bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nitinol basket‐assisted pars plana vitrectomy for retained lens material removal
Authors: Iannetta Danilo , Engelbrecht Leonore , Mura Marco
Published: February 2018

Purpose

To evaluate the usefulness of different types of nitinol baskets to capture, lift and hold the lens material, dropped during a complicated phacoemulsification, as an adjunctive surgical tool in vitreoretinal surgery and to evaluate the outcomes and complication of this new surgical technique in a small series of patients.

Methods

Patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for retained lens fragments operated during December 2014 and March 2015 at the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam, were included in this study. The PPV was performed using different settings and types of nitinol stone extractors (NSE). Three different stone extractors were used for the above‐mentioned purpose. Preoperative (pre‐op) and postoperative (post‐op) data including best corrected visual acuity at 6 months follow‐up visit, intra‐ and postoperative complications were recorded.

Results

Seven eyes of seven patients with a follow‐up of 6 months were included in this study. All the vitrectomies were performed the same day of the complicated cataract extraction. Mean pre‐op Snellen visual acuity was 20/160; mean post‐op visual acuity was 20/32. No complications were encountered due to the use of the NSE intraocularly. No retinal breaks were observed due to traction of the catheter at the site of insertion or due to his movement in and out the vitreous cavity.

Conclusion

The use of the nitinol lens cage seemed feasible and showed no complications in our small group of patients. It made easier the management of dropped nucleus without the need for a larger scleral opening also in case of very hard lens.
Pulmonary safety of ophthalmic beta‐blockers: a nationwide registry‐based cohort study
Authors: Kristensen Mathias L. , Simonsen Jan H. , Torp‐Pedersen Christian , Vorum Henrik , Aasbjerg Kristian
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Ophthalmic beta‐blockers, used in the treatment of increased intraocular pressure, are known to cause pulmonary adverse effects. Few, if any, studies have quantified the extent of the problem in a real‐life population. In this nationwide study, we assess the pulmonary safety of patients initiating treatment with ophthalmic beta‐blockers.

Methods

Using the Danish Nationwide Registries from 1995 to 2012, we identified all individuals aged 20–90 years who initiated monotherapy with an intraocular pressure‐lowering drug, with or without concomitant obstructive pulmonary disease. Risks of (i) switching to another drug and (ii) new onset of obstructive pulmonary disease during a 90‐day follow‐up were examined by cumulative risk and logistic regression models adjusted for available covariates.

Results

The cohort consisted of 97 463 individuals. Odds ratios for drug switch in individuals without concomitant obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 86 568) were as follows: 1.47 for beta‐blockers (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35–1.61; p < 0.001), 2.68 for parasympathomimetics (95% CI: 2.32–3.10; p < 0.001) and 4.80 for alfa‐2‐agonists (95% CI: 4.17–5.53; p < 0.001). Odds ratios in individuals with concomitant obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 10 895) were as follows: 2.61 for parasympathomimetics (95% CI: 1.83–3.72; p < 0.001), 2.96 for beta‐blockers (95% CI: 2.31–3.78; p < 0.001) and 3.54 for alfa‐2‐agonists (95% CI: 2.56–4.88; p < 0.001). There was no significant association between treatment class and new onset of obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.30).

Conclusion

Ophthalmic beta‐blockers were associated with an increased risk of drug switch. However, the absolute risk was very small. No increased risk of new onset of obstructive pulmonary disease was found. Our data suggest that more patients might be eligible for ophthalmic beta‐blockers.
Betablockers do not increase efficacy of band ligation in primary prophylaxis but they improve survival in secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding
Authors: Pfisterer N. , Dexheimer C. , Fuchs E.‐M. , Bucsics T. , Schwabl P. , Mandorfer M. , Gessl I. , Sandrieser L. , Baumann L. , Riedl F. , Scheiner B. , Pachofszky T. , Dolak W. , Schrutka‐Kölbl C. , Ferlitsch A. , Schöniger‐Hekele M. , Peck‐Radosavljevic M. , Trauner M. , Madl C. , Reiberger T.
Published: February 2018

Background

Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is used for primary (PP) and secondary prophylaxis (SP) of variceal bleeding. Current guidelines recommend combined use of non‐selective beta‐blockers (NSBBs) and EBL for SP, while in PP either NSBB or EBL should be used.

Aim

To assess (re‐)bleeding rates and mortality in cirrhotic patients receiving EBL for PP or SP for variceal bleeding.

Methods

(Re‐)bleeding rates and mortality were retrospectively assessed with and without concomitant NSBB therapy after first EBL in PP and SP.

Results

Seven hundred and sixty‐six patients with oesophageal varices underwent EBL from 01/2005 to 06/2015. Among the 284 patients undergoing EBL for PP, n = 101 (35.6%) received EBL only, while n = 180 (63.4%) received EBL + NSBBs. In 482 patients on SP, n = 163 (33.8%) received EBL only, while n = 299 (62%) received EBL + NSBBs. In PP, concomitant NSBB therapy neither decreased bleeding rates (log‐rank: P = 0.353) nor mortality (log‐rank: P = 0.497) as compared to EBL alone. In SP, similar re‐bleeding rates were documented in EBL + NSBB vs EBL alone (log‐rank: P = 0.247). However, EBL + NSBB resulted in a significantly lower mortality rate (log‐rank: P<0.001). A decreased risk of death with EBL + NSBB in SP (hazard ratio, HR: 0.50; P<0.001) but not of rebleeding, transplantation or further decompensation was confirmed by competing risk analysis. Overall NSBB intake reduced 6‐months mortality (HR: 0.53, P = 0.008) in SP, which was most pronounced in patients without severe/refractory ascites (HR: 0.37; P = 0.001) but not observed in patients with severe/refractory ascites (HR: 0.80; P = 0.567).

Conclusions

EBL alone seems sufficient for PP of variceal bleeding. In SP, the addition of NSBB to EBL was associated with an improved survival within the first 6 months after EBL.
Primary small intestinal volvulus after laparoscopic rectopexy for rectal prolapse
Authors: Koizumi Michihiro , Yamada Takeshi , Shinji Seiichi , Yokoyama Yasuyuki , Takahashi Goro , Hotta Masahiro , Iwai Takuma , Hara Keisuke , Takeda Kohki , Kan Hayato , Takasaki Hideaki , Ohta Keiichiro , Uchida Eiji
Published: February 2018

Primary small intestinal volvulus is defined as torsion in the absence of congenital malrotation, band, or postoperative adhesions. Its occurrence as an early postoperative complication is rare. A 40‐year‐old woman presented with rectal prolapse, and laparoscopic rectopexy was uneventfully performed. She could not have food on the day after surgery. She started oral intake on postoperative day 3 but developed abdominal pain after the meal. Contrast‐enhanced CT revealed torsion of the small intestinal mesentery. An emergent laparotomy showed small intestinal volvulus, without congenital malformation or intestinal adhesions. We diagnosed it as primary small intestinal volvulus. The strangulated intestine was resected, and reconstruction was performed. The patient recovered uneventfully after the second surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of primary small intestinal volvulus occurring after rectopexy for rectal prolapse. Primary small intestinal volvulus could be a postoperative complication after laparoscopy.
Electronic medical records in multiple sclerosis research
Authors: Damotte Vincent , Gourraud Pierre‐Antoine
Published: February 2018

With the massive digitalization of many processes involved in human activities, electronic medical records (EMR) are being increasingly deployed in medical centers. EMR have the potential to become a main major real‐life data source for future medical research and evaluation of practice. Multiple sclerosis is a paradigmatic example of a complex disease that can benefit from this new source of information. Today, researchers and clinicians alike have access to tools allowing an en masse identification of multiple sclerosis patients, and extraction of demographics and clinical variables with high accuracy. However no matter how “big” the (EMR) data might be, biases are inherent to EMR data generation. These have to be studied and eventually accounted for in analysis in order to fulfill the promise of personalized medicine for all, and carrying out large clinical and research studies in multiple sclerosis.
Part‐Based Mesh Segmentation: A Survey
Authors: Rodrigues Rui S. V. , Morgado José F. M. , Gomes Abel J. P.
Published: February 2018

This paper surveys mesh segmentation techniques and algorithms, with a focus on part‐based segmentation, that is, segmentation that divides a mesh (featuring a 3D object) into meaningful parts. Part‐based segmentation applies to a single object and also to a family of objects (i.e. co‐segmentation). However, we shall not address here chart‐based segmentation, though some mesh co‐segmentation methods employ such chart‐based segmentation in the initial step of their pipeline. Finally, the taxonomy proposed in this paper is new in the sense that one classifies each segmentation algorithm regarding the dimension (i.e. 1D, 2D and 3D) of the representation of object parts. The leading idea behind this survey is to identify the properties and limitations of the state‐of‐the‐art algorithms to shed light on the challenges for future work.
Effects of repeated long‐term psychosocial stress and acute cannabinoid exposure on mouse corticostriatal circuitries: Implications for neuropsychiatric disorders
Authors: Tomas‐Roig Jordi , Piscitelli Fabiana , Gil Vanesa , Quintana Ester , Ramió‐Torrentà Lluís l. , del Río Jose Antonio , Moore Timothy Patrick , Agbemenyah Hope , Salinas Gabriela , Pommerenke Claudia , Lorenzen Stephan , Beißbarth Tim , Hoyer‐Fender Sigrid , Di Marzo Vincenzo , Havemann‐Reinecke Ursula
Published: February 2018

Introduction

Vulnerability to psychiatric manifestations is achieved by the influence of genetic and environment including stress and cannabis consumption. Here, we used a psychosocial stress model based on resident‐intruder confrontations to study the brain corticostriatal‐function, since deregulation of corticostriatal circuitries has been reported in many psychiatric disorders. CB1 receptors are widely expressed in the central nervous system and particularly, in both cortex and striatum brain structures.

Aims and methods

The investigation presented here is addressed to assess the impact of repeated stress following acute cannabinoid exposure on behavior and corticostriatal brain physiology by assessing mice behavior, the concentration of endocannabinoid and endocannabinoid‐like molecules and changes in the transcriptome.

Results

Stressed animals urinated frequently; showed exacerbated scratching activity, lower striatal N‐arachidonylethanolamine (AEA) levels and higher cortical expression of cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 6. The cannabinoid agonist WIN55212.2 diminished locomotor activity while the inverse agonist increased the distance travelled in the center of the open field. Upon CB1 activation, N‐oleoylethanolamide and N‐palmitoylethanolamide, two AEA congeners that do not interact directly with cannabinoid receptors, were enhanced in the striatum. The co‐administration with both cannabinoids induced an up‐regulation of striatal FK506 binding protein 5. The inverse agonist in controls reversed the effects of WIN55212.2 on motor activity. When Rimonabant was injected under stress, the cortical levels of 2‐arachidonoylglycerol were maximum. The agonist and the antagonist influenced the cortical expression of cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 6 and serotonin transporter neurotransmitter type 4 in opposite directions, while their co‐administration tended to produce a null effect under stress.

Conclusions

The endocannabinoid system had a direct effect on serotoninergic neurotransmission and glucocorticoid signaling. Cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha‐6 was shown to be deregulated in response to stress and following synthetic cannabinoid drugs thus could confer vulnerability to cannabis addiction and psychosis. Targeting the receptors of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid‐like mediators might be a valuable option for treating stress‐related neuropsychiatric symptoms.
THE SHORT‐RUN EMPLOYMENT EFFECTS OF RECENT MINIMUM WAGE CHANGES: EVIDENCE FROM THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY
Authors: Clemens Jeffrey , Strain Michael R.
Published: February 2018

This paper presents early evidence on the employment effects of state minimum wage increases enacted between January 2013 and January 2015. As of 2015, we estimate that relatively large minimum wage increases (defined as those exceeding $1) reduced employment among low‐skilled population groups by just over 1 percentage point. Smaller minimum wage increases, as well as increases linked to inflation indexation provisions, appear to have had much smaller (and possibly positive) effects on employment over our sample period. The estimates thus raise the potential importance of nonlinearities in the minimum wage's effects, which are consistent with standard models of the labor market. (JEL H11, J08, J23)
Widespread occurrence of an emerging fungal pathogen in heavily traded Chinese urodelan species
Authors: Yuan Zhiyong , Martel An , Wu Jun , Van Praet Sarah , Canessa Stefano , Pasmans Frank
Published: February 2018

Understanding introduction routes for wildlife pathogens is vital for the development of threat abatement plans. The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) has recently emerged in Europe, where it is considered to be a serious threat for urodelan conservation. If the highly diverse Chinese urodelans were to constitute a Bsal reservoir, then the significant international trade in these species may vector Bsal into naïve urodelan communities. Here, we analyzed a total of 1,143 samples, representing 36 Chinese salamander species from 51 localities across southern China for the presence of Bsal. We found Bsal was present across a wide taxonomic, geographical, and environmental range. In particular, Bsal DNA was detected in 33 samples from the genera Cynops, Pachytriton, Paramesotriton, Tylototriton, and Andrias, including the heavily traded species Paramesotriton hongkongensis and Cynops orientalis. The true Bsal prevalence across our data set was estimated between 2% and 4%, with a maximum of 50% in a population of P. hongkongensis. Even at this overall relatively low Bsal prevalence, the exportation of millions of animals renders Bsal introduction in naïve, importing countries a near certainty, which calls for the urgent implementation of proper biosecurity in the international wildlife trade.
Development of microsatellite markers for Thekopsora areolata, the causal agent of cherry spruce rust
Authors: Capador H. , Samils B. , Olson Å.
Published: February 2018

Cherry spruce rust is a fungal disease of Norway spruce cones caused by Thekopsora areolata and responsible for significant losses in seed production in Sweden and Finland. Here, we report the first set of nine microsatellites, which will allow an effective genetic fingerprinting of T. areolata. The markers were isolated using the FIASCO method and were characterized using DNA from 49 single aecia sampled from spruce cones in three different seed orchards in Sweden. Eight of the nine markers were shown to be polymorphic among the aecia. The markers were unlinked and are therefore suitable for future population genetic studies.
Do Empowered Front‐Line Employees Perform Better? A Non‐linear Approach and the Role of Service Complexity
Authors: Kostopoulos Ioannis
Published: February 2018

This study re‐examines the influence of front‐line service employee empowerment on their performance, following a non‐linear approach and integrating the role of service complexity. For that purpose, data were collected through a quantitative survey on 240 front‐line employees in two major UK cities (London, Leeds). The study's results indicate that empowerment has a significant impact on their performance and that this impact is non‐linear (quadratic). Specifically, the relationship between empowerment and performance is negative for low‐level empowerment and positive for high‐level empowerment. In addition, the study's results show that the nature of this relationship is different for different levels of service complexity. Specifically, for low‐complexity services, the relationship between empowerment and performance was found quadratic, whereas for high‐complexity services the relationship was found positive and linear. Based on the study's main conclusions important implications for both academics and practitioners are presented.
Transfusions of Sovereignty: Büchner's Danton's Tod, Political Theology, and the Afterlife of Language
Authors: Fenech Nicholas
Published: February 2018

This paper focuses on the nexus between language, history, and the body in Büchner's Danton's Tod. Büchner's play marks a transitional, and internally fractured, stage in the history of political theology in which the language, rites, and ideology of the past continue to haunt the present. The paper is organized around the idea of transfusion, a model that indicates the dependency of the present on the past while also marking the site of this relation as a physical one. Transfusions taint the present with a politico‐theological remnant that marks the bodies of the revolutionary leaders. The resolution to the circularity of transfusion takes place linguistically, through quotation. Quotation transforms language into a repository for historical memory while imbuing it with a power for action. The circulation of language via quotation is the literary analogue to the model of transfusion above, but whereas transfusion is marked by an inescapable dependency on the past, quotation introduces a possibility of change and action even as it takes this power out of human intentionality.
The Hagiography of a Secular Saint: Alexander von Humboldt and the Scientism of the German Democratic Republic
Authors: Howell James F.
Published: February 2018

Throughout its existence, the German Democratic Republic attempted to supplant religious authority and beliefs by promoting awissenschaftliche Weltanschauungthat served as a secular alternative for metaphysical frameworks of understanding and cultural orientation. An integral part of this program of substitution was the Marxist‐Leninist rehabilitation of certain members of the German canon who best embodied the socialist and scientistic potential of the German cultural tradition. As a figure who stood at the forefront of this group, Alexander von Humboldt was reimagined by the East German cultural apparatus as a “spontaneous materialist,” an educator of the masses who fought on the side of the oppressed worldwide. This analysis elucidates the ways in which the East German cultural apparatus appropriated and reconfigured Humboldt to fit its needs, as well as how, more generally, the SED designed and implemented a scientistic worldview that continues to affect and shape culture in eastern Germany today.
A prospective surveillance study of inhibitor development in haemophilia A patients following a population switch to a third‐generation B‐domain‐deleted recombinant factor VIII
Authors: Dubé E. , Bonnefoy A. , Merlen C. , Castilloux J.‐F. , Cloutier S. , Demers C. , Sabapathy C. A. , St‐Louis J. , Vezina C. , Warner M. , Rivard G.‐É.
Published: February 2018

Introduction

Following a provincial tender, most subjects with haemophilia A in Quebec switched their treatment to a third‐generation recombinant B‐domain‐deleted factor VIII (FVIII).

Aim

Our objective was to evaluate the incidence of inhibitor development and FVIII recovery in patients following the switch of factor replacement therapy.

Methods

One hundred and thirty‐five subjects were enrolled and tested for FVIII activity and inhibitors every 6 months during 1 year. Subjects with mild haemophilia A or current inhibitors were excluded. Data on demographics, bleeds and FVIII usage were collected.

Results

A total of 125 switchers and 10 non‐switchers were enrolled. Most subjects had severe haemophilia A (95.6%) and were on prophylaxis (89.6%). Mean FVIII recovery was similar at 0, 6 and 12 months postswitch. Two switchers developed de novo inhibitors in the 6 months postswitch, one of which was transient. No recurrent inhibitor was observed. A small but significant increase in FVIII usage was observed for adult switchers and the whole cohort of switchers and non‐switchers. There was an increase in the annualized bleeding rate (ABR) for non‐joint bleeds for the whole cohort of switchers. However, no significant differences were observed in ABR for joint bleeds.

Conclusion

Our surveillance study shows comparable inhibitor development to similar published studies. A significant increase in FVIII utilization was noted for the whole cohort, switchers and non‐switchers. Lastly, no clinically significant changes were observed in ABR for joint bleeds, but a difference for non‐joint bleed ABRs was observed in switchers.
Role of protein oxidation in the nutritional loss and texture changes in ready‐to‐eat chicken patties
Authors: Ferreira Valquíria C. S. , Morcuende David , Madruga Marta S. , Silva Fábio A. P. , Estévez Mario
Published: February 2018

The oxidative damage to proteins during processing of ready‐to‐eat chicken patties and its impact on the nutritional value and texture properties of the product were assessed. The effect of cooking techniques (boiling, roasting and grilling) and microwave reheating (600 mW per 1 min) after 7 and 14 days of cold storage (+4 °C) were studied. Cooking methods had an effect (P < 0.05) on most protein oxidation parameters, including protein depletion of tryptophan, thiols, protein carbonylation and formation of cross‐links. Overall, the succeeding chilled storage led to an aggravation of the oxidative damage which occurred along with hardness increase and impaired digestibility. Microwave reheating had contradictory effects on protein oxidation parameters. An increase in protein carbonylation occurred along with a cleavage of disulphide bonds that would explain a decrease in hardness. This study illustrates to which extent the oxidative damage to meat proteins affects protein quality and nutritional value of a severely processed meat product. The impact of assorted cooked procedures on these events is also discussed.
Work patterns and gender reproduction in the Talensi small‐scale gold‐mining industry in Ghana: Implications for social welfare policy
Authors: Koomson Elizabeth
Published: February 2018

Although women have access to work in the Talensi small‐scale gold‐mining industry in Ghana, gender inequities persist. This study analyzed these persistent gender differences, taking into consideration implications for social welfare policies. Based on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork, the study examined how work organization in Talensi mining activities affects the values and meanings that influence gender roles. A purposive sampling technique and ethnographic methods, including audio‐taped and semi‐structured interviews and storytelling, were used as tools to collect and analyze the data. Findings show that normative values, symbolic representations, and meaning‐making influence gender roles and practices, which reproduce gender inequities. This study contributes to an understanding of the fundamental issues underlying persistent gender inequities in the Talensi mines that lead to a lack of improvement in women's lives.
Influence of the FSBI Small Research Grants scheme: an analysis and appraisal
Authors: Lyndon A. R.
Published: February 2018

The FSBI Small Research Grants scheme has been running for 25 years, after its initiation during the Society's 25th Anniversary in 1992, while the Wyn Wheeler Grant for retired researchers was started during the 40th Anniversary year. Over this time some £560 000 has been awarded to researchers and it is argued that this has made a disproportionately positive contribution on fish research and researchers as evidenced by journal articles produced as a result of initial FSBI funding and the career trajectories of some recipients. These grants also reflect the international reach of the Society, and the increasing involvement of female researchers in fish research.
Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in the chalk streams of England are genetically unique
Authors: Ikediashi C. , Paris J. R. , King R. A. , Beaumont W. R. C. , Ibbotson A. , Stevens J. R.
Published: February 2018

Recent research has identified genetic groups of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar that show association with geological and environmental boundaries. This study focuses on one particular subgroup of the species inhabiting the chalk streams of southern England, U.K. These fish are genetically distinct from other British and European S. salar populations and have previously demonstrated markedly low admixture with populations in neighbouring regions. The genetic population structure of S. salar occupying five chalk streams was explored using 16 microsatellite loci. The analysis provides evidence of the genetic distinctiveness of chalk‐stream S. salar in southern England, in comparison with populations from non‐chalk regions elsewhere in western Europe. Little genetic differentiation exists between the chalk‐stream populations and a pattern of isolation by distance was evident. Furthermore, evidence of temporal stability of S. salar populations across the five chalk streams was found. This work provides new insights into the temporal stability and lack of genetic population sub‐structuring within a unique component of the species' range of S. salar.
Prevalence of piscine orthoreovirus and salmonid alphavirus in sea‐caught returning adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in northern Norway
Authors: Madhun A S , Isachsen C H , Omdal L M , Einen A C B , Mæhle S , Wennevik V , Niemelä E , Svåsand T , Karlsbakk E
Published: February 2018

Heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) caused by piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) and pancreas disease (PD) caused by salmonid alphavirus (SAV) are among the most prevalent viral diseases of Atlantic salmon farmed in Norway. There are limited data about the impact of disease in farmed salmon on wild salmon populations. Therefore, the prevalence of PRV and SAV in returning salmon caught in six sea sites was determined using real‐time RT‐PCR analyses. Of 419 salmon tested, 15.8% tested positive for PRV, while none were positive for SAV. However, scale reading revealed that 10% of the salmon had escaped from farms. The prevalence of PRV in wild salmon (8%) was significantly lower than in farm escapees (86%), and increased with fish length (proxy for age). Sequencing of the S1 gene of PRV from 39 infected fish revealed a mix of genotypes. The observed increase in PRV prevalence with fish age and the lack of phylogeographic structure of the virus could be explained by virus transmission in the feeding areas. Our results highlight the need for studies about the prevalence of PRV and other pathogens in Atlantic salmon in its oceanic phase.
Assortative Mating and the Intergenerational Transmission of Parental Incarceration Risks
Authors: Andersen Lars Højsgaard
Published: February 2018

Research on the intergenerational transmission of incarceration tends to emphasize the strong association between fathers' involvement with the criminal justice system and sons' behavioral outcomes, such as experiencing incarceration. The father–son association in incarceration risks is, however, not the only mechanism through which these risks may travel across generations. Although female rates of incarceration are generally low (even for women who experienced parental incarceration when they were girls), women could transmit incarceration risks across generations through their choice of partner. This article uses administrative data on three generations in Denmark to show that assortative mating—the nonrandom selection of partners with similar characteristics—indeed make women just as likely as men to transmit incarceration risks across generations.
Parenting in the Context of Deportation Risk
Authors: Berger Cardoso Jodi , Scott Jennifer L. , Faulkner Monica , Barros Lane Liza
Published: February 2018

Nearly 5.1 million children younger than age 18 live with at least one undocumented parent, about 7% of the U.S. child population. Between 2010 and 2013, an estimated 300,000 parents of U.S. citizen children were deported. Raising children in the context of deportation risk increases overall parenting stress for undocumented Latino parents. To investigate this and understand the experience of undocumented parenting, the authors interviewed 70 undocumented parents in two Southwest cities from 2012 to 2013. The authors frame their analysis using the lens of the problem of “illegality.” There are three domains of stressors associated with parenting in the context of deportation risk: trapped parenting, threat of family separation, and altered family processes. The authors discuss these findings in the context of the literature on undocumented families and parenting stress and connect these findings to the current sociopolitical context experienced by Latino families in the United States
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Productivity or Gender? The Impact of Domestic Tasks Across the Wage Distribution
Authors: Cooke Lynn Prince , Hook Jennifer L.
Published: February 2018

This article assesses the wage impact of domestic tasks across women's and men's wage distributions given the cross‐distribution variation in unpaid work time. The productivity–volume versus the gender–class normative argument developed here suggests competing hypotheses. Analyses of pooled 2010–2015 waves of the American Time Use Survey using unconditional quantile regression revealed that an increase in the lesser time women at the top of the wage distribution spent doing routine housework predicted a smaller wage penalty than at the bottom of women's wage distribution. Conversely, men at the top of their wage distribution spent the least time doing routine tasks, but incurred the largest penalty for an increase in that time. Increases in nonroutine housework or child‐care time did not negatively affect the wage distributions of women or most men. Results supported the volume–productivity argument for routine housework among women, but a gender–class normative argument for men.
Targeted Tuition Delivered by Personal Videoconferencing for Students with Mathematical Learning Difficulties
Authors: Kestel Eugénie , Forgasz Helen
Published: February 2018

The effectiveness of an individual, conceptual instruction‐based tuition program delivered by personal videoconferencing (PVC), compared to face‐to‐face (FtF) delivery for 30 upper primary and middle school students with mathematical learning difficulties (MLD), is described in this article. The experimental intervention targeted number sense, conceptual understandings of mathematical operations, and fluency with basic number facts. Results showed that significant improvements were achieved in accuracy on basic number fact tasks and standardized test results for both experimental groups. Implications for students with MLD living regionally and remotely are discussed.
Persistence, Mean Reversion and Nonlinearities in Inflation Rates of Developed and Developing Countries Using Over One Century of Data
Authors: Gil‐Alana Luis Alberiko , Gupta Rangan
Published: February 2018

This study examines inflation over one century of data for 29 countries based on fractional integration incorporating nonlinearities to account for structural breaks and asymmetry in the process of inflation. The results suggest that the degree of persistence is that, while there is evidence of long‐memory behavior in the inflation rates of 17 countries, barring Russia, none of the remaining 28 countries indicate evidence of unit roots. The result implies that monetary authorities in these countries can play a role in controlling inflation, though the extent of intervention required will tend to vary, with the strongest being in Russia.
The influence of genetics, defensive chemistry and the fungal microbiome on disease outcome in whitebark pine trees
Authors: Bullington Lorinda S. , Lekberg Ylva , Sniezko Richard , Larkin Beau
Published: February 2018

The invasive fungal pathogenCronartium ribicolainfects and kills whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) throughout western North America. Whitebark pine has been proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act in the USA, and the loss of this species is predicted to have severe impacts on ecosystem composition and function in high‐elevation forests. Numerous fungal endophytes live inside whitebark pine tissues and may influence the severity ofC. ribicolainfection, either directly by inhibition of pathogen growth or indirectly by the induction of chemical defensive pathways in the tree. Terpenes, a form of chemical defence in pine trees, can also influence disease. In this study, we characterized fungal endophyte communities in whitebark pine seedlings before and after experimental inoculation withC. ribicola, monitored disease progression and compared fungal community composition in susceptible vs. resistant seedlings in a common garden. We analysed the terpene composition of these same seedlings. Seed family identity or maternal genetics influenced both terpenes and endophyte communities. Terpene and endophyte composition correlated with disease severity, and terpene concentrations differed in resistant vs. susceptible seedlings. These results suggest that the resistance toC. ribicolaobserved in natural whitebark pine populations is caused by the combined effects of genetics, endophytes and terpenes within needle tissue, in which initial interactions between microbes and hosts take place. Tree genotype, terpene and microbiome combinations associated with healthy trees could help to predict or reduce disease severity and improve outcomes of future tree breeding programmes.
Case‐control study of end‐of‐life treatment preferences and costs following advance care planning for adults with end‐stage kidney disease
Authors: Sellars Marcus , Morton Rachael L , Clayton Josephine M , Tong Allison , Mawren Daveena , Silvester William , Power David , Ma Ronald , Detering Karen M
Published: February 2018

Aim

The aim of the present study was to examine the efficacy of advance care planning (ACP) to improve the likelihood that end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD) patient’s preferences will be known and adhered to at end‐of‐life.

Methods

A case‐control study of a nurse‐led ACP programme in adults with ESKD from a major tertiary hospital. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients whose preferences were known (by substitute decision maker and/or clinicians) and adhered to by their treating doctors. Secondary measures were health system resource use and costs ($AUD) for a nurse‐led ACP intervention in the last 12‐months of life.

Results

In total, 57 cases (38 men, mean age 73.8 years) and 57 historical controls (38 men, mean age 74.0 years) were included. Cases (38/57, 67%) were significantly more likely than controls (15/57, 26%) to have their preferences known and adhered to by their treating doctor at end‐of‐life (P < 0.001). Cases (33/40, 83%) were also significantly more likely to withdraw from dialysis in accordance with their preferences than controls (11/33, 33%) (P < 0.001). For cases, the average hospital costs in the last 12 months of life was AUD $99 077 (SD = $71 002) per patient. The total cost of the ACP programme in 2010/2011 was AUD $26 821.

Conclusion

Advance care planning was associated with improvements in end‐of‐life care preferences being known and adhered to for people with ESKD.
High levels of genetic diversity in marginal populations of the marsh orchidDactylorhiza majalissubsp.majalis
Authors: Hedrén Mikael , Olofsson Sofie Nordström
Published: February 2018

Because of harsh conditions, suboptimal habitat quality and poor connectivity to other populations, plant populations at the margin of a distribution are expected to be less genetically diverse, but to be more divergent from each other than populations in the centre of a distribution. In northern Europe, northern marginal populations may also be younger than populations further to the south, and may have had less time to accumulate genetic diversity by mutation and gene flow. However, orchids have very small seeds, which are easily dispersed long distances by wind, and orchids are therefore expected to show less differentiation between marginal and central populations than other groups of seed plants. Here, we analysed whether Scandinavian populations of the tetraploid marsh orchidDactylorhiza majalissubsp.majalisdiffer from central European populations in genetic diversity patterns. A total of 220 plants from eight central European and ten Scandinavian populations was examined for variation at five nuclear microsatellite loci, nuclear ITS and 13 polymorphic sites in noncoding regions of the plastid genome. The total genetic diversity was slightly lower in Scandinavia than in central Europe, both in plastid and nuclear markers, but the differences were small. Also, the Scandinavian populations were less diverse and somewhat more strongly differentiated from each other than the central European ones.Dactylorhiza majalissubsp.majalishas apparently colonized Scandinavia on multiple independent occasions and from different source areas in the south. Seed flow between Scandinavian populations has still not fully erased the patterns imprinted by early colonization. Our results suggest that marginal populations of orchids may be as important as central ones in preserving genetic diversity through Pleistocene glacial cycles. We also predict that orchids with their light seeds are better adapted than many other plants to respond to future climate changes by dispersing into new suitable areas.
Genotype and malocclusion in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta
Authors: Jabbour Z. , Al‐Khateeb A. , Eimar H. , Retrouvey J. M. , Rizkallah J. , Glorieux F. H. , Rauch F. , Tamimi F.
Published: February 2018

Structured Abstract

Objects

To investigate the relationship between genotype and severity of malocclusion in osteogenesis imperfecta (OI).

Setting and Sample Population

A total of 49 patients participated in this cross‐sectional study (age range: 5‐19 years; 28 females; diagnoses: OI type I, N = 7; OI type III, N = 11; OI type IV, N = 27; OI type V, N = 2; OI type VI, N = 2).

Materials and Methods

Sequence analysis of COL1A1/COL1A2 and other OI‐related genes was compared to the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR), an index reflecting the severity of malocclusion.

Results

The mutation spectrum was as follows: COL1A1, N = 22; COL1A2, N = 22, IFITM5, N = 2; SERPINF1, N = 2; no mutation detected, N = 1). Compared to patients with COL1A1 mutations, patients with COL1A2 mutations had significantly higher scores for total PAR, anterior cross‐bite, anterior open bite and anteroposterior buccal occlusion. Males with COL1A2 mutations had significantly higher total PAR scores than females (median 36 vs 30, P = .047, Mann‐Whitney test). Exploratory correlation between age and buccal vertical occlusion was noted in patients with COL1A2 mutations (Spearman correlation: r = .46, P = .03, power = .50).

Two patients with OI type V (caused by IFITM5 mutations) had total PAR scores of 44 and 21. Both patients scored high for “segment.” Patients with OI type VI (due to SERPINF1 mutations) scored similar to OI type V for “centreline.” Considerable difference was observed in the total PAR score between the 2 patients with OI type VI. They had total PAR of 43 and 2.

Conclusion

Type of disease‐causing mutation affects the severity of malocclusion in individuals with OI.
Masculinity and husbandry in Joseph Hall's Virgidemiarum
Authors: Sivefors Per
Published: February 2018

Verse satire from Roman times and onward draws extensively on gender stereotypes in its depictions of urban and decadent men. While clearly drawing on such literary traditions, Joseph Hall's Virgidemiarum (1597–98) spans over a wider register in emphasising both rural and urban contexts, and in focusing specifically on aspects of husbandry, pedigree and provision. Rather than being simply classical imitation, the failed men of Hall's satires should be understood from the economic context of early modern masculinity, which constituted manhood in terms of pedigree and providing for one's household. Unlike other Elizabethan satire, which predominantly attacks sexual vice as an urban phenomenon, Virgidemiarum depicts flawed manhood in broader terms of failed husbandry. In doing so, the essay contends, Hall's satires re‐enact changes in social structure and in the conceptions of masculinity at the time.
“It's Definitely a Good Time to Be a Farmer”: Understanding the Changing Dynamics of Successor Creation in Late Modern Society
Authors: Chiswell Hannah M. , Lobley Matt
Published: February 2018

This article considers the implications of the wider systemic shift from modernity to late modernity for the process of intergenerational farm transfer. The article argues that the shift from the collective to the individual, indicative of late modern society, is particularly pertinent in the context of intergenerational transfer, which has long been rooted in collective thinking. Drawing on the perspectives of incumbent farmers and potential successors, the article utilizes results from semistructured interviews with 29 farmers and 19 potential successors in Devon, England. Using a thematic analysis, the article provides a nuanced understanding of the impact of the systemic shift and the associated emphasis on the individual on successor identification. Although the article reaffirms understanding of successor creation as a collective process, determined by factors such as gender and birth order, it also identifies an emergent cohort of younger potential successors, for whom succession was the outcome of an evaluation of farming as a career. It concludes that, within the case study area, modernization is changing the way in which farm children are identifying themselves as “the successor.” The article suggests how this increasingly judicious approach to succession leaves reproduction of the family farm increasingly vulnerable to negative externalities.
Sorted bedforms off Western Long Island, New York, USA: Asymmetrical morphology and twelve‐year migration record
Authors: Liu Shihao , Goff John A. , Flood Roger D. , Christensen Beth , Austin James A.
Published: February 2018

Sorted bedforms are widely present in sediment‐starved littoral and inner shelf settings; they are indicators for hydrodynamic conditions and a primary contributor for the subsurface structure. This study investigated the morphology and migration of sorted bedforms on the inner shelf of Long Beach Barrier Island, New York, USA, by repeat geophysical and geological surveys in 2001, 2005 and 2013 (following superstorm Sandy) involving swath bathymetry, backscatter, chirp seismic reflection data and grab sampling. Swath data revealed that the western sector, comprising the western 75% of the survey region, is dominated by NNE–SSW‐oriented, 0·5 to 1·0 km wide sorted bedforms with highly asymmetrical cross‐sections, with steeper slopes and coarser sands on the eastern (stoss) flanks. Many secondary bedforms were also observed (north–south to north‐east/south‐west oriented lineation structures) at the western edges of coarse sand zones. The eastern sector displays an unusual sorted bedform pattern that is dominated by coarse‐grained substrate, with isolated patches of fine‐grained sands oriented north‐east/south‐west which are 0·15 to 1·0 km in length and ca 30 to 200 m in width, similar in scale and orientation to the secondary bedforms in the western sector. Comparison analysis of the swath data sets indicates that the primary transverse sorted bedform morphology within the western sector was largely stable over this time frame, although the swales were deepened following the storms. The coarse/fine sand boundaries did migrate, however, moving ca 1 to 5 m eastward between 2001 and 2005, and ca 5 to 20 m westward between 2005 and 2013; the higher migration rates (up to 2·5 m year−1) in the latter time period may be attributable to large storm forcing (for example, hurricanes Irene and Sandy). Significant north‐westward migration of the secondary bedforms and coarse sand patches in the western sector, as well as fine sand patches in the eastern sector were also observed; these features are far more mobile than the primary sorted bedforms, possibly because they are fine sand drifts that do not erode into the coarse substrate. Seismic reflection data revealed a transgressive ravinement beneath sorted bedforms, merging with the sea floor at the bottom of swales. The authors hypothesize that long‐term topographic migration of transverse sorted bedforms contributes to the formation and evolution of the ravinement.
Feminist and queer criminology: A vital place for theorizingLGBTQyouth
Authors: Kahle Lindsay
Published: February 2018

Creating safe environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer and/or questioning (LGBTQ) youth has become a significant public health concern. Despite the disparities in the risk factors associated with identifying as a member of the LGBTQ community, the theoretical frameworks for understanding these issues, particularly within criminology, have been limited. The purpose of this work is to review the historical treatment of gender and sexual orientation within criminology. More specifically, this work reviews how gender was introduced into criminology through the work of feminist criminology, followed by the need for theorization that further analyzed sexual orientation. This then became the focus of queer criminology. After tracing the historical development of gender and sexual orientation, the author uses the theoretical foundations of both to show how it applies to recognizing the issues faced by LGBTQ youth. Finally, the author discusses why consideration of these frameworks is paramount in understanding the issues faced by LGBTQ youth, as well as how such consideration and understanding can help mend the existing gap in providing safer environments for LGBTQ youth.
Exploring the case for a national‐scale soil conservation and soil condition framework for evaluating and reporting on environmental and land use policies
Authors: Humphries R. N. , Brazier R. E.
Published: February 2018

It has long been realized that the conservation of soil capital and ecosystem services are of paramount importance, resulting in a growing case for a change in attitude and policymaking in respect of soils. Current UK and EU approaches are risk‐based and focused on measures to manage and remediate the adverse impact of current policies and practices directed at maximizing productivity and profit, rather than one of resource conservation. Increasing soil loss and degradation is evidence that current policy is not working and a new approach is needed. In the UK there is governmental ambition to progress towards natural capital‐led land use policies but, in the absence of a framework to determine the relative condition of the soil resource, the delivery of sustainable soil conservation policies will continue to be inhibited. Common Standards Monitoring (CSM) is an established monitoring and management framework (based on ecosystem structure, function and process) and has been effectively deployed for almost two decades by the UK Government for the monitoring and reporting of key biological and earth science natural capital and ecosystem services from ‘field’ to local, regional and national levels to the European Commission. It is argued that a CSM for soils could be developed for the UK's soil resources as well as for those elsewhere, and would be able to deliver a conservation rather than the current risk‐based approach. It is capable of accommodating the complexities and variation in soil types and functions and potentially being practical and cost‐effective in its implementation.
A new HLA‐DQB1*04 allele, HLA‐DQB1*04:01:05, identified in a Korean individual
Authors: Park B. G. , Oh H.‐B. , Im J. , Yoon C. E. , Kwon O.‐J.
Published: February 2018

HLA‐DQB1*04:01:05 differs from DQB1*04:01:01 by a single nucleotide substitution at codon 30 (TAC>TAT).