bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Different Age Estimation Methods of the Adult Pelvis
Authors: Miranker Molly
Published: June 2016

The adult human pelvis is useful to estimate age because it contains three age indicators—the pubic symphysis, auricular surface, and acetabulum. This study tested the accuracy, inaccuracy, and bias of age estimation from the Suchey‐Brooks pubic symphysis, Osborne auricular surface, Rissech and Calce acetabulum aging methods, and a summary age of these indicators. The study sample consisted of 212 White individuals with known age and sex from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection. The Rissech method performed the best, was the most accurate method with smallest inaccuracy and bias, followed by the Osborne, Suchey‐Brooks, summary age, and then Calce methods. Though the Pearson correlation showed only the Suchey‐Brooks method to correlate significantly with known age, it is likely the Suchey‐Brooks study sample coincidentally reflected the age distribution of this test sample. Results suggested that Bayesian prediction may improve age estimation and should be applied to other age indicators.
A High‐Resolution National‐Scale Hydrologic Forecast System from a Global Ensemble Land Surface Model
Authors: Snow Alan D. , Christensen Scott D. , Swain Nathan R. , Nelson E. James , Ames Daniel P. , Jones Norman L. , Ding Deng , Noman Nawajish S. , David Cédric H. , Pappenberger Florian , Zsoter Ervin
Published: June 2016

Warning systems with the ability to predict floods several days in advance have the potential to benefit tens of millions of people. Accordingly, large‐scale streamflow prediction systems such as the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service or the Global Flood Awareness System are limited to coarse resolutions. This article presents a method for routing global runoff ensemble forecasts and global historical runoff generated by the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts model using the Routing Application for Parallel computatIon of Discharge to produce high spatial resolution 15‐day stream forecasts, approximate recurrence intervals, and warning points at locations where streamflow is predicted to exceed the recurrence interval thresholds. The processing method involves distributing the computations using computer clusters to facilitate processing of large watersheds with high‐density stream networks. In addition, the Streamflow Prediction Tool web application was developed for visualizing analyzed results at both the regional level and at the reach level of high‐density stream networks. The application formed part of the base hydrologic forecasting service available to the National Flood Interoperability Experiment and can potentially transform the nation's forecast ability by incorporating ensemble predictions at the nearly 2.7 million reaches of the National Hydrography Plus Version 2 Dataset into the national forecasting system.
Distribution of Chancelloriids in a Middle Cambrian Carbonate Platform Deposit, Taebaek Group, Korea
Authors: Jongsun HONG , Suk‐Joo CHOH , Dong‐Jin LEE
Published: June 2016

The onset of the Cambrian witnessed the diversification of “small shelly fossils (SSF)”, which affected carbonate depositional system. One of the problematic SSF, chancelloriids, are common components of the early to middle Cambrian carbonate and shale, and their contributions toward Cambrian carbonates are not yet fully understood. This study assesses distribution patterns of chancelloriid sclerites in the Cambrian Series 3 Daegi Formation based on microfacies analysis and discusses their sedimentologic implications. In the lower part of the formation, partially articulated chancelloriid sclerites occur mainly in bioclastic packstone and grainstone facies, with isolated sclerite rays in nodular packstone to grainstone facies. In the middle part of the formation, chancelloriid fragments occur only sporadically in bioclastic wackestone to packstone, bioclastic grainstone and oolitic packstone to grainstone facies, whereas boundstone facies are nearly devoid of their fragments. There are no chancelloriid fragments in the upper part of the formation, which consists of oolitic packstone to grainstone facies. Chancelloriids are interpreted to have primarily occupied platform margin shoal environments, shedding their sclerites to surrounding areas, and thus contributed as sediment producers. The distribution of Daegi chancelloriid sclerites is similar to other Cambrian examples, with the exception of common chancelloriids in Cambrian Series 2 reefs and their apparent near absence in the Daegi and other Cambrian Series 3 reefs. This disparity resulted from changes in the ecologic niche of chancelloriids after the end‐Cambrian Series 2 reef crisis, coupled with an overall decline of chancelloriids in the middle Cambrian.
Fossil Liverworts from the Lower Cretaceous Huolinhe Formation in Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Ruiyun LI , Xuelian WANG , Peihong JIN , Fujun MA , Defei YAN , Zhicheng LIN , Bainian SUN
Published: June 2016

A new genus and species, Rebouliothallus huolinhensis sp. nov., and two uncertain species, Ricciopsis sp. and Hepaticites sp., are described. The fossils were collected from the Lower Cretaceous Huolinhe Formation of Huolinhe Basin, northeastern China. The new genus Rebouliothallus was established in the Aytoniaceae family of Marchantiales. Rebouliothallus huolinhensis appears to be quite similar to species of the extant genus Reboulia Raddi. The species is characterized by the relatively large ventral scales. Ventral scales are large, imbricate and arranged in two rows on the ventral surface. Rhizoids are either pegged or smooth. Ricciopsis sp. is characterized by the rosette‐forming thallus. Hepaticites sp. shows some similarities to liverworts. Of the forty‐nine Early Cretaceous floras of China, only two floras, one from the Huolinhe basin, Inner Mongolia and the other from the Jixi Basin, Heilongjiang Province, contain fossil liverworts. The rare fossil liverwort records in the Early Cretaceous floras of China may be the result of taphonomic bias.
Free‐surface Simulations of Newtonian and Non‐Newtonian Fluids with the Lattice Boltzmann Method
Authors: Chuanhu ZHANG , Songgui CHEN , Qicheng SUN , Feng JIN
Published: June 2016

This paper describes the application of a three‐dimensional lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to Newtonian and non‐Newtonian (Bingham fluid in this work) flows with free surfaces. A mass tracking algorithm was incorporated to capture the free surface, whereas Papanastasiou's modified model was used for Bingham fluids. The lattice Boltzmann method was first validated using two benchmarks: Newtonian flow through a square cross‐section tube and Bingham flow through a circular cross‐section tube. Afterward, the dam‐break problem for the Newtonian fluid and the slump test for Bingham fluid were simulated to validate the free‐surface‐capturing algorithm. The numerical results were in good agreement with analytical results, as well as other simulations, thereby proving the validity and correctness of the current method. The proposed method is a promising substitute for time‐consuming and costly physical experiments to solve problems encountered in geotechnical and geological engineering, such as the surge and debris flow induced by a landslide or earthquake.
Rphylopars: fast multivariate phylogenetic comparative methods for missing data and within‐species variation
Authors: Goolsby Eric W. , Bruggeman Jorn , Ané Cécile
Published: June 2016

Over the past several years, phylogenetic comparative studies have increasingly approached trait evolution in a multivariate context, with a number of taxa that continues to rise dramatically. Recent methods for phylogenetic comparative studies have provided ways to incorporate measurement error and to address computational challenges. However, missing data remain a particularly common problem, in which data are unavailable for some but not all traits of interest for a given species (or individual), leaving researchers with the choice between omitting observations or utilizing imputation‐based approaches.

Here, we introduce an r implementation of PhyloPars, a tool for phylogenetic imputation of missing data and estimation of trait covariance across species (phylogenetic covariance) and within species (phenotypic covariance). Rphylopars provides expanded capabilities over the original PhyloPars interface including a fast linear‐time algorithm, thus allowing for extremely large data sets (which were previously computationally infeasible) to be analysed in seconds or minutes rather than hours.

In addition to providing fast and computationally efficient implementations, we introduce in Rphylopars methods to estimate macroevolutionary parameters under alternative evolutionary models (e.g. Early‐Burst, multivariate Ornstein‐Uhlenbeck).

By providing fast and computationally efficient methods with flexible options for various phylogenetic comparative approaches, Rphylopars expands the possibilities for researchers to analyse large and complex data with missing observations, within‐species variation and deviations from Brownian motion.
How to study sex differences in addiction using animal models
Authors: Carroll Marilyn E. , Lynch Wendy J.
Published: June 2016

The importance of studying sex as a biological variable in biomedical research is becoming increasingly apparent. There is a particular need in preclinical studies of addiction to include both sexes, as female animals are often excluded from studies, leaving large gaps in our knowledge of not only sex differences and potential prevention and treatment strategies but also with regard to the basic neurobiology of addiction. This review focuses on methodology that has been developed in preclinical studies to examine sex differences in the behavioral aspects and neurobiological mechanisms related to addiction across the full range of the addiction process, including initiation (acquisition), maintenance, escalation, withdrawal, relapse to drug seeking and treatment. This review also discusses strategic and technical issues that need to be considered when comparing females and males, including the role of ovarian hormones and how sex differences interact with other major vulnerability factors in addiction, such as impulsivity, compulsivity and age (adolescent versus adult). Novel treatments for addiction are also discussed, such as competing non‐drug rewards, repurposed medications such as progesterone and treatment combinations. Practical aspects of conducting research comparing female and male animals are also considered. Making sex differences a point of examination requires additional effort and consideration; however, such studies are necessary given mounting evidence demonstrating that the addiction process occurs differently in males and females. These studies should lead to a better understanding of individual differences in the development of addiction and effective treatments for males and females.
Hexokinase Domain Containing 1 (HKDC1) Gene Variants and their Association with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in a South Indian Population
Authors: Kanthimathi Sekar , Liju Samuel , Laasya Dhandapani , Anjana Ranjit Mohan , Mohan Viswanathan , Radha Venkatesan
Published: June 2016

Hexokinase domain containing 1 (HKDC1), a novel human hexokinase gene, is known to affect glucose metabolism and was shown to have a strong association with 2‐h plasma glucose in pregnant women in a recent genome wide association study. This study aimed to evaluate the association of these regulatory variants of HKDC1 (rs1076224, rs4746822, rs2394529 and rs9645501) with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a South Indian population. The regulatory variants of HKDC1 were genotyped in unrelated 500 women with GDM and 510 non‐GDM individuals by using the MassARRAY system and by direct DNA sequencing. The minor alleles of the HKDC1 gene regulatory variants, namely rs10762264 and rs4746822, showed a significant association with GDM and these alleles conferred as much as 1.24 and 1.34 times higher risk for GDM, respectively. This is the first study to demonstrate the association of HKDC1 genetic variants with susceptibility to GDM.
The influence of breed, age, gender, training level and ambient temperature on forelimb and back temperature in racehorses
Authors: Soroko Maria , Howell Kevin , Dudek Krzysztof , Henklewski Radomir , Zielińska Paulina
Published: June 2016

A previous thermographic study of racehorses identified 13 regions of interest (ROIs) for monitoring the impact of training. However, that investigation did not consider the influence of breed, age, gender or training intensity level on the temperature of ROIs. The present study adopted a multivariate analysis approach to determine whether the aforementioned factors, along with ambient temperature, significantly influenced ROI temperature in the key body regions. Thermography measurements were obtained from 53 racehorses of three breeds. Horses were in regular training for over 10 months, having 13 thermographic examinations in each racing season. Backward stepwise multiple linear regression indicated that ambient temperature and breed contributed significantly to the model for predicting ROI temperature at all 13 ROIs. Training intensity level contributed significantly to the model only at the thoracic vertebrae, the left third metacarpal bone and left fetlock joint. Neither gender nor age contributed to the model significantly at any ROI. Our data suggest that ambient temperature, breed and training level affect racehorse body surface temperature in some areas of the distal parts of the forelimbs and the back. This contributes to a better understanding of the normal range of thermographic findings in racehorses undergoing intensive training.
Competency‐based Education: Evidence from Social Work Postgraduates from Five Universities in China
Authors: Guo Yu , Findley Katie , Huang Chien‐Chung , Lu Shuang , Wang Yuqi
Published: June 2016

Social work education in China has undergone rapid development during last two decades. However, methods to define, measure, and evaluate social work students' competency remain largely unexplored. In this study, we evaluated competency in graduate social work students in China and examined factors that impacted competency, based on learning theory. Findings indicated that knowledge and skills learned in class, field placement, and social context all have effects on competency. How students think about individual development and the social work profession has the most significant effect. These findings carry implications for social work education in the Chinese context. The rapid development of social work education in China requires the effective measurement and evaluation of students' core competencies.
Epigenetic basis of sensitization to stress, affective episodes, and stimulants: implications for illness progression and prevention
Authors: Post Robert M
Published: June 2016

Objectives

The process of sensitization (increased responsivity) to the recurrence of stressors, affective episodes, and bouts of substance abuse that can drive illness progression in the recurrent affective disorders requires a memory of and increased reactivity to the prior exposures. A wealth of studies now supports the postulate that epigenetic mechanisms underlie both normal and pathological memory processes.

Methods

We selectively reviewed the literature pertinent to the role of epigenetics in behavioral sensitization phenomena and discuss its clinical implications.

Results

Epigenetics means above genetics and refers to environmental effects on the chemistry of DNA, histones (around which DNA is wound), and microRNA that change how easily genes are turned on and off. The evidence supports that sensitization to repeated stressor, affective episodes, and substance is likely based on epigenetic mechanisms and that these environmentally based processes can then become targets for prevention, early intervention, and ongoing treatment. Sensitization processes are remediable or preventable risk factors for a poor illness outcome and deserve increased clinical, public health, and research attention in the hopes of making the recurrent unipolar and bipolar affective disorders less impairing, disabling, and lethal by suicide and increased medical mortality.

Conclusions

The findings that epigenetic chemical marks, which change in the most fundamental way how genes are regulated, mediate the long‐term increased responsivity to recurrent stressors, mood episodes, and bouts of substance abuse should help change how the affective disorders are conceptualized and move treatment toward earlier, more comprehensive, and sustained pharmacoprophylaxis.
Can an objective measure of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) supplement existing TPACK measures?
Authors: Drummond Aaron , Sweeney Trudy
Published: June 2016

In recent years, approaches to developing teacher competency in technology integration have moved away from an over emphasis on technological knowledge, to focus on the essential connections between technology, pedagogy and content knowledge (TPACK) (Chai, Koh, & Tsai, ; Harris, Mishra, & Koehler, ; Mishra & Koehler, ). A number of extant studies have established the construct validity of the TPACK framework (Chai, Ng, Li, Hong, & Koh, ; Lin, Tsai, Chai, & Lee, ; Schmidt, Baran, Thompson, Mishra, Koehler, & Shin, ). However, it remains unclear whether the self‐reported knowledge assessed by the TPACK scales, might be supplemented by preservice teachers' objective knowledge in sub‐areas of TPACK. Here we use a well‐established measure—discriminability indices (d′) (Macmillan & Creelman, )—in a novel domain (TPACK) in an attempt to evaluate the extent to which the subjective knowledge assessed by the TPACK‐deep scale (Yurdakul et al., ) relates to preservice teachers' ability to discriminate between true and false statements about TPACK. There was only a small correlation between discriminability and TPACK‐deep scores (r = 0.25, p < 0.05). The results suggest that the subjective knowledge assessed by TPACK scales could be supplemented by the inclusion of objective indices of technological pedagogical and content knowledge to form a more complete picture of preservice teachers' TPACK.
Flow in e‐learning: What drives it and why it matters
Authors: Rodríguez‐Ardura Inma , Meseguer‐Artola Antoni
Published: June 2016

This paper seeks to explain why some individuals sink further into states of flow than others, and what effects flow has in the context of a virtual education environment. Our findings—gathered from both questionnaire and behavioural data—reveal that flow states are elicited by the e‐learners' senses of controlling the virtual education environment, their attention centred on the learning activity, and their feelings of physically being in such an environment. We bring evidence about three benefits from flow states: they facilitate e‐learner's positive emotions, they enhance e‐learners' academic performance, and they contribute to students' effective continuance in e‐learning.
The physiology of lipid storage and use in reptiles
Authors: Price Edwin R.
Published: June 2016

Lipid metabolism is central to understanding whole‐animal energetics. Reptiles store most excess energy in lipid form, mobilise those lipids when needed to meet energetic demands, and invest lipids in eggs to provide the primary source of energy to developing embryos. Here, I review the mechanisms by which non‐avian reptiles store, transport, and use lipids. Many aspects of lipid absorption, transport, and storage appear to be similar to birds, including the hepatic synthesis of lipids from glucose substrates, the transport of triglycerides in lipoproteins, and the storage of lipids in adipose tissue, although adipose tissue in non‐avian reptiles is usually concentrated in abdominal fat bodies or the tail. Seasonal changes in fat stores suggest that lipid storage is primarily for reproduction in most species, rather than for maintenance during aphagic periods. The effects of fasting on plasma lipid metabolites can differ from mammals and birds due to the ability of non‐avian reptiles to reduce their metabolism drastically during extended fasts. The effect of fasting on levels of plasma ketones is species specific: β‐hydroxybutyrate concentration may rise or fall during fasting. I also describe the process by which the bulk of lipids are deposited into oocytes during vitellogenesis. Although this process is sometimes ascribed to vitellogenin‐based transport in reptiles, the majority of lipid deposition occurs via triglycerides packaged in very‐low‐density lipoproteins (VLDLs), based on physiological, histological, biochemical, comparative, and genomic evidence. I also discuss the evidence for non‐avian reptiles using ‘yolk‐targeted’ VLDLs during vitellogenesis. The major physiological states – feeding, fasting, and vitellogenesis – have different effects on plasma lipid metabolites, and I discuss the possibilities and potential problems of using plasma metabolites to diagnose feeding condition in non‐avian reptiles.
SPIB is a novel prognostic factor in diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma that mediates apoptosis via the PI3K‐AKT pathway
Authors: Takagi Yusuke , Shimada Kazuyuki , Shimada Satoko , Sakamoto Akihiko , Naoe Tomoki , Nakamura Shigeo , Hayakawa Fumihiko , Tomita Akihiro , Kiyoi Hitoshi
Published: June 2016

Although the clinical outcomes of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have improved in the immunochemotherapy era, approximately one‐third of patients develop intractable disease. To improve clinical outcomes for these patients, it is important to identify those with poor prognosis prior to initial treatment in order to select optimal therapies. Here, we investigated the clinical and biological significance of SPIB, an Ets family transcription factor linked to lymphomagenesis, in DLBCL. We classified 134 DLBCL patients into SPIB negative (n = 108) or SPIB positive (n = 26) groups by immunohistochemical staining. SPIB positive patients had a significantly worse treatment response and poor prognosis compared with SPIB negative patients. Multivariate analysis for patient survival indicated that SPIB expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for both progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (PFS, hazard ratio [HR] 2.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31–5.33, P = 0.006; OS, HR 3.56, 95% CI 1.43–8.91, P = 0.007). Subsequent analyses of the roles of SPIB expression in DLBCL pathogenesis revealed that SPIB expression in lymphoma cells resulted in resistance to the BH3‐mimetic ABT‐263 and contributed to apoptosis resistance via the PI3K‐AKT pathway. The inhibition of AKT phosphorylation re‐sensitized SPIB expressing lymphoma cells to ABT‐263‐induced cell death. Together, our data indicate that SPIB expression is a clinically novel poor prognostic factor in DLBCL that contributes to treatment resistance, at least in part, through an anti‐apoptotic mechanism.
The reliability and validity of a child and adolescent participation in decision‐making questionnaire
Authors: O'Hare L. , Santin O. , Winter K. , McGuinness C.
Published: June 2016

Background

There is a growing impetus across the research, policy and practice communities for children and young people to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Furthermore, there is a dearth of general instruments that measure children and young people's views on their participation in decision‐making. This paper presents the reliability and validity of the Child and Adolescent Participation in Decision‐Making Questionnaire (CAP‐DMQ) and specifically looks at a population of looked‐after children, where a lack of participation in decision‐making is an acute issue.

Methods

The participants were 151 looked after children and adolescents between 10–23 years of age who completed the 10 item CAP‐DMQ. Of the participants 113 were in receipt of an advocacy service that had an aim of increasing participation in decision‐making with the remaining participants not having received this service.

Results

The results showed that the CAP‐DMQ had good reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94) and showed promising uni‐dimensional construct validity through an exploratory factor analysis. The items in the CAP‐DMQ also demonstrated good content validity by overlapping with prominent models of child and adolescent participation (Lundy 2007) and decision‐making (Halpern 2014). A regression analysis showed that age and gender were not significant predictors of CAP‐DMQ scores but receipt of advocacy was a significant predictor of scores (effect size d = 0.88), thus showing appropriate discriminant criterion validity.

Conclusion

Overall, the CAP‐DMQ showed good reliability and validity. Therefore, the measure has excellent promise for theoretical investigation in the area of child and adolescent participation in decision‐making and equally shows empirical promise for use as a measure in evaluating services, which have increasing the participation of children and adolescents in decision‐making as an intended outcome.
Prevalence of clinically silent corticotroph macroadenomas
Authors: Guttenberg Katie B. , Mayson Sarah E. , Sawan Carla , Kharlip Julia , Lee John Y. , Martinez‐Lage Maria , Loevner Laurie A. , Ewanichak Jayme , Grady M. Sean , Snyder Peter J.
Published: June 2016

Objective

The prevalence of clinically silent corticotroph macroadenomas is unknown. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of clinically silent corticotroph macroadenomas among all pituitary macroadenomas.

Design

Patients scheduled to have transsphenoidal surgery for any sellar mass were prospectively evaluated clinically and biochemically.

Patients

Adults who were scheduled for transsphenoidal surgery for a sellar mass at a single academic medical centre.

Measurements

Patients were assessed clinically prior to surgery and graded as having typical, mild or no Cushingoid features. They were assessed biochemically by plasma ACTH and 24‐h urine free cortisol (UFC). Excised tissue was examined histologically, and pituitary macroadenomas, examined by immunohistochemistry. Patients with corticotroph macroadenomas were classified as clinically silent if they exhibited no Cushingoid features but had elevated plasma ACTH and/or 24‐h UFC. They were classified as totally silent if they exhibited neither Cushingoid features nor elevated plasma ACTH or 24‐h UFC.

Results

Of 124 patients who had pathologically confirmed pituitary macroadenomas, 20 (16%) had corticotroph macroadenomas. Eight (40%) of these were clinically silent, in that they had no Cushingoid features but could be identified biochemically by elevated plasma ACTH (seven) and/or 24‐h UFC (three). Five (25%) were totally silent.

Conclusions

A substantial minority (16%) of pituitary macroadenomas treated surgically are corticotroph adenomas. Of these, 40% are clinically silent but can be recognized by elevated plasma ACTH and/or 24‐h UFC. Recognizing these adenomas may influence the surgical approach and provide a marker by which to follow the response to treatment.
Expanding Kenya's protected areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity to maximize coverage of plant diversity
Authors: Scherer Laura , Curran Michael , Alvarez Miguel
Published: June 2016

Biodiversity is highly valuable and critically threatened by anthropogenic degradation of the natural environment. In response, governments have pledged enhanced protected‐area coverage, which requires scarce biological data to identify conservation priorities. To assist this effort, we mapped conservation priorities in Kenya based on maximizing alpha (species richness) and beta diversity (species turnover) of plant communities while minimizing economic costs. We used plant‐cover percentages from vegetation surveys of over 2000 plots to build separate models for each type of diversity. Opportunity and management costs were based on literature data and interviews with conservation organizations. Species richness was predicted to be highest in a belt from Lake Turkana through Mount Kenya and in a belt parallel to the coast, and species turnover was predicted to be highest in western Kenya and along the coast. Our results suggest the expanding reserve network should focus on the coast and northeastern provinces of Kenya, where new biological surveys would also fill biological data gaps. Meeting the Convention on Biological Diversity target of 17% terrestrial coverage by 2020 would increase representation of Kenya's plant communities by 75%. However, this would require about 50 times more funds than Kenya has received thus far from the Global Environment Facility.
Fine‐resolution conservation planning with limited climate‐change information
Authors: Shah Payal , Mallory Mindy L. , Ando Amy W. , Guntenspergen Glenn R.
Published: June 2016

Climate‐change induced uncertainties in future spatial patterns of conservation‐related outcomes make it difficult to implement standard conservation‐planning paradigms. A recent study translates Markowitz's risk‐diversification strategy from finance to conservation settings, enabling conservation agents to use this diversification strategy for allocating conservation and restoration investments across space to minimize the risk associated with such uncertainty. However, this method is information intensive and requires a large number of forecasts of ecological outcomes associated with possible climate‐change scenarios for carrying out fine‐resolution conservation planning. We developed a technique for iterative, spatial portfolio analysis that can be used to allocate scarce conservation resources across a desired level of subregions in a planning landscape in the absence of a sufficient number of ecological forecasts. We applied our technique to the Prairie Pothole Region in central North America. A lack of sufficient future climate information prevented attainment of the most efficient risk‐return conservation outcomes in the Prairie Pothole Region. The difference in expected conservation returns between conservation planning with limited climate‐change information and full climate‐change information was as large as 30% for the Prairie Pothole Region even when the most efficient iterative approach was used. However, our iterative approach allowed finer resolution portfolio allocation with limited climate‐change forecasts such that the best possible risk‐return combinations were obtained. With our most efficient iterative approach, the expected loss in conservation outcomes owing to limited climate‐change information could be reduced by 17% relative to other iterative approaches.
Catchment zoning to unlock freshwater conservation opportunities in the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Hermoso Virgilio , Filipe Ana Filipa , Segurado Pedro , Beja Pedro
Published: June 2016

Aim

Conservation management in freshwater systems requires addressing some key ecological processes to warrant functional and effective protected areas. There are systematic planning methods available to address these needs, but they often result in large areas identified as priority for strict protection, which might constrain their implementation. Considering multiple zones with different management regimes might provide a more flexible and practical solution to this problem, though this approach remains poorly used in freshwater systems. We evaluate the use of a multizone approach to enhance protection of freshwater biodiversity and ecological processes in a large reserve network, Natura 2000.

Location

Iberian Peninsula.

Methods

We tested three scenarios of freshwater conservation planning: (1) a protection‐only approach based on areas identified using Marxan; (2) a more flexible approach where multiple management zones are considered using Marxan with Zones, both accounting for Natura 2000; and (3) a third one similar to (2) but ignoring Natura 2000. The three scenarios were compared considering their effectiveness in representing all species. We also evaluated the role of Natura 2000 within the management zones identified and the effect of these areas.

Results

We found that although there was only an 8% reduction in total area required to complement Natura 2000 under the multizone approach compared to the protection‐only approach, the refinement of conservation recommendations under different management zones can reduce the area needed for strict protection by 62%. Considering Natura 2000 compromised the efficiency of solutions while only one‐third of its extent was selected under the strict protection zone.

Main conclusions

The refinement in management recommendations and resulting improvement in efficiency achieved by using the multizone approach could help unlock the needed expansion of Natura 2000 to adequately cover freshwater conservation needs in the Iberian Peninsula and other areas where similar issues have been highlighted.
Semi‐field evaluation of the effects of sub‐lethal doses of pesticides, with and without adult Schistocerca gregaria pheromone, on hoppers
Authors: Bashir Magzoub , Hassanali Ahmed , Korena Haydar , Bashir Abdelrahim Widaatalla
Published: June 2016

Previously, we reported a chain of effects induced by phenylacetonitrile, the gregarious‐phase adult cohesion pheromone of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acrididae), on conspecific hoppers. Specifically, the nymphs became hyperactive and displayed high levels of intraspecific predation, as surviving individuals gradually shifted to the solitary phase. The findings suggested that the pheromone could induce a significant level of mortality of the nymphs and predispose them to greater sensitivity to lower doses of insecticides. In this study, we compared the effects of the pheromone and various doses of three pesticides (fipronil, malathion, and carbosulfan) to pheromone‐exposed and unexposed crowd‐reared hoppers in semi‐field enclosures. The pheromone on its own displayed a high level of cumulative mortality of the nymphs (89%). Although combinations with fractional pesticide doses gave control efficiencies that were, in most cases, higher than with individual pesticides, pheromonal and pesticidal effects were only partially complementary, probably because of the feeding‐deterrent effects of the pesticides and the resulting reduction in cannibalism. However, our results demonstrate the possibility of significantly reducing the levels of pesticides used in hopper control and, thus, their negative environmental effects.
Does Nilaparvata lugens gain tolerance to rice resistance genes through conspecifics at shared feeding sites?
Authors: Ferrater Jedeliza B. , Horgan Finbarr G.
Published: June 2016

This study examines the possibility of horizontal and vertical transmission of virulence (the ability to tolerate a given resistant plant or resistance gene) between individuals from brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), populations with distinct feeding abilities when their populations share the same feeding sites (virulence acquisition hypothesis). We created optimal conditions for intraspecific interactions on the same rice, Oryza sativa L. (Poaceae), plants between planthoppers from populations with different feeding histories: an ‘avirulent’ population that was continually reared on a susceptible variety, and a ‘virulent’ population that had been selected over several generations on the resistant variety IR62, that possesses the Bph3 gene. We noted that planthoppers attained highest weights on rice plants that had previously been attacked by conspecifics from the IR62‐selected population. We also tested the ability of planthoppers to feed on IR62 and the susceptible cv. Taichung Native 1 (TN1) after interacting with individuals from the IR62‐selected population on a tolerant rice cultivar (Triveni). Feeding by avirulent planthoppers on both IR62 and TN1 improved after feeding on the same rice plants with virulent planthoppers. Furthermore, the effects were carried over to planthopper progenies. Our preliminary results indicate that feeding by mixed populations that include individuals adapted to feed on resistant varieties potentially accelerates adaptation by N. lugens to rice resistance.
Psychomotor developmental effects of prenatal exposure to psychotropic drugs: a study in EFEMERIS database
Authors: Hurault‐Delarue Caroline , Damase‐Michel Christine , Finotto Laurent , Guitard Claudine , Vayssière Christophe , Montastruc Jean‐Louis , Montastruc François , Lacroix Isabelle
Published: June 2016

Little is known about neurodevelopment of children exposed to psychotropic drugs during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of prenatal exposure to psychotropic drugs on psychomotor development in children. This observational study used the EFEMERIS database. The database records the drugs prescribed and delivered during pregnancy and the resulting outcomes. Neurodevelopment at nine and 24 months of children born to women exposed to psychotropic drugs (anxiolytics, antidepressants, neuroleptics and anti‐epileptics) during the second and/or third trimesters of pregnancy was compared to children who were not exposed to these drugs. Psychomotor development of 493 children (1.5%) exposed to psychotropic drugs during pregnancy was compared to 32 303 unexposed children. Exposure to psychotropic drugs during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of abnormal motor development at 9 months (OR = 1.3 [1.1–2.2]) and abnormal motor and mental development at 24 months (OR = 4.8 [2.1–11.0] and OR = 2.3 [1.05–4.9]). Increased risk was observed in children born to women exposed to anti‐epileptic drugs, neuroleptics or antidepressants during pregnancy. This study found a higher rate of deviation from the normal developmental milestones in children born to women exposed to psychotropic drugs during pregnancy and more particularly antidepressants, neuroleptics and anti‐epileptics.
Integrated multidisciplinary care for the management of chronic conditions in adults: an overview of reviews and an example of using indirect evidence to inform clinical practice recommendations in the field of rare diseases
Authors: Yeung C. H. T. , Santesso N. , Zeraatkar D. , Wang A. , Pai M. , Sholzberg M. , Schünemann H. J. , Iorio A.
Published: June 2016

Background

Integrated care models have been adopted for individuals with chronic conditions and for persons with rare diseases, such as haemophilia.

Objective

To summarize the evidence from reviews for the effects of integrated multidisciplinary care for chronic conditions in adults and to provide an example of using this evidence to make recommendations for haemophilia care.

Search methods

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews up to January 2016, and reviewed reference lists of retrieved papers.

Selection criteria

Systematic reviews of at least one randomized study, on adults with non‐communicable chronic conditions.

Data collection and analysis

Two investigators independently assessed eligibility and extracted data. Quality of reviews was assessed using ROBIS, and the evidence assessed using GRADE.

Results

We included seven reviews reporting on three chronic conditions. We found low to high quality evidence. Integrated care results in a reduction in mortality; likely a reduction in emergency visits and an improvement in function; little to no difference in quality of life, but shorter hospital stays; and may result in little to no difference in missed days of school or work. No studies reported educational attainment, or patient adherence and knowledge. When used for haemophilia, judgment about the indirectness of the evidence was driven by disease, intervention or outcome characteristics.

Conclusion

This overview provides the most up to date evidence on integrated multidisciplinary care for chronic conditions in adults, and an example of how it can be used for guidelines in rare diseases.
Long‐term effects of angiotensin II blockade with irbesartan on inflammatory markers in hemodialysis patients: A randomized double blind placebo controlled trial (SAFIR study)
Authors: Peters Christian D. , Kjaergaard Krista D. , Nielsen Claus H. , Christensen Kent L. , Bibby Bo M. , Jensen Jens D. , Jespersen Bente
Published: June 2016

Introduction: Low‐grade chronic inflammation is common in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Previous studies suggest an anti‐inflammatory effect of angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of ARB vs. placebo on plasma concentrations of inflammatory markers in HD patients. Methods: Adult HD patients were randomized for double‐blind treatment with the ARB irbesartan 150–300 mg/day or placebo. At baseline, 1 week, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months plasma high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin (IL)−1β, IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐18, and transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) were measured using Luminex and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technology. Findings: Eighty‐two patients were randomized (placebo/ARB: 41/41). The groups did not differ in initial levels of any of the inflammatory markers (placebo/ARB median(range)): hsCRP 3.3(0.2–23.4)/2.7(0.2–29.6) μg/mL; IL‐1β 1.1(0.0–45.9)/1.1(0.0‐7.2) pg/mL; IL‐6 10(1–90)/12(1–84) pg/mL; IL‐8 31(9–134)/34(5–192) pg/mL; IL‐18 364(188–1343)/377(213–832) pg/mL; TGF‐β 3.2(0.8–13.9)/3.6(1.3–3.8) ng/mL. Overall, there was no significant difference in hsCRP, IL‐6, IL‐8, and TGF‐β between placebo and ARB‐treated patients during the study period, and hsCRP, IL‐6, IL‐8, and TGF‐β were relatively stable during the study period (P ≥ 0.18 in all tests for parallel curves, equal levels, and constant levels). The IL‐1β level was slightly different in the two groups over time, but not significantly (P = 0.09 in test for parallel curves) and it was also relatively stable during the study period (P ≥ 0.49 in tests for equal levels and constant level). IL‐18 was the only inflammatory marker which was not constant during the study period (P = 0.001 in test for constant level), but there was no significant difference between placebo and ARB‐treated (P ≥ 0.51 in tests for parallel curves and equal levels). Discussion: Inflammatory biomarkers were neither acutely, nor in the long‐term significantly affected by the ARB irbesartan. Our findings suggest that ARB treatment in HD patients does not offer protective anti‐inflammatory effects.
Advertising's impact on pre‐schoolers’ brand knowledge and materialism
Authors: Watkins Leah , Aitken Robert , Robertson Kirsten , Thyne Maree , Williams John
Published: June 2016

This article addresses the question of whether brand knowledge gained from exposure to television advertising leads to the early development of materialistic values in pre‐school children. Understanding how children develop symbolic meanings associated with brands is an important step in explaining how they come to value material possessions, a relationship that has long term impacts on their well‐being. To understand this process, this study focused on the relationship between pre‐schoolers’ television advertising exposure, the mediating variable of brand knowledge (measured as brand recognition and brand symbolism), and the development of a materialistic orientation. A sample of 73 parent/child (aged 2–5 years) dyads were interviewed. Partial least squares regression analysis shows that increased exposure to advertising is linked to the development of brand recognition and brand symbolism in pre‐school children. Brand knowledge, in turn, shows a positive but not significant relationship with a materialistic value orientation. The study demonstrates the important mediating role that brand knowledge plays in the relationship between advertising and the development of materialistic tendencies in pre‐school children. Results suggest that brand recognition and symbolism starts in early childhood and that this brand knowledge may play a role in the development of materialistic tendencies. Given recent concerns over increased targeting of marketing messages to children in multiple new media forms, understanding more about the relationship between advertising exposure, brand knowledge and materialism is important in informing the discussion about the impact of marketing on children's well‐being.
Strategic Flexibility: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Brozovic Danilo
Published: June 2016

Previous literature reviews of strategic flexibility have a number of shortcomings: they lack a specific focus in the field, provide an excessive definitional focus or lack a clear empirical overview of research in the field. To overcome these shortcomings, this paper aims to systematically analyse the literature on strategic flexibility by identifying its main characteristics, linking the different aspects together in a new conceptual framework, and considering the means to measure it. This comprehensive analytical model analyses various aspects of strategic flexibility in the relevant literature (156 contributions). Thus, the systematic and critical approach of this paper offers a novel perspective in understanding strategic flexibility, and contributes to the field by providing a consolidation of the literature and indicating future research avenues.
Spinning: an arising cause of rhabdomyolysis in young females
Authors: Kim Y. H. , Ham Y. R. , Na K. R. , Lee K. W. , Choi D. E.
Published: June 2016

Background

‘Spinning’ is an indoor cycling regimen. The number of case reports of spinning‐induced rhabdomyolysis (SIR) has increased since 2004 in South Korea.

Aim

The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics of SIR and compare it with other causes of rhabdomyolysis.

Methods

Patients who were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis from 1 September 2011 to 30 April 2015 were included. We analysed the incidence of rhabdomyolysis, biochemical parameters and forced hospitalisation, which was defined as the days from admission to creatinine phosphokinase < 2000 IU/L.

Results

Among 70 included patients, 13 (18.6%) patients were diagnosed with SIR. The mean age of the patients with SIR was 25.69 ± 5.0 years, and most were females under 35 years old (12, 92.3%). Interestingly, the mean duration of spinning exercise before admission was only 59.23 min. Moreover, the patients with SIR showed more severe progress than the all‐patients‐except‐SIR (AESIR) group. The serum creatinine phosphokinase, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase levels of the patients with SIR were statistically significantly higher than the patients with AESIR. Additionally, the duration of forced hospitalisation was longer than that of the AESIR (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Spinning could be an important cause of rhabdomyolysis in young, unfit females, which is typically severe. A graded exercise programme is advised at the first session.
Without Criteria: Art and Learning and the Adventure of Pedagogy
Authors: Atkinson Dennis
Published: June 2016

A key aim of this article is to present a discursus on learning and teaching in the context of art education that softens transcendent historical and ideological framings of art education and its purpose. In contrast it places emphasis upon the immanence and necessary transcendence of local events of learning that occur in whatever framing and which have the potential to extend our comprehension of what art and learning can become. It recommends a ‘pedagogical reversal’ whereby external transcendent lenses and their respective knowledge and criteria for practice are relaxed and proposes a pedagogy ‘without criteria’. A key pedagogical issue revolves around ‘how something matters’ for a learner in his or her experience of a learning encounter and trying to comprehend this ‘mattering’ constitutes a pedagogical adventure for a teacher. The notion of mattering in the context of art practice and learning cannot be divorced from the force of art which is the motive force that precipitates a potential for learning and can expand our understanding of what art and learning can become. The article is therefore premised on the idea that it is not a case of coming to understand art through established knowledge and practice but the force of art challenging us to think. The force of art, or art's event, can be conceived therefore as a process with a potential for the individuation of new worlds or to see that other worlds might be possible.