bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Institutional and Individual Factors Affecting Health and Employment for Low-Income Women With Chronic Health Conditions
Authors: Carolan Kelsi , Gonzales Ernest , Lee Kathy , Harootyan Robert A
Published: December 2018

Objectives

This qualitative study explored risk and protective factors affecting employment and health among low-income older women with chronic health conditions or physical disabilities.

Methods

The authors conducted a secondary data analysis of 14 intensive interviews with low-income older women with chronic health conditions who had participated in a federally funded training and employment program for workers aged 55 and older. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

The physical nature of the work and discrimination were risk factors, with unaccommodating work environments, ageism, and/or ableism, and internalized ageism identified as subthemes of discrimination. Protective factors, namely institutional supports (e.g., access to retraining, time management flexibility) enhanced health and self-confidence. Occupational demands matched with the capacity of the individual resulted in continued employment and improved health.

Discussion

Working conditions can degrade health through exposure to mental and physical health risks, or support health through access to financial and interpersonal resources. Institutional supports such as workplace flexibility and retraining are crucial to obtaining a good fit between occupational demands and the capacity of individuals, enabling a positive relationship between employment and health. Legislation designed to prevent discrimination, enhance opportunities for lifelong learning, and encourage flexible work arrangements among low-income women with chronic health conditions may facilitate healthier working lives.
Cost-effective assembly of the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) genome using linked reads
Authors: Armstrong Ellie E , Taylor Ryan W , Prost Stefan , Blinston Peter , van der Meer Esther , Madzikanda Hillary , Mufute Olivia , Mandisodza-Chikerema Roseline , Stuelpnagel John , Sillero-Zubiri Claudio , Petrov Dmitri
Published: December 2018

Background

A high-quality reference genome assembly is a valuable tool for the study of non-model organisms. Genomic techniques can provide important insights about past population sizes and local adaptation and can aid in the development of breeding management plans. This information is important for fields such as conservation genetics, where endangered species require critical and immediate attention. However, funding for genomic-based methods can be sparse for conservation projects, as costs for general species management can consume budgets.

Findings

Here, we report the generation of high-quality reference genomes for the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) at a low cost (<$3000), thereby facilitating future studies of this endangered canid. We generated assemblies for three individuals using the linked-read 10x Genomics Chromium system. The most continuous assembly had a scaffold and contig N50 of 21 Mb and 83 Kb, respectively, and completely reconstructed 95% of a set of conserved mammalian genes. Additionally, we estimate the heterozygosity and demographic history of African wild dogs, revealing that although they have historically low effective population sizes, heterozygosity remains high.

Conclusions

We show that 10x Genomics Chromium data can be used to effectively generate high-quality genomes from Illumina short-read data of intermediate coverage (~25x–50x). Interestingly, the wild dog shows higher heterozygosity than other species of conservation concern, possibly due to its behavioral ecology. The availability of reference genomes for non-model organisms will facilitate better genetic monitoring of threatened species such as the African wild dog and help conservationists to better understand the ecology and adaptability of those species in a changing environment.
Implementation and enforcement of smoke-free policies in public housing
Authors: Kegler Michelle C , Lea Jaimie , Lebow-Skelley Erin , Lefevre Adrienne M , Diggs Pam , Haard�rfer Regine
Published: December 2018

Smoke-free policies such as those required by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development have the potential to reduce persistent income-related disparities in secondhand smoke exposure. To understand the implementation and enforcement process, as well as barriers and facilitators to compliance and enforcement, we conducted semi-structured interviews (n=37) with representatives from 23 Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) with some level of smoking restriction in place, along with residents from 14 of these PHAs, from January to August 2016. Residents were typically notified of the new policy through group meetings, new resident orientations and/or one-on-one discussions during lease renewal or annual recertification. Timing of implementation varied, with advanced notice of 6 months or a year most common. Enforcement typically involved a series of verbal and/or written warnings, followed by written notice of lease violation, and eventual notice of lease termination and/or eviction. Challenges in enforcement were generally classified as monitoring difficulties or legal concerns. Characterizing current practices (e.g. advance notice, clear communication of escalating consequences, cessation support and concrete evidence of violation) from early adopters sets the stage for identifying best practices and helps to ensure successful and fair implementation of smoke-free policies in subsidized housing.
A Note on the Dimension of the Largest Simple Hecke Submodule
Authors: Bettin Sandro , Perret-Gentil Corentin , Radziwiłł Maksym
Published: December 2018

For $k\geq 2$ even, let $d_{k,N}$ denote the dimension of the largest simple Hecke submodule of $S_{k}(\Gamma _0(N); {\mathbb{Q}})^{\textrm{new}}$. We show, using a simple analytic method, that $d_{k,N} \gg _k \log \log N / \log (2p)$ with $p$, the smallest prime co-prime to $N$. Previously, bounds of this quality were only known for $N$ in certain subsets of the primes. We also establish similar (and sometimes stronger) results concerning $S_{k}(\Gamma _0(N), \chi )$, with $k \geq 2$ an integer and $\chi $ an arbitrary nebentypus.
Spectral Data for Spin Higgs Bundles
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Swarnava , Wentworth Richard
Published: December 2018

In this paper we determine the spectral data parametrizing Higgs bundles in a generic fiber of the Hitchin map for the case where the structure group is the special Clifford group with fixed Clifford norm. These are spin and “twisted” spin Higgs bundles. The method used relates variations in spectral data with respect to the Hecke transformations for orthogonal bundles introduced by Abe. The explicit description also recovers a result from the geometric Langlands program, which states that the fibers of the Hitchin map are the dual abelian varieties to the corresponding fibers of the moduli spaces of projective orthogonal Higgs bundles (in the even case) and projective symplectic Higgs bundles (in the odd case).
Differential Pathogen-Specific Immune Reconstitution in Antiretroviral Therapy-Treated Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Children
Authors: Muenchhoff Maximilian , Adland Emily , Roider Julia , Kløverpris Henrik , Leslie Alasdair , Boehm Stephan , Keppler Oliver T , Ndung’u Thumbi , Goulder Philip J R
Published: December 2018

Background

Susceptibility to coinfections in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients remains increased despite antiretroviral therapy (ART). To elucidate mechanisms involved in immune reconstitution, we studied immune activation, immune exhaustion, and HIV- and copathogen-specific T-cell responses in children before and after ART.

Methods

We prospectively enrolled 25 HIV-infected children to study HIV-, cytomegalovirus (CMV)-, and tuberculosis (TB)-specific T-cell responses before and 1 year after initiation of ART using intracellular cytokine (interleukin-2, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α) staining assays after in vitro stimulation. We further measured expression of activation, immune exhaustion, and memory phenotype markers and studied proliferative responses after antigen stimulation.

Results

We observed differential, pathogen-specific changes after 1 year of ART in cytokine profiles of CD4 T-cell responses that were associated with shifts in memory phenotype and decreased programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) expression. The proliferative capacity of HIV- and PPD-specific responses increased after 1 year of ART. Of note, the recovery of CMV- and TB-specific responses was correlated with a decrease in PD-1 expression (r = 0.83, P = .008 and r = 0.81, P = .0007, respectively).

Conclusions

Reconstitution of immune responses on ART is associated with alterations in T-cell phenotype, function, and PD-1 expression that are distinct for HIV, TB, and CMV. The PD-1 pathway represents a potential target for immunotherapy in HIV-infected patients on ART with insufficient immune reconstitution.
Species Delineation Within the Euwallacea fornicatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Complex Revealed by Morphometric and Phylogenetic Analyses
Authors: Gomez Demian F , Skelton James , Steininger M Sedonia , Stouthamer Richard , Rugman-Jones Paul , Sittichaya Wisut , Rabaglia Robert J , Hulcr Jiri
Published: December 2018

The ambrosia beetle Euwallacea fornicatus Eichhoff sensu lato is a complex of genetically divergent emerging pests responsible for damages to tree industries and ecosystems around the world. All lineages within the species complex are currently considered morphologically identical, presenting problems for their delineation and highlighting the shortcomings of species concepts based solely on type-specimen morphology. The objectives of this work were to 1) broaden the geographic sampling of the E. fornicatus complex in Asia, 2) reconstruct relationships between clades and populations, 3) find morphological characters or combinations of characters which are useful in delimiting the genetic lineages of the E. fornicatus species complex, and 4) propose taxonomic delimitation of species where morphology and phylogenetic identity correlate. Our integrated approach using molecular and morphological evidence suggests four clades that differ morphologically, but with overlap, therefore, cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI) barcoding remains necessary for assigning specimens to a clade. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: E. fornicatus (Eichhoff 1868) (= ‘Tea Shot Hole Borer Clade a’); E. fornicatior (Eggers 1923), stat. rev. (= ‘Tea Shot Hole Borer Clade b’); E. whitfordiodendrus (Schedl 1942), stat. rev. (= ‘Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer’); and E. kuroshio Gomez and Hulcr, sp. nov. (= ‘Kuroshio Shot Hole Borer’). This approach delivers a practical, evidence-based guidance for species delineation that can address overlapping variation in morphological characters of an emerging pest species complex.
deepBioWSD: effective deep neural word sense disambiguation of biomedical text data
Authors: Pesaranghader Ahmad , Matwin Stan , Sokolova Marina , Pesaranghader Ali
Published: December 2018

Objective

In biomedicine, there is a wealth of information hidden in unstructured narratives such as research articles and clinical reports. To exploit these data properly, a word sense disambiguation (WSD) algorithm prevents downstream difficulties in the natural language processing applications pipeline. Supervised WSD algorithms largely outperform un- or semisupervised and knowledge-based methods; however, they train 1 separate classifier for each ambiguous term, necessitating a large number of expert-labeled training data, an unattainable goal in medical informatics. To alleviate this need, a single model that shares statistical strength across all instances and scales well with the vocabulary size is desirable.

Materials and Methods

Built on recent advances in deep learning, our deepBioWSD model leverages 1 single bidirectional long short-term memory network that makes sense prediction for any ambiguous term. In the model, first, the Unified Medical Language System sense embeddings will be computed using their text definitions; and then, after initializing the network with these embeddings, it will be trained on all (available) training data collectively. This method also considers a novel technique for automatic collection of training data from PubMed to (pre)train the network in an unsupervised manner.

Results

We use the MSH WSD dataset to compare WSD algorithms, with macro and micro accuracies employed as evaluation metrics. deepBioWSD outperforms existing models in biomedical text WSD by achieving the state-of-the-art performance of 96.82% for macro accuracy.

Conclusions

Apart from the disambiguation improvement and unsupervised training, deepBioWSD depends on considerably less number of expert-labeled data as it learns the target and the context terms jointly. These merit deepBioWSD to be conveniently deployable in real-time biomedical applications.
Fiscal interactions in the short and the long run: evidence from German reunification
Authors: Baskaran Thushyanthan
Published: December 2018

This paper uses the quasi-experiment of Germany’s reunification to test for strategic interactions in local taxation. After reunification, East-German municipalities were allowed to choose, for the first time in decades, local business and property tax rates. I explore whether the tax rates they chose were influenced by the tax rates in adjacent West-German municipalities. The results show that East-German municipalities mimicked the business tax rates of their western neighbors immediately after reunification, but not in later years. I find no evidence for interactions in property tax rates. These results are broadly consistent with models of social learning in fiscal policy.
Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) Attraction to Human Odors: Validation of a Two-Choice Olfactometer
Authors: DeVries Zachary C , Saveer Ahmed M , Mick Russell , Schal Coby
Published: December 2018

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites, and, therefore, must locate suitable hosts to ensure survival and reproduction. Their largely nocturnal activity suggests that chemosensory and thermosensory cues would play critical roles in host location. Yet, the importance of olfaction in host attraction of bed bugs remains unclear. We developed and validated a Y-tube, two-choice olfactometer and tested its suitability for investigating attraction to human odors (from skin swabs). Olfactometer orientation significantly affected the percentage of bed bugs that were activated by human odors, with significantly more bed bugs responding when the olfactometer was oriented vertically (bug introduced at bottom of the olfactometer) compared with all other orientations. Starved (7–10 d) adult males, mated females, and nymphs responded (47–77% moved up the olfactometer and made a choice) when human odors were present in the olfactometer, while starved, unmated females did not respond. Skin swabs from all five human participants elicited high response rates (65–82%), and bed bugs from four different populations responded to skin swabs (40–82% response rate). However, in all assays including those resulting in relatively low response rates, bed bugs exhibited >90% preference for human odors over blank controls. These results provide strong evidence that bed bugs can respond and orient towards human odors, independently of all other host cues. Furthermore, the validated olfactometer should enable rapid and efficient evaluations of bed bug behavioral responses to semiochemicals.
Can dengue virus be sexually transmitted?
Authors: Wilder-Smith Annelies
Published: December 2018

Can dengue virus be sexually transmitted? A literature review revealed one probable case of female-to-male transmission. Even if dengue PCR can occasionally be found in semen or vaginal secretions, reports on sexual transmission are extremely rare. Sexual transmission of DENV has no public health significance.
Molecular tools for the pathologic diagnosis of central nervous system tumors
Authors: Priesterbach-Ackley Loudy P , Wesseling Pieter , Snijders Tom J , de Vos Filip Y F L , de Leng Wendy W J
Published: December 2018

Molecular diagnostics currently has a crucial role in neuro-oncological patient care. (Epi)genetic assays testing for point mutations, copy number variations, gene fusions, translocations, and methylation status are of main diagnostic interest in neuro-oncology. Multiple assays have been developed for this purpose, ranging from single gene tests to high-throughput, integrated techniques enabling detection of multiple genetic aberrations in a single workflow. This review describes the nature of the simpler and more complex assays for molecular diagnostics of tumors of the central nervous system and briefly discusses their strengths and weaknesses.
Is It Actionable? An Evaluation of the Rapid PCR-Based Blood Culture Identification Panel on the Management of Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Blood Stream Infections
Authors: Tseng Andrew S , Kasule Sabirah N , Rice Felicia , Mi Lanyu , Chan Lynn , Seville Maria T , Grys Thomas E
Published: December 2018

Background

There is growing interest in the use of rapid blood culture identification (BCID) in antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). Although many studies have looked at its clinical and economic utility, its comparative utility in gram-positive and gram-negative blood stream infections (BSIs) has not been as well characterized.

Methods

The study was a quasi-experimental retrospective study at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. All adult patients with positive blood cultures before BCID implementation (June 2015 to December 2015) and after BCID implementation (June 2016 to December 2016) were included. The outcomes of interest included time to first appropriate antibiotic escalation, time to first appropriate antibiotic de-escalation, time to organism identification, length of stay, infectious diseases consultation, discharge disposition, and in-hospital mortality.

Results

In total, 203 patients were included in this study. There was a significant difference in the time to organism identification between the pre- and post-BCID cohorts (27.1 hours vs 3.3 hours, P < .0001). BCID did not significantly reduce the time to first appropriate antimicrobial escalation or de-escalation for either gram-positive BSIs (GP-BSIs) or gram-negative BSIs (GN-BSIs). Providers were more likely to escalate antimicrobial therapy in GP-BSIs after gram stain and more likely to de-escalate therapy in GN-BSIs after susceptibilities. Although there were no significant differences in changes in antimicrobial therapy for organism identification by BCID vs traditional methods, more than one-quarter of providers (28.1%) made changes after organism identification. There were no differences in hospital length of stay or in-hospital mortality comparing pre- vs post-BCID.

Conclusions

Although BCID significantly reduced the time to identification for both GP-BSIs and GN-BSIs, BCID did not reduce the time to first appropriate antimicrobial escalation and de-escalation.
Surgical Dissection of a Perimedullary Fistula of Conus Medullaris With Long-Term Follow-Up: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Sorenson Thomas J , Lanzino Giuseppe
Published: December 2018

Perimedullary fistulae of the spinal cord are rare vascular lesions that can present with different clinical patterns: hemorrhage, progressive myelopathy due to arterial steal and/or venous congestion, or symptoms due to compression of neural structures by engorged vessels. Treatment consists of surgical excision, endovascular embolization, or a combination of the two. If complete obliteration of the nidus exposes the patient to undue risk of permanent neurological deficits, incomplete obliteration with reduction of the vascular supply is a reasonable compromise to improve clinical symptomatology. Partial devascularization may also alter the natural history by decreasing the risk of further growth and bleeding. In this video we illustrate the case of a patient with a perimedullary fistula of the conus treated with surgical disconnection of the main fistulous component. Partial devascularization resulted in resolution of MRI signal changes and symptoms with documented good clinical and radiological outcome and progressive regression of the residual nidus over six years of follow-up.
Awake Implantation of Thoracic Spinal Cord Stimulator Paddle Electrode and Generator: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Chen Kevin S , Sagher Oren
Published: December 2018

In this surgical video, the operative technique is presented for awake implantation of a thoracic paddle electrode for spinal cord stimulation. In the first stage, a laminotomy is performed with the patient under conscious sedation. Once the paddle is in optimal position, the patient is tested intraoperatively to confirm adequate coverage and absence of untoward side effects. This paddle electrode is used for the trial period. If the patient derives satisfactory pain relief during the trial, they are returned for the second stage implantation of pulse generator, without moving the initial paddle electrode now already placed in an optimal location. Particular attention in this video is provided toward the optimal positioning and technique for the awake laminotomy to ensure patient comfort and reliability during testing, the use of extension leads tunneled opposite the planned pulse generator site, and the method of removing extension leads to preserve the placement of the initial paddle electrode.
Exophytic Brainstem Cavernoma in the Floor of the Fourth Ventricle Midline Suboccipital Approach: 3-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Bulstrode Harry J C J , McMillen Jason , Patel Krunal , Correia Jason , Guilfoyle Matthew , Young Adam , Santarius Thomas , Kirollos Ramez , Trivedi Rikin
Published: December 2018

This 3-dimensional operative video covers the suboccipital approach to a brainstem cavernoma of the floor of the fourth ventricle. Brainstem cavernomas are low-flow vascular lesions associated with a 2% to 6% annual bleed rate. Repeated bleeds typically result in progressive neurological deficit, and especially for exophytic lesions surgery may arrest this progression without significantly exacerbating pre-existing deficits. The approach to these lesions may be via any standard skull base approach, dictated in each lesion by the presentation to the pial surface. Here, we describe a suboccipital approach to an exophytic cavernoma of the floor of the fourth ventricle, arising caudal to the medial longitudinal fasciculus and facial colliculus. The 38-yr-old male patient had suffered a stepwise neurological deterioration secondary to repeated bleeds, and complete resection of the cavernoma demonstrated here arrested this progression.

The patient has provided signed consent to video acquisition and storage at operation, and to publication of this material.
Minimally Invasive Parafascicular Surgery for Resection of Cerebral Cavernous Malformations Utilizing Image-Guided BrainPath System
Authors: Goren Oded , Griessenauer Christoph J , Bohan Christian O , Berry Christopher M , Schirmer Clemens M
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

The minimally invasive parafascicular approach provides a surgical corridor to reach deep lesions with minimal impact on the surrounding brain tissue.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of this approach utilizing the image-guided tubular BrainPath system (NICO Corp, Indianapolis, Indiana) for the resection of deep and subcortical supratentorial cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs).

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who presented with subcortical CCMs treated with the BrainPath system. Patient demographics, clinical presentation, procedural complications, and clinical and imaging follow-up information were assessed.

RESULTS

Six patients were identified between December 2014 and November 2017 at a large volume academic institution in the United States. There were 3 males and 3 female patients with a median age of 25 yr. Locations included frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. In selected cases, the fiber-sparing trajectory imposed a longer approach than the closest distance to the brain surface. Except for 1 patient who suffered from surgical wound dehiscence, there were no operative complications in any of the cases. All patients remained neurologically stable postoperatively with a mean follow-up of 20 moh.

CONCLUSION

This small series suggests that the use of a minimally invasive surgical approach to CCMs utilizing the image-guided parafascicular tubular BrainPath system is feasible, safe, and effective.
Lower Fatigue in Fit and Positive Women with Fibromyalgia: The al-Ándalus Project
Authors: Estévez-López Fernando , Rodriguez-Ayllon María , Soriano-Maldonado Alberto , Acosta-Manzano Pedro , Segura-Jiménez Víctor , Álvarez-Gallardo Inmaculada C , Pulido-Martos Manuel , Herrador-Colmenero Manuel , Geenen Rinie , Carbonell-Baeza Ana , Delgado-Fernández Manuel
Published: December 2018

Objective

To analyze 1) the independent association of physical fitness, positive affect, and negative affect with the different dimensions of fatigue (general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity, reduced motivation, and mental fatigue) and 2) whether the interactions of physical fitness, positive affect, and negative affect were associated with fatigue over and above the independent association.

Design

Cross-sectional study in 420 women with fibromyalgia.

Setting

Fibromyalgia associations from southern Spain.

Methods

Physical fitness was measured by performance-based tests, and questionnaires were used to measure positive affect, negative affect, and different dimensions of fatigue (general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity, reduced motivation, and mental fatigue). Age, body mass index, and current pain level were included as potential confounders in all analyses.

Results

Physical fitness was independently associated with general fatigue, physical fatigue, and reduced activity (all P ≤ 0.02). Positive affect was independently associated with all fatigue dimensions (all P < 0.001). Negative affect was independently associated with general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced motivation, and mental fatigue (all P ≤ 0.04). The interaction of overall physical fitness and positive affect was related to general fatigue and physical fatigue (all P ≤ 0.02). Women with fibromyalgia with higher levels of overall physical fitness and positive affect showed the lowest general fatigue and physical fatigue.

Conclusions

In women with fibromyalgia, positive affect was independently and consistently associated with all dimensions of fatigue. The combination of higher levels of overall physical fitness and positive affect might serve as a buffer against general and physical fatigue in women with fibromyalgia.
CALIBRATION OF LOW ENERGY X-RAY EXPERIMENTAL SETUP WITH STRONGLY FILTERED BEAM USING DATA FROM A SEMICONDUCTOR AND A THERMOLUMINESCENT DETECTORS
Authors: Czub Joanna , Braziewicz Janusz , Brodecki Marcin , Gieszczyk Wojciech , Kłosowski Mariusz , Wasilewski Adam , Wołowiec Paweł , Wójcik Andrzej , Wysocka-Rabin Anna
Published: December 2018

The calibration of low energy X-ray experimental setup with strongly filtered beam dedicated to radiobiological research was performed using the absorbed dose calculated from the data collected by two types detectors. For this purpose a semiconductor (Amptek, USA) and a thermoluminescent (Institute of Nuclear Physics, Krakow, Poland) detectors were applied. The absorbed dose in water values estimated by both detectors are in good agreement.
Using Machine Learning and Structural Neuroimaging to Detect First Episode Psychosis: Reconsidering the Evidence
Authors: Vieira Sandra , Gong Qi-yong , Pinaya Walter H L , Scarpazza Cristina , Tognin Stefania , Crespo-Facorro Benedicto , Tordesillas-Gutierrez Diana , Ortiz-García Victor , Setien-Suero Esther , Scheepers Floortje E , Van Haren Neeltje E M , Marques Tiago R , Murray Robin M , David Anthony , Dazzan Paola , McGuire Philip , Mechelli Andrea
Published: December 2018

Despite the high level of interest in the use of machine learning (ML) and neuroimaging to detect psychosis at the individual level, the reliability of the findings is unclear due to potential methodological issues that may have inflated the existing literature. This study aimed to elucidate the extent to which the application of ML to neuroanatomical data allows detection of first episode psychosis (FEP), while putting in place methodological precautions to avoid overoptimistic results. We tested both traditional ML and an emerging approach known as deep learning (DL) using 3 feature sets of interest: (1) surface-based regional volumes and cortical thickness, (2) voxel-based gray matter volume (GMV) and (3) voxel-based cortical thickness (VBCT). To assess the reliability of the findings, we repeated all analyses in 5 independent datasets, totaling 956 participants (514 FEP and 444 within-site matched controls). The performance was assessed via nested cross-validation (CV) and cross-site CV. Accuracies ranged from 50% to 70% for surfaced-based features; from 50% to 63% for GMV; and from 51% to 68% for VBCT. The best accuracies (70%) were achieved when DL was applied to surface-based features; however, these models generalized poorly to other sites. Findings from this study suggest that, when methodological precautions are adopted to avoid overoptimistic results, detection of individuals in the early stages of psychosis is more challenging than originally thought. In light of this, we argue that the current evidence for the diagnostic value of ML and structural neuroimaging should be reconsidered toward a more cautious interpretation.
Immune and metabolic responses of beef heifers supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae to a combined viral-bacterial respiratory disease challenge
Authors: Word Alyssa B , Broadway P Rand , Burdick Sanchez Nicole C , Roberts Shelby L , Richeson John T , Liang Yu L , Holland Ben P , Cravey Matt D , Corley Jimmie R , Ballou Michael A , Carroll Jeffery A
Published: December 2018

Two treatments were evaluated in heifers to determine the effects of a yeast supplement on immune and metabolic responses to a combined (tandem viral-bacterial) respiratory disease challenge. Thirty-two beef heifers (325 ± 20.1 kg BW) were selected from a larger population previously assigned to one of two treatments: Control (CON), receiving no yeast supplement in the diet, or yeast (YST), CON diet plus a combination live yeast (2.5 g·heifer−1·d−1) and yeast cell wall (2.5 g·heifer−1·d−1) supplement (Phileo Lesaffre Animal Care, Milwaukee, WI). Heifers were maintained on treatments for 31 d prior to the challenge. On day −3 all heifers were fitted with an indwelling vaginal temperature recording device, received an intranasal challenge with 2 × 108 plaque-forming units of bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1), and placed in outdoor pens. On day 0, all heifers were fitted with an indwelling jugular catheter, challenged intratracheally with an average dose of 3.0 × 107 colony-forming units (cfu) of Mannheimia haemolytica in 100 mL media, and were transferred into individual stanchions in an enclosed, environmentally controlled barn. Whole blood samples were collected at −72 h and at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h (hematology) and at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h (serum isolation) relative to M. haemolytica challenge (0 h). Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS specific for repeated measures with fixed effects of treatment, time, and the treatment × time interaction. Vaginal temperature and cortisol concentrations were similar between treatments (P ≥ 0.39). Although total leukocyte count following BHV-1 challenge was similar between treatments (P = 0.21), there was a tendency (P = 0.07) for CON heifers to have greater neutrophil counts than YST heifers. Serum haptoglobin concentration was similar between treatments (P = 0.13). Heifers in the YST treatment had similar serum glucose concentrations (P = 0.25) and decreased serum concentrations of urea nitrogen compared to CON (P = 0.03). Dietary treatment did not affect serum nonesterified fatty acid concentrations (P = 0.37). Nasal lesion score severity (0–4) tended (P = 0.07) to be decreased in YST compared to CON (2.5 vs. 3.19 ± 0.26), while water intake tended to be increased in YST (P = 0.06). Feeding a yeast supplement had little effect on the acute-phase response but improved metabolic outcomes in heifers during a respiratory disease challenge.
Multigenerational Effects of Education Reform: Mother’s Education and Children’s Human Capital in Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Vinish , Shrestha Rashesh
Published: December 2018

The impact of national efforts to increase supply of education, such as Nepal’s National Education System Plan, may vary across social groups due to differences in social factors that determine access to and demand for education. This paper studies the heterogeneous impact of this reform across gender and caste groups—two important social dimensions in Nepal’s context—over two generations. It uses data from the Nepal National Population and Housing Census 2011 and implements a difference-in-differences framework that utilizes across district variation in intensity of the reform measured by placement of trained teachers per 100 children and across cohort variation in exposure determined by birth year. The study finds that the reform improved females’ education attainment, but such positive effects are not present among women belonging to lower-caste subgroups. In addition, it finds that the reform had positive effects on schooling of the next generation; the multigenerational effects are also concentrated among girls from higher-caste households. The study validates its main findings by conducting a placebo exercise on a sample of individuals who had surpassed their school-going age by the time of the reform.
Baseline Sensitivity and Control Efficacy of Pyraclostrobin Against Botryosphaeria dothidea Isolates in China
Authors: Fan Kun , Wang Jie , Fu Li , Zhang Guo Fu , Wu Hai Bin , Feng Changchun , Qu Jian Lu
Published: December 2018

Botryosphaeria dothidea is an important fungal pathogen that causes apple ring rot, which can significantly reduce apple yield. Fungicide applications are the main control measure of apple ring rot worldwide. Pyraclostrobin is a quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicide that has yet to be registered for control of B. dothidea in China. Baseline sensitivity of B. dothidea to pyraclostrobin (EC50 of mycelial growth inhibition) was assessed for 97 isolates collected in Shandong Province. The EC50 values ranged from 0.7010 to 7.1378 μg/ml with the mean value of 3.0870 μg/ml and displayed a unimodal frequency distribution. After cultured on fungicide-free PDA medium or on apples for multiple generations, the B. dothidea–resistant isolates (RST) remained resistant to pyraclostrobin, but exhibited similar virulence as the susceptible isolates (ST). Cross-resistance investigation revealed that pyraclostrobin was not cross-resistant to tebuconazole, flusilazole, carbendazim, and iprodione. Field evolution showed that pyraclostrobin at 200 and 250 g a.i./ha provided greater than 80% control efficacy against apple ring rot disease when applied as a therapeutic or preventive fungicide. The efficacy was similar to fungicides that have been registered for apple.
Avoided emissions and conservation of scrub mangroves: potential for a Blue Carbon project in the Gulf of California, Mexico
Authors: Adame M. F. , Najera E. , Lovelock C. E. , Brown C. J.
Published: December 2018

Mangroves are considered ideal ecosystems for Blue Carbon projects. However, because of their short stature, some mangroves (‘scrub’ mangroves, less than 2 m) do not fulfil the current definition of ‘forests’, which makes them ineligible for emission reduction programmes such as REDD+. Short stature mangroves can be the dominant form of mangroves in arid and nutrient-poor landscapes, and emissions from their deforestation and degradation could be substantial. Here, we describe a Blue Carbon project in the Gulf of California, Mexico, to illustrate that projects that avoid emissions from deforestation and degradation could provide financial resources to protect mangroves that cannot be included in other emission reduction programmes. The goal of the project is to protect 16 058 ha of mangroves through conservation concessions from the Mexican Federal Government. The cumulative avoided emissions of the project are 2.84 million Mg CO
2
over 100 years, valued at $US 426 000 per year (US$15 per Mg CO
2
in the California market). The funds could be used for community-based projects that will improve mangrove management, such as surveillance, eradication of invasive species, rehabilitation after tropical storms and environmental education. The strong institutional support, secure financial status, community engagement and clear project boundaries provide favourable conditions to implement this Blue Carbon project. Financial resources from Blue Carbon projects, even in mangroves of short stature, can provide substantial resources to enhance community resilience and mangrove protection.
Blue Carbon stocks of Great Barrier Reef deep-water seagrasses
Authors: York Paul H. , Macreadie Peter I. , Rasheed Michael A.
Published: December 2018

Shallow-water seagrasses capture and store globally significant quantities of organic carbon (OC), often referred to as ‘Blue Carbon’; however, data are lacking on the importance of deep-water (greater than 15 m) seagrasses as Blue Carbon sinks. We compared OC stocks from deep-, mid- and shallow-water seagrasses at Lizard Island within the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. We found deep-water seagrass (
Halophila
species) contained similar levels of OC to shallow-water species (e.g.
Halodule uninervis
) (0.64 ± 0.08% and 0.9 ± 0.1 mg C cm
−3
, 0.87 ± 0.19% and 1.3 ± 0.3 mg C cm
−3
, respectively), despite being much sparser and smaller in stature. Deep-water seagrass sediments contained significantly higher levels (approx. ninefold) of OC than surrounding bare areas. Inorganic carbon (CaCO
3
) levels were relatively high in deep-water seagrass sediments (8.2 ± 0.4%) and, if precipitated from epiphytes within the meadow, could offset the potential CO
2
-sink capacity of these meadows. The δ
13
C signatures of sediment samples varied among depths and habitats (−10.9 and −17.0), reflecting contributions from autochthonous and allochthonous sources. If the OC stocks reported in this study are similar to deep-water
Halophila
meadows elsewhere within the GBR lagoon (total area 31 000 km
2
), then OC bound within this system is roughly estimated at 27.4 million tonnes.
Submerged freshwater plant communities do not show species complementarity effect in wetland mesocosms
Authors: Riis T. , Olesen A. , Jensen S. M. , Alnoee A. B. , Baattrup-Pedersen A. , Lauridsen T. L. , Sorrell B. K.
Published: December 2018

It is a generally accepted theory that ecological functions are enhanced with increased diversity in plant communities due to species complementarity effects. We tested this theory in a mesocosm study using freshwater submerged plant beds to determine if increasing species number caused overyielding and species complementarity. We applied a maximum of four species in the plant beds corresponding to the typical species number in natural freshwater plant beds. We found no clear effects of species number (1–4) on biomass production and thus no conclusive overyielding and complementarity effect. This may be explained by low species differentiation among the four species in plant traits relevant for resource acquisition in freshwater, or that other species interactions, e.g. allelopathy, were inhibiting overyielding. The existing knowledge on species complementarity in aquatic plant communities is sparse and inconclusive and calls for more research.
Migratory connectivity in the context of differential migration
Authors: Briedis Martins , Bauer Silke
Published: December 2018

Understanding how breeding populations are spatially and temporarily associated with one another over the annual cycle has important implications for population dynamics. Migratory connectivity typically assumes that populations mix randomly; yet, in many species and populations, sex-, age- or other subgroups migrate separately, and/or spend the non-breeding period separated from each other—a phenomenon coined differential migration. These subgroups likely experience varying environmental conditions, which may carry-over to affect body condition, reproductive success and survival. We argue that environmental or habitat changes can have disproportional effects on a population's demographic rates under differential migration compared to random mixing. Depending on the relative contribution of each of these subgroups to population growth, environmental perturbations may be buffered (under-proportional) or amplified (over-proportional). Thus, differential migration may result in differential mortality and carry-over effects that can have concomitant consequences for dynamics and resilience of the populations. Recognizing the role of differential migration in migratory connectivity and its consequences on population dynamics can assist in developing conservation actions that are tailored to the most influential demographic group(s) and the times and places where they are at peril.
Differences in the optical properties of valve and girdle band in a centric diatom
Authors: Goessling Johannes W. , Su Yanyan , Maibohm Christian , Ellegaard Marianne , Kühl Michael
Published: December 2018

Diatoms are phototrophic single-celled microalgae encased in a cell wall (frustule) made of amorphous silicate. The frustule comprises two valves connected by a variable number of girdle bands, all exhibiting periodic micro/nanoporous structures. We studied the optical properties in water of girdle bands from the centric diatom
Coscinodiscus granii
, a frustule part that so far has received little attention by the scientific community. We show that valves and girdle bands exhibit different optical properties, as valves attenuate shorter wavelengths and girdle bands attenuate longer wavelengths of the visible light spectrum. Girdle bands show iridescent coloration in dependence of the light direction. Although the biological meaning of periodic nanoscale structures of frustules is still a matter of debate, the differences of valve and girdle band optical properties indicate that living diatoms are complex optical systems, where valves, girdles and pigments modulate light inside the cell.
Zipf’s Law, unbounded complexity and open-ended evolution
Authors: Corominas-Murtra Bernat , Seoane Luís F. , Solé Ricard
Published: December 2018

A major problem for evolutionary theory is understanding the so-called
open-ended
nature of evolutionary change, from its definition to its origins. Open-ended evolution (OEE) refers to the unbounded increase in complexity that seems to characterize evolution on multiple scales. This property seems to be a characteristic feature of biological and technological evolution and is strongly tied to the generative potential associated with combinatorics, which allows the system to grow and expand their available state spaces. Interestingly, many complex systems presumably displaying OEE, from language to proteins, share a common statistical property: the presence of Zipf’s Law. Given an inventory of basic items (such as words or protein domains) required to build more complex structures (sentences or proteins) Zipf’s Law tells us that most of these elements are rare whereas a few of them are extremely common. Using algorithmic information theory, in this paper we provide a fundamental definition for open-endedness, which can be understood as
postulates
. Its statistical counterpart, based on standard Shannon information theory, has the structure of a variational problem which is shown to lead to Zipf’s Law as the expected consequence of an evolutionary process displaying OEE. We further explore the problem of information conservation through an OEE process and we conclude that statistical information (standard Shannon information) is not conserved, resulting in the paradoxical situation in which the increase of information content has the effect of erasing itself. We prove that this paradox is solved if we consider non-statistical forms of information. This last result implies that standard information theory may not be a suitable theoretical framework to explore the persistence and increase of the information content in OEE systems.
Assessing the contributions of intraspecific and environmental sources of infection in urban wildlife:
Salmonella enterica
and white ibis as a case study
Authors: Becker Daniel J. , Teitelbaum Claire S. , Murray Maureen H. , Curry Shannon E. , Welch Catharine N. , Ellison Taylor , Adams Henry C. , Rozier R. Scott , Lipp Erin K. , Hernandez Sonia M. , Altizer Sonia , Hall Richard J.
Published: December 2018

Conversion of natural habitats into urban landscapes can expose wildlife to novel pathogens and alter pathogen transmission pathways. Because transmission is difficult to quantify for many wildlife pathogens, mathematical models paired with field observations can help select among competing transmission pathways that might operate in urban landscapes. Here we develop a mathematical model for the enteric bacteria
Salmonella enterica
in urban-foraging white ibis (
Eudocimus albus
) in south Florida as a case study to determine (i) the relative importance of contact-based versus environmental transmission among ibis and (ii) whether transmission can be supported by ibis alone or requires external sources of infection. We use biannual field prevalence data to restrict model outputs generated from a Latin hypercube sample of parameter space and select among competing transmission scenarios. We find the most support for transmission from environmental uptake rather than between-host contact and that ibis–ibis transmission alone could maintain low infection prevalence. Our analysis provides the first parameter estimates for
Salmonella
shedding and uptake in a wild bird and provides a key starting point for predicting how ibis response to urbanization alters their exposure to a multi-host zoonotic enteric pathogen. More broadly, our study provides an analytical roadmap to assess transmission pathways of multi-host wildlife pathogens in the face of scarce infection data.
Endothelial glycocalyx regulates cytoadherence inPlasmodium falciparummalaria
Authors: Introini Viola , Carciati Antonio , Tomaiuolo Giovanna , Cicuta Pietro , Guido Stefano
Published: December 2018

Malaria is associated with significant microcirculation disorders, especially when the infection reaches its severe stage. This can lead to a range of fatal conditions, from cerebral malaria to multiple organ failure, of not fully understood pathogenesis. It has recently been proposed that a breakdown of the glycocalyx, the carbohydrate-rich layer lining the vascular endothelium, plays a key role in severe malaria, but direct evidence supporting this hypothesis is still lacking. Here, the interactions betweenPlasmodium falciparuminfected red blood cells (PfRBCs) and endothelial glycocalyx are investigated by developing anin vitro, physiologically relevant model of human microcirculation based on microfluidics. Impairment of the glycocalyx is obtained by enzymatic removal of sialic acid residues, which, due to their terminal location and net negative charge, are implicated in the initial interactions with contacting cells. We show a more than twofold increase ofPfRBC adhesion to endothelial cells upon enzymatic treatment, relative to untreated endothelial cells. As a control, no effect of enzymatic treatment on healthy red blood cell adhesion is found. The increased adhesion ofPfRBCs is also associated with cell flipping and reduced velocity as compared to the untreated endothelium. Altogether, these results provide a compelling evidence of the increased cytoadherence ofPfRBCs to glycocalyx-impaired vascular endothelium, thus supporting the advocated role of glycocalyx disruption in the pathogenesis of this disease.