bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Marine insurance – collateral lies: when lies are not fraud
Authors: Sooksripaisarnkit Poomintr
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to review the reasoning of the judgment of the United Kingdom Supreme Court in Versloot Dredging BV and another (Appellants) v. HDI Gerling Industrie Versichering AG and Others (Respondents) [2016] UKSC 45 in finding that there is no remedy or sanction for the use of fraudulent devices (so-called “collateral lies”) in insurance claims and to consider potential implications for underwriters.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is a typical case law analysis starting from case facts and the reasoning with short comments on legal implications.

Findings

Despite no sanction provided by law for the use of fraudulent devices, the room still opens for the underwriters to stipulate the consequence of using the fraudulent devices by the express term in the insurance contract.

Research limitations/implications

The main implication from the judgment is that underwriters are likely to incur more investigating costs for insurance claims.

Originality/value

This work raises awareness of the marine insurance industry (especially underwriters) as to the approach of the English law towards the use of fraudulent devices.
Person-centred phenomenology: service user experiences of exercise
Authors: Pickard Luke , Rodriguez Alison , Lewis Kiara
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the lived experience of sport and exercise amongst a group of mental health service users. Participants were recruited from a north of England NHS mental health trust that was piloting a sport and exercise intervention for adults with mental health needs.

Design/methodology/approach

In depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with five mental health service users. The chosen phenomenological methodology was collaborative and interpretive.

Findings

Two essential themes were highlighted: “Intermittent health breaking through heavy clouds of illness” and “The cycle of recovery”. In addition, this person-centred research identified a number of intervention benefits beyond those relating to the impact of physical activity on mental health and wellbeing. The main findings are expressed using visual imagery which participants found expressed their perceptions and experiences better than written prose. This includes the way day-to-day illness impacts on the journey of health for people with mental health problems.

Research limitations/implications

The intervention looked to help the transition between leaving mental health services and developing a regular routine to promote recovery. The study illuminates the voices of service users and identifies that sport and exercise for mental health service users can be beneficial for recovery and feelings of belonging which can strengthen perceptions of the self.

Originality/value

Few studies have approached this methodological approach. This study demonstrates the value of phenomenological research with a collaborative, person-centred or indeed an involved patient focus. This collaborative approach enabled a shared understanding of the phenomena.
6‐mm‐long implants loaded with fiber‐reinforced composite resin‐bonded fixed prostheses (FRCRBFDPs). A 5‐year prospective study
Authors: Rossi Fabio , Lang Niklaus P. , Ricci Emanuele , Ferraioli Lorenzo , Marchetti Claudio , Botticelli Daniele
Published: March 2017

Aim

To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes and the survival rates of fiber‐reinforced composite resin‐bonded fixed prostheses (FRCRBFDPs) placed in the posterior area supported by two short (6 mm) implants.

Materials and Methods

Twenty consecutive patients received 40 SLActive 6‐mm‐long implants with a diameter of 4.1 mm (n = 29) or 4.8 mm (n = 11). Insertion torques and RFA (Resonance Frequency Analysis) were measured at implant installation. The prosthetic rehabilitation was performed after 8 weeks from insertion with a screw‐retained two‐ or three‐unit fixed dental prosthesis fabricated of FRCRBFDPs. Implant survival rates and marginal bone levels were evaluated at various time intervals until 5 years after loading.

Results

Two of 20 patients lost four implants supporting two FRCRBFDPs between the second and the third year of follow‐up (cumulative survival rate: 90% after 5 years). Four patients suffered a fracture of the prosthetic reconstruction, and the success rate of the rehabilitation was 70% after 5 years. A mean marginal bone loss of 0.30 ± 0.34 mm was found after 5 years of function at the remaining implants.

Conclusion

The survival of short implants was 90% owing to two bridges losses in the maxilla. However, the success rate of FRCRBFDPs over 5 years was only at 70%.
Olfactory evaluation in Mild Cognitive Impairment: correlation with neurocognitive performance and endothelial function
Authors: Tonacci Alessandro , Bruno Rosa M. , Ghiadoni Lorenzo , Pratali Lorenza , Berardi Nicoletta , Tognoni Gloria , Cintoli Simona , Volpi Leda , Bonuccelli Ubaldo , Sicari Rosa , Taddei Stefano , Maffei Lamberto , Picano Eugenio
Published: March 2017

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is an intermediate condition between normal aging and dementia, associated with an increased risk of progression into the latter within months or years. Olfactory impairment, a well‐known biomarker for neurodegeneration, might be present in the condition early, possibly representing a signal for future pathological onset. Our study aimed at evaluating olfactory function in MCI and healthy controls in relation to neurocognitive performance and endothelial function. A total of 85 individuals with MCI and 41 healthy controls, matched for age and gender, were recruited. Olfactory function was assessed by Sniffin’ Sticks Extended Test (Burghart, Medizintechnik, GmbH, Wedel, Germany). A comprehensive neurocognitive assessment was performed. Endothelial function was assessed by flow‐mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery by ultrasound. MCI individuals showed an impaired olfactory function compared to controls. The overall olfactory score is able to predict MCI with a good sensitivity and specificity (70.3 and 77.4% respectively). In MCI, olfactory identification score is correlated with a number of neurocognitive abilities, including overall cognitive status, dementia rating, immediate and delayed memory, visuospatial ability and verbal fluency. FMD was reduced in MCI (2.90 ± 2.15 vs. 3.66 ± 1.96%, P = 0.016) and was positively associated with olfactory identification score (ρs=0.219, P = 0.025). The association remained significant after controlling for age, gender, and smoking. In conclusion, olfactory evaluation is able to discriminate between MCI and healthy individuals. Systemic vascular dysfunction might be involved, at least indirectly, in olfactory dysfunction in MCI.
Possible role of nuclear β‐catenin in resistance to preoperative chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer
Authors: Takahashi Hiroyuki , Nakamura Kie , Usami Akane , Tsuruta Tomoko , Hashimura Miki , Matsumoto Toshihide , Saegusa Makoto
Published: March 2017

Aims

β‐Catenin signalling participates in the regulation of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)/cancer stem cell (CSC) properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of β‐catenin in resistance to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer, especially pertaining to its association with EMT/CSC features.

Methods and results

A total of 109 cases of locally advanced rectal cancer, along with a colon cancer cell line, were investigated. Nuclear β‐catenin accumulation in pretreatment‐biopsied samples was inversely associated with the therapeutic efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in resected rectal cancer. In resected tumours, nuclear β‐catenin was predominantly observed in EMT‐like lesions with decreased E‐cadherin and increased Snail expression, along with expression of CSC‐related markers. The EMT‐like lesions also showed significant decreases in both apoptosis and cell proliferation as compared with non‐EMT lesions. In‐vitro culture of a colon cancer cell line in STK2 was sufficient to induce EMT/CSC properties together with nuclear β‐catenin accumulation, and showed inhibition of cell proliferation and resistance to doxorubicin treatment.

Conclusion

Nuclear β‐catenin accumulation may contribute to chemoradioresistance in locally advanced rectal cancer, probably through its regulation of EMT/CSC properties. In addition, nuclear β‐catenin in pretreatment‐biopsied samples is useful in predicting the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer.
Adverse events in cardiac surgery, a mixed methods retrospective study in an Italian teaching hospital
Authors: Bellandi Tommaso , Tartaglia Riccardo , Forni Silvia , D'Arienzo Sara , Tulli Giorgio
Published: March 2017

Rationale, aims, and objectives

Adverse events (AEs) are a major concern in surgery, but the evidence in cardiac surgery is limited, especially on the contributory factors. According to the data of the National Outcomes Program, a unit was selected to conduct a mixed methods investigation into the incidence, type, and cause of AE, given its mortality rate that was double the national average on coronary artery bypass grafting, valve reparation, and replacement.

Methods

A retrospective investigation on the performance of a cardiac surgery, combining the routinely collected data on process and outcome measures with a 2‐stage structured review of 280 medical records performed by 3 expert clinicians, with the support of a methodologist.

Results

At least one risk had been verified in 137 of 280 cases (48.9%, 95% CI, 43.1‐54.8). The total number of AE was 42, with an incidence of 15% (95% CI, 10.8‐20.2) and a preventability of 80.9% (95% CI, 69.1‐92.8). In 11.9% of AE, the consequence is death, disability in 40.5%, and extended hospital stay in 69% of the cases. Adverse events are associated with problems in care management at the ward (89/137, 64.9%, 95% CI, 56.9‐72.9), followed by surgical complications (46/137, 33.6%, 95% CI, 25.7‐41.5) and infection/sepsis (32/137, 23.4%, 95% CI, 16.3‐30.4). An active error was made by the health care workers in 31 of 42 cases with AE, either during the decision making or during the execution of an action. A total of 36 AEs were due to deficiencies attributed to organizational factors and 31 were linked to poor teamwork.

Conclusions

The mixed methods approach demonstrated how a deep understanding of AE and poor performance may emerge thanks to the combination of routinely available data and experts' evaluations. The main limitation of this study is its focus on the cardiac surgery rather than on the entire process of care. The evaluation could have been integrated with on‐site observations and the analysis of reported incidents.
Sublethal effects of angling and release on golden perch Macquaria ambigua: implications for reproduction and fish health
Authors: Hall K. C. , Broadhurst M. K. , Butcher P. A. , Cameron L. , Rowland S. J. , Millar R. B.
Published: March 2017

The present study tested the hypothesis of no delayed sublethal effects of mild angling and release on the feeding, growth, somatic condition and gonadal development of golden perch Macquaria ambigua during gametogenesis. Subsamples of adult M. ambigua (n = 17–21 of 207), originally captured from the wild and stocked into ten 0·1 ha earthen ponds, were angled and released during early and late gametogenesis. Wild samples that were concurrently collected throughout the experiment underwent rapid and synchronous gonadal development and many spawned. While no spawning occurred in the ponds, most M. ambigua underwent normal gonadal development to maturity, including the angled fish. Angled fish also fed, maintained condition and actually grew faster than non‐angled captive controls. Although females that were angled during late gametogenesis more readily ingested and retained baited hooks, neither their subsequent condition nor gonadal development was significantly affected. The predominance of null results was attributed to the combined effects of the flexible reproductive strategy of M. ambigua, the benignness of mouth hooking and immediate release, and possible methodological issues arising from differential hooking success of more aggressive and resilient individuals. The findings support earlier catch‐and‐release research, but contrast with reports of acute reproductive effects following capture and handling for aquaculture broodstock. This discrepancy highlights the need for research to specifically address welfare questions relevant to recreational fisheries across various species and angling scenarios.
Review in peeling complications
Authors: Costa Izelda Maria Carvalho , Damasceno Patrick Silva , Costa Mariana Carvalho , Gomes Keila Gabrielle Pati
Published: March 2017

Chemical peeling, a procedure wherein a chemical agent is applied to the skin to cause controlled destruction followed by regeneration and remodeling, is a dynamic tool for the treatment of acne, pigmentation issues, and photoaging [Journal of cutaneous and aesthetic surgery vol. 5 (2012) 254–260]. The results and complications are related to the depth of the procedure, with deeper peels producing more marked results and higher rates of complications. Complications are more likely with darker skin types, certain peeling agents, and sun exposure after treatment [Journal of cutaneous and aesthetic surgery vol. 5 (2012) 254–260]. They can range from minor irritations and uneven pigmentation to permanent scarring. In extremely uncommon cases, the complications can be life‐threatening. This knowledge is essential to prevent, reduce, and eliminate the occurrence of complications [Cirurgia dermatológica em consultório. São Paulo: Atheneu; 2009]. Swelling, pain, persistent erythema, pruritus, allergic reactions, folliculitis/acne, infection, herpes recurrence, hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation, demarcation lines, and scarring are some of the complications that will be discussed in this article. The first step in preventing complications is to identify the patients at risk. By doing so, complications can be anticipated, prevented, and, if they still occur, treated as early as possible.
Molecular evolution of Coq1 gene family in eukaryotes
Authors: Zhao Man , Ying Xiangxian , Sun Jie , Wang Zhao
Published: March 2017

Coq1 genes encode polyprenyl diphosphate synthases, which determine the isoprenoid side chain of ubiquinone and plastoquinone in organisms. The biological roles of Coq1 genes have been widely investigated in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In our study, we analyzed the phylogenetic relationships, structural evolution, selection pressure, and functional divergence of Coq1 genes to comprehensively elucidate the evolutionary fates of these genes after duplication and to understand the evolutionary pattern of the Coq1 family. We surveyed 32 representative sequenced genomes and found 59 Coq1 genes widely distributed in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Coq1 genes have diverged into two clades among eukaryotic lineages. Further evolutionary analysis in intron numbers, evolutionary rates, and degrees of positive selection indicated that the paired clades of Coq1 genes in each eukaryotic lineage were not synchronized, which hinted that their evolutionary processes probably have diverged. Furthermore, functional divergence analysis suggested that different types of subfunctionalization in the Coq1 gene family have occurred. In plants, the paired clades of Coq1 genes only diverged in their localization and expression, whereas the functions of these genes in animals and fungi were partially divided. Therefore, asymmetrical evolutionary processes achieved similar evolutionary fates with different types in the Coq1 gene family among eukaryotes, which might be related to the divergence and conservation of eukaryotic lineages during evolution.
Actigraphic sleep measures and diet quality in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sueño ancillary study
Authors: Mossavar‐Rahmani Yasmin , Weng Jia , Wang Rui , Shaw Pamela A. , Jung Molly , Sotres‐Alvarez Daniela , Castañeda Sheila F. , Gallo Linda C. , Gellman Marc D. , Qi Qibin , Ramos Alberto R. , Reid Kathryn J. , Van Horn Linda , Patel Sanjay R.
Published: March 2017

Using a cross‐sectional probability sample with actigraphy data and two 24‐h dietary recalls, we quantified the association between sleep duration, continuity, variability and timing with the Alternative Healthy Eating Index‐2010 diet quality score and its components in 2140 Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos participants. The Alternative Healthy Eating Index diet quality‐2010 score ranges from 0 to 110, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to the dietary guidelines and lower risk from major chronic disease. None of the sleep measures was associated with total caloric intake as assessed using dietary recalls. However, both an increase in sleep duration and sleep efficiency were associated with healthier diet quality. Each standard deviation increase in sleep duration (1.05 h) and sleep efficiency (4.99%) was associated with a 0.30 point increase and 0.28 point increase, respectively, in the total Alternative Healthy Eating Index‐2010 score. The component of Alternative Healthy Eating Index‐2010 most strongly associated with longer sleep duration was increased nuts and legumes intake. The components of Alternative Healthy Eating Index‐2010 most strongly associated with higher sleep efficiency were increased whole fruit intake and decreased sodium intake. Both longer sleep duration and higher sleep efficiency were significantly associated with better diet quality among US Hispanic/Latino adults. The dietary components most strongly associated with sleep duration and sleep efficiency differed, suggesting potentially independent mechanisms by which each aspect of sleep impacts dietary choices. Longitudinal research is needed to understand the directionality of these identified relationships and the generalizability of these data across other ethnic groups.
Long‐term outcomes of direct acting antivirals in post‐transplant advanced hepatitis C virus recurrence and fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis
Authors: Vukotic R. , Conti F. , Fagiuoli S. , Morelli M. C. , Pasulo L. , Colpani M. , Foschi F. G. , Berardi S. , Pianta P. , Mangano M. , Donato M. F. , Malinverno F. , Monico S. , Tamè M. , Mazzella G. , Belli L. S. , Viganò R. , Carrai P. , Burra P. , Russo F. P. , Lenci I. , Toniutto P. , Merli M. , Loiacono L. , Iemmolo R. , Degli Antoni A. M. , Romano A. , Picciotto A. , Rendina M. , Andreone P. ,   AISF‐SOFOLT Study group
Published: March 2017

Long‐term functional outcomes of sofosbuvir‐based antiviral treatment were evaluated in a cohort study involving 16 Italian centres within the international compassionate use programme for post‐transplant hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence. Seventy‐three patients with cirrhosis (n=52) or fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH, n=21) received 24‐week sofosbuvir with ribavirin±pegylated interferon or interferon‐free sofosbuvir‐based regimen with daclatasvir/simeprevir+ribavirin. The patients were observed for a median time of 103 (82‐112) weeks. Twelve of 73 (16.4%) died (10 non‐FCH, 2 FCH) and two underwent re‐LT. Sustained virological response was achieved in 46 of 66 (69.7%): 31 of 47 (66%) non‐FCH and 15 of 19 (79%) FCH patients. All relapsers were successfully retreated. Comparing the data of baseline with last follow‐up, MELD and Child‐Turcotte‐Pugh scores improved both in non‐FCH (15.3±6.5 vs 10.5±3.8, P<.0001 and 8.4±2.1 vs 5.7±1.3, P<.0001, respectively) and FCH (17.3±5.9 vs 10.1±2.8, P=.001 and 8.2±1.6 vs 5.5±1, P=.001, respectively). Short‐treatment mortality was higher in patients with baseline MELD≥25 than in those with MELD<25 (42.9% vs 4.8%, P=.011). Long‐term mortality was 53.3% among patients with baseline MELD≥20 and 7.5% among those with MELD<20 (P<.0001). Among deceased patients 75% were Child‐Turcotte‐Pugh class C at baseline, while among survivors 83.9% were class A or B (P<.0001). Direct acting antivirals‐based treatments for severe post‐transplant hepatitis C recurrence, comprising fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis, significantly improve liver function, even without viral clearance and permit an excellent long‐term survival. The setting of severe HCV recurrence may require the identification of “too‐sick‐to‐treat patients” to avoid futile treatments.
Semantic Priming in Dutch Children: Word Meaning Integration and Study Modality Effects
Authors: van der Ven Frauke , Takashima Atsuko , Segers Eliane , Verhoeven Ludo
Published: March 2017

Research in adults has shown that novel words are encoded rather swiftly but that their semantic integration occurs more slowly and that studying definitions presented in a written modality may benefit integration. It is unclear, however, how semantic integration proceeds in children, who (compared to adults) have more malleable brains and less reading knowledge. In this study, 68 Dutch‐speaking children studied novel words, together with their meanings presented orally or in writing. After 22 hours, children showed semantic priming effects for novel words, demonstrating semantic integration, but the amount of priming did not differ between the two study modalities. Thus, children appeared to integrate newly learned word meanings independently of the modality in which they studied the definitions. This implies that semantic integration in 10‐ to 13‐year‐olds can occur, as with adults, within 24 hours, but may be unaffected by the modality in which the meanings are studied.
High‐pressure phase transitions of α‐quartz under nonhydrostatic dynamic conditions: A reconnaissance study at PETRA III
Authors: Carl Eva‐Regine , Mansfeld Ulrich , Liermann Hanns‐Peter , Danilewsky Andreas , Langenhorst Falko , Ehm Lars , Trullenque Ghislain , Kenkmann Thomas
Published: March 2017

Hypervelocity collisions of solid bodies occur frequently in the solar system and affect rocks by shock waves and dynamic loading. A range of shock metamorphic effects and high‐pressure polymorphs in rock‐forming minerals are known from meteorites and terrestrial impact craters. Here, we investigate the formation of high‐pressure polymorphs of α‐quartz under dynamic and nonhydrostatic conditions and compare these disequilibrium states with those predicted by phase diagrams derived from static experiments under equilibrium conditions. We create highly dynamic conditions utilizing a mDAC and study the phase transformations in α‐quartz in situ by synchrotron powder X‐ray diffraction. Phase transitions of α‐quartz are studied at pressures up to 66.1 and different loading rates. At compression rates between 0.14 and 1.96 GPa s−1, experiments reveal that α‐quartz is amorphized and partially converted to stishovite between 20.7 GPa and 28.0 GPa. Therefore, coesite is not formed as would be expected from equilibrium conditions. With the increasing compression rate, a slight increase in the transition pressure occurs. The experiments show that dynamic compression causes an instantaneous formation of structures consisting only of SiO6 octahedra rather than the rearrangement of the SiO4 tetrahedra to form a coesite. Although shock compression rates are orders of magnitude faster, a similar mechanism could operate in impact events.
Population vulnerability models for asteroid impact risk assessment
Authors: Rumpf Clemens M. , Lewis Hugh G. , Atkinson Peter M.
Published: March 2017

An asteroid impact is a low probability event with potentially devastating consequences. The Asteroid Risk Mitigation Optimization and Research (ARMOR) software tool calculates whether a colliding asteroid experiences an airburst or surface impact and calculates effect severity as well as reach on the global map. To calculate the consequences of an impact in terms of loss of human life, new vulnerability models are derived that connect the severity of seven impact effects (strong winds, overpressure shockwave, thermal radiation, seismic shaking, ejecta deposition, cratering, and tsunamis) with lethality to human populations. With the new vulnerability models, ARMOR estimates casualties of an impact under consideration of the local population and geography. The presented algorithms and models are employed in two case studies to estimate total casualties as well as the damage contribution of each impact effect. The case studies highlight that aerothermal effects are most harmful except for deep water impacts, where tsunamis are the dominant hazard. Continental shelves serve a protective function against the tsunami hazard caused by impactors on the shelf. Furthermore, the calculation of impact consequences facilitates asteroid risk estimation to better characterize a given threat, and the concept of risk as well as its applicability to the asteroid impact scenario are presented.
Neon produced by solar cosmic rays in ordinary chondrites
Authors: Roth Antoine S. G. , Trappitsch Reto , Metzler Knut , Hofmann Beda A. , Leya Ingo
Published: March 2017

Solar‐cosmic‐ray‐produced Ne (SCR‐Ne), in the form of low cosmogenic 21Ne/22Ne ratios (21Ne/22Necos <0.8), is more likely to be found in rare meteorite classes, like Martian meteorites, than in ordinary chondrites. This may be the result of a sampling bias: SCR‐Ne is better preserved in meteorites with small preatmospheric radii and these specimens are often only studied if they belong to unusual or rare classes. We measured He and Ne isotopic concentrations and nuclear tracks in 25 small unpaired ordinary chondrites from Oman. Most chondrites have been intensively heated during atmospheric entry as evidenced by the disturbed track records, the low 3He/21Ne ratios, the low 4He concentrations, and the high peak release temperatures. Concentration depth profiles indicate significant degassing; however, the Ne isotopes are mainly undisturbed. Remarkably, six chondrites have low 21Ne/22Necos in the range 0.711–0.805. Using a new physical model for the calculation of SCR production rates, we show that four of the chondrites contain up to ~20% of SCR‐Ne; they are analyzed in terms of preatmospheric sizes, cosmic ray exposure ages, mass ablation losses, and orbits. We conclude that SCR‐Ne is preserved, regardless of the meteorite class, in specimens with small preatmospheric radii. Sampling bias explains the predominance of SCR‐Ne in rare meteorites, although we cannot exclude that SCR‐Ne is more common in Martian meteorites than it is in small ordinary chondrites.
Extreme precipitation variability, forage quality and large herbivore diet selection in arid environments
Authors: Cain James W. , Gedir Jay V. , Marshal Jason P. , Krausman Paul R. , Allen Jamison D. , Duff Glenn C. , Jansen Brian D. , Morgart† John R.
Published: March 2017

Nutritional ecology forms the interface between environmental variability and large herbivore behaviour, life history characteristics, and population dynamics. Forage conditions in arid and semi‐arid regions are driven by unpredictable spatial and temporal patterns in rainfall. Diet selection by herbivores should be directed towards overcoming the most pressing nutritional limitation (i.e. energy, protein [nitrogen, N], moisture) within the constraints imposed by temporal and spatial variability in forage conditions. We investigated the influence of precipitation‐induced shifts in forage nutritional quality and subsequent large herbivore responses across widely varying precipitation conditions in an arid environment. Specifically, we assessed seasonal changes in diet breadth and forage selection of adult female desert bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis mexicana in relation to potential nutritional limitations in forage N, moisture and energy content (as proxied by dry matter digestibility, DMD). Succulents were consistently high in moisture but low in N and grasses were low in N and moisture until the wet period. Nitrogen and moisture content of shrubs and forbs varied among seasons and climatic periods, whereas trees had consistently high N and moderate moisture levels. Shrubs, trees and succulents composed most of the seasonal sheep diets but had little variation in DMD. Across all seasons during drought and during summer with average precipitation, forages selected by sheep were higher in N and moisture than that of available forage. Differences in DMD between sheep diets and available forage were minor. Diet breadth was lowest during drought and increased with precipitation, reflecting a reliance on few key forage species during drought. Overall, forage selection was more strongly associated with N and moisture content than energy content. Our study demonstrates that unlike north‐temperate ungulates which are generally reported to be energy‐limited, N and moisture may be more nutritionally limiting for desert ungulates than digestible energy.
Expectations regarding action sequences modulate electrophysiological correlates of the gaze‐cueing effect
Authors: Perez‐Osorio Jairo , Müller Hermann J. , Wykowska Agnieszka
Published: March 2017

Predictive mechanisms of the brain are important for social cognition, as they enable inferences about others' goals and intentions, thereby allowing for generation of expectations regarding what will happen next in the social environment. Therefore, attentional selection is modulated by expectations regarding behavior of others (Perez‐Osorio, Müller, Wiese, & Wykowska, 2015). In this article, we examined—using the ERPs of the EEG signal—which stages of processing are influenced by expectations about others' action steps. We used a paradigm in which a gaze‐cueing procedure was embedded in successively presented naturalistic photographs composing an action sequence. Our results showed (a) behavioral gaze‐cueing effects modulated by whether the observed agent gazed at an object that was expected to be gazed at, according to the action sequence; (b) the N1 component locked to the onset of a target was modulated both by spatial gaze validity and participants' expectations about where the agent would gaze to perform an action; (c) a more positive amplitude, locked to the shift of gaze direction for action‐congruent gaze, relative to incongruent and neutral conditions—over parieto‐occipital areas in the time window between 280 and 380 ms. Taken together, these findings revealed that confirmation or violation of expectations concerning others' goal‐oriented actions modulate attentional selection processes, as indexed by early ERP components.
Paper of note in
Science Translational Medicine
9
(382)
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: March 2017

This week’s article describes why a trivalent H1N1 influenza vaccine is more effective than the monovalent vaccine.
The
oppD
Gene and Putative Peptidase Genes May Be Required for Virulence in Mycoplasma gallisepticum
Authors: Tseng Chi-Wen , Chiu Chien-Ju , Kanci Anna , Citti Christine , Rosengarten Renate , Browning Glenn F. , Markham Philip F.
Published: March 2017

Relatively few virulence genes have been identified in pathogenic mycoplasmas, so we used signature-tagged mutagenesis to identify mutants of the avian pathogen
Mycoplasma gallisepticum
with a reduced capacity to persist
in vivo
and compared the levels of virulence of selected mutants in experimentally infected chickens. Four mutants had insertions in one of the two incomplete
oppABCDF
operons, and a further three had insertions in distinct hypothetical genes, two containing peptidase motifs and one containing a member of a gene family. The three hypothetical gene mutants and the two with insertions in
oppD
1
were used to infect chickens, and all five were shown to have a reduced capacity to induce respiratory tract lesions. One
oppD
1
mutant and the MGA_1102 and MGA_1079 mutants had a greatly reduced capacity to persist in the respiratory tract and to induce systemic antibody responses against
M. gallisepticum
. The other
oppD
1
mutant and the MGA_0588 mutant had less capacity than the wild type to persist in the respiratory tract but did elicit systemic antibody responses. Although
M. gallisepticum
carries two incomplete
opp
operons, one of which has been acquired by horizontal gene transfer, our results suggest that one of the copies of
oppD
may be required for full expression of virulence. We have also shown that three hypothetical genes, two of which encode putative peptidases, may be required for full expression of virulence in
M. gallisepticum.
None of these genes has previously been shown to influence virulence in pathogenic mycoplasmas.
Cooperative Metabolism in a Three-Partner Insect-Bacterial Symbiosis Revealed by Metabolic Modeling
Authors: Ankrah Nana Y. D. , Luan Junbo , Douglas Angela E.
Published: March 2017

An important factor determining the impact of microbial symbionts on their animal hosts is the balance between the cost of nutrients consumed by the symbionts and the benefit of nutrients released back to the host, but the quantitative significance of nutrient exchange in symbioses involving multiple microbial partners has rarely been addressed. In this study on the association between two intracellular bacterial symbionts, “CandidatusPortiera aleyrodidarum” and “CandidatusHamiltonella defensa,” and their animal host, the whiteflyBemisia tabaci, we apply metabolic modeling to investigate host-symbiont nutrient exchange. Ourin silicoanalysis revealed that >60% of the essential amino acids and related metabolites synthesized by “CandidatusPortiera aleyrodidarum” are utilized by the host, including a substantial contribution of nitrogen recycled from host nitrogenous waste, and that these interactions are required for host growth. In contrast, “CandidatusHamiltonella defensa” retains most or all of the essential amino acids and B vitamins that it is capable of synthesizing. Furthermore, “CandidatusHamiltonella defensa” suppresses host growthin silicoby competition with “CandidatusPortiera aleyrodidarum” for multiple host nutrients, by suppressing “CandidatusPortiera aleyrodidarum” growth and metabolic function, and also by consumption of host nutrients that would otherwise be allocated to host growth. The interpretation from these modeling outputs that “CandidatusHamiltonella defensa” is a nutritional parasite could not be inferred reliably from gene content alone but requires consideration of constraints imposed by the structure of the metabolic network. Furthermore, these quantitative models offer precise predictions for future experimental study and the opportunity to compare the functional organization of metabolic networks in different symbioses.

IMPORTANCEThe metabolic functions of unculturable intracellular bacteria with much reduced genomes are traditionally inferred from gene content without consideration of how the structure of the metabolic network may influence flux through metabolic reactions. The three-compartment model of metabolic flux between two bacterial symbionts and their insect host constructed in this study revealed that one symbiont is structured to overproduce essential amino acids for the benefit of the host, but the essential amino acid production in the second symbiont is quantitatively constrained by the structure of its network, rendering it “selfish” with respect to these nutrients. This study demonstrates the importance of quantitative flux data for elucidation of the metabolic function of symbionts. Thein silicomethodology can be applied to other symbioses with intracellular bacteria.
Vibrio cholerae VciB Mediates Iron Reduction
Authors: Peng Eric D. , Payne Shelley M.
Published: March 2017

Vibrio cholerae
is the causative agent of the severe diarrheal disease cholera.
V. cholerae
thrives within the human host, where it replicates to high numbers, but it also persists within the aquatic environments of ocean and brackish water. To survive within these nutritionally diverse environments,
V. cholerae
must encode the necessary tools to acquire the essential nutrient iron in all forms it may encounter. A prior study of systems involved in iron transport in
V. cholerae
revealed the existence of
vciB
, which, while unable to directly transport iron, stimulates the transport of iron through ferrous (Fe
2+
) iron transport systems. We demonstrate here a role for VciB in
V. cholerae
in which VciB stimulates the reduction of Fe
3+
to Fe
2+
, which can be subsequently transported into the cell with the ferrous iron transporter Feo. Iron reduction is independent of functional iron transport but is associated with the electron transport chain. Comparative analysis of VciB orthologs suggests a similar role for other proteins in the VciB family. Our data indicate that VciB is a dimer located in the inner membrane with three transmembrane segments and a large periplasmic loop. Directed mutagenesis of the protein reveals two highly conserved histidine residues required for function. Taken together, our results support a model whereby VciB reduces ferric iron using energy from the electron transport chain.

IMPORTANCE
Vibrio cholerae
is a prolific human pathogen and environmental organism. The acquisition of essential nutrients such as iron is critical for replication, and
V. cholerae
encodes a number of mechanisms to use iron from diverse environments. Here, we describe the
V. cholerae
protein VciB that increases the reduction of oxidized ferric iron (Fe
3+
) to the ferrous form (Fe
2+
), thus promoting iron acquisition through ferrous iron transporters. Analysis of VciB orthologs in
Burkholderia
and
Aeromonas
spp. suggest that they have a similar activity, allowing a functional assignment for this previously uncharacterized protein family. This study builds upon our understanding of proteins known to mediate iron reduction in bacteria.
Improving Outpatient Clinic Experience for Core Medical Trainees
Authors: King Natalie , Zhu Catherine
Published: March 2017

Outpatient clinic experience is an important component of core medical training. Trainees are expected to attend up to 40 clinics, with a minimum requirement of 24, over the two-year programme. 1 Yet on a local and national level they have reported difficulties with attending even the minimum number of clinics, largely due to ward commitments and service demands. 5 A survey of local core medical trainees revealed a baseline mean clinic attendance of 0.5 clinics per month, with only 13% of trainees having attended the minimum number of clinics. The project aimed to increase the mean clinic attendance to one clinic per month, which would enable trainees to meet their curriculum requirements.

Clinic attendance data was collected from core medical trainees at two-monthly intervals, to coincide with rotation changeover. The problem was initially discussed at our local medical faculty meeting and interventions were proposed. Firstly, an up to date clinic timetable was distributed and consultants encouraged to invite their trainees to clinic. Subsequently a clinic booking system was implemented, to enable trainees to arrange protected time in which to attend outpatient clinics. This intervention was unsuccessful in improving clinic attendance. A revised system of pre-allocating protected clinic time was therefore devised and implemented, which resulted in an increase in clinic attendance figures to above the target. Trainees have been allocated clinic days for the rest of the year, which should enable them to meet their curriculum requirements.

Through the use of PDSA cycles, we were able to rapidly determine the effect of our interventions and make improvements that have led to an increase in trainee clinic attendance. This is a sustainable model that could be easily implemented by other hospital trusts for core medical trainees.
Effects of unequal capture probability on stock assessment abundance and mortality estimates: an example using the US Atlantic sea scallop fishery
Authors: Truesdell Samuel B. , Hart Deborah R. , Chen Yong
Published: March 2017

Most stock assessment models assume that the probability of capture for all individuals of the same size or age in the stock area is equal. However, this assumption is rarely, if ever, satisfied. We used spatially referenced simulations, based on the US Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery, to generate catch, survey index, fishing effort, and size structure data that we input into a (nonspatial) catch-at-size stock assessment model to estimate abundance and mortality rates. We show that spatial patterns in fishing mortality degrade model performance for sessile stocks. Fishing mortality tended to be overestimated and abundance underestimated because trends in fishing mortality were exaggerated and the model misestimated the numbers of larger individuals due to spatial fishing patterns. These results are particularly relevant to sedentary species such as scallops, but are applicable wherever strong spatial patterns exist in fishing mortality.
The study of uniaxial–biaxial phase transition of confined hard ellipsoids using density functional theory
Authors: Moradi M. , Ghotbabadi B. Binaei , Aliabadi R.
Published: March 2017

The density profiles and corresponding order parameters of the hard ellipsoids confined between two hard walls and also in contact with a single hard wall are studied using the density functional theory (DFT). The hypernetted-chain (HNC) approximation is used to write excess grand potential of the system with respect to the bulk value. To simplify the calculations, we use restricted orientation model (ROM) for the orientation of ellipsoids to find the density profiles and order parameters. DFT shows that there is a uniaxial–biaxial (U–B) phase transition near a single hard wall and also between two hard walls for a fluid consisting of uniaxial hard ellipsoidal particles with finite elongation.
Uniformity, universality, and computability theory
Authors: Marks Andrew S.
Published: March 2017

We prove a number of results motivated by global questions of uniformity in computabi- lity theory, and universality of countable Borel equivalence relations. Our main technical tool is a game for constructing functions on free products of countable groups. We begin by investigating the notion of uniform universality, first proposed by Montalbán, Reimann and Slaman. This notion is a strengthened form of a countable Borel equivalence relation being universal, which we conjecture is equivalent to the usual notion. With this additional uniformity hypothesis, we can answer many questions concerning how countable groups, probability measures, the subset relation, and increasing unions interact with universality. For many natural classes of countable Borel equivalence relations, we can also classify exactly which are uniformly universal. We also show the existence of refinements of Martin’s ultrafilter on Turing invariant Borel sets to the invariant Borel sets of equivalence relations that are much finer than Turing equivalence. For example, we construct such an ultrafilter for the orbit equivalence relation of the shift action of the free group on countably many generators. These ultrafilters imply a number of structural properties for these equivalence relations.
British Policy toward Hong Kong and its Political Reform
Authors: SUMMERS TIM
Published: March 2017

Twenty years after the return of Hong Kong from British to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, this paper examines the UK’s policy toward Hong Kong over the last decade, with a particular focus on its approach toward the ongoing and intensifying political and constitutional debates in Hong Kong, which have partial origins in the British colonial legacy. The paper argues that the UK has been attempting a delicate balancing act in relation to Hong Kong between a number of factors: the growing importance of relations with China as a whole, the particular opportunities offered by UK–Hong Kong links, the changing and more contested political landscape in Hong Kong, the occasional intervention of British politics, and the agreements on Hong Kong’s future to which the UK was party in the 1980s. These reflect tensions between pragmatism and idealism, and in conclusion, the paper discusses what the case of Hong Kong says more broadly about the making of British foreign policy.
Big data visualization
Authors: Hepworth Katherine
Published: March 2017

A few weeks ago, I was having dinner with a friend when a controversial subject came up. My friend had an extremely strong opinion about the harm caused by vaccination, and his argument went something like this: "I've seen the data. There was an infographic laying it all out." He couldn't remember specific numbers from the visualization he'd seen or the author of the article. He couldn't even remember the name of the publication, but the data visualization's overall argument was firmly lodged in his mind. His situation is not unique, and it provides telling insights on how we, as humans, perceive and respond to big data visualization.
Review of "Communicating Mobility and Technology: A Material Rhetoric for Persuasive Transportation," by Pflugfelder, E. H. (2017). New York: Routledge, 2017
Authors: Hocutt Daniel L.
Published: March 2017

Humans are so enmeshed in mobility systems that they identify with themselves through those systems. InCommunicating Mobility and Technology: A Material Rhetoric for Persuasive Transportation,Ehren Pflugfelder (2017) uses the term "automobility" to describe both "the specific kinds of mobility afforded by independent, automobile-related movement technologies" and "the complex cultural, bodily, technological, and ecological ramifications of our dependence on separate mobility technologies" (p. 4). Given identities enmeshed in ecologies of systems involving human and nonhuman actors through which transportation emerges, automobility is described as a "wicked problem" to be solved, in part, by technical communicators and communication designers naming and revealing the persuasive power of transportation systems. Understanding this persuasive power benefits practitioners by revealing the shared agency of automobility among the car-driver assemblage, and academics, by offering a framework for recognizing transportation as persuasive and therefore rhetorical.
Colorectal Cancer in Jordan: Survival Rate and Its Related Factors
Authors: Sharkas Ghazi Faisal , Arqoub Kamal H. , Khader Yousef S. , Tarawneh Mohammad R. , Nimri Omar F. , Al-zaghal Marwan J. , Subih Hadil S.
Published: March 2017

Objectives. To estimate the survival rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) and determine its predictors among Jordanian patients who were diagnosed in the period of 2005–2010. Methods. This study was based on Jordan cancer registry. All CRC cases that were registered in cancer registry during 2005–2010 were analyzed using the survival analysis. The last date for follow-up was 1st Oct 2016. Results. A total of 3005 patients with CRC were registered during 2005–2010. The overall 5-year and 10-year survival rates for patients with CRC were 58.2% and 51.8%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate decreased significantly from 60.4% for the age <50 years to 49.3% for the age ≥70 years (p<0.005). The 5-year survival rate was 72.1% for the localized stage, 53.8% for the regional stage, and 22.6% for the distant metastasis. In the multivariate analysis, the only factors that were significantly associated with survival were age, grade, stage, and location of tumor. Conclusions. The overall 5-year and ten-year survival rates for CRC were 58.2% and 51.8%, respectively. Increased age, poor differentiation, advanced cancer stage, and right-sided cancers were associated with lower survival rates. Screening strategies are needed for early detection of colon adenomas and colorectal cancer in Jordan.