bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bending the Arc of Chinese History: The Cultural Revolution's Paradoxical Legacy
Authors: Walder Andrew G.
Published: October 2016

Contrary to its initiators’ intentions, the Cultural Revolution laid political foundations for a transition to a market-oriented economy whilst also creating circumstances that helped to ensure the cohesion and survival of China's Soviet-style party-state. The Cultural Revolution left the Chinese Communist Party and civilian state structures weak and in flux, and drastically weakened entrenched bureaucratic interests that might have blocked market reform. The weakening of central government structures created a decentralized planned economy, the regional and local leaders of which were receptive to initial market-oriented opportunities. The economic and technological backwardness fostered by the Cultural Revolution left little support for maintaining the status quo. Mao put Deng Xiaoping in charge of rebuilding the Party and economy briefly in the mid-1970s before purging him a second time, inadvertently making him the standard-bearer for post-Mao rebuilding and recovery. Mutual animosities with the Soviet Union provoked by Maoist polemics led to a surprising strategic turn to the United States and other Western countries in the early 1970s. The resulting economic and political ties subsequently advanced the agenda of reform and opening. China's first post-Mao decade was therefore one of rebuilding and renewal under a pre-eminent leader who was able to overcome opposition to a new course. The impact of this legacy becomes especially clear when contrasted with the Soviet Union in the 1980s, where political circumstances were starkly different, and where Gorbachev's attempts to implement similar changes in the face of entrenched bureaucratic opposition led to the collapse and dismemberment of the Soviet state.
Whodunnit? Memory and Politics before the 50th Anniversary of the Cultural Revolution
Authors: Weigelin-Schwiedrzik Susanne , Jinke Cui
Published: October 2016

Song Binbin, the daughter of prominent CCP politician Song Renqiong, has long been accused of having played a role in the death of Bian Zhongyun which took place at the Girls' Middle School in Beijing Normal University on 5 August 1966. In January 2014, she publicly apologized for the violence that occurred at her school during the summer of 1966. However, instead of applauding her act of contrition, rebel participants of the Cultural Revolution used the opportunity to criticize the sons and daughters of high-ranking cadres and to try to overturn the 1981 official evaluation of the Cultural Revolution by promoting a positive view of that period in Chinese history. This paper analyses the background, consequences and implications of Song Binbin's apology from a political science cum memory studies perspective. It argues, against the background of a changing political landscape in the People's Republic of China, that the memory of the Cultural Revolution remains a battlefield of divergent memory groups and multiple narratives. In the memory of today, the struggles of the Cultural Revolution have still not come to an end.
The Silent Revolution: Decollectivization from Below during the Cultural Revolution
Authors: Dikötter Frank
Published: October 2016

This article uses fresh archival evidence to point at a rarely noticed phenomenon, namely the undermining of the planned economy by a myriad of dispersed acts of resistance during the last years of the Cultural Revolution. Villagers reconnected with the market in some of the poorest places in the hinterland as well as in better-off regions along the coast. This silent, structural revolution often involved the quiet acquiescence, if not active cooperation, of local cadres. In conclusion, the article suggests that if there was an architect of economic reforms, it was the people and not Deng Xiaoping: as with his counterparts in Central Europe and the Soviet Union, Deng had little choice but to go along with the flow.
Measles, mumps, rubella and VZV: importance of serological testing of vaccine-preventable diseases in young adults living with HIV in Germany
Authors: SCHWARZE-ZANDER C. , DRAENERT R. , LEHMANN C. , STECHER M. , BOESECKE C. , SAMMET S. , WASMUTH J. C. , SEYBOLD U. , GILLOR D. , WIELAND U. , KÜMMERLE T. , STRASSBURG C. P. , MANKERTZ A. , EIS-HÜBINGER A. M. , JÄGER G. , FÄTKENHEUER G. , BOGNER J. R. , ROCKSTROH J. K. , VEHRESCHILD J. J.
Published: October 2016

Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection can cause serious diseases and complications in the HIV-positive population. Due to successful vaccination programmes measles, mumps and congenital rubella syndrome has become neglected in Germany. However, recent outbreaks of measles have occurred from import-associated cases. In this cross-sectional study the serostatus for MMR and VZV in 2013 HIV-positive adults from three different university outpatient clinics in Bonn (n = 544), Cologne (n = 995) and Munich (n = 474) was analysed. Sera were tested for MMR- and VZV-specific immunglobulin G antibodies using commercial immunoassays. Seronegativity was found in 3% for measles, 26% for mumps, 11% for rubella and 2% for VZV. Regarding MMR, 35% of patients lacked seropositivity against at least one infectious agent. In multivariable analysis younger age was strongly associated with seronegativity against all four viruses, measles, mumps, rubella (P < 0·001, P < 0·001 and P = 0·001, respectively) and VZV (P = 0·001). In conclusion, there is high need for MMR and VZV vaccination in people living with HIV in Germany born in 1970 or later. Thus, systematic MMR and VZV antibody screening and vaccination should be implemented in the HIV-positive population to prevent serious disease and complications of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Factors affecting carriage and intensity of infection of Calodium hepaticum within Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) from an urban slum environment in Salvador, Brazil
Authors: WALKER R. , CARVALHO-PEREIRA T. , SERRANO S. , PEDRA G. , HACKER K. , TAYLOR J. , MINTER A. , PERTILE A. , PANTI-MAY A. , CARVALHO M. , SOUZA F. N. , NERY N. , RODRIGUES G. , BAHIENSE T. , REIS M. G. , KO A. I. , CHILDS J. E. , BEGON M. , COSTA F.
Published: October 2016

Urban slum environments in the tropics are conducive to the proliferation and the spread of rodent-borne zoonotic pathogens to humans. Calodium hepaticum (Brancroft, 1893) is a zoonotic nematode known to infect a variety of mammalian hosts, including humans. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are considered the most important mammalian host of C. hepaticum and are therefore a potentially useful species to inform estimates of the risk to humans living in urban slum environments. There is a lack of studies systematically evaluating the role of demographic and environmental factors that influence both carriage and intensity of infection of C. hepaticum in rodents from urban slum areas within tropical regions. Carriage and the intensity of infection of C. hepaticum were studied in 402 Norway rats over a 2-year period in an urban slum in Salvador, Brazil. Overall, prevalence in Norway rats was 83% (337/402). Independent risk factors for C. hepaticum carriage in R. norvegicus were age and valley of capture. Of those infected the proportion with gross liver involvement (i.e. >75% of the liver affected, a proxy for a high level intensity of infection), was low (8%, 26/337). Sixty soil samples were collected from ten locations to estimate levels of environmental contamination and provide information on the potential risk to humans of contracting C. hepaticum from the environment. Sixty percent (6/10) of the sites were contaminated with C. hepaticum. High carriage levels of C. hepaticum within Norway rats and sub-standard living conditions within slum areas may increase the risk to humans of exposure to the infective eggs of C. hepaticum. This study supports the need for further studies to assess whether humans are becoming infected within this community and whether C. hepaticum is posing a significant risk to human health.
Poultry: the most common food in outbreaks with known pathogens, United States, 1998–2012
Authors: CHAI S. J. , COLE D. , NISLER A. , MAHON B. E.
Published: October 2016

As poultry consumption continues to increase worldwide, and as the United States accounts for about one-third of all poultry exports globally, understanding factors leading to poultry-associated foodborne outbreaks in the United States has important implications for food safety. We analysed outbreaks reported to the United States’ Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System from 1998 to 2012 in which the implicated food or ingredient could be assigned to one food category. Of 1114 outbreaks, poultry was associated with 279 (25%), accounting for the highest number of outbreaks, illnesses, and hospitalizations, and the second highest number of deaths. Of the 149 poultry-associated outbreaks caused by a confirmed pathogen, Salmonella enterica (43%) and Clostridium perfringens (26%) were the most common pathogens. Restaurants were the most commonly reported location of food preparation (37% of poultry-associated outbreaks), followed by private homes (25%), and catering facilities (13%). The most commonly reported factors contributing to poultry-associated outbreaks were food-handling errors (64%) and inadequate cooking (53%). Effective measures to reduce poultry contamination, promote safe food-handling practices, and ensure food handlers do not work while ill could reduce poultry-associated outbreaks and illnesses.
Evaluation of the limiting antigen avidity EIA (LAg) in people who inject drugs in Greece
Authors: NIKOLOPOULOS G. K. , KATSOULIDOU A. , KANTZANOU M. , ROKKA C. , TSIARA C. , SYPSA V. , PARASKEVIS D. , PSICHOGIOU M. , FRIEDMAN S. , HATZAKIS A.
Published: October 2016

This analysis assessed the utility of the limiting antigen avidity assay (LAg). Samples of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Greece with documented duration of HIV-1 infection were tested by LAg. A LAg-normalized optical density (ODn) ⩽1·5 corresponds to a recency window period of 130 days. The proportion true recent (PTR) and proportion false recent (PFR) were estimated in 28 seroconverters and in 366 samples collected >6 months after HIV diagnosis, respectively. The association between LAg ODn and HIV RNA level was evaluated in 232 persons. The PTR was 85·7%. The PFR was 20·8% but fell to 5·9% in samples from treatment-naive individuals with long-standing infection (>1 year), and to 0 in samples with the circulating recombinant form CRF35 AD. A LAg-based algorithm with a PFR of 3·3% estimated a similar incidence trend to that calculated by analyses based on HIV-1 seroconversions. In recently infected persons indicated by LAg, the median log10HIV RNA level was high (5·30, interquartile range 4·56–5·90). LAg can help identify highly infectious HIV(+) individuals as it accurately identifies recent infections and is correlated with the HIV RNA level. It can also produce reliable estimates of HIV-1 incidence.
Prevalence and husbandry-related risk factors of myiasis in domestic cavies in the western highlands of Cameroon
Authors: KOUAM M. K. , MEUTCHIEYE F. , MIEGOUE E. , NGUAFACK T. T. , TCHOUMBOUE J. , TEGUIA A
Published: October 2016

The presence of parasites on the farm can be a cause of losses in animal production, and often a threat to public health. A cross-sectional study was carried out in rural areas of the western highlands of Cameroon to determine the prevalence and husbandry-related risk factors associated with Cordylobia anthropophaga infestations in domestic cavies. The overall prevalence of myiasis in animals was 2·80% [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·50–5·10]; myiasis was found in 2% and 4·30% animals in Menoua and Bamboutos divisions, respectively. Eleven farms (8·95%) in total were infested with C. anthropophaga, with 6·41% and 13·34% of farms in the Menoua and Bamboutos divisions, respectively. The relative risk of infestation within each factor showed that the risk of myiasis in animals kept in kitchen compartments without litter was 6·16 times higher (95% CI 1·71–22·29, P = 0·04) than in animals kept in kitchens and house floors. Despite the low prevalence, the burden of cordylobiasis needs to be assessed. It is assumed that the risk of humans acquiring the disease is higher in farmers keeping cavies in kitchen compartments without litter. Farmers need to be educated on control measures to reduce the risk of infestation, which include both sanitation and medical (larvae extraction) measures.
Sexual size dimorphism, spatial segregation and sex-biased bycatch of southern and northern royal albatrosses in pelagic longline fisheries
Authors: Jiménez Sebastián , Domingo Andrés , Brazeiro Alejandro , Defeo Omar , Abreu Martin , Forselledo Rodrigo , Phillips Richard A.
Published: October 2016

Bycatch in longline fisheries is a major contributor to the global decline of albatrosses. Sexual segregation at sea often leads to unequal overlap with different fisheries, resulting in sex-biased bycatch, exacerbating the impact on a population level. In great albatrosses (Diomedeaspp.), males (the larger sex) tend to spend more time at higher latitudes than females, attributed to competitive exclusion or differences in flight performance mediated by the pronounced sexual size dimorphism (SSD). Consequently, larger numbers of females are bycaught in pelagic longline fisheries in subtropical and temperate areas. Although this has been shown forDiomedea exulans, it has not been confirmed for all great albatross species. Here we examined the degree of SSD and developed discriminant functions to determine species and sex inD. epomophoraandD. sanfordi; species that are often killed in several fisheries in the Southern Hemisphere. Based on a large sample of albatrosses bycaught off Uruguay, both species showed substantial SSD. Discriminant functions assigned species and sex to otherwise indeterminate individuals with 90–100% accuracy. Based on all birds identified (n=128), bycatch in the pelagic longline fishery was female-biased, indicating sexual segregation at sea. The discriminant functions presented enable species and sex to be identified, providing critical data for future bycatch assessments.
A note on waveless subcritical flow past symmetric bottom topography
Authors: HOLMES R. J. , HOCKING G. C.
Published: October 2016

This paper re-examines the problem of the flow of a fluid of finite depth over two Gaussian-shaped obstructions on the stream bed. A weakly nonlinear analysis in the form of the Korteweg–de Vries equation is used to compare with the results of the fully nonlinear problem. The main focus is to find waveless subcritical solutions, and contours showing the obstruction height and separation values that result in waveless solutions are found for different Froude numbers and different obstruction widths.
Influence of personality on depression, burden, and health-related quality of life in family caregivers of persons with dementia
Authors: Kim Sun Kyung , Park Myonghwa , Lee Yunhwan , Choi Seong Hye , Moon So Young , Seo Sang Won , Park Kyung Won , Ku Bon D. , Han Hyun Jeong , Park Kee Hyung , Han Seol-Heui , Kim Eun-Joo , Lee Jae-Hong , Park Sun A. , Shim Yong S. , Kim Jong Hun , Hong Chang Hyung , Na Duk L. , Ye Byoung Seok , Kim Hee Jin , Moon Yeonsil
Published: October 2016

Background:

Personality may predispose family caregivers to experience caregiving differently in similar situations and influence the outcomes of caregiving. A limited body of research has examined the role of some personality traits for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among family caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD) in relation to burden and depression.

Methods:

Data from a large clinic-based national study in South Korea, the Caregivers of Alzheimer's Disease Research (CARE), were analyzed (N = 476). Path analysis was performed to explore the association between family caregivers’ personality traits and HRQoL. With depression and burden as mediating factors, direct and indirect associations between five personality traits and HRQoL of family caregivers were examined.

Results:

Results demonstrated the mediating role of caregiver burden and depression in linking two personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) and HRQoL. Neuroticism and extraversion directly and indirectly influenced the mental HRQoL of caregivers. Neuroticism and extraversion only indirectly influenced their physical HRQoL. Neuroticism increased the caregiver's depression, whereas extraversion decreased it. Neuroticism only was mediated by burden to influence depression and mental and physical HRQoL.

Conclusions:

Personality traits can influence caregiving outcomes and be viewed as an individual resource of the caregiver. A family caregiver's personality characteristics need to be assessed for tailoring support programs to get the optimal benefits from caregiver interventions.
Surface and Mechanical Characterization of Dental Yttria-Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystals (3Y-TZP) After Different Aging Processes
Authors: Pinto Palena A. , Colas Guillaume , Filleter Tobin , De Souza Grace M.
Published: October 2016

Yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP) is a ceramic material used in indirect dental restorations. However, phase transformation at body temperature may compromise the material’s mechanical properties, affecting the clinical performance of the restoration. The effect of mastication on 3Y-TZP aging has not been investigated. 3Y-TZP specimens (IPS E-max ZirCAD and Z5) were aged in three different modes (n=13): no aging (control), hydrothermal aging (HA), or chewing simulation (CS). Mechanical properties and surface topography were analyzed. Analysis of variance showed that neither aging protocol (p=0.692) nor material (p=0.283) or the interaction between them (p=0.216) had a significant effect on flexural strength, values ranged from 928.8 MPa (IPSHA) to 1,080.6 MPa (Z5HA). Nanoindentation analysis showed that material, aging protocol, and the interaction between them had a significant effect (p<0.001) on surface hardness and reduced Young’s modulus. The compositional analysis revealed similar yttrium content for all the experimental conditions (aging: p=0.997; material: p=0.248; interaction material×aging: p=0.720). Atomic force microscopy showed an effect of aging protocols on phase transformation, with samples submitted to CS exhibiting features compatible with maximized phase transformation, such as increased volume of the material microstructure at the surface leading to an increase in surface roughness.
RACE AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
Authors: Schulz Amy J. , Mentz Graciela B. , Sampson Natalie , Ward Melanie , Anderson Rhonda , de Majo Ricardo , Israel Barbara A. , Lewis Toby C. , Wilkins Donele
Published: October 2016

Since W. E. B. Du Bois documented the physical and social environments of Philadelphia’s predominantly African American Seventh Ward over a century ago, there has been continued interest in understanding the distribution of social and physical environments by racial make-up of communities. Characterization of these environments allows for documentation of inequities, identifies communities which encounter heightened risk, and can inform action to promote health equity. In this paper, we apply and extend Du Bois’s approach to examine the contemporary distribution of physical environmental exposures, health risks, and social vulnerabilities in the Detroit metropolitan area, one of the most racially-segregated areas in the United States. We begin by mapping the proximity of sensitive populations to hazardous land uses, their exposure to air pollutants and associated health risks, and social vulnerabilities, as well as cumulative risk (combined proximity, exposure, and vulnerability), across Census tracts. Next, we assess, quantitatively, the extent to which communities of color experience excess burdens of environmental exposures and associated health risks, economic and age-related vulnerabilities, and cumulative risk. The results, depicted in maps presented in the paper, suggest that Census tracts with greater proportions of people of color disproportionately encounter physical environmental exposures, socioeconomic vulnerabilities, and combined risk. Quantitative tests of inequality confirm these distributions, with statistically greater exposures, vulnerabilities, and cumulative risk in Census tracts with larger proportions of people of color. Together, these findings identify communities that experience disproportionate cumulative risk in the Detroit metropolitan area and quantify the inequitable distribution of risk by Census tract relative to the proportion of people of color. They identify clear opportunities for prioritizing communities for legislative, regulatory, policy, and local actions to promote environmental justice and health equity.
THE LONG-TERM DYNAMICS OF RACIAL/ETHNIC INEQUALITY IN NEIGHBORHOOD AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE, 1990-2009
Authors: Kravitz-Wirtz Nicole , Crowder Kyle , Hajat Anjum , Sass Victoria
Published: October 2016

Research examining racial/ethnic disparities in pollution exposure often relies on cross-sectional data. These analyses are largely insensitive to exposure trends and rarely account for broader contextual dynamics. To provide a more comprehensive assessment of racial-environmental inequality over time, we combine the 1990 to 2009 waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) with spatially- and temporally-resolved measures of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in respondents’ neighborhoods, as well as census data on the characteristics of respondents’ metropolitan areas. Results based on multilevel repeated measures models indicate that Blacks and Latinos are, on average, more likely to be exposed to higher levels of NO2, PM2.5, and PM10 than Whites. Despite nationwide declines in levels of pollution over time, racial and ethnic disparities persist and cannot be fully explained by individual-, household-, or metropolitan-level factors.
MULTIETHNIC NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE GROUND
Authors: Walton Emily , Hardebeck Mae
Published: October 2016

As our nation and our neighborhoods increasingly diversify, we should understand how to sustain integrated communities that are equally beneficial for all residents. Though our policies encourage diversity as a theoretical social good, we actually know little about what happens on the ground in multiethnic neighborhoods. We conduct a comparative case study of the only two Boston neighborhoods to have maintained at least 10% representation of four racial and ethnic groups over the past two decades. Using survey data and ethnographic field observations, we examine residents’ experiences in these two consistently multiethnic, yet very different, neighborhoods. We find that neighborhood socioeconomic and racial inequality and disadvantage matter for residents’ access to neighborhood resources and constraints, and their perceptions of sense of community. Notably, in the highly unequal South End, Whites and homeowners have greater access to amenities and have higher perceptions of sense of community in comparison to racial and ethnic minorities and renters. Socioeconomic disadvantage matters in Fields Corner, as evidenced by lower overall perceptions of sense of community and greater exposure to safety concerns among all groups in this neighborhood compared to residents of the South End. In the end, we argue that having multiple groups simply sharing neighborhood space over a stable period is not enough to overcome the social problems associated with residential segregation and isolation. In order to support equitable neighborhood integration amid the changing face of diversity, we should take cues from “diverse by direction” neighborhood models that include active organization and coalition building among dissimilar racial and ethnic groups.
BASICS INEQUALITY
Authors: Gasteyer Stephen P. , Lai Jennifer , Tucker Brittany , Carrera Jennifer , Moss Julius
Published: October 2016

In light of 2014–2016 media coverage about the inadequate water and sanitation services for households in places like Flint and Detroit, Michigan and the Central Valley of California, this paper asks whether places with majority non-White residents in the United States disproportionately lack access to these most basic of services. Investigating this issue through the combined lenses of structural racism, environmental justice, and the human right to water and sanitation, we analyze U.S. Census American Community Survey household data at the county level. Our findings indicate strong White versus non-White racial effects at the national and county levels (R2= 0.0462, P < 0.05). When the non-White population is broken down into racial categories, places with higher percentages of American Indians and Alaska Native households are significantly associated with lack of access to complete plumbing facilities. Lacking access to complete plumbing does correlate with lower educational attainment and higher percentages of unemployment, and less robustly, it also correlates positively with median household income. The implication is the existence of a pattern of structural environmental racism in terms of the practical accessibility of water and sanitation infrastructure. We suspect, however, that the U.S. Census, while considered the most comprehensive national data source on this issue right now, significantly undercounts those lacking access to water and sanitation services. We argue that better data will be essential in order to carry out a more in-depth analysis of water access conditions and to develop strategies that address this issue of growing importance.
Information for mental health systems: an instrument for policy-making and system service quality
Authors: Lora A. , Lesage A. , Pathare S. , Levav I.
Published: October 2016

Aims.

Information is crucial in mental healthcare, yet it remains undervalued by stakeholders. Its absence undermines rationality in planning, makes it difficult to monitor service quality improvement, impedes accountability and human rights monitoring. For international organizations (e.g., WHO, OECD), information is indispensable for achieving better outcomes in mental health policies, services and programs. This article reviews the importance of developing system level information with reference to inputs, processes and outputs, analyzes available tools for collecting and summarizing information, highlights the various goals of information gathering, discusses implementation issues and charts the way forward.

Methods.

Relevant publications and research were consulted, including WHO studies that purport to promote the use of information systems to upgrade mental health care in high- and low-middle income countries.

Results.

Studies have shown that once information has been collected by relevant systems and analyzed through indicator schemes, it can be put to many uses. Monitoring mental health services, represents a first step in using information. In addition, studies have noted that information is a prime resource in many other areas such as evaluation of quality of care against evidence based standards of care. Services data may support health services research where it is possible to link mental health data with other health and non-health databases. Information systems are required to carefully monitor involuntary admissions, restrain and seclusion, to reduce human rights violations in care facilities. Information has been also found useful for policy makers, to monitor the implementation of policies, to evaluate their impact, to rationally allocate funding and to create new financing models.

Conclusions.

Despite its manifold applications, Information systems currently face many problems such as incomplete recording, poor data quality, lack of timely reporting and feedback, and limited application of information. Corrective action is needed to upgrade data collection in outpatient facilities, to improve data quality, to establish clear rules and norms, to access adequate information technology equipment and to train health care personnel in data collection. Moreover, it is necessary to shift from mere administrative data collection to analysis, dissemination and use by relevant stakeholders and to develop a “culture of information” to dismantle the culture of intuition and mere tradition. Clinical directors, mental health managers, patient and family representatives, as well as politicians should be educated to operate with information and not just intuition.
Population viability analysis on a native Danish cattle breed
Authors: Hertz Morten , Jensen Iben Ravnborg , Jensen Laura Østergaard , Nielsen Iben Vejrum , Winde Jacob , Stronen Astrid Vik , Kristensen Torsten Nygaard , Pertoldi Cino
Published: October 2016

Many domestic breeds face challenges concerning genetic variability, because of their small population sizes along with a high risk of inbreeding. Therefore, it is important to obtain knowledge on their extinction risk, along with the possible benefits of certain breeding strategies. Since many domestic breeds face the same problems, results from such studies can be applied across breeds and species. Here a Population Viability Analysis (PVA) was implemented to simulate the future probability of extinction for a population of the endangered Danish Jutland cattle (Bos taurus), based on the software Vortex. A PVA evaluates the extinction risk of a population by including threats and demographic values. According to the results from the PVA the population will go extinct after 122 years with the current management. Four scenarios were created to investigate which changes in the breeding scheme would have the largest effect on the survival probabilities, including Scenario 1: More females in the breeding pool, scenario 2: More males in the breeding pool, scenario 3: Increased carrying capacity, and scenario 4: Supplementing males to the population through artificial insemination using semen from bulls used in the populations in past generations. All scenarios showed a positive effect on the population's probability of survival, and with a combination of the different scenarios, the population size seems to be stabilized.
Genetic relationships of indigenous goats reared by pastoralists in Kenya based on mitochondria D-loop sequence
Authors: Githui E.K. , Kibegwa F.M. , Kamau J.M. , Mutura S.K. , Okwany Z.A. , Ngigi D.M. , Mwangi E.W.
Published: October 2016

Kenya indigenous goat breeds (Capra hircus) have not been accurately described. Therefore, there is threat of erosion of unique genotypes such as those associated with adaptability and disease resistance, through indiscriminate crossbreeding. The Kenyan goats classification based on phenotype/morphology identifies three breeds: Small East African (SEA) goats, the Galla goat and crosses of SEA and the Galla. In the present study, we sampled goats from two main geographic regions of Kenya with pastoralist communities, the Maasai and Somali/Boran. DNA was extracted from whole blood and polymerase chain reaction amplified using primers flanking a fragment of Cytocrome-b and D-loop regions of mitochondria DNA. The sequences derived were analysed both within Kenya goat populations and also compared with phylogeographic-related datasets. These data show that the majority of Kenyan indigenous goats are not distinct and their genetic structure is very diverse; however, distinct haplogroups were present. Genetic diversity showed weak positive in Tajima D test for Kenyan indigenous goats, while the Iberian/Mediterranean/Middle-East dataset had a more pronounced negative value indicating that the two populations are under different selection pressure. These analyses enabled phylogenetic relationships between and within species and the comparisons of local goats to related breeds geographically. The information can be applied management of conservation-guided breeding programmes by crossing the indigenous breed's unique genes with high productivity traits from another source.
Lernstrategiewissen im Bereich Englisch
Authors: Neuenhaus Nora , Artelt Cordula , Schneider Wolfgang
Published: October 2016

Zusammenfassung. Sowohl die Kenntnis von Strategien als auch das Wissen über ihre situations- und aufgabenadäquate Anwendung spielen eine bedeutende Rolle beim Erwerb von Wissen und Fähigkeiten. Lernstrategiewissen wird in Auseinandersetzung mit einem konkreten Gegenstandsbereich erworben. Zur Untersuchung der Entwicklung des Lernstrategiewissens im Bereich Englisch wurde ein bereichsspezifisches Testverfahren für Schülerinnen und Schüler der 5. – 7. Klasse entwickelt und mittels einer Expertenbefragung geprüft. Im Rahmen einer Pilotierungsstudie mit 398 Teilnehmenden der 5. und 6. Jahrgangstufe erwiesen sich die psychometrischen Eigenschaften des Tests als zufriedenstellend. Zudem ließen sich Annahmen zur inhaltlichen Validität prüfen und bestätigen. Inzwischen liegen Befunde aus einer Längsschnittuntersuchung (5. – 7. Klasse) mit vier Messzeitpunkten vor (N = 835), die eine Stabilität des gemessenen Konstruktes sowie die faktorielle Validität belegen. Analysen zeitverzögerter Effekte des Lernstrategiewissens auf die Englischleistung weisen auf die Prädiktivität des erfassten Wissensbereichs hin und belegen seine Relevanz für die Leistung.
Umgang mit Itempositionseffekten bei der Entwicklung computerisierter adaptiver Tests
Authors: Frey Andreas , Bernhardt Raphael , Born Sebastian
Published: October 2016

Zusammenfassung. Beim computerisierten adaptiven Testen (CAT) werden geschätzte Itemparameter als bekannt und gültig für alle möglichen Darbietungspositionen im Test angesehen. Diese Annahme ist jedoch problematisch, da sich geschätzte Itemparameter empirisch wiederholt als abhängig von der Darbietungsposition erwiesen haben. Die Nichtbeachtung existierender Itempositionseffekte würde zu suboptimaler Itemauswahl und verzerrter Merkmalsschätzung bei CAT führen. Als Lösungsansatz wird ein einfaches Vorgehen zum Umgang mit Itempositionseffekten bei der CAT-Kalibrierung vorgeschlagen. Hierbei werden Item-Response-Theorie-Modelle mit zunehmender Komplexität bezüglich der Modellierung von Itempositionseffekten geschätzt und das angemessenste Modell aufgrund globaler Modellgeltungskriterien ausgewählt. Das Vorgehen wird an einem empirischen Datensatz aus der Kalibrierung von drei adaptiven Tests (N = 1 632) illustriert. Es zeigten sich Itempositionseffekte, die unterschiedlich differenziert in den einzelnen Tests ausfielen. Durch die Modellierung der Itempositionseffekte wird eine Überschätzung von Varianz und Reliabilität vermieden. Die Nutzung der ermittelten Itempositionseffekte bei nachfolgenden CAT-Anwendungen wird erläutert.
Developing a Remote Sensing System to Track Marine Debris
Authors: Maximenko Nikolai , Chao Yi , Moller Delwyn
Published: October 2016

Workshop on Mission Concepts for Marine Debris Sensing; Honolulu, Hawaii, 19–21 January 2016
Multi-omic data integration enables discovery of hidden biological regularities
Authors: Ebrahim Ali , Brunk Elizabeth , Tan Justin , O'Brien Edward J. , Kim Donghyuk , Szubin Richard , Lerman Joshua A. , Lechner Anna , Sastry Anand , Bordbar Aarash , Feist Adam M. , Palsson Bernhard O.
Published: October 2016

Rapid growth in size and complexity of biological data sets has led to the ‘Big Data to Knowledge’ challenge. We develop advanced data integration methods for multi-level analysis of genomic, transcriptomic, ribosomal profiling, proteomic and fluxomic data. First, we show that pairwise integration of primary omics data reveals regularities that tie cellular processes together inEscherichia coli: the number of protein molecules made per mRNA transcript and the number of ribosomes required per translated protein molecule. Second, we show that genome-scale models, based on genomic and bibliomic data, enable quantitative synchronization of disparate data types. Integrating omics data with models enabled the discovery of two novel regularities: condition invariantin vivoturnover rates of enzymes and the correlation of protein structural motifs and translational pausing. These regularities can be formally represented in a computable format allowing for coherent interpretation and prediction of fitness and selection that underlies cellular physiology.
Carbon nanotubes allow capture of krypton, barium and lead for multichannel biological X-ray fluorescence imaging
Authors: Serpell Christopher J. , Rutte Reida N. , Geraki Kalotina , Pach Elzbieta , Martincic Markus , Kierkowicz Magdalena , De Munari Sonia , Wals Kim , Raj Ritu , Ballesteros Belén , Tobias Gerard , Anthony Daniel C. , Davis Benjamin G.
Published: October 2016

The desire to study biology in situ has been aided by many imaging techniques. Among these, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping permits observation of elemental distributions in a multichannel manner. However, XRF imaging is underused, in part, because of the difficulty in interpreting maps without an underlying cellular ‘blueprint’; this could be supplied using contrast agents. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be filled with a wide range of inorganic materials, and thus can be used as ‘contrast agents’ if biologically absent elements are encapsulated. Here we show that sealed single-walled CNTs filled with lead, barium and even krypton can be produced, and externally decorated with peptides to provide affinity for sub-cellular targets. The agents are able to highlight specific organelles in multiplexed XRF mapping, and are, in principle, a general and versatile tool for this, and other modes of biological imaging.
The uronic acid content of coccolith-associated polysaccharides provides insight into coccolithogenesis and past climate
Authors: Lee Renee B. Y. , Mavridou Despoina A. I. , Papadakos Grigorios , McClelland Harry L. O. , Rickaby Rosalind E. M.
Published: October 2016

Unicellular phytoplanktonic algae (coccolithophores) are among the most prolific producers of calcium carbonate on the planet, with a production of ∼1026coccoliths per year. During their lith formation, coccolithophores mainly employ coccolith-associated polysaccharides (CAPs) for the regulation of crystal nucleation and growth. These macromolecules interact with the intracellular calcifying compartment (coccolith vesicle) through the charged carboxyl groups of their uronic acid residues. Here we report the isolation of CAPs from modern day coccolithophores and their prehistoric predecessors and we demonstrate that their uronic acid content (UAC) offers a species-specific signature. We also show that there is a correlation between the UAC of CAPs and the internal saturation state of the coccolith vesicle that, for most geologically abundant species, is inextricably linked to carbon availability. These findings suggest that the UAC of CAPs reports on the adaptation of coccolithogenesis to environmental changes and can be used for the estimation of past CO2concentrations.
Biotic and abiotic controls on co-occurring nitrogen cycling processes in shallow Arctic shelf sediments
Authors: McTigue N. D. , Gardner W. S. , Dunton K. H. , Hardison A. K.
Published: October 2016

The processes that convert bioavailable inorganic nitrogen to inert nitrogen gas are prominent in continental shelf sediments and represent a critical global sink, yet little is known of these pathways in the Arctic where 18% of the world’s continental shelves are located. Moreover, few data from the Arctic exist that separate loss processes like denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) from recycling pathways like dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) or source pathways like nitrogen fixation. Here we present measurements of these co-occurring processes using 15N tracers. Denitrification was heterogeneous among stations and an order of magnitude greater than anammox and DNRA, while nitrogen fixation was undetectable. No abiotic factors correlated with interstation variability in biogeochemical rates; however, bioturbation potential explained most of the variation. Fauna-enhanced denitrification is a potentially important but overlooked process on Arctic shelves and highlights the role of the Arctic as a significant global nitrogen sink.
Wnt and Neuregulin1/ErbB signalling extends 3D culture of hormone responsive mammary organoids
Authors: Jardé Thierry , Lloyd-Lewis Bethan , Thomas Mairian , Kendrick Howard , Melchor Lorenzo , Bougaret Lauriane , Watson Peter D. , Ewan Kenneth , Smalley Matthew J. , Dale Trevor C.
Published: October 2016

The development of in vitro culture systems quantitatively and qualitatively recapitulating normal breast biology is key to the understanding of mammary gland biology. Current three-dimensional mammary culture systems have not demonstrated concurrent proliferation and functional differentiation ex vivo in any system for longer than 2 weeks. Here, we identify conditions including Neuregulin1 and R-spondin 1, allowing maintenance and expansion of mammary organoids for 2.5 months in culture. The organoids comprise distinct basal and luminal compartments complete with functional steroid receptors and stem/progenitor cells able to reconstitute a complete mammary gland in vivo. Alternative conditions are also described that promote enrichment of basal cells organized into multiple layers surrounding a keratinous core, reminiscent of structures observed in MMTV-Wnt1 tumours. These conditions comprise a unique tool that should further understanding of normal mammary gland development, the molecular mechanism of hormone action and signalling events whose deregulation leads to breast tumourigenesis.
A robust gene-stacking method utilizing yeast assembly for plant synthetic biology
Authors: Shih Patrick M. , Vuu Khanh , Mansoori Nasim , Ayad Leïla , Louie Katherine B. , Bowen Benjamin P. , Northen Trent R. , Loqué Dominique
Published: October 2016

The advent and growth of synthetic biology has demonstrated its potential as a promising avenue of research to address many societal needs. However, plant synthetic biology efforts have been hampered by a dearth of DNA part libraries, versatile transformation vectors and efficient assembly strategies. Here, we describe a versatile system (named jStack) utilizing yeast homologous recombination to efficiently assemble DNA into plant transformation vectors. We demonstrate how this method can facilitate pathway engineering of molecules of pharmaceutical interest, production of potential biofuels and shuffling of disease-resistance traits between crop species. Our approach provides a powerful alternative to conventional strategies for stacking genes and traits to address many impending environmental and agricultural challenges.
AtSWEET13 and AtSWEET14 regulate gibberellin-mediated physiological processes
Authors: Kanno Yuri , Oikawa Takaya , Chiba Yasutaka , Ishimaru Yasuhiro , Shimizu Takafumi , Sano Naoto , Koshiba Tomokazu , Kamiya Yuji , Ueda Minoru , Seo Mitsunori
Published: October 2016

Transmembrane transport of plant hormones is required for plant growth and development. Despite reports of a number of proteins that can transport the plant hormone gibberellin (GA), the mechanistic basis for GA transport and the identities of the transporters involved remain incomplete. Here, we provide evidence that Arabidopsis SWEET proteins, AtSWEET13 and AtSWEET14, which are members of a family that had previously been linked to sugar transport, are able to mediate cellular GA uptake when expressed in yeast and oocytes. A double sweet13 sweet14 mutant has a defect in anther dehiscence and this phenotype can be reversed by exogenous GA treatment. In addition, sweet13 sweet14 exhibits altered long distant transport of exogenously applied GA and altered responses to GA during germination and seedling stages. These results suggest that AtSWEET13 and AtSWEET14 may be involved in modulating GA response in Arabidopsis.
In vivo correction of anaemia in β-thalassemic mice by γPNA-mediated gene editing with nanoparticle delivery
Authors: Bahal Raman , Ali McNeer Nicole , Quijano Elias , Liu Yanfeng , Sulkowski Parker , Turchick Audrey , Lu Yi-Chien , Bhunia Dinesh C. , Manna Arunava , Greiner Dale L. , Brehm Michael A. , Cheng Christopher J. , López-Giráldez Francesc , Ricciardi Adele , Beloor Jagadish , Krause Diane S. , Kumar Priti , Gallagher Patrick G. , Braddock Demetrios T. , Mark Saltzman W. , Ly Danith H. , Glazer Peter M.
Published: October 2016

The blood disorder, β-thalassaemia, is considered an attractive target for gene correction. Site-specific triplex formation has been shown to induce DNA repair and thereby catalyse genome editing. Here we report that triplex-forming peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) substituted at the γ position plus stimulation of the stem cell factor (SCF)/c-Kit pathway yielded high levels of gene editing in haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in a mouse model of human β-thalassaemia. Injection of thalassemic mice with SCF plus nanoparticles containing γPNAs and donor DNAs ameliorated the disease phenotype, with sustained elevation of blood haemoglobin levels into the normal range, reduced reticulocytosis, reversal of splenomegaly and up to 7% β-globin gene correction in HSCs, with extremely low off-target effects. The combination of nanoparticle delivery, next generation γPNAs and SCF treatment may offer a minimally invasive treatment for genetic disorders of the blood that can be achieved safely and simply by intravenous administration.
Efficacy and safety of levodopa–carbidopa intestinal gel from a study in Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean advanced Parkinson’s disease patients
Authors: Murata Miho , Mihara Masahito , Hasegawa Kazuko , Jeon Beomseok , Tsai Chon-Haw , Nishikawa Noriko , Oeda Tomoko , Yokoyama Masayuki , Robieson Weining Z , Ryman Davis , Eaton Susan , Chatamra Krai , Benesh Janet
Published: October 2016

In a previous multinational, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy study, levodopa–carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) was tolerable and significantly improved ‘off’ time in advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. However, efficacy and safety in the Asian population has not yet been demonstrated. In this open-label study, efficacy and safety of LCIG were assessed in Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese advanced PD patients with motor complications not adequately controlled by available PD medication. The patients were treated with LCIG monotherapy for 12 weeks. The primary end point was the mean change from baseline to week 12 in ‘off’ time, as reported in the PD Symptom Diary, normalized to a 16 h waking day and analyzed by a mixed-model repeated-measures analysis. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Thirty-one patients were enrolled (23 Japanese, 4 Taiwanese, 4 Korean) and 28 (90%) completed the study. For those who completed the study, the mean (s.d.) total daily levodopa dose from LCIG was 1,206.3 (493.6) mg/day at final visit (n=28); last observation carried forward (n=30) was 1,227.6 (482.8) mg/day. There was a significant mean change (s.d.) of −4.6 (3.0) hours of ‘off’ time from baseline (mean (s.d.)=7.4 (2.3)) to week 12 (n=29), P<0.001. All the patients had an AE, with the most frequently reported being incision site pain (42%); 1 (3.2%) discontinued treatment because of an AE and later died because of sepsis, which the investigator considered unrelated to LCIG treatment. These results suggest that LCIG is efficacious and tolerable in Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean advanced PD patients.