bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microstructural Characterization of a Commercial Hot‐Pressed Boron Carbide Armor Plate
Authors: Xie Kelvin Y. , Kuwelkar Kanak , Haber Richard A. , LaSalvia Jerry C. , Hemker Kevin J.
Published: May 2016

Detailed microstructural characterization was carried out on a commercial‐grade hot‐pressed boron carbide armor plate. The boron carbide grains have close to B4C stoichiometry, and most of them have no planar defects. The most prominent second phase is intergranular graphite inclusions that are surrounded by multiple boron carbide grains. Submicrometer intragranular and intergranular BN and AlN precipitates were also observed. In addition, fine dispersions of AlN nanoprecipitates were observed in some but not all grains. No intergranular films were found. These microstructural characteristics are compared with the lab‐consolidated boron carbide and their effects on the mechanical properties of boron carbide are addressed.
Mild hyperglycemia triggered islet function recovery in streptozotocin‐induced insulin‐deficient diabetic rats
Authors: Cheng Yu , Shen Jing , Ren Weizheng , Hao Haojie , Xie Zongyan , Liu Jiejie , Mu Yiming , Han Weidong
Published: May 2016

Aims/Introduction

Moderate elevation of glucose level has been shown to effectively promote β‐cell replication in various models in vitro and in normal rodents. Here, we aimed to test the effect of moderately elevated glucose on β‐cell mass expansion and islet function recovery in diabetic animal models.

Materials and Methods

A single high dose of streptozotocin was given to induce insulin‐deficient diabetes in adult male Sprague–Dawley rats. Then, 48 h after streptozotocin injection, newly diabetic rats were randomly divided into three groups: (i) no treatment to maintain hyperglycemia; (ii) daily exogenous long‐acting human insulin analog injection that maintained mild hyperglycemia (15 mmol/L < blood glucose < 18 mmol/L); (iii) daily exogenous long‐acting human insulin analog injection to restore normoglycemia (blood glucose <8 mmol/L) as a control. Islet function, β‐cell regeneration and β‐cell replication were monitored during the entire analysis period.

Results

A single high dose of streptozotocin induced massive loss of β‐cells, resulting in irreversible hyperglycemia. Mild hyperglycemia markedly promoted β‐cell proliferation, leading to robust β‐cell regeneration. Importantly, rats that maintained mild hyperglycemia showed nearly normal glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion, glucose disposal and random blood glucose levels, suggesting almost full restoration of the islet function. Normalization of blood glucose levels profoundly blunted β‐cell replication, regeneration and islet function recovery observed in mild hyperglycemia.

Conclusions

Our research provides a feasible approach to stimulate in situ β‐cell regeneration in diabetic rats, offering new perspectives for diabetes therapy.
Stock Market Participation: Family Responses to Housing Consumption Commitments
Authors: CHEN BING , STAFFORD FRANK P.
Published: May 2016

As of 2007, many households had taken on very substantial commitments to housing and companion mortgage payments. At the same time they held little in the way of a traditional buffer stock of safer liquid assets but were more likely to have opened stock market accounts. Many of these families when experiencing subsequent mortgage payment difficulties are shown to have been more likely to exit the stock market. Mortgage difficulties also inhibited families from becoming new stock market participants. In this way stocks seem to have likely experienced some direct and indirect “collateral damage” from the housing market, 2007–9.
Inventory Shocks and the Great Moderation
Authors: MORLEY JAMES , SINGH AARTI
Published: May 2016

Why did the volatility of U.S. real GDP decline by more than the volatility of final sales with the Great Moderation in the mid‐1980s? One explanation is that firms shifted their inventory behavior toward a greater emphasis on production smoothing. We investigate the role of inventories in the Great Moderation by estimating an unobserved components model that identifies inventory and sales shocks and their propagation in the aggregate data. Our estimates provide no support for increased production smoothing. Instead, smaller transitory inventory shocks are responsible for the excess volatility reduction in output compared to sales. These shocks behave like informational errors related to production that must be set in advance and their reduction also helps explain the changed forecasting role of inventories since the mid‐1980s. Our findings provide an optimistic prognosis for a continuation of the Great Moderation, despite the dramatic movements in output during the recent economic crisis.
Can We Prove a Bank Guilty of Creating Systemic Risk? A Minority Report
Authors: DANIELSSON JON , JAMES KEVIN R. , VALENZUELA MARCELA , ZER ILKNUR
Published: May 2016

Because increasing a bank's capital requirement to improve the stability of the financial system imposes costs upon the bank, a regulator should ideally be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that banks classified as systemically risky really do create systemic risk before subjecting them to this capital punishment. Evaluating the performance of two leading systemic risk models, we show that estimation error alone prevents the reliable identification of the most systemically risky banks. We conclude that it will be a considerable challenge to develop a riskometer that is sound and reliable enough to provide an adequate foundation for macroprudential policy.
DISC1, astrocytes and neuronal maturation: a possible mechanistic link with implications for mental disorders
Authors: Xia Meng , Zhu Shanshan , Shevelkin Alexey , Ross Christopher A. , Pletnikov Mikhail
Published: May 2016

Disrupted‐In‐Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) is a genetic risk factor implicated in major mental disorders that involve disrupted neurodevelopment and synaptic signaling. Glial cells such as astrocytes can regulate neuronal and synaptic maturation. Although astrocytes express DISC1, the role of astrocyte DISC1 in synaptic regulation remains unknown. We expressed a pathogenic, dominant‐negative form of DISC1, mutant DISC1, in astrocytes to elucidate the roles of astrocytic DISC1 in maturation of dendrites and excitatory and inhibitory synapses using a co‐culture model. We found that wild‐type primary neurons exhibited less elaborated dendritic arborization when co‐cultured with astrocytes that express mutant DISC1, compared to control astrocytes. We observed significantly decreased density of excitatory but not inhibitory synapses on wild‐type primary neurons that were co‐cultured with astrocytes that express mutant DISC1, compared to control astrocytes. Treatment of co‐cultures with D‐serine restored dendritic development and density of excitatory synapses. Our findings show for the first time that mutant DISC1 diminished the capacity of astrocytes to support dendritic and synaptic maturation in co‐cultured neurons, and that D‐serine can restore the dendritic and synaptic abnormalities. The results provide a new insight into the mechanisms whereby genetic risk factors within astrocytes could contribute the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders.

image

Expression of mutant DISC1 (mDISC1) in astrocytes (A) decreases binding of endogenous DISC1 to serine racemase (SR) and production of D‐serine (blue triangles) from L‐serine (red triangles). As a result, neurons co‐cultured with mutant DISC1 astrocytes exhibit diminished dendritic arborization (DIV10) and decreased linear density of VGLUT+(red)/PSD95 +  (green) excitatory synapses (DIV14). Filled circles with arrows denote membrane transporters for D‐serine.

Read the Editorial Highlight for this article on doi: 10.1111/jnc.13699.
COUNTERFACTUAL SPATIAL DISTRIBUTIONS
Authors: Carrillo Paul E. , Rothbaum Jonathan L.
Published: May 2016

Recent contributions provide researchers with a useful toolbox to estimate counterfactual distributions of scalar random variables. These techniques have been widely applied in the literature. Typically, the dependent variable of interest has been a scalar and little consideration has been given to spatial factors. In this paper we propose a simple method to construct the counterfactual distribution of the location of a variable across space. We apply the spatial counterfactual technique to assess how much changes in individual characteristics of Hispanics in the Washington DC area account for changes in the distribution of their residential location choices.
Improving productive performance and mitigating harmful emissions from laying hen excreta via feeding on graded levels of corn DDGS with or without Bacillus subtilis probiotic
Authors: Abd El‐Hack M. E. , Mahgoub S. A. , Alagawany M. , Ashour E. A.
Published: May 2016

An experiment that included some inclusions of corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) with or without supplementation of probiotic bacteria to Hi‐sex Brown laying hen diets was conducted to evaluate the impacts on performance, egg quality, blood metabolites and nitrogen and phosphorus excretion in the manure. A total of 216 twenty‐two‐week‐old Hi‐sex Brown laying hens were randomly divided into eight treatment groups in a factorial design (4 × 2) experiment, which included four levels of DDGS (0, 50, 100 and 150 g/kg diet) plus two levels of Bacillus subtilis probiotic (0 or 1000 mg/kg diet, with a concentration of 1.5 × 108 CFU/g of dried product). The experimental period extended from 22 to 34 weeks of age. The results showed that linear increase in DDGS level up to 150 g/kg improved (p ≤ 0.01) the values of feed consumption, egg shape index and yolk colour compared to the control and other treatment groups. Inclusion of dietary DDGS up to 150 g/kg in layer diets led to a significant decrease in egg mass and a significant increase in Haugh unit score compared to other groups. In the bacillus group, the values of feed conversion, egg weight and egg mass enhanced by 6.45, 3.27 and 7.60% respectively compared with the control diet. Total protein, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, calcium and ammonia in serum were significantly (p ≤ 0.01) influenced by DDGS inclusion. The excreted nitrogen decreased by 8.62 and 4.31% in hens fed 50 or 100 g/kg of DDGS respectively, while excreted phosphorous decreased by 3.33, 7.22 and 10.56% in hens fed 50, 100 or 150 g/kg of DDGS respectively as compared to the control group. It could be concluded that increasing DDGS inclusion level in the diet up to 10% and the supplementation of probiotic bacteria improved the productive performance of laying hens and mitigated the harmful emissions from chicken manure; this means better production within environmentally friendly conditions.
Nutritional strategies to cope with reduced litter weight gain and total tract digestibility in lactating sows
Authors: Álvarez‐Rodríguez J. , Mir L. , Seradj A. R. , Morazán H. , Balcells J. , Babot D.
Published: May 2016

Twelve lactating sows were used to evaluate the effects of reducing dietary crude protein (CP) (14% vs. 12%) and increasing neutral detergent fibre (NDF) levels (18% vs. 22%) on litter performance, total tract apparent digestibility and manure composition in a 4 × 4 latin square arrangement during a 36‐day lactation period. Diets were isoenergetic (2.9 Mcal ME/kg) and had similar total lysine content (0.9%). In addition, a second aim was to compare a reference external marker method (Cr2O3) with an internal feed marker [acid‐insoluble ash (AIA)] for the calculation of apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients in lactating sows. The reduction of dietary CP level in lactating sows had no effect on either live‐weight or backfat thickness or apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients. However, the piglets' average daily gain (ADG) was reduced in low dietary CP diets, which suggests that sows reduced milk production due to an underestimation of certain essential amino acid requirements (e.g. valine). The increase of dietary NDF level did not affect sow and litter performance. Nevertheless, the total tract apparent digestibility of organic matter, CP and carbohydrates was reduced, and ether extract digestion was increased in high NDF compared to normal NDF diets equally balanced for ME and lysine content. The coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility of nutrients in lactating sows were greater when using AIA compared to Cr2O3 marker, regardless of dietary CP or NDF level, but their coefficients of variation were lower in the former than in the latter. In lactating sows, a trade‐off between litter performance and nutrient digestion is established when reducing dietary CP or increasing NDF levels while maintaining similar lysine content through synthetic amino acids and balancing metabolizable energy through dietary fat sources.
Writing Characteristics of Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Graham Steve , Fishman Evan J. , Reid Robert , Hebert Michael
Published: May 2016

Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) frequently experience significant difficulty mastering basic academic skills. This meta‐analysis focuses on one specific potential area of learning difficulties for these students: namely, writing. To identify the extent and depth of the potential writing challenges faced by students with ADHD, we conducted a meta‐analysis comparing the writing performance of grade 1 to 12 students with ADHD to their normally achieving peers. We located 44 papers, yielding 45 studies with 87 effect sizes. The average weighted effect sizes showed that students with ADHD obtained lower scores than their normally achieving peers for writing quality (–0.78), output (–0.64), number of genre elements (–0.69), vocabulary (–0.76), spelling (–0.80), and handwriting (–0.62). Contrary to expectations, moderator analyses found that neither study quality nor the source from which ADHD students were drawn (i.e., school/community vs. clinic/hospital) accounted for variability above sampling error alone.
Temporal changes in pelagic copepod assemblages off Ubatuba, Brazil
Authors: Melo Júnior Mauro , Marcolin Catarina R. , Miyashita Leonardo K. , Lopes Rubens M.
Published: May 2016

The inner shelf waters off Southeastern Brazil are periodically enriched by bottom intrusions of the cold and nutrient‐rich South Atlantic Central Water (SACW), which is transported offshore by the Brazil Current. This study examined the temporal contrasts in abundance and structure of pelagic copepod assemblages in a neritic station off Ubatuba, in relation to hydrography and phytoplankton biomass, to investigate the effects of SACW bottom intrusions on copepod population dynamics during three consecutive years. The water‐column characteristics shifted from a well‐mixed, more turbid and phytoplankton‐poor scenario during subsidence conditions to a stratified, less turbid and high Chl‐a concentration scenario during SACW bottom intrusions, leading to increased copepod diversity, abundance, and biomass. The rise in copepod diversity during SACW intrusions was related to the contribution of oceanic species in addition to coastal water species. The copepod community was numerically dominated by small‐sized species, such as Oncaea waldemari, Oithona plumifera, and clausocalanid and paracalanid copepodids, regardless of seasonality and SACW intrusions. Some large calanoid species contributed considerably to the total copepod biomass during intrusions. In addition to confirming that SACW seasonal intrusions play a key role in pelagic processes off Southeast Brazil, this study showed that the multiannual variability of SACW seasonal intrusions is important in regulating the structure and dynamics of copepod communities in this subtropical area.
Childhood stunting: a global perspective
Authors: de Onis Mercedes , Branca Francesco
Published: May 2016

Childhood stunting is the best overall indicator of children's well‐being and an accurate reflection of social inequalities. Stunting is the most prevalent form of child malnutrition with an estimated 161 million children worldwide in 2013 falling below −2 SD from the length‐for‐age/height‐for‐age World Health Organization Child Growth Standards median. Many more millions suffer from some degree of growth faltering as the entire length‐for‐age/height‐for‐age z‐score distribution is shifted to the left indicating that all children, and not only those falling below a specific cutoff, are affected. Despite global consensus on how to define and measure it, stunting often goes unrecognized in communities where short stature is the norm as linear growth is not routinely assessed in primary health care settings and it is difficult to visually recognize it. Growth faltering often begins in utero and continues for at least the first 2 years of post‐natal life. Linear growth failure serves as a marker of multiple pathological disorders associated with increased morbidity and mortality, loss of physical growth potential, reduced neurodevelopmental and cognitive function and an elevated risk of chronic disease in adulthood. The severe irreversible physical and neurocognitive damage that accompanies stunted growth poses a major threat to human development. Increased awareness of stunting's magnitude and devastating consequences has resulted in its being identified as a major global health priority and the focus of international attention at the highest levels with global targets set for 2025 and beyond. The challenge is to prevent linear growth failure while keeping child overweight and obesity at bay.
Estimating the cost of delivering direct nutrition interventions at scale: national and subnational level insights from India
Authors: Menon Purnima , McDonald Christine M. , Chakrabarti Suman
Published: May 2016

India's national nutrition and health programmes are largely designed to provide evidence‐based nutrition‐specific interventions, but intervention coverage is low due to a combination of implementation challenges, capacity and financing gaps. Global cost estimates for nutrition are available but national and subnational costs are not. We estimated national and subnational costs of delivering recommended nutrition‐specific interventions using the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) costing approach. We compared costs of delivering the SUN interventions at 100% scale with those of nationally recommended interventions. Target populations (TP) for interventions were estimated using national population and nutrition data. Unit costs (UC) were derived from programmatic data. The cost of delivering an intervention at 100% coverage was calculated as (UC*projected TP). Cost estimates varied; estimates for SUN interventions were lower than estimates for nationally recommended interventions because of differences in choice of intervention, target group or unit cost. US$5.9bn/year are required to deliver a set of nationally recommended nutrition interventions at scale in India, while US$4.2bn are required for the SUN interventions. Cash transfers (49%) and food supplements (40%) contribute most to costs of nationally recommended interventions, while food supplements to prevent and treat malnutrition contribute most to the SUN costs. We conclude that although such costing is useful to generate broad estimates, there is an urgent need for further costing studies on the true unit costs of the delivery of nutrition‐specific interventions in different local contexts to be able to project accurate national and subnational budgets for nutrition in India.
Evidence‐based evolution of an integrated nutrition‐focused agriculture approach to address the underlying determinants of stunting
Authors: Haselow Nancy J. , Stormer Ame , Pries Alissa
Published: May 2016

Despite progress in reducing hunger and malnutrition since the 1990s, many still suffer from undernutrition and food insecurity, particularly women and young children, resulting in preterm birth, low birthweight and stunting, among other conditions. Helen Keller International (HKI) has addressed malnutrition and household food insecurity through implementation of an Enhanced Homestead Food Production (EHFP) programme that increases year‐round availability and intake of diverse micronutrient‐rich foods and promotes optimal nutrition and hygiene practices among poor households. This paper reviews the evolution and impact of HKI's EHFP programme and identifies core components of the model that address the underlying determinants of stunting. To date, evaluations of EHFP have shown impact on food production, consumption by women and children and household food security. Sale of surplus produce has increased household income, and the use of a transformative gender approach has empowered women. EHFP has also realized nutrition improvements in many project sites. Results from a randomized control trial (RCT) in Baitadi district, Nepal showed a significant improvement in a range of practices known to impact child growth, although no impact on stunting. Additional non‐RCT evaluations in Kailali district of Nepal, demonstrated a 10.5% reduction in stunting and in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh, revealed an 18% decrease in stunting. Based on evidence, the EHFP has evolved into an integrated package that includes agriculture, nutrition, water/hygiene/sanitation, linkages to health care, women's empowerment, income generation and advocacy. Closing the stunting gap requires long‐term exposure to targeted multi‐sectoral solutions and rigorous evaluation to optimize impact.
Reducing stunting by improving maternal, infant and young child nutrition in regions such as South Asia: evidence, challenges and opportunities
Authors: Dewey Kathryn G.
Published: May 2016

Meeting the high nutrient needs of pregnant and lactating women and their young children in regions such as South Asia is challenging because diets are dominated by staple foods with low nutrient density and poor mineral bioavailability. Gaps in nutritional adequacy in such populations probably date back to the agricultural revolution ~10 000 years ago. Options for improving diets during the first 1000 days include dietary diversification and increased intake of nutrient‐rich foods, improved complementary feeding practices, micronutrient supplements and fortified foods or products specifically designed for these target groups. Evidence from intervention trials indicates that several of these strategies, both prenatal and post‐natal, can have a positive impact on child growth, but results are mixed and a growth response is not always observed. Nutrition interventions, by themselves, may not result in the desired impact if the target population suffers from frequent infection, both clinical and subclinical. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying both prenatal and post‐natal growth restriction. In the meantime, implementation and rigorous evaluation of integrated interventions that address the multiple causes of stunting is a high priority. These intervention packages should ideally include improved nutrition during both pregnancy and the post‐natal period, prevention and control of prenatal and post‐natal infection and subclinical conditions that restrict growth, care for women and children and stimulation of early child development. In regions such as South Asia, such strategies hold great promise for reducing stunting and enhancing human capital formation.
Stop stunting: improving child feeding, women's nutrition and household sanitation in South Asia
Authors: Aguayo Víctor M. , Menon Purnima
Published: May 2016

The latest available data indicate that 38% of South Asia's children aged 0–59 months are stunted. Such high prevalence combined with the region's large child population explain why South Asia bears about 40% of the global burden of stunting. Recent analyses indicate that the poor diets of children in the first years of life, the poor nutrition of women before and during pregnancy and the prevailing poor sanitation practices in households and communities are important drivers of stunting, most likely because of underlying conditions of women's status, food insecurity, poverty, and social inequalities. With this evidence in mind, UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia convened the Regional Conference: Stop Stunting: Improving Child Feeding, Women's Nutrition, and Household Sanitation in South Asia (New Delhi, November 10–12, 2014). The Conference provided a knowledge‐for‐action platform with three objectives: (1) share state‐of‐the‐art research findings on the causes of child stunting and its consequences for child growth and development and the sustainable growth and development of nations; (2) discuss better practices and the cost and benefits of scaling up programmes to improve child feeding, women's nutrition, and household sanitation in South Asia; and (3) identify implications for sectoral and cross‐sectoral policy, programme, advocacy and research to accelerate progress in reducing child stunting in South Asia. This overview paper summarizes the rationale for the focus on improving child feeding, women's nutrition, and household sanitation as priority areas for investment to prevent child stunting in South Asia. It builds on the invited papers presented at or developed as a follow on to the Stop Stunting Conference.
Searching for the philosopher's stone: promising links between meditation and brain preservation
Authors: Luders Eileen , Cherbuin Nicolas
Published: May 2016

In the context of an aging population and increased prevalence of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases, developing strategies to decrease the negative effects of aging is imperative. The scientific study of meditation as a potential tool to downregulate processes implicated in brain aging is an emerging field, and a growing body of research suggests that mindfulness practices are beneficial for cerebral resilience. Adding further evidence to this notion, an increasing number of imaging studies report effects of meditation on brain structure that are consistent with our understanding of neuroprotection. Here, we review the published findings in this field of research addressing the question of whether meditation diminishes age‐related brain degeneration. Altogether, although analyses are still sparse and based on cross‐sectional data, study outcomes suggest that meditation might be beneficial for brain preservation—both with respect to gray and white matter—possibly by slowing down the natural (age‐related) decrease of brain tissue. Nevertheless, it should also be recognized that, until robust longitudinal data become available, there is no evidence for causation between meditation and brain preservation. This review includes a comprehensive commentary on limitations of the existing research and concludes with implications and directions for future studies.
Morbidities in non‐transfusion‐dependent thalassemia
Authors: Saliba Antoine N. , Taher Ali T.
Published: May 2016

Patients with non‐transfusion‐dependent thalassemia (NTDT) experience a wide array of clinical complications despite their independence from frequent, regular red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. According to the current understanding of NTDT, these clinical complications stem from the interaction of multiple pathophysiological factors: ineffective erythropoiesis, iron overload, and hypercoagulability. The state of chronic anemia and hypoxia—resulting from ineffective erythropoiesis and hemolysis—leads to the expansion of the erythroid marrow and extramedullary hematopoiesis. The chronic ineffective erythropoiesis also triggers increased intestinal iron absorption and deposition in the liver and endocrine glands despite the lack of transfusional iron load. Patients with NTDT also have a higher incidence of thromboembolic disease, pulmonary hypertension, and silent cerebral ischemia. The treatment of NTDT relies on occasional or more frequent blood transfusions for certain indications (severe infection, pregnancy, and surgery), iron chelation therapy, splenectomy, and hydroxyurea. Splenectomy is no longer routinely performed in all patients with NTDT in light of its association with increased risk of NTDT‐related complications. This review focuses on the clinical morbidities associated with NTDT, summarizes the mainstays of treatment, and sheds light on future therapeutic directions in the field.
A systematic review of the effectiveness of smartphone applications that encourage dietary self‐regulatory strategies for weight loss in overweight and obese adults
Authors: Semper H. M. , Povey R. , Clark‐Carter D.
Published: May 2016

The aim of this paper is to systematically review the evidence to explore whether smartphone applications that use self‐regulatory strategies are beneficial for weight loss in overweight and obese adults over the age of 18 years. Sixteen electronic databases were searched for articles published up to April 2015 including MEDLINE, OVID, Ingenta, PSYCARTICLES and PSYCINFO, CINAHL, Sportdiscus, Science Direct, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library, JSTOR, EBSCO, Proquest, Wiley and Google Scholar. Twenty nine eligible studies were retrieved of which six studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies that recruited participants under the age of 18 years, adults with a chronic condition or did not report weight loss outcomes were excluded. Study findings were combined using a narrative synthesis. Overall, evidence suggests that smartphone applications may be a useful tool for self‐regulating diet for weight loss as participants in the smartphone application group in all studies lost at least some bodyweight. However, when compared to other self‐monitoring methods, there was no significant difference in the amount of weight lost. Findings should be interpreted with caution based on the design of the studies and the comparator groups used. Future research needs to be more methodologically rigorous and incorporate measures of whether eating habits become healthier in addition to measuring weight and BMI.
Allergic disease and Staphylococcus aureus carriage in adolescents in the Arctic region of Norway
Authors: Sørensen Martin , Wickman Magnus , Sollid Johanna U. E. , Furberg Anne‐Sofie , Klingenberg Claus
Published: May 2016

Background

Allergic diseases are common chronic diseases in children and adolescents, but limited epidemiological data are available during transition into adulthood. Nasal Staphylococcus aureus carriage has been linked to increased prevalence of allergic disease. The objective of this study was to define the prevalence of allergic diseases in adolescents above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway and to study the associations of S. aureus carriage with allergic diseases.

Methods

A school‐based cohort in late adolescence (18–19 years) was invited to participate in a cross‐sectional study on lifestyle and health, and 868 attended (71.9%). Self‐reported allergic disease and severity of eczema were assessed by Mechanisms of the Development of Allergy and Patient‐Oriented Eczema Measure questionnaires. Participants were tested with spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and swabbed for bacterial culture from nose and eczematous skin.

Results

We found asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis (AR), and nasal S. aureus carriage among 11.9%, 10.4%, 26.0%, and 51.3% of the participants, respectively, and 10.2% had allergic multimorbidity. Lifetime prevalence for any allergic disease was 45.1%. Reduced lung function and increased FeNO were found in 11.6% and 22.1% in participants with asthma, respectively. Nasal S. aureus carriage was associated with eczema, severe asthma, and severe AR. FeNO > 25 ppb was associated with both asthma and nasal S. aureus carriage.

Conclusion

Asthma, eczema, and AR are common among adolescents above the Arctic Circle in Norway. Allergic disease is associated with S. aureus carriage, but its role in the pathogenesis and severity is not established.
Accumulation of sugars in the xylem apoplast observed under water stress conditions is controlled by xylem pH
Authors: Secchi Francesca , Zwieniecki Maciej A.
Published: May 2016

Severe water stress constrains, or even stops, water transport in the xylem due to embolism formation. Previously, the xylem of poplar trees was shown to respond to embolism formation by accumulating carbohydrates in the xylem apoplast and dropping xylem sap pH. We hypothesize that these two processes may be functionally linked as lower pH activates acidic invertases degrading sucrose and inducing accumulation of monosaccharides in xylem apoplast. Using a novel in vivo method to measure xylem apoplast pH, we show that pH drops from ~6.2 to ~5.6 in stems of severely stressed plants and rises following recovery of stem water status. We also show that in a lower pH environment, sugars are continuously accumulating in the xylem apoplast. Apoplastic carbohydrate accumulation was reduced significantly in the presence of a proton pump blocker (orthovanadate). These observations suggest that a balance in sugar concentrations exists between the xylem apoplast and symplast that can be controlled by xylem pH and sugar concentration. We conclude that lower pH is related to loss of xylem transport function, eventually resulting in accumulation of sugars that primes stems for recovery from embolism when water stress is relieved.
Cuticle lipids on heteromorphic leaves of Populus euphratica Oliv. growing in riparian habitats differing in available soil moisture
Authors: Xu Xiaojing , Xiao Lei , Feng Jinchao , Chen Ningmei , Chen Yue , Song Buerbatu , Xue Kun , Shi Sha , Zhou Yijun , Jenks Matthew A.
Published: May 2016

Populus euphratica is an important native tree found in arid regions from North Africa and South Europe to China, and is known to tolerate many forms of environmental stress, including drought. We describe cuticle waxes, cutin and cuticle permeability for the heteromorphic leaves of P. euphratica growing in two riparian habitats that differ in available soil moisture. Scanning electron microscopy revealed variation in epicuticular wax crystallization associated with leaf type and site. P. euphratica leaves are dominated by cuticular wax alkanes, primary‐alcohols and fatty acids. The major cutin monomers were 10,16‐diOH C16:0 acids. Broad‐ovate leaves (associated with adult phase growth) produced 1.3‐ and 1.6‐fold more waxes, and 2.1‐ and 0.9‐fold more cutin monomers, than lanceolate leaves (associated with juvenile phase growth) at the wetter site and drier site, respectively. The alkane‐synthesis‐associated ECERIFERUM1 (CER1), as well as ABC transporter‐ and elongase‐associated genes, were expressed at much higher levels at the drier than wetter sites, indicating their potential function in elevating leaf cuticle lipids in the dry site conditions. Higher cuticle lipid amounts were closely associated with lower cuticle permeability (both chlorophyll efflux and water loss). Our results implicate cuticle lipids as among the xeromorphic traits associated with P. euphratica adult‐phase broad‐ovate leaves. Results here provide useful information for protecting natural populations of P. euphratica and their associated ecosystems, and shed new light on the functional interaction of cuticle and leaf heterophylly in adaptation to more arid, limited‐moisture environments.
Public support for invasive alien species eradication programs: insights from the Netherlands
Authors: Vane Maurice , Runhaar Hens A. C.
Published: May 2016

Over the last few decades, the number of invasive alien species (IAS) has increased worldwide. IAS can have negative impacts on biodiversity, human health, and the economy. For a number of reasons, IAS policies and management schemes that have been implemented have not been sufficient to tackle the problem. In this article, we focus on IAS eradication and a main obstacle to eradication, namely a lack of public support. By analyzing three specific cases of IAS eradication in the Netherlands (Indian house crow; Pallas's squirrel; and American bullfrog), we show how factors initially affecting public support for eradication interact with each other and influence the effectiveness of the measures that IAS eradication managers implement in order to achieve support for their eradication programs. Our analysis provides a better understanding of the manipulability of factors affecting public support. Finally, it reveals concrete measures that IAS managers can implement in order to gain public support. A lesson for IAS eradication managers is that they can effectively aim for support for eradication, even if low public support for eradication is to be expected in first instance. In addition, this article provides insight into practical measures that IAS eradication managers can implement.
Cleaning up after human activity in Antarctica: legal obligations and remediation realities
Authors: Hodgson‐Johnston Indi , Jackson Andrew , Jabour Julia , Press Anthony
Published: May 2016

National Antarctic Programmes do not have a strict legal obligation to remediate the Antarctic environment following human activity. The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the “Madrid Protocol”) obliges parties to conduct environmental impact assessments to prevent adverse impacts on the polar environment and to “clean up” pollution from waste disposal sites. The obligations stemming from the Madrid Protocol are not clearly defined, and give potential scope for parties to neglect past sites of human activity on the continent. This scope is narrowed by the work of the Committee for Environmental Protection in implementing clear practical clean‐up guidelines for National Antarctic Programmes based on scientific‐based recommendations from the Antarctic Treaty Parties. Despite better modern practice, Parties are still faced with damage from past activities. Some of these sites are deemed to be “beyond help.” This article proposes that rather than abandoning waste disposal sites because of widely acknowledged difficulties, that National Antarctic Programmes prioritize research into restorative methodologies and techniques, while increasing cooperation with other parties to overcome the enormous logistical and economic costs of cleaning up pollution in Antarctica.
Is there such a thing as sustainable physical activity?
Authors: Bjørnarå H. B. , Torstveit M. K. , Stea T. H. , Bere E.
Published: May 2016

There is a global need to diminish climate gas emissions, and a simultaneous call for enhanced levels of physical activity. Increased physical activity entails reduced risk for overweight and chronic diseases, as well as a potential to reduce transport's major contribution to global CO2 emissions. However, increased physical activity level also implies increased energy expenditure. Therefore, we aim to introduce the concept of sustainable physical activity, and to suggest certain physical activity habits due to their potentially sustainable properties. Worldwide, a third of adults and four fifths of adolescents ought to be more physically active in order to comply with current physical activity recommendations. Yet, considering upcoming resource challenges, types of physical activity should be taken into account. Active transportation represents carbon‐friendly means of transportation as well as an opportunity for enhanced physical activity. Physical activity conducted in the local community is likely to favor sustainability through less use of fossil fuel, as it makes transportation redundant. Moreover, going “back to basic”, using less equipment and appliances for everyday tasks could contribute toward energy balance through increased physical activity, and could decrease resource use. Finally, balancing food intake and energy expenditure would require less food production with accompanying energy savings.
Evidence of benefits from using fresh and cryopreserved blood to transfuse patients with acute sickle cell disease
Authors: Chadebech Philippe , de Ménorval Marie‐Amélie , Bodivit Gwellaouen , Mekontso‐Dessap Armand , Pakdaman Sadaf , Jouard Alicia , Galactéros Frédéric , Bierling Philippe , Habibi Anoosha , Pirenne France
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND

The transfusion of red blood cell (RBC) concentrates is the main treatment for acute vaso‐occlusive symptoms in sickle cell disease (SCD). Units of packed RBCs (pRBCs) must retain optimal characteristics for transfusion throughout the storage period. Transfused RBCs interact with the plasma and the endothelium that lines blood vessels and may be the target of immune‐hematologic conflict if the patient produces antibodies against RBCs. Questions remain concerning the benefit‐risk balance of RBC transfusions, in particular about the shelf‐life of the units.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Plasma samples from 33 hemoglobin SS patients with SCD who had severe acute‐phase symptoms or were in steady‐state were put in contact with 10 fresh‐stored and older stored samples from the same 10 RBC units. The factors affecting RBC survival (phosphatidylserine exposure, cytosolic calcium influx, cell size reduction) were analyzed.

RESULTS

We show that the effects of plasma samples from patients with SCD on pRBCs depend on the clinical condition of the patients and the duration of red cell storage. Signs of RBC senescence were correlated with the clinical status of the patient from whom the plasma sample was obtained. A decrease in RBC size and an increase in phosphatidylserine exposure were correlated with the duration of RBC storage. The behavior of cryopreserved pRBCs was similar to that of fresh refrigerated RBCs when challenged with patient plasma samples.

CONCLUSION

The key points of this study are that the clinical condition of patients with SCD can negatively affect the integrity of pRBCs for transfusion, and those effects increase with longer storage. Also, cryopreserved pRBCs behave similarly to fresh RBCs when challenged with plasma samples from patients with SCD in acute phase. Our data provide the first evidence that fresh RBCs stored for short periods may be of greater benefit to patients with SCD than RBCs that have been refrigerated for longer periods, particularly for those who have acute symptoms of SCD.
Cryoprecipitate indications and patterns of use in the pediatric intensive care unit: inappropriate transfusions and lack of standardization
Authors: DeSimone Robert A. , Nellis Marianne E. , Goel Ruchika , Haas Thorsten , Vasovic Ljiljana , Cushing Melissa M.
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND

The dosage and indications for cryoprecipitate are not well studied for any patient population. Prior observational studies have suggested that 24% to 62% of cryoprecipitate transfusions are inappropriate, and there is limited information on patterns of cryoprecipitate use in children. The purpose of this retrospective study was to explore the indications and appropriateness of the use of cryoprecipitate in critically ill children.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records for cryoprecipitate ordering and utilization in the pediatric intensive care unit at a large tertiary care center during a 4.5‐year period.

RESULTS

For the 44 patients receiving cryoprecipitate, the only indication was for fibrinogen replacement and the most common clinical scenarios were recent cardiac surgery (39%) and disseminated intravascular coagulation in the setting of sepsis (32%). Cryoprecipitate was often transfused empirically at higher‐than‐recommended doses without a known pretransfusion fibrinogen level, and the majority (61%) of cryoprecipitate transfusions were deemed inappropriate according to our institutional guidelines. The indications selected for cryoprecipitate by providers during physician order entry matched the clinical scenario, assessed by chart and laboratory data review, in only 18% of patients. There was no significant difference in red blood cell usage in the 6‐hour windows before and after cryoprecipitate transfusion.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates a lack of standardization for the use of cryoprecipitate in critically ill children, including many inappropriate transfusions at higher‐than‐recommended dosing. Prospective randomized clinical trials are warranted to help determine appropriate indications and efficacious cryoprecipitate dosing in the pediatric population.
English in language ideologies, attitudes, and educational practices in Kenya and South Africa
Authors: KAMWANGAMALU NKONKO , TOVARES ALLA
Published: May 2016

In this paper we discuss language‐in‐education practices, along with the ideologies and attitudes that undergird them, in the two countries. The focus is on the ideology of development, the essence of which is captured in the second epigraph: An education through the medium of English brings about employment, literacy, and development, personal success and upward social mobility. We discuss these presumed outcomes in the context of Kenya and South Africa, and argue that the language remains accessible only to a select few, the elite, and so do literacy and socioeconomic development.
A REVIEW ON PERFORMANCE OF WASTE MATERIALS IN SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE (SCC)
Authors: Ismail Isham , Jamaluddin Norwati , Shahidan Shahiron
Published: May 2016

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) was first developed in late 80’s inJapan. SCC is well known for its self-consolidation and able to occupy spaces in the formwork without any vibration and become new interesting topic in Construction and Building Materials Research. There were various SCC researches that have been carried out inTurkey,Malaysia,Thailand,Iran,United Kingdom,Algeria, and India.The aim of this review is to summaries the alternative material used in the mix design from 2009 to 2015 through available literature. It hascommon materials such as Limestone Powder (LP), Fly Ash (FA), Silica Fume and Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBFS). While there are many alternative or recycled material can be used in producing SCC. This review only focus on waste material fromMarble Powder (MP), Dolomite Powder (DP), Crump Rubber (CR), Recycled Aggregate (RA) and Rise Husk Ash (RHA).Each type of materialshassimilarity effect in fresh and hardened state of SCC. Therefore, this paper will provide significant and useful information to those new to SCC and fellow researchers for future studies on SCC.
COMPARISON ON COLORED COATING FOR ASPHALT AND CONCRETE PAVEMENT BASED ON THERMAL PERFORMANCE AND COOLING EFFECT
Authors: Md. Tukiran Julia , Ariffin Jamel , Abdul Ghani Abdul Naser
Published: May 2016

In tropical climate, pavement surface temperature could reach up higher than the air temperature due to solar-energy absorption by pavement during the daytime. Colored ground surface such as in pedestrian walkway, parking lot, and bicycle track may be able to reduce the heat absorbed by the pavements. This paper reports the thermal performance of five different colors of coating applied at asphalt and concrete pavement surface. In order to investigate the thermal performance and solar reflectance of the colored coating pavement, infrared thermometer and solar power meter as well as thermal imager procedure were used. From the statistical analysis, it was found that all the colored coating on asphalt and concrete sample demonstrate lower surface temperature compared to conventional or uncoated asphalt and concrete. The highest surface temperature reduction and solar reflectance recorded was for the white coated asphalt sample was 17°C and 0.61, while for the white coated concrete sample was 10°C and 0.78. ENVI-met simulation is used for evaluating the thermal impact of applying the samples in site study. This study can assist in choosing more appropriate colored coatings for ground surface of the urban environment (pedestrian walkway, parking lot, plaza, etc.), and thus contribute to the reduction of the air temperature due to the heat-transfer phenomena as well as improve outdoor thermal comfort and cityscape appearance.