marta Thio , Donath Susan , Davis Peter G , Dawson Jennifer A
Published: February 2017

Aim

Neonatal clinicians may be asked to review X‐ray images when unable to directly access the original image. Transmitting an X‐ray image to a smartphone is a technique increasingly being used by clinicians in a number of settings. Minimal data exist on its use in the neonatal setting. Our aim was to compare the ability of neonatal clinicians to correctly diagnose a pneumothorax from a chest radiograph (CXR) viewed on a smartphone, paralleled with the same image viewed on a computer screen.

Methods

We investigated the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predicative value of two methods of viewing CXR images to diagnose pneumothorax, compared with a gold standard radiologist report. Clinicians were presented with 40 CXR images on two occasions, at least 1 week apart. Images were viewed once on a smartphone and once on a computer screen. Both the viewing method and viewing order of the images were randomised. The clinical details of the infant at the time the CXR was taken were provided, and participants were asked if a pneumothorax was present.

Results

Twenty‐one clinicians viewed all CXR images using both viewing methods (840 paired observations). There was no difference in accuracy of detecting pneumothorax between viewing methods, 81% correctly identified a pneumothorax using the smartphone, versus 80% using the computer screen (P = 0.40 (95% CI), difference −4 to 1.5%).

Conclusion

Diagnosis of neonatal pneumothorax was as accurate using a smartphone as viewing CXR images displayed on a computer screen when clinicians were presented with X‐rays with diagnosis of pneumothorax.
An unusual cause of difficulty inserting a nasogastric tube
Authors: Banda Clever , Gibb Charlotte E , Smith Carina O
Published: February 2017

See Answer
PCR fishing for red endophytes in British Columbia Kallymeniaceae (Gigartinales, Florideophyceae) uncovers the species‐rich Kallymenicola gen. nov. (Palmariales, Nemaliophycidae)
Authors: Evans Joshua R. , Saunders Gary W.
Published: February 2017

Unexpected contaminants uncovered during routine COI‐5P DNA barcoding of British Columbia Kallymeniaceae indicated the presence of a novel lineage allied to the family Meiodiscaceae, Palmariales. Available rbcL data for species of this family were used to design specific primers to screen for the presence of the meiodiscacean species in 534 kallymeniacean specimens primarily from British Columbia, Canada. Ultimately, 43 positive PCR products representing six diverse genetic groups from nine host species were uncovered; three are described here in the new genus Kallymenicola gen. nov., viz., K. invisiblis sp. nov., K penetrans sp. nov., and K superficialis sp. nov. Although genetic groups loosely displayed evidence of host specificity and cospeciation, examples of host switching with interesting biogeographical patterns were also documented.
Symbiodinium (Dinophyceae) community patterns in invertebrate hosts from inshore marginal reefs of the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Authors: Tonk Linda , Sampayo Eugenia M. , Chai Aaron , Schrameyer Verena , Hoegh‐Guldberg Ove
Published: February 2017

The broad range in physiological variation displayed by Symbiodinium spp. has proven imperative during periods of environmental change and contribute to the survival of their coral host. Characterizing how host and Symbiodinium community assemblages differ across environmentally distinct habitats provides useful information to predict how corals will respond to major environmental change. Despite the extensive characterizations of Symbiodinium diversity found amongst reef cnidarians on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) substantial biogeographic gaps exist, especially across inshore habitats. Here, we investigate Symbiodinium community patterns in invertebrates from inshore and mid‐shelf reefs on the southern GBR, Australia. Dominant Symbiodinium types were characterized using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting and sequencing of the ITS2 region of the ribosomal DNA. Twenty one genetically distinct Symbiodinium types including four novel types were identified from 321 reef‐invertebrate samples comprising three sub‐generic clades (A, C, and D). A range of host genera harbored C22a, which is normally rare or absent from inshore or low latitude reefs in the GBR. Multivariate analysis showed that host identity and sea surface temperature best explained the variation in symbiont communities across sites. Patterns of changes in Symbiodinium community assemblage over small geographic distances (100s of kilometers or less) indicate the likelihood that shifts in Symbiodinium distributions and associated host populations, may occur in response to future climate change impacting the GBR.
The Influence of Religion on Interstate Armed Conflict: Government Religious Preference and First Use of Force, 1946–2002
Authors: Brown Davis
Published: February 2017

Effects of religious norms on interstate armed conflict are understudied compared to such effects on intrastate conflict. Yet religion exerts no less influence on states’ preferences and outcome of interstate interaction than other factors. Religion fosters emotion, in turn generating cognitive and motivational biases in states’ leaders. Religion acts as a political ideology that inculcates worldviews and programs political agendas. Religion accomplishes these things through scripture, clergy, and historical narrative. Through these media, religion instills standards of behavior, including for resort to (political) violence. Thus, religions influence states’ propensities to initiate interstate armed conflicts, even when belligerents’ goals are not necessarily sacralized. However, different norms are ingrained in different religions, and median war ethics of different religions range from permissive to restrictive. Therefore, over time and space, different religions are expected to have different effects on initiation of interstate armed conflicts. Regressing that outcome against the newly introduced Government Religious Preference (GRP) scores for Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism reveals that such is the case; different religions are differently associated with war and peace.
God Versus Party: Competing Effects on Attitudes Concerning Criminal Punishment, National Security, and Military Service
Authors: Thomson Robert A. , Froese Paul
Published: February 2017

We explore how images of God interact with political party to predict attitudes concerning the appropriate role of government in both criminal punishment and national security. Using the second wave of the Baylor Religion Survey (2007), we analyze the extent to which beliefs regarding God's moral judgment moderate the influence of party affiliation on opinions about the death penalty, fighting terrorism, punishing criminals, serving in the military, and U.S. involvement in the Iraq War. Specifically, we find that Democrats who believe in a judgmental God tend to support more conservative policies. In fact, attitudes converge such that the effects of party membership are erased if rival partisans both believe in a judgmental moral authority.
Variations in crab claw morphology and diet across contrasting inter‐tidal habitats
Authors: Silva Ana C. F. , Shapouri Maryam , Cereja Rui , Dissanayake Awantha , Vinagre Catarina
Published: February 2017

Crabs are important predators of inter‐tidal ecosystems, controlling the abundance and distribution of their prey populations. Often the same crab species occupies several habitats and, although their effects on prey have been quantified across habitats, crabs’ dietary and morphological responses to differing environmental influences have been overlooked. Here, we used the crabs Eriphia verrucosa and Pachygrapsus marmoratus as model species to examine differences in claw morphometry – size and wear – and diet between rocky shore and heterogeneous sand flat habitats. We predicted that, intra‐specifically, crabs from rocky shores would consume more hard‐shelled prey owing to their high availability and consequently, would display chelipeds with the following claw characteristics: a higher degree of claw damage, stronger musculature (higher propel height) and increased mechanical advantage (defined as the ratio of input lever length to output lever length) than crabs in the heterogeneous sand flat habitats. Sampling was performed in heterogeneous sand flat habitats and rocky shores of the Central Portuguese coast. For each crab species, carapace width, diet composition and several claw morphometric measures were recorded, revealing significant intra‐specific differences (using multivariate analysis) between shore types. We found that E. verrucosa and P. marmoratus consumed more hard prey on rocky shore than on sand flat habitats, which resulted in rocky shore crabs having more accentuated dentition wear and larger musculature than their sand flat habitat counterparts. We suggest that the strong response of crab claw morphometry to environmentally induced diet variations is an important mechanism in the successful adaptation of crab species to inhabit differing habitats. A major implication is that the impact of the same species on prey may vary largely with habitat type as a result of predation efficiency varying with claw condition.
Current status of coral takeover by an encrusting excavating sponge in a Caribbean reef
Authors: Marulanda‐Gómez Ángela , López‐Victoria Mateo , Zea Sven
Published: February 2017

On Caribbean reefs, the excavating sponge Cliona tenuis opportunistically colonized dead skeletons of the elkhorn coral Acropora palmata after its massive die‐off in the 1980s. Further C. tenuis population increase occurred by colonization of other coral species, causing coral tissue death through undermining of live tissue and lateral growth. To follow up on a previous (2001) characterization of the abundance and size structure of C. tenuis at Islas del Rosario (Colombia), these factors were again estimated in 2014, along with its substratum utilization. The fate of sponge individuals colonizing massive coral colonies marked in 2001–2004 was also followed. By 2014 C. tenuis was still disproportionally occupying dead A. palmata branches, but its abundance and density, and the cover of other benthic elements, had not significantly changed over the 13‐year period, suggesting that a stasis has been reached. Cliona tenuis was thus initially favored in the 1980s, but substratum monopolization did not occur. From 2001 to 2014, small individuals increased in number and very large ones decreased, suggesting not only that new recruitment is occurring, but also that larger sponges are shrinking or fragmenting. Marked sponges continued killing corals over the first few years, but over longer times they retreated or died, allowing corals to resume upward growth. However, it could not be ascertained whether the sponge retreat was age‐related or the result of some environmental effect. The apparent preference for recently dead clean coral by larvae of C. tenuis and its current dynamics of recruitment, growth, fragmentation and mortality have stabilized its space occupation at Islas del Rosario.
Pimelic acid, the first precursor of the Bacillus subtilis biotin synthesis pathway, exists as the free acid and is assembled by fatty acid synthesis
Authors: Manandhar Miglena , Cronan John E.
Published: February 2017

Biotin synthetic pathways are readily separated into two stages, synthesis of the seven carbon α, ω‐dicarboxylic acid pimelate moiety and assembly of the fused heterocyclic rings. The biotin pathway genes responsible for pimelate moiety synthesis vary widely among bacteria whereas the ring synthesis genes are highly conserved. Bacillus subtilis seems to have redundant genes, bioI and bioW, for generation of the pimelate intermediate. Largely consistent with previous genetic studies it was found that deletion of bioW caused a biotin auxotrophic phenotype whereas deletion of bioI did not. BioW is a pimeloyl‐CoA synthetase that converts pimelic acid to pimeloyl‐CoA. The essentiality of BioW for biotin synthesis indicates that the free form of pimelic acid is an intermediate in biotin synthesis although this is not the case in E. coli. Since the origin of pimelic acid in Bacillus subtilis is unknown, 13C‐NMR studies were carried out to decipher the pathway for its generation. The data provided evidence for the role of free pimelate in biotin synthesis and the involvement of fatty acid synthesis in pimelate production. Cerulenin, an inhibitor of the key fatty acid elongation enzyme, FabF, markedly decreased biotin production by B. subtilis resting cells whereas a strain having a cerulenin‐resistant FabF mutant produced more biotin. In addition, supplementation with pimelic acid fully restored biotin production in cerulenin‐treated cells. These results indicate that pimelic acid originating from fatty acid synthesis pathway is a bona fide precursor of biotin in B. subtilis.
The Effect of Bureaucratic Responsiveness on Citizen Participation
Authors: Sjoberg Fredrik M. , Mellon Jonathan , Peixoto Tiago
Published: February 2017

What effect does bureaucratic responsiveness have on citizen participation? Since the 1940s, attitudinal measures of perceived efficacy have been used to explain participation. The authors develop a “calculus of participation” that incorporates objective efficacy—the extent to which an individual's participation actually has an impact—and test the model against behavioral data from the online application Fix My Street (n = 399,364). A successful first experience using Fix My Street is associated with a 57 percent increase in the probability of an individual submitting a second report, and the experience of bureaucratic responsiveness to the first report submitted has predictive power over all future report submissions. The findings highlight the importance of responsiveness for fostering an active citizenry while demonstrating the value of incidentally collected data to examine participatory behavior at the individual level.
Assessing the Adequacy of Small Solute Clearance for Various Dialysis Modalities, with Inclusion of Residual Native Kidney Function
Authors: Chin Andrew I. , Depner Thomas A. , Daugirdas John T.
Published: February 2017

Measurement of small molecule clearance remains important in the clinical care of patients requiring long‐term dialysis. Many patients maintain a significant degree of residual native kidney function and may have nontraditional schedules with or without combined dialysis modalities. In this review, we examine and outline methods for comparing small molecule clearances among various dialysis prescriptions and modalities, with inclusion of residual kidney urea clearance.
Service Learning Within a Secondary Math and Science Teacher Education Program: Preservice MAT Teachers’ Perspectives
Authors: Borgerding Lisa A. , Caniglia Joanne
Published: February 2017

Previous literature suggests that service learning may offer new opportunities to support the development of preservice science and math teachers, but few studies examine service learning beyond isolated teaching events. In this qualitative study, we attempt to improve upon this literature by following Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students’ views of their service learning experiences throughout their MAT program and first two years teaching. Data sources included audiotaped individual interviews, focus group field notes, and surveys with seven preservice teachers over a three‐year period. Three major findings emerged from the data analysis. First, participants identified characteristics of service learning teaching events that made them particularly useful, and these included the timing of events, targeted grade level, exposure to high‐needs contexts, and opportunities to practice pedagogical skills. Second, participation in the service learning events improved preservice teachers’ confidence and comfort teaching in high‐needs contexts, but several concerns and deficit perspectives about teaching in high‐needs contexts remained. Third, participants indicated specific ways that the service learning teaching events impacted their readiness to teach in high‐needs contexts. These findings may inform other science and math teacher educators seeking to embed service learning opportunities into their programs.
Trust in the System? Factors that Impact Citizens’ View of Courts in the United Kingdom
Authors: Hansen Michael A.
Published: February 2017

Objective

The objective of this study was to test the individual and parliamentary constituency factors that impact the level of trust that British citizens have in the courts.

Methods

By using a Bayesian hierarchical model, this article is able to calculate the effect of variables that exist at both levels.

Results

At the individual level, the main explanatory variable is the amount of trust a citizen holds for other institutions, and at the constituency level, crime rate has an effect on a citizen's level of trust in the courts.

Conclusion

Previous findings related to citizen attitudes and support for courts in the United States transfer well to the United Kingdom.
Disability, Voter Turnout, and Polling Place Accessibility
Authors: Schur Lisa , Ameri Mason , Adya Meera
Published: February 2017

Objective

Polling place inaccessibility may contribute to the disability gap in voter turnout, both directly by making voting more difficult for people with disabilities, and indirectly by sending the message that people with disabilities are not expected to participate in the political sphere. We explore the role of polling place inaccessibility by examining voter turnout and reports of voting difficulties among people with and without disabilities in the 2012 elections.

Method

We use the Census Bureau's Voting and Registration Supplement (VRS) and a newly constructed national household survey following the 2012 elections.

Results

Consistent with past findings, the disability turnout gap is reduced but not eliminated when controlling for standard predictors of voter turnout. Nearly, one‐third (30 percent) of voters with disabilities reported difficulty in voting at a polling place in 2012, compared to only 8 percent of voters without disabilities. We find that difficulties in voting predict lower perceptions of the influence people with disabilities have in the political process. This in turn is a significant predictor of voter turnout among people with disabilities, supporting the idea that voting difficulties depress turnout. Majorities of people both with and without disabilities said they would prefer voting in person in a polling place in the next election.

Conclusion

The results point to the potential role of polling place accessibility in voter turnout, and the gains from wider adoption of best practices to reduce barriers and make the voting process more fully accessible.
The Ties that Bind Beyond the Battlefield: An Examination of the Diffusion Patterns of Veterans Treatment Courts
Authors: Easterly Bianca
Published: February 2017

Objectives

The growing number of veterans on court dockets with mental health and substance abuse issues has resulted in the proliferation of veterans treatment courts (VTCs). Given the ubiquity of substance abuse and mental illness across communities, it is unclear why some local courts innovate and, more importantly, why some do so earlier than others.

Methods

Using data from 2008 to 2014, the study applies event history modeling to investigate the extent to which, if any, presiding judges’ connection to the armed forces, either personally or through immediate family members (e.g., parents, children), accelerates the adoption of states’ initial VTCs.

Results

Findings show significant support for both the hastening effect of personal knowledge of the military and, to a lesser extent, the increased presence VA Community‐Based Outpatient Clinics have on VTC innovation.

Conclusions

Judges’ social group membership and the availability of government resources in a community influence court organization innovation.
HLA‐B*15:414, a novel variant of HLA‐B*15, discovered in a Taiwanese individual
Authors: Yang K. L. , Lin P. Y.
Published: February 2017

One nucleotide replacement at residue 221 of HLA‐B*15:18:01:01 results in a new allele, HLA‐B*15:414.
Guinea worm infection in northern Nigeria: reflections on a disease approaching eradication
Authors: Greenwood Brian , Greenwood Alice , Bradley Andrew
Published: February 2017

Global eradication of the guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis) is near, although perhaps delayed a little by the discovery of a transmission cycle in dogs. It is therefore an appropriate time to reflect on the severe impact of this infection on the life of the communities where it was endemic prior to the start of the global eradication programme in 1981. From 1971 to 1974, we conducted a series of unpublished studies on guinea worm in a group of villages in Katsina State, northern Nigeria, where the infection was highly endemic. These studies demonstrated the high rate of infection in affected communities, the frequent recurrence of the infection in some subjects and the long‐standing disability that remained in some infected individuals. Immunological studies showed a high level of immediate hypersensitivity to adult worm and larval antigens but a downregulation of Th1‐type T‐cell responses to worm antigens. Freeing communities such as those described in this article from the scourge of guinea worm infection for good will be an important public health triumph.
Plant species composition and potential feed value of permanent grasslands in the central part of Drahanská vrchovina Upland
Authors: Nerušil Pavel , Komárek Petr , Menšík Ladislav
Published: February 2017

In multifunctional agriculture, permanent grasslands (PG) present an important culture which keeps the soil in the continuous production status while helping to shape the landscape and protecting biodiversity, plus it has a number of other non-productive functions. The aim of the study was to evaluate, using the “Inventory and Classification of PG” method, species composition and the feed value of fodder in permanent grasslands in a specific farming company (ZEMSPOL Sloup a.s.) located in the area of the Drahanská vrchovina Upland. Multivariate analysis of PCA identified four categories of sites in the area: meadows/pastures with a higher proportion of legumes and grass species and potentially higher quality of fodder; meadows/pastures with a low proportion of grass species, a high proportion of other herbs and a very low potential feed value of fodder, etc. Most of PG are completely lacking legumes which supply nitrogen to the vegetation and are a major improvement for fodder production and its quality. Infestation with broad-leaf sorrels (Rumex acetosa/L./ andRumex obtusifolius/L./) may be potential risk in the future. Additional seeding of grass-clover mixtures seems to be a useful way to improve the botanical composition of meadows and pastures in the area of interest, whether it would involve applying a strip or harrow seeder.