bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence of altered depression and dementia‐related proteins in the brains of young rats after ovariectomy
Authors: Fang Ying‐Yan , Zeng Peng , Qu Na , Ning Lin‐Na , Chu Jiang , Zhang Teng , Zhou Xin‐Wen , Tian Qing
Published: June 2018

Menopause, a risk factor for brain dysfunction in women, is characterized by neuropsychological symptoms including depression and dementia, which are closely related to alterations in different brain regions after menopause. However, little is known about the variability in pathophysiologic changes associated with menopause in the brain. Here, we observed that menopause in rats induced by bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) showed depressive and dementia‐related behaviors along with neuronal loss in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HIP), hypothalamus (HYP), and amygdala (AMY) by Nissl staining. Meanwhile, by immunohistochemical staining, increased microglia in the HIP and AMY and increased astrocytes in the PFC, HYP, and AMY were shown. Using quantitative proteomics, we identified 146 differentially expressed proteins in the brains of OVX rats, for example, 20 in the PFC, 41 in the HIP, 17 in the HYP, and 79 in the AMY, and performed further detection by western blotting. A link between neuronal loss and apoptosis was suggested, as evidenced by increases in adenylate kinase 2 (AK2), B‐cell lymphoma 2 associated X (Bax), cleaved caspase 3, and phosphorylated p53 and decreases in Huntingtin‐interacting protein K, hexokinase, and phosphorylated B‐cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‐2), and apoptosis might be triggered by endoplasmic reticulum stress (probed by increased glucose‐regulated protein 78 (GRP78), cleaved caspase 12, phosphorylated protein kinase R (PKR)‐like endoplasmic reticulum kinase, inositol‐requiring enzyme‐1 and activating transcription factor 6), and mitochondrial dysfunction (probed by increased cytochrome c and cleaved caspase 3 and decreased sideroflexin‐1 (SFXN1) and NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) 1 α subcomplex 11 (NDUFA11)). Activation of autophagy was also indicated by increased autophagy‐related 7, γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor‐associated protein‐like 2, and oxysterol‐binding protein‐related protein 1 and confirmed by increased microtubule‐associated protein light chain 3 (LC3II/I), autophagy‐related 5, and Beclin1 in the HIP and AMY. In the AMY, which is important in emotion, higher GABA transporter 3 and lower vesicular glutamate transporter 1 levels indicated an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, and the increased calretinin and decreased calbindin levels suggested an adjustment of GABAergic transmission after OVX. In addition, cytoskeletal abnormalities including tau hyperphosphorylation, dysregulated Ca²+ signals, and glutamic synaptic impairments were observed in the brains of OVX rats. Collectively, our study showed the changes in different brain regions related to depression and dementia during menopause.

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Insights into the musculature of the bonobo hand
Authors: van Leeuwen Timo , Vanhoof Marie J. M. , Kerkhof Faes D. , Stevens Jeroen M. G. , Vereecke Evie E.
Published: June 2018

The human hand is well known for its unique dexterity which is largely facilitated by a highly mobile, long and powerful thumb that enables both tool manufacturing and use, a key component of human evolution. The bonobo (Pan paniscus), the closest extant relative to modern humans together with the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), also possesses good manipulative capabilities but with a lower level of dexterity compared with modern humans. Despite the close phylogenetic relationship between bonobos and humans, detailed quantitative data of the bonobo forelimb musculature remains largely lacking. To understand how morphology may influence dexterity, we investigated the functional anatomy of the bonobo hand using a unique sample of eight bonobo cadavers, along with one chimpanzee and one human (Homo sapiens) cadaver. We performed detailed dissections of unembalmed specimens to collect quantitative datasets of the extrinsic and intrinsic hand musculature, in addition to qualitative descriptions of the forelimb muscle configurations, allowing estimation of force‐generating capacities for each functional group. Furthermore, we used medical imaging to quantify the articular surface of the trapeziometacarpal joint to estimate the intra‐articular pressure. Our results show that the force‐generating capacity for most functional groups of the extrinsic and intrinsic hand muscles in bonobos is largely similar to that of humans, with differences in relative importance of the extensors and rotators. The bonobo thumb musculature has a lower force‐generating capacity than observed in the human specimen, but the estimated maximal intra‐articular pressure is higher in bonobos. Most importantly, bonobos show a higher degree of functional coupling between the muscles of the thumb, index and lateral fingers than observed in humans. It is conceivable that differentiation and individualization of the hand muscles rather than relative muscle development explain the higher level of dexterity of humans compared with that of bonobos.
Community‐supported agriculture in the United States: Social, ecological, and economic benefits to farming
Authors: Paul Mark
Published: June 2018

In the United States, there is a tremendous amount of interest in community‐supported agriculture (CSA) among farmers, consumers, activists, and policymakers. Despite the attention garnered by CSA and the resurgence of local agriculture, relatively few studies have examined the livelihood opportunities for farmers within local agriculture. This paper evaluates the livelihoods of CSA farmers from the farmers' perspective in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts. Results indicate that although CSA farmers earn more farm income than other farms across the United States on average, they still earn far below the median national income and generally fail to earn a living wage. Despite these findings, CSA farmers stressed the importance of the broader social, ecological, and economic benefits to farming. Although these non‐market benefits are a significant source of well‐being from the CSA farmers' perspective, CSA has largely failed to provide adequate livelihoods for farmers to date.
The Peer Relationships of Those Who Have Experienced Adoption or Foster Care: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: DeLuca Haylee K. , Claxton Shannon E. , van Dulmen Manfred H. M.
Published: June 2018

This meta‐analytic review examines the presence and quality of close peer relationships for adoptees and individuals with foster care experience. Results indicate that adoptees show difficulty forming close peer relationships compared with biologically reared individuals, but they do not differ in the quality of these relationships. In contrast, those with foster care experience report lower quality peer relationships than biologically reared individuals. Additionally, this meta‐analysis includes prevalence rates of close peer relationships that illustrate most adoptees and foster youth report having high‐quality peer relationships. These findings have important implications for intervention and prevention efforts and offer directions for future research on peer relationships among adoptees and foster youth, but should be considered in light of the presence of some publication bias.
Diversity, Discrimination, and Persistent Inequality: Hope for the Future through the Solidarity Economy Movement
Authors: Bell Myrtle P. , Leopold Joy , Berry Daphne , Hall Alison V.
Published: June 2018

Despite considerable attention to “valuing diversity” among scholars and practitioners, discrimination, exclusion, and inequality persist in American organizations. In particular, similarly educated African Americans typically have higher unemployment and lower earnings than other groups, and continue to face discrimination in access to jobs and in treatment at work. Black‐White wage gaps are higher than they were decades ago, and without significant change, the wealth gap will take centuries to bridge. The solidarity economy, an economic framework that encourages governance that creates equity, shared prosperity, power, and ownership may help provide jobs, help build wealth, and yield other positive outcomes in African American communities. Cooperation Jackson, operating under solidarity economy principles, aims to create sustainable community development, economic democracy, and community ownership in Jackson, Mississippi, a predominantly black city plagued by poverty and unemployment. We discuss ways in which the solidarity economy may help marginalized populations and call for teaching and research on these alternative forms of governance.
Protesting Racial Hierarchy: Testing a Social Dominance Theory Model of Collective Action among White Americans
Authors: Stewart Andrew L. , Tran Julia
Published: June 2018

Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for psychologists to educate White Americans about the reality of racism and racist violence in the United States in order to enlist White Americans to protest in support of the Civil Rights Movement. While most research on collective action focuses on in‐group identity, recent research suggests that social dominancy theory's focus on ideology and intergroup behavior may be more relevant to explain collective action participation among dominant group members. We used latent variable modeling with two samples of White Americans (N = 265 for Study 1; N = 383 for Study 2) to test a social dominance theory (SDT) model of collective action. After observing suppression results in Study 1 centering on the measurement of symbolic racism, Study 2 results supported the importance of social dominance orientation, rejecting racist beliefs, and expressing anger at Black's social disadvantage in understanding White American's collective action willingness to reduce racial inequality. Discussion focuses on White American support for hierarchy‐attenuating social policy and advocacy and the utility of SDT in understanding hierarchy‐attenuation.
Summing Up: Did Social Psychology Answer Dr. King's Call?
Authors: Pettigrew Thomas F.
Published: June 2018

Dr. King's 1967 speech was delivered at a tense time for both American race relations and social psychology. Race riots were widespread, the Civil Rights Movement was splintering, the Vietnam War was raging, and social psychology was engaged in a “crisis of relevance.” King listed a series of issues for the social sciences to address. Did we answer his call? Aided by a new, racially more diverse cohort's contributions, social psychology did answer some of King's points. Overall, however, a review suggests at best a mixed response. But of equal importance, the social sciences have failed to communicate our findings to the American public.
Rural Status, Suicide Ideation, and Telemental Health: Risk Assessment in a Clinical Sample
Authors: Tarlow Kevin R. , Johnson Tina A. , McCord Carly E.
Published: June 2018

Objective

Individuals living in rural areas die by suicide at higher rates than those living in metropolitan areas. Telemental health interventions provide rural residing individuals with access to needed care. Identifying telemental health clients at risk for suicide is an important task for clinicians and policymakers. This study evaluated to what degree rural status and other demographic variables predicted suicide ideation in clients seeking services at a telemental health clinic.

Methods

Study participants included 457 low‐income clients residing in the medically underserved, geographically diverse Brazos Valley region of Texas. Clients completed the patient health questionnaire during their initial counseling appointment, which assessed depression severity and suicide ideation in the 2 weeks prior to assessment.

Results

Suicide ideation was common among telemental health clients, with approximately 40% of clients in all demographic groups reporting some recent thoughts of suicide. Rates of suicide ideation did not significantly differ by geographic designation (ie, rural/metropolitan status), gender, or race/ethnicity. However, depression was a strong predictor of recent suicide ideation.

Conclusions

Telemental health programs can effectively connect clinicians with rural residing clients who are otherwise isolated from health care services. However, clinicians working in high‐need, historically underserved areas should be prepared to encounter a high prevalence of suicide ideation and depression. In these regions, clinical and diagnostic features may be better indicators of suicide ideation than demographic variables.
Perceptions of Religious Discrimination Among U.S. Scientists
Authors: Scheitle Christopher P. , Ecklund Elaine Howard
Published: June 2018

Academic scientists in the United States are relatively nonreligious, at least compared to the general population, and some evidence suggests that the professional culture of academic science may foster perceptions of discrimination among scientists who are religious. We examine perceptions of religious discrimination among biologists and physicists in the United States. The analysis shows that Protestant, Muslim, and adherents of “other” traditions report higher rates of religious discrimination in both biology and physics relative to those who do not identify with a religion. Jewish and Catholic adherents report higher rates of discrimination in biology but not in physics. Most of the religious identity effects among biologists are not explained away by measures of beliefs, practices, or professional and demographic characteristics. On the other hand, religious identity differences in perceptions of religious discrimination among physicists are mediated by measures of religious practice. On the whole, these findings suggest that religious identity itself is more stigmatized in biology than in physics. Results have implications for how university professors—and academic scientists in particular—relate to the broader public.
Bringing Up Nones: Intergenerational Influences and Cohort Trends
Authors: Bengtson Vern L. , Hayward R. David , Zuckerman Phil , Silverstein Merril
Published: June 2018

Recent polls show that an increasing number of young adults profess no religious affiliation. Prior research has suggested several explanations for this, among them older ages at marriage, higher education rates, reaction against the priest/pedophile scandal, and political backlash against the religious right, as well as the traditional explanation of youthful rebellion against religious parents. In this article, we propose another theory: intergenerational transmission, an increase in the number of parents and grandparents who have been explicitly socializing their children to a nonreligious worldview. We use a mixed methods approach with data from the 34‐year Longitudinal Study of Generations to examine parents’ and grandparents’ influence on youth over several decades. The rate of nonreligious young persons in our sample tripled between 1971 and 2005. Though this undoubtedly reflects broader cohort trends, we can trace a significant portion of this growth to family intergenerational continuity brought about by explicitly nonreligious socialization by parents as well as grandparents. Qualitative data provide insight into processes of nonreligious influence over generations, seen in three types: multigenerational socialization of humanism, of atheism, and of the unintended socialization of “religious rebels” from highly religious parents.
Urethral mobility and Point Aa of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP‐Q) system before and after midurethral sling operation
Authors: Chung Ho Seok , Kim Sun‐Ouck , Kwon Dongdeuk
Published: June 2018

Objective: The aim of the present study was to verify the usefulness of Point Aa as a substitute marker of the Q‐tip angle and urethral mobility before and after midurethral sling operation for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women.

Methods: In this study, 118 women presenting with SUI who underwent the tension‐free vaginal tape obturator (TVTO) procedure were prospectively examined and followed‐up for ≥6 months after operation. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to assess the degree of correlation between Point Aa of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system and Q‐tip angles before and after midurethral sling surgery.

Results: There were significant postoperative changes in Point Aa (from –0.4 ± 1.9 to –2.7 ± 0.6; P = .001) and Q‐tip angle (from 58.7 ± 19.4 to 15.4 ± 17.5 degrees; P =.001) compared with preoperative values. A fair correlation between Point Aa position and straining Q‐tip angle was found before (r = 0.45, P = .05) and after (r = 0.49, P = .04) the procedure, with no significant difference in values before and after the procedure (P = .62).

Conclusions: The results of the present study show fair correlation between the Point Aa position and straining Q‐tip angle before and after midurethral sling surgery. Point Aa could be used as an indicator of urethral mobility after the TVTO procedure in women with SUI.
How much is enough? Effects of technical and biological replication on metabarcoding dietary analysis
Authors: Mata Vanessa A. , Rebelo Hugo , Amorim Francisco , McCracken Gary F. , Jarman Simon , Beja Pedro
Published: June 2018

DNA metabarcoding is increasingly used in dietary studies to estimate diversity, composition and frequency of occurrence of prey items. However, few studies have assessed how technical and biological replication affect the accuracy of diet estimates. This study addresses these issues using the European free‐tailed bat Tadarida teniotis, involving high‐throughput sequencing of a small fragment of the COI gene in 15 separate faecal pellets and a 15‐pellet pool per each of 20 bats. We investigated how diet descriptors were affected by variability among (a) individuals, (b) pellets of each individual and (c) PCRs of each pellet. In addition, we investigated the impact of (d) analysing separate pellets vs. pellet pools. We found that diet diversity estimates increased steadily with the number of pellets analysed per individual, with seven pellets required to detect ~80% of prey species. Most variation in diet composition was associated with differences among individual bats, followed by pellets per individual and PCRs per pellet. The accuracy of frequency of occurrence estimates increased with the number of pellets analysed per bat, with the highest error rates recorded for prey consumed infrequently by many individuals. Pools provided poor estimates of diet diversity and frequency of occurrence, which were comparable to analysing a single pellet per individual, and consistently missed the less common prey items. Overall, our results stress that maximizing biological replication is critical in dietary metabarcoding studies and emphasize that analysing several samples per individual rather than pooled samples produce more accurate results.
Cryptic Aspergillus from clinical samples in the USA and description of a new species in section Flavipedes
Authors: Siqueira João P. Z. , Wiederhold Nathan , Gené Josepa , García Dania , Almeida Margarete T. G. , Guarro Josep
Published: June 2018

Background

In the last few decades there has been an emergence of cryptic Aspergillus as agents of human infections due to the increase in immunocompromised population and to the improvement of identification tools.

Methods

Continuing our study on Aspergillus isolates from clinical origin deposited in a mycological reference centre in the United States, we selected 37 isolates belonging to less common sections of the genus, to study their species diversity and detect cryptic species by using a polyphasic approach.

Results

From this set of isolates, a total of 16 species were identified; the most frequent being A. calidoustus (48.6%, section Usti), A. terreus (13.5%, section Terrei), and A. nidulans (5.7%, section Nidulantes). The remaining isolates corresponded to 13 species of rare or cryptic Aspergillus, i.e. A. europaeus (section Cremei); A. iizukae, A. micronesiensis, A. spelaeus (section Flavipedes); A. pachycristatus, A. quadrilineatus, A. spinulosporus, A. unguis (section Nidulantes); A. alabamensis, A. carneus, A. hortai (section Terrei), A. granulosus (section Usti); and the new species A. suttoniae (section Flavipedes), which is described here.

Conclusions

Correct identification of cryptic species is crucial to reveal new potential pathogens, to gather accurate epidemiological data and to choose an appropriate treatment.
Measuring beverage consumption in US children and adolescents: a systematic review
Authors: Grummon A. H. , Sokol R. L. , Hecht C. A. , Patel A. I.
Published: June 2018

Beverage consumption habits are associated with weight outcomes for children and adolescents. Many studies have examined youth's beverage consumption, but little is known about what methods are commonly used to assess youth beverage consumption and whether these strategies are valid and reliable. This study aimed to systematically review articles assessing beverage consumption among children and adolescents. We searched PubMed and Scopus for English‐language articles published between February 2007 and February 2017 that measured and reported on American youth's (ages 2–18 years) beverage consumption. Searches yielded 17,165 articles, of which 589 articles describing 615 measures were extracted. We examined the types of assessment methods used, characteristics of these methods (e.g. validity, reliability, and literacy level), characteristics of study samples, and beverages assessed. The most common assessment methods were questionnaires/screeners (used by 65.4% of articles) and recalls (24.4%). About three‐quarters of articles did not address validity (70.5%) or reliability (79.5%) of any measures used. Study populations were diverse: 54.7% of articles included low‐income children, and 90.2% included non‐White children. The most commonly assessed beverage category was sugar‐sweetened beverages. Findings suggest that improved measurement techniques and reporting are both needed to track progress towards a goal of ensuring all youth have healthy beverage consumption.
Immunoexpression of SOX‐2 in oral leukoplakia
Authors: Luiz Suelen Teixeira , Modolo Filipe , Mozzer Izabela , dos Santos Emanuela Carla , Nagashima Seigo , Camargo Martins Ana Paula , de Azevedo Marina Luise Viola , Azevedo Alanis Luciana Reis , Hardy Ana Maria Trindade Grégio , de Moraes Rafaela Scariot , Aguiar Maria Cássia Ferreira , Ignácio Sérgio Aparecido , Jham Bruno Correia , Noronha Lucia , Johann Aline Cristina Batista Rodrigues
Published: June 2018

Objective

This study was conducted to correlate and compare the immunoexpression of sex‐determining region Y‐box 2 (SOX‐2) in oral leukoplakia (OL) lesions with that in normal buccal mucosa (control).

Materials and Methods

In this observational study, OL with low‐risk (n = 34) and high‐risk (n = 33) dysplasia and control samples (n = 25) were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis for SOX‐2. In the epithelium, SOX‐2 positive and negative cells, as well as semiautomatic segmentation of the immunopositive nuclear area were counted. Statistical tests included chi‐square, one‐way analysis of variance, Tukey, and Games‐Howell. The level of significance was 5%.

Results

Groups with OL lesions (low and high‐risk) showed higher mean numbers of SOX‐2 positive cells (63.47 ± 25.70 and 68.18 ± 21.17) compared to the control group (45.85 ± 27.38) (p = 0.00). Groups with OL lesions (low and high‐risk) exhibited higher mean positive nuclear area (0.24 ± 0.47 and 1.09 ± 2.06) compared to the control group (0.00 ± 0.01) (p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Oral leukoplakia lesions showed a higher expression of SOX‐2, suggesting its contribution to the pathogenesis of OL.
Development of molecular linkage maps in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) using sequence‐related amplified polymorphism markers
Authors: Li Aixian , Qin Zhen , Hou Fuyun , Dong Shunxu , Wang Qingmei
Published: June 2018

Sweet potato is an important food crop with high starch content. It is a hexaploid species, for which the chromosomes have not yet been well characterized. In this study, we used 856 SRAP primer pairs to analyse the 240 individuals from a mapping population, which were derived from a hybrid F1 generation of ‘Luoxushu 8’ (female) and ‘Zhengshu 20’ (male). Genetic linkage maps of the two parents were constructed. In the female parent (‘Luoxushu 8’), the linkage map consisted of 1391 markers, and the length of the linkage map was estimated to be 10,188.4 cM with an average distance of 7.17 cM between markers. In the male parent (‘Zhengshu 20’), the final linkage map consisted of 1,112 markers, and the estimated length of the map was 9,165.17 cM with an average distance of 8.40 cM between markers. Our results provide a basis for the detailed characterization of sweet potato chromosome sequences and the development of related molecular markers.
QTL mapping for heading date, leaf area and chlorophyll content under cold and drought stress in two related recombinant inbred line populations (Japonica rice) and meta‐analysis
Authors: Yang Luomiao , Wang Jiangxu , Lei Lei , Wang Jingguo , Junaid Subhani Muhammad , Liu Hualong , Sun Jian , Zheng Hongliang , Zhao Hongwei , Zou Detang
Published: June 2018

Rice is highly susceptible to drought and cold. The goal of this study was to identify the QTLs affecting the rice heading date (HD), leaf area (LA) and chlorophyll content (CC) under cold and drought stress. A total of twenty‐nine and thirty‐eight additive QTLs were detected from two crosses of ‘Dongnong422’/‘Kongyu131’ and ‘Xiaobaijingzi’/‘Kongyu131’, respectively. qHD1‐7‐1, qHD1‐7‐2, qHD1‐2‐1, qLA1‐7‐1, qLA1‐6‐3 and qCC1‐7‐1 show adaptive effects under cold treatment, while qHD2‐2‐3, qHD2‐2‐2, qLA2‐7‐3 and qCC2‐5‐1 were important for explaining the genetic mechanism during drought tolerance. Additionally, nine and five additive × environment interaction QTLs were detected for two RILs, respectively. RIL26 and RIL73 were two lines that are associated with cold and drought for HD. 339 QTLs related to HD, CC and LA of rice from database and our research were projected onto the genetic map. Nine cloned genes and nineteen homologous candidate genes related to HD, CC, cold tolerance and drought tolerance were mapped by meta‐analysis. These results lay the foundation for the fine mapping of QTLs related to HD, LA and CC for marker‐assisted selection.
Gating control and K+ uptake by the KAT1 K+ channel leaveraged through membrane anchoring of the trafficking protein SYP121
Authors: Lefoulon Cécile , Waghmare Sakharam , Karnik Rucha , Blatt Michael R.
Published: June 2018

Vesicle traffic is tightly coordinated with ion transport for plant cell expansion through physical interactions between subsets of vesicle‐trafficking (so‐called SNARE) proteins and plasma membrane Kv channels, including the archetypal inward‐rectifying K+ channel, KAT1 of Arabidopsis. Ion channels open and close rapidly over milliseconds, whereas vesicle fusion events require many seconds. Binding has been mapped to conserved motifs of both the Kv channels and the SNAREs, but knowledge of the temporal kinetics of their interactions, especially as it might relate to channel gating and its coordination with vesicle fusion remains unclear. Here, we report that the SNARE SYP121 promotes KAT1 gating through a persistent interaction that alters the stability of the channel, both in its open and closed states. We show, too, that SYP121 action on the channel open state requires SNARE anchoring in the plasma membrane. Our findings indicate that SNARE binding confers a conformational bias that encompasses the microscopic kinetics of channel gating, with leverage applied through the SNARE anchor in favour of the open channel.
Apple bZIP transcription factor MdbZIP44 regulates abscisic acid‐promoted anthocyanin accumulation
Authors: An Jian‐Ping , Yao Ji‐Fang , Xu Rui‐Rui , You Chun‐Xiang , Wang Xiao‐Fei , Hao Yu‐Jin
Published: June 2018

The molecular mechanism of ABA‐promoted anthocyanin accumulation and fruit coloration is less known. Here, an apple bZIP transcription factor MdbZIP44 was identified to be a positive regulator in ABA‐promoted anthocyanin accumulation by interacting with MdMYB1 and enhancing its binding capacity to the promoters of downstream target genes. MdBT2 decreased ABA‐promoted anthocyanin accumulation by degrading MdbZIP44 protein.
Effective Mediative Diplomacy and Its Seven Virtues: The Case of the European Union
Authors: Herrberg Antje
Published: June 2018

The purpose of this contribution is to provide a practitioner's view of the effectiveness of institutions in enacting a peace mediation approach. The European Union is used to provide an illustrative example but this analysis might also be applied to other institutions, possibly in a comparative context. The article suggests an actor‐centered approach to assessing mediation effectiveness through seven “virtues:” competence of the actor; political will, norms, and values; resources to induce mediation leverage; legitimacy, presence, and mandate; information and analysis; multitrack competence; and follow‐up, sustainability, and accountability. The contribution aims to facilitate the work of scholars and practitioners who work in this field of mediation, as the author has noted a confusion about what the field of peace mediation in terms of practice and inquiry actually is, which results in discussions one could characterize as “ships passing in the night,” which advances neither scholarship, nor practice. As such, this article calls for greater attentiveness to a few further dimensions of mediation process with intention of stimulating more research in this field and a fuller understanding of the evolution of peacemaking practice itself.
Rational Solutions of the Painlevé‐III Equation
Authors: Bothner Thomas , Miller Peter D. , Sheng Yue
Published: June 2018

All of the six Painlevé equations except the first have families of rational solutions, which are frequently important in applications. The third Painlevé equation in generic form depends on two parameters m and n, and it has rational solutions if and only if at least one of the parameters is an integer. We use known algebraic representations of the solutions to study numerically how the distributions of poles and zeros behave as increases and how the patterns vary with . This study suggests that it is reasonable to consider the rational solutions in the limit of large with being an auxiliary parameter. To analyze the rational solutions in this limit, algebraic techniques need to be supplemented by analytical ones, and the main new contribution of this paper is to develop a Riemann–Hilbert representation of the rational solutions of Painlevé‐III that is amenable to asymptotic analysis. Assuming further that m is a half‐integer, we derive from the Riemann–Hilbert representation a finite dimensional Hankel system for the rational solution in which appears as an explicit parameter.
Numerical Bifurcation and Spectral Stability of Wavetrains in Bidirectional Whitham Models
Authors: Claassen Kyle M. , Johnson Mathew A.
Published: June 2018

We consider several different bidirectional Whitham equations that have recently appeared in the literature. Each of these models combines the full two‐way dispersion relation from the incompressible Euler equations with a canonical shallow water nonlinearity, providing nonlocal model equations that may be expected to exhibit some of the interesting high‐frequency phenomena present in the Euler equations that standard “long‐wave” theories fail to capture. Of particular interest here is the existence and stability of periodic traveling wave solutions in such models. Using numerical bifurcation techniques, we construct global bifurcation diagrams for each system and compare the global structure of branches, together with the possibility of bifurcation branches terminating in a “highest” singular (peaked/cusped) wave. We also numerically approximate the stability spectrum along these bifurcation branches and compare the stability predictions of these models. Our results confirm a number of analytical results concerning the stability of asymptotically small waves in these models and provide new insights into the existence and stability of large amplitude waves.
Validation of body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis in children according to the degree of obesity
Authors: Seo Young‐Gyun , Kim Jae Hyun , Kim YoonMyung , Lim Hyunjung , Ju Young‐Su , Kang Min Jae , Lee Kwanseop , Lee Hye‐Ja , Jang Han Byul , Park Sang Ick , Park Kyung Hee
Published: June 2018

This study aimed to validate body composition analysis using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) against dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) in children with obesity and to compare agreement between BIA and DXA according to their degree of obesity. Three hundred and sixteen children aged 6‐17 years participated in the Intervention for Childhood and Adolescents Obesity via Activity and Nutrition study. We divided participants by body mass index (BMI) percentile (group 1: mild to moderate obesity; group 2: severe obesity) and compared body composition variables, eg, percentage of body fat (%BF), fat mass (FM), and fat‐free mass (FFM) using BIA and DXA. The %BF and FM of BIA were significantly lower (−1.8% and −0.8 kg, respectively), and the FFM of BIA was significantly higher (1.4 kg) than those of DXA. There were significant negative relationships between the absolute value of differences from BIA and DXA and BMI z‐scores in %BF, FM, and FFM (regression coefficient [β]: −1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.81 to −0.97; β: −0.34, 95%CI: −0.61 to −0.06; β: −0.73, 95%CI: −1.03 to −0.44, respectively). The gap of body compositions between BIA and DXA decreased as participants became more obese, and the differences of FM in boys with severe obesity and the differences of %BF and FFM in girls with severe obesity were much less than those in children with mild to moderate obesity. In conclusion, the agreement between DXA and BIA was better for children with severe obesity than for children with mild to moderate obesity.
Eating for the post‐Anthropocene: Alternative proteins and the biopolitics of edibility
Authors: Sexton Alexandra E.
Published: June 2018

This paper explores the status and formation of edibility as a new site of food biopolitics. It builds directly on recent debates in geography that have examined the biopolitical mechanisms by which consumers are responsibilised to become “good” eaters. To date, these literatures have largely focused on already‐familiar food products. In contrast, this paper examines the biopolitics of novel foods – specifically, a range of new alternative proteins (APs), including cellular agriculture, edible insects and plant‐based proteins. Through their use of (bio)technology, APs claim to overcome the environmental and ethical crises that increasingly define the current livestock industry, and indeed our current epoch, now commonly referred to as the Anthropocene. They consequently offer individuals the choice of consuming their way to a more stable and ethical post‐Anthropocene. Critical to consumer adoption, however, is public acceptance of APs as “food.” Given that their raw materials and production methods are unfamiliar to many consumers’ food practices, there is much work to be done by AP developers to convince people that their products are indeed edible. It is in this process of edibility formation that I identify new biopolitical potentialities – what I refer to as the biopolitics of edibility. Drawing on recent critical geography literatures that have examined how “things become food” (Roe, ), the paper identifies two distinct yet co‐productive ways in which AP developers are conducting this transition from inedible to edible: first, through material interventions on the molecular, physical and visceral characteristics of APs; and second, through discursive interventions that work to normalise APs through textual and visual language. It concludes by reflecting on the biopolitical implications of these processes and how the edibility formation of APs is both entangled and implicit in current politics around “good” eating and the individualised project of realising the post‐Anthropocene.
Abrupt Climate Chang: Time Is Tight
Authors: Lane Jan-Erik
Published: June 2018

The new theme of abrupt climate change (“Hawking tipping point”) must be taken up by global coordination – the UNFCCC, IPCC and the G20. The only policy response is to reinforce the COP21 project, and start managing its quick implementation of decarbonisation. A more decisive climate change policy – no coal or charcoal, solar power parks, and possibly carbon capture – may not guarantee the goal of + 2 degrees Celsius, but it may help avoid climate chaos. Only global coordination can break through the resistance of markets in the rich countries and governments in the Third World together with vibrant civil society. The large COP21 Secretariat must become a management agency for rapid decarbonisation with support from other global bodies (WB, IMF) and the G20.
The Relationship Among Somatotype Structures, Leg Volume, Leg Mass, Anaerobic Strength and Flexibility of Elite Male Athletes in Different Branches
Authors: Marangoz İrfan , Baştürk Dede
Published: June 2018

This study aims to analyze the relationship among somatotype structures, leg volume, leg mass, anaerobic strength and flexibility of elite male athletes in different branches. 90 male athletes who study at School of Physical Education and Sport at University of Kırşehir Ahi Evran and are active in wrestling (n=15), gymnastics (15), football (15), handball (15), volleyball (15) and basketball (n=15) voluntarily participated in this study. Somatotype structures, leg volumes and leg masses of the participants were determined using Heath-Carter, Frustum and Hanavan methods, respectively. Vertical jump test was used to measure anaerobic performance, while sit-and-reach test was used for flexibility performance. Spearman correlation analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 package program for Windows, and the level of significance was taken as 0.05. As a result, a significant correlation was found between leg volume and mass and anaerobic performance values in football, volleyball, basketball, handball, wrestling and gymnastics, which indicates a decisive role in anaerobic performance. It was observed that athletes with a higher amount of leg volume and mass display a better anaerobic performance. The width of femur circumference and a high amount of muscle mass and fiber in the femur lead to a higher strength in muscles and maximizes the strength.
Effect of Tungsten Inert Gas Remelting on Microstructure, Interface, and Wear Resistance of Fe-Based Coating
Authors: Dong Tianshun , Zheng Xiaodong , Li Guolu , Wang Haidou , Liu Ming , Zhou Xiukai , Li Yalong
Published: June 2018

Tungsten inert gas arc (TIG) process was employed to remelt Fe-based coating deposited by plasma spraying. Subsequently, the microstructure, interface, and the wear resistance of the coatings before and after remelting were studied. The results showed that the lamellar structure, pores, and inclusions of Fe-based coating were eliminated and the porosity significantly decreased from 4% to 0.4%. The as-sprayed coating contained microcrystalline region, nanocrystalline region, and transition region, while single crystal region and rod-shaped (Fe,Cr)23C6 were observed in the remelted coating. There was no element diffusion and dissolution phenomenon at the interface; thus, the bonding form between the as-sprayed coating and substrate mainly was mechanical bonding. On the contrary, the diffusion transfer belt (DTB) emerged at the interface of the remelted coating and substrate, the remelted coating was bonded with the substrate metallurgically. Additionally, the average microhardness and elastic modulus of the remelted coating increased by 33.4% and 53.2%, respectively, compared with the as-sprayed coating. During wear process, the as-sprayed coating exhibited obvious brittle fracture characteristics, while the remelted coating appeared typical plastic deformation characteristics and its weight loss reduced by 39.5%. Therefore, TIG remelting process significantly improved the microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear resistance of Fe-based coating.
Hypereosinophilic syndrome with cardiac involvement in a patient with multiple malignancies
Authors: Dregoesc Mihaela Ioana , Iancu Adrian Corneliu , Lazar Alexandra Alina , Balanescu Serban
Published: June 2018

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When singing with cochlear implants, are two ears worse than one for perilingually/postlingually deaf individuals?
Authors: Aronoff Justin M. , Kirchner Abbigail , Abbs Elizabeth , Harmon Bailey
Published: June 2018

Many individuals with bilateral cochlear implants hear different pitches when listening with their left versus their right cochlear implant. This conflicting information could potentially increase the difficulty of singing with cochlear implants. To determine if bilateral cochlear implants are detrimental for singing abilities, ten perilingually/postlingually deaf bilateral adult cochlear implant users were asked to sing “Happy Birthday” when using their left, right, both, or neither cochlear implant. The results indicated that bilateral cochlear implant users have more difficulty singing the appropriate pitch contour when using both cochlear implants as opposed to the better ear alone.
Population Pharmacokinetics and Dosing Optimization of Azithromycin in Children with Community-Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Zheng Yi , Liu Shu-Ping , Xu Bao-Ping , Shi Zhong-Ren , Wang Kai , Yang Jin-Bin , Huang Xin , Tang Bo-Hao , Chen Xing-Kai , Shi Hai-Yan , Zhou Yue , Wu Yue-E , Qi Hui , Jacqz-Aigrain Evelyne , Shen A-Dong , Zhao Wei
Published: June 2018

Azithromycin is extensively used in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Currently, the intravenous azithromycin is used off-label in children partly due to lacking of pharmacokinetic data.
Quantification of Cefepime, Meropenem, Piperacillin, and Tazobactam in Human Plasma Using a Sensitive and Robust Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method, Part 2: Stability Evaluation
Authors: D'Cunha Ronilda , Bach Thanh , Young Beth Ann , Li Peizhi , Nalbant Demet , Zhang Jun , Winokur Patricia , An Guohua
Published: June 2018

Although the stability of β-lactam antibiotics is a known issue, none of the previously reported bioanalytical methods had an adequate evaluation of the stability of these drugs. In the current study, the stability of cefepime, meropenem, piperacillin, and tazobactam under various conditions was comprehensively evaluated.
Regulatory Properties of the ADP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase from the Clostridial Firmicutes Member Ruminococcus albus
Authors: Cereijo Antonela E. , Asencion Diez Matías D. , Ballicora Miguel A. , Iglesias Alberto A.
Published: June 2018

The enzymes involved in glycogen synthesis from
Firmicutes
have been less characterized in comparison with other bacterial groups. We performed kinetic and regulatory characterization of the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase from
Ruminococcus albus
. Our results showed that this protein that belongs to different groups from
Firmicutes
(
Bacillales
,
Lactobacillales
, and
Clostridiales
) presents dissimilar features. This study contributes to the understanding of how this critical enzyme for glycogen biosynthesis is regulated in the
Firmicutes
group, whereby we propose that these heterotetrameric enzymes, with the exception of
Bacillales
, are allosterically regulated. Our results provide a better understanding of the evolutionary relationship of this enzyme family in
Firmicutes
.
Phase Variation of NadA in Invasive Neisseria meningitidis Isolates Impacts on Coverage Estimates for 4C-MenB, a MenB Vaccine
Authors: Green Luke R. , Lucidarme Jay , Dave Neelam , Chan Hannah , Clark Stephen , Borrow Ray , Bayliss Christopher D.
Published: June 2018

A recombinant NadA protein is one of the four major protective antigens of 4C-MenB (Bexsero), a vaccine developed for serogroup B
Neisseria meningitidis
(MenB). The meningococcal antigen typing system (MATS) is utilized as a high-throughput assay for assessing the invasive MenB strain coverage of 4C-MenB.
Transcriptional and Translational Landscape of Equine Torovirus
Authors: Stewart Hazel , Brown Katherine , Dinan Adam M. , Irigoyen Nerea , Snijder Eric J. , Firth Andrew E.
Published: June 2018

Toroviruses infect cattle, goats, pigs, and horses worldwide and can cause gastrointestinal disease. There is no treatment or vaccine, and their ability to spill over into humans has not been assessed. These viruses are related to important human pathogens, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, and they share some common features; however, the mechanism that they use to produce sgRNA molecules differs. Here, we performed deep sequencing to determine how equine torovirus produces sgRNAs. In doing so, we also identified two previously unknown open reading frames “hidden” within the genome. Together these results highlight the similarities and differences between this domestic animal virus and related pathogens of humans and livestock.
Human MxB Protein Is a Pan-herpesvirus Restriction Factor
Authors: Schilling Mirjam , Bulli Lorenzo , Weigang Sebastian , Graf Laura , Naumann Sebastian , Patzina Corinna , Wagner Valentina , Bauersfeld Liane , Goujon Caroline , Hengel Hartmut , Halenius Anne , Ruzsics Zsolt , Schaller Torsten , Kochs Georg
Published: June 2018

Human herpesviruses pose a constant threat to human health. Reactivation of persisting herpesvirus infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and the elderly, can cause severe diseases, such as zoster, pneumonia, encephalitis, or cancer. The interferon system is relevant for the control of herpesvirus replication as exemplified by fatal disease outcomes in patients with primary immunodeficiencies. Here, we describe the interferon-induced, human
MX2
gene product MxB as an efficient restriction factor of alpha-, beta-, and gammaherpesviruses. MxB has previously been described as an inhibitor of HIV-1. Importantly, our mutational analyses of MxB reveal an antiviral mechanism of herpesvirus restriction distinct from that against HIV-1. Thus, the dynamin-like MxB GTPase serves as a broadly acting intracellular restriction factor that controls retrovirus as well as herpesvirus infections.