bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling Supralinearity in Gamma Irradiated TL Dosemeters
Authors: McKeever (INVITED) S.W.S.
Published: February 2017

The growth of TL peak 5 in LiF:Mg,Ti with absorbed dose is well known to be linear-supralinear-sublinear and many different models have been proposed to explain this behaviour. However, the observation of a linear-sublinear growth of the optical absorption bands associated with this TL peak precludes any model which involves mechanisms active during the absorption stage. This paper argues in favour of a competition-during-heating model and briefly discusses both a phenomenological and a defect interaction description of the process. Both descriptions yield the same equation for the growth of the TL signal with applied dose. By incorporating spatial association between the traps and recombination sites the linear-supralinearity behaviour is predicted. The relevance of the analysis to other TLDs is discussed.
Geographical gradients in selection can reveal genetic constraints for evolutionary responses to ocean acidification
Authors: Gaitán-Espitia Juan Diego , Marshall Dustin , Dupont Sam , Bacigalupe Leonardo D. , Bodrossy Levente , Hobday Alistair J.
Published: February 2017

Geographical gradients in selection can shape different genetic architectures in natural populations, reflecting potential genetic constraints for adaptive evolution under climate change. Investigation of natural pH/
p
CO
2
variation in upwelling regions reveals different spatio-temporal patterns of natural selection, generating genetic and phenotypic clines in populations, and potentially leading to local adaptation, relevant to understanding effects of ocean acidification (OA). Strong directional selection, associated with intense and continuous upwellings, may have depleted genetic variation in populations within these upwelling regions, favouring increased tolerances to low pH but with an associated cost in other traits. In contrast, diversifying or weak directional selection in populations with seasonal upwellings or outside major upwelling regions may have resulted in higher genetic variances and the lack of genetic correlations among traits. Testing this hypothesis in geographical regions with similar environmental conditions to those predicted under climate change will build insights into how selection may act in the future and how populations may respond to stressors such as OA.
Transcriptional responses to hyperplastic MRL signalling inDrosophila
Authors: Jonchère Vincent , Alqadri Nada , Herbert John , Dodgson Lauren , Mason David , Messina Giovanni , Falciani Francesco , Bennett Daimark
Published: February 2017

Recent work has implicated the actin cytoskeleton in tissue size control and tumourigenesis, but how changes in actin dynamics contribute to hyperplastic growth is still unclear. Overexpression of Pico, the onlyDrosophilaMig-10/RIAM/Lamellipodin adapter protein family member, has been linked to tissue overgrowth via its effect on the myocardin-related transcription factor (Mrtf), an F-actin sensor capable of activating serum response factor (SRF). Transcriptional changes induced by acute Mrtf/SRF signalling have been largely linked to actin biosynthesis and cytoskeletal regulation. However, by RNA profiling, we find that the common response to chronicmrtfandpicooverexpression in wing discs was upregulation of ribosome protein and mitochondrial genes, which are conserved targets for Mrtf/SRF and are known growth drivers. Consistent with their ability to induce a common transcriptional response and activate SRF signallingin vitro, we found that bothpicoandmrtfstimulate expression of an SRF-responsive reporter gene in wing discs. In a functional genetic screen, we also identifieddeterin, which encodesDrosophilaSurvivin, as a putative Mrtf/SRF target that is necessary forpico-mediated tissue overgrowth by suppressing proliferation-associated cell death. Taken together, our findings raise the possibility that distinct targets of Mrtf/SRF may be transcriptionally induced depending on the duration of upstream signalling.
Low statistical power in biomedical science: a review of three human research domains
Authors: Dumas-Mallet Estelle , Button Katherine S. , Boraud Thomas , Gonon Francois , Munafò Marcus R.
Published: February 2017

Studies with low statistical power increase the likelihood that a statistically significant finding represents a false positive result. We conducted a review of meta-analyses of studies investigating the association of biological, environmental or cognitive parameters with neurological, psychiatric and somatic diseases, excluding treatment studies, in order to estimate the average statistical power across these domains. Taking the effect size indicated by a meta-analysis as the best estimate of the likely true effect size, and assuming a threshold for declaring statistical significance of 5%, we found that approximately 50% of studies have statistical power in the 0–10% or 11–20% range, well below the minimum of 80% that is often considered conventional. Studies with low statistical power appear to be common in the biomedical sciences, at least in the specific subject areas captured by our search strategy. However, we also observe evidence that this depends in part on research methodology, with candidate gene studies showing very low average power and studies using cognitive/behavioural measures showing high average power. This warrants further investigation.
Interaction between stimulus contrast and pre-saccadic crowding
Authors: Agaoglu Mehmet N. , Chung Susana T. L.
Published: February 2017

Objects that are briefly flashed around the time of saccades are mislocalized. Previously, robust interactions between saccadic perceptual distortions and stimulus contrast have been reported. It is also known that crowding depends on the contrast of the target and flankers. Here, we investigated how stimulus contrast and crowding interact with pre-saccadic perception. We asked observers to report the orientation of a tilted Gabor presented in the periphery, with or without four flanking vertically oriented Gabors. Observers performed the task either following a saccade or while maintaining fixation. Contrasts of the target and flankers were independently set to either high or low, with equal probability. In both the fixation and saccade conditions, the flanked conditions resulted in worse discrimination performance—the crowding effect. In the unflanked saccade trials, performance significantly decreased with target-to-saccade onset for low-contrast targets but not for high-contrast targets. In the presence of flankers, impending saccades reduced performance only for low-contrast, but not for high-contrast flankers. Interestingly, average performance in the fixation and saccade conditions was mostly similar in all contrast conditions. Moreover, the magnitude of crowding was influenced by saccades only when the target had high contrast and the flankers had low contrasts. Overall, our results are consistent with modulation of perisaccadic spatial localization by contrast and saccadic suppression, but at odds with a recent report of pre-saccadic release of crowding.
Efficient least angle regression for identification of linear-in-the-parameters models
Authors: Zhao Wanqing , Beach Thomas H. , Rezgui Yacine
Published: February 2017

Least angle regression, as a promising model selection method, differentiates itself from conventional stepwise and stagewise methods, in that it is neither too greedy nor too slow. It is closely related to
L
1
norm optimization, which has the advantage of low prediction variance through sacrificing part of model bias property in order to enhance model generalization capability. In this paper, we propose an efficient least angle regression algorithm for model selection for a large class of linear-in-the-parameters models with the purpose of accelerating the model selection process. The entire algorithm works completely in a recursive manner, where the correlations between model terms and residuals, the evolving directions and other pertinent variables are derived explicitly and updated successively at every subset selection step. The model coefficients are only computed when the algorithm finishes. The direct involvement of matrix inversions is thereby relieved. A detailed computational complexity analysis indicates that the proposed algorithm possesses significant computational efficiency, compared with the original approach where the well-known efficient Cholesky decomposition is involved in solving least angle regression. Three artificial and real-world examples are employed to demonstrate the effectiveness, efficiency and numerical stability of the proposed algorithm.
Open cup nests evolved from roofed nests in the early passerines
Authors: Price J. Jordan , Griffith Simon C.
Published: February 2017

The architectural diversity of nests in the passerine birds (order Passeriformes) is thought to have played an important role in the adaptive radiation of this group, which now comprises more than half of avian species and occupies nearly all terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we present an extensive survey and ancestral state reconstruction of nest design across the passerines, focusing on early Australian lineages and including members of nearly all passerine families worldwide. Most passerines build open cup-shaped nests, whereas a minority build more elaborate domed structures with roofs. We provide strong evidence that, despite their relative rarity today, domed nests were constructed by the common ancestor of all modern passerines. Open cup nests evolved from enclosed domes at least four times independently during early passerine evolution, at least three of which occurred on the Australian continent, yielding several primarily cup-nesting clades that are now widespread and numerically dominant among passerines. Our results show that the ubiquitous and relatively simple cup-shaped nests of many birds today evolved multiple times convergently, suggesting adaptive benefits over earlier roofed designs.
A general goodness-of-fit test for survival analysis
Authors: Price Michael Holton , Jones James Holland
Published: February 2017

Existing goodness-of-fit tests for survival data are either exclusively graphical in nature or only test specific model assumptions, such as the proportional hazards assumption. We describe a flexible, parameter-free goodness-of-fit test that provides a simple numerical assessment of a model’s suitability regardless of the structure of the underlying model. Intuitively, the goodness-of-fit test utilizes the fact that for a good model early event occurrence is predicted to be just as likely as late event occurrence, whereas a bad model has a bias towards early or late events. Formally, the goodness-of-fit test is based on a novel generalized Martingale residual which we call the martingale survival residual. The martingale survival residual has a uniform probability density function defined on the interval −0.5 to +0.5 if censoring is either absent or accounted for as one outcome in a competing hazards framework. For a good model, the set of calculated residuals is statistically indistinguishable from the uniform distribution, which is tested using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic.
Co-adaption of tRNA Gene Copy Number and Amino Acid Usage Influences Translation Rates in Three Life Domains
Authors: Du Meng-Ze , Wei Wen , Qin Lei , Liu Shuo , Zhang An-Ying , Zhang Yong , Zhou Hong , Guo Feng-Biao
Published: February 2017

The cellular translation process should obey the principle of maximizing efficiency and minimizing resource and energy costs. Here, we validated this principle by focusing on the basic translation components of tRNAs and amino acids. To most efficiently utilize these components, we reasoned that the quantities of the 20 tRNAs and their corresponding amino acids would be consistent in an organism. The two values should match at both the organismal and protein scales. For the former, they co-vary to meet the need to translate more proteins in fast-growing or larger cells. For the latter, they are consistent to different extents for various proteins in an organism to comply with different needs of translation speed. In this work, 310 out of 410 genomes in three domains had significant co-adaptions between the tRNA gene copy number and amino acid composition, and thus validating the principle at the organism scale. Furthermore, fast-growing bacteria co-adapt better than slow-growing ones. Highly expressed proteins and those connected to acute responses have better co-adaption, illustrating the principle at the individual protein scale. Experimentally, manipulating the tRNA gene copy number to optimize co-adaption between enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and tRNA gene set ofEscherichia coliindeed lifted the translation rate (speed). Our results also contribute to revealing a translation rate-associated factor with universal and global effects. From a practical perspective, our findings suggest a strategy to increase the expression of target proteins and have implications for designing chassis cells in the field of synthetic biology field.
Genome-wide signatures of genetic variation within and between populations – a comparative perspective
Authors: Vijay Nagarjun , Weissensteiner Matthias , Burri Reto , Kawakami Takeshi , Ellegren Hans , Wolf Jochen B. W.
Published: February 2017

Genome-wide screens of genetic variation can reveal signatures of population-specific selection implicated in adaptation and speciation. Yet, unrelated processes such as linked selection arising as a consequence of genome architecture can generate comparable signatures across taxa. To investigate prevalence and phylogenetic stability of linked selection, we took a comparative approach utilizing population-level data from 444 re-sequenced genomes of three avian clades spanning 50 million years of evolution. Levels of nucleotide diversity (π),population-scaled recombination rate (ρ), genetic differentiation (FST, PBS) and sequence divergence (Dxy) were remarkably similar in syntenic genomic regions across clades. Elevated local genetic differentiation was associated with inferred centromere and sub-telomeric regions. Our results support a role of linked selection shaping genome-wide heterogeneity in genetic diversity within and between clades. The long-term conservation of diversity landscapes and stable association with genomic features make the outcome of this evolutionary process in part predictable.
Phylogenetic analyses reveal an increase in the speciation rate of raphid pennate diatoms in the Cretaceous
Authors: Castro-Bugallo Alexandra , Rojas Danny , Rocha Sara , Cermeño Pedro
Published: February 2017

The raphid pennates (order Bacillariales) are a diverse group of diatoms easily recognized by having a slit in the siliceous cell wall, called the raphe, with functions in cell motility. It has been hypothesized that this morphological innovation contributed to the evolutionary success of this relatively young but species-rich group of diatoms. However, owing to the incompleteness of the fossil record this hypothesis remains untested. Using the 18S ribosomal RNA gene, fossil calibrations, and Bayesian phylogenetic and diversification frameworks, we detect a shift in the speciation rate of marine raphid pennate diatoms in the Cretaceous, not detected in other diatom lineages nor previously recognized in the microfossil record. Our results suggest a positive link between the speciation of raphid pennate diatoms and the benefits derived from evolving motility skills, which could account for their outstanding present-day global diversity. The coincidence between the advent of the raphe and the increase in the speciation rate of raphid pennates supports the idea that simple morphological novelties can have important consequences on the evolutionary history of eukaryotic microorganisms.
Identifying the abundant and active microorganisms common to full-scale anaerobic digesters
Authors: Kirkegaard Rasmus H. , McIlroy Simon J. , Kristensen Jannie M. , Nierychlo Marta , Karst Søren M. , Dueholm Morten S. , Albertsen Mads , Nielsen Per H.
Published: February 2017

Anaerobic digestion is widely applied to treat organic waste at wastewater treatment plants. Characterisation of the underlying microbiology represents a source of information to develop strategies for improved operation. To this end, we investigated the microbial community composition of thirty-two full-scale digesters over a six-year period using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Sampling of the sludge fed into these systems revealed that several of the most abundant populations were likely inactive and immigrating with the influent. This observation indicates that a failure to consider immigration will interfere with correlation analysis and give an inaccurate picture of the active microbial community. Furthermore, several abundant OTUs could not be classified to genus level with commonly applied taxonomies, making inference of their function unreliable. As such, the existing MiDAS taxonomy was updated to include these abundant phylotypes. The communities of individual plants surveyed were remarkably similar – with only 300 OTUs representing 80% of the total reads across all plants, and 15% of these identified as likely inactive immigrating microbes. By identifying the abundant and active taxa in anaerobic digestion, this study paves the way for targeted characterisation of the process important organisms towards an in-depth understanding of the microbial ecology of these biotechnologically important systems.
Asymmetric adhesion of rod-shaped bacteria controls microcolony morphogenesis
Authors: Marie-Cécilia Duvernoy , Thierry Mora , Maxime Ardré , Vincent Croquette , David Bensimon , Catherine Quilliet , Jean-Marc Ghigo , Martial Balland , Christophe Beloin , Sigolène Lecuyer , Nicolas Desprat
Published: February 2017

Bacterial biofilms are spatially structured communities, within which bacteria can differentiate depending on environmental conditions. During biofilm formation, bacteria attach to a surface and use cell-cell contacts to convey the signals required for the coordination of biofilm morphogenesis. How bacteria can maintain both substrate adhesions and cell-cell contacts during the expansion of a microcolony is still a critical yet poorly understood phenomenon. Here, we describe the development of time-resolved methods to measure substrate adhesion at the single cell level during the formation ofE. coliandP. aeruginosamicrocolonies. We show that bacterial adhesion is asymmetrically distributed along the cell body. Higher adhesion forces at old poles put the daughter cells under tension and force them to slide along each other. These rearrangements increase cell-cell contacts and the circularity of the colony. We propose a mechanical model based on the microscopic details of adhesive links, which recapitulates microcolony morphogenesis and quantitatively predicts bacterial adhesion from simple time lapse movies. These results explain how the distribution of adhesion forces at the subcellular level directs the shape of bacterial colonies, which ultimately dictates the circulation of secreted signals.
A Multi-Parameter Analysis of Cellular Coordination of Major Transcriptome Regulation Mechanisms
Authors: Jiang Wen , Guo Zhanyong , Lages Nuno , Jim Zheng W. , Feliers Denis , Zhang Fangyuan , Wang Degeng
Published: February 2017

To understand cellular coordination of multiple transcriptome regulation mechanisms, we simultaneously measured transcription rate (TR), mRNA abundance (RA) and translation activity (TA). This revealed multiple quantitative insights. First, the genomic profiles of the three parameters are systematically different in key statistical features. Sequentially more genes exhibit extreme low or high expression values from TR to RA, then to TA. That is, because of cellular coordination of these regulatory mechanisms, sequentially higher levels of gene expression selectivity are achieved as genetic information flow from the genome to the proteome. Second, the contribution of the stabilization-by-translation regulatory mechanism to the cellular coordination process was assessed. The data enabled an estimation of mRNA stability, revealing a moderate but significant positive correlation between the estimated mRNA stability and translation activity. Third, the proportion of a mRNA occupied by un-translated regions (UTR) exhibits a negative relationship with the level of this correlation, and is thus a major determinant of the mode of regulation of the mRNA. High-UTR-proportion mRNAs tend to defy the stabilization-by-translation regulatory mechanism, staying out of the polysome but remaining stable; mRNAs with little UTRs largely follow this regulation. In summary, we quantitatively delineated the relationship among multiple transcriptome regulation parameters, i.e., cellular coordination of corresponding regulatory mechanisms.
Identifying Regions Enriched in a ChIP-seq Data Set (Peak Finding)
Authors: Hung Jui-Hung , Weng Zhiping
Published: February 2017

This protocol demonstrates how to use MACS software to call peaks in a ChIP-seq data set. MACS is one of the most widely used peak-calling programs. The protocol describes how to run MACS in a UNIX environment and on Galaxy and how to extract the sequences of ±50 bp around the summits of the 500 MACS peaks with the most significant P values.
Validation and extraction of molecular-geometry information from small-molecule databases
Authors: Long Fei , Nicholls Robert A. , Emsley Paul , Gražulis Saulius , Merkys Andrius , Vaitkus Antanas , Murshudov Garib N.
Published: February 2017

A freely available small-molecule structure database, the Crystallography Open Database (COD), is used for the extraction of molecular-geometry information on small-molecule compounds. The results are used for the generation of new ligand descriptions, which are subsequently used by macromolecular model-building and structure-refinement software. To increase the reliability of the derived data, and therefore the new ligand descriptions, the entries from this database were subjected to very strict validation. The selection criteria made sure that the crystal structures used to derive atom types, bond and angle classes are of sufficiently high quality. Any suspicious entries at a crystal or molecular level were removed from further consideration. The selection criteria included (i) the resolution of the data used for refinement (entries solved at 0.84 Å resolution or higher) and (ii) the structure-solution method (structures must be from a single-crystal experiment and all atoms of generated molecules must have full occupancies), as well as basic sanity checks such as (iii) consistency between the valences and the number of connections between atoms, (iv) acceptable bond-length deviations from the expected values and (v) detection of atomic collisions. The derived atom types and bond classes were then validated using high-order moment-based statistical techniques. The results of the statistical analyses were fed back to fine-tune the atom typing. The developed procedure was repeated four times, resulting in fine-grained atom typing, bond and angle classes. The procedure will be repeated in the future as and when new entries are deposited in the COD. The whole procedure can also be applied to any source of small-molecule structures, including the Cambridge Structural Database and the ZINC database.
Many places called home: the adaptive value of seasonal adjustments in range fidelity
Authors: Lafontaine Alexandre , Drapeau Pierre , Fortin Daniel , St‐Laurent Martin‐Hugues
Published: February 2017

The vast majority of animal species display range fidelity, a space‐use behaviour enhancing familiarity with local habitat features. While the fitness benefits of this behaviour have been demonstrated in a variety of taxa, some species or populations rather display infidelity, displacing their home range over time. Others, such as many ungulate species, show seasonal adjustments in their range fidelity to accommodate changes in the dominance of limiting factors or in the distribution of resources.

Few empirical studies have explored the adaptive value of seasonal adjustments in range fidelity. Using boreal populations of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) as a biological model, we evaluated how range fidelity impacted individual performance during two seasons where juvenile and adult survival are limited by different predation pressures.

Between 2004 and 2013, we monitored the survival, reproductive success, habitat selection and range fidelity of female caribou in the boreal forest of eastern Canada. Using resource selection functions, we assessed how seasonal range fidelity was linked to two fitness correlates: calf survival in summer and adult female survival in winter.

Females displayed season‐specific space use tactics: they selected previously used areas during calving and summer, but tended to shift their winter range from 1 year to the next. During calving and summer, range fidelity yielded relatively high fitness benefits, as females that did not lose their calf displayed stronger fidelity than females that did. In winter, however, adult survival was negatively linked to range fidelity, as females that survived selected areas further away from their seasonal range of the previous year than females that died.

We provide one of the first evidences that making seasonal adjustments in range fidelity can be an adaptive behaviour influencing the spatial distribution of a threatened species. Assessing the seasonal nature of range fidelity tactics may improve our predictions of space use and associated fitness implications for species displaying this behaviour.
Multiple myeloma: routes to diagnosis, clinical characteristics and survival – findings from a UK population‐based study
Authors: Howell Debra , Smith Alexandra , Appleton Simon , Bagguley Timothy , Macleod Una , Cook Gordon , Patmore Russell , Roman Eve
Published: February 2017

Prompt cancer diagnosis may align UK survival with European averages. We examined the impact of route to diagnosis on survival for multiple myeloma patients diagnosed 2012–2013 using data from our population‐based patient cohort that links to national death notifications and collects details on treatment and response (n = 441). Emergency presentation was associated with advanced disease and poorer outcomes, and was the commonest route to diagnosis (28·1%) followed by General Practitioner urgent (19·0%) and two‐week wait (17·2%) referrals. CRAB (elevated Calcium, Renal failure, Anaemia, Bone lesions) distribution varied by route (P < 0·001), with patients with emergency presentations most likely to have ≥2 features and significantly worse survival (log‐rank test χ2 = 13·8, P = 0·0002).
Urban climate and physical geography: A response to Ashmore and Dodson
Authors: Brazel Anthony J.
Published: February 2017

Key Messages

Physical geographers are focusing on urban areas through the expanding field of urban climatology.

Physical geographers in Canada have a long legacy of urban climate studies, one which is evident world‐wide.

Urban climatologists and affiliated organizations study urban place and contexts by definition and have also turned towards creating tools to span scales from global to local.
Influence of health locus of control and fear of hypoglycaemia on glycaemic control and treatment satisfaction in people with Type 1 diabetes on insulin pump therapy
Authors: Indelicato L. , Mariano V. , Galasso S. , Boscari F. , Cipponeri E. , Negri C. , Frigo A. , Avogaro A. , Bonora E. , Trombetta M. , Bruttomesso D.
Published: February 2017

Aim

To assess the influence of health locus of control and fear of hypoglycaemia on metabolic control and treatment satisfaction in people with Type 1 diabetes mellitus on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion.

Methods

People with Type 1 diabetes on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion for at least 1 year, sub‐classified as an ‘acceptable glucose control’ group [HbA1c ≤ 58 mmol/mol (7.5%)] and a ‘suboptimum glucose control’ group [HbA1c > 58 mmol/mol (7.5%)], were consecutively enrolled in a multicentre cross‐sectional study. Questionnaires were administered to assess health locus of control [Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) scale, with internal and external subscales], fear of hypoglycaemia [Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey II (HFS‐II)] and treatment satisfaction [Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ)].

Results

We enrolled 214 participants (mean ± sd age 43.4 ± 12.1 years). The suboptimum glucose control group (n = 127) had lower mean ± sd internal MHLC and DTSQ scores than the acceptable glucose control group (19.6 ± 5.2 vs 21.0 ± 5.0, P = 0.04 and 28.8 ± 4.8 vs 30.9 ± 4.5, P < 0.001). HFS‐II scores did not differ between the two groups. Internal MHLC score was negatively associated with HbA1c (r = −0.15, P < 0.05) and positively associated with the number of mild and severe hypoglycaemic episodes (r = 0.16, P < 0.05 and r = 0.18, P < 0.001, respectively) and with DTSQ score (r = 0.17, P < 0.05).

HFS‐II score was negatively associated with DTSQ score (r = −0.18, P < 0.05) and positively with number of severe hypoglycaemic episodes (r = 0.16, P < 0.5).

Conclusions

In adults with Type 1 diabetes receiving continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, high internal locus represents the most important locus of control pattern for achieving good metabolic control.
Wear characteristics and inhibition of enamel demineralization by resin‐based coating materials
Authors: Kawamura Naohiko , Iijima Masahiro , Ito Shuich , Brantley William A. , Alapati Satish B. , Muguruma Takeshi , Kawaguchi Kyotaro , Saito Takashi , Mizoguchi Itaru
Published: February 2017

In this study, wear and inhibition of enamel demineralization by resin‐based coating materials were investigated. Seven commercially available coating materials, with and without fillers, were used. A mechanical wear test was performed, and the specimens were then examined with a scanning electron microscope. Hardness and elastic modulus measurements for each material were obtained by nanoindentation testing. Thin layers of each material were applied on human enamel surfaces, which were subjected to alternating immersion in demineralizing and remineralizing solutions. The inhibition ability of enamel demineralization adjacent to the coating was estimated with depth‐dependent mechanical properties using the nanoindentation test. The non‐filled coating material showed significantly lower hardness, lower elastic modulus, and higher weight loss. There were no significant differences in weight loss among the six filled coating materials. After the alternating immersion protocol, the enamel specimens having application of coating materials with ion‐releasing ability were harder than those in the other groups in some locations 1–11 μm from the enamel surface and within 300 μm from the edge of the coating materials. In conclusion, clinical use of the resin‐based coating materials with ion‐releasing ability may prevent demineralization of exposed enamel adjacent to the coating during treatment.
A Narrative Based Model of Differentiating Rioters
Authors: WILLMOTT DOMINIC , IOANNOU MARIA
Published: February 2017

The present study applied a narrative analysis upon rioter accounts of their motivations during the August 2011 England riots. To the authors’ knowledge, this piece of research was the first to utilise narrative theory to explore the phenomenon of rioting. Narrative accounts of 20 rioters were compiled from media, online, and published sources. Content analysis of the cases produced a set of 47 variables relating to offenders’ motivations given when describing their criminality. Data were subjected to Smallest Space Analysis (SSA), a non‐metric multidimensional scaling procedure, and results revealed four distinct themes: the Professional Rioter; the Revenger Rioter; the Victim Rioter; and the Adventurer Rioter, in line with previous research conducted on differing crime types (Canter, Kaouri and Ioannou 2003; Youngs and Canter 2011b). The four narrative themes are consistent with motivations identified in previous theories.
Sexuality and Religious Commitment Revisited: Exploring the Religious Commitments of Sexual Minorities, 1991–2014
Authors: Sherkat Darren E.
Published: February 2017

Research on the religious commitments of sexual minorities has burgeoned over the last two decades, yet most studies come from small convenience samples of people actively engaged in religious groups. This study provides an empirical examination of the religiosity of people who report having had same‐sex relations in the last five years using respondents from the General Social Survey (1991–2014) and provides a comparison to respondents from 2008 to 2014 who report their sexual identification as bisexual, gay, or lesbian. All comparisons are made by gender, and compared with male and female heterosexuals. The relationship between behavioral sexuality and religiosity is examined across time periods, distinguishing respondents from 1991 to 2002 from respondents interviewed in 2004–2014. Religious factors examined include religious identification, religious participation, prayer frequency, beliefs about the Bible, beliefs about God, and belief in an afterlife. Multivariate models are estimated to examine whether sociodemographic factors contribute to differences across the gender/sexuality groups.
Effect of Delayed Digital Hypothermia on Lamellar Inflammatory Signaling in the Oligofructose Laminitis Model
Authors: Dern K. , Watts M. , Werle B. , van Eps A. , Pollitt C. , Belknap J.
Published: February 2017

Background

In the oligofructose (OF) model of sepsis‐related laminitis (SRL), digital hypothermia (“cryotherapy”) initiated before the onset of clinical signs is reported not only to limit lamellar injury, but also to cause marked inhibition of lamellar inflammatory signaling.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Because hypothermia also has been reported to be protective when not initiated until the onset of lameness in the OF model of SRL, we hypothesized that the lamellar protection conferred by hypothermia is caused by local lamellar inhibition of inflammatory signaling as described when hypothermia was initiated earlier in the disease process.

Animals

Eight Standardbred geldings aged 3–11 years with no lameness and no abnormalities of the feet detectable by gross or radiographic examination.

Methods

Using the OF model of SRL, lamellar mRNA concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and endothelial adhesion proteins were compared between samples from treated limbs (CRYO, submerged in ice water for 36 hour starting at the onset of lameness), untreated limbs (NON‐CRYO, opposite limb from CRYO limbs maintained at ambient temperature), and untreated limbs from normal horses in which laminitis was not induced (CON).

Results

Although OF administration resulted in increases in lamellar mRNA concentrations of several inflammatory mediators in NON‐CRYO limbs (vs CON), digital hypothermia had no significant effect on these increases.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The lack of inflammatory inhibition in lamellar tissue samples in our study indicates that the protective effects of digital hypothermia instituted at the onset of clinical signs of laminitis do not arise from inhibition of inflammatory pathways.
Cohabitants’ perspective on housing adaptations: a piece of the puzzle
Authors: Granbom Marianne , Taei Afsaneh , Ekstam Lisa
Published: February 2017

As part of the Swedish state‐funded healthcare system, housing adaptations are used to promote safe and independent living for disabled people in ordinary housing through the elimination of physical environmental barriers in the home. The aim of this study was to describe the cohabitants’ expectations and experiences of how a housing adaptation, intended for the partner, would impact their everyday life. In‐depth interviews were conducted with cohabitants of nine people applying for a housing adaptation, initially at the time of the application and then again 3 months after the housing adaptation was installed. A longitudinal analysis was performed including analysis procedures from Grounded Theory. The findings revealed the expectations and experiences in four categories: partners’ activities and independence; cohabitants’ everyday activities and caregiving; couples’ shared recreational/leisure activities; and housing decisions. A core category putting the intervention into perspective was called ‘Housing adaptations – A piece of the puzzle’. From the cohabitants’ perspective, new insights on housing adaptations emerged, which are important to consider when planning and carrying out successful housing adaptations.
Unique clinical courses of transfusion‐transmitted hepatitis E in patients with immunosuppression
Authors: Satake Masahiro , Matsubayashi Keiji , Hoshi Yuji , Taira Rikizo , Furui Yasumi , Kokudo Norihiro , Akamatsu Nobuhisa , Yoshizumi Tomoharu , Ohkohchi Nobuhiro , Okamoto Hiroaki , Miyoshi Masato , Tamura Akinori , Fuse Kyoko , Tadokoro Kenji
Published: February 2017

BACKGROUND

The high prevalence of specific immunoglobulin G for hepatitis E virus (HEV) in Japanese people raises the possibility of a high incidence of HEV‐viremic blood donors and therefore frequent transfusion‐transmitted HEV (TT‐HEV).

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

TT‐HEV cases established in Japan through hemovigilance and those published in the literature were collected. Infectivity of HEV‐contaminated blood components and disease severity in relation to immunosuppression were investigated.

RESULTS

Twenty established TT‐HEV cases were recorded over the past 17 years. A lookback study verified that five of 10 patients transfused with known HEV‐contaminated blood components acquired HEV infection. The minimal infectious dose of HEV through transfusion was 3.6 × 104 IU. Nine of the 19 TT‐HEV cases analyzed had hematologic diseases. Only two cases showed the maximal alanine aminotransferase level of more than 1000 U/L. Two patients with hematologic malignancy and two liver transplant recipients had chronic liver injury of moderate severity.

CONCLUSION

The infectivity of HEV‐contaminated components was 50%. Immunosuppression likely causes the moderate illness of TT‐HEV, but it may lead to the establishment of chronic sequelae. Transfusion recipients, a population that is variably immunosuppressed, are more vulnerable to chronic liver injury as a result of TT‐HEV than the general population is as a result of food‐borne infection.
Purpose of Education and Spiritual Potential; What is Your Definition
Authors: Turmudi Indrawati , Hamzah Rohana , Ismail Sarimah , Aripin Muhammad Afzamiman , Mohamad@Sulaiman Nor Hasrina , Hashim Haslinda@Robita , Andin Nur Qistina
Published: February 2017

Developing and producing a holistic human capital has been a major concern to Malaysian education system. Therefore, the National Education Philosophy has been formed based on a mission to produce a balance and holistic individual in terms of physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual based on firm belief and devotion to God. In contrary, education system nowadays is more focused on intellectual and practical aspects, whereas spiritual dimension has being neglected. Spiritual dimension is taught separately in spiritual subjects and the responsibility to teach is given to the educators in the areas concerned. Needs analysis conducted on technical and engineering educators from three engineering faculty at UTM shows that majority of participants do not really understand the real purpose of education, the meaning of spiritual potential and also how spiritual potential can be developed through Technical and Engineering Education. Therefore, there is a possibility that this potential has been less developed through Engineering Education courses in UTM.
On the contact mapping class group of Legendrian circle bundles
Authors: Giroux Emmanuel , Massot Patrick
Published: February 2017

In this paper, we determine the group of contact transformations modulo contact isotopies for Legendrian circle bundles over closed surfaces of non-positive Euler characteristic. These results extend and correct those presented by the first author in a former work. The main ingredient we use is connectedness of certain spaces of embeddings of surfaces into contact 3-manifolds. This connectedness question is also studied for itself with a number of (hopefully instructive) examples.
On a generalized conjecture of Hopf with symmetry
Authors: Amann Manuel , Kennard Lee
Published: February 2017

A famous conjecture of Hopf states that$\mathbb{S}^{2}\times \mathbb{S}^{2}$does not admit a Riemannian metric with positive sectional curvature. In this article, we prove that no manifold product$N\times N$can carry a metric of positive sectional curvature admitting a certain degree of torus symmetry.
Evaluation of the optic nerve using strain and shear wave elastography in patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy subjects
Authors: İnal Mikail , Tan Sinan , Yumusak Erhan M. , Şahan Mehmet Hamdi , Alpua Murat , Örnek Kemal
Published: February 2017

Aims: Our aim was to evaluate the elasticity features of the optic nerve using strain (SE) and shear wave elastography (SWE) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in comparison with healthy subjects. Material and methods: One hundred and seven optic nerves from 54 MS patients and 118 optic nerves from 59 healthy subjects were examined prospectively by SE and SWE. Optic nerves were divided into three types in accordance to the elasticity designs, as follows: type 1 predominantly blue (hardest tissue); type 2 predominantly blue/green (hard tissue); and type 3 predominantly green (intermediate tissue). Quantitative measurements of optic nerve hardness with SWE were analyzed in kilopascals. Results: Elastographic images from healthy volunteers showed mostly type 3 optic nerves (61.9%); type 2 was also found (38.1%), but type 1 was not observed. Elastographic examination of MS patients showed mostly type 2 optic nerves (88%), while some type 1 (4.6%) and type 3 optic nerves (6.5%) were rarely observed. There was a statistically significant difference in terms of elasticity patterns between patients and healthy volunteers (p<0.001). Statistically significant differences were observed between patients and healthy volunteers in the analysis of SWE values (10.381±3.48 kPa and 33.87±11.64 p<0.001). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was perfect (0.993; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.971–0.999), and a cut-off value of 18.3 kPa shear had very high sensitivity and specificity for the patient group. No significant differences were observed between patients with and without previous optic neuritis. Conclusion: SE and SWE examination findings concerning the optic nerve in MS patients demonstrated remarkable differences according to the healthy group.
Real life zombie apocalypse in New York City
Authors: Brown J. Mark
Published: February 2017

Synthetic cannabinoid use elicits “zombie-like” symptoms in New York.
Calvarial metastasis of renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Suffee Tabrez , Derder Mohamed , Quilichini Julien , Dezamis Edouard , Lantieri Laurent
Published: February 2017

The calvarium is an extremely unusual site of metastasis of renal cell carcinoma. We report a 62-year-old man who was enrolled for palliative medical management for an exophytic calvarial metastasis. His quality of life was greatly compromised with everyday local care and bandages due to recurrent events of infection and bleeding, limiting his social life. Surgical palliative surgery was carried out to improve the patient's quality of life. After tumour resection, the resultant defects of the calvarium and the scalp were covered by a muscular latissimus dorsi free flap and a fascia lata graft as dural substitute. There was no evidence of local recurrence or distant metastasis during the 3 years follow-up. Consequently, resection of solitary metastasis in the early stage is the treatment of choice with a chance to cure the metastasis and avoid associated morbidity that may occur if the lesion is left untreated.
Histone H3.3 regulates mitotic progression in mouse embryonic fibroblasts
Authors: Ors Aysegul , Papin Christophe , Favier Bertrand , Roulland Yohan , Dalkara Defne , Ozturk Mehmet , Hamiche Ali , Dimitrov Stefan , Padmanabhan Kiran
Published: February 2017

H3.3 is a histone variant that marks transcription start sites as well as telomeres and heterochromatic sites on the genome. The presence of H3.3 is thought to positively correlate with the transcriptional status of its target genes. Using a conditional genetic strategy against H3.3B, combined with short hairpin RNAs against H3.3A, we essentially depleted all H3.3 gene expression in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Following nearly complete loss of H3.3 in the cells, our transcriptomic analyses show very little impact on global gene expression or on the localization of histone variant H2A.Z. Instead, fibroblasts displayed slower cell growth and an increase in cell death, coincident with large-scale chromosome misalignment in mitosis and large polylobed or micronuclei in interphase cells. Thus, we conclude that H3.3 may have an important under-explored additional role in chromosome segregation, nuclear structure, and the maintenance of genome integrity.
Combined constitutive model for creep and steady flow rate of frozen soil in an unconfined condition
Authors: Xu Guofang , Peng Chong , Wu Wei , Qi Jilin
Published: February 2017

A combined constitutive model is developed for the creep behavior of frozen soil in an unconfined condition. The model is obtained by coupling two stress- and time-dependent models, which are responsible for the primary and tertiary creep stages. The model parameters are dependent on temperature and can be readily determined from the strain rate–time curves at two creep stresses. The model performance is demonstrated by simulating the complete strain–time and strain rate–time curves (including primary, secondary, and tertiary stages) of frozen sand and frozen clay in uniaxial creep tests under different creep stresses. Moreover, two equations are obtained from the combined model. One shows a good capability in describing the relationship between creep strength and the time to creep failure. The other makes an excellent prediction of the steady flow rate in a typical creep process. Both equations can reflect the effects of stress and temperature on the creep behavior of frozen soil.
Resting State Effective Connectivity Allows Auditory Hallucination Discrimination
Authors: Graña Manuel , Ozaeta Leire , Chyzhyk Darya
Published: February 2017

Hallucinations are elusive phenomena that have been associated with psychotic behavior, but that have a high prevalence in healthy population. Some generative mechanisms of Auditory Hallucinations (AH) have been proposed in the literature, but so far empirical evidence is scarce. The most widely accepted generative mechanism hypothesis nowadays consists in the faulty workings of a network of brain areas including the emotional control, the audio and language processing, and the inhibition and self-attribution of the signals in the auditive cortex. In this paper, we consider two methods to analyze resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) data, in order to measure effective connections between the brain regions involved in the AH generation process. These measures are the Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM) cross-covariance function (CCF) coefficients, and the partially directed coherence (PDC) coefficients derived from Granger Causality (GC) analysis. Effective connectivity measures are treated as input classifier features to assess their significance by means of cross-validation classification accuracy results in a wrapper feature selection approach. Experimental results using Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers on an rs-fMRI dataset of schizophrenia patients with and without a history of AH confirm that the main regions identified in the AH generative mechanism hypothesis have significant effective connection values, under both DCM and PDC evaluation.