bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance Factors in a Mountain Ultramarathon
Authors: Balducci Pascal , Clémençon Michel , Trama Robin , Blache Yoann , Hautier Christophe
Published: August 2017

This study aimed to determine mountain ultra-marathon (MUM) performance factors in a large group of endurance mountain runners. Maximal aerobic speed (MAS) was assessed one week prior to the MUM. The level and graded (10%) energy cost of running, stiffness, knee extensors force (KEf), and jump height on a counter movement jump (CMJ) were measured in 24 male ultra runners before (pre) and immediately after (post) the Interlacs Trail (75 km and 3 930/3 700 m d+/d−). Performance time was correlated with MAS (r=− 0.74, p<0.001), fraction of MAS (FMAS) sustained (r=− 0.89, p<0.001), KEf (r=− 0.51, p<0.05), and KEf loss (r=− 0.51, p<0.05). A multiple regression analysis was performed using performance time in minutes (T) and the calculated individual characteristics, resulting in T=− 11.852×FMAS−37.195×MAS−0.118×KEf+2090.581 (R2=0.98, with 95% confidence interval). Contrary to expectations, performance was neither correlated to the level or uphill energy cost of running nor to the changes of these costs post-MUM. To perform in a MUM, training should take into account muscle strength of the KE, MAS and FMAS.
Osteopathische Therapie bei manifestem Diabetes Typ 2
Authors: Mahler Renate
Published: August 2017

Der Diabetes Typ 2 ist eine derWohlstandserkrankungen unserer Zeit. In diesem Beitrag werden die pathophysiologischen Zusammenhänge und
Risikofaktoren dieser Erkrankung dargestellt. Osteopathische Behandlungsansätze werden unter Berücksichtigung anatomischer Gegebenheiten
erläutert und die besondere Bedeutung der ganzheitlichen Begleitung von betroffenen Patienten wird dargestellt.
Funktionelle Beschwerden des respiratorischen Systems
Authors: Junge Martin
Published: August 2017

Alles nur heiße Luft? Mitnichten. Neben dem Herzschlag und der Verdauung ist die Fähigkeit zu atmen eine grundlegende Voraussetzung unseres
Lebens. Bleibt uns sprichwörtlich „die Luft weg", reagieren wir ganz natürlich und automatisch mit ängstlichen, mitunter sogar panischen
Zuständen.

Eine veränderte Atmung und ein veränderter Atemablauf haben weitereichende Folgen für den Rest des Körpers und das Wohlbefinden des
Patienten. Die wachsende Zahl von Patienten mit Asthma stellt eine große Herausforderung für Ärzte und Therapeuten dar. Eine dauerhafte
Einnahme von Medikamenten ist ebenfalls mit Folgen für den gesamten Körper verbunden; osteopathische Methoden in die Therapie zu
integrieren, ist deshalb sinnvoll.

Dieser Artikel soll die Zusammenhänge zwischen dem parietalen und respiratorischen System darstellen und mögliche Folgen einer veränderten
Atmung aufzeigen. Ebenso werden vegetative Einflüsse und Behandlungsansätze einer osteopathischen Intervention eingebunden, nachdem die
Physiologie der Atmung und die Pathophysiologie des Asthma bronchiale beleuchtet wurden.
Life in the small intestine: the forgotten microbiome?
Authors: Shanahan Erin R , Holtmann Gerald , Morrison Mark
Published: August 2017

The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota is now widely accepted to be an important modulator of our health and well-being. The microbes colonising the GI tract aid in promoting gut and immune homeostasis, while alterations in the composition and/or density of these microbes, often referred to as dysbiosis, have been implicated in many intestinal and extra-intestinal disorders. As a result, the GI microbiota is of increasing interest as a therapeutic target. This is particularly the case in the context of GI disorders linked to chronic inflammation of the mucosa. In this article, we focus on the small intestinal microbiota, which in many senses can be considered the ‘forgotten' gut microbiome.
Prediction of delayed retention of antibodies in hydrophobic interaction chromatography from sequence using machine learning
Authors: Jain Tushar , Boland Todd , Lilov Asparouh , Burnina Irina , Brown Michael , Xu Yingda , Vásquez Maximiliano
Published: August 2017

Motivation

The hydrophobicity of a monoclonal antibody is an important biophysical property relevant for its developability into a therapeutic. In addition to characterizing heterogeneity, Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography (HIC) is an assay that is often used to quantify the hydrophobicity of an antibody to assess downstream risks. Earlier studies have shown that retention times in this assay can be correlated to amino-acid or atomic propensities weighted by the surface areas obtained from protein 3-dimensional structures. The goal of this study is to develop models to enable prediction of delayed HIC retention times directly from sequence.

Results

We utilize the randomforest machine learning approach to estimate the surface exposure of amino-acid side-chains in the variable region directly from the antibody sequence. We obtain mean-absolute errors of 4.6% for the prediction of surface exposure. Using experimental HIC data along with the estimated surface areas, we derive an amino-acid propensity scale that enables prediction of antibodies likely to have delayed retention times in the assay. We achieve a cross-validation Area Under Curve of 0.85 for the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve of our model. The low computational expense and high accuracy of this approach enables real-time assessment of hydrophobic character to enable prioritization of antibodies during the discovery process and rational engineering to reduce hydrophobic liabilities.

Availability and implementation

Structure data, aligned sequences, experimental data and prediction scores for test-cases, and R scripts used in this work are provided as part of the Supplementary Material.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Seroprevalence of Anti-polio Antibodies in Children From Polio High-risk Areas of Pakistan
Authors: Hussain Imtiaz , Mach Ondrej , Habib Atif , Bhatti Zaid , Suhag Zamir , Oberste M. Steven , Weldon William C. , Sutter Roland W. , Soofi Sajid B. , Bhutta Zulfiqar A.
Published: August 2017

Background:

Pakistan is one of the 3 remaining wild poliovirus endemic countries. We collected sera from children to assess the prevalence of poliovirus antibodies in selected high-risk areas for poliovirus transmission.

Methods:

Children in 2 age groups (6–11 and 36–48 months) were randomly selected between November 2015 and March 2016 in 6 areas of Pakistan (Sindh Province: Karachi and Kashmore; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province: Peshawar, Bannu and Nowshera; Punjab Province: Faisalabad). After obtaining informed consent, basic demographic and vaccination history data were collected, 1 peripheral venipuncture was obtained, and assays to detect poliovirus (PV)–neutralizing antibodies were performed.

Results:

A total of 1301 children were enrolled and had peripheral blood drawn that analyzed. Study subjects were evenly distributed among survey sites and age groups. Anti-polio seroprevalence differed significantly among geographic areas (P < 0.001); in the 6–11 months group, it ranged between 89% and 98%, 58% and 95%, and 74% and 96% for PV serotypes 1, 2 and 3, respectively; in 36–48 months group, it ranged between 99% and 100%, 95% and 100%, and 92% and 100% for PV 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Having received inactivate poliovirus vaccine, malnourishment (stunting) and educational level of parents were found to be associated with presence of anti-polio antibodies.

Conclusion:

The polio eradication program achieved overall high serologic protection; however, immunity gaps in young children in the high polio risk areas remain. These gaps enable sustained circulation of wild poliovirus type 1, and pose risk for emergence of vaccine-derived polioviruses. Focusing on the lowest socioeconomic strata of society, where malnutrition is most prevalent, could accelerate poliovirus eradication.
Physics and Histologic Evaluation of Rotary, Ultrasonic, and Sonic Instruments
Authors: Ruga Emanuele , Amerio Ettore , Carbone Vincenzo , Volante Marco , Gandolfo Sergio
Published: August 2017

Rotary instruments (RIs) are the most commonly used to perform osteotomies in many fields of medicine. Owing to a new interest in performing a minimally invasive surgery, over last fifteen years new devices have been used in oral surgery such as ultrasonic instruments (UIs) and, lately, sonic instruments (SIs). Nowadays, bone preservation and regeneration are paramount in many clinical situations and, consequently, it is crucial to rely upon instruments, which cause the least tissue damage during the surgery. Concerning SIs, there is still few information about workload to be applied and related temperature increases; furthermore, there are no comparative in-vivo studies, which analyze the thermal and mechanical effects on bone. Thus, SIs have been compared with UIs and RIs in terms of heat generation, operating time, accuracy, and tissue damage. Decalcification and sectioning procedure resulted in no significant differences between the applied instruments in terms of bone damage. RIs resulted more efficient than UIs (P < 0.001), but demonstrated low accuracy (NRS 4.9), whereas SIs (P = 0.005) required more time to perform the osteotomy. The maximum temperature increase occurred in the ultrasonic group. Even though SI were the slowest, they have proved to be the most accurate (NRS 8.4) in comparison with UI (NRS 7.6) and RI (NRS 4.9). Within the limit of this study, sonic instruments could be considered a safe alternative to ultrasonic instruments.
Learning sequence patterns of AGO-sRNA affinity from high-throughput sequencing libraries to improvein silicofunctional small RNA detection and classification in plants
Authors: Morgado Lionel , Jansen Ritsert C. , Johannes Frank
Published: August 2017

The loading of small RNA (sRNA) into Argonaute (AGO) complexes is a crucial step in all regulatory pathways identified so far in plants that depend on such non-coding sequences. Important transcriptional and post-transcriptional silencing mechanisms can be activated depending on the specific AGO protein to which sRNA bind. It is known that sRNA-AGO associations are at least partly encoded in the sRNA primary structure, but the sequence features that drive this association have not been fully explored. Here we train support vector machines (SVM) on sRNA sequencing data obtained from AGO-immunoprecipitation experiments to identify features that determine sRNA affinity to specific AGOs. Our SVM reveal that AGO affinity is strongly determined by complex k-mers in the 5’ and 3’ ends of sRNA, in addition to well-known features such as sRNA length and the base composition of the first nucleotide. Moreover, we find that these k-mers tend to overlap known transcription factor (TF) binding motifs, thus highlighting a close interplay between TF and sRNA-mediated transcriptional regulation. We embedded the learned SVM in a computational pipeline that can be used for de novo functional classification of sRNA sequences. This tool, called SAILS, is provided as a web portal accessible athttp://sails.eu.nu.
High-resolution global peptide-protein docking using fragments-based PIPER-FlexPepDock
Authors: Alam Nawsad , Goldstein Oriel , Xia Bing , Porter Kathryn A. , Kozakov Dima , Schueler-Furman Ora
Published: August 2017

Peptide-protein interactions contribute a significant fraction of the protein-protein interactome. Accurate modeling of these interactions is challenging due to the vast conformational space associated with interactions of highly flexible peptides with large receptor surfaces. To address this challenge we developed a fragment based high-resolution peptide-protein docking protocol. By streamlining the Rosetta fragment picker for accurate peptide fragment ensemble generation, the PIPER docking algorithm for exhaustive fragment-receptor rigid-body docking and Rosetta FlexPepDock for flexible full-atom refinement of PIPER docked models, we successfully addressed the challenge of accurate and efficient global peptide-protein docking at high-resolution with remarkable accuracy. Validation on a representative set of solved peptide-protein complex structures demonstrates the accuracy and robustness of our approach, and opens up the way to high-resolution modeling of many more peptide-protein interactions and to the detailed study of peptide-protein association in general. PIPER-FlexPepDock is freely available to the academic community as a server athttp://piperfpd.furmanlab.cs.huji.ac.il.
Complex rearrangements and oncogene amplifications revealed by long-read DNA and RNA sequencing of a breast cancer cell line
Authors: Nattestad Maria , Goodwin Sara , Ng Karen , Baslan Timour , Sedlazeck Fritz J. , Rescheneder Philipp , Garvin Tyler , Fang Han , Gurtowski James , Hutton Elizabeth , Tseng Elizabeth , Chin Chen-Shan , Beck Timothy , Sundaravadanam Yogi , Kramer Melissa , Antoniou Eric , McPherson John D. , Hicks James , McCombie W. Richard , Schatz Michael C.
Published: August 2017

The SK-BR-3 cell line is one of the most important models for HER2+ breast cancers, which affect one in five breast cancer patients. SK-BR-3 is known to be highly rearranged although much of the variation is in complex and repetitive regions that may be underreported. Addressing this, we sequenced SK-BR-3 using long-read single molecule sequencing from Pacific Biosciences, and develop one of the most detailed maps of structural variations (SVs) in a cancer genome available with nearly 20,000 variants present, most of which were missed by prior efforts. Surrounding the important HER2 locus, we discover a complex sequence of nested duplications and translocations, suggesting a punctuated progression. Full-length transcriptome sequencing further revealed several novel gene fusions within the nested genomic variants. Combining long-read genome and transcriptome sequencing enables an in-depth analysis of how SVs disrupt the transcriptome and sheds new light on the complexity of cancer progression.
Level of awareness among veterinary students of GADVASU towards plagiarism: a case study
Authors: Singh Nirmal
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Plagiarism is wrecking the academic spheres all around the world. The internet is accused for causing exponential increase in plagiarism. This paper aims to examine the prevalence of plagiarism among veterinary students and assess the impact of the internet on their plagiarism practices, so that the corrective measures can be suggested to ensure the originality of academic and research work.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of undergraduate and postgraduate students of veterinary science was conducted at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana using questionnaire as data collection tool. The responses of total 147 students have been analysed using percentage calculations and mean values. The t-test has been applied using SPSS-16 to find the significance of difference in the plagiarism practiced by students using the internet and print sources of information.

Findings

Results revealed the prevalence of plagiarism among both groups of students. There was no significant difference in the frequency level of plagiarism among UG and PG students using both the internet and print sources of information, advocating that the internet has not influenced the plagiarism frequency of students.

Originality/value

This is the first known attempt to examine the plagiarism habits of veterinary students.
Corporate social responsibility, visibility, reputation and financial performance: empirical analysis on the moderating and mediating variables from Korea
Authors: Park SeHyun
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to substantiate the mechanism through which corporate social responsibility (CSR) affects financial performance (FP). Specifically, this paper focuses on the moderating effect of visibility and mediating effect of reputation in the relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper investigates 175 Korean firms from 2010 to 2012 that have been listed in the Korean Economic Justice Index for all three years. The hypotheses are tested using various measures of visibility and the Korea’s Most Admired Company index as proxy for reputation. The logistics regression and the ordinary least square are used.

Findings

This paper initially demonstrates that the visibility moderates the correlation between CSR and reputation. On this finding, it further proves that CSR has positive effect on the long-run FP, measured in the Tobin’s Q, both directly and indirectly through reputation. However, the influence is irrelevant in the short run. In sum, visibility moderates the correlation between CSR and reputation, which mediates the CSR-FP relationship in the long run.

Practical implications

This paper argues for the importance of visibility in practicing CSR, especially when reputation building and financial benefit is sought through CSR.

Originality/value

Despite its strategic importance, the visibility of CSR has not been sufficiently studied. Moreover, as scholars have recently suggested that the CSR–FP relationship is rather indirect, there is even more significance in investigating the moderating and mediating variable. Hence, with the intuitive results, this paper lays an integral foundation in the literature.
Ownership and corporate social responsibility in Indian firms
Authors: Panicker Vidya Sukumara
Published: August 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look at the association between different ownership categories and corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending of selected Indian firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Random-effects Tobit panel regression is performed on a panel of 4,388 firm years of 1,722 unique firms over a three-year period (2014-2016).

Findings

Different categories of institutional investors have different preferences for CSR spending of a firm. Promoters of business-group affiliated and unaffiliated firms also behave differently towards CSR activities of their firms.

Research limitations/implications

Heterogeneous behavior of institutional investors is revealed through the study. Foreign institutions and domestic banks are supportive of CSR investments of a firm. Promoters of family firms and group affiliates also diligently plan CSR activities.

Practical implications

Managers cannot ignore the heterogeneities of institutional investors in their investment decisions. Individual investors can align their philanthropic preferences with those of different types of institutional investors or firms.

Social implications

Family-owned firms play a significant role in CSR activities of emerging economies, while individual promoters are not as attracted by the reputational prospects of CSR.

Originality/value

This paper considers the role of heterogeneities of institutional investors in influencing CSR spending of emerging-economy firms. This heterogeneity has not been previously studied in this context.
Development, validation and reproducibility of a food frequency questionnaire to measure flavonoid intake in older Australian adults
Authors: Kent Katherine , Charlton Karen E.
Published: August 2017

Aim

To develop and assess the validity and reproducibility of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to measure total flavonoid intake, and individual flavonoid subclasses, in older adults.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of flavonoid intake in older adults informed the development of a FFQ to measure flavonoid intake and determine the flavonoid subclasses consumed (anthocyanins, flavan‐3‐ols, flavones, flavonols and flavanones). Older adults (n = 42, mean age 75.3 ± 8.6 years) attended two interviews 1 month apart where anthropometrics (height and weight), blood pressure (BP), demographic data and a 93‐item self‐administered FFQ were collected. A 4‐day food record (FR) was randomly administered between the two interview dates, and each food item was assigned a flavonoid and flavonoid subclass content using the United States Department of Agriculture flavonoid database. The criterion validity and reproducibility of the FFQ was assessed against a 4‐day FR using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank sum test, Spearman's correlation coefficient (r), Bland‐Altman Plots and Cohen's kappa.

Results

Total flavonoid intake was determined (median intake FFQ = 919.3 mg/day, FR = 781.4 mg/day). Tests of validity indicated that the FFQ consistently overestimated total flavonoid intake compared with the 4‐day FR. There was a significant difference in estimates between the FFQ and the 4‐day FR for total flavonoid intake (Wilcoxon signed‐rank sum P < 0.001; Bland‐Altman plots indicated large bias and wide limits of agreement), but they were well correlated (Spearman's r 0.93, P < 0.001; Cohen's kappa κ = 0.619, P < 0.001). For individual flavonoid subclasses, the tests of validity indicated greater discrepancy compared with 4‐day FR. The FFQ showed high reproducibility for estimating total flavonoid intake (FFQ1vsFFQ2: Wilcoxon signed‐rank sum test, P > 0.05; Spearman's r 0.91, P < 0.001; Bland‐Altman plots visually showed small, non‐significant bias and wide limits of agreement; and Cohen's kappa κ = 0.619, P < 0.001), with a small mean percentage difference (6.7%). For individual flavonoid subclasses, the tests of reproducibility between FFQ1 and FFQ2 showed similarly high reproducibility.

Conclusions

The developed FFQ appears suitable for satisfactorily ranking individuals according to total flavonoid intake. The FFQ shows limitations for estimating absolute total flavonoid intake and intake of flavonoid subclasses in comparison to a 4‐day FR in terms of overestimating intake. Refinement and further validation of this tool may be required.
Effects of adults body size and larvae diet on the fecundity and percent fertility of eggs laid by Xylotrechus arvicola (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) females, insect pest in Spanish vineyards
Authors: Rodríguez‐González Álvaro , Peláez Horacio J. , González‐López Óscar , Mayo Sara , Casquero Pedro A.
Published: August 2017

Xylotrechus arvicola is a pest of grape in some vine‐producing regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Biological parameters and relationships (fecundity and percent fertility of eggs in relationship to body size) of females obtained in the laboratory and captured in vineyards were studied. In laboratory conditions, the mean developmental time of larvae ranged from 384 to 392 days and pupal stage varied between 12 to 14 days. Body size (BS) of X. arvicola females was significantly bigger than males. Fecundity was greater in the laboratory (147 eggs) than in the field (50 eggs) females, but the percent fertility of the laboratory eggs was lower (16 eggs). Laboratory females showed a bigger relationship between the production of eggs and BS than females captured in vineyards. Wild females (PDO Ribera del Duero and Tierra de León) had a positive relationship between the percent fertility of eggs and the BS. No correlation between the percent fertility of eggs and the BS was displayed by females captured in PDO Toro, but these females had a higher percent fertility (53 eggs) than the others PDO's. These biological parameters and relationships studied suggest that the artificial diet may lack certain essential nutrients that vine varieties can provide that favor the fertility of eggs. This explains why wild females have the potential to become a problem pest in the Tempranillo grape variety, with bilateral cordon and bush vines training systems that have the highest incidence of this cerambycid.
Identification and elucidation of in vivo function of two alanine racemases from Pseudomonas putida KT2440
Authors: Duque Estrella , Daddaoua Abdelali , Cordero Baldo F. , De la Torre Jesús , Antonia Molina‐Henares Maria , Ramos Juan‐Luis
Published: August 2017

The genome of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 contains two open reading frames (ORFs), PP_3722 and PP_5269, that encode proteins with a Pyridoxal phosphate binding motif and a high similarity to alanine racemases. Alanine racemases play a key role in the biosynthesis of D‐alanine, a crucial amino acid in the peptidoglycan layer. For these ORFs, we generated single and double mutants and found that inactivation of PP_5269 resulted in D‐alanine auxotrophy, while inactivation of PP_3722 did not. Furthermore, as expected, the PP_3722/PP_5269 double mutant was a strict auxotroph for D‐alanine. These results indicate that PP_5269 is an alr allele and that it is the essential alanine racemase in P. putida. We observed that the PP_5269 mutant grew very slowly, while the double PP_5269/PP_3722 mutant did not grow at all. This suggests that PP_3722 may replace PP_5269 in vivo. In fact, when the ORF encoding PP_3772 was cloned into a wide host range expression vector, ORF PP_3722 successfully complemented P. putida PP_5269 mutants. We purified both proteins to homogeneity and while they exhibit similar KM values, the Vmax of PP_5269 is fourfold higher than that of PP_3722. Here, we propose that PP_5269 and PP_3722 encode functional alanine racemases and that these genes be named alr‐1 and alr‐2 respectively.
Antidote to cannabinoid intoxication: the CB1 receptor inverse agonist, AM251, reverses hypothermic effects of the CB1 receptor agonist, CB‐13, in mice
Authors: Pryce Gareth , Baker David
Published: August 2017

Background and Purpose

Cannabis is a recreational drug leading to intoxication, following stimulation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors. However, more recently, herbs mixed with synthetic cannabinoids sometimes known as ‘Spice’ and ‘Black Mamba’ have been increasingly used, and their high CB1 receptor affinity has led not only to marked intoxication but also life‐threatening complications and an increasing number of deaths. Although many studies have indicated that prophylactic treatment with CB1 receptor antagonists can block cannabimimetic effects in animals and humans, the aim of this study was to determine whether CB1 receptor antagonism could reverse physical cannabimimetic effects.

Experimental Approach

Cannabimimetic effects, measured by the hypothermic response following sedation and hypomotility, were induced by the synthetic CB1 receptor agonist CB‐13 (1‐naphthalenyl[4‐(pentyloxy)‐1‐naphthalenyl]methanone) in Biozzi Antibody High mice. The CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist AM251 (N‐(piperidin‐1‐yl)‐5‐(4‐iodophenyl)‐1‐(2, 4‐dichlorophenyl)‐4‐methyl‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carboxamide) was administered 20 min after the injection of CB‐13 and its effects on the cannabimimetic responses were assessed.

Key Results

In this study, the CNS‐related cannabimimetic effects, as measured by the hypothermic effect, induced by the CB1 receptor agonist were therapeutically treated and were rapidly reversed by the CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist. There was also a subjective reversal of visually evident sedation.

Conclusions and Implications

Cannabinoid receptor antagonists have been widely used and so may provide an acceptable single‐dose antidote to cannabinoid intoxication. This use may save human life, where the life‐threatening effects are mediated by cannabinoid receptors and not off‐target influences of the synthetic cannabinoids or non‐cannabinoids within the recreational drug mixture.
Parental Cultural Socialization and Adolescent Private Regard: Exploring Mediating Pathways Through Daily Experiences
Authors: Wang Yijie , Cham Heining , Aladin Meera , Yip Tiffany
Published: August 2017

Using longitudinal experience sampling data from 214 ethnic/racial minority adolescents (Wave 1 Mage = 15.24), the present study investigated how the longitudinal effect of parental cultural socialization on adolescent private regard was mediated through various daily pathways and novel constructs. Both the mean levels and variability of adolescents' ethnic feelings (i.e., private regard) and social interactions (i.e., intragroup contact) in daily situations, as well as the situational association between intragroup contact and private regard, emerged as mediators. Greater cultural socialization promoted greater and more stable ethnic feelings and interactions, as well as their situational association, all of which promoted private regard over time. This study provides a framework to explore how development occurs in daily lives.
For Better or for Worse? Positive and Negative Parental Influences on Young Children's Executive Function
Authors: Hughes Claire , Devine Rory T.
Published: August 2017

Despite rapidly growing research on parental influences on children's executive function (EF), the uniqueness and specificity of parental predictors and links between adult EF and parenting remain unexamined. This 13‐month longitudinal study of 117 parent–child dyads (60 boys; Mage at Time 1 = 3.94 years, SD = 0.53) included detailed observational coding of parent–child interactions and assessed adult and child EF and child verbal ability (VA). Supporting a differentiated view of parental influence, negative parent–child interactions and parental scaffolding showed unique and specific associations with child EF, whereas the home learning environment and parental language measures showed global associations with children's EF and VA.
Leaving like an Englishman: Assisting institutional reform in post‐communist Ukraine
Authors: Leitch Duncan
Published: August 2017

Scholars of Development Studies have largely distanced themselves from research into external advice on governance reform in Ukraine, regarding post‐communist reconstruction as a political rather than developmental project. This article suggests that these seemingly distinct fields of donor intervention have more in common than is usually thought. It examines the influence of external advice on an issue which has particular resonance in the light of recent events in Ukraine, the relationship between Kyiv and the regions. It is argued that the impact of international assistance in this area has been negligible, largely due to institutional factors on the donor side, and that the most persuasive explanations for this are to be found in the literature of Development Studies.
Opportunities and challenges for modelling epidemiological and evolutionary dynamics in a multihost, multiparasite system: Zoonotic hybrid schistosomiasis in West Africa
Authors: Borlase Anna , Webster Joanne P. , Rudge James W.
Published: August 2017

Multihost multiparasite systems are evolutionarily and ecologically dynamic, which presents substantial trans‐disciplinary challenges for elucidating their epidemiology and designing appropriate control. Evidence for hybridizations and introgressions between parasite species is gathering, in part in line with improvements in molecular diagnostics and genome sequencing. One major system where this is becoming apparent is within the GenusSchistosoma, where schistosomiasis represents a disease of considerable medical and veterinary importance, the greatest burden of which occurs in sub‐Saharan Africa. Interspecific hybridizations and introgressions bring an increased level of complexity over and above that already inherent within multihost, multiparasite systems, also representing an additional source of genetic variation that can drive evolution. This has the potential for profound implications for the control of parasitic diseases, including, but not exclusive to, widening host range, increased transmission potential and altered responses to drug therapy. Here, we present the challenging case example of haematobium groupSchistosomaspp. hybrids in West Africa, a system involving multiple interacting parasites and multiple definitive hosts, in a region where zoonotic reservoirs of schistosomiasis were not previously considered to be of importance. We consider how existing mathematical model frameworks for schistosome transmission could be expanded and adapted to zoonotic hybrid systems, exploring how such model frameworks can utilize molecular and epidemiological data, as well as the complexities and challenges this presents. We also highlight the opportunities and value such mathematical models could bring to this and a range of similar multihost, multi and cross‐hybridizing parasites systems in our changing world.
High‐Growth Firms in the Southern U.S.: Where is the Growth?
Authors: Kalafsky Ronald V. , Rice Murray D.
Published: August 2017

Policymakers across the Southern U.S. have directed considerable attention to regional economic development plans, with mixed results. Questions remain over what types of industries, firms, and/or policies can drive long‐range growth. Over the past two decades, researchers have started to focus on high‐growth firms (HGFs) due to their potential innovation spillovers and job creation prospects, both of which drive further economic development. Employing databases from the Inc. 500, this study explores the dynamics of HGFs within Southern and comparative contexts. The first goal of this paper is to explore Southern HGF activity in comparison with the U.S. at‐large. The second is to examine the geographical characteristics of HGFs within the South, which will include an exploration of locations, industrial mix, and the factors that could encourage HGF development and agglomeration. This paper will also analyze the longer‐term ownership and acquisition patterns of HGFs across the South. Are such firms remaining embedded in the South or moving elsewhere through mergers or acquisitions? The paper concludes with a discussion of the impacts of HGFs on regional economic development and moreover, whether existing policies are conducive to these firms.
Simple Tests Compare Well with a Hand‐held Audiometer for Hearing Loss Screening in Primary Care
Authors: Strawbridge William J. , Wallhagen Margaret I.
Published: August 2017

Objectives

To compare hearing loss screening results of four simple tests with those of hand‐held audiometry.

Design

Cross‐sectional study of individuals screened during intake for physicals and other routine procedures.

Setting

Two primary care clinics in the San Francisco Bay area.

Participants

Older adults not wearing hearing aids (N = 125, mean age 72.9, 63% female).

Measurements

Direct question about hearing loss, indirect question, finger‐rub test, whisper test, and audiometric results using a hand‐held audiometer.

Results

Sensitivity was 91% for the finger‐rub test compared with 89% for the direct question, 85% for the indirect question, and 79% for the whisper test. For specificity, the whisper test was highest, followed by the finger rub, indirect, and direct.

Conclusion

Simple screening procedures can be used to identify older adults with hearing loss in primary care and facilitate early referral for additional testing and treatment.
Grading Qualities and (Un)settling Equivalences: Undocumented Migration, Commensuration, and Intrusive Phonosonics in the Indonesia‐Malaysia Borderlands
Authors: Carruthers Andrew M.
Published: August 2017

Undocumented migrants’ bodies are typically assumed to exhibit signs of their so‐called “illegal” status. In the absence of phenotypic, linguistic, or religious diacritics of categorical outsidership, however, how are migrants made legible and policed? How might they navigate state surveillance by exploiting their perceived equivalences with members of a host community? Indonesians were long encouraged to informally emigrate to neighboring Malaysia because they readily assimilated as Malay‐speaking Muslim members of the greater “Malay race.” More recently, however, they have figured in countervailing narratives as a parasitic and frustratingly elusive presence in need of expulsion. This article outlines how Indonesian migrants and Malaysian citizens are responding to these developments by jointly reevaluating their qualitative equivalences. First, it sketches how “diasporic infrastructures” linking Indonesia and Malaysia have enabled the conditions of possibility for the production of equivalences between migrants and hosts. Second, it sketches a semiotics of “grading” (a process whereby agents discern and evaluate qualitative intensities), examining how equivalences between these commensurate collectivities are settled, indicated, and framed along gradations of more‐or‐less‐ness. Third, it assesses how sonically graded differences in embodied qualities of talk can unsettle equivalences between migrants and citizens, potentially putting migrants at risk.
The Failing Body: Narratives of Breastfeeding Troubles and Shame
Authors: Hanell Linnea
Published: August 2017

This article explores the relationship between discourse and experiences of ill health. Drawing on narratives, it shows how a mother who is experiencing difficulties with breastfeeding embodies sentiments of shame over what she perceives as a failure to perform motherhood. The notions of interdiscursivity and the historical body are employed to ground the individual's experience in discursive practices, and to propose that shame is a sentiment that arises in deviations from the biopolitical ideologies that are produced and reproduced through those practices. Expressing shame becomes a resource for assuming responsibility for failed motherhood; and, at the same time, it appears to obstruct recovery to smoothly functioning breastfeeding.
Sacral nerve stimulation for constipation and fecal incontinence in children: Long‐term outcomes, patient benefit, and parent satisfaction
Authors: Lu P. L. , Koppen I. J. N. , Orsagh‐Yentis D. K. , Leonhart K. , Ambeba E. J. , Deans K. J. , Minneci P. C. , Teich S. , Diefenbach K. A. , Alpert S. A. , Benninga M. A. , Yacob D. , Di Lorenzo C.
Published: August 2017

Objective

To evaluate the long‐term efficacy of sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) in children with constipation and describe patient benefit and parent satisfaction.

Methods

Using a prospective patient registry, we identified patients <21 years old with constipation treated with SNS for >2 years. We compared symptoms, medical treatment, PedsQL Gastrointestinal Symptom Scale (GSS), Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQL), and Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI) before SNS and at follow‐up. We contacted parents to administer the Glasgow Children's Benefit Inventory (GCBI) and a parent satisfaction questionnaire.

Key Results

We included 25 children (52% male, median age 10 years): 16 had functional constipation, six anorectal malformation, two tethered spinal cord, and one Hirschsprung's disease. Defecation frequency did not change after SNS but patients reporting fecal incontinence decreased from 72% to 20% (P<.01) and urinary incontinence decreased from 56% to 28% (P=.04). Patients using laxatives decreased from 64% to 44% (ns) and patients using antegrade enemas decreased from 48% to 20% (P=.03). GSS, most FIQL domains, and FISI were improved at follow‐up. Six (24%) patients had complications requiring further surgery. Of the 16 parents contacted, 15 (94%) parents indicated positive health‐related benefit and all would recommend SNS to other families.

Conclusions & Inferences

Sacral nerve stimulation is a promising and durable treatment for children with refractory constipation, and appears particularly effective in decreasing fecal incontinence. Although a quarter of patients experienced complications requiring additional surgery, nearly all parents reported health‐related benefit. Future studies to identify predictors of treatment response and complications are needed.
Beauty Contest Revisited: The Effects of Perceived Attractiveness, Competence, and Likability on the Electoral Success of German MPs
Authors: Jäckle Sebastian , Metz Thomas
Published: August 2017

We test the effects of physical appearance on electoral outcomes for the 2013 German national elections. We find that a candidate's perceived attractiveness and, to a lesser extent, competence vis‐á‐vis his or her closest contestant increases the chances of winning a direct mandate, while likability plays a minor role. Additionally, we find the appearance effects to be conditioned by gender, age, and incumbency status. Our study advances existing research in four ways. First, we capture relative differences in appearances, which resembles real‐world situations more closely than absolute measures. Second, we proceed beyond a one‐dimensional assessment of appearance by simultaneously analyzing attractiveness, competence, and likability, including interactions. Third, the central role of parties in the German mixed electoral system makes an especially tough test for appearance‐based effects. Fourth, we use rater response latency to weight our measurement with an assessment of ambivalence.

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Ernest B. McGowen, III. 2017. “.” Politics & Policy 45 (): 224‐252. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12197/full

McKenzie, Mark Jonathan,
Cynthia R. Rugeley, and
Michael A. Unger. 2015.“” Politics & Policy 43 (): 562‐585. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12123/full

Galdieri, Christopher J.,
Kevin Parsneau, and
J. Scott Granberg‐Rademacker. 2012. “.” Politics & Policy 40 (): 680‐703. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00367.x/abstract

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Video Clip: Fox Business. 2012. “Appearance Matters in Presidential Elections.” http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1383561524001/?#sp = show-clips

Study.com. 2012. “Factors that Influence Voters During Presidential Elections.” http://study.com/academy/lesson/factors-that-influence-voters-during-presidential-elections.html

Websites:
Mlodinow, Leonard. 2012. “.” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jun/17/candidate-winning-look-voters-romney-obama

Shah, Yagana. 2016. “.” The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/heres-how-looks-could-affect-the-2016-elections_us_56ddb12fe4b03a4056793bb6
Evaluating Risk and Natural Gas Pipeline Safety
Authors: Brogan Michael James
Published: August 2017

This research conducts an experiment on individuals’ perceptions of natural gas pipeline incidents and the expansion of natural gas pipeline infrastructure in the United States. This work contributes to the literature on natural gas pipeline safety and risk by utilizing Kahneman and Tversky's Prospect Theory. This work is relevant from a public policy perspective because of the recent expansion of the U.S. natural gas pipeline network that has been underway since 2010. It provides policy makers with a better understanding of how the public perceives risks and benefits associated with pipeline expansion. Overall, the study results find that when individuals balanced the benefits and risks of pipeline expansion, a majority of all respondents (53.4 percent) picked safety over monetary gains. Further, a majority of respondents who received at least one treatment were more likely to choose safety and two‐thirds of respondents who received a second treatment chose safety over material benefits associated with pipeline expansion.

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Ash, John S. 2010. “.” Politics & Policy 38 (): 255‐284. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2011.00310.x/full

Ash, John S. 2011. “.” Politics & Policy 39 (): 317‐344. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2010.00237.x/full

Neill, Katharine A., and
John C. Morris. 2012. “.” Politics & Policy 40 (): 629‐656. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00371.x/full

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The relative importance of invertebrate and microbial decomposition in a rainforest restoration project
Authors: Donald Julian , Weir Iain , Bonnett Sam , Maxfield Pete , Ellwood M. D. Farnon
Published: August 2017

Tropical rainforests are increasingly disturbed by human activities. While restoration projects often succeed in replacing tree cover, they rarely manage to restore soil function. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand the changes that occur during soil restoration. Model ecosystems such as the Eden Project present an ideal opportunity to investigate these changes. The Eden Project was built 15 years ago, and its plants grown from seedlings, or sown directly into a soil made up of standardized mixtures of recycled organic material. Today, the Eden Project's rainforest biome consists of a diverse community of plants, invertebrates, and microorganisms. Different areas within the biome are managed differently, allowing us to separate the relative contributions of decomposers under differing physical conditions. Litterbag experiments revealed significant differences in decomposition rates in bags of different mesh sizes. Phospholipid fatty acid analysis revealed that microbial biomass and community structure varied under different management regimes. Soil enzyme assays revealed that glucosidase activity increased in soils with more organic matter, whereas phenol oxidase activity increased in more alkaline soils. Our study takes a step toward understanding the interactions between invertebrates and microbes, and the way in which soils function during restoration.
Heterozygosity for P2Y12 receptor gene mutation associated with postoperative hemorrhage in a Greater Swiss Mountain dog
Authors: Flores Rebecca S. , Boudreaux Mary K. , Vasquez Barbara , Bristow Poppy , Aronson Lillian R. , Santoro‐Beer Kari , Callan Mary Beth
Published: August 2017

A 3‐year‐old, female Greater Swiss Mountain dog developed a hemoperitoneum following an exploratory laparotomy and ovariohysterectomy. Platelet count, PT, APTT, and plasma von Willebrand factor antigen concentration were within RIs. A buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT) was prolonged. Given the probability of a hereditary thrombopathia, the dog was administered desmopressin, fresh platelet transfusions, and aminocaproic acid to control hemorrhage. Subsequently, DNA testing for the P2Y12 receptor gene mutation identified the dog as being a heterozygote (carrier). Further platelet function testing was performed following complete recovery. Results of a repeat BMBT and a point‐of‐care screening test using the Platelet Function Analyzer‐100 (collagen/adenosine‐diphosphate [ADP] test cartridge) were within RIs. Flow cytometric studies demonstrated a marked reduction in fibrinogen binding to the dog's platelets in response to ADP ‐ adenosine diphosphate activation. Likewise, turbidimetric aggregometry revealed a complete absence of platelet aggregation in response to ADP. However, there were a normal aggregation response to the platelet agonist convulxin and a mild reduction in amplitude in response to γ‐thrombin. This is the first report of a dog heterozygous for the P2Y12 receptor gene mutation exhibiting a bleeding tendency and having evidence of impaired platelet function in vitro in response to ADP activation. Given that the mutant allele for the P2Y12 thrombopathia appears to be widespread in the Greater Swiss Mountain dog breed, veterinarians need to be aware that both homozygotes and heterozygotes for this platelet receptor mutation are at risk of developing life‐threatening bleeding following trauma or surgery.