bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Speeding up Vocabulary Acquisition through Action Research
Authors: Maharaj Ameerchund (Ashraf)
Published: May 2017

Gaining a wider vocabulary is fundamental to language learning. It follows then that the faster students engage and learn new words, the faster will be their proficiency with the target language. Multi-Dimensional Vocabulary Acquisition (or MDVA) means approaching new terms / concepts from a variety of perspectives so that the target word is thoroughly analysed, giving students access to all dimensions of the word. There are many dimensions or elements that will help elucidate and unlock meaning, but for the purposes of this chapter new words will be looked at in terms of their antonyms, synonyms and associated words, rhyming counterparts, idiomatic usage, gender considerations, diminutive implications, proverbial usage and likely confusion with other words. In this study the author employs an Action Research methodology where practical classroom exercises involving students’ writing efforts pre- and post MDVA are closely examined. Using the familiar “spiral of cycles” approach, it becomes clear that “unpacking” the target word means that the meaning of many other words associated with the target word becomes explicit. A workshop with faculty is included as part of the practical application of MDVA.
Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions and Preferences for Oral Corrective Feedback: Do They Match?
Authors: Saeb Fateme
Published: May 2017

Perceptions and perspectives about corrective feedback (CF) have recently attracted some attention in the CF literature. Few studies, however, have delved into students’ and teachers’ CF perceptions and preferences and compared them. This study is an attempt to explore Iranian EFL teachers’ and students’ perceptions and preferences for different amounts and types of oral corrective feedback. Two parallel questionnaires were used to gather quantitative and qualitative data from twenty eight teachers and eighty six of their students. Results revealed significant differences between teachers’ and students’ perceptions about the amounts and types of CF and also about different types of errors to be corrected. Contrary to their teachers, students in this study were found to be seeking large amounts of explicit corrective feedback provided by the teacher.  As for the pedagogical implications, ‘meta-correction’ is suggested as a solution to the problem of conflicting CF perceptions of students and teachers and to improve and enhance error correction practices within Iranian EFL context.
The Role of the Students in the CLIL Classroom A New Perspective to Identify Types of Tasks
Authors: González Gándara David
Published: May 2017

A good deal of authors have spotted the crucial factors to get into account in order to classify tasks for their study. Although the role of the student in the task has been studied before, it has not been considered as a key factor in some of the most influential models. I propose a new perspective to describe it. It consists in a combination of the participation of the students in the input of tasks and their participation in the output. A case study has been carried out to address the statistical effects of the factor proposed in two variables: the amount of As-units (Foster, Tonkyn, & Wigglesworth, 2000) in the L2 produced in the classroom, and among them, the amount of initiating moves (Leech & Weisser, 2003). Transcripts of the audio and video recordings taken during eight CLIL Science lessons taught to an intact class of ten students of grades 1 and 2 were analysed. The results showed that the role of the students in the input had a significant effect on the variables measured. The teacher produced more As-units in general and initiating moves in particular, while the students produced less As-units while still producing more initiating moves.
Readers, Players, and Watchers: Short and Long-term Vocabulary Retention through Digital Video Games
Authors: Ebrahimzadeh Mohsen , Alavi Sepideh
Published: May 2017

The study investigated short- and long-term vocabulary retention through a digital video game. Participants were 241 male students (age 12–18) randomly assigned to three treatments, namely, Readers who learned vocabulary through intensive reading, Players who learned vocabulary through playing a digital video game, and Watchers who learned by watching two classmates play the digital video game. Twenty one words (simple and compound nouns) were pretested and then followed by the interventions which lasted for five weeks. The same pretest was posttested twice: As a one month and a three months delayed posttest after the study to measure short- and long-term vocabulary retention respectively. Results indicated that the Players and Watchers outperformed the Readers in terms of both short- and long-term vocabulary retention. The Readers were the only group to forget a significant number of words on the three-months delayed posttest. Only the Players’ treatment was equally effective for learning both simple and compound nouns. The Players showed the highest mean score on both posttests and the least drop from the short- to long-term posttest. It is concluded that digital video games can help students retain vocabulary over a longer time period.
The Production of the Imperialist Subjectivities in Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
Authors: Lekesizalin Ferma
Published: May 2017

In this paper, I argue that Joseph Conrad portrays the imperialist ideology as fundamentally flawed in “Heart of Darkness". The inconsistency of imperialism is blatantly evident in the contradiction between the perceptions of Kurtz as “an emissary of pity” (59) and his call for genocide, which he put as a postscript in his report to the Society for the Suppression of the Savage Customs. I thus claim that “Heart of Darkness” constructs the colonizer as a flawed subject who suffers from the same contradictions with the imperialist system as its product. I will use the Lacanian theory of the symbolic order and refer to Slavoj Žižek’s re-formulations of it in order to substantiate and clarify my points.
An Introduction to the Ambiguity Tolerance: As a Source of Variation in English-Persian Translation
Authors: Khoshsima Hooshang , Hashemi Toroujeni Seyyed Morteza
Published: May 2017

Different individuals provide different translations of different qualities of the same text. This may be due to one’s dominant cognitive style and individuals’ particular personal characteristics (Khoshsima & Hashemi Toroujeni, 2017) in general or ambiguity tolerance in particular. A certain degree of ambiguity tolerance (henceforth AI) has been found to facilitate language learning (Chapelle, 1983; Ehrman, 1999; Ely, 1995). However, this influential factor has been largely overlooked in translation studies. The purpose of this study was to find the relationship between AT and translation quality by identifying the expected positive correlation between the level of AT and the numbers of translation errors. Out of the 56 undergraduates of English-Persian Translation at Chabahar Maritime University (CMU), a sample of 34 top students was selected based on their scores on the reading comprehension which enjoys a special focus in many contexts (Khoshsima & Rezaeian Tiyar, 2014) and structure subtests of the TOEFL. The participants responded to the SLTAS questionnaire for AT developed by Ely (1995). The questionnaire had a high alpha internal consistency reliability of .84 and standardized item alpha of .84. In the next stage of the research, the participants translated a short passage of contemporary English into Persian, which was assessed using the SICAL III scale for TQA developed and used by Canadian Government’s Translation Bureau as its official TQA model (Williams, 1989).  Then, to find the relationship between the level of ambiguity tolerance in undergraduates of English-Persian translation at Chabahar Maritime University and their translation quality, analysis of the collected data revealed a significant positive correlation (r=440, p<.05) between the participants’ degree of AT and the numbers of errors in their translations. Controlling for SL proficiency, the correlation was still significantly positive (r=.397, p<.05). Accordingly, it was concluded that the more intolerant of ambiguity a person is, the more errors s/he is likely to make while translating; conversely, the more tolerant of ambiguity a person is, the higher the quality of his/her translation will be. Therefore as expected, analysis of the data revealed a positive correlation throughout the sample between ambiguity intolerance and translation quality.
Imagem e identidade turísticas relacionadas às práticas e bens culturais percebidas pelos residentes: perspectivas a partir da cidade de Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brasil
Authors: Zucco Fabricia Durieux , Quadros Cynthia Morgana Boos de , Schmitt Juliane Regina , Fiuza Thamires Foletto
Published: May 2017

Propósito do tema: O crescimento do turismo proporcionou um grande aumento dos produtos turísticos que são ofertados no mercado. Antes de tomar a decisão, acerca de sua viagem e diante de tantas opções, o turista busca se informar sobre os mais variados destinos. A imagem de destino, criada por meio dessa busca, é um estímulo fundamental para o turista. Embora exista uma variedade de fatores que compõem uma imagem de determinado destino, são os seus elementos próprios que constituem a sua identidade cultural. Criar uma identidade de um lugar, envolve também a participação dos residentes do destino. Objetivo: Esse estudo busca analisar a cultura cervejeira, como uma possível identidade cultural de Blumenau e, para tanto, leva em conta as atitudes dos residentes. Metodologia e abordagem: A pesquisa é considerada exploratória e descritiva, com método quantitativo. A partir da revisão da literatura sobre o assunto, doze hipóteses foram estabelecidas. Realizou-se a coleta e análise de dados que contou com os seguintes procedimentos estatísticos: Alfa de Cronbach, a Correlação de Spearman e o teste de hipóteses, por meio do programa SSPS. Resultados: Os resultados, obtidos na pesquisa, confirmaram sete, das doze hipóteses, o que indica a existência de relações positivas entre a influência dos hábitos dos residentes e as dimensões da identidade de Blumenau. Originalidade: Conclui-se que é possível a utilização da cultura cervejeira como uma identidade cultural da cidade, o que a torna adequada à sua promoção turística.
Institutional theory in tourism research: new opportunities from an evolving theory
Authors: Falaster Christian , Zanin Luis Miguel , Guerrazzi Luiz Antonio
Published: May 2017

In this perspective paper, we bring institutional theory to the attention of tourism research as a valid and evolving theory that can contribute to tourism analysis. We show that institutional theory is still underused in tourism and we develop a series of propositions on how it can be helpful for analyzing destination image and the fit between destination image for tourists and for the local population. Specifically, we show how the central institutional concepts of legitimacy, isomorphism, hybridization, and categorization influence the image strategies of destinations. We contribute to institutional theory by discussing the use of an institutional approach in tourism and to tourism research by providing the analysis of traditional issues with the use of institutional theory.
Impact of a mental health clinical pharmacist on a primary care mental health integration team
Authors: Harms Michelle , Haas Matthew , Larew Janel , DeJongh Beth
Published: May 2017

Introduction:

Primary care mental health integration (PCMHI) teams function to improve access and quality of integrative physical and mental health (MH) care through a stepped care treatment approach. The project's primary objective was to evaluate the impact a PCMHI clinical pharmacist made on treatment outcomes and interventions. The secondary objective was to assess medication adherence rates.

Methods:

An electronic medical record was used to identify PCMHI patient referrals for medication management during an 8-month period. Patients were included if they were at least 18 years old and referred for medication management of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, or alcohol use disorder. The scores for the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-C) were recorded at baseline and weeks 4, 8, and 12 during treatment.

Results:

The analysis included 50 patients, which resulted in a total of 156 contacts between July 2014 and March 2015. The mean change in PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PCL-C scores at week 12 as compared to baseline were a decrease of 10 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.2-13.8, P < .001), 8 (95% CI, 3.1-12.9, P = .006), and 14.5 (95% CI, –17.3-46.3, P = .109), respectively. A total of 336 treatment interventions were made, and the overall medication adherence rate was 82.9%.

Discussion:

Medication management, provided by a clinical pharmacist, was associated with a statistically and clinically significant improvement on several MH disorder rating scale scores.
Mental health pharmacists as interim prescribers
Authors: Gibu Matthew , Clark Jeffrey , Gold Jeffrey
Published: May 2017

Introduction:

Turnover leading to fluctuations in prescriber availability presents many challenges, most notably in access to and continuity of care. In 2015, the Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Healthcare System (VA ECHCS) experienced a period of significant mental health prescriber turnover leading to patient utilization of psychiatric emergency services (PES) for nonemergent medication management. The resulting increase in volume placed excessive stress on PES prescribers. Mental health pharmacists have opportunities to provide interim medication management while patients are between prescribers.

Methods:

This study was a retrospective, cohort study of patients unassigned to an outpatient mental health prescriber due to prescriber turnover, receiving care at VA ECHCS between October 1, 2015, and February 28, 2016. The primary outcome was the number of pharmacist interventions performed. Secondary outcomes characterize the interventions performed and describe the change in the mean monthly volume of patients presenting to PES.

Results:

In this veteran population, 152 interventions were performed in 81 unique patients. The most common intervention was prescription renewals (80%). Interventions most commonly involved antidepressants (28%), antipsychotics (10%), and mood stabilizers (10%). Before initiation of the clinic, Denver VA PES experienced a mean of 300 monthly visits. After clinic implementation, PES visits decreased significantly to a mean of 237 visits per month (P = .041).

Discussion:

The pharmacist interim prescriber clinic was associated with a significant decrease in mean number of patients seen per month in PES. The success of the clinic also contributed to interest by the mental health service to expand clinical pharmacy services.
Comparison of readmission data between different categories of antipsychotic drugs at a state psychiatric hospital in Oregon
Authors: Baker Joni , Aebi Cydreese
Published: May 2017

Introduction:

This chart review utilizes readmission rates and mean time to readmission as markers of drug efficacy to compare different categories of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIAs), antipsychotic polypharmacy, and clozapine to oral antipsychotic monotherapy (OM) at a state psychiatric hospital in Oregon (Oregon State Hospital).

Methods:

Charts were reviewed for patients discharged between October 20, 2011, and September 23, 2015, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum or mood disorder. Admission dates, discharge dates, and discharge antipsychotics were reviewed for each patient dating back to 1991. Discharge antipsychotics were categorized into groupings of LAIAs, antipsychotic polypharmacy, and clozapine and compared with OM to assess readmission data within 1, 3, and 5 years of discharge. The primary end point was readmission rate, measured as a percentage, and the secondary end point was mean time to readmission (MTR), measured in days.

Results:

Of 1088 patients reviewed, there were 2031 patient discharges associated with antipsychotic agents and 1258 readmissions. Patients discharged on LAIA monotherapy or clozapine generally had a lower readmission rate, and patients discharged on antipsychotic polypharmacy generally had a higher readmission rate. Statistical significance for these findings varied over time frames and subgroup analyses. The most notable finding for the secondary end point was a significantly shorter MTR for patients discharged on clozapine for all diagnoses and the subgroup analysis of schizoaffective disorder.

Discussion:

These results are only a reflection of the patient population at this hospital, and additional reviews at other facilities with different patient characteristics could clarify applicability to other patient populations.
Outcomes of mental health pharmacist-managed electronic consults at a Veterans Affairs health care system
Authors: Herbert Christina , Winkler Holly , Moore Troy A.
Published: May 2017

Introduction:

The demand for mental health services has increased as more veterans have been diagnosed with—and sought care for—one or more mental health conditions. Within the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), providers may submit electronic consults (e-consults) to mental health clinical pharmacy specialists for medication review and recommendations. These consults aim to manage veterans with uncomplicated mental health conditions in primary care, making specialty mental health providers more available for those who need such services. Pharmacists have improved outcomes and access to care for conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, but currently, there is limited evidence demonstrating the impact of pharmacists in mental health.

Methods:

This quality improvement project assessed the effectiveness of the e-consult service. Information was collected through a retrospective chart review of STVHCS veterans with the corresponding consult note placed in their chart from May 2014 through December 2015. Numbers of recommendations implemented and veterans maintained in primary care were analyzed as markers of effectiveness. Time and cost savings were secondarily explored.

Results:

A total of 361 consults were submitted for 353 unique patients. Of the 322 patients included in analyses, a total of 301 unique patients (93.5%) were maintained in primary care for at least 3 months. Of the 21 not maintained in primary care, 15 recommendations were implemented; of those maintained in primary care, 271 recommendations were implemented.

Discussion:

This service improves mental health care—and patient access—by promoting successful management and maintenance of less complicated patients in primary care.
A geostatistics‐informed hierarchical sensitivity analysis method for complex groundwater flow and transport modeling
Authors: Dai Heng , Chen Xingyuan , Ye Ming , Song Xuehang , Zachara John M.
Published: May 2017

Sensitivity analysis is an important tool for development and improvement of mathematical models, especially for complex systems with a high dimension of spatially correlated parameters. Variance‐based global sensitivity analysis has gained popularity because it can quantify the relative contribution of uncertainty from different sources. However, its computational cost increases dramatically with the complexity of the considered model and the dimension of model parameters. In this study, we developed a new sensitivity analysis method that integrates the concept of variance‐based method with a hierarchical uncertainty quantification framework. Different uncertain inputs are grouped and organized into a multilayer framework based on their characteristics and dependency relationships to reduce the dimensionality of the sensitivity analysis. A set of new sensitivity indices are defined for the grouped inputs using the variance decomposition method. Using this methodology, we identified the most important uncertainty source for a dynamic groundwater flow and solute transport model at the Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford site. The results indicate that boundary conditions and permeability field contribute the most uncertainty to the simulated head field and tracer plume, respectively. The relative contribution from each source varied spatially and temporally. By using a geostatistical approach to reduce the number of realizations needed for the sensitivity analysis, the computational cost of implementing the developed method was reduced to a practically manageable level. The developed sensitivity analysis method is generally applicable to a wide range of hydrologic and environmental problems that deal with high‐dimensional spatially distributed input variables.
Identification and characterization of multifunctional cationic and amphipathic peptides from soybean proteins
Authors: Taniguchi Masayuki , Saito Kengo , Nomoto Takafumi , Namae Toshiki , Ochiai Akihito , Saitoh Eiichi , Tanaka Takaaki
Published: May 2017

In this study, we identified and chemically synthesized three cationic and amphipathic peptides (Glycinin‐17, BCAS‐16, and BCBS‐11) from soybean proteins. These peptides had high isoelectric points, high positive net charges, and included multiple hydrophobic amino acids. Subsequently, we identified multiple functions of these peptides, including antimicrobial, lipopolysaccharide‐neutralizing, and angiogenic activities, and examined their cytotoxic activities against mammalian red blood cells. Glycinin‐17, BCAS‐16, and BCBS‐11 exhibited antimicrobial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis and Candida albicans whereas Glycinin‐17 did not possess antimicrobial effects on Propionibacterium acnes and Streptococcus mutans. Membrane‐depolarization assays and flow cytometric analyses showed that the antimicrobial properties of Glycinin‐17, BCAS‐16, and BCBS‐11 against P. gingivalis, P. acnes, and S. mutans were dependent on membrane‐disrupting potential. In contrast, major antimicrobial activities of these peptides against C. albicans were dependent on interactions with targets other than cell membranes. Furthermore, chromogenic Limulus amebocyte lysate assays showed that 50% effective concentrations (EC50, 0.12–0.31 μM) of these three peptides neutralize LPS with similar potency (EC50: 0.11 μM) to that of polymyxin B. Moreover, tube‐formation assays in human umbilical vein endothelial cells showed similar angiogenic activities of the three peptides as that following treatment with LL‐37. Although BCAS‐16 exhibited hemolytic activity, the rate of hemolysis for Glycinin‐17 and BCBS‐11 in the presence of 500‐μM Glycinin‐17 and BCBS‐11 was less than 2%. These results demonstrate that cationic and amphipathic peptides from soybean proteins, particularly Glycinin‐17 and BCBS‐11, have potential as multifunctional ingredients for healthcare applications.
The face of Glut1‐DS patients
Authors: Pucciarelli Valentina , Bertoli Simona , Codari Marina , De Amicis Ramona , De Giorgis Valentina , Battezzati Alberto , Veggiotti Pierangelo , Sforza Chiarella
Published: May 2017

Glut1 deficiency syndrome (Glut1‐DS) is a neurological and metabolic disorder caused by impaired transport of glucose across the blood brain barrier (BBB). Mutations on the SCL2A1 gene encoding the glucose transporter protein in the BBB cause the syndrome, which encompasses epilepsy, movement disorders, and mental delay. Such variability of symptoms presents an obstacle to early diagnosis. The patients seem to share some craniofacial features, and identification and quantification of these could help in prompt diagnosis and clinical management. We performed a three‐dimensional morphometric analysis of the faces of 11 female Glut1‐DS patients using a stereophotogrammetric system. Data were analyzed using both inter‐landmark distances and Principal Component Analysis. Compared with data collected from age‐, sex‐, and ethnicity‐matched control subjects, common and homogenous facial features were identified among patients, which were mainly located in the mandible and the eyes. Glut1‐DS patients had a more anterior chin; their mandibular body was longer but the rami were shorter, with a reduced gonial angle; they had smaller and down‐slanted eyes with a reduced intercanthal distance. This study highlights the importance of morphometric analysis for defining the facial anatomical characteristics of the syndrome better, potentially helping clinicians to diagnose Glut1‐DS. Improved knowledge of the facial anatomy of these patients can provide insights into their facial and cerebral embryological development, perhaps further clarifying the molecular basis of the syndrome. Clin. Anat. 30:644–652, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A prospective longitudinal study of postnatal dentoalveolar and palatal growth: The anatomical basis for CAD/CAM‐assisted production of cleft‐lip‐palate feeding plates
Authors: Bauer Franz X. , Güll Florian D. , Roth Maximilian , Ritschl Lucas M. , Rau Andrea , Gau Dominik , Gruber Maximilian , Eblenkamp Markus , Hilmer Bettina , Wolff Klaus‐Dietrich , Loeffelbein Denys J.
Published: May 2017

This study describes the dentoalveolar and palatal growth during the first months of life. Knowledge concerning this development is essential to avoid unwanted events such as mucosal ulcerations or restriction of growth when cleft‐lip and palate (CLP) patients are treated. The results involve the generation of CAD/CAM CLP‐feeding plates. Intraoral impressions from 32 healthy newborns were taken monthly for 5 months, supplemented by measurements of body weight, length, and occipital‐frontal head circumference. The casts were digitalized, and two observers manually selected defined anatomical landmarks on virtual 3‐D models. The distances between these landmarks were evaluted. Statistical analysis included an inter‐rater agreement analysis and the determination of growth. In total, 213 casts were analyzed, with 65 models excluded because of inaccuracies in impression‐taking or cast production. Overall longitudinal growth was 20.3%, whereas transversal growth reached a maximum of 21.1%. Vertical growth was 32.4% at the tuberal level. On the basis of these results, a semiautomated series of feeding plates allowing for monthly expansion could be generated. The acquired data serve as a useful reference for other pediatric and orthofacial investigations and treatments. One such application is the automated, fully virtual manufacture of CLP‐feeding plates based on only one impression‐taking. Our data reveal when caution is needed to prevent ulceration. The series of plates generated can minimize the time‐consuming impression‐taking and the production of further plaster models. The method of measurement is suitable for documentary purposes. Clin. Anat. 30:846–854, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transient analysis of the steam‐water direct contact condensation in the packed column
Authors: Hu Yunfa , Wang Yiping , Huang Qunwu , Cui Yong
Published: May 2017

The transient heat transfer behaviour of direct contact condensation of steam in spray cooling water in a packed column was investigated experimentally and theoretically in this work for the first time. A new analysis method of the state equation was applied to analyze the molar quantity variation of steam in the course of the experiment. The results showed that increasing the cooling water flow rate properly could significantly accelerate the steam condensation rate and this was more obvious at the beginning of the operation. The higher the flow rate of the cooling water was, the shorter a time it took for the steam to be completely condensed. When the cooling water flow rate was 840 L/h, the steam was mainly condensed within 13 s, which indicated that it would rapidly handle steam by regulating cooling water flow rate. However, the effect of changing cooling water temperature on steam condensation rate is slight with the cooling water temperature inceasing from 23 °C to 42 °C. The volumetric heat transfer coefficient in this experiment is in the range of 1.47 kW · m−3 · K−1 to 10.93 kW · m−3 · K−1 with the cooling water flow rate inceasing from 120 L/h to 840 L/h, and the maximum uncertainty in the results is 2.2 %.
Salt scales on process equipment: Measurement of the induction time for calcium carbonate nucleation
Authors: Mazziotti di Celso Giuseppe , Prisciandaro Marina , Karatza Despina , Lancia Amadeo , Musmarra Dino
Published: May 2017

Calcium carbonate and calcium sulphate scales can lead to an increase in running costs, can decline or stop the flow of fluids, and can cause early equipment fouling and failure in several industrial sectors, such as oil industries and desalted water production plants. A way to delay or hinder the formation of these salts is to use a proper additive, able to modify the nucleation kinetic increasing the induction times for salt nucleation. However, in order to properly understand the overall phenomenon it is worth defining the scenario of calcium sulphate and carbonate salts nucleation kinetics in the absence of any additive. The scope of the work is to measure, with a high resolution and in‐line laser technique previously devised, the induction times for calcium carbonate nucleation on a lab scale plant. The experiments have been carried out at temperatures of 25 °C and 35 °C, with a supersaturation ratio S varying in the interval 2–210, and show that as expected the measured induction times for calcium carbonate nucleation strongly decrease while increasing supersaturation for each fixed temperature, outlining a wide metastable region. The obtained values have been used to evaluate the interfacial tension between salt crystals and mother solution (109.3 mJ/m2 for T = 25 °C and γsl = 95.7 mJ/m2 for T = 35 °C) that are in good agreement with other available literature values.
Museum specimen data reveal emergence of a plant disease may be linked to increases in the insect vector population
Authors: Zeilinger Adam R. , Rapacciuolo Giovanni , Turek Daniel , Oboyski Peter T. , Almeida Rodrigo P. P. , Roderick George K.
Published: May 2017

The emergence rate of new plant diseases is increasing due to novel introductions, climate change, and changes in vector populations, posing risks to agricultural sustainability. Assessing and managing future disease risks depends on understanding the causes of contemporary and historical emergence events. Since the mid‐1990s, potato growers in the western United States, Mexico, and Central America have experienced severe yield loss from Zebra Chip disease and have responded by increasing insecticide use to suppress populations of the insect vector, the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae). Despite the severe nature of Zebra Chip outbreaks, the causes of emergence remain unknown. We tested the hypotheses that (1) B. cockerelli occupancy has increased over the last century in California and (2) such increases are related to climate change, specifically warmer winters. We compiled a data set of 87,000 museum specimen occurrence records across the order Hemiptera collected between 1900 and 2014. We then analyzed changes in B. cockerelli distribution using a hierarchical occupancy model using changes in background species lists to correct for collecting effort. We found evidence that B. cockerelli occupancy has increased over the last century. However, these changes appear to be unrelated to climate changes, at least at the scale of our analysis. To the extent that species occupancy is related to abundance, our analysis provides the first quantitative support for the hypothesis that B. cockerelli population abundance has increased, but further work is needed to link B. cockerelli population dynamics to Zebra Chip epidemics. Finally, we demonstrate how this historical macro‐ecological approach provides a general framework for comparative risk assessment of future pest and insect vector outbreaks.
Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Risk of Fracture: A Cohort Study of 66,940 Men and Women
Authors: Stattin Karl , Michaëlsson Karl , Larsson Susanna C , Wolk Alicja , Byberg Liisa
Published: May 2017

Physical activity has been associated with reduced risk of fracture, but it is not known how the intensity or frequency of physical activity influences this risk reduction. We aim to compare the risk of hip fracture and fracture of any locale between men and women with different levels of leisure-time walking/bicycling and exercise. A total of 37,238 women (born 1914–1948) from the Swedish Mammography Cohort and 45,906 men (born 1918–1952) from the Cohort of Swedish Men were followed for a maximum of 17 years. Exposure and covariate information was collected through a self-administered questionnaire in 1997. Incident fractures (5153 individuals with hip fracture and 15,043 with any type of fracture) and comorbidities were gathered from national and local patient registries. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Individuals who walked/bicycled less than 20 minutes per day had a lower rate of hip fracture (multivariable adjusted HR = 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.70 to 0.85) and any fracture (HR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.82 to 0.92) compared with those who hardly ever walked/bicycled. These reduced rates were also evident in both sexes, in different age categories, for vertebral fractures and for non-hip, non-vertebral fractures. Those who reported exercise 1 hour per week had a lower rate of hip fracture (HR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.80 to 0.96) and any fracture (HR = 0.94; 95% CI 0.89 to 0.99) compared with those who exercised less than 1 hour per week. Only minor differences in HRs were observed in individuals with moderate compared with higher levels of walking/bicycling or exercise. Walking/bicycling and exercise showed almost equal reductions in rate of fracture when compared with those in a joint category with lowest activity. In conclusion, both moderate and high self-reported frequency of physical activity is associated with reduced future risk of fracture. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Octreotide Is Ineffective in Treating Tumor-Induced Osteomalacia: Results of a Short-Term Therapy
Authors: Ovejero Diana , El-Maouche Diala , Brillante Beth A , Khosravi Azar , Gafni Rachel I , Collins Michael T
Published: May 2017

Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome in which unregulated hypersecretion of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) by phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors (PMT) causes renal phosphate wasting, hypophosphatemia, and osteomalacia. The resulting mineral homeostasis abnormalities and skeletal manifestations can be reversed with surgical resection of the tumor. Unfortunately, PMTs are often difficult to locate, and medical treatment with oral phosphate and vitamin D analogues is either insufficient to manage the disease or not tolerated. Octreotide has been proposed as a potential treatment for TIO due to the presence of somatostatin receptors (SSTR) on PMTs; however, the role of somatostatin signaling in PMTs and the efficacy of treatment of TIOs with somatostatin analogues is not clear. In an effort to evaluate the efficacy of octreotide therapy in TIO, five subjects with TIO were treated with octreotide for 3 days. Blood intact FGF23, phosphate, and 1,25(OH)2D3, and tubular reabsorption of phosphate (TRP) were measured at frequent time points during treatment. Octreotide's effects were assessed by comparing group means of the biochemical parameters at each time-point to mean baseline values. There were no significant changes in blood phosphate, FGF23, 1,25(OH)2D3, or TRP during octreotide treatment, consistent with a lack of efficacy of octreotide in treating TIO. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Identification of Key Gene Modules of Neuropathic Pain by Co‐Expression Analysis
Authors: Zhang Yang , Wang Jinlin , Ji Li‐Juan , Li Lin , Wei Meng , Zhen Su , Wen Cheng‐Cai
Published: May 2017

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a substantial clinical problem causing great injury to people word‐widely. Although gene expression analyses had been performed previously, the mechanisms underlying the etiology and development of NP are still poorly understood. To understand the function genes involved in the etiology and development of NP, we built the co‐expression modules and performed function enrichment analysis for neuropathic pain. In the present study, from a public microarray data set (GSE69901) from NCBI, gene co‐expression modules were contributed with the help of WGCNA for 12 neuropathic pain samples and 13 control samples, respectively. And functional enrichment analyses were followed by DAVID database. Firstly, we established 21 co‐expression modules and 19 co‐expression modules out of 5,000 high‐express genes in NP and control samples, respectively. Then, it showed great difference in interaction relationships of total genes and hub‐genes between pairwise modules, which indicated the high confidence of gene co‐expression modules. Finally, functional enrichment analysis of the top five co‐expression modules in NP exhibited great differences and significant enrichment in transcription regulation of RNA polymerase II promoter and ubiquitin mediated proteolysis pathway. RNA polymerase II promoter and ubiquitin‐mediated proteolysis pathway played important role in etiology and development of NP. Anyhow, our findings provided the framework of gene co‐expression modules of NP and furthered the understanding of these modules from functional aspect. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4436–4443, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Removal of toluene from industrial gas over 13X zeolite supported catalysts by adsorption‐plasma catalytic process
Authors: Yi Honghong , Yang Xi , Tang Xiaolong , Zhao Shunzheng , Wang Jiangen , Cui Xiaoxu , Feng Tiecheng , Ma Yueqiang
Published: May 2017

BACKGROUND

To find an appropriate catalyst in the adsorption plasma catalytic process, degradation of toluene over 13X zeolite supported catalysts were studied.

RESULTS

13X zeolite exhibited excellent toluene adsorption capacity but weak catalytic ability. After loading Cu, Co, Ce and Mg active compounds by the impregnation method, adsorption capacity was reduced and catalytic performance was significantly improved. Co/13X exhibited good adsorption capacity and excellent catalytic performance, which carbon balance was 81.6% with 74.4% of COx for toluene adsorption capacity of 0.51 mmol. The effect of cobalt loading and calcination temperature on Co/13X for toluene degradation were studied, and it was found that 5% and 500°C were the optimum loading value and calcination temperature. The characterization results of BET, FTIR, XRD, XPS and SEM were correlated with catalyst performance.

CONCLUSIONS

The active compounds block the pores and reduce the specific surface area of 13X zeolite, but active sites of catalysts can decompose ozone to produce more atomic oxygen species. Co3+ could form π‐complexation bonding with toluene and Co3O4 is a P‐type semiconductor, which has large oxygen adsorption capacity and converts oxygen into O− and O2− easily. Co3O4 present in Co/13X is the active point for toluene degradation by adsorption and plasma catalytic activity. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Genetic and phylogenic characterization of hepatitis B virus in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Shindano Tony A. , Horsmans Yves , Kabamba Benoit M.
Published: May 2017

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes show a distinctive geographical distribution worldwide and genotypes A, D, and E are the most frequently found in Africa. There are only limited studies on HBV genotype distribution in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), all done in the western part showing a vast majority of genotype E. In our study, HBV strains from South Kivu, an eastern province of the DRC, were analyzed. Sequencing of 41 serum samples from HBV infected patients revealed strains of genotype A in 40/41 (97.6%) and genotype E in 1/41 (2.4%). The phylogenetic analysis showed that nearly all genotypes A (38/40) were closely related to A1 subgenotype strains found in Rwanda, Haiti, and Martinique while only two strains attached to the A2 subgenotype cluster were isolated. The remaining genotype E case was linked to the western African E crescent. Only the I169T nucleotide substitution was observed in two genotype A samples. In conclusion, the genotype A seems to be the most predominant genotype in eastern DRC with the majority belonging to the Afro‐Asian subgenotype (A1). This contrasts with the western part of DRC where genotype E is predominant. These results support the hypothesis of an East‐West genotypic demarcation.
Calreticulin inhibits inflammation‐induced osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption
Authors: Fischer Charla R. , Mikami Maya , Minematsu Hiroshi , Nizami Saqib , Goo Lee Heon , Stamer Danielle , Patel Neel , Yu Soung Do , Back Jung‐ho , Song Lee , Drissi Hicham , Lee Francis Y.
Published: May 2017

Osteoclasts play key roles in bone remodeling and pathologic osteolytic disorders such as inflammation, infection, bone implant loosening, rheumatoid arthritis, metastatic bone cancers, and pathological fractures. Osteoclasts are formed by the fusion of monocytes in response to receptor activators of NF‐κB‐ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony stimulating factor 1 (M‐CSF). Calreticulin (CRT), a commonly known intracellular protein as a calcium‐binding chaperone, has an unexpectedly robust anti‐osteoclastogenic effect when its recombinant form is applied to osteoclast precursors in vitro or at the site of bone inflammation externally in vivo. Externally applied Calreticulin was internalized inside the cells. It inhibited key pro‐osteoclastogenic transcription factors such as c‐Fos and nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1)‐in osteoclast precursor cells that were treated with RANKL in vitro. Recombinant human Calreticulin (rhCRT) inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced inflammatory osteoclastogenesis in the mouse calvarial bone in vivo. Cathepsin K molecular imaging verified decreased Cathepsin K activity when rhCalreticulin was applied at the site of LPS application in vivo. Recombinant forms of intracellular proteins or their derivatives may act as novel extracellular therapeutic agents. We anticipate our findings to be a starting point in unraveling hidden extracellular functions of other intracellular proteins in different cell types of many organs for new therapeutic opportunities. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2658–2666, 2017.
Articular cartilage surface roughness as an imaging‐based morphological indicator of osteoarthritis: A preliminary investigation of osteoarthritis initiative subjects
Authors: Newton Michael D. , Osborne Jeffrey , Gawronski Karissa , Baker Kevin C. , Maerz Tristan
Published: May 2017

Current imaging‐based morphometric indicators of osteoarthritis (OA) using whole‐compartment mean cartilage thickness (MCT) and volume changes can be insensitive to mild degenerative changes of articular cartilage (AC) due to areas of adjacent thickening and thinning. The purpose of this preliminary study was to evaluate cartilage thickness‐based surface roughness as a morphometric indicator of OA. 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) datasets were collected from osteoarthritis initiative (OAI) subjects with Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) OA grades of 0, 2, and 4 (n = 10/group). Femoral and tibial AC volumes were converted to two‐dimensional thickness maps, and MCT, arithmetic surface roughness (Sa), and anatomically normalized Sa (normSa) were calculated. Thickness maps enabled visualization of degenerative changes with increasing KL grade, including adjacent thinning and thickening on the femoral condyles. No significant differences were observed in MCT between KL grades. Sa was significantly higher in KL4 compared to KL0 and KL2 in the whole femur (KL0: 0.55 ± 0.10 mm, KL2: 0.53 ± 0.09 mm, KL4: 0.79 ± 0.18 mm), medial femoral condyle (KL0: 0.42 ± 0.07 mm, KL2: 0.48 ± 0.07 mm, KL4: 0.76 ± 0.22 mm), and medial tibial plateau (KL0: 0.42 ± 0.07 mm, KL2: 0.43 ± 0.09 mm, KL4: 0.68 ± 0.27 mm). normSa was significantly higher in KL4 compared to KL0 and KL2 in the whole femur (KL0: 0.22 ± 0.02, KL2: 0.22 ± 0.02, KL4: 0.30 ± 0.03), medial condyle (KL0: 0.17 ± 0.02, KL2: 0.20 ± 0.03, KL4: 0.29 ± 0.06), whole tibia (KL0: 0.34 ± 0.04, KL2: 0.33 ± 0.05, KL4: 0.48 ± 0.11) and medial plateau (KL0: 0.23 ± 0.03, KL2: 0.24 ± 0.04, KL4: 0.40 ± 0.10), and significantly higher in KL2 compared to KL0 in the medial femoral condyle. Surface roughness metrics were sensitive to degenerative morphologic changes, and may be useful in OA characterization and early diagnosis. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2755–2764, 2017.
Finite analytic numerical method for three‐dimensional quasi‐laplace equation with conductivity in tensor form
Authors: Wang Min , Wang Yan‐Feng , Liu Zhi‐Feng , Wang Xiao‐Hong , Wang Yong , Cao Wei‐Dong
Published: May 2017

The finite analytic numerical method for 3D quasi‐Laplace equation with conductivity in full tensor form is constructed in this article. For cubic grid system, the gradient of the potential variable will diverge when tending to the common edge joining the four grids with different conductivities. However, the potential gradient along the tangential direction is of limited value. As a consequence, the 3D quasi‐Laplace equations will behave as a quasi‐2D one. An approximate analytical solution of the 3D quasi‐Laplace equation can be found around the common edge, which is expressed as a combination of a power‐law function and a linear function. With the help of this approximate analytical solution, a 3D finite analytical numerical scheme is then constructed. Numerical examples show that the proposed numerical scheme can provide rather accurate solutions only with or subdivisions. More important, the convergent speed of the numerical scheme is independent of the conductivity heterogeneity. In contrast, when using the traditional numerical schemes, typically such as the MPFA method, the refinement ratio for the grid cell needs to increase dramatically to get an accurate result for the strong heterogeneous case.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 33: 1475–1492, 2017
Dynamical differences of hemoglobin and the ionotropic glutamate receptor in different states revealed by a new dynamics alignment method
Authors: Tobi Dror
Published: May 2017

A new algorithm for comparison of protein dynamics is presented. Compared protein structures are superposed and their modes of motions are calculated using the anisotropic network model. The obtained modes are aligned using the dynamic programming algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch, commonly used for sequence alignment. Dynamical comparison of hemoglobin in the T and R2 states reveals that the dynamics of the allosteric effector 2,3‐bisphosphoglycerate binding site is different in the two states. These differences can contribute to the selectivity of the effector to the T state. Similar comparison of the ionotropic glutamate receptor in the kainate+(R,R)‐2b and ZK bound states reveals that the kainate+(R,R)‐2b bound states slow modes describe upward motions of ligand binding domain and the transmembrane domain regions. Such motions may lead to the opening of the receptor. The upper lobes of the LBDs of the ZK bound state have a smaller interface with the amino terminal domains above them and have a better ability to move together. The present study exemplifies the use of dynamics comparison as a tool to study protein function. Proteins 2017; 85:1507–1517. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.