bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Alienation at Work to Explain Why Managers' Dishonesty Does Not Lead to Firm Performance
Authors: Zoghbi‐Manrique‐de‐Lara Pablo , Viera‐Armas Mercedes
Published: April 2018

Although prior studies provide growing evidence that managers' dishonesty is negatively related to firm performance, the reasons for this relationship remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to model the steps in the effect of the manager dishonesty on firm performance. Our model hypothesizes that followers' feelings of work alienation are mediators that explain why managers' dishonesty is negatively related to aspects of a company's financial performance (i.e., profit and growth). We used multi‐source survey data collected from 100 banks in London and analyzed 100 team leaders and 100 triads of followers (n = 300). Results confirmed that managers' dishonesty is related to financial performance, and they supported powerlessness (i.e., employee lack of control over their work) as the only studied element of work alienation that mediated in this link. Findings suggest that, when faced with managers' dishonesty, employees lose control over the product of their labor or the work process, which causes firm failure.
Longitudinal positron emission tomography imaging of glial cell activation in a mouse model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: Toward identification of optimal treatment windows
Authors: Nguyen Duc‐Loc , Wimberley Catriona , Truillet Charles , Jego Benoit , Caillé Fabien , Pottier Géraldine , Boisgard Raphaël , Buvat Irène , Bouilleret Viviane
Published: April 2018

Objective

Mesiotemporal lobe epilepsy is the most common type of drug‐resistant partial epilepsy, with a specific history that often begins with status epilepticus due to various neurological insults followed by a silent period. During this period, before the first seizure occurs, a specific lesion develops, described as unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS). It is still challenging to determine which drugs, administered at which time point, will be most effective during the formation of this epileptic process. Neuroinflammation plays an important role in pathophysiological mechanisms in epilepsy, and therefore brain inflammation biomarkers such as translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) can be potent epilepsy biomarkers. TSPO is associated with reactive astrocytes and microglia. A unilateral intrahippocampal kainate injection mouse model can reproduce the defining features of human temporal lobe epilepsy with unilateral HS and the pattern of chronic pharmacoresistant temporal seizures. We hypothesized that longitudinal imaging using TSPO positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F‐DPA‐714 could identify optimal treatment windows in a mouse model during the formation of HS.

Methods

The model was induced into the right dorsal hippocampus of male C57/Bl6 mice. Micro‐PET/computed tomographic scanning was performed before model induction and along the development of the HS at 7 days, 14 days, 1 month, and 6 months. In vitro autoradiography and immunohistofluorescence were performed on additional mice at each time point.

Results

TSPO PET uptake reached peak at 7 days and mostly related to microglial activation, whereas after 14 days, reactive astrocytes were shown to be the main cells expressing TSPO, reflected by a continuing increased PET uptake.

Significance

TSPO‐targeted PET is a highly potent longitudinal biomarker of epilepsy and could be of interest to determine the therapeutic windows in epilepsy and to monitor response to treatment.
Experimentally altering pre‐breeding sex steroids reduces extra‐pair paternity in female tree swallows
Authors: Berzins Lisha L. , Shrimpton J. Mark , Dawson Russell D.
Published: April 2018

Extra‐pair paternity commonly occurs in many socially monogamous animal species, yet the reasons why females mate with males outside the social pair bond remain poorly understood. Because sex steroids mediate aggressive and sexual behaviors that peak prior to egg laying in female birds, we tested whether they also influence the rate of extra‐pair paternity in nests of female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). In one treatment, we experimentally elevated testosterone (T) using implants containing exogenous T, and in another treatment, we blocked the estrogenic and androgenic actions of T using implants containing 1,4,6‐androstatrien‐3,17‐dione in combination with flutamide (ATD+F). Females with empty implants served as controls. Nests of females treated with T and those with ATD+F were less likely to contain extra‐pair offspring and had a lower proportion of extra‐pair offspring, compared to control females. Treating females with T also delayed clutch initiation dates and disrupted incubation behavior, as found in previous studies, but clutch sizes of T females did not differ from controls. Females treated with ATD+F tended to lay larger clutches than control and T‐treated females, which may be due to their clutch sizes not declining with later initiation dates as found in the T and control treatments; however, after controlling for brood size, ATD+F females produced nestlings that were lighter at day 16 than control females. Although the effect of T on extra‐pair paternity that we observed in tree swallows is consistent with previous studies in female birds, our results demonstrate that blocking the estrogenic and/or androgenic actions of T during pre‐breeding also lowers extra‐pair paternity. Overall, our study suggests that extra‐pair paternity in tree swallows is mediated by sex steroids of females.
Patterns of extra‐pair paternity in mountain chickadees
Authors: Bonderud Erica S. , Otter Ken A. , Burg Theresa M. , Marini Kristen L. D. , Reudink Matthew W.
Published: April 2018

Extra‐pair paternity (EPP) is common in chickadees and often attributed to the good genes hypothesis. Females generally seek dominant males, who are typically larger, older and sing at higher rates than subordinate males, as extra‐pair sires. In other songbird species, habitat quality and urbanization have been found to influence EPP. Mountain chickadees commonly inhabit suburban habitat, and previous research on our population has shown urbanization may provide benefits to these adaptable songbirds. Here, we ask how individual condition and urbanization influence rates of EPP in mountain chickadees. Over three breeding seasons, we monitored mountain chickadee nests in urban and rural habitat, and determined parentage by genotyping adults and nestlings at six microsatellite loci. Extra‐pair paternity is common in mountain chickadees, with extra‐pair offspring (EPO) in 43.2% of nests and accounting for 17.9% of offspring. We found tenuous support for the good genes hypothesis with females tending to engage in EPCs with older males. However, we did not find an influence of male or female condition on the proportion of EPO in a nest. In addition, we did not find a significant effect of habitat on EPP rates, suggesting the impacts of urbanization on mountain chickadee reproduction may not extend to altering extra‐pair behaviour.
Noncatastrophic and catastrophic fractures in racing Thoroughbreds at the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Authors: Sun T. C. , Riggs C. M. , Cogger N. , Wright J. , Al‐Alawneh J. I.
Published: April 2018

Background

Reports of fractures in racehorses have predominantly focused on catastrophic injuries, and there are limited data identifying the location and incidence of fractures that did not result in a fatal outcome.

Objective

To describe the nature and the incidence of noncatastrophic and catastrophic fractures in Thoroughbreds racing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) over seven racing seasons.

Study design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Data of fractures sustained in horses while racing and of race characteristics were extracted from theHKJCVeterinary Management Information System (VMIS) and Racing Information System (RIS), respectively. The fracture event was determined from the first clinical entry for each specific injury. The incidence rates of noncatastrophic and catastrophic fractures were calculated per 1000 racing starts for racetrack, age, racing season, sex and trainer.

Results

One hundred and seventy‐nine first fracture events occurred in 64,807 racing starts. The incidence rate of noncatastrophic fractures was 2.2 per 1000 racing starts and of catastrophic fractures was 0.6 per 1000 racing starts. Fractures of the proximal sesamoid bones represented 55% of all catastrophic fractures, while the most common noncatastrophic fractures involved the carpus and the first phalanx. Significant associations were detected between the incidence of noncatastrophic fractures and sex, trainer and racing season.

Main limitations

The first fracture event was used to calculate the incidence rate in this study and may have resulted in underestimation of the true incidence rate of fractures in this population. However, given the low number of recorded fracture events compared with the size of the study population, this underestimation is likely to be small.

Conclusions

There were 3.6 times as many noncatastrophic fractures as catastrophic fractures in Thoroughbreds racing in Hong Kong between 2004 and 2011. Noncatastrophic fractures interfere with race training schedules and may predispose to catastrophic fracture. Future analytical studies on noncatastrophic racing fractures should be a priority for the racing industry.
MicroRNAs in equine veterinary science
Authors: Hollis A. R. , Starkey M. P.
Published: April 2018

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that play a pivotal role in diverse cellular processes through post‐transcriptional regulation of gene expression. The dysregulation of specific microRNAs is associated with disease development and progression. In this review, we summarise how microRNAs modulate gene expression, and explain microRNA nomenclature. We discuss the potential applications of microRNAs in equine disease diagnosis and treatment, in the context of the sum of current knowledge about microRNA expression in normal and diseased equine tissues.
X‐linked ichthyosis: Clinical and molecular findings in 35 Italian patients
Authors: Diociaiuti Andrea , Angioni Adriano , Pisaneschi Elisa , Alesi Viola , Zambruno Giovanna , Novelli Antonio , El Hachem May
Published: April 2018

Recessive X‐linked ichthyosis (XLI), the second most common ichthyosis, is caused by mutations in the STS gene encoding the steroid sulfatase enzyme. A complete deletion of the STS gene is found in 85%‐90% of cases. Rarely, larger deletions involving contiguous genes are detected in syndromic patients. We report the clinical and molecular genetic findings in a series of 35 consecutive Italian male patients. All patients underwent molecular testing by MLPA or aCGH, followed, in case of negative results, by next‐generation sequencing analysis. Neuropsychiatric, ophthalmological and paediatric evaluations were also performed. Our survey showed a frequent presence of disease manifestations at birth (42.8%). Fold and palmoplantar surfaces were involved in 18 (51%) and 7 (20%) patients, respectively. Fourteen patients (42%) presented neuropsychiatric symptoms, including attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder and motor disabilities. In addition, two patients with mental retardation were shown to be affected by a contiguous gene syndrome. Twenty‐seven patients had a complete STS deletion, one a partial deletion and 7 carried missense mutations, two of which previously unreported. In addition, a de novo STS deletion was identified in a sporadic case. The frequent presence of palmoplantar and fold involvement in XLI should be taken into account when considering the differential diagnosis with ichthyosis vulgaris. Our findings also underline the relevance of involving the neuropsychiatrist in the multidisciplinary management of XLI. Finally, we report for the first time a de novo mutation which shows that STS deletion can also occur in oogenesis.
Empowering high seas governance with satellite vessel tracking data
Authors: Dunn Daniel C , Jablonicky Caroline , Crespo Guillermo O , McCauley Douglas J , Kroodsma David A , Boerder Kristina , Gjerde Kristina M , Halpin Patrick N
Published: April 2018

Between 1950 and 1989, marine fisheries catch in the open‐ocean and deep‐sea beyond 200 nautical miles from shore increased by a factor of more than 10. While high seas catches have since plateaued, fishing effort continues to increase linearly. The combination of increasing effort and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing has led to overfishing of target stocks and declines in biodiversity. To improve management, there have been numerous calls to increase monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS). However, MCS has been unevenly implemented, undermining efforts to sustainably use high seas and straddling stocks and protect associated species and ecosystems. The United Nations General Assembly is currently negotiating a new international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). The new treaty offers an excellent opportunity to address discrepancies in how MCS is applied across regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs). This paper identifies ways that automatic identification system (AIS) data can inform MCS on the high seas and thereby enhance conservation and management of biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions. AIS data can be used to (i) identify gaps in governance to underpin the importance of a holistic scope for the new agreement; (ii) monitor area‐based management tools; and (iii) increase the capacity of countries and RFMOs to manage via the technology transfer. Any new BBNJ treaty should emphasize MCS and the role of electronic monitoring including the use of AIS data, as well as government–industry–civil society partnerships to ensure critically important technology transfer and capacity building.
The role of corporate social responsibility in creating a Seussian world of seafood sustainability
Authors: Bailey Megan , Packer Helen , Schiller Laurenne , Tlusty Michael , Swartz Wilf
Published: April 2018

Approaches to counter the overfishing and aquaculture production crisis include those imposed by public governing bodies, as well as those implemented by businesses and non‐governmental organizations (NGOs). In the case of the latter, private actors govern fisheries consumption and production through corporate social responsibility (CSR). In this contribution, we focus on three key tools that businesses are increasingly turning towards in an effort to meet the one particular CSR goal of sustainable seafood sourcing. In this context, the key tools of certifications, fisheries improvement projects (FIPs) and traceability are reviewed, and their potential as well as limits in contributing to continual improvement in pursuit of global seafood sustainability are analyzed. We argue that seafood CSR has created its own whimsical and fantastical world, a Seussian world, in which company image has become more important than sustainability performance. We posit four important barriers that must be overcome to bring seafood CSR back to reality. Specifically, we suggest moving away from the business case for CSR, reducing accessibility barriers for small‐scale and developing world fisheries, reconciling different labels and sustainability concepts, and better recognizing the imperative role of the state in governing fisheries and seafood.
Evaluating and managing environmental water regimes in a water‐scarce and uncertain future
Authors: Kennen Jonathan G. , Stein Eric D. , Webb J. Angus
Published: April 2018

While the number of environmental flows and water science programmes continues to grow across the globe, there remains a critical need to better balance water availability in support of human and ecological needs and to recognise the environment as a legitimate user of water. In water‐stressed areas, this recognition has resulted in friction between water users in the public and private sectors. An opportunity exists for practitioners to be on the forefront of the science determining best practices for supporting environmental water regimes.

This Special Issue brings together a collection of environmental flows science and water management papers organised around three major themes: (1) method development and testing; (2) application case studies; and (3) efficacy evaluation. Contents of this Special Issue are intended to foster collaboration and broaden transferability of the information, technical tools, models and methods needed to support environmental water management programmes.

The technical sophistication of methods and modelling tools, while important to the advancement of environmental water science, may come at the expense of easily interpretable outcomes that positively influence management decisions. Researchers need to be more proactive in translating the results of advanced modelling methodologies into user‐friendly tools and methods. This will allow stakeholders and water managers to proactively test alternative water allocation scenarios to help address growing human water demands in the face of droughts and changes in climatic patterns.

The application of environmental flows science and water management strategies cannot be done in isolation. Implementation involves a complex decision‐making process that integrates ecological, hydrologic and social science across diverse multifaceted governance systems and requires active stakeholder involvement. Scientists and managers must strengthen partnerships at multiple scales to develop sensible science investment strategies so that collective knowledge can be translated into wise environmental water management decisions.
Warming intensify CO2 flux and nutrient release from algal wrack subsidies on sandy beaches
Authors: Lastra Mariano , López Jesús , Rodil Iván F.
Published: April 2018

Algal wrack subsidies underpin most of the food web structure of exposed sandy beaches and are responsible of important biogeochemical processes that link marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The response in decomposition of algal wrack deposits to global warming has not been studied in ocean‐exposed sandy beaches to date. With this aim, passive open top chambers (OTCs) were used to increase soil temperature within the range predicted by the IPCC for western Europe (between 0.5 and 1.5°C), following the hypothesis that the biogeochemical processing of macroalgal wrack subsidies would accelerate in response to temperature increase. The effect of temperature manipulation on three target substrates: fresh and aged macroalgae, and bare sand, was tested. Results indicated that a small warming (<0.5°C) affected the wrack decomposition process through traceable increases in soil respiration through CO2 flux, inorganic nutrients within the interstitial environment (N and P), sediment organic contents measured through the amount of proteins and microbial pool through the total soil DNA. The different responses of soil variables in the studied substrates indicated that the decomposition stage of stranded macroalgae influences the biogeochemical processing of organic matter in sandy beaches. Thus, CO2 fluxes, releases of organic and inorganic nutrients and microbial activity intensify in aged wrack deposits. Our results predict that expected global warming will increase the release of inorganic nutrients to the coastal ocean by 30% for the N (21 Gg/year) and 5.9% for P (14 Gg/year); that increase for the flow of C to the atmosphere as CO2 was estimated in 8.2% (523 Gg/year). This study confirms the key role of sandy beaches in recycling ocean‐derived organic matter, highlighting their sensitivity to a changing scenario of global warming that predicts significant increases in temperature over the next few decades.
Who said dialogue conversations are easy? The communication between communication vulnerable people and health‐care professionals: A qualitative study
Authors: Stans Steffy E. A. , Dalemans Ruth J. P. , Roentgen Uta R. , Smeets Hester W. H. , Beurskens Anna J. H. M.
Published: April 2018

Objective

To gain insight into how communication vulnerable people and health‐care professionals experience the communication in dialogue conversations, and how they adjust their conversation using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) or other communication strategies.

Methods

Communication vulnerable clients and health‐care professionals in a long‐term care institution were observed during a dialogue conversation (n = 11) and subsequently interviewed (n = 22) about their experiences with the conversation. The clients had various communication difficulties due to different underlying aetiologies, such as acquired brain injury or learning disorder. Results from the observations and interviews were analysed using conventional content analysis.

Results

Seven key themes emerged regarding the experiences of clients and professionals: clients blame themselves for miscommunications; the relevance of both parties preparing the conversation; a quiet and familiar environment benefitting communication; giving clients enough time; the importance and complexity of nonverbal communication; the need to tailor communication to the client; prejudices and inexperience regarding AAC. The observations showed that some professionals had difficulties using appropriate communication strategies and all professionals relied mostly on verbal or nonverbal communication strategies.

Conclusion

Professionals were aware of the importance of preparation, sufficient time, a suitable environment and considering nonverbal communication in dialogue conversations. However, they struggled with adequate use of communication strategies, such as verbal communication and AAC. There is a lack of knowledge about AAC, and professionals and clients need to be informed about the potential of AAC and how this can help them achieve equal participation in dialogue conversations in addition to other communication strategies.
Interlaboratory round robin study on axial tensile properties of SiC‐SiC CMC tubular test specimens
Authors: Singh Gyanender , Gonczy Steve , Deck Christian , Lara‐Curzio Edgar , Katoh Yutai
Published: April 2018

An interlaboratory round robin study was conducted on the tensile strength of SiC‐SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) tubular test specimens at room temperature with the objective of expanding the database of mechanical properties of nuclear grade SiC‐SiC and establishing the precision and bias statement for standard test method ASTM C1773. The mechanical properties statistics from the round robin study and the precision statistics and precision statement are presented herein. The data show reasonable consistency across the laboratories, indicating that the current C1773‐13 ASTM standard is adequate for testing ceramic fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite tubular test specimen. It was found that the distribution of ultimate tensile strength data was best described with a two‐parameter Weibull distribution, while a lognormal distribution provided a good description of the distribution of proportional limit stress data.
Evaluating heat tolerance of a complete set of wheat‐Aegilops geniculata chromosome addition lines
Authors: Green A. , Friebe B. , Prasad P. V. V. , Fritz A.
Published: April 2018

Heat stress limits wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield potential in many areas of the world, and wild relatives represent an important novel source of genetic tolerance. In a previous study of various Aegilops species, an accession of Aegilops geniculata, TA2899, was reported to be heat tolerant. Prior to that, a complete set of wheat‐Ae. geniculata chromosome addition lines were developed using the same accession. The objective of this study was to screen the full set of addition lines to identify the chromosome(s) which carried the heat tolerance. The addition lines, Chinese Spring, as well as heat tolerant, and susceptible controls were screened twice for post‐anthesis heat tolerance in growth chambers. Genotypes varied for temperature treatment (p < .05), but no differences were found between Chinese Spring and the addition lines. Additionally, no genotypes were superior to positive controls for grain fill duration. The proposed reason is that the TA2899 which was previously identified as heat tolerant should be reclassified as Aegilops peregrina. This is supported by spike morphology and marker correlations using genotyping‐by‐sequencing. Despite negative results, the methodology is valid and the results remain important to report, if for no other reason than to prevent another researcher from investigating this question.
Learning and engagement in a gamified course: Investigating the effects of student characteristics
Authors: Davis K. , Sridharan H. , Koepke L. , Singh S. , Boiko R.
Published: April 2018

The current study investigated college students' experiences of a gamified informatics course. We surveyed 139 students aged 18–31 years (M = 20 years, SD = 1.5) enrolled in an undergraduate informatics course focused on social networking technologies. Surveys were conducted at 3 time points during the course (beginning, middle, and end). Overall, we found positive trends with respect to students' perceptions of gamification's impact on their learning, achievement, and engagement in the course material. Although students who played and identified variously with recreational games were more alike than not, we did uncover one notable difference with respect to how students' gaming frequency impacted their engagement in the course. Nongamers expressed somewhat less motivation to do well in the course than frequent gamers. For all other measures of engagement, however, nongamers appeared to be equally engaged by the gamified format of the course as gamers. There were virtually no differences between male and female students' perceptions of gamification. This study contributes new insight into the conditions under which gamification succeeds or fails in educational settings. These insights will be useful to designers and instructors of gamified learning environments as they seek to engage and support a variety of learners.
Mutation accumulation in populations of varying size: large effect mutations cause most mutational decline in the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus under UV‐C radiation
Authors: Luijckx Pepijn , Ho Eddie K. H. , Stanić Andrijana , Agrawal Aneil F.
Published: April 2018

Theory predicts that fitness decline via mutation accumulation will depend on population size, but there are only a few direct tests of this key idea. To gain a qualitative understanding of the fitness effect of new mutations, we performed a mutation accumulation experiment with the facultative sexual rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus at six different population sizes under UV‐C radiation. Lifetime reproduction assays conducted after ten and sixteen UV‐C radiations showed that while small populations lost fitness, fitness losses diminished rapidly with increasing population size. Populations kept as low as 10 individuals were able to maintain fitness close to the nonmutagenized populations throughout the experiment indicating that selection was able to remove the majority of large effect mutations in small populations. Although our results also seem to imply that small populations are effectively immune to mutational decay, we caution against this interpretation. Given sufficient time, populations of moderate to large size can experience declines in fitness from accumulating weakly deleterious mutations as demonstrated by fitness estimates from simulations and, tentatively, from a long‐term experiment with populations of moderate size. There is mounting evidence to suggest that mutational distributions contain a heavier tail of large effects. Our results suggest that this is also true when the mutational spectrum is altered by UV radiation.
Morphological development in the first life phase of Adriatic sturgeon Acipenser naccarii under controlled conditions
Authors: Cabrera‐Castro R. , Zabala C. , Soriguer M. C. , Domezain A. , Hernando J. A.
Published: April 2018

Early development of the Adriatic sturgeon Acipenser naccarii from its free embryo after hatching (stage 36), until late embryo stage, when the transition to exogenous feeding starts (stage 45) is described. Special emphasis is given to morphological development and description of the different structures that are formed at each life stage. After hatching, free embryos still present embryonic characteristics, little pigmentation and an ovoid yolk sac. The mouth begins to open on the second day post hatch (dph) and is fully open at 3 dph. The head begins to separate from the body at 4 dph and straightens at 6 dph. The first fins to appear are the pectoral fins on the yolk sac and an embryological fin fold that extends from behind the head to the posterior part of the yolk sac. All other fins will develop from this fold. At 7 dph the caudal fin begins to take a heterocercal form and dorsal scutes are observed. This study provides information that will assist aquaculturists by establishing a reference for the normal development of A. naccarii, which may be useful for evaluating the suitability and quality of fish produced for restocking.
Reported analgesic and anaesthetic administration to non‐human primates undergoing experimental surgical procedure: 2010‐2015
Authors: Bertrand Henri Georges Michel Justin , Sandersen Charlotte , Flecknell Paul Andrew
Published: April 2018

Background

The use of non‐human primates (NHPs) in research remains a major societal concern with public expectations that appropriate anaesthetics and analgesics are used to minimize any pain or distress caused to animals undergoing invasive procedures. A literature review was conducted to examine the reporting of anaesthesia and analgesia methods used in non‐human primates undergoing surgical procedures, with recovery from anaesthesia.

Methods

A total of 397 papers from peer‐review journals published between 2010 and 2015 were examined.

Results

Only 25.9% of papers reported the analgesic regimen used, with carprofen and buprenorphine the 2 most widely used agents. Reporting of the anaesthetic regimens was included in 49.9% of papers. Ketamine and isoflurane were the most frequently used anaesthetic agents.

Conclusions

Anaesthetic and analgesic regimens administered to NHPs remain poorly reported. This lack of detailed descriptions of protocols does little to reassure the public or regulatory authorities that appropriate high standards of perioperative care are employed.
The food regime in late colonial Philippines: Pathways of appropriation and unpaid work
Authors: Camba Alvin A.
Published: April 2018

I argue that food regimes need to take into account the production relations of paid and unpaid work. As an angle of vision, I use the historical geography of late colonial Philippines (1901–1941) to show how paid and unpaid work in food production was not discrete and separated processes but rather conjoined moments of capital accumulation. The colonial regime—in this context, American colonial government, U.S. agribusinesses, and Filipino landed elites—utilized state power, customary land relations, and commodity‐specific characteristics to appropriate vast amounts of unpaid work from agrarian classes of Philippine labour and draft animals towards the exploitation of commodified labour power. These processes not only produced considerable quantities of coconut and sugar products that were exported to the American consumer market, sold at cheaper prices, and contributed to the profitability of U.S. agribusiness elites but also allowed the colonial regime to efficiently expand commodity production across the islands. The more the American capitalists and Philippine elites invested in Philippine agriculture, the more they appropriated unpaid work from the agrarian classes of labour.
Seroepidemiological map of Toxoplasma gondii infection and associated risk factors in preconception period in China: A nationwide cross‐sectional study
Authors: Zhou Qiongjie , Wang Qiaomei , Shen Haiping , Zhang Yiping , Zhang Shikun , Li Xiaotian , Acharya Ganesh
Published: April 2018

Aim

The aims of this study were to investigate the regional differences in seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis in preconception period among Chinese women of reproductive age and to evaluate associated risk factors.

Methods

This national, population‐based, cross‐sectional serosurvey covered all 31 provinces and province‐level municipalities in Mainland China. Married women intending to get pregnant within 6 months between 2010 and 2012 were recruited. Information on demographic characteristics (age, place of residence, occupation, dietary habits and exposure to cat) was obtained using interviews, and venous blood samples were collected to screen for Toxoplasma gondii infection.

Results

Of 2 008 561 women recruited to the study, 45 405 (2.3%) were Toxoplasma gondii IgG positive, and 6884 (0.3%) were IgM positive. Geographical variation for seropositivity ranged from 0.2% in Heilongjiang to 11.2% in Tianjing for IgG and from 0% in Tibet to 0.9% in Anhui for IgM. Advanced maternal age, occupation of a farmer, vegetarian diet and exposure to cat was significantly associated with Toxoplasma gondii IgM seropositivity, and its association with occupation of farmer and exposure to cat was significant after adjusting for province of residence (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

There were significant regional variations in Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and associated risk factors among Chinese women of reproductive age during preconception period. This calls for a targeted primary prevention strategy. Screening and treatment before conception and preconception health education may have potential for reducing congenital Toxoplasmosis in China.
Ankaferd blood stopper as a new strategy to avoid early complications after transradial procedures: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Gorgulu Sevket , Norgaz Tugrul , Sipahi Ilke
Published: April 2018

Background

We planned a three arm randomized study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new blood stopper, Ankaferd blood stopper (ABS) along with short‐time compression, compared to either short‐time compression with conventional sterile gauzes (CSG) or with a TR band after transradial (TRA) procedures.

Methods

The Ankaferd blood stopper as a new strategy to avoid early complications. After transradial procedures (ABS transradial) trial is designed in a prospective, randomized, placebo‐controlled fashion and registered with http://clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02982733). Six hundred and thirty patients were randomized into three arms in a 1:1:1 fashion corresponding to three different strategies of patent hemostasis techniques after diagnostic or interventional catheterization.

Results

One (0.49%) patient in the CSG group and one patient (0.48%) in the TR Band group developed RAO at the end of the hemostasis, compared with 0 (0%) in the ABS group. At 30 days follow‐up none of the groups had any patients with RAO. As a secondary end‐points the difference was not statistically significant regarding hematoma among the three groups (P = 0.70). Bleeding during deflation of the TR Band or removal of the elastic bandage occurred in 55 patients (26.96%) in the CSG group and in 56 (27.31%) patients in the TR Band group compared to 19 patients (9.40%) in the ABS group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Ankaferd blood stopper is a promising device for use in patent hemostasis, with no evidence on RAO at short‐term or long term and with reduced risk of re‐bleeding at the end of hemostasis.
Anti‐angiogenic efficacy of aflibercept and bevacizumab in primary oral squamous cell carcinoma cells
Authors: Ganjibakhsh Meysam , Monshizadeh Roshanak , Nasimian Ahmad , Aminishakib Pouyan , Farzaneh Parvaneh , Tavakoli Shiraji Sahar , Gharajei Ata , Rahrotaban Sedigheh , Baghaei Fereshteh , Gohari Neda Sadat
Published: April 2018

Background

In recent decades, anti‐angiogenic treatment strategy has been well described in cancer treatment. The anti‐angiogenic activity of both bevacizumab and aflibercept has been researched on 10 previously established primary oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells of an Iranian population with different levels of purity, in an attempt to find the most effective anti‐angiogenic‐targeted drug.

Methods

To investigate and compare the effect of bevacizumab and aflibercept on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion of 10 primary OSCC cells, cell proliferation and viability were assessed by ELISA and MTT assays. In addition, cell migration was studied using scratch assay.

Results

The results showed that VEGF impressively expressed in all primary cancer cells. Although both drugs significantly reduced the secretion of VEGF, the effect of aflibercept was more prominent. Also, bevacizumab‐treated cells migration was lower than the control group and the cells treated with aflibercept showed the lowest migration rate compared to bevacizumab and control groups.

Conclusion

The anti‐angiogenic‐targeted drugs, especially Af, might be effective in treatment of patients with OSCC in combination with conventional surgical treatments.
Oxygen uptake and net flux of metabolites by splanchnic tissues of sheep in response to short‐term mesenteric infusion of nitrogenous compounds
Authors: Stefanello S. , Mezzomo M. P. , Zeni D. , Ebling R. C. , Soares A. V. , Kozloski G. V.
Published: April 2018

This study was conducted in an attempt to quantify the impact of N load on splanchnic tissues metabolism of sheep. The trial was conducted with four male sheep (45 ± 2.5 kg body weight (BW)) surgically implanted with chronic indwelling catheters into the portal, hepatic and mesenteric veins. Blood flow and metabolic flux through portal‐drained viscera (PDV), liver and total splanchnic tissues (ST) were measured daily following a 4 × 4 Latin Square experimental design, where sheep were continually infused into the mesenteric vein with a physiological saline (0.15 m NaCl) solution during 90 min followed by the infusion, during more 120 min, of either solution: physiological saline (control), 0.250 mNH4HCO3, 0.250 m L‐alanine or 0.125 m L‐arginine, all of them infused at a rate of 1.5 ml/min to provide 375 μmol N/min. During the treatment infusion period, the net removal of ammonia N and the net production of urea N by liver were higher (p < .05) in NH4HCO3 infused sheep. Based on oxygen consumption, and on average of all treatments, the heat produced by liver and ST was on average 6 and 14 kcal/kg BW representing 16% and 38% of the metabolizable energy intake respectively. Linear relationships between variables indicated that gluconeogenesis and ureagenesis occurred concomitantly and both processes accounted for approximately 50% of total liver energy expenditure, two‐thirds of it associated with gluconeogenesis. The results of the current study did not present clear evidence of the expected energy costs associated with ammonia N, alanine or arginine metabolism by liver. However, they indicated that gluconeogenesis is on average a more energy expensive process than ureagenesis.
Pedagogy for reading for pleasure in low socio‐economic primary schools: beyond ‘pedagogy of poverty’?
Authors: Hempel‐Jorgensen Amelia , Cremin Teresa , Harris Diane , Chamberlain Liz
Published: April 2018

New research findings are presented in this paper, responding to a significant knowledge gap about the role of pedagogy in tackling persistent educational inequalities. The paper examines the potential of reading for pleasure (RfP) pedagogy to disrupt ‘pedagogy of poverty’ in low socio‐economic (SES) schools and to enable children to reap the cognitive, well‐being and social benefits of RfP. Children's volition and social interaction as readers are central to RfP and have been found to be particularly constrained by pedagogy common in low SES schools in the United States, Australia and England. The research examined how pedagogy for RfP was instantiated in four low SES English primary schools to understand how this potential might be realised and its effects on children's engagement with RfP. The schools were selected because they had invested in RfP, yet the study found their RfP pedagogies did not in practice support children's volition and engagement because teachers' understandings of reading focused upon proficiency. Such teachers need to reconceptualise reading as social and volitional to underpin RfP pedagogies. The paper provides new insight into the challenges of developing genuine RfP pedagogy and other pedagogies that profile volition and active engagement with learning in low SES schools.
Cancer as a tissue: The significance of cancer‐stromal interactions in the development, morphogenesis and progression of human upper digestive tract cancer
Authors: Yokozaki Hiroshi , Koma Yu‐ichiro , Shigeoka Manabu , Nishio Mari
Published: April 2018

We review the significance of cancer‐stromal interactions (CSIs) in the development, morphogenesis and progression of human gastric and esophageal cancer based on the data obtained from co‐culture experiments. Orthotopic fibroblasts in the gastric cancer stroma not only promoted their growth by cancer cells but were also responsible for the mobility, morphogenesis and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the cancer cells through CSI. Bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells could be part of the origin of cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) of the gastric cancer providing an advantageous microenvironment for the restoration of cancer stem cells with the induction of the EMT. Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) may differentiate from bone marrow‐derived monocytes/macrophages within the tumor microenvironment of esophageal cancer and participate in the growth and the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs). Macrophages infiltrated into the intraepithelial neoplastic lesions of the esophagus may function as a biological promoter by promoting the growth and motility of squamous epithelia. Tumor cells build up “cancer as a tissue” by taking advantage of the existing network of growth factors, cytokines and chemokines through the interactions of TAMs, CAFs and cancer cells themselves.
Impact of pre‐ and post‐pollination barriers on pollen transfer and reproductive isolation among three sympatricPedicularis(Orobanchaceae) species
Authors: Liang H. , Ren Z.‐X. , Tao Z.‐B. , Zhao Y.‐H. , Bernhardt P. , Li D.‐Z. , Wang H.
Published: April 2018

Pedicularisis the largest genus in the Orobanchaceae (>300) with many species co‐occurring and co‐blooming in subalpine to alpine meadows in the Himalayas. Although it is well known that differentPedicularisspecies place pollen on different parts of the same bumblebee's body, thus reducing interspecific pollen transfer, it is not known whether post‐pollination components also contribute to reproductive isolation (RI).

In this study, we quantified the individual strengths and absolute contributions of six pre‐ and post‐pollination components of RI between three sympatric species in two pairs;Pedicularis gruina × Pedicularis tenuisecta(gru × ten) andPedicularis comptoniifolia × Pedicularis tenuisecta(com × ten).

All threePedicularisspecies shared the sameBombusspecies. Individual foragers showed a high, but incomplete, floral constancy for each species. Therefore, pre‐pollination barriers were potentially ‘leaky’ asBombusspecies showed a low but consistent frequency of interspecific visitation. The RI strength of pre‐pollination was lower incom × tenthan ingru × ten. In contrast, post‐pollination barriers completely blocked gene flow between both sets of species pairs. Two post‐pollination recognition sites were identified. Late acting rejection of interspecific pollen tube growth occurred incom♀ × ten♂, while seeds produced in bi‐directional crosses ofgru × tenfailed to germinate.

We propose that, although floral isolation based on pollen placement on pollinators in the genusPedicularisis crucial to avoid interspecific pollen transfer, the importance of this mode of interspecific isolation may be exaggerated. Post‐pollination barriers may play even larger roles for currently established populations of co‐blooming and sympatric species in this huge genus in the Himalayas.
Pathogenic and molecular comparison of Puccinia kuehnii isolates and reactions of sugarcane varieties to orange rust
Authors: Moreira A. S. , Nogueira Junior A. F. , Gonçalves C. R. N. B. , Souza N. A. , Bergamin Filho A.
Published: April 2018

Sugarcane orange rust, a disease caused by Puccinia kuehnii, was first reported in Brazil in 2009. There are no studies comparing the Brazilian P. kuehnii collections and the reaction of important sugarcane varieties under controlled conditions. This work compared the reaction of seven sugarcane varieties inoculated with six different P. kuehnii isolates from Brazilian sugarcane areas and verified the pathogenic and genetic variability of these isolates. The incubation (I) and latency (L) disease periods, disease severity (SEV), total number of lesions (TNL), total number of sporulating lesions (TNSL), and percentage of sporulating lesions (%SL) were evaluated. Furthermore, ITS1 and IGS ribosomal sequences of all P. kuehnii isolates used in this study were compared with pathogen sequences from 13 different countries. The disease incubation ranged from 7 to 10 days and the latency ranged from 10 to 21 days. SEV and TNL showed large variations and few significant differences between the reaction of the varieties to P. kuehnii, in contrast with the variables TNSL and %SL. The P. kuehnii isolates did not compose different virulent races, but the isolate from one site (Araras) was a more aggressive race. The ITS1 and IGS ribosomal sequences of six P. kuehnii isolates were identical with each other and to most P. kuehnii American sequences deposited at GenBank. The studied sequences of P. kuehnii isolates differed from the sequences from Asia, Tahiti and Oceania.
Ask Your Doctor Whether This Product is Right for You: A Bayesian Joint Model for Patient Drug Requests and Physician Prescriptions
Authors: Pareek Bhuvanesh , Liu Qiang , Ghosh Pulak
Published: April 2018

The goal of this research is to study jointly physician prescription decisions and patient drug request behaviours. We have adopted a binary logit model and a multinomial logit model to study patient drug request data with excessive zero requests and a multinomial logit model to capture physician prescription decisions. These models are further joined by a flexible non-parametric multivariate distribution for their random effects. We also adopt an analytically consistent expression for interaction effects in our non-linear and joint modelling framework. We apply our model to a unique physician panel data set from the erectile dysfunction category. Our key empirical findings include that the triggering of drug requests by direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is complex with category level DTCA reducing patients’ probabilities of making drug requests and drug-specific DTCA driving drug requests for the drug advertised, patients’ characteristics may play a role in both the influence of DTCA on drug requests and the influence of patients’ requests on physicians’ prescription decisions, patients’ drug requests have a positive effect on physicians’ prescription decisions and patients can be consistent with physicians in choosing a drug based on their diagnosis levels and some unobserved factors, and there are significant correlations between physician level random effects that drive both patients’ drug requests and physicians’ prescription decisions, which validate the joint modelling approach.