bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A minimum‐impact, flexible tool to study vocal communication of small animals with precise individual‐level resolution
Authors: Gill Lisa F. , D'Amelio Pietro B. , Adreani Nicolas M. , Sagunsky Hannes , Gahr Manfred C. , ter Maat Andries
Published: June 2016

To understand both proximate and ultimate factors shaping vocal communication, it is fundamental to obtain reliable information of participating individuals on different levels: First, it is necessary to separate and assign the individuals' vocalisations. Secondly, the precise timing of vocal events needs to be retained. Thirdly, vocal behaviour should be recorded from undisturbed animals in meaningful settings. A growing number of studies used animal‐attached microphones to tackle these issues, but the implications for the study species and the research question often receded into the background. Here, we aim to initiate a discussion about the limitations, possible applications and the broader potential of such methods.

Using lightweight wireless microphone backpacks (0·75 g including customised leg‐loop harness) combined with multi‐channel recording equipment, we captured vocal behaviour of small songbirds. We evaluated the effect of the devices at various levels, including an assessment of how vocal and locomotor activities were affected by initial device attachment and battery exchange. We compared our approach to existing studies and identified suitable research examples.

We acquired continuous vocalisation recordings of zebra finches, and unequivocally assigned them to interacting individuals, with system‐based synchrony, irrespective of background noise. We found effects of initial backpack attachment and of battery replacement on vocal and locomotor activity, but they were minimised through the extended recording duration (ca. 16 days) that outlasted habituation effects (ca. 3 days).

This method provides the tools to integrate individual vocal communications into a group setting, while enabling animals to behave freely in undisturbed, structured and acoustically complex environments. By minimising the effects on the animals, the behaviour under study, and ultimately on the research question, this approach will revolutionise the ability to capture individual‐level vocalisations in a variety of communication contexts, opening up many new opportunities to address novel research questions.
Developmental course of non‐medical use of prescription drugs from adolescence to adulthood in the United States: national longitudinal data
Authors: McCabe Sean Esteban , Kloska Deborah D. , Veliz Philip , Jager Justin , Schulenberg John E.
Published: June 2016

Aims

To identify the developmental course of non‐medical use of four separate prescription drug classes (opioids, sedatives, stimulants and tranquilizers) by examining the general functional growth and related covariates during the transition from adolescence to adulthood in the United States.

Design

Nationally representative probability samples of high school seniors were followed longitudinally across five waves (waves 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5: modal ages 18, 19/20, 21/22, 23/24 and 25/26 years, respectively).

Setting

Data were collected via self‐administered questionnaires to high school seniors and young adults in the United States.

Participants

The sample consisted of nearly 72 000 individuals in 30 cohorts (high school senior years of 1977–2006) who participated in at least one wave.

Measurements

Self‐reports of annual non‐medical use of prescription opioids, sedatives, stimulants, and tranquilizers.

Findings

The annual non‐medical use of prescription opioids, sedatives, stimulants and tranquilizers was highest at wave 1 over the five waves. There was a consistent descending path (linear and quadratic slopes, P < 0.001) in annual non‐medical use from baseline across all four prescription drug classes (e.g. opioids linear slope = −0.043 and opioids quadratic slope = 0.034, P < 0.001). While the annual non‐medical use of stimulants declined over time (linear slope = 0.063, P < 0.01; quadratic slope = −0.133, P < 0.001), the same decrease was not observed for the annual non‐medical use of prescription opioids, sedatives or tranquilizers when controlling for socio‐demographic and substance use behaviors at baseline. The covariates associated with the general functional growth differed across the four prescription drug classes.

Conclusions

The non‐medical use of prescription opioids, sedatives, stimulants and tranquilizers appears to peak during late adolescence, suggesting preventive intervention efforts should be initiated in early adolescence. The developmental course of non‐medical use is not the same among all four classes of prescription drugs, suggesting that each drug class warrants individual research.
Behavioural tasks sensitive to acute abstinence and predictive of smoking cessation success: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Grabski Meryem , Curran H. Valerie , Nutt David J. , Husbands Stephen M. , Freeman Tom P. , Fluharty Meg , Munafò Marcus R.
Published: June 2016

Background and aims

Performance on cognitive tasks may be sensitive to acute smoking abstinence and may also predict whether quit attempts fail. Our aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta‐analysis to identify cognitive tasks sensitive to acute abstinence and predictive of smoking cessation success.

Methods

Embase, Medline, PsycInfo and Web of Science were searched up to March 2016. Studies were included if they enrolled adults and assessed smoking using a quantitative measure. Studies were combined in a random effects meta‐analysis.

Results

We included 42 acute abstinence studies and 13 cessation studies. There was evidence for an effect of abstinence on delay discounting [d = 0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.07–0.45,P = 0.005], response inhibition (d = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.26–0.70,P < 0.001), mental arithmetic (d = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.06–0.70,P = 0.018), and recognition memory (d = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.23–0.70,P < 0.001). In contrast, performance on the Stroop (d = 0 .17, 95% CI = −0.17–0.51,P = 0.333) and smoking Stroop (d = 0.03, 95% CI = −0.11–0.17,P = 0.675) task was not influenced by abstinence. We found only weak evidence for an effect of acute abstinence on dot probe task performance (d = 0.15, 95% CI = −0.01–0.32,P = 0.072). The design of the cessation studies was too heterogeneous to permit meta‐analysis.

Conclusions

Compared with satiated smokers, acutely abstinent smokers display higher delay discounting, lower response inhibition, impaired arithmetic and recognition memory performance. However, reaction‐time measures of cognitive bias appear to be unaffected by acute tobacco abstinence. Conclusions about cognitive tasks that predict smoking cessation success were limited by methodological inconsistencies.
Market Power and Misunderstandings: The Case of EU‐Australian Trade Diplomacy
Authors: McKenzie Lachlan
Published: June 2016

The article critically examines EU‐Australia relations through the negotiation of the 1994 and 2008 Agreements between Australia and the European Community on Trade in Wine. EU‐Australia relations are often characterised as defined by Australia's focus on the UK and the EU's agricultural policies. This article moves beyond these assumptions and analyses the negotiation of the wine trade agreements through three factors: the pattern of political institutions, power asymmetry and subjective utility of non‐agreement alternatives. It argues that perceptions, miscalculations, and misunderstanding have had an impact on how these factors shaped negotiation outcomes. These negotiations are an under‐studied case in the development of EU‐Australian relations, and are useful in understanding how the perceptions of negotiators shape outcomes in the EU's negotiations with Australia.
Mechanisms of Action and Toxicity of the Mycotoxin Alternariol: A Review
Authors: Solhaug Anita , Eriksen Gunnar S. , Holme Jørn A.
Published: June 2016

The mycotoxin alternariol (AOH) is produced by Alternaria fungi. It occurs naturally in foodstuffs and is frequently found as contaminant in fruit and grain products. Most information regarding AOH toxicity and the potential mechanisms involved comes from in vitro studies, as only very limited in vivo studies have been performed. AOH forms reactive oxygen species (ROS) and interacts with DNA topoisomerase, thereby generating both single (SSB)‐ and double‐strand DNA beaks (DSB). This triggers various DNA damage response pathways. AOH causes a marked reduction in proliferation in mammalian cells due to cell cycle arrest often in the G2/M‐phase. After an additional inhibition of cytokinesis, cells with abnormal nuclei as well as polyploidy are reported. In macrophages, AOH may increase autophagic activity and induce senescence. Furthermore, AOH is found to change the morphology and phenotype of various human macrophage cell models. Studies so far indicate that the AOH‐induced effects are primarily a result of DSB via its effects on topoisomerase activity. Thus, most probably there will be a threshold for the AOH‐induced effects, typically seen in the 5–10 μM range. These in vitro mechanistic studies further support the in vivo studies suggesting low acute toxicity. However, a decreased immune response to infections and/or a disturbed balance of the adaptive immune system when exposed together with other mycotoxins cannot be excluded. This hypothesis needs to be further explored with proper in vivo studies.
Riding the Stagecoach to Hell: A Qualitative Analysis of Racial Discrimination in Mortgage Lending
Authors: Massey Douglas S. , Rugh Jacob S. , Steil Justin P. , Albright Len
Published: June 2016

Recent studies have used statistical methods to show that minorities were more likely than equally qualified whites to receive high–cost, high–risk loans during the U.S. housing boom, evidence taken to suggest widespread discrimination in the mortgage lending industry. The evidence, however, was indirect, being inferred from racial differentials that persisted after controlling for other factors known to affect the terms of lending. Here we assemble a qualitative database to generate direct evidence of discrimination. Using a sample of 220 statements randomly selected from documents assembled in the course of recent fair lending lawsuits, we code texts for evidence of individual discrimination, structural discrimination, and potential discrimination in mortgage lending practices. We find that 76 percent of the texts indicated the existence of structural discrimination, with only 11 percent suggesting individual discrimination alone. We then present a sample of texts that were coded as discriminatory to reveal the way in which racial discrimination was embedded within the social structure of U.S. mortgage lending, and to reveal the specific microsocial mechanisms by which this discrimination was effected.
Are Landlords Overcharging Housing Voucher Holders?
Authors: Desmond Matthew , Perkins Kristin L.
Published: June 2016

The structure of rental markets coupled with the design of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), the largest federal housing subsidy for low–income families in the United States, provides the opportunity to overcharge voucher holders. Applying hedonic regression models to a unique data set of Milwaukee renters combined with administrative records, we find that vouchered households are charged between $51 and $68 more in monthly rent than unassisted renters in comparable units and neighborhoods. Overcharging voucher holders costs taxpayers an estimated $3.8 million each year in Milwaukee alone, the equivalent of supplying 620 additional families in that city with housing assistance. These findings suggest that the HCVP could be made more cost–effective—and therefore more expansive—if overcharging were prevented.
Experimental mucositis and experimental gingivitis in persons aged 70 or over. Clinical and biological responses
Authors: Meyer Simon , Giannopoulou Catherine , Courvoisier Delphine , Schimmel Martin , Müller Frauke , Mombelli Andrea
Published: June 2016

Objectives

To compare in persons aged 70 years or older the clinical and inflammatory changes occurring around implants and natural teeth during and after a phase of undisturbed plaque accumulation.

Material and methods

Twenty partially edentulous participants with titanium implants refrained from oral hygiene practices while being clinically monitored in weekly intervals for 21 days. Teeth and implants were then cleaned, oral hygiene resumed, and the participants were further monitored for 3 weeks. Twelve biomarkers were assessed in gingival and peri‐implant crevicular fluid (GCF, PCF).

Results

During 3 weeks of oral hygiene abstention, the gingival index (GI) continuously increased. On day 21, there were significantly more sites with GI >1 at implants than at teeth. After restarting oral hygiene, the GI decreased markedly in both groups. Throughout the experiment, the plaque index was significantly higher on teeth than on implants.

The different biomarkers reacted variably. IL‐1β increased significantly with plaque accumulation. IL‐1β, GM‐CSF, TNF‐α, and IFN‐γ were significantly higher in GCF compared to PCF at day 21. IL‐8 decreased significantly in GCF up to day 14. MIP‐1β decreased significantly in GCF, but not in PCF. At the 3‐week follow‐up, the levels of all biomarkers assessed in GCF and PCF had returned to baseline values.

Conclusions

In an elderly cohort, plaque accumulation induced an inflammatory reaction around both teeth and implants. Although there was less plaque accumulation on implants, the peri‐implant mucosa showed a stronger clinical response than gingiva.
Policy challenges and approaches for the conservation of mangrove forests in Southeast Asia
Authors: Friess Daniel A. , Thompson Benjamin S. , Brown Ben , Amir A. Aldrie , Cameron Clint , Koldewey Heather J. , Sasmito Sigit D. , Sidik Frida
Published: June 2016

Many drivers of mangrove forest loss operate over large scales and are most effectively addressed by policy interventions. However, conflicting or unclear policy objectives exist at multiple tiers of government, resulting in contradictory management decisions. To address this, we considered four approaches that are being used increasingly or could be deployed in Southeast Asia to ensure sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. First, a stronger incorporation of mangroves into marine protected areas (that currently focus largely on reefs and fisheries) could resolve some policy conflicts and ensure that mangroves do not fall through a policy gap. Second, examples of community and government comanagement exist, but achieving comanagement at scale will be important in reconciling stakeholders and addressing conflicting policy objectives. Third, private‐sector initiatives could protect mangroves through existing and novel mechanisms in degraded areas and areas under future threat. Finally, payments for ecosystem services (PES) hold great promise for mangrove conservation, with carbon PES schemes (known as blue carbon) attracting attention. Although barriers remain to the implementation of PES, the potential to implement them at multiple scales exists. Closing the gap between mangrove conservation policies and action is crucial to the improved protection and management of this imperiled coastal ecosystem and to the livelihoods that depend on them.
Impacts of hunting on tropical forests in Southeast Asia
Authors: Harrison Rhett D. , Sreekar Rachakonda , Brodie Jedediah F. , Brook Sarah , Luskin Matthew , O'Kelly Hannah , Rao Madhu , Scheffers Brett , Velho Nandini
Published: June 2016

Although deforestation and forest degradation have long been considered the most significant threats to tropical biodiversity, across Southeast Asia (Northeast India, Indochina, Sundaland, Philippines) substantial areas of natural habitat have few wild animals (>1 kg), bar a few hunting‐tolerant species. To document hunting impacts on vertebrate populations regionally, we conducted an extensive literature review, including papers in local journals and reports of governmental and nongovernmental agencies. Evidence from multiple sites indicated animal populations declined precipitously across the region since approximately 1980, and many species are now extirpated from substantial portions of their former ranges. Hunting is by far the greatest immediate threat to the survival of most of the region's endangered vertebrates. Causes of recent overhunting include improved access to forests and markets, improved hunting technology, and escalating demand for wild meat, wildlife‐derived medicinal products, and wild animals as pets. Although hunters often take common species, such as pigs or rats, for their own consumption, they take rarer species opportunistically and sell surplus meat and commercially valuable products. There is also widespread targeted hunting of high‐value species. Consequently, as currently practiced, hunting cannot be considered sustainable anywhere in the region, and in most places enforcement of protected‐area and protected‐species legislation is weak. The international community's focus on cross‐border trade fails to address overexploitation of wildlife because hunting and the sale of wild meat is largely a local issue and most of the harvest is consumed in villages, rural towns, and nearby cities. In addition to improved enforcement, efforts to engage hunters and manage wildlife populations through sustainable hunting practices are urgently needed. Unless there is a step change in efforts to reduce wildlife exploitation to sustainable levels, the region will likely lose most of its iconic species, and many others besides, within the next few years.
Species roles in plant–pollinator communities are conserved across native and alien ranges
Authors: Emer Carine , Memmott Jane , Vaughan Ian P. , Montoya Daniel , Tylianakis Jason M.
Published: June 2016

Aim

Alien species alter interaction networks by disrupting existing interactions, for example between plants and pollinators, and by engaging in new interactions. Predicting the effects of an incoming invader can be difficult, although recent work suggests species roles in interaction networks may be conserved across locations. We test whether species roles in plant–pollinator networks differ between their native and alien ranges and whether the former can be used to predict the latter.

Location

World‐wide.

Methods

We used 64 plant–pollinator networks to search for species occurring in at least one network in its native range and one network in its alien range. We found 17 species meeting these criteria, distributed in 48 plant–pollinator networks. We characterized each species’ role by estimating species‐level network indices: normalized degree, closeness centrality, betweenness centrality and two measures of contribution to modularity (c‐andz‐scores). Linear mixed models and linear regression models were used to test for differences in species role between native and alien ranges and to predict those roles from the native to the alien range, respectively.

Results

Species roles varied considerably across species. Nevertheless, although species lost their native mutualists and gained novel interactions in the alien community, their role did not differ significantly between ranges. Consequently, closeness centrality and normalized degree in the alien range were highly predictable from the native range networks.

Main conclusions

Species with high degree and centrality define the core of nested networks. Our results suggest that core species are likely to establish interactions and be core species in the alien range, whilst species with few interactions in their native range will behave similarly in their alien range. Our results provide new insights into species role conservatism and could help ecologists to predict alien species impact at the community level.
Does participation in an undergraduate journal club make dental students more knowledgeable and confident in practising evidence‐based dentistry?
Authors: Parhar S. , Gibson J.
Published: June 2016

Aim

To establish whether participation in an undergraduate journal club makes dental students more knowledgeable and confident in practising evidence‐based dentistry.

Methods

The first journal club session was held in December 2013, with the sessions held monthly during term‐time subsequently. All students attending the first session were invited to participate in the study. The KACE (evidence‐based practice Knowledge, Attitudes, access & Confidence Evaluation) questionnaire was administered at baseline, with a follow‐up after a year.

Results

Thirty‐eight students completed the baseline questionnaire, and 37 students completed the follow‐up questionnaire. Mean knowledge score increased from 3.87 to 5.18 (P = 0.00008), access score from 23.97 to 25.66 (P = 0.015) and confidence score from 14.97 to 16.84 (P = 0.003). No linear relationships were detected with any score, either for journal club sessions attended, podcasts listened to, PowerPoints viewed or articles read.

Discussion

Our study showed significant increases in knowledge, access and confidence scores, suggesting our journal club was an effective format. Despite the provision of food and drink, only a small proportion of the entire BDS cohort attended the sessions, limiting the generalisability of the study. Our study aims to lay foundations for more thorough methodology in future research.
Flower visitation patterns of the coexisting honey bees Apis cerana japonica and Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
Authors: Tatsuno Midzuho , Osawa Naoya
Published: June 2016

We compared flower visitation patterns of two coexisting honey bees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus and Apis cerana japonica Radoszkowski, on 20 plant species, including three exotics, under natural conditions in Nara, Japan, from April to August 2012. We also measured flower color based on bee color vision (15 flower species), nectar volume (nine species) and nectar concentration (eight species). Flowers colored white, pink, red, purple and cream were classified as bee‐blue‐green, and yellow was classified as bee‐green. Apis cerana visited 14 plant species and A. mellifera visited 11. Although the two Apis species are similar in morphology, they visited different plants: in particular, A. cerana visited native plant species more often than did A. mellifera. Both A. mellifera and A. cerana visited not only nectariferous flowers but also those with no nectar. We also found different visitation patterns between A. cerana and A. mellifera: Apis cerana more often visited flowers with smaller color angle (bee‐blue‐green), lower chroma and higher brightness, and flowers secreting nectars of higher concentration and smaller volume than did A. mellifera.
Optimization of voriconazole dosage regimen to improve the efficacy in patients with invasive fungal disease by pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis
Authors: Chen Lu , Wang Taotao , Wang Yan , Yang Qianting , Xie Jiao , Li Ying , Lei Jin'e , Wang Xue , Xing Jianfeng , Dong Yalin , Dong Haiyan
Published: June 2016

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. To maximize the efficacy of voriconazole treatment, the study established the relationship between voriconazole pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) and probability of response and optimized voriconazole dosage regimen in patients with IFD based on Monte Carlo simulation. Forty‐four patients proven with IFD were involved in this study. Among them, the overall cure rate was 75% (33/44) and there was a significant difference between Cmin/MIC values in patients with lack of response (n = 11) and those with successful response (n = 33) (mean value: 1.91 vs. 11.33; P < 0.05). Logistic regression model showed a high correlation between voriconazole Cmin/MIC ratio and clinical response (P = 0.044, OR = 1.349). According to Monte Carlo simulation results under different voriconazole dosing regimens, we could draw a conclusion that 200 mg voriconazole administered intravenously or orally twice daily for Candida infections and 300 mg administered orally or with 200 mg administered intravenously twice daily for Aspergillus infections were rational, which could achieve a value of the cumulative fraction of response >90%. This study built the relationship between voriconazole PK/PD and clinical response and obtained the reasonable empirical dosage regimen, which can be used to customize individual dosage regimen and improve the efficacy of voriconazole treatment.
Short Interest, Returns, and Unfavorable Fundamental Information
Authors: Akbas Ferhat , Boehmer Ekkehart , Erturk Bilal , Sorescu Sorin
Published: June 2016

Several months before information becomes public, the level of short interest contains value‐relevant information about publicly traded corporations. Short interest predicts future bad news, negative earnings surprises, and downward revisions in analyst earnings forecasts. This informational content is stronger for stocks that are harder to short. We also find that nearly half of the well‐known cross‐sectional relation between short interest and future stock returns is related to future changes in firms’ value‐relevant information. Our results suggest that short interest predicts future returns, in part, due to short sellers’ ability to uncover unfavorable information about firms.
Cross‐Section of Expected Returns and Extreme Returns: The Role of Investor Attention and Risk Preferences
Authors: Hur Jungshik , Singh Vivek
Published: June 2016

Previous work finds a negative and significant relation between the maximum daily return over the past one month and expected future stock returns. We determine that this effect is more pronounced for stocks that achieve their maximum daily returns toward the end of the month and stocks that are associated with capital losses show greater reversals. These results suggest the effect is related to investor attention and risk preferences.
Flawed citation practices facilitate the unsubstantiated perception of a global trend toward increased jellyfish blooms
Authors: Sanz‐Martín Marina , Pitt Kylie A. , Condon Robert H. , Lucas Cathy H. , Novaes de Santana Charles , Duarte Carlos M.
Published: June 2016

Speculation over a global rise in jellyfish populations has become widespread in the scientific literature, but until recently the purported ‘global increase’ had not been tested. Here we present a citation analysis of peer‐reviewed literature to track the evolution of the current perception of increases in jellyfish and identify key papers involved in its establishment. Trend statements and citation threads were reviewed and arranged in a citation network. Trend statements were assessed according their degree of affirmation and spatial scale, and the appropriateness of the citations used to support statements was assessed. Analyses showed that 48.9% of publications misinterpreted the conclusions of cited sources, with a bias towards claiming jellyfish populations are increasing, with a single review having the most influence on the network. Collectively, these disparities resulted in a network based on unsubstantiated statements and citation threads. As a community, we must ensure our statements about scientific findings in general are accurately substantiated and carefully communicated such that incorrect perceptions, as in the case of jellyfish blooms, do not develop in the absence of rigorous testing.
The relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in the decline of obligate seeder forests
Authors: Bowman David M. J. S. , Williamson Grant J. , Prior Lynda D. , Murphy Brett P.
Published: June 2016

Forests that regenerate exclusively from seed following high‐severity fire are particularly vulnerable to local extinction if fire frequency leaves insufficient time for regenerating plants to reach sexual maturity. We evaluate the relative importance of extrinsic (such as fire weather and climate cycles) and intrinsic (such as proneness to fire due to stand age and structural development) factors in driving the decline of obligate seeder forests. We illustrate this using obligate seeding alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) forests in the montane regions of Victoria, Australia, that were burnt by megafires in 2003 (142,256 ha) or 2007 (79,902 ha), including some twice‐burnt areas (11,599 ha). Geospatial analyses showed only a small effect of stand age on the remote sensing estimates of crown defoliation, but a substantial effect of forest fire weather, as measured by forest fire danger index (FFDI). Analysis of meteorological data over the last century showed that 5‐year increases in FFDI precede cycle major fires in the E. delegatensis forests. Such strong extrinsic climate/weather driving of high‐severity fires is consistent with the ‘interval squeeze model’ that postulates the vulnerability of obligate seeder forests to landscape‐scale demographic collapse in response to worsening fire weather under climate change.
Retention of plankton within ocean eddies
Authors: Condie Scott , Condie Ryan
Published: June 2016

Aim

Mesoscale ocean eddies (closed circular currents typically 100–300 km in diameter) are ubiquitous features of the world's oceans. They form partially isolated environments with distinct physical and chemical conditions capable of supporting and transporting whole plankton communities. The productivity and biodiversity of these communities is ultimately dependent on an eddy's ability to retain planktonic organisms. Our aim was to estimate eddy retention time‐scales across a range of oceanic environments and larval behaviours, with implications for both distributions and future changes in plankton communities.

Location

The Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

Methods

A particle‐tracking model was forced using ocean currents from a number of validated hydrodynamic models covering environments ranging from shelf seas to the open ocean and equatorial to high‐latitude waters. Eddies were seeded with large numbers of particles and their rate of loss from the eddy was used to estimate retention times. The influences of common plankton swimming behaviours were explicitly captured in the model.

Results

Eddy retention times of modelled plankton ranged from 5 to 67 days, with a median of 19 days. Retention times were not correlated with latitude or eddy size. However, plankton residing near the surface of eddies rotating cyclonically (anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere) had significantly shorter retention times than those residing in the same eddy at depth, and vice versa for eddies rotating anticyclonically.

Main conclusions

We show that ocean eddies have the potential to retain and support planktonic (and even nektonic) communities over many generations and are likely to enhance larval survival for many invertebrate and fish species. Differences in retention with depth suggest that cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies will support differing plankton communities. If their relative geographical distributions change with global climate, then the relative proportions of diatom‐based and dinoflagellate‐based communities may also change, with potential implications for higher trophic animals.
Potential biomarkers of haemophilic arthropathy: correlations with compatible additive magnetic resonance imaging scores
Authors: Oldenburg J. , Zimmermann R. , Katsarou O. , Zanon E. , Kellermann E. , Lundin B. , Ellinghaus P.
Published: June 2016

Introduction

Although biomarkers are useful diagnostic tools to assess joint damage in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, few data exist for biomarkers of haemophilic arthropathy.

Aim

To evaluate the association between biomarkers and compatible additive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scores in patients with severe haemophilia A.

Methods

Patients aged 12–35 years with no history of factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors were enrolled in a controlled, cross‐sectional, multinational investigation. Patients received primary or secondary prophylaxis or on‐demand treatment with FVIII and underwent MRI on four joints (two ankles, two knees). Soluble biomarkers of cartilage and bone degradation, inflammation, and angiogenesis were assessed (serum levels of C‐terminal telopeptides of type I collagen [CTX‐I], cartilage oligomeric matrix protein [COMP], chondroitin‐sulphate aggrecan turnover 846 epitope [CS846], tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 [TIMP‐1]; plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], matrix metalloproteinases 3 and 9 [MMP3, MMP9]). Relationships between biomarkers and MRI scores were evaluated using Spearman rank correlation.

Results

Biomarkers were assessed in 117 of 118 per‐protocol patients. Mean and median CTX‐I, COMP, TIMP‐1, MMP3, MMP9, and VEGF values were within normal ranges (reference range not available for CS846 in healthy volunteers). No correlations between biomarkers and MRI scores were found, with the exception of CS846, which showed significant correlation in a subgroup of 22 on‐demand patients (r = 0.436; P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Compatible additive MRI scores showed no clear correlations with any of the potential biomarkers for haemophilic arthropathy in the overall population. CS846 levels were significantly correlated with MRI scores in patients treated on demand.
Efficacy and safety of BAY 81‐8973, a full‐length recombinant factor VIII: results from the LEOPOLD I trial
Authors: Saxena K. , Lalezari S. , Oldenburg J. , Tseneklidou‐Stoeter D. , Beckmann H. , Yoon M. , Maas Enriquez M.
Published: June 2016

Introduction

BAY 81‐8973 (Kovaltry®) is a full‐length, unmodified recombinant human factor VIII (FVIII) with the same amino acid sequence as sucrose‐formulated recombinant FVIII and is produced using additional advanced manufacturing technologies.

Aim

To demonstrate efficacy and safety of BAY 81‐8973 for treatment of bleeds and as prophylaxis based on two different potency assignments.

Methods

In LEOPOLD I (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01029340), males aged 12–65 years with severe haemophilia A and ≥150 exposure days received BAY 81‐8973 20–50 IU kg−1 two or three times per week for 12 months. Potency was based on chromogenic substrate assay per European Pharmacopoeia and label adjusted to mimic one‐stage assay potency. Patients were randomized for potency sequence and crossed over potency groups after 6 months, followed by an optional 12‐month extension. Primary efficacy endpoint was annualized bleeding rate (ABR). Patients also received BAY 81‐8973 during major surgeries.

Results

Sixty‐two patients received BAY 81‐8973 prophylaxis and were included in the analysis. Median ABR was 1.0 (quartile 1, 0; quartile 3, 5.1) without clinically relevant differences between potency periods. Median ABR was similar for twice‐weekly vs. three times‐weekly dosing (1.0 vs. 2.0). Haemostasis was maintained during 12 major surgeries. Treatment‐related adverse event (AE) incidence was ≤7% overall; no patient developed inhibitors. One patient with risk factors for cardiovascular disease developed a myocardial infarction.

Conclusions

BAY 81‐8973 was efficacious in preventing and treating bleeding episodes, irrespective of the potency assignment method, with few treatment‐related AEs. Caution should be used when treating older patients with cardiovascular risk factors.
Polymorphisms in HLA‐DQ genes, together with age, sex, and Helicobacter pylori infection, as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of gastric cancer
Authors: Pérez‐Rodríguez Martha , Partida‐Rodríguez Oswaldo , Camorlinga‐Ponce Margarita , Flores‐Luna Lourdes , Lazcano Eduardo , Gómez Alejandro , Herrera‐Goepfert Roberto , Medrano‐Guzmán Rafael , Torres Javier
Published: June 2016

Background

Polymorphisms in inflammation‐related genes are factors associated with the development of gastroduodenal diseases in Helicobacter pylori‐infected individuals.

Materials and Methods

We aimed to analyze polymorphisms in HLA‐DQ, together with other host and H. pylori variables as risk factors for precancerous and cancerous gastric lesions. 1052 individuals were studied, including nonatrophic gastritis (NAG), intestinal metaplasia (IM), gastric cancer (GC) or duodenal ulcer (DU) patients, and healthy volunteers.

Results

Patients with alleles DQA*01:01 (OR 0.78), *01:02 (OR 0.29), *01:03 (OR 0.31), and DQB*02:01/02 (OR 0.40) showed a reduced risk for GC. A multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that patients with homozygote genotypes DQA1*03:01 (OR 7.27) and DQA1*04:01 (OR 8.99) and DQB1*05:01:01 (OR 12.04) were at significantly increased risk for GC. Multivariate analyses also demonstrated that age (OR>10.0) and gender (OR>2.0) were variables that influenced significantly the risk for GC, while H. pylori infection (OR>2.5) increased the risk for IM.

Conclusions

We identified HLA‐DQ alleles associated with IM and GC, and confirm that age, sex, and H. pylori infection are variables that also influence the risk for disease. The use of multiple markers, HLA‐DQ alleles, age, sex, and H. pylori infection may be useful biomarkers for the early diagnosis of patients with IM and GC.
Effects of rice koji inoculated with Aspergillus luchuensis on the biochemical and sensory properties of a sailfin sandfish (Arctoscopus japonicus) fish sauce
Authors: Kim Byoung‐Mok , Park Jae‐Ho , Kim Dong‐Soo , Kim Young‐Myung , Jun Joon‐Young , Jeong In‐Hak , Nam Si‐Youl , Chi Young‐Min
Published: June 2016

The effects of rice koji inoculated with Aspergillus luchuensis on the biochemical and sensory properties of fish sauce produced from sailfin sandfish (Arctoscopus japonicus) with different salt concentrations (10% and 20%) were investigated over 10 months. Fish sauces prepared from sailfin sandfish with rice koji and a low salt concentration had higher total nitrogen, amino nitrogen and total free amino acid than did those without rice koji or with a high salt concentration. Sensory evaluation of fish sauces prepared with rice koji and a low salt concentration found better taste, flavour and overall acceptance than those prepared without rice koji during fermentation (P < 0.05). The use of rice koji increased the total nitrogen, amino nitrogen and free amino acid and also enhanced the sensory qualities during fermentation. These results suggest that the use of rice koji can result in a low‐salt fish sauce with better flavour.
Vortex‐dislodged cells from bone marrow trephine biopsy yield satisfactory results for flow cytometric immunophenotyping
Authors: Bommannan K. , Sachdeva M. U. S. , Gupta M. , Bose P. , Kumar N. , Sharma P. , Naseem S. , Ahluwalia J. , Das R. , Varma N.
Published: June 2016

Introduction

A good bone marrow (BM) sample is essential in evaluating many hematologic disorders. An unsuccessful BM aspiration (BMA) procedure precludes a successful flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FCI) in most hematologic malignancies. Apart from FCI, most ancillary diagnostic techniques in hematology are less informative. We describe the feasibility of FCI in vortex‐dislodged cell preparation obtained from unfixed trephine biopsy (TB) specimens.

Methods

In pancytopenic patients and dry tap cases, routine diagnostic BMA and TB samples were complemented by additional trephine biopsies. These supplementary cores were immediately transferred into sterile tubes filled with phosphate‐buffered saline, vortexed, and centrifuged. The cell pellet obtained was used for flow cytometric immunophenotyping.

Results

Of 7955 BMAs performed in 42 months, 34 dry tap cases were eligible for the study. Vortexing rendered a cell pellet in 94% of the cases (32 of 34), and FCI rendered a rapid diagnosis in 100% of the cases (32 of 32) where cell pellets were available.

Conclusion

We describe an efficient procedure which could be effectively utilized in resource‐limited centers and reduce the frequency of repeat BMA procedures.
The benefit of exercise training in pulmonary hypertension: a clinical review
Authors: Chia Karen S. W. , Wong Peter K. K. , Faux Steven G. , McLachlan Craig S. , Kotlyar Eugene
Published: June 2016

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a clinical condition characterised by raised pulmonary artery pressure, which results in increased right ventricular afterload and dyspnoea. This is accompanied by reduced exercise capacity, quality of life and, eventually, death. An increasing range of targeted medications has transformed the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, a specific type of PH. Supervised exercise training is recommended as part of a multifaceted management plan for PH. However, many questions remain regarding how exercise training improves exercise capacity and quality of life. The optimal exercise regimen (frequency, timing, duration and intensity) also remains unclear. This review provides an update on the pathophysiology of exercise impairment in PH, suggests mechanisms by which exercise may improve symptoms and function and offers evidence‐based recommendations regarding the frequency and intensity of an exercise programme for patients with PH.
Innate lymphoid cell regulation of adaptive immunity
Authors: Withers David R.
Published: June 2016

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) were identified principally as non‐T‐cell sources of key cytokines, able to provide rapid and early production of these molecules in the support of tissue homeostasis, repair and response to infection. As our understanding of these cells has developed, it has become evident that ILCs can impact on lymphocytes through a range of mechanisms. Hence, an exciting area of research has evolved in determining the extent to which ILCs may regulate adaptive immune responses. This review will focus initially on our current understanding of where ILC populations are located and what this means for potential cellular interactions. Mechanisms underpinning such interactions and how they may contribute to controlling adaptive immunity will then be considered.
A Comparison of two Robust Estimation Methods for Business Surveys
Authors: Graham Clark Robert , Kokic Philip , A. Smith Paul
Published: June 2016

Two alternative robust estimation methods often employed by National Statistical Institutes in business surveys are two‐sided M‐estimation and one‐sided Winsorisation, which can be regarded as an approximate implementation of one‐sided M‐estimation. We review these methods and evaluate their performance in a simulation of a repeated rotating business survey based on data from the Retail Sales Inquiry conducted by the UK Office for National Statistics. One‐sided and two‐sided M‐estimation are found to have very similar performance, with a slight edge for the former for positive variables. Both methods considerably improve both level and movement estimators. Approaches for setting tuning parameters are evaluated for both methods, and this is a more important issue than the difference between the two approaches. M‐estimation works best when tuning parameters are estimated using historical data but is serviceable even when only live data is available. Confidence interval coverage is much improved by the use of a bootstrap percentile confidence interval.
PARIS' HAIR AND THE STRUCTURE OF HORACE, CARMEN 1.15
Authors: BERNSDORFF HANS
Published: June 2016

The aim of this paper is to take into consideration the position of Carm. 1.15.19–20 within the structure of the whole ode (at a ‘false closure’). By this means, a fresh argument in favour of the variant crinis will be supplied, since the motif of hair is a closural device.
DINING AS SPECTACLE IN LATE ROMAN HOUSES
Authors: STEPHENSON JOHN
Published: June 2016

The elements of visual culture preserved in late Roman houses confirm an intense interest in dramatic visual display. This study employs an interpretive lens of spectacle to examine a new form of banquet space amd furnishings in the period, as well as a new style of ‘dinner-theatre’ they served. By considering ancient art as inseparable from active contexts and ephemeral events, a more sophisticated understanding of a society's self-definition through art emerges. Rather than being epiphenomenal to the poliltical culture of late antiquity, spectacle is argued to be central to the creation and contestation of power structures: performance is politics.
ZELA, ACCLAMATIONS, CARACALLA – AND PARTHIA?
Authors: BURNETT ANDREW
Published: June 2016

A coin which has lain unrecognized in the BM, which can be identified as an unpublished coin of Zela, proclaims that if ‘the emperors are victorious the world is happy’. The formula is analysed in the context of imperial acclamations and their language, which differs from that normally found on coinage. It is suggested that the coin may have been struck in connection with an otherwise unknown visit by Caracalla to the East in AD 207, for which other evidence is assembled. A catalogue of acclamations on Roman coins, medallions, and tokens is provided.
Recent Developments in the Acte Clair Case Law of the EU Court of Justice: Towards a more Flexible Approach
Authors: Limante Agne
Published: June 2016

This article examines the acte clair doctrine in light of the recent rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Ferreira da Silva and X and van Dijk. It first analyses the earlier case law on acte clair, disclosing inconsistencies in the application of its requirements. Then, it offers a critical review of Ferreira da Silva and X and van Dijk. It claims that the Cilfit criteria, although often quoted in judgments and doctrine, have been applied neither consistently nor truly rigidly by the Court. Instead, a more flexible approach to acte clair requirements is taking shape, while the Court is simultaneously reminding national courts that its discretion on preliminary reference issues is not unlimited. Finally, the article criticizes Ferreira da Silva and X and van Dijk for missing the opportunity to further clarify the normative content and the legal status of the Cilfit criteria.
Localization of a Trypanosome Peroxin to the Endoplasmic Reticulum
Authors: Bauer Sarah T. , McQueeney Kelley E. , Patel Terral , Morris Meredith T.
Published: June 2016

Trypanosoma brucei is the causative agent of diseases that affect 30,000–50,000 people annually. Trypanosoma brucei harbors unique organelles named glycosomes that are essential to parasite survival, which requires growth under fluctuating environmental conditions. The mechanisms that govern the biogenesis of these organelles are poorly understood. Glycosomes are evolutionarily related to peroxisomes, which can proliferate de novo from the endoplasmic reticulum or through the growth and division of existing organelles depending on the organism and environmental conditions. The effect of environment on glycosome biogenesis is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the glycosome membrane protein, TbPex13.1, is localized to glycosomes when cells are cultured under high glucose conditions and to the endoplasmic reticulum in low glucose conditions. This localization in low glucose was dependent on the presence of a C‐terminal tripeptide sequence. Our findings suggest that glycosome biogenesis is influenced by extracellular glucose levels and adds to the growing body of evidence that de novo glycosome biogenesis occurs in trypanosomes. Because the movement of peroxisomal membrane proteins is a hallmark of ER‐dependent peroxisome biogenesis, TbPex13.1 may be a useful marker for the study such processes in trypanosomes.