bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emerging Biorecognition and Transduction Schemes for Rapid Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria in Food
Authors: Vanegas Diana C. , Gomes Carmen L. , Cavallaro Nicholas D. , Giraldo‐Escobar Daniel , McLamore Eric S.
Published: September 2017

The presence of unsafe levels of microorganisms in food constitutes a growing economic and public health problem that necessitates new technology for their rapid detection along the food continuum from production to consumption. While traditional techniques are reliable, there is a need for more sensitive, selective, rapid, and cost‐effective approaches for food safety evaluation. Methods such as microbiological counts are sufficiently accurate and inexpensive, and are capable of determining presence and viability for most pathogens. However, these techniques are time consuming, involve destructive sampling, and require trained personnel and biosafety‐certified facilities for analysis. Molecular techniques such as the polymerase chain reaction have greatly improved analytical capability over the last decade, achieving shorter analysis time with quantitative data and strain specificity, and in some cases the ability to discriminate cell viability. The emerging field of nanosensors/biosensors has demonstrated a variety of devices that hold promise to bridge the gap between traditional plate counting and molecular techniques. Many nanosensors/biosensors are rapid, portable, accurate devices that can be used as an additional screening tool for identifying unsafe levels of microorganisms in food products with no need for pre‐enrichment. In this review, we provide a brief overview of available biorecognition–transduction techniques for detecting bacteria in food. We then discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each technique, and describe some recent biosensor or nanosensor technologies that are under development. We conclude by summarizing the opportunities and challenges in the field of pathogen monitoring in food systems and we focus the discussion on the strengths/weaknesses of the most popular biorecognition agents and transducer nanomaterials for biosensing.
Developments and Challenges in Online NIR Spectroscopy for Meat Processing
Authors: Dixit Y. , Casado‐Gavalda Maria P. , Cama‐Moncunill R. , Cama‐Moncunill X. , Markiewicz‐Keszycka Maria , Cullen P. J. , Sullivan Carl
Published: September 2017

Meat and meat products are popular foods due to their balanced nutritional nature and their availability in a variety of forms. In recent years, due to an increase in the consumer awareness regarding product quality and authenticity of food, rapid and effective quality control systems have been sought by meat industries. Near‐Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been identified as a fast and cost‐effective tool for estimating various meat quality parameters as well as detecting adulteration. This review focusses on the on/inline application of single and multiprobe NIR spectroscopy for the analysis of meat and meat products starting from the year 1996 to 2017. The article gives a brief description about the theory of NIR spectroscopy followed by its application for meat and meat products analysis. A detailed discussion is provided on the various studies regarding applications of NIR spectroscopy and specifically for on/inline monitoring along with their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, a brief description has been given about the various chemometric techniques utilized in the mentioned studies. Finally, it discusses challenges encountered and future prospects of the technology. It is concluded that, advancements in the fields of NIR spectroscopy and chemometrics have immensely increased the potential of the technology as a reliable on/inline monitoring tool for the meat industry.
Genetic diversity of marine anaerobic ammonium‐oxidizing bacteria as revealed by genomic and proteomic analyses of ‘Candidatus Scalindua japonica’
Authors: Oshiki Mamoru , Mizuto Keisuke , Kimura Zen‐ichiro , Kindaichi Tomonori , Satoh Hisashi , Okabe Satoshi
Published: September 2017

Anaerobic ammonium‐oxidizing (anammox) bacteria affiliated with the genus ‘Candidatus Scalindua’ are responsible for significant nitrogen loss in oceans, and thus their ecophysiology is of great interest. Here, we enriched a marine anammox bacterium, ‘Ca. S. japonica’ from a Hiroshima bay sediment in Japan, and comparative genomic and proteomic analyses of ‘Ca. S. japonica’ were conducted. Sequence of the 4.81‐Mb genome containing 4019 coding regions of genes (CDSs) composed of 47 contigs was determined. In the proteome, 1762 out of 4019 CDSs in the ‘Ca. S. japonica’ genome were detected. Based on the genomic and proteomic data, the core anammox process and carbon fixation of ‘Ca. S. japonica’ were further investigated. Additionally, the present study provides the first detailed insights into the genetic background responsible for iron acquisition and menaquinone biosynthesis in anammox bacterial cells. Comparative analysis of the ‘Ca. Scalindua’ genomes revealed that the 1502 genes found in the ‘Ca. S. japonica’ genome were not present in the ‘Ca. S. profunda’ and ‘Ca. S. rubra’ genomes, showing a high genomic diversity. This result may reflect a high phylogenetic diversity of the genus ‘Ca. Scalindua’.
Redefining the sponge‐symbiont acquisition paradigm: sponge microbes exhibit chemotaxis towards host‐derived compounds
Authors: Tout Jessica , Astudillo‐García Carmen , Taylor Michael W. , Tyson Gene W. , Stocker Roman , Ralph Peter J. , Seymour Justin R. , Webster Nicole S.
Published: September 2017

Marine sponges host stable and species‐specific microbial symbionts that are thought to be acquired and maintained by the host through a combination of vertical transmission and filtration from the surrounding seawater. To assess whether the microbial symbionts also actively contribute to the establishment of these symbioses, we performed in situ experiments on Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef, to quantify the chemotactic responses of natural populations of seawater microorganisms towards cellular extracts of the reef sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile. Flow cytometry analysis revealed significant levels of microbial chemotaxis towards R. odorabile extracts and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed enrichment of ‘sponge‐specific’ microbial phylotypes, including a cluster within the Gemmatimonadetes and another within the Actinobacteria. These findings infer a potential mechanism for how sponges can acquire bacterial symbionts from the surrounding environment and suggest an active role of the symbionts in finding their host.
Open to Feedback? Formal and Informal Recursivity in Creative Commons’ Transnational Standard‐Setting
Authors: Dobusch Leonhard , Lang Markus , Quack Sigrid
Published: September 2017

In this article, we examine how non‐membership organizations that claim stewardship over a transnational public or common good, such as the environmental or digital commons, develop combinations of formal and informal recursivity to develop and maintain regulatory conversations with their dispersed user communities. Based on a case study of Creative Commons, an organization that developed what have become the most widely used open licenses for digital content, we show how rhetorical openness to informal feedback from legitimacy communities in different sectors and countries can improve the feasibility and diffusion of standards. However, as long as the standard‐setter's methods of making decisions on the basis of such feedback remains opaque, its communities are likely to raise accountability demands for more extensive ex post justifications.
Supporting Exports: Challenges and Opportunities for Credit Insurance in Armenia
Authors: Abgaryan Vazgen , Rosenthal Shane
Published: September 2017

This article discusses the role of credit insurance in Armenia as an important mechanism for promoting export diversification, growth and sustainable development. The authors show that a market gap in demand for export financing, as compared with existing supply, is mainly attributed to the use of two‐factor models by commercial banks, limited product knowledge, and increased risk of cross‐border trade transactions. The authors analyse the key drivers for export financing and export insurance, showing the immediate impact the Armenian export credit agency has achieved over the past two years, and argue its defining role for the development of value chains over the medium and long term.
Innovation in Political Risk Insurance: Experience from the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
Authors: Baroudi Merli Margaret
Published: September 2017

The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) is the youngest of The World Bank Group's four financial institutions, but it has a long history of innovation in its mandated sphere: political risk insurance and credit enhancement. MIGA's mission is to foster cross‐border investment flows to support development, with the goal of eradicating poverty and enhancing shared prosperity in emerging market and developing economies. The path to accomplishing this mission has, however, been continually evolving. This article provides a discussion of the: (1) contextual backdrop to innovation for a multilateral financial institution providing political risk insurance; (2) the importance of political risk insurance and the traditional coverage provided; (3) the expanded capability to de‐risk private investments as seen through the lens of innovation at MIGA; and (4) a conclusion on the continuing importance of innovation in a changing global environment.
A survey of acute pain services in the UK
Authors: Rockett M. , Vanstone R. , Chand J. , Waeland D.
Published: September 2017

The organisational state of inpatient pain management in UK hospitals is difficult to determine. We sent an electronic questionnaire to 209 acute pain service leads throughout the UK. Questions were about staffing and service provision. We received 141 responses (67%); 47% of all UK hospitals. Each service was responsible for a median (IQR [range]) of 566 (400–839 [120–2800]) beds. Each acute pain specialist nurse was responsible for 299 (238–534 [70–1923]) beds. The mean (SD) number of consultant hours per week was 5.54 (4.62), delivered by a median of 1.0 (1.0–2.5 [0.2–7.0]) consultant. Overnight cover was provided by 20 (15%) acute pain services, and weekend cover by 39 (29%). Acute pain services commonly (in 50 (35%) hospitals) had roles in addition to acute pain management. Most teams (105, (77%)) reviewed medical patients and patients with chronic pain (in 131, (96%) teams). Half of the services (56, (49%)), reported that they were part of an integrated acute and chronic pain service, however, 83 (59%) did not have any members who work in chronic pain clinics. The majority (79, (70%)) were able to access a nominated chronic pain consultant for advice. Provision of acute pain services throughout the UK is highly variable. The majority do not meet core UK standards.
Visualization instructions enhance preschoolers’ spatial problem‐solving
Authors: Palmquist Carolyn M. , Keen Rachel , Jaswal Vikram K.
Published: September 2017

This study explores whether verbal instructions to visualize an event can improve children's ability to make predictions about a difficult spatial problem. Three‐year‐olds (N = 48) were introduced to two intertwined tubes, and prior to predicting how a ball would travel through a given tube, one group of children was told to imagine the ball rolling down the tube, one group was told an explicit rule about where the ball would land, and a third group was given no instructions. Children were prevented from interacting with the apparatus to investigate the effect of the different verbal instructions alone on their problem‐solving. Children in the imagine condition made more correct predictions than both children who received no instructions and those who were told an explicit rule (but were not told to visualize). These results suggest that verbal instructions to imagine an event are enough to help children solve difficult spatial problems, likely by visualizing the outcome prior to making a prediction.

Statement of Contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Preschoolers exhibit a gravity bias when predicting how objects will travel through several intertwined tubes (Hood, 1995, Cogn. Dev., 10, 577).

Preschoolers can overcome this gravity bias when they are first told to look at (Bascandziev & Harris, , Cogn. Dev., 25, 233) or visualize (Joh et al., 2011, Child Dev., 82, 744) the tubes.

This work emphasized the role of visualization in improving children's ability to solve this difficult spatial problem.

What does this study add?

Previous work typically allowed children to interact directly with the apparatus during familiarization or while making predictions.

Previous work did not consider whether a synergy between physical interaction and visualization instructions improved predictions.

The current study shows that visualization instructions alone can improve children's ability to overcome the gravity bias.
Correlation of quantitative parameters of magnetic resonance perfusion‐weighted imaging with vascular endothelial growth factor, microvessel density and hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Evaluation on radiosensitivity study
Authors: Hu Y. , E H. , Yu X. , Li F. , Zeng L. , Lu Q. , Xi X. , Shen L.
Published: September 2017

Objectives

To investigate the correlation of parameters of magnetic resonance perfusion‐weighted imaging (MR‐PWI) with the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) and microvessel density (MVD) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) so as to explore the value of predicting radiosensitivity.

Design

A prospective study.

Setting

Department of Head‐and‐neck radiotherapy in Hunan Cancer Hospital.

Participants

Ninety‐four patients of NPC were included between December 2013 and December 2014.

Main outcome measures

The expression of VEGF, MVD and HIF‐1α was studied by immunohistochemistry, and magnetic resonance perfusion‐weighted imaging (MR‐PWI) was performed before and after undergoing radiotherapy (20 Gy dose). Parameters of MR‐PWI, volume of primary tumour and rate of tumour remission were measured and calculated. Patients with primary local tumour were then divided into completely response group (CR group) and partially response group (non‐CR group) according to tumour regression condition. Relevant parameters were analysed by Spearman, and diagnostic efficiency of radiosensitivity was analysed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC).

Results

The expression of VEGF was positively correlated with MVD (r = .322,P < .05), but the expression of HIF‐1α was no significant correlations with VEGF and MVD. The expression VEGF was in positive correlation with fractional plasma volume (fpv) (r = .339, P = .05) before radiotherapy. There was a significant difference in the quantitative parameters of MR‐PWI between CR group and non‐CR group during the course of radiotherapy and at the end of radiotherapy treatment. The change of blood reflux constant (Δkep20) and extravascular extracellular space volume fraction (ΔVe20) before and after treatment was positively correlated with primary local tumour remission condition after 3 month treatment; Δkep and ΔVe were negatively correlated with primary local tumour remission condition after 3 months. Tumour regression rate was only positively correlated with Ve and the average volume of primary tumour after 2 week treatment (V1). ROC curve showed that R20 ≥ 65.69%, and was considered as a threshold to predict primary local tumour remission, with a sensitivity of 0.84 and specificity of 0.69, and area under the curve was 0.819 (P = .000).

Conclusions

The parameters of MR‐PWI with the expression of VEGF, HIF‐1α and MVD could be guidance for predicting radiosensitivity in NPC.
Helicobacter pylori infection and nonmalignant diseases
Authors: Sjomina Olga , Heluwaert Frederic , Moussata Driffa , Leja Marcis
Published: September 2017

A substantial decrease in Helicobacter pylori‐associated peptic ulcer disease has been observed during the last decades. Drug‐related ulcers as well as idiopathic ulcers are becoming predominant and are more refractory to treatment; however, H. pylori infection still plays an important role in ulcer bleeding and recurrence after therapy. The effect of H. pylori eradication upon functional dyspepsia symptoms has been reviewed in this article and generally confirms the results of previous meta‐analyses. Additional evidence suggests a lack of impact upon the quality of life, in spite of improvement in symptoms. The association of H. pylori with gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus remains controversial with a majority of published studies showing a negative association. Furthermore, a strong inverse relationship between the presence of H. pylori and the esophageal eosinophilia was also reported. Several studies and a review addressed the role of H. pylori in autoimmune gastritis and pernicious anemia. The association of the above still remains controversial. Finally, the necessity of routine endoscopy and H. pylori eradication before bariatric surgery is discussed. Several studies suggest the rationale of preoperative upper endoscopy and H. pylori eradication prior to surgery. However, the prevalence of H. pylori infection prior to surgery in these studies generally reflects the overall prevalence of the infection in the particular geographic area. In addition, results on the role of H. pylori in developing postoperative complications remain controversial.
Genomics of Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Thorell Kaisa , Lehours Philippe , Vale Filipa F
Published: September 2017

As Helicobacter pylori infects half the world's population and displays an extensive intraspecies diversity, genomics is a powerful tool to understand evolution and disease, to identify factors that confer higher risk of severe sequelae, and to find new approaches for therapy both among bacterial and host targets. In line with these objectives, this review article summarizes the major findings in Helicobacter genomics in papers published between April 2016 and March 2017.
In the shadow of the condor: invasiveHarmonia axyridisfound at very high altitude in the Chilean Andes
Authors: Grez Audrey A. , Zaviezo Tania , Roy Helen E. , Brown Peter M. J. , Segura Bernardo
Published: September 2017

Harmonia axyridishas invaded many regions of the world, with negative effects on local biodiversity, and thus it is of global concern for biological conservation. Recently it has invaded central Chile, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, where the abundance and richness of ladybird species, particularly native species in agroecosystems, have declined following its arrival.

Harmonia axyridisis particularly abundant in spring in the valleys of central Chile, but there is a dramatic decline in its abundance during the hot summer months.

This study reports the occurrence of this invasive alien species in the summer at high altitudes (3578 m a.s.l.) in the Andes, which is the highest record worldwide. Individuals were observed on native cushion plants, in a unique environment rich in endemic species.Harmonia axyridiswere active, reproducing and co‐occurring with three other species of coccinellids.

The dispersal ofH. axyridisand other coccinellids from the valleys to high altitudes could represent a mechanism to escape the adverse high temperatures during the summer, returning to the valleys in autumn. Our study highlights the need to study the impacts of invasive alien species across a range of habitats, including not only agricultural landscapes, but also extreme ecosystems.
Frequency of urinary incontinence among Turkish women, effective factors and its effect on quality of life
Authors: Çevik Semra Akkoz , Güngörmüş Zeynep
Published: September 2017

What is the frequency of urinary incontinence in Turkish women and how does it affect their quality of life? The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of urinary incontinence among Turkish women, effective factors and its effect on quality of life. Urinary incontinence, a health problem that is commonly seen among women, leads to primarily social and hygienic problems, and affects the physiological, psychological and economic aspects of individuals who are effected. This cross‐sectional study was conducted in the gynaecological outpatient clinics of a Turkish hospital, between 01 August 2014 and 26 December 2014. The population of the study consisted of 155 women aged 19 and over who applied to the gynaecology outpatient clinics for reasons other than pregnancy. The entire population was included in the study without selecting a sample. The data were collected by using a 16‐question questionnaire and King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ). A total of 67·7% of the women were found to suffer from urinary incontinence problem. A significant correlation was found between the age groups and incontinence problems. While pollakiuria was observed more in the age group of 20–29 years (37·3%), urge incontinence (35·6%), stress incontinence (36·2%), and enuresis nocturna (31·6%) were observed more in the age group of 30–39 years. Quality of life of women with bladder problems was significantly impaired. When the women with stress incontinence were compared with women who suffered from other incontinence problems, all sub‐scale mean scores obtained by the women with stress incontinence from KHQ were higher and the quality of life of these women was seriously impaired.
Studying work in theory and practice: insights for a globalising academia from the IR trajectory in Italy
Authors: Gasparri Stefano
Published: September 2017

This article investigates the relevance of context to the study of industrial relations by analysing the trajectory of an under‐researched case outside the Anglo‐Saxon hotspots, Italy. Three phases are put under the spotlight revealing a trajectory anchored to the pluralist fulcrum, but with influence first from radical perspectives and then from unitarist ones.
Cohesion Policies and the Creation of a European Identity: The Role of Territorial Identity
Authors: Capello Roberta
Published: September 2017

Among the factors highlighted by the literature as crucial for the success of cohesion policies in generating satisfaction among citizens, and therefore in acting positively on the constitution of an European identity, this paper emphasizes a particular one, territorial identity. Elaborating on the definition of territorial identity as a local condition in which private interests coincide with public ones, the paper claims that territorial identity plays an important role in a European identity‐building process. In fact, by increasing the probability that local public expenditures match private interests, territorial identity generates a favourable context where the critical factors that hamper the successful programming, design and implementation of cohesion policies can be overcome.
Altered bodily self‐consciousness in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Nava Elena , Mattioli Flavia , Gamberini Chiara , Stampatori Chiara , Bellomi Fabio , Turati Chiara , Capra Ruggero , Bolognini Nadia
Published: September 2017

In this study, we assessed the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) on bodily self‐consciousness (BSC) using the Rubber Hand Illusion. Patients with MS showed a dissociation between body ownership and self‐location: they did report an explicit ownership of the rubber hand, but they did not point towards it, showing a defective ability of localizing body parts in space. This evidence indicates that MS may affect selective components of BSC, whose impairment may contribute to, and even worsen, the functional disability of MS.
Maternal behaviour in response to predation threats in a vulnerable lizard from Patagonia, Argentina
Authors: Cabezas‐Cartes F. , Boretto J. M. , Halloy M. , Krenz J. D. , Ibargüengoytía N. R.
Published: September 2017

Climatic and ecological conditions can determine the existence and degree of parental care. In species that live in cold‐temperate environments and exhibit high reproductive effort it is expected that parental care would have greater selective value. In this study, we aimed to detect maternal behavioural responses to predation threats in the lizard Phymaturus spectabilis from cold‐climate environments of Patagonia, Argentina. Seventeen females with their offspring each were exposed to four treatments in the laboratory: first a treatment with no stimulus, and then in a random order a carnivorous sympatric lizard, a conspecific male and a simulated flight of a museum mount of a raptor. We analysed the occurrence of 11 specific behaviours. Two clearly different parental responses occurred. In the presence of the raptor, mothers stayed near the offspring and remained motionless longer than in the other treatments. Their freezing response is consistent with their cryptic coloration and this species may rely on this strategy to avoid raptor predation. In contrast, in the presence of the predator lizard, mothers presented higher frequencies of flights, tail waves and head bobs. Head bobs are commonly interpreted as dissuasive signals to the predator to discourage attack. The behaviours observed in P. spectabilis together with similar behaviours observed in congeneric species would suggest the existence of a common pattern of parental care related to the high reproductive investment in Phymaturus.
Automated Model‐Based Finding of 3D Objects in Cluttered Construction Point Cloud Models
Authors: Sharif Mohammad‐Mahdi , Nahangi Mohammad , Haas Carl , West Jeffrey
Published: September 2017

Finding construction components in cluttered point clouds is a critical pre‐processing task that requires intensive and manual operations. Accurate isolation of an object from point clouds is a key for further processing steps such as positive identification, scan‐to‐building information modeling (BIM), and robotic manipulation. Manual isolaton is tedious, time consuming, and disconnected from the automated tasks involved in the process. This article adapts and examines a method for finding objects within 3D point clouds robustly, quickly, and automatically. A local feature on a pair of points is employed for representing 3D shapes. The method has three steps: (1) offline model library generation, (2) online searching and matching, and (3) match refinement and isolation. Experimental tests are carried out for finding industrial (curvilinear) and structural (rectilinear) elements. The method is verified under various circumstances in order to measure its performance toward addressing the major challenges involved in 3D object finding. Results show that the method is sufficiently quick and robust to be integrated with automated process control frameworks.
Integrative models for joint analysis of shoot growth and branching patterns
Authors: Peyhardi Jean , Caraglio Yves , Costes Evelyne , Lauri Pierre‐Éric , Trottier Catherine , Guédon Yann
Published: September 2017

Plants exhibit dependences between shoot growth and branching that generate highly structured patterns. The characterization of the patterning mechanism is still an open issue because of the developmental processes involved with both succession of events (e.g. internode elongation, axillary shoot initiation and elongation) and complex dependences among neighbouring positions along the parent shoot.

Statistical models called semi‐Markov switching partitioned conditional generalized linear models were built on the basis of apple and pear tree datasets. In these models, the semi‐Markov chain represents both the succession and lengths of branching zones, whereas the partitioned conditional generalized linear models represent the influence of parent shoot growth variables on axillary productions within each branching zone.

Parent shoot growth variables were shown to influence specific developmental events. On this basis, the growth and branching patterns of two apple tree (Malus domestica) cultivars, as well as of pear trees (Pyrus spinosa) between two successive growing cycles, were compared.

The proposed integrative statistical models were able to decipher the roles of successive developmental events in the growth and branching patterning mechanisms. These models could incorporate other parent shoot explanatory variables, such as the local curvature or the maximum growth rate of the leaf.
Environment and host identity structure communities of green algal symbionts in lichens
Authors: Dal Grande Francesco , Rolshausen Gregor , Divakar Pradeep K. , Crespo Ana , Otte Jürgen , Schleuning Matthias , Schmitt Imke
Published: September 2017

An understanding of how biotic interactions shape species’ distributions is central to predicting host–symbiont responses under climate change. Switches to locally adapted algae have been proposed to be an adaptive strategy of lichen‐forming fungi to cope with environmental change. However, it is unclear how lichen photobionts respond to environmental gradients, and whether they play a role in determining the fungal host's upper and lower elevational limits.

Deep‐coverage Illumina DNA metabarcoding was used to track changes in the community composition of Trebouxia algae associated with two phylogenetically closely related, but ecologically divergent fungal hosts along a steep altitudinal gradient in the Mediterranean region.

We detected the presence of multiple Trebouxia species in the majority of thalli. Both altitude and host genetic identity were strong predictors of photobiont community assembly in these two species. The predominantly clonally dispersing fungus showed stronger altitudinal structuring of photobiont communities than the sexually reproducing host. Elevation ranges of the host were not limited by the lack of compatible photobionts.

Our study sheds light on the processes guiding the formation and distribution of specific fungal–algal combinations in the lichen symbiosis. The effect of environmental filtering acting on both symbiotic partners appears to shape the distribution of lichens.
Among‐individual heterogeneity in maternal behaviour and physiology affects reproductive allocation and offspring life‐history traits in the garter snake Thamnophis elegans
Authors: Gangloff Eric J. , Sparkman Amanda M. , Bronikowski Anne M.
Published: September 2017

Accumulating evidence suggests that within‐individual plasticity of behavioural and physiological traits is limited, resulting in stable among‐individual differences in these aspects of the phenotype. Furthermore, these traits often covary within individuals, resulting in a continuum of correlated phenotypic variation among individuals within populations and species. This heterogeneity, in turn, affects individual fitness and can have cross‐generational effects. Patterns of trait covariation, among‐individual differences, and subsequent fitness consequences have long been recognized in reptiles. Here, we provide a test of patterns of among‐individual heterogeneity in behaviour and physiology and subsequent effects on reproduction and offspring fitness in the garter snake Thamnophis elegans. We find that measures of activity levels vary among individuals and are consistent within individuals in reproductive female snakes, indicating stable behavioural phenotypes. Blood hormone and glucose concentrations are not as stable within individuals, indicating that these traits do not describe consistent physiological phenotypes. Nonetheless, the major axes of variation in maternal traits describe behavioural and physiological phenotypes that interact to predict offspring body condition and mass at birth. This differential allocation of energy to offspring, in turn, strongly influences subsequent offspring growth and survival. This pattern suggests the potential for strong selection on phenotypes defined by behaviour–physiology interactions.
Geographic signatures in species turnover: decoupling colonization and extinction across a latitudinal gradient
Authors: Jones Natalie T. , Gilbert Benjamin
Published: September 2017

High latitude communities have low species richness and are rapidly warming with climate change. Thus, temporal changes in community composition are expected to be greatest at high latitudes. However, at the same time traits such as body size can also change with latitude, potentially offsetting or increasing changes to community composition over time. We tested how zooplankton communities (copepods and cladocerans) have changed over a 25–75 year time span by assessing colonization and extinction rates from lakes across an 1800 km latitudinal gradient, and further tested whether species traits predict rates of community change over time. Lake‐level dissimilarity, measured with Sorenson distance, decreased at higher latitudes. This decrease was due to higher colonization rates of cladocerans in lower latitude lakes and consistent extinction rates across the latitudinal gradient. At the species level, colonization increased with regional occupancy, and tended to be higher for smaller bodied, locally abundant, species. Local extinction rates were negatively correlated with local abundance and regional occupancy, but were not influenced by body size. None of these species‐specific characteristics changed predictably with latitude. Contrary to our expectations, low‐latitude zooplankton communities changed more rapidly than high‐latitude communities by becoming more species rich, not by losing species that were historically present. Moreover, colonization and extinction trends suggest that lakes have become increasingly dominated by species with smaller body sizes and that are already common locally and regionally. Together, these findings indicate that rates of species turnover in freshwater lakes across a latitudinal gradient are not predicted by rates of temperature change, but that turnover is nonetheless resulting in trait‐shifts that favour small, generalist species.
How To Be A Reliabilist
Authors: Kelp Christoph
Published: September 2017

In this paper, I aim to develop a novel virtue reliabilist account of justified belief, which incorporates insights from both process reliabilism and extant versions of virtue reliabilism. Like extant virtue reliabilist accounts of justified belief, the proposed view takes it that justified belief is a kind of competent performance and that competent performances require reliable agent abilities. However, unlike extant versions of virtue reliabilism, the view takes abilities to essentially involve reliable processes. In this way, the proposed view should take a leaf from process reliabilism. Finally, I will provide reason to believe that the view compares favourably with both extant versions of virtue reliabilism and process reliabilism. In particular, I will show that in taking abilities to essentially involve reliable processes, the view has an edge over extant versions of virtue reliabilism. Moreover, I will argue that the proposed view can either solve or defuse a number of classical problems of process reliabilism, including the new evil demon problem, the problem of clairvoyant cases and the generality problem.
There Is No Pure Empirical Reasoning
Authors: Huemer Michael
Published: September 2017

The justificatory force of empirical reasoning always depends upon the existence of some synthetic, a priori justification. The reasoner must begin with justified, substantive constraints on both the prior probability of the conclusion and certain conditional probabilities; otherwise, all possible degrees of belief in the conclusion are left open given the premises. Such constraints cannot in general be empirically justified, on pain of infinite regress. Nor does subjective Bayesianism offer a way out for the empiricist. Despite often‐cited convergence theorems, subjective Bayesians cannot hold that any empirical hypothesis is ever objectively justified in the relevant sense. Rationalism is thus the only alternative to an implausible skepticism.
‘Ought Implies Can’: Not So Pragmatic After All
Authors: King Alex
Published: September 2017

Those who want to deny the ‘ought implies can’ principle often turn to weakened views to explain ‘ought implies can’ phenomena. The two most common versions of such views are (a) that ‘ought’ presupposes ‘can’, and (b) that ‘ought’ conversationally implicates ‘can’. This paper will reject both views, and in doing so, present a case against any pragmatic view of ‘ought implies can’. Unlike much of the literature, I won't rely on counterexamples, but instead will argue that each of these views fails on its own terms. ‘Ought’ and ‘can’ do not obey the negation test for presupposition, and they do not obey the calculability or the cancelability tests for conversational implicature. I diagnose these failures as partly a result of the importance of the contrapositive of ‘ought implies can’. I end with a final argument emphasizing the role the principle plays in moral thinking, and the fact that no pragmatic account can do it justice.
Adaptability and specificity of inhibition processes in distractor‐induced blindness
Authors: Winther Gesche N. , Niedeggen Michael
Published: September 2017

In a rapid serial visual presentation task, inhibition processes cumulatively impair processing of a target possessing distractor properties. This phenomenon—known as distractor‐induced blindness—has thus far only been elicited using dynamic visual features, such as motion and orientation changes. In three ERP experiments, we used a visual object feature—color—to test for the adaptability and specificity of the effect. In Experiment I, participants responded to a color change (target) in the periphery whose onset was signaled by a central cue. Presentation of irrelevant color changes prior to the cue (distractors) led to reduced target detection, accompanied by a frontal ERP negativity that increased with increasing number of distractors, similar to the effects previously found for dynamic targets. This suggests that distractor‐induced blindness is adaptable to color features. In Experiment II, the target consisted of coherent motion contrasting the color distractors. Correlates of distractor‐induced blindness were found neither in the behavioral nor in the ERP data, indicating a feature specificity of the process. Experiment III confirmed the strict distinction between congruent and incongruent distractors: A single color distractor was embedded in a stream of motion distractors with the target consisting of a coherent motion. While behavioral performance was affected by the distractors, the color distractor did not elicit a frontal negativity. The experiments show that distractor‐induced blindness is also triggered by visual stimuli predominantly processed in the ventral stream. The strict specificity of the central inhibition process also applies to these stimulus features.
Factors associated with treatment seeking for malaria in Madhya Pradesh, India
Authors: Singh Mrigendra P. , Saha Kalyan B. , Chand Sunil K. , Anvikar Anup
Published: September 2017

Objectives

To determine household factors associated with treatment seeking for malaria.

Methods

The study was carried out in four districts of Madhya Pradesh with different malaria endemicity. A total of 1470 households were interviewed in which at least one member suffered from microscopically confirmed malaria in the 3 months preceding the survey. Socio‐demographic, economic, cultural characteristics, their health beliefs, knowledge and practices regarding malaria and choice of treatment seeking were explored.

Results

A total of 764 households were from high‐endemic and 706 from low‐endemic areas. More than half of household heads were illiterate; most are farmers. Approximately 46% sought treatment for malaria from unqualified informal providers; 19% from qualified private health practitioners and 35% from government health providers. Analysis revealed that household's area of residence, education, occupation, ethnicity, use of preventive measures, economic status, knowledge and practices, distance and delayed treatment seeking was strongly associated with the type of healthcare providers selected.

Conclusions

Demand for formal health services among the poor, illiterate, tribal population living in remote areas is low. Accessible and affordable health services and a sensitisation programme to increase the demand for formal providers are needed.
Retrospective analysis of nonradiation complications in dogs undergoing radiation therapy
Authors: Farrelly John , Shi Qiuhu
Published: September 2017

Dogs receiving radiation can develop complications unrelated to the radiation treatment. No study to date has described these complications in clinical patients undergoing multiple radiation therapy treatments. The purpose of this retrospective case‐control study was to characterize the incidence and type of complications that occur in these dogs. A secondary goal was to evaluate whether patient and treatment characteristics could be identified to predict the risk of these complications. Medical records of 268 dogs receiving at least one radiation treatment at a single institution, between September, 2004 and June, 2007 were reviewed. Age, breed, gender, body weight, tumor type, tumor location, number of treatments, pre‐treatment blood work abnormalities, and whether chemotherapy, glucocorticoids, or nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs were given were collected. Number, type, and severity of nonradiation complications were recorded. Complications attributed to the tumor or to the radiation were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed to determine whether demographic and clinical characteristics were associated with development of a complication. General anesthesia was used for all treatments. Complications occurred in 101 (37%) cases including diarrhea, vomiting, cough, and loss of appetite, which were typically mild. Seventeen dogs (6%) developed severe complications. Eight dogs (3%) died from their complication. Dogs that developed complications were younger, received more treatments, had leukocytosis, received glucocorticoids, and were less likely to have thrombocytopenia. On multivariate analysis, number of treatments and leukocytosis were significantly associated with complications. Findings indicate that nonradiation complications are common in dogs receiving radiotherapy under general anesthesia. In this population, complications were usually mild or self‐limiting.
Investigating the impact of innate dexterity skills and visuospatial aptitude on the performance of baseline laparoscopic skills in veterinary students
Authors: MacCormick Mathew R. A. , Kilkenny Jessica J. , Walker Meagan , zur Linden Alex , Singh Ameet
Published: September 2017

Objective

To determine if manual dexterity and visuospatial skills can be used to predict baseline laparoscopic surgery skills in veterinary students.

Study Design

Pilot study.

Methods

Veterinary students (n = 45) from years 1‐4 volunteered for this study. An hour‐long electronic questionnaire was completed by participants. The first section was used to collect demographics and information about prior nonsurgical experiences. The second section included 3 tests of visuospatial skills, including the Purdue Visualization of Rotations Test, Mental Rotations Test, and Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Test. Multiple tests were administered to assess innate dexterity, including the grooved pegboard test, indirect and direct zigzag tracking tests, and the 3Dconnexion proficiency test. Each dexterity test was performed once with the left hand and once with the right hand. The order of task performance was randomized. Basic laparoscopic skills were assessed using the validated fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) peg transfer task.

Results

There was an association between left‐handed grooved pegboard scores (95% CI −10046.36 to −1636.53, P‐value = .008) and left‐handed indirect zigzag tracking task (95% CI −35.78 to −8.20, P‐value = .003) with FLS peg transfer scores. Individuals who reported playing videogames achieved higher scores on the FLS peg transfer task than those without videogame experience (95% CI 583.59 to 3509.97, P‐value = .007).

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that dexterity was a better predictor of baseline laparoscopic skills than visuospatial skills in veterinary students.
Effect of Aloe vera on glycemic outcomes in patients with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Kaur Narabjit , Fernandez Ritin , Sim Jenny
Published: September 2017

Review question/objective:

: The objective is to identify the effectiveness of Aloe vera on glycemic outcomes (fasting blood glucose level and glycosylated hemoglobin) in patients with diabetes mellitus. Specifically, the review question is: what is the effectiveness of oral A. vera (Aloe barbadensis) on glycemic outcomes in adult patients with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus as compared to a placebo group?
The association between maternal exposure to pollutant particulate matter 2.5 and neonatal congenital heart defects: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Hall Katie C. , Robinson Jennifer C.
Published: September 2017

Review question:

The objective of this review is to identify if there is an association between maternal exposure to pollutant particulate matter 2.5 during the first trimester of pregnancy and neonatal congenital heart defects within the first year of life.
Safety and effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for depression in adults who have sustained a traumatic brain injury: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Clay Fiona J. , Perry Luke A. , Hicks Amelia J. , Batty Rachel , Tufanaru Catalin , Jayaram Mahesh , Ponsford Jennie , Hopwood Malcolm
Published: September 2017

Review objective/question:

The objective of this systematic review is to synthesize the current evidence on the effectiveness and harms of pharmacotherapy in the management of depression in adults who have sustained a traumatic brain injury.
Method of Identifying Injector Coking From the Spray Field of Mechanical and CRDi Injectors Using Intensity of Scattered Light
Authors: Stanly Ronith , Parameswaran Gopakumar , Sagaram Bibin
Published: September 2017

The influence of injector coking deposits on the spray field of single-hole mechanical port fuel injectors and multihole common rail direct injection (CRDi) injectors was studied using light scattering technique coupled with image processing and analysis. Instead of employing the traditional accelerated coking process to study injector spray field deterioration, in-service injectors were selected and cleaned using a commercial fuel system cleaning procedure. Variation in atomization characteristics of coked and cleaned injectors were observed based on the spatial distribution of fine, medium, and coarse droplets in the near-field region of the injector spray zone and analyzed as a function of the intensity of scattered light. The improvement in the atomization perceived by this method was compared with traditional techniques like spray cone angle measurement, speed characterization of spray jets, and weight reduction of injector nozzles and needles. It was observed that after the fuel system cleaning procedure, a reduction in the number of coarse droplets in the near-field region and an increase in the number of medium and finely sized droplets was observed, suggesting better atomization of fuel in the near field spray zone.