bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Environmental and Socioeconomic Factors Associated with West Nile Virus
Authors: Hernandez E , Joyce AL , Torres R
Published: June 2018

Environmental and socioeconomic risk factors associated with West Nile Virus cases were investigated in the Northern San Joaquin Valley region of California, a largely rural area. The study included human West Nile Virus (WNV) cases from the years 2011-2015 in the three county area of San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced Counties, and examined whether factors were associated with WNV using census tracts as the unit of analysis. Environmental factors included temperature, precipitation, mosquitoes positive for WNV, and habitat. Socioeconomic variables included age, education, housing age, home vacancies, median income, population density, ethnicity, and language spoken. Chi-squared independence tests were used to examine whether each variable was associated with WNV in each county, and then also used for the three counties combined. Logistic regression was used for a three-county combined analysis, to examine which environmental and socioeconomic variables were most likely associated with WNV cases. The chi-squared tests found that the variables associated with WNV varied in each of the three counties. The chi-squared tests for data combined from the three counties found that WNV cases were significantly associated with mosquitoes positive for WNV, urban habitat, higher home vacancies, higher population density, higher education, and ethnicity. Logistic regression analysis revealed that overall, the environmental factors precipitation, mean temperature, and WNV positive mosquitoes were the strongest predictors of WNV cases. Results support efforts of mosquito control districts, which aim for source reduction of mosquito breeding sites. In addition, findings suggest that residents with higher income and education may be more aware of WNV and its symptoms, and more likely to request testing from physicians. Lower income and education residents may not be aware of WNV. Public health education might increase its prevention messages about vector-borne disease in the various languages of the region, which would contribute overall to public health in the region.
diffcyt: Differential discovery in high-dimensional cytometry via high-resolution clustering
Authors: Weber Lukas M. , Nowicka Malgorzata , Soneson Charlotte , Robinson Mark D.
Published: June 2018

1

High-dimensional flow and mass cytometry allow cell types and states to be characterized in great detail by measuring expression levels of more than 40 targeted protein markers per cell at the single-cell level. However, data analysis can be difficult, due to the large size and dimensionality of datasets as well as limitations of existing computational methods. Here, we present diffcyt, a new computational framework for differential discovery analyses in high-dimensional cytometry data, based on a combination of high-resolution clustering and empirical Bayes moderated tests adapted from transcriptomics. Our approach provides improved statistical performance, including for rare cell populations, along with flexible experimental designs and fast runtimes in an open-source framework.
Effects of host species and environmental factors on the prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in northern Europe
Authors: Kärvemo Simon , Meurling Sara , Berger David , Höglund Jacob , Laurila Anssi
Published: June 2018

The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a major threat to amphibian populations. Here we asked if the prevalence of Bd differs between amphibian species and whether it is related to local environmental factors in breeding habitats as well as landscape variables measured at three scales (500, 2000 and 5000 m radius) in southernmost Sweden. We sampled 947 anurans from six species in 31 ponds. Canopy cover, pond perimeter, pH and temperature were treated as local scale pond characteristics. Number of surrounding ponds, area of arable land, area of mature forest and number of resident people were treated as landscape variables. Bufo bufo and Rana temporaria had a prevalence of 0.5-1.0% which differed strongly from the other four species (Bombina bombina, Bufotes variabilis, Epidalea calamita, Rana arvalis) showing 13-64% prevalence. Bd prevalence in these four species was higher in ponds with higher pH, surrounded by a landscape with less mature forest and few wetlands. Our results show that the infection dynamics of Bd are complex and depend on local pond characteristics, host community composition and the spatial scale under investigation. Information on environmental factors associated with Bd and species differences in susceptibility may mitigate further spread of the disease through public information and guide conservational action plans, especially for the most threatened species.
A Network of Networks Approach for Modeling Interconnected Brain Tissue-Specific Networks
Authors: Kawakubo Hideko , Matsui Yusuke , Kushima Itaru , Ozaki Norio , Shimamura Teppei
Published: June 2018

Motivation

Recent sequence-based analyses have identified a lot of gene variants that may contribute to neurogenetic disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Several state-of-the-art network-based analyses have been proposed for mechanical understanding of genetic variants in neurogenetic disorders. However, these methods were mainly designed for modeling and analyzing single networks that do not interact with or depend on other networks, and thus cannot capture the properties between interdependent systems in brain-specific tissues, circuits, and regions which are connected each other and affect behavior and cognitive processes.

Results

We introduce a novel and efficient framework, called a “Network of Networks” (NoN) approach, to infer the interconnectivity structure between multiple networks where the response and the predictor variables are topological information matrices of given networks. We also propose Graph-Oriented SParsE Learning (GOSPEL), a new sparse structural learning algorithm for network graph data to identify a subset of the topological information matrices of the predictors related to the response. We demonstrate on simulated data that GOSPEL outperforms existing kernel-based algorithms in terms of F-measure. On real data from human brain region-specific functional networks associated with the autism risk genes, we show that the NoN model provides insights on the autism-associated interconnectivity structure between functional interaction networks and a comprehensive understanding of the genetic basis of autism across diverse regions of the brain.

Availability

Our software is available from https://github.com/infinite-point/GOSPEL.

Contact

kawakubo@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp, shimamura@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Genome-scale identification of cellular pathways required for cell surface recognition
Authors: Sharma Sumana , Bartholdson S. Josefin , Couch Amalie C.M. , Yusa Kosuke , Wright Gavin J.
Published: June 2018

Interactions mediated by cell surface receptors initiate important instructive signaling cues but can be difficult to detect in biochemical assays because they are often highly transient and membrane-embedded receptors are difficult to solubilize in their native conformation. Here, we address these biochemical challenges by using a genome-scale, cell-based genetic screening approach using CRISPR gene knockout technology to identify cellular pathways required for specific cell surface recognition events. By using high-affinity monoclonal antibodies and low-affinity ligands, we determined the necessary screening parameters, including the importance of establishing binding contributions from the glycocalyx, that permitted the unequivocal identification of genes encoding directly interacting membrane-embedded receptors with high statistical confidence. Importantly, we show that this genome-wide screening approach additionally identified receptor-specific pathways that are required for functional display of receptors on the cell surface that included chaperones, enzymes that add post-translational modifications, trafficking proteins, and transcription factors. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of the approach by identifying IGF2R (insulin like growth factor 2 receptor) as a binding partner for the R2 subunit of GABAB receptors. We show that this interaction is direct and is critically dependent on mannose-6-phosphate, providing a mechanism for the internalization and regulation of GABAB receptor signaling. We conclude that this single approach can reveal both the molecular nature and the genetic pathways required for functional cell surface display of receptors recognized by antibodies, secreted proteins, and membrane-embedded ligands without the need to make any prior assumptions regarding their biochemical properties.
Performance assessment and capital budgeting based on performance
Authors: Ghiyasi Mojtaba
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose two performance-based capital budgeting (PBCB) approaches. The proposed approaches aim to assign limited capital within different firms based on their performance. These approaches have been applied to capital budgeting process of the technical and vocational training schools of Semnan Province, Iran for the fiscal year 2014–2016. Although the current capital of each decision-making unit (DMU) is secured in the first approach, the second approach provides possibility of sharing the capital between DMUs.

Design/methodology/approach

Data envelopment analysis which is a broadly used mathematical programming technique for assessing performance of DMUs is utilized for the first phase of both approaches. The proposed models are based on linear programming. Different scenarios are presented and their pros and cons for the capital budgeting process are discussed.

Findings

The proposed approaches are applied to capital budgeting process for a fiscal year of technical and vocational training schools of Semnan Province, Iran. The budget allocation of the previous year has been found to be non-optimal in terms of budget consuming. This emphasizes reconsideration of budget allotment within schools. The results show a high potential for producing more outputs. The second approach that provides the possibility of sharing and realloting of budget between schools based on their performance may be crucial for those schools that are not performing efficiently because there is possibility of losing budget in each given year in contrast with the previous years.

Originality/value

This paper proposes two linear programming-based approaches for the PBCB. The author not only deals with static framework but also proposes dynamic structured models. Using performance-based budgeting in organizations has been emphasized by authorities in Iran for many years. Using the proposed approaches, different suggestion and policy recommendation for decision makers in process of capital budgeting process within period of study are provided for technical and vocational training schools of Semnan Province, Iran.
The impact of soft TQM on financial performance
Authors: Albuhisi Ahmad Musbah , Abdallah Ayman Bahjat
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of soft total quality management (TQM) on organizational performance in the Jordanian pharmaceutical manufacturing sector using the balanced scorecard (BSC) perspective. It also examines the indirect effect of soft TQM on financial performance through BSC non-financial perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on survey data collected from 197 employees in managerial and non-managerial positions working in Jordanian pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Validity and reliability analyses were performed, and the study hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results indicated that soft TQM positively affected all BSC perspectives. Customer perspective positively affected financial performance while innovation and learning perspective and internal business process perspective did not. In addition, only customer perspective significantly mediated the relationship between soft TQM and financial performance.

Originality/value

This is one of the first papers to examine the effect of soft TQM on organizational performance in terms of BSC perspective in the pharmaceutical sector. In addition, this paper is the first to examine the mediating effects of the BSC non-financial perspectives on the relationship between soft TQM and financial performance.
Aggregate effects of advertising decisions
Authors: Yang Yanwu , Li Xin , Zeng Daniel , Jansen Bernard J.
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to model group advertising decisions, which are the collective decisions of every single advertiser within the set of advertisers who are competing in the same auction or vertical industry, and examine resulting market outcomes, via a proposed simulation framework named Experimental Platform for Search Engine Advertising (EXP-SEA) supporting experimental studies of collective behaviors in the context of search engine advertising.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors implement the EXP-SEA to validate the proposed simulation framework, also conduct three experimental studies on the aggregate impact of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), the competition level and strategic bidding behaviors. EXP-SEA supports heterogeneous participants, various auction mechanisms and also ranking and pricing algorithms.

Findings

Findings from the three experiments show that both the market profit and advertising indexes such as number of impressions and number of clicks are larger when the eWOM effect is present, meaning social media certainly has some effect on search engine advertising outcomes, the competition level has a monotonic increasing effect on the market performance, thus search engines have an incentive to encourage both the eWOM among search users and competition among advertisers, and given the market-level effect of the percentage of advertisers employing a dynamic greedy bidding strategy, there is a cut-off point for strategic bidding behaviors.

Originality/value

This is one of the first research works to explore collective group decisions and resulting phenomena in the complex context of search engine advertising via developing and validating a simulation framework that supports assessments of various advertising strategies and estimations of the impact of mechanisms on the search market.
“I’m supposed to feel like this is my home”
Authors: Shirazi Roozbeh
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the exercise of administrative authority to suspend the Muslim Student Association (MSA), an affinity group at a suburban Midwestern high school, was experienced and perceived by affected students. Notably, it traces the mobilization of the MSA students to challenge the principal’s authority through formal channels within the district to reopen the affinity group. In doing so, the students’ activism represents an example of dissensus, or mode of political engagement that challenges top-down models of fostering equity and diversity in schools.

Design/methodology/approach

The data are drawn from a nine-month ethnographic case study at an inner-ring suburban school in a large Midwestern metropolitan area. Data include participant observation of classrooms and affinity group meetings, semi-structured individual and group interviews, informal conversation and analytical memos synthesizing ethnographic fieldnotes.

Findings

Though the school and district have made different investments in strengthening equity and diversity at the school, transnational and minoritized Muslim students report a school climate that is characterized by exclusion and racialized surveillance. The principal’s decision to suspend the MSA was characterized by a narrow understanding of the purpose of the group and the identities of the student members. The decision to suspend the MSA, however, produced conditions centering the agentive potential of marginalized and minoritized students.

Originality/value

This paper opens up the tensions challenges of incorporating student voice into educational decision making. Notably, it highlights important possibilities for political action students when their voices cannot or will not be heard by those who make decisions on their behalf.
Broken bridges: a social network perspective on urban high school leadership
Authors: Liou Yi-Hwa , Daly Alan J.
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Secondary school leadership provides multiple challenges in terms of the diversity of tasks, multiple demands on time, balancing communities and attending to instructional programming. An emerging scholarship suggests the importance of a distributed instructional leadership approach to high school leadership. However, what has been less thoroughly explored is how secondary school leadership is distributed leaders across a school district. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the social structure and positions urban high school principals occupy in the district system.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted in one urban fringe public school district in southern California serving diverse students populations. The data were collected at three time points starting in Fall 2012 and ending in Fall 2014 from a district-wide leadership team including all central office and site leaders. All leaders were asked to assess their social relations and perception of innovative climate. The data were analyzed through a series of social network indices to examine the structure and positions of high school principals.

Findings

Results indicate that over time high school principals have decreasing access to social capital and are typically occupying peripheral positions in the social network. The high school principals’ perception of innovative climate across the district decreases over time.

Originality/value

This longitudinal study, one of the first to examine high school principals from a network perspective, sheds new light on the social infrastructure of urban high school principals and what this might mean for efforts at improvement.
Heterogeneity of Pregamers by Consumption and Reinforcement Reasons: A Latent Profile Analysis
Authors: Haas Amie L. , Wickham Robert E. , Zamboanga Byron L. , Read Jennifer P. , Borsari Brian
Published: June 2018

Background

Pregaming is a common, high‐risk drinking activity among college students that has been largely unchangeable despite targeted intervention approaches. Therefore, identifying profiles of pregamers could enhance understanding of the risks associated with this practice and inform intervention development.

Methods

This study identified subtypes of pregamers in undergraduates (N = 911; 60% female, 42.9% White) attending 3 U.S. universities in 2012. Self‐report data assessed recent alcohol use (overall, heavy, and pregaming), pregaming motives, and demographics. Alcohol‐related consequences were assessed via the Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire.

Results

Latent profile analysis using pregaming‐specific indicators assessing motives (e.g., to avoid getting caught) and consumption (e.g., estimated pregaming blood alcohol concentration) yielded 5 unique profiles. Three profiles were characterized by pregaming on 50% or more of all drinking events that differed by pregaming consumption and motives: Instrumental (5.3%; heavy consumption, intoxication‐driven motives), Global (16.0%; moderate consumption, indistinct motives), and Risk‐averse (18.3%; moderate‐to‐heavy consumption, negatively reinforcing motives). Two profiles reported lower levels of pregaming: Occasional (32.4%; moderate consumption, indistinct motives) and Infrequent (28.0%; lowest pregaming involvement). Cross‐profile differences were then examined for demographics, general drinking and pregaming‐specific motives, and alcohol‐related consequences. Profile comparisons indicated differences in overall alcohol consumption, ethnicity, gender, current living arrangements, Greek involvement, and a variety of alcohol‐related consequences (ps < 0.01).

Conclusions

Overall, pregaming is a very heterogeneous behavior among college students in that some students utilize this drinking practice as a means to mitigate risk and others use it to promote intoxication. Results suggest that distinguishing pregamers by consumption as well as motives can facilitate the development of more tailored intervention approaches for students who engage in this high‐risk practice.
Associations Between State‐Level Policies Regarding Alcohol Use Among Pregnant Women, Adverse Birth Outcomes, and Prenatal Care Utilization: Results from 1972 to 2013 Vital Statistics
Authors: Subbaraman Meenakshi S. , Thomas Sue , Treffers Ryan , Delucchi Kevin , Kerr William C. , Martinez Priscilla , Roberts Sarah C.M.
Published: June 2018

Background

Policies regarding alcohol use during pregnancy continue to be enacted and debated in the United States. However, no study to date has examined whether these policies are related to birth outcomes—the outcomes they ultimately aim to improve. Here, we assessed whether state‐level policies targeting alcohol use during pregnancy are related to birth outcomes, which has not been done comprehensively before.

Methods

The study involved secondary analyses of birth certificate data from 148,048,208 U.S. singleton births between 1972 and 2013. Exposures were indicators of whether the following 8 policies were in effect during gestation: Mandatory Warning Signs (MWS), Priority Treatment for Pregnant Women, Priority Treatment for Pregnant Women/Women with Children, Reporting Requirements for Data and Treatment Purposes, Prohibitions Against Criminal Prosecution, Civil Commitment, Reporting Requirements for Child Protective Services Purposes, and Child Abuse/Child Neglect. Outcomes were low birthweight (<2,500 g), premature birth (<37 weeks), any prenatal care utilization (PCU), late PCU, inadequate PCU, and normal (≥7) APGAR score. Multivariable fixed‐effect logistic regressions controlling for both maternal‐ and state‐level covariates were used for statistical analyses.

Results

Of the 8 policies, 6 were significantly related to worse outcomes and 2 were not significantly related to any outcomes. The policy requiring MWS was related to the most outcomes: specifically, living in a state with MWS was related to 7% higher odds of low birthweight (p < 0.001); 4% higher odds of premature birth (p < 0.004); 18% lower odds of any PCU (p < 0.001); 12% higher odds of late PCU (p < 0.002); and 10% lower odds of a normal APGAR score (p < 0.001) compared to living in a state without MWS.

Conclusions

Most policies targeting alcohol use during pregnancy do not have their intended effects and are related to worse birth outcomes and less PCU.
Environmental determination of body size in mammals: Rethinking ‘island dwarfism’ in the golden bandicoot
Authors: Dunlop Judy , Morris Keith
Published: June 2018

There are several cases of insular animal species exhibiting dramatic differences in body size when compared with mainland counterparts. Such pronounced morphological changes can arise from divergent selection via differing resource availability, competition or predation pressure. Past studies have not been able to demonstrate a reversal of these morphological changes when populations are removed from their island situation. This study examines the body size response of populations of the Barrow Island ‘dwarf’ subspecies of golden bandicoot (Isoodon auratus barrowensis: Ramsay, 1887) following translocation to an island and mainland site within their former range. Skeletal and mass measurements, body condition and fecundity of released animals and their offspring were compared to data from the source population. When comparing bandicoots born at translocation sites to source populations, males were significantly larger in skeletal size and mass, females were also significantly larger and exhibited higher reproductive output (number, frequency and average mass of pouch young). These effects occurred in a gradient according to environmental conditions, where animals were smallest and least productive at the densely populated source site, larger and more productive on a nearby island, and largest and most productive at a mainland site with some nutritional supplementation. These changes in skeletal size, mass and fecundity took place in the first 1–4 generations (18 months post‐release), suggesting that the response is not explained by natural selection. We posit that the small size of golden bandicoots on Barrow Island (315.8 ± 4.2 g, this study, cf 569.4 ± 19.3 g, mainland) is not a genotypic response to selective pressures, but rather a reversible phenotypic response to more favourable environmental conditions. A reduction in competitive pressures appeared to allow bandicoots to grow to a larger size and mass, and allow greater reproductive output. Ecological processes relating to resource limitation appear to drive ‘island dwarfism’ in I. auratus, and may apply to other insular species with morphological differentiation.
Generalized Information Theory Meets Human Cognition: Introducing a Unified Framework to Model Uncertainty and Information Search
Authors: Crupi Vincenzo , Nelson Jonathan D. , Meder Björn , Cevolani Gustavo , Tentori Katya
Published: June 2018

Searching for information is critical in many situations. In medicine, for instance, careful choice of a diagnostic test can help narrow down the range of plausible diseases that the patient might have. In a probabilistic framework, test selection is often modeled by assuming that people's goal is to reduce uncertainty about possible states of the world. In cognitive science, psychology, and medical decision making, Shannon entropy is the most prominent and most widely used model to formalize probabilistic uncertainty and the reduction thereof. However, a variety of alternative entropy metrics (Hartley, Quadratic, Tsallis, Rényi, and more) are popular in the social and the natural sciences, computer science, and philosophy of science. Particular entropy measures have been predominant in particular research areas, and it is often an open issue whether these divergences emerge from different theoretical and practical goals or are merely due to historical accident. Cutting across disciplinary boundaries, we show that several entropy and entropy reduction measures arise as special cases in a unified formalism, the Sharma–Mittal framework. Using mathematical results, computer simulations, and analyses of published behavioral data, we discuss four key questions: How do various entropy models relate to each other? What insights can be obtained by considering diverse entropy models within a unified framework? What is the psychological plausibility of different entropy models? What new questions and insights for research on human information acquisition follow? Our work provides several new pathways for theoretical and empirical research, reconciling apparently conflicting approaches and empirical findings within a comprehensive and unified information‐theoretic formalism.
Longitudinal development of attention and inhibitory control during the first year of life
Authors: Holmboe Karla , Bonneville‐Roussy Arielle , Csibra Gergely , Johnson Mark H.
Published: June 2018

Executive functions (EFs) are key abilities that allow us to control our thoughts and actions. Research suggests that two EFs, inhibitory control (IC) and working memory (WM), emerge around 9 months. Little is known about IC earlier in infancy and whether basic attentional processes form the “building blocks” of emerging IC. These questions were investigated longitudinally in 104 infants tested behaviorally on two screen‐based attention tasks at 4 months, and on IC tasks at 6 and 9 months. Results provided no evidence that basic attention formed precursors for IC. However, there was full support for coherence in IC at 9 months and partial support for stability in IC from 6 months. This suggests that IC emerges earlier than previously assumed.

A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVE17hooANY
Transplantation tolerance through mixed chimerism: From allo to xeno
Authors: Sachs David H.
Published: June 2018

To date, the only successful means of achieving allogeneic transplantation tolerance in the clinic has involved induction of mixed lymphohematopoietic chimerism. Such chimerism was first achieved in mice and subsequently in large animals, including miniature swine, monkeys and most recently humans. The mechanism of tolerance has differed between models, involving both deletional and regulatory mechanisms, in varying proportions, depending on the model. Considerable progress has also been made toward induction of tolerance across the xenogeneic pig‐to‐primate barrier, although complete success has not yet been achieved. The two approaches toward xenograft tolerance currently being investigated both involve establishment of a mixture of host and donor cells in the thymus, in one case through administration of donor bone marrow to the recipient and in the other through vascularized donor thymus transplantation to a thymectomized recipient. Hopefully, a combination of these approaches may provide an effective means for achieving full tolerance and thereby bringing xenograft organ transplantation to the clinic.
The Agony and the Ecstasy: Student-Coaches’ Perceptions of a Heutagogical Approach to Coach Development
Authors: Stoszkowski John , Collins Dave
Published: June 2018

Heutagogy is the focus on self-determined learning by the learner. In a recent Insights paper, Stoszkowski and Collins offered a critical overview of heutagogy, highlighting the potential advantages for coaching and coach education, as well as some concerns with its use. The aim of the present study was to offer insight into student-coaches’ experiences on a sports coaching bachelor degree module that was underpinned by a heutagogical approach to learning. Twenty-six student-coaches (6 females and 20 males) took part in semi-structured group interviews, 19 of whom had completed an end of module survey. Data were analyzed inductively and findings revealed that performance on, and perceptions of, the module showed the approach was differentially effective, with three higher order themes representing the student-coaches’ articulation of their experiences: (a) attitudinal disposition, (b) knowledge and experience, and (c) skill set. Although the findings of present study suggest heutagogy is a potentially useful method in coach education, we also highlight some potentially essential caveats to the use of the method.
Predator-driven natural selection on risk-taking behavior in anole lizards
Authors: Lapiedra Oriol , Schoener Thomas W. , Leal Manuel , Losos Jonathan B. , Kolbe Jason J.
Published: June 2018

Predation favors the unadventurous

Selection is likely to shape behavior by acting on behavioral differences between individuals. Testing this idea has been challenging. Lapiedra
et al.
took advantage of a chain of small islands in the Caribbean colonized by anole lizards. A series of repeated behavioral selection experiments were set up in which brown anole populations were established with and without predators. On predator-free islands, animals that were more exploratory were favored, whereas when predators were present, less adventurous animals survived better. Selection for behavior occurred simultaneously with morphological selection but was predominant when predators were present.

Science
, this issue p.
1017
Differences in IgG Fc Glycosylation Are Associated with Outcome of Pediatric Meningococcal Sepsis
Authors: de Haan Noortje , Boeddha Navin P. , Ekinci Ebru , Reiding Karli R. , Emonts Marieke , Hazelzet Jan A. , Wuhrer Manfred , Driessen Gertjan J.
Published: June 2018

Pediatric meningococcal sepsis often results in morbidity and/or death, especially in young children. Our understanding of the reasons why young children are more susceptible to both the meningococcal infection itself and a more fulminant course of the disease is limited. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is involved in the adaptive immune response against meningococcal infections, and its effector functions are highly influenced by the glycan structure attached to the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region. It was hypothesized that IgG Fc glycosylation might be related to the susceptibility and severity of meningococcal sepsis. Because of this, the differences in IgG Fc glycosylation between 60 pediatric meningococcal sepsis patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit and 46 age-matched healthy controls were investigated, employing liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection of tryptic IgG glycopeptides. In addition, Fc glycosylation profiles were compared between patients with a severe outcome (death or the need for amputation) and a nonsevere outcome. Meningococcal sepsis patients under the age of 4 years showed lower IgG1 fucosylation and higher IgG1 bisection than age-matched healthy controls. This might be a direct effect of the disease; however, it can also be a reflection of previous immunologic challenges and/or a higher susceptibility of these children to develop meningococcal sepsis. Within the young patient group, levels of IgG1 hybrid-type glycans and IgG2/3 sialylation per galactose were associated with illness severity and severe outcome. Future studies in larger groups should explore whether IgG Fc glycosylation could be a reliable predictor for meningococcal sepsis outcome.

IMPORTANCE
Meningococcal sepsis causes significant mortality and morbidity worldwide, especially in young children. Identification of risk factors for a more fulminant infection would help to decide on appropriate treatment strategies for the individual patients. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) plays an essential role in humoral immune responses and is involved in the adaptive immune response against meningococcal infections. Of great influence on the receptor affinity of IgG is the
N
-glycan on its fragment crystallizable (Fc) portion. In the present study, we analyzed IgG glycosylation during the fast development of meningococcal sepsis in children, and we were able to identify glycosylation features that are different between meningococcal sepsis patients and healthy controls. These features might be indicative of a higher susceptibility to meningococcal sepsis. In addition, we found glycosylation features in the patients that were associated with illness severity and severe disease outcome, having the potential to serve as a disease outcome predictor.
Post-glacial recolonization of insular Newfoundland across the Strait of Belle Isle gave rise to an endemic subspecies of woodland caribou,Rangifer tarandus terranovae(Bangs, 1896): evidence from mtDNA haplotypes
Authors: Wilkerson Corinne D. , Mahoney Shane P. , Carr Steven M.
Published: June 2018

Post-glacial origins of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus subsp.) on the island of Newfoundland and their relationship to mainland populations have been uncertain. Sequence analysis of 2223 bp of the mitochondrial DNA control region and cytochrome b gene from 233 Newfoundland caribou identified 32 haplotypes in four major clades. Comparison with other Nearctic caribou confirms a closer affinity of the basal Clade A with animals from the mainland, and as an outgroup to Clades B, C, and D that are endemic to the island. This indicates re-entry of caribou to post-glacial Newfoundland across the Strait of Belle Isle from Labrador, rather than from southern coastal refugia. Newfoundland caribou are a distinct subspecies, Rangifer tarandus terranovae (Bangs, 1896). Hierarchical AMOVA shows significant clinal differentiation of the major clades from northwest to southeast across the island. The isolated Avalon Peninsula population in the extreme southeast is genetically depauperate. Founder effects are evident in herds introduced to previously unoccupied areas by wildlife managers over the past 40–50 years. Reindeer introduced in the early 20th century have not contributed to mtDNA diversity in Newfoundland caribou.
Design and Implementation of QCA D-Flip-Flops and RAM Cell Using Majority Gates
Authors: Sasamal Trailokya Nath , Singh Ashutosh Kumar , Ghanekar Umesh
Published: June 2018

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is one of the promising technologies that enable nanoscale circuit design with high performance and low-power consumption features. As memory cell and flip-flops are rudimentary for most of the digital circuits, having a high speed, and a less complex memory cell is significantly important. This paper presents novel architecture of D flip-flops and memory cell using a recently proposed five-input majority gate in QCA technology and simulated by QCADesigner tool version 2.0.3. The simulation results show that the proposed D flip-flops and the memory cell are more superior to the existing designs by considering the common design parameters. The proposed RAM cell spreads over an area of 0.12[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m2and delay of 1.5 clock cycles. The proposed level-triggered, positive/negative edge-triggered, and dual edge-triggered D flip-flop uses 14%, 33%, and 21% less area, whereas the latency is 40%, 27%, and 25% less when compared to the previous best design. In addition, all the proposed designs are implemented in a single layer QCA and do not require any single or multilayer wire crossing.
A Question of Inclusion: BC Hydro’s Site C Dam Indigenous Consultation Process
Authors: Dubrule Tye , Patriquin D. L. Dee , Hood Glynnis A.
Published: June 2018

Site C Dam, a third large hydroelectric project on the Peace River, Canada, could potentially impact many Indigenous groups’ traditional ways of life and cultural lands. Through an explanatory case study, we evaluated the quality of the consultation process between three Indigenous groups and BC Hydro. We reviewed all relevant project documents ([Formula: see text]) from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Public Registry site to identify concerns of three affected Indigenous groups, then evaluated the Indigenous consultation process against best management practices (BMPs) of the International Association for Impact Assessment and the World Bank. Overall, BC Hydro did not apply the international BMPs effectively, due in part to the legislated process and the proponent’s own consultation approach, which limited the ability of the proponent to obtain free, prior, informed consent or identify resource rights. Our findings provide new insights into constraints affecting social impact assessments within and outside of Canada.
A study of constacyclic codes over the ring ℤ4[u]/〈u2 − 3〉
Authors: Bag Tushar , Islam Habibul , Prakash Om , Upadhyay Ashish K.
Published: June 2018

In this paper, we study [Formula: see text]-constacyclic codes over the ring [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. We define some new Gray maps from [Formula: see text] to the copies of [Formula: see text]. It is shown that Gray images of [Formula: see text]-constacyclic codes over [Formula: see text] are cyclic, quasi-cyclic and permutation equivalent to quasi-cyclic codes over [Formula: see text]. Further, we extend and obtain cyclic codes, [Formula: see text]-constacyclic codes and permutation equivalent to quasi-cyclic codes over [Formula: see text], respectively, as Gray images of skew [Formula: see text]-constacyclic codes over [Formula: see text].
Stimulation of Eryptosis by Afatinib
Authors: Al Mamun Bhuyan Abdulla , Lang Florian
Published: June 2018

Background/Aims: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor afatinib is primarily utilized for the treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma. The drug is at least partially effective by triggering suicidal tumor cell death. Side effects of afatinib treatment include anemia. At least in theory, afatinib induced anemia could be secondary to stimulation of suicidal erythrocyte death or eryptosis, characterized by cell shrinkage and cell membrane scrambling with phosphatidylserine translocation to the erythrocyte surface. Signaling potentially stimulating eryptosis include increase of cytosolic Ca2+ activity ([Ca2+]i), induction of oxidative stress, and increase of ceramide abundance. The present study explored, whether afatinib induces eryptosis and, if so, whether its effect involves Ca2+ entry, oxidative stress, and/or ceramide. Methods: Flow cytometry was employed to quantify phosphatidylserine exposure at the cell surface from annexin-V-binding, cell volume from forward scatter, [Ca2+]i from Fluo3-fluorescence, reactive oxygen species (ROS) abundance from DCFDA dependent fluorescence, and ceramide abundance utilizing specific antibodies. Results: A 48 hours exposure of human erythrocytes to afatinib (≥ 4 µg/ml) significantly increased the percentage of annexin-V-binding cells and significantly decreased forward scatter. Afatinib significantly increased Fluo3-fluorescence, DCFDA fluorescence and ceramide abundance. The effect of afatinib on annexin-V-binding and forward scatter was significantly blunted by removal of extracellular Ca2+. Conclusions: Afatinib triggers phospholipid scrambling of the erythrocyte cell membrane, an effect at least in part due to Ca2+ entry, oxidative stress, and ceramide.
Pre-Treatment with Melatonin Enhances Therapeutic Efficacy of Cardiac Progenitor Cells for Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Ma Wenya , He Fang , Ding Fengzhi , Zhang Lai , Huang Qi , Bi Chongwei , Wang Xiuxiu , Hua Bingjie , Yang Fan , Yuan Ye , Han Zhenbo , Jin Mengyu , Liu Tianyi , Yu Ying , Cai Benzhi , Lu Yanjie , Du Zhimin
Published: June 2018

Background/Aims: Melatonin possesses many biological activities such as antioxidant and anti-aging. Cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for myocardial infarction (MI). However, the low survival of transplanted CPCs in infarcted myocardium limits the successful use in treating MI. In the present study, we aimed to investigate if melatonin protects against oxidative stress-induced CPCs damage and enhances its therapeutic efficacy for MI. Methods: TUNEL assay and EdU assay were used to detect the effects of melatonin and miR-98 on H2O2-induced apoptosis and proliferation. MI model was used to evaluate the potential cardioprotective effects of melatonin and miR-98. Results: Melatonin attenuated H2O2-induced the proliferation reduction and apoptosis of c-kit+ CPCs in vitro, and CPCs which pretreated with melatonin significantly improved the functions of post-infarct hearts compared with CPCs alone in vivo. Melatonin was capable to inhibit the increase of miR-98 level by H2O2 in CPCs. The proliferation reduction and apoptosis of CPCs induced by H2O2 was aggravated by miR-98. In vivo, transplantation of CPCs with miR-98 silencing caused the more significant improvement of cardiac functions in MI than CPCs. MiR-98 targets at the signal transducer and activator of the transcription 3 (STAT3), and thus aggravated H2O2-induced the reduction of Bcl-2 protein. Conclusions: Pre-treatment with melatonin protects c-kit+ CPCs against oxidative stress-induced damage via downregulation of miR-98 and thereby increasing STAT3, representing a potentially new strategy to improve CPC-based therapy for MI.
The Expulsion of Hagar
Authors: Englard Yaffa
Published: June 2018

Although many other scenes from the book of Genesis have been represented visually over the centuries, Hagar’s expulsion has been largely overlooked. This article examines the history of those works devoted to the subject, focusing in particular on the planes on which Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar are placed, the effects of narrative and story-telling upon visual art, the influence of theological stances and their developments upon the understanding of the episode, its reflection of early and medieval Jewish-Christian relations, and feminist/gender biblical interpretation.
Seasonal variability in diversity and abundance of the free-living pelagic copepod community of the Algerian coasts (SW Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Chaouadi Mustapha , Hafferssas Aziz
Published: June 2018

Investigations on the free-living, pelagic copepod community of the Algerian coasts were performed at the Habibas Islands and in Bou Ismail Bay (Sidi Fredj coast) between 0 and 100 meter depth during various seasons of the year 2012-2013. Seventy-seven taxa at species level have been identified, belonging to 47 genera and 24 families. The distribution of the copepod community revealed seasonal variability; high abundance and species richness (greater than 20 species) characterized winter and spring, while the summer period was characterized by low abundance and species richness. The spatial distribution showed high abundance and species richness on the Sidi Fredj coast (the respective mean abundances along the Sidi Fredj coast and at the Habibas Islands were 253.71 ind.m−3 and 109.77 ind.m−3, respectively). Analysis of the samples showed the presence of seven abundant and frequent species: Centropages typicus, Eucalanus elongatus, Pleuromamma abdominalis, Paracalanus parvus, Paracalanus nanus, Calanus helgolandicus, and Temora stylifera. Multivariate analysis (ascending hierarchical classification and non-metric multidimensional scaling) enabled us to group the stations according to the composition in the copepod species, and the influence of seasonal changes was well observed. A dominance of herbivorous behaviour, followed by an omnivorous feeding strategy, was observed in the two studied areas. A dominance of epipelagic and epi-mesopelagic species was observed during all seasons, reflecting a neritic character of both study areas.
The Virus in the Language: Alonso De Cartagena’s Deconstruction of the “Limpieza De Sangre” in Defensorium Unitatis Christianae (1450)
Authors: Giordano Maria Laura
Published: June 2018

This paper analyzes a little-studied aspect of Bishop Alonso de Cartagena (1485–56): that of a theologian embroiled in a polemic dispute with Pero Sarmiento and Marcos García de Mora, organizers of the Toledan anti-converso riots of 1449. In this dispute, Cartagena demonstrates a formidable dialectic force, which he develops in his treatise Defensorium Unitatis Christianae. His theological discourse would become a battleground in which, Bible in hand, he revealed the belligerent, irrational and, at the same time, ideological and heretical nature of his adversaries’ arguments.

Cartagena represents the critical conscience of the conversos of his time and epitomizes an ambitious and valiant Christian humanism in his attempt to save the unity of Christian society from the cultural and social rift the Toledan crisis clearly embodied. His originality lies in having understood the importance of language as a medium and, therefore, the need to neutralize the “virus” inside it: the preconceived and artificial conceptions that the Toledo rebels had of conversos.

Furthermore, his assertion that the papacy should maintain full control of the punishment of heretics led him to suggest repeatedly to John II of Castile that matters of faith did not concern the civil authorities.

His role as a theologian reveals itself in his decisive contribution to the expression of a new religious identity: that of the conversos, who thanks to him, began to familiarize themselves with theological concepts such as justification by faith and works such as the Beneficium Christi, which would later play a role in the Spanish and European religious crisis of the sixteenth century.
Drosophila (Sophophora) carrolli n. sp., a new species from Brunei, closely related to Drosophila (Sophophora) rhopaloa Bock & Wheeler, 1972 (Diptera: Drosophilidae)
Authors: GOMPEL NICOLAS , KOPP ARTYOM
Published: June 2018

We describe a new species in the Drosophila melanogaster species group, Drosophila carrolli n. sp., showing morphological affinities with D. rhopaloa Bock & Wheeler, 1972.