bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An ethnographic exploration of food and the city
Authors: WEGERIF MARC C.A.
Published: October 2018

This article describes an ethnographic exploration of the food system that feeds the majority of the over 4.6 million residents of the fast‐growing city of Dar es Salaam, along with the key findings of this research. Such a study is important in the context of an increasingly unsustainable corporate food system that many in more affluent countries are beginning to assume is essential for feeding the world's growing and urbanizing population. Following key foods from urban eaters back to primary producers reveals a symbiotic food system made up of a multiplicity of small‐scale actors who together deliver on a city‐wide scale.
Response error and the Medicaid undercount in the current population survey
Authors: Noon James M. , Fernandez Leticia E. , Porter Sonya R.
Published: October 2018

Objective

To measure the Medicaid undercount and analyze response error in the 2007‐2011 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC).

Data Sources/Study Setting

Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS) 2006‐2010 enrollment data linked to the 2007‐2011 CPS ASEC person records.

Study Design

By linking individuals across datasets, we analyze false‐negative error and false‐positive error in reports of Medicaid enrollment. We use regression analysis to identify factors associated with response error in the 2011 CPS ASEC.

Principal Findings

We find that the Medicaid undercount in the CPS ASEC ranged between 22 and 31% from 2007 to 2011. In 2011, the false‐negative rate was 40%, and 27% of Medicaid reports in CPS ASEC were false positives. False‐negative error is associated with the duration of enrollment in Medicaid, enrollment in Medicare and private insurance, and Medicaid enrollment in the survey year. False‐positive error is associated with enrollment in Medicare and shared Medicaid coverage in the household.

Conclusions

Survey estimates of Medicaid enrollment and estimates of the uninsured population are affected by both false‐positive response error and false‐negative response error, and these response errors are non‐random.
Estimating Technical Efficiency and Production Risk under Contract Farming: A Bayesian Estimation and Stochastic Dominance Methodology
Authors: Mishra Ashok K. , Rezitis Anthony N. , Tsionas Mike G.
Published: October 2018

We investigate production risk, technical efficiency and risk attitudes amongst contract and independent farmers. We use a Bayesian parametric approach and stochastic dominance quantile regression methods to compare technical efficiency and risk attitude of smallholders in Nepal. Using farm‐level data, we find that contract farmers appear to show lower inefficiency and lower production risk. Additionally, contract and independent farmers can increase output by reducing the scale of operation. Regardless of the commodity produced and farming arrangement (contract or independent production), we find that labour, land and other inputs are risk‐augmenting, while the role of capital is mixed. We find a second order stochastic dominance (SSD) for lentils, and first order stochastic dominance (FSD) for tomatoes, ginger and HYV paddy seed commodities. Finally, contract farmers are more risk averse than independent farmers, regardless of the commodity produced.
A Review of Islamic Investment Literature
Authors: Hassan M. Kabir , Aliyu Sirajo , Paltrinieri Andrea , Khan Ashraf
Published: October 2018

This paper reviews the empirical literature on the contemporary issues of Islamic investments and highlights the future research directions. The growing literature during the last several years and the penetration of Islamic investments beyond the Muslim majority countries motivate us to review the empirical studies in the area. We therefore focus our literature review on mutual funds, sukuk and equity investments, analysing 81 articles from the most important journals dealing with the topic. The mixed findings in this area help the understanding of professionals not familiar with Islamic investment to identify the trends of the literature for important decisions. Our results have also important financial implications for asset managers willing to include Islamic financial instruments into a well‐diversified portfolio.
Decreased capture of natural enemies of pests in light traps with light‐emitting diode technology
Authors: Bian Lei , Cai Xiao‐Ming , Luo Zong‐Xiu , Li Zhao‐Qun , Chen Zong‐Mao
Published: October 2018

Light traps, containing a fluorescent lamp, are commonly used to control pests in Chinese tea gardens. However, owing to them emitting light with a wide wavelength range, they can also attract and kill numerous natural enemies of such pests, which can potentially threaten the ecological balance of tea gardens. The light source in traps is a key factor determining the species of trapped insects. Based on interspecific differences in the phototactic response to diverse light of narrow wavelength among insects, a light source friendly to natural enemies of pests was designed in this study using light‐emitting diode chips. First, the wavelengths corresponding to the peaks of phototactic responses of two major tea pests, Ectropis obliqua (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) (385 nm) and Empoasca onukii (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) (420 nm), and of 10 dominant natural enemies (380 nm) in tea gardens, were confirmed by indoor bioassays, and then 385‐nm and 420‐nm light‐emitting diode chips were selected to construct the light source for traps. Furthermore, a light trap combining a conical light source with suction fan equipment was designed to increase the quantity and lethality of catches. Finally, evaluation of the performance of the designed light trap was conducted in the field, revealing that it had the desired effect, namely, trapping more tea pests as well as fewer natural enemies compared with light traps with a fluorescent lamp.
The outcomes of adrenalectomy for solitary adrenal metastasis: A 17‐year single‐center experience
Authors: Hatano Koji , Horii Sayaka , Nakai Yasutomo , Nakayama Masashi , Kakimoto Ken‐ichi , Nishimura Kazuo
Published: October 2018

Aim

We aimed to analyze surgical outcomes of open or laparoscopic adrenalectomy for solitary adrenal metastasis and assess the factors influencing survival.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed our institutional clinicopathological database for cases of adrenalectomy for solitary adrenal metastasis from solid tumors between 2000 and 2017.

Results

Twenty‐five patients underwent open adrenalectomy (n = 11) or laparoscopic adrenalectomy (n = 14). The most common primary site was the lung (n = 7), followed by the kidney (n = 5), liver (n = 3), ovary (n = 2), soft tissue (n = 2), and six other sites. The majority of the patients (n = 19) had metachronous metastasis. The median tumor size was 3.1 cm (1–9 cm). With the median follow‐up of 32 months (2–144 months), the median progression‐free and overall survivals were 14 and 63 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that synchronous metastasis (hazard ratio [HR] = 7.5) and tumor size ≥ 4 cm (HR = 17.7) were significant prognostic factors for shorter overall survival. There was no significant difference for survival between the laparoscopic and open groups.

Conclusions

Adrenalectomy for solitary adrenal metastasis can be applied for selected patients with various types of malignancy. However, synchronous metastasis and tumor size ≥ 4 cm were prognostic factors for shorter overall survival.
Attitudes toward Food Insecurity in the United States
Authors: Ward Carley , Maruyama Geoffrey , Jessen Lara , Song Wei , Kratchmer Lori , Zeaske Rob
Published: October 2018

According to a 2017 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) survey, 12.3% of households face food insecurity (FI)—the economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Given the pervasiveness of the problem, there is surprisingly little research examining how the general population perceives FI. Is FI expected in all societies? Is it a societal disgrace for individuals in the United States to go hungry? When it occurs, who is responsible? This research drew from existing surveys and practitioner expertise to develop a comprehensive instrument to assess attitudes toward FI. Data were collected in two studies to test a multidimensional model developed through examination and categorization of FI‐related items. We examined dimensionality of attitudes through exploratory (Study 1, N = 503) and then confirmatory (Study 2, N = 510) factor analysis of representative samples of Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) participants. Seven dimensions were identified and related to reported contributions to food organizations and demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, and political orientation). Our findings help understanding of attitudes toward FI and can provide antipoverty organizations with information to shape policy, challenge inaccurate perceptions, and develop approaches to address FI.
Facial and self‐report questionnaire measures capture different aspects of romantic partner preferences
Authors: South Palomares Jennifer K. , Young Andrew W.
Published: October 2018

Romantic relationship researchers often use self‐report measures of partner preferences based on verbal questionnaires. These questionnaires show that partner preferences involve an evaluation in terms of underlying factors of vitality–attractiveness, status‐resources, and warmth–trustworthiness. However, when people first encounter a potential partner, they can usually derive a wealth of impressions from their face, and little is known about the relationship between verbal self‐reports and impressions derived from faces. We conducted four studies investigating potential parallels and differences between facial impressions and verbal self‐reports. Study 1 showed that when evaluating highly variable everyday face images in a context that does not require considering them as potential partners, participants can reliably perceive the traits and factors that are related to partner preferences. However, despite being capable of these nuanced evaluations, Study 2 found that when asked to evaluate images of faces as potential romantic partners, participants’ preferences become dominated by attractiveness‐related concerns. Study 3 confirmed this dominance of facial attractiveness using morphed face‐like images. Study 4 showed that attractiveness dominates partner preferences for faces even when task instructions imply that warmth–trustworthiness or status–resources should be of primary importance. In contrast to verbal questionnaire measures of partner preferences, evaluations of faces focus heavily on attractiveness, whereas questionnaire self‐reports tend on average to prioritize warmth–trustworthiness over attractiveness. Evaluations of faces and verbal self‐report measures therefore capture different aspects of partner preferences.
Nicotinic ACh receptor α7 inhibits PDGF‐induced migration of vascular smooth muscle cells by activating mitochondrial deacetylase sirtuin 3
Authors: Li Dong‐Jie , Tong Jie , Zeng Fei‐Yan , Guo Mengqi , Li Yong‐Hua , Wang Hongbo , Wang Pei
Published: October 2018

Background and Purpose

PDGF‐BB is an angiogenic factor involved in cardiovascular diseases. Here, we investigated the possible effects of activation of the nicotinic ACh receptor α7 subtype (α7nAChR) on PDGF‐BB‐induced proliferation and migration in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

Experimental Approach

PNU‐282987, a selective α7nAChR pharmacological agonist, was used to activate α7nAChR. The influences of α7nAChR activation on PDGF‐BB‐induced proliferation and migration, as well as the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/Src, a pro‐migration signalling pathway, were determined in VSMCs. A variety of biochemical assays were applied to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Key Results

PDGF‐BB induced pronounced migration and proliferation of VSMCs. Activation of α7nAChRs by PNU‐282987 blocked PDGF‐BB‐induced migration but not proliferation in wild‐type (WT) VSMCs, whereas this effect was absent in α7nAChR‐knockout VSMCs. Accordingly, PNU‐282987 attenuated PDGF‐BB‐induced phosphorylation of FAKTyr397 and SrcTyr416 in WT VSMCs. Mechanistically, PNU‐282987 suppressed PDGF‐BB‐induced oxidative stress, as demonstrated by the alterations in ROS, H2O2 content, superoxide anion and total antioxidant activity. A sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) inhibitor 3‐(1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl) pyridine or shRNA‐mediated SIRT3 knockdown abolished the inhibitory effect of PNU‐282987. PNU‐282987 did not modulate SIRT3 protein expression but enhanced mitochondrial SIRT3 deacetylase activity. In line with this action, PNU‐282987 enhanced the deacetylation of mitochondrial FoxO3. Lastly, PNU‐282987 corrected the PDGF‐BB‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing mitochondrial citrate synthase activity, ATP content and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide pool.

Conclusions

Pharmacological activation of α7nAChRs inhibits PDGF‐BB‐induced VSMC migration by activating the mitochondrial deacetylase SIRT3, implying an important role for α7nAChRs in mitochondria biology and PDGF‐related diseases.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Mitochondrial Pharmacology: Featured Mechanisms and Approaches for Therapy Translation. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.22/issuetoc
Adaptive immunity and IL‐17A are not involved in the progression of chronic kidney disease after 5/6 nephrectomy in mice
Authors: Rosendahl Alva , Kabiri Reza , Bode Marlies , Cai Anna , Klinge Stefanie , Ehmke Heimo , Mittrücker Hans‐Willi , Wenzel Ulrich O
Published: October 2018

Background and Purpose

The adaptive immune response and IL‐17A contribute to renal damage in several experimental models of renal injury.

Experimental Approach

To evaluate the role of the adaptive immune response, 5/6 nephrectomy was performed in wildtype DBA/1J mice and in recombination‐activating gene‐1 (RAG‐1) deficient mice that lack B and T‐cells. To assess the role of IL‐17A, we carried out 5/6 nephrectomy in IL‐17A deficient mice. Flow cytometric analysis, immunohistochemistry and RT‐PCR were used.

Key Results

Infiltration of CD3+ T‐cells in the remnant kidney was increased after 5/6 nephrectomy in wildtype mice, along with a robust induction of IL‐17A production in CD4+ T and γδ T‐cells. After 5/6 nephrectomy, wildtype mice developed albuminuria in the nephrotic range over 10 weeks. This was accompanied by severe glomerular sclerosis and tubulointerstitial injury, and as well as renal mRNA expression of markers of inflammation and fibrosis (the chemokine CCL2, plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1; PAI‐1 and neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin; NGAL). Unexpectedly, RAG‐1 deficient mice and IL‐17A deficient mice developed renal injury, similar to that in wildtype mice. No differences were found for albuminuria, glomerular sclerosis, tubulointerstitial injury and mRNA expression of CCL2, PAI‐1 and NGAL. Mortality did not differ between the three groups.

Conclusions and Implications

Numbers of CD3+ T‐cells and IL‐17A+ lymphocytes infiltrating the kidney were increased after 5/6 nephrectomy. In contrast to other experimental models of renal injury, genetic deficiency of the adaptive immune system or of IL‐17A did not attenuate induction or progression of chronic kidney disease after 5/6 nephrectomy.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Immune Targets in Hypertension. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.12/issuetoc
In vitro and in silico evaluation of P‐glycoprotein inhibition through 99mTc‐methoxyisobutylisonitrile uptake
Authors: Hosseini Balef Seyed Sajad , Piramoon Majid , Hosseinimehr Seyed Jalal , Irannejad Hamid
Published: October 2018

P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) is a multidrug resistance (MDR) transporter with unknown structural details. This macromolecule is normally responsible for extruding xenobiotics from normal cells. Overexpression of P‐gp in tumor cells is a major obstacle in cancer chemotherapy. In this study, human 3D model of P‐gp was built by homology modeling based on mouse P‐gp crystallographic structure and stabilized through 1 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Stabilized human P‐gp structure was used for flexible docking of 80 drugs into the putative active site of P‐gp. Accordingly, digoxin, itraconazole, risperidone, ketoconazole, prazosin, verapamil, cyclosporine A, and ranitidine were selected for further in vitro assay. Subsequently, cell‐based P‐gp inhibition assay was performed on Caco‐2 cells while 99mTc‐methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) was used as a P‐gp efflux substrate for calculating IC50 values. Results of the 99mTc‐MIBI uptake in drug‐treated Caco‐2 cells were in agreement with the previously reported activities. This study for the first time described the relation between molecular dynamics and flexible docking with cellular experiments using 99mTc‐MIBI radiotracer for evaluation of potencies of P‐gp inhibitors. Finally, results showed that our radiotracer–cell‐based assay is an accurate and fast screening tool for detecting P‐gp inhibitors and non‐inhibitors in drug development process.
Interwealth Contact and Young Children's Concern for Equity
Authors: Elenbaas Laura
Published: October 2018

This study examined young children's contact with individuals of high‐wealth and low‐wealth backgrounds and their behavior toward peers of these backgrounds in a resource distribution task. The sample included 72 ethnically diverse higher income children (Mage = 6.68 years,SD = 0.98 years). Contact with individuals of low‐wealth backgrounds (interwealth contact) affected children's behavior indirectly, through social‐cognitive reasoning processes. The more interwealth contact children reported, the more likely they were to reason about access to resources rather than their own wealth preferences in this context. This reasoning, in turn, was associated with more resources allocated to a low‐wealth peer relative to a high‐wealth peer. Thus, interwealth contact early in development was associated with more equitable peer interactions.
Septoplasty versus non‐surgical management for nasal obstruction due to a deviated nasal septum in adults: A modelling study of cost‐effectiveness
Authors: van Egmond Machteld M. H. T. , Rongen Jan J. , Hedeman Carien J. T. , van Heerbeek Niels , Rovers Maroeska M.
Published: October 2018

Objective

The objective of this study was to demonstrate how decision‐analytic modelling can help to determine circumstances under which surgery may become cost‐effective, using septoplasty as an example.

Design

We developed a decision‐analytic model comparing septoplasty to non‐surgical management for nasal obstruction in adults with a deviated septum. Based on the estimated cost difference between both treatments, we calculated the minimal (a) gain in quality‐adjusted life‐years, or (b) reduction in productivity losses needed for septoplasty to be cost‐effective. Input was derived from literature and publicly available data sources. The time horizon of our model was one year, and the willingness‐to‐pay per quality‐adjusted life‐year was €20 000, in accordance with current guidelines.

Results

The cost difference between septoplasty and non‐surgical management for nasal obstruction due to a deviated nasal septum was €2227 per patient from a healthcare perspective (including direct healthcare costs) and €3288 per patient from an extended perspective (additionally including travel expenses and productivity losses due to poor health). In comparison with non‐surgical management, septoplasty needed to gain 0.11 to 0.16 QALYs or save 13 sick days for nasal obstruction. The longer septoplasty's effect lasts, the more time it will have to compensate its extra costs.

Conclusion

This study shows that the known cost difference between treatments can be used as the starting point to determine beneficial effects needed for cost‐effectiveness of surgical interventions. The effect required by septoplasty from a healthcare perspective seems potentially achievable, meaning that it would be useful to perform an RCT assessing the actual benefits of septoplasty.
Habitat loss and overhunting synergistically drive the extirpation of jaguars from the Gran Chaco
Authors: Romero‐Muñoz Alfredo , Torres Ricardo , Noss Andrew J. , Giordano Anthony J. , Quiroga Verónica , Thompson Jeffrey J. , Baumann Matthias , Altrichter Mariana , McBride Roy , Velilla Marianela , Arispe Rosario , Kuemmerle Tobias
Published: October 2018

Aim

Understanding how habitat loss and overhunting impact large carnivores is important for broad‐scale conservation planning. We aimed to assess how these threats interacted to affect jaguar habitat (Panthera onca) between 1985–2013 in the Gran Chaco, a deforestation hotspot.

Location

Gran Chaco ecoregion in Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia.

Methods

We modelled jaguar habitat change from 1985–2013 using a time‐calibrated species distribution model that uses all occurrence data available for that period. We modelled habitat as a function of resource availability and hunting threats, which allowed us to separate core (high resource availability and low hunting threat), refuge (low resources but safe), attractive sink (high resources but risky) and sink (low resources and risky) habitat for 1985, 2000 and 2013.

Results

Jaguar core areas contracted by 33% (82,400 km2) from 1985–2013, mainly due to an expansion of hunting threats. Sink and attractive sink habitat covered 58% of the jaguar range in 2013 and most confirmed jaguar kill sites occurred in these areas. Furthermore, habitat loss and hunting threats co‐occurred in 29% of jaguars’ range in 2013. Hunting threats also deteriorated core areas within protected areas, but 95% of all core areas loss occurred outside protected lands. About 68% of the remaining core areas in 2013 remained unprotected, mostly close to international borders.

Main conclusions

Our study highlights the synergistic effects that habitat loss and hunting threats exert on large carnivores, even inside protected areas, emphasizing the need to consider the geography of threats in conservation planning. Our results also point to the importance of areas along international borders as havens for wildlife and thus the urgent need for cross‐border planning to prevent the imminent extinction of jaguars from the Chaco. Opportunities lie in reducing jaguar mortality over the widespread attractive sinks, particularly in corridors connecting core areas.
Age at referral for diagnosis and rehabilitation services for cerebral palsy: a scoping review
Authors: Boychuck Zachary , Bussières André , Goldschleger Jessica , Majnemer Annette ,   The Prompt Group
Published: October 2018

Aim

This study sought to: (1) determine what is known about age at referral for diagnosis and rehabilitation services for children suspected of having cerebral palsy (CP); and (2) identify factors associated with earlier referral.

Method

A scoping review was conducted to summarize existing literature. We systematically searched Allied and Complementary Medicine, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, and PsycINFO for evidence published between 1979 and 2017 on age at referral for diagnosis or age at referral to rehabilitation services for children suspected of having CP. Quantitative and thematic analyses of the literature were performed.

Results

Our search yielded 777 articles, of which 15 met the inclusion criteria. Only one study focused on age at referral for diagnosis of CP (mean 16.6mo±19.2mo), with two on age at referral to rehabilitation services (means 13.9mo±15.8mo and 12.4mo). Potential predictors of earlier referral identified include referral source, type of CP, and a complicated birth history.

Interpretation

Evidence is sparse; however, available studies suggest high variation in the age at which children are being referred for diagnosis, typically ranging from 10 months to 21 months. Evidence indicates that subgroups of children with CP might be experiencing prolonged delays. Findings highlight the need to better understand what contributes to delays in referral for diagnosis and rehabilitation.

What this paper adds

Evidence on age at referral for diagnosis of cerebral palsy is sparse.

Potential predictors of delayed referral represent targets to minimize delays in diagnosis.

A subset of children may be experiencing unnecessary delays in referral.
Pro‐social leadership under authoritarianism
Authors: Lu Ming , Xia Lijun , Xiao Jinchuan
Published: October 2018

Authoritarianism is regarded as being unaccountable for people's needs, but few studies have documented how authoritarian countries balance their policy goals. China is known to use a promotion system to incentivize local leaders to develop the economy, while neglecting social spending. This paper documents that more leaders having a liberal arts background have been promoted as top provincial leaders. After carefully ruling out other channels, we provide evidence that the shift of top provincial leaders’ college educational backgrounds from science/technology to liberal arts/social science has increased fiscal expenditure shares on science, education, culture and public health and cut economic construction expenditures accordingly. The finding is mainly driven by the post‐1994 period, when local leaders had stronger incentives for economic growth. This indicates that Chinese top authorities are promoting more pro‐social local leaders when providing pro‐growth incentives in general.
The effect of physiological and environmental conditions on smolt migration in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar
Authors: Persson Lo , Kagervall Anders , Leonardsson Kjell , Royan Mansour , Alanärä Anders
Published: October 2018

Hydropower development has negatively influenced Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations. Compensatory hatchery‐rearing programmes exist, but released fish suffer from high mortality that may be related to the lack of experience from natural environments in hatchery‐reared smolts and their large body size and high energetic state. Here, we used acoustic telemetry to test how body size, energetic state, and the environmental conditions of the river affect migration in hatchery‐reared smolts. The study was conducted in three consecutive years between 2011 and 2013 in the lower part of the River Umeälven, Sweden. For individual fish, there was no effect of body size but the energetic state of the fish had a negative effect on sea entry. The most important factor affecting sea entry rate was the water discharge in the old river bed that differed among years. Smolts were more likely to enter the sea in years when the discharge was high or when the discharge increased substantially shortly after release. Hatchery‐reared fish had higher migration speed at a slower flowing section compared with a faster flowing section, which was likely a result of large hesitation to enter the rapid section. The increase in water discharge led to an increase in fish migration speed disproportional to the increase in water velocity. Our results highlight the importance of water discharge for the smolts during smolt migration, and we argue that concern should be given to migrating fish when managing regulated rivers.
Modulation of circadian rhythms through estrogen receptor signaling
Authors: Hatcher Katherine M. , Royston Sara E. , Mahoney Megan M.
Published: October 2018

Circadian rhythms are physiological and behavioral processes that exhibit a 24‐hr cycle. These daily rhythms are essential for living organisms to align their behavior and physiology with the environment to increase the likelihood of survival. In mammals, circadian rhythms synchronize with the environment primarily by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, a hypothalamic brain region that integrates exogenous and endogenous timing cues. Sex steroid hormones, including estrogens, are thought to modulate sexually dimorphic behaviors through developmental programming of the brain (i.e., organization), as well as acute receptor signaling during adulthood (i.e., activation). Importantly, there are known sex differences in the expression of circadian locomotor activity and molecular organization of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, likely due, in part, to the actions of circulating estrogens. Circadian locomotor rhythms, which are coordinated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, have been shown to be regulated by developmental and adult levels of circulating estrogens. Further, increasing evidence suggests that estrogens can modulate expression of circadian clock genes that are essential for orchestration of circadian rhythms by the suprachiasmatic nucleus. In this review, we will discuss the organizational and activational modulation of the circadian timekeeping system by estrogens through estrogen receptor signaling.
The phase of pre‐stimulus brain oscillations correlates with cross‐modal synchrony perception
Authors: Ikumi Nara , Torralba Mireia , Ruzzoli Manuela , Soto‐Faraco Salvador
Published: October 2018

In everyday life multisensory events, such as a glass crashing on the floor, the different sensory inputs are often experienced as simultaneous, despite the sensory processing of sound and sight within the brain are temporally misaligned. This lack of cross‐modal synchrony is the unavoidable consequence of different light and sound speeds, and their different neural transmission times in the corresponding sensory pathways. Hence, cross‐modal synchrony must be reconstructed during perception. It has been suggested that spontaneous fluctuations in neural excitability might be involved in the temporal organisation of sensory events during perception and account for variability in behavioural performance. Here, we addressed the relationship between ongoing brain oscillations and the perception of cross‐modal simultaneity. Participants performed an audio‐visual simultaneity judgement task while their EEG was recorded. We focused on pre‐stimulu activity, and found that the phase of neural oscillations at 13 ± 2 Hz 200 ms prior to the stimulus correlated with subjective simultaneity of otherwise identical sound‐flash events. Remarkably, the correlation between EEG phase and behavioural report occurred in the absence of concomitant changes in EEG amplitude. The probability of simultaneity perception fluctuated significantly as a function of pre‐stimulus phase, with the largest perceptual variation being accounted for phase angles nearly 180º apart. This pattern was strongly reliable for sound‐flash pairs but not for flash‐sound pairs. Overall, these findings suggest that the phase of ongoing brain activity might underlie internal states of the observer that influence cross‐modal temporal organisation between the senses and, in turn, subjective synchrony.
Density dependence in total egg production per spawner for marine fish
Authors: Takasuka Akinori , Yoneda Michio , Oozeki Yoshioki
Published: October 2018

A paradigm of fisheries science holds that spawning stock biomass (SSB) is directly proportional to total egg production (TEP) of fish stocks. This “SSB–TEP proportionality” paradigm has been a basic premise underlying the spawner–recruitment models for fisheries management and numerous studies on recruitment mechanisms of fish. Studies on maternal effects on reproductive potential of a stock have progressed during the last few decades, leading to doubt concerning the paradigm. Nonetheless, a direct test of the paradigm at multidecadal scales has been difficult because of data limitations in the stock assessment systems worldwide. Here, we tested the paradigm for marine fish based on a novel combination of two independent 38‐year time series: fishery‐dependent stock assessment data and fishery‐independent egg survey data. Through this approach, we show that the SSB–TEP proportionality is distorted by density dependence in total egg production per spawner individual (TEPPS) or spawner unit weight (TEPPSW) at a multidecadal scale. The TEPPS/TEPPSW exponentially declined with biomass and thus was density‐dependent for Japanese sardine, a small pelagic species exhibiting a high level of population fluctuation, in the western North Pacific. By contrast, the TEPPS/TEPPSW was sardine‐density‐dependent for Japanese anchovy, another small pelagic species exhibiting a moderate level of population fluctuation well‐known for being out of phase with sardine. Our analysis revealed intraspecific (sardine) and interspecific (anchovy) density dependence in TEPPS/TEPPSW, which was previously unaccounted for in spawner–recruitment relationships. Such density‐dependent effects at the time of spawning should be considered in fisheries management and studies on recruitment mechanisms.
Fracture toughness of high strength seamless pipe steel from SE(T) and SE(B) specimens evaluated by different standards
Authors: Filgueiras Pedro Freire , de Menezes João Teixeira Oliveira , Perez Ipiña Juan Elias , Castrodeza Enrique Mariano
Published: October 2018

Recently released, BS 8571:2014 standard offers an alternative for the experimental determination of fracture toughness and resistance curves of metallic materials from SE(T) specimens. Similar in stress conditions and constraint to cracked tubes, specimens in SE(T) geometry should yield less conservative toughness values than conventional high‐constraint specimens, such as SE(B) geometry. However, the convention to determine the J‐integral fracture toughness proposed in the new BS standard is different from ASTM standards. In this work, SE(T) and SE(B) specimens of similar dimensions of a tough high‐strength seamless pipe steel were tested following the BS 8571:2014 and ASTM E1820‐16 standards, respectively. Because of the different standardized definitions, SE(T) specimens yield lower fracture toughness than SE(B) specimens, which could lead to more conservative results in structural integrity analysis. This investigation also suggests the introduction of the blunting line concept in the BS 8571:2014 standard in order to minimize this problem.
Biomass consumption by surface fires across Earth's most fire prone continent
Authors: Murphy Brett P. , Prior Lynda D. , Cochrane Mark A. , Williamson Grant J. , Bowman David M. J. S.
Published: October 2018

Landscape fire is a key but poorly understood component of the global carbon cycle. Predicting biomass consumption by fire at large spatial scales is essential to understanding carbon dynamics and hence how fire management can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase ecosystem carbon storage. An Australia‐wide field‐based survey (at 113 locations) across large‐scale macroecological gradients (climate, productivity and fire regimes) enabled estimation of how biomass combustion by surface fire directly affects continental‐scale carbon budgets. In terms of biomass consumption, we found clear trade‐offs between the frequency and severity of surface fires. In temperate southern Australia, characterised by less frequent and more severe fires, biomass consumed per fire was typically very high. In contrast, surface fires in the tropical savannas of northern Australia were very frequent but less severe, with much lower consumption of biomass per fire (about a quarter of that in the far south). When biomass consumption was expressed on an annual basis, biomass consumed was far greater in the tropical savannas (>20 times that of the far south). This trade‐off is also apparent in the ratio of annual carbon consumption to net primary production (NPP). Across Australia's naturally vegetated land area, annual carbon consumption by surface fire is equivalent to about 11% of NPP, with a sharp contrast between temperate southern Australia (6%) and tropical northern Australia (46%). Our results emphasise that fire management to reduce greenhouse gas emissions should focus on fire prone tropical savanna landscapes, where the vast bulk of biomass consumption occurs globally. In these landscapes, grass biomass is a key driver of frequency, intensity and combustion completeness of surface fires, and management actions that increase grass biomass are likely to lead to increases in greenhouse gas emissions from savanna fires.
Spatial Autocorrelation Statistics of Areal Prevalence Rates under High Uncertainty in Denominator Data
Authors: Jung Paul H. , Thill Jean‐Claude , Issel Michele
Published: October 2018

We propose a new estimator of spatial autocorrelation of areal incidence or prevalence rates in small areas, such as crime and health indicators, for correcting spatially heterogeneous sampling errors in denominator data. The approach is dubbed the heteroscedasticity‐consistent empirical Bayes (HC‐EB) method. As American Community Survey (ACS) data have been released to the public for small census geographies, small‐area estimates now form the demographic landscape of neighborhoods. Meanwhile, there is growing awareness of the diminished statistical validity of global and local Moran’s I when such small‐area estimates are used in denominator data. Using teen birth rates by census tracts in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, we present comparisons of conventional and new HC‐EB estimates of Global and Local Moran’s I statistics created on ACS data, along with estimates on ground truth values from the 2010 decennial census. Results show that the new adjustment method dramatically enhances the statistical validity of global and local spatial autocorrelation statistics.
Consultocracy and its discontents: A critical typology and a call for a research agenda
Authors: Ylönen Matti , Kuusela Hanna
Published: October 2018

In the past few decades, many sector‐specific case studies have been conducted on the use of consultants in the public sector. However, the overall picture of the qualitative changes facilitated by consultants remains fragmented, and a comprehensive framework on how “consultocracy” affects governance is lacking. This article shows how the increased use of consultants has impacted the operational logics of public administration and governance at large. Drawing from a large multisectoral case study from Finland as well as existing studies, a fourfold typology of how consultocracy shapes public administration is introduced. We argue that increased reliance on consultants contributes to the monopolization and privatization of public knowledge and ensuing dependencies, erosion of tacit knowledge, weakening of accountability, and strengthening of instrumental rationality. This research emphasizes the importance of understanding the links between these developments and the need to implement a comprehensive research agenda on consultocracy.
YoungMito 2018: Report on the 1st International Mitochondria Meeting for Young Scientists
Authors: Yamano Koji , Lazarou Michael
Published: October 2018

The 1st International Mitochondria Meeting for Young Scientists (International YoungMito 2018) was held at Hotel Co‐op Inn Kyoto in Kyoto, Japan, from 20 to 22 April 2018. The meeting was attended by 130 mitochondrial researchers from 15 countries. International YoungMito 2018 was the first international mitochondria meeting held in Japan organized by and for young mitochondrial researchers. Over the 3‐day period, there were 28 oral presentations including two keynote lectures, 20 presentations from invited speakers, and six short talks selected from abstract submissions. Many different topics were covered including quality control pathways acting against mitochondrial stresses, mitochondrial dynamics, protein/lipid transport, cristae organization, respiration/ATP synthesis, mtDNA maintenance, mitochondrial disease models, and pharmacological approaches. In addition, we had 64 posters, a number which represented almost half of all attendees. Thanks to the cutting‐edge information and high‐quality unpublished data that were presented, there were many lively discussions during oral and poster sessions that continued into the coffee breaks, lunchtime, and nighttime discussions. The 1st international YoungMito meeting was successful in promoting intellectual exchange among all participants, facilitating collaborations beyond national boundaries, and closed with great success. It was a great pleasure that many participants were looking forward to the next YoungMito meeting.
Risk factors for loss to follow‐up, transfer or death among people living with HIV on their first antiretroviral therapy regimen in Mali
Authors: Baldé A , Lièvre L , Maiga AI , Diallo F , Maiga IA , Costagliola D , Abgrall S
Published: October 2018

Objectives

Risk factors for loss to follow‐up (LTFU) were assessed for people living with HIV (PLHIV) at various reference out‐patient clinics (expertise level II) and hospitals (expertise level III) in Mali.

Methods

HIV‐1‐positive adults starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2006–2013 were eligible for inclusion. Risk factors for LTFU, defined as no visit in the 6 months preceding the last database update, were assessed with the Cox model, taking into account the competing risks of transfer and death. Potential risk factors at the start of ART were demographic and socioeconomic variables, World Health Organization (WHO) stage, CD4 count, period of ART initiation, type of ART, region of care, expertise level and distance from home.

Results

We included 9821 PLHIV, 33% of whom were male, starting ART at nine out‐patient clinics and seven hospitals [five and two in the capital Bamako and four and five in the ‘regions’ (i.e. districts outside the capital), respectively] with a median (interquartile range) CD4 count of 153 (56–270) cells/μL. Five‐year cumulative incidences of LTFU, transfer and death were 35.2, 9.7 and 6.7%, respectively. People followed at Bamako hospitals > 5 km from home, at regional hospitals or at regional out‐patient clinics < 5 km from home were at higher risk of LTFU than people followed at Bamako out‐patient clinics, whereas people followed at regional out‐patient clinics 5–50 km away from home were at lower risk for LTFU. Deaths were less frequent at hospitals, whether in Bamako or in the regions, than at Bamako out‐patient clinics, and more frequent at regional out‐patient clinics.

Conclusions

Expertise level and distance to care were associated with LTFU. Stigmatization may play a role for PLHIV living close to the centres in the regions.
Dynamic changes in flavonol glycosides during production of green, yellow, white, oolong and black teas from Camellia sinensis L. (cv. Fudingdabaicha)
Authors: Fang Zhou‐Tao , Song Chu‐Jun , Xu Hai‐Rong , Ye Jian‐Hui
Published: October 2018

Flavonol glycosides with low thresholds are important flavour substances in tea leaves. This study monitored the dynamic changes in flavonol glycosides during the production of different teas. The fresh leaves of cv. Fudingdabaicha with 15.77 mg g−1 of total flavonol glycosides (TFG) were respectively processed into green, yellow, white, oolong and black teas. A reduction of TFG was observed for different teas, amongst which black tea contained the lowest level of TFG (9.83 mg g−1), followed by oolong tea (11.96 mg g−1), while green, yellow and white teas contained similar levels of TFG (~13.70 mg g−1). Fixation was crucial to maintain the stability of flavonol glycosides due to its inactivation effect on enzymes at high temperature. Principal component analysis results indicated that flavonol glycosides were vulnerable to fermentation, and the stabilities of flavonol glycosides were related with aglycone and glycoside moiety.
Hormonal control and target genes of ftz‐f1 expression in the honeybee Apis mellifera: a positive loop linking juvenile hormone, ftz‐f1, and vitellogenin
Authors: Mello T. R. P. , Aleixo A. C. , Pinheiro D. G. , Nunes F. M. F. , Cristino A. S. , Bitondi M. M. G. , Barchuk A. R. , Simões Z. L. P.
Published: October 2018

Ftz‐f1 is an orphan member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. A 20‐hydroxyecdysone pulse allows ftz‐f1 gene expression, which then regulates the activity of downstream genes involved in major developmental progression events. In honeybees, the expression of genes like vitellogenin (vg), prophenoloxidase and juvenile hormone‐esterase during late pharate‐adult development is known to be hormonally controlled in both queens and workers by increasing juvenile hormone (JH) titres in the presence of declining levels of ecdysteroids. Since Ftz‐f1 is known for mediating intracellular JH signalling, we hypothesized that ftz‐f1 could mediate JH action during the pharate‐adult development of honeybees, thus controlling the expression of these genes. Here, we show that ftz‐f1 has caste‐specific transcription profiles during this developmental period, with a peak coinciding with the increase in JH titre, and that its expression is upregulated by JH and downregulated by ecdysteroids. RNAi‐mediated knock down of ftz‐f1 showed that the expression of genes essential for adult development (e.g. vg and cuticular genes) depends on ftz‐f1 expression. Finally, a double‐repressor hypothesis‐inspired vg gene knock‐down experiment suggests the existence of a positive molecular loop between JH, ftz‐f1 and vg.
Characterisation of impaired wound healing in a preclinical model of induced diabetes using wide‐field imaging and conventional immunohistochemistry assays
Authors: Saidian Mayer , Lakey Jonathan R.T. , Ponticorvo Adrien , Rowland Rebecca , Baldado Melissa , Williams Joshua , Pronda Maaikee , Alexander Michael , Flores Antonio , Shiri Li , Zhang Stellar , Choi Bernard , Kohen Roni , Tromberg Bruce J. , Durkin Anthony J.
Published: October 2018

Major complications of diabetes lead to inflammation and oxidative stress, delayed wound healing, and persistent ulcers. The high morbidity, mortality rate, and associated costs of management suggest a need for non‐invasive methods that will enable the early detection of at‐risk tissue. We have compared the wound‐healing process that occurs in streptozotocin (STZ)‐treated diabetic rats with non‐diabetic controls using contrast changes in colour photography (ie, Weber Contrast) and the non‐invasive optical method Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI). This technology can be used to quantify the structural and metabolic properties of in‐vivo tissue by measuring oxyhaemoglobin concentration (HbO2), deoxyhaemoglobin concentration (Hb), and oxygen saturation (StO2) within the visible boundaries of each wound. We also evaluated the changes in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the dermis using immunohistochemistry. Contrast changes in colour photographs showed that diabetic rats healed at a slower rate in comparison with non‐diabetic control, with the most significant change occurring at 7 days after the punch biopsy. We observed lower HbO2, StO2, and elevated Hb concentrations in the diabetic wounds. The iNOS level was higher in the dermis of the diabetic rats compared with the non‐diabetic rats. Our results showed that, in diabetes, there is higher level of iNOS that can lead to an observed reduction in HbO2 levels. iNOS is linked to increased inflammation, leading to prolonged wound healing. Our results suggest that SFDI has potential as a non‐invasive assessment of markers of wound‐healing impairment.