bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diverse modes of synaptic signaling, regulation, and plasticity distinguish two classes of C. elegans glutamatergic neurons
Authors: Ventimiglia Donovan , Bargmann Cornelia I
Published: November 2017

Synaptic vesicle release properties vary between neuronal cell types, but in most cases the molecular basis of this heterogeneity is unknown. Here, we compare in vivo synaptic properties of two neuronal classes in the C. elegans central nervous system, using VGLUT-pHluorin to monitor synaptic vesicle exocytosis and retrieval in intact animals. We show that the glutamatergic sensory neurons AWCON and ASH have distinct synaptic dynamics associated with tonic and phasic synaptic properties, respectively. Exocytosis in ASH and AWCON is differentially affected by SNARE-complex regulators that are present in both neurons: phasic ASH release is strongly dependent on UNC-13, whereas tonic AWCON release relies upon UNC-18 and on the protein kinase C homolog PKC-1. Strong stimuli that elicit high calcium levels increase exocytosis and retrieval rates in AWCON, generating distinct tonic and evoked synaptic modes. These results highlight the differential deployment of shared presynaptic proteins in neuronal cell type-specific functions.
Violencias en la televisión ecuatoriana: Acuerdos sociales y compromisos éticos
Authors:   Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (Flacso) (Ecuador), CERBINO MAURO , ORLANDO ROCÍO ,   Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (Flacso) (Ecuador)
Published: November 2017

El artículo plantea un conjunto de reflexiones sobre la recepción de contenidos televisivos violentos por parte de niños, niñas y adolescentes (NNA) y sus padres y maestros en Ecuador. Entre los resultados más significativos de la investigación cuali-cuantitativa “Diálogos para establecer acuerdos y compromisos para la disminución de la violencia en la programación televisiva nacional”, realizada por el Centro de Monitoreo de Medios Participación Ciudadana en 2007, se muestran diferencias importantes entre las percepciones que tienen los adultos y las que manifiestan los NNA: mientras los padres asumen relaciones de causalidad directa entre la difusión de ciertos contenidos violentos y la generación de actitudes y prácticas de violencia; los NNA, en cambio, consideran que la violencia surge y se reproduce desde y en la cotidianidad de sus vidas. Además, distinguen claramente entre violencia real y ficticia, y consideran a los noticieros como espacios por excelencia donde se reproduce la violencia con mayor fuerza que en los programas de ficción y entretenimiento.
Prognostic value of an immunohistochemical signature in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing radical esophagectomy
Authors: Meng Jin , Zhang Junhua , Xiu Yingjie , Jin Yan , Xiang Jiaqing , Nie Yongzhan , Fu Shen , Zhao Kuaile
Published: November 2017

Here, we aimed to identify an immunohistochemical (IHC)‐based classifier as a prognostic factor in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). A cohort of 235 patients with ESCC undergoing radical esophagectomy (with complete clinical and pathological information) were enrolled in the study. Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model, we extracted six IHC features associated with progression‐free survival (PFS) and then built a classifier in the discovery cohort (n = 141). The prognostic value of this classifier was further confirmed in the validation cohort (n = 94). Additionally, we developed a nomogram integrating the IHC‐based classifier to predict the PFS. We used the IHC‐based classifier to stratify patients into high‐ and low‐risk groups. In the discovery cohort, 5‐year PFS was 22.4% (95% CI: 0.14–0.36) for the high‐risk group and 43.3% (95% CI: 0.32–0.58) for the low‐risk group (P = 0.00064), and in the validation cohort, 5‐year PFS was 20.58% (95% CI: 0.12–0.36) for the high‐risk group and 36.43% (95% CI: 0.22–0.60) for the low‐risk group (P = 0.0082). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the IHC‐based classifier was an independent prognostic factor for predicting PFS of patients with ESCC. We further developed a nomogram integrating the IHC‐based classifier and clinicopathological risk factors (gender, American Joint Committee on Cancer staging, and vascular invasion status) to predict the 3‐ and 5‐year PFS. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated and proved to be clinically useful. Our 6‐IHC marker‐based classifier is a reliable prognostic tool to facilitate the individual management of patients with ESCC after radical esophagectomy.
Prevalence and Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus on Public Recreational Beaches in Northeast Ohio
Authors: Thapaliya Dipendra , Hellwig Emily J. , Kadariya Jhalka , Grenier Dylan , Jefferson Anne J. , Dalman Mark , Kennedy Kristen , DiPerna Mackenzi , Orihill Adrienne , Taha Mohammed , Smith Tara C.
Published: November 2017

Staphylococcus aureus can cause severe life‐threatening illnesses such as sepsis and endocarditis. Although S. aureus has been isolated from marine water and intertidal beach sand, only a few studies have been conducted to assess prevalence of S. aureus at freshwater recreational beaches. As such, we aimed to determine prevalence and molecular characteristics of S. aureus in water and sand at 10 freshwater recreational beaches in Northeast Ohio, USA. Samples were analyzed using standard microbiology methods, and resulting isolates were typed by spa typing and multilocus sequence typing. The overall prevalence of S. aureus in sand and water samples was 22.8% (64/280). The prevalence of methicillin‐resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was 8.2% (23/280). The highest prevalence was observed in summer (45.8%; 55/120) compared to fall (4.2%; 5/120) and spring (10.0%; 4/40). The overall prevalence of Panton‐Valentine leukocidin genes among S. aureus isolates was 21.4% (15/70), and 27 different spa types were identified. The results of this study indicate that beach sand and freshwater of Northeast Ohio were contaminated with S. aureus, including MRSA. The high prevalence of S. aureus in summer months and presence of human‐associated strains may indicate the possibility of role of human activity in S. aureus contamination of beach water and sand. While there are several possible routes for S. aureus contamination, S. aureus prevalence was higher in sites with wastewater treatment plants proximal to the beaches.
U–Pb Dating of Cave Spar: A New Shallow Crust Landscape Evolution Tool
Authors: Decker D. D. , Polyak V. J. , Asmerom Y. , Lachniet M. S.
Published: November 2017

In carbonate terranes, rocks types that provide apatite are not available to effectively use apatite fission track (AFT) or (U/Th)‐He chronometry (AHe). Here we suggest that calcite cave spar can be an effective chronometer and complimentary to AFT and AHe thermochronometers in carbonate regions such as our study area, the Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico, and west Texas. Our measured depth of cave spar deposition is 500 ± 250 m beneath the regional water table, formed at temperatures of 40° to 80°C, indicating that these caves and their spar crystals form near the supercritical CO2‐subcritical CO2 boundary where we interpret the origin of both the caves and spar to occur. This depth‐temperature relationship suggests a higher than normal geotherm, likely associated with regional magmatic activity. As a case study we examined the timing of uplift of the Guadalupe Mountains previously attributed to the compressional Laramide orogeny (ca. 90 to 50 Ma), later extensional tectonics associated with Basin and Range (ca. 36 to 28 Ma) or the opening of the Rio Grande Rift (ca. 20 Ma to Present). We show that most of the spar origin is coeval with the ignimbrite flare‐up between 36 and 28 Ma. Our results constrain the initiation of Guadalupe Mountains block uplift, relative to the surrounding terrain, to between 27 and 16 Ma and reconstruct the evolution of a low‐lying regional landscape prior to block uplift from 185 to 28 Ma, in support of models that attribute regional surface uplift to extensional tectonics and associated volcanism.
Peer‐to‐Peer Mentoring for African American Women With Lupus: A Feasibility Pilot
Authors: Williams Edith M. , Hyer J. Madison , Viswanathan Ramakrishnan , Faith Trevor D. , Voronca Delia , Gebregzaibher Mulugeta , Oates Jim C. , Egede Leonard
Published: November 2017

Objective

To examine the feasibility and potential benefits of peer mentoring to improve the disease self‐management and quality of life of individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

Peer mentors were trained and paired with up to 3 mentees to receive self‐management education and support by telephone over 12 weeks. This study took place at an academic teaching hospital in Charleston, South Carolina. Seven quads consisting of 1 peer mentor and 3 mentees were matched, based on factors such as age, area of residence, and marital and work status. Mentee outcomes of self‐management, health‐related quality of life, and disease activity were measured using validated tools at baseline, mid‐intervention, and post‐intervention. Descriptive statistics and effect sizes were calculated to determine clinically important (>0.3) changes from baseline.

Results

Mentees showed trends toward lower disease activity (P = 0.004) and improved health‐related quality of life, in the form of decreased anxiety (P = 0.018) and decreased depression (P = 0.057). Other improvements in health‐related quality of life were observed with effect sizes >0.3, but did not reach statistical significance. In addition, both mentees and mentors gave very high scores for perceived treatment credibility and service delivery.

Conclusion

The intervention was well received. Training, the peer‐mentoring program, and outcome measures were demonstrated to be feasible with modifications. This result provides preliminary support for the efficacy, acceptability, and perceived credibility of a peer‐mentoring approach to improve disease self‐management and health‐related quality of life in African American women with SLE. Peer mentoring may augment current rheumatologic care.
Frequency of folate‐related polymorphisms varies by skin pigmentation
Authors: Jones Patrice , Lucock Mark , Veysey Martin , Jablonski Nina , Chaplin George , Beckett Emma
Published: November 2017

Objectives

Folate‐mediated 1‐carbon transfer processes are vital in human health but are susceptible to independent and interactive influences of genetic variance and environmental exposures. Evidence suggests folate levels may be impacted by genetic variance and environmental UVR, with the effect of UVR levels influenced in part by degree of skin pigmentation. Folate‐related genes are also influenced by UVR levels; however, the potential relationship between key folate‐related genes and skin pigmentation has not yet been explored. The purpose of this study was to examine potential associations between frequencies of key folate variants and degree of skin pigmentation.

Methods

Association between population prevalence of 17 variants in 9 folate‐related genes (MTRR, MTR, MTHFR, CBS, SHMT1, MTHFD1, RFC1, BHMT, TYMS) and the Fitzpatrick skin phototype of populations was assessed via collation of genotypic data from ALFRED (Allele Frequency Database) and 1000 Genomes databases.

Results

A significant association between variant frequency and Fitzpatrick phototype was observed for 16 of 17 examined variants (P < .0029 Bonferroni corrected significance threshold in all cases).

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate novel relationships between skin color and folate‐related genes, with trends suggesting folate genotypes are selected to maintain homeostasis in the folate system under differing UVR conditions.
Dose Dependencies and Biocompatibility of Renal Clearable Gold Nanoparticles: From Mice to Non‐human Primates
Authors: Xu Jing , Yu Mengxiao , Peng Chuanqi , Carter Phoebe , Tian Jia , Ning Xuhui , Zhou Qinhan , Tu Qiu , Zhang Greg , Dao Anthony , Jiang Xingya , Kapur Payal , Hsieh Jer‐Tsong , Zhao Xudong , Liu Pengyu , Zheng Jie
Published: November 2017

While dose dependencies in pharmacokinetics and clearance are often observed in clinically used small molecules, very few studies have been dedicated to the understandings of potential dose‐dependent in vivo transport of nanomedicines. Here we report that the pharmacokinetics and clearance of renal clearable gold nanoparticles (GS‐AuNPs) are strongly dose‐dependent once injection doses are above 15 mg kg−1: high dose expedited the renal excretion and shortened the blood retention. As a result, the no‐observed‐adverse‐effect‐level (NOAEL) of GS‐AuNPs was >1000 mg kg−1 in CD‐1 mice. The efficient renal clearance and high compatibility can be translated to the non‐human primates: no adverse effects were observed within 90 days after intravenous injection of 250 mg kg−1 GS‐AuNPs. These fundamental understandings of dose effect on the in vivo transport of ultrasmall AuNPs open up a pathway to maximize their biomedical potentials and minimize their toxicity in the future clinical translation.
A Novel Robust Constraint Force Servo Control for Under‐actuated Manipulator Systems: Fuzzy and Optimal
Authors: Dong Fangfang , Han Jiang , Chen Ye‐Hwa , Xia Lian
Published: November 2017

We consider the control design for under‐actuated manipulator systems. The task is to drive the system to be close to a prescribed constraint. The system contains uncertainty. It is bounded where the bounding information is prescribed by a fuzzy set (e.g., the bound is close to 1). The initial condition is also prescribed by a fuzzy set. A class of robust control is proposed, which guarantees a deterministic performance. On top of that, the choice of a control design parameter is cast into a fuzzy‐theoretic setting. A performance index, consisting of accumulated fuzzy‐based system performance and control cost, is proposed. The optimal control design parameters, which minimize the performance index, can be obtained by solving two algebraic quartic (fourth‐order) equations. As a result, the control design problem, which addresses both fuzzy and optimal characteristics, is completely solved.
Tragwerksplanung beim Rückbau von Spannbetonbrücken
Authors: Schacht Gregor , Müller Lukas , Kromminga Sven , Krontal Ludolf , Marx Steffen
Published: November 2017

Der Rückbau von Talbrücken in beengten Tälern oder in unmittelbarer Nähe zu unter Verkehr stehenden Überbauten erfordert neue Konzepte für den ingenieurmäßigen Rückbau. Analog zum Neubau müssen die Rückbauzustände ingenieurmäßig untersucht und die Standsicherheit nachgewiesen werden. Für Bauingenieure ergeben sich hier neue Herausforderungen, die innovative Lösungsansätze und kombinierte Nachweise aus rechnerischen und experimentellen Untersuchungen verlangen.
Bioinspired Mesoporous Chiral Nematic Graphitic Carbon Nitride Photocatalysts modulated by Polarized Light
Authors: Lin Wensheng , Hong Wei , Sun Lu , Yu Di , Yu Dingshan , Chen Xudong
Published: November 2017

Endowing materials with chirality and exploring the responses of the material under circularly polarized light (CPL) can enable further insight into the physical and chemical properties of the semiconductors to be gained, thus expanding on optoelectronic applications. Herein a bioinspired mesoporous chiral nematic graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) for efficient hydrogen evolution with polarized light modulation based on chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal films prepared through silica templating is described. The mesoporous nematic chiral g‐C3N4 exhibits an ultrahigh hydrogen evolution rate of 219.9 μmol h−1 (for 20 mg catalyst), corresponding to a high enhancement factor of 55 when compared to the bulk g‐C3N4 under λ>420 nm irradiation. Furthermore, the chiral g‐C3N4 material exhibits unique photocatalytic activity modulated by CPL within the absorption region. This CPL‐assisted photocatalytic regulation strategy holds great promise for a wide range of applications including optical devices, asymmetric photocatalysis, and chiral recognition/separation.
Modulation of the intestinal bile acid/farnesoid X receptor/fibroblast growth factor 15 axis improves alcoholic liver disease in mice
Authors: Hartmann Phillipp , Hochrath Katrin , Horvath Angela , Chen Peng , Seebauer Caroline T. , Llorente Cristina , Wang Lirui , Alnouti Yazen , Fouts Derrick E. , Stärkel Peter , Loomba Rohit , Coulter Sally , Liddle Christopher , Yu Ruth T. , Ling Lei , Rossi Stephen J. , DePaoli Alex M. , Downes Michael , Evans Ronald M. , Brenner David A. , Schnabl Bernd
Published: November 2017

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is associated with changes in the intestinal microbiota. Functional consequences of alcohol‐associated dysbiosis are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to identify a mechanism of how changes in the intestinal microbiota contribute to ALD. Metagenomic sequencing of intestinal contents demonstrated that chronic ethanol feeding in mice is associated with an over‐representation of bacterial genomic DNA encoding choloylglycine hydrolase, which deconjugates bile acids in the intestine. Bile acid analysis confirmed an increased amount of unconjugated bile acids in the small intestine after ethanol administration. Mediated by a lower farnesoid X receptor (FXR) activity in enterocytes, lower fibroblast growth factor (FGF)‐15 protein secretion was associated with increased hepatic cytochrome P450 enzyme (Cyp)‐7a1 protein expression and circulating bile acid levels. Depletion of the commensal microbiota with nonabsorbable antibiotics attenuated hepatic Cyp7a1 expression and reduced ALD in mice, suggesting that increased bile acid synthesis is dependent on gut bacteria. To restore intestinal FXR activity, we used a pharmacological intervention with the intestine‐restricted FXR agonist fexaramine, which protected mice from ethanol‐induced liver injury. Whereas bile acid metabolism was only minimally altered, fexaramine treatment stabilized the gut barrier and significantly modulated hepatic genes involved in lipid metabolism. To link the beneficial metabolic effect to FGF15, a nontumorigenic FGF19 variant—a human FGF15 ortholog—was overexpressed in mice using adeno‐associated viruses. FGF19 treatment showed similarly beneficial metabolic effects and ameliorated alcoholic steatohepatitis. Conclusion: Taken together, alcohol‐associated metagenomic changes result in alterations of bile acid profiles. Targeted interventions improve bile acid–FXR–FGF15 signaling by modulation of hepatic Cyp7a1 and lipid metabolism, and reduce ethanol‐induced liver disease in mice. (Hepatology 2018;67:2150‐2166).
Dietary Advanced Glycation End Products Have Sex- and Age-Dependent Effects on Vertebral Bone Microstructure and Mechanical Function in Mice
Authors: Illien-Jünger Svenja , Palacio-Mancheno Paolo , Kindschuh William F , Chen Xue , Sroga Grazyna E , Vashishth Deepak , Iatridis James C
Published: November 2017

Back pain is a leading cause of global disability that can arise from vertebral fracture and osteoporosis. Although poor general health and obesity are among the strongest risk factors for back pain, there is remarkably little known about how diet influences spinal diseases. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are implicated in increased fracture risk, yet no studies investigated how dietary AGEs affect spinal health. We tested the hypothesis that high dietary AGE ingestion will diminish vertebral structure and function in a sex- and age-dependent manner. Female and male mice were fed low-AGE (L-AGE) or high-AGE (H-AGE) isocaloric diets for 6 and 18 months and multiple measurements of bone structure and function were taken. AGE levels in serum and cortical vertebrae were increased only for 6-month-old H-AGE female mice while blood glucose and body weight remained normal for all animals. When fed an H-AGE diet, 6-month-old female mice had inferior vertebral trabecular structure with decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and bone volume fraction. Biomechanical testing and analytical modeling further showed functional deterioration in 6-month-old H-AGE females with reduced shear and compression moduli, and maximum load to failure. At 18 months, H-AGE mice of both sexes had significant but small decreases in cortical BMD and thickness, yet functional biomechanical behaviors were not distinguishable from other aging changes. We conclude that an H-AGE diet, without diabetic or overweight conditions, diminished vertebral microstructure, mechanical behaviors, and fracture resistance in young female mice in a manner suggesting accelerated bone aging. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Focal Nodular Hyperplasia of the Liver: Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasonographic Features With Sonazoid
Authors: Lee Jongmee , Jeong Woo Kyoung , Lim Hyo K. , Kim Ah Young
Published: November 2017

Objectives

To investigate ultrasonographic features of focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver with contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) using Sonazoid (perflubutane; GE Healthcare, Oslo, Norway).

Methods

Thirty‐one patients with 31 focal nodular hyperplasia nodules who underwent CEUS using Sonazoid between July 2012 and February 2015 were included in this study. After the microbubble contrast agent was injected, intermittent CEUS images were obtained during the following 4 phases: arterial (10–40 seconds), portal venous (60–90 seconds), delayed (3 minutes), and Kupffer (>10 minutes). Three abdominal radiologists retrospectively reviewed the images and achieved consensus for vascular (central artery, stellate vascularity, and centrifugal enhancement) and dynamic enhancement patterns during the late arterial, portal venous, delayed, and Kupffer phases.

Results

The patients included 12 men and 19 women (age range, 21–82 years; mean, 47 years). The mean diameter of the lesions ± SD was 2.2 ± 0.9 cm (range, 1.0–4.0 cm). On CEUS, 24 of 31 lesions (77.4%) showed central artery and stellate vascularity in the early arterial phase, and 25 (80.6%) showed centrifugal enhancement. Twenty‐six lesions (83.9%) were hyperechoic during the late arterial phase and showed hyperenhancement or isoenhancement during the serial dynamic phases. Kupffer‐phase images indicated that only 2 lesions (6.5%) were hypoechoic compared with surrounding liver parenchyma, whereas 29 (93.5%) remained either hyperechoic (2 [6.5%]) or isoechoic (27 [87.1%]).

Conclusions

Contrast‐enhanced US using Sonazoid for focal nodular hyperplasia showed typical vascular patterns of central artery vascularity, stellate vascularity, and centrifugal enhancement. Most cases were either hyperenhanced or isoenhanced on serial dynamic‐ and Kupffer‐phase imaging. Based on these results, CEUS can provide useful information for noninvasive focal nodular hyperplasia diagnoses.
Contributing factors to long‐term citation count in marine and freshwater biology articles
Authors: Nash Joshua R. , Araújo Rafael J. , Shideler Geoffrey S.
Published: November 2017

Researchers have investigated factors thought to affect the total number of citations in various academic disciplines, and some general trends have emerged. However, there are still limited data for many fields, including aquatic sciences. Using papers published in 2003–2005 (n = 785), we investigated marine and freshwater biology articles to identify factors that may contribute to the probability of citation and for cumulative citation counts over 10 years. We found no relationships with probability of citation; however, we found evidence that for those that were cited at least once, cumulative citations were related to several factors. Articles cited by books received more citations than those never cited by books, which we hypothesized to be indicative of the impact an article may have in the field. We also found that articles first cited within 2 years of publication received more cumulative citations than those first cited after 2 years. We found no evidence that self‐citation (as the first citation) had a significant effect on total citations. Our findings were compared with previous studies in other disciplines, and it was found that aquatic science citation patterns are comparable to fields in science and technology but less so to humanities and social sciences.
The role of off‐focus radiation in scatter correction for dedicated cone beam breast CT
Authors: Shi Linxi , Vedantham Srinivasan , Karellas Andrew , Zhu Lei
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Dedicated cone beam breast CT (CBBCT) suffers from x‐ray scatter contamination. We aim to identify the source of the significant difference between the scatter distributions estimated by two recent methods proposed by our group and to investigate its effect on CBBCT image quality.

Method

We recently proposed two novel methods of scatter correction for CBBCT, using a library based (LB) technique and a forward projection (FP) model. Despite similar enhancement on CBBCT image qualities, these two methods obtain very different scatter distributions. We hypothesize that the off‐focus radiation (OFR) is the contributor and results in nontrivial signals in x‐ray projections, which is ignored in the scatter estimation via the LB method. Experiments using a thin wire test tool are designed to study the effect of OFR on CBBCT spatial resolution by measuring the point spread function (PSF) and the modulation transfer function (MTF). A narrow collimator setting is used to suppress the OFR‐induced signals. In addition, “PSFs” and “MTFs” are measured on clinical CBBCT images obtained by the LB and FP methods using small calcifications as point sources. The improvement of spatial resolution achieved by suppressing OFR in the wire experiment as well as in the clinical study is quantified by the improvement ratios of PSFs and spatial frequencies at different MTF values. Our hypothesis that OFR causes the imaging difference between the FP and LB methods is verified if these ratios obtained from experimental and clinical data are consistent.

Results

In the wire experiment, the results show that suppression of OFR increases the maximum signal of the PSF by about 14% and reduces the full‐width‐at‐half‐maximum (FWHM) by about 12.0%. Similar improvement on spatial resolution is achieved by the FP method compared with the LB method in the patient study. The improvement ratios of spatial frequencies at different MTF values without OFR match very well in both studies at a level of around 16%, with an average root‐mean‐square difference of 0.47%.

Conclusion

The results of the wire experiment and the clinical study indicate that the main difference between the LB and FP methods is whether the OFR‐induced signals are included after scatter correction. Our study further shows that OFR significantly affects the image spatial resolution of CBBCT, indicating that the visualization of micro‐calcifications is susceptible to OFR contamination. Our finding is therefore important in further improvement of diagnostic performance of CBBCT.
Emerging Technologies and Synergies for Airborne and Space-Based Measurements of Water Vapor Profiles
Authors: Nehrir Amin R. , Kiemle Christoph , Lebsock Mathew D. , Kirchengast Gottfried , Buehler Stefan A. , Löhnert Ulrich , Liu Cong-Liang , Hargrave Peter C. , Barrera-Verdejo Maria , Winker David M.
Published: November 2017

A deeper understanding of how clouds will respond to a warming climate is one of the outstanding challenges in climate science.
Uncertainties in the response of clouds, and particularly shallow clouds, have been identified as the dominant source of the discrepancy in model estimates of equilibrium climate sensitivity. As the community gains a deeper understanding of the many processes involved, there is a growing appreciation of the critical role played by fluctuations in water vapor and the coupling of water vapor and atmospheric circulations. Reduction of uncertainties in cloud-climate feedbacks and convection initiation as well as improved understanding of processes governing these effects will result from profiling of water vapor in the lower troposphere with improved accuracy and vertical resolution compared to existing airborne and space-based measurements. This paper highlights new technologies and improved measurement approaches for measuring lower tropospheric water vapor and their expected added value to current observations. Those include differential absorption lidar and radar, microwave occultation between low-Earth orbiters, and hyperspectral microwave remote sensing. Each methodology is briefly explained, and measurement capabilities as well as the current technological readiness for aircraft and satellite implementation are specified. Potential synergies between the technologies are discussed, actual examples hereof are given, and future perspectives are explored. Based on technical maturity and the foreseen near-mid-term development path of the various discussed measurement approaches, we find that improved measurements of water vapor throughout the troposphere would greatly benefit from the combination of differential absorption lidar focusing on the lower troposphere with passive remote sensors constraining the upper-tropospheric humidity.
Effect of Clinical Variables on the Volume of Blood Collected for Blood Cultures in an Adult Patient Population
Authors: Jones R. Logan , Sayles Harlan R. , Fey Paul D. , Rupp Mark E.
Published: November 2017

OBJECTIVE

To identify clinical variables that influence blood culture volume recovery

DESIGN

Retrospective chart review and linear model analysis

SETTING

A 621-bed Academic Medical Center with a Clinical Laboratory that processes 20,000+ blood cultures annually and dedicated phlebotomy staff for venipuncture

PATIENTS

Consecutive patients requiring blood culture

METHODS

Over a 6-day period, blood volume was determined in 568 culture bottles from 128 unique adult patients, and clinical data from the time of phlebotomy were extracted from hospital electronic medical records. Conditional hierarchical linear models with random effects for patient and phlebotomy occasion were utilized to analyze correlations between values collected from the same patient and during the same phlebotomy occasion.

RESULTS

Blood samples obtained from a central venous catheter yielded, on average, 2.53 mL more blood (95% CI, 1.63–3.44 mL;P<.001) than those from peripheral venipuncture, and aerobic bottles contained 0.38 mL more blood (95% CI, 0.1–0.67 mL;P=.009) than the anaerobic bottles. The remaining clinical variables (eg, hospital department, patient age, body mass index, gender, mean arterial pressure, concomitant systemic antibiotic use, and Charlson comorbidity index score) failed to reach statistical significance (P<.05) in relation to volume.

CONCLUSIONS

Blood cultures obtained from central venous catheters contain significantly greater volume than those obtained via peripheral venipuncture. These data highlight the clinically significant issue of low culture volume recovery, indicate that diagnostic and prognostic tools that rely on volume-dependent phenomena (ie, time to positivity) may require further validation under usual clinical practice circumstances, and suggest goals for future institutional performance improvement.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol2017;38:1493–1497
Risk Factors for Staphylococcus aureus Acquisition in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Matched Case-Case-Control Study
Authors: Washam Matthew C. , Ankrum Andrea , Haberman Beth E. , Staat Mary Allen , Haslam David B.
Published: November 2017

OBJECTIVE

To determine risk factors independent of length of stay (LOS) for Staphylococcus aureus acquisition in infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

DESIGN

Retrospective matched case–case-control study.

SETTING

Quaternary-care referral NICU at a large academic children’s hospital.

METHODS

Infants admitted between January 2014 and March 2016 at a level IV NICU who acquired methicillin resistant (MRSA) or susceptible (MSSA) S. aureus were matched with controls by duration of exposure to determine risk factors for acquisition. A secondary post hoc analysis was performed on the entire cohort of at-risk infants for risk factors identified in the primary analysis to further quantify risk.

RESULTS

In total, 1,751 infants were admitted during the study period with 199 infants identified as having S. aureus prevalent on admission. There were 246 incident S. aureus acquisitions in the remaining at-risk infant cohort. On matched analysis, infants housed in a single-bed unit were associated with a significantly decreased risk of both MRSA (P=.03) and MSSA (P=.01) acquisition compared with infants housed in multibed pods. Across the entire cohort, pooled S. aureus acquisition was significantly lower in infants housed in single-bed units (hazard ratio,=0.46; confidence interval, 0.34–0.62).

CONCLUSIONS

NICU bed design is significantly associated with S. aureus acquisition in hospitalized infants independent of LOS.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:46–52
Long-Term Efficacy of Glyphosate for Smooth Brome Control in Native Prairie
Authors: Slopek Jessica I. , Lamb Eric G.
Published: November 2017

Effective control measures are required for the invasive forage grass smooth brome in native prairie to maintain native prairie diversity and function. The objective of this study was to assess the long-term effectiveness of glyphosate as a control method for smooth brome and to evaluate the subsequent recovery of native prairie species at Kernen Prairie near Saskatoon, SK, Canada. In 1999 and 2000, a total of forty 6- to 8-m-diameter patches of smooth brome were spot sprayed with glyphosate; community composition in each patch was monitored for 17 yr. Following glyphosate application, the abundance of smooth brome decreased, and recovery of native species richness and the abundance of important native species, including plains rough fescue, was observed. In the long term however, the elimination of smooth brome created empty niche space ultimately occupied by other invasive species, particularly Kentucky bluegrass. The spot application of glyphosate is thus an effective control method for reducing smooth brome in native prairie; however, maintaining desirable native species composition in this system posttreatment depends on other factors, including the presence of additional invasive species that may move in after the elimination of smooth brome.
A complete map of Greenland ice velocity derived from satellite data collected over 20 years
Authors: JOUGHIN IAN , SMITH BEN E. , HOWAT IAN M.
Published: November 2017

While numerous maps of Greenland ice flow velocity exist, most have gaps in coverage and/or accuracy is limited. We processed a large volume of synthetic aperture radar and Landsat 8 imagery collected between 1995 and 2015 to produce a nearly complete map of ice flow velocity for Greenland at a far greater accuracy than most prior products. We evaluated the accuracy of this map by comparing it with a variety of measured and estimated velocities. For the slow-moving interior of the ice sheet, where estimates are determined from interferometric phase, the errors are ~2 m a−1 or better. For coastal areas, where estimates are determined entirely from speckle- or feature-tracking methods, errors are 2–3 m a−1, which is in good agreement with the estimated formal errors. Especially for the slow-moving majority of the ice sheet, this map provides an important source of data for numerous types of glaciological studies.
THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN SHAPING AFRICAN FERTILITY PATTERN: EVIDENCE FROM DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS
Authors: Odimegwu Clifford , Adedini Sunday A.
Published: November 2017

Anthropological explanations of demographic outcomes have emphasized the need to understand how community structures contribute to those outcomes. However, studies on fertility dynamics in Africa have largely focused on micro-level factors, thus ignoring the influence of community contexts. Using the most recent Demographic and Health Survey data from Egypt (Northern Africa), Cameroon (Middle Africa), Kenya (Eastern Africa), Nigeria (Western Africa) and Zimbabwe (Southern Africa), the study employed multilevel Poisson regression models to examine the influence of community factors on African fertility levels and patterns. The number of sampled women (aged 15–44) ranged from 7774 in Kenya (2008–09) to 30,480 in Nigeria (2008). The findings demonstrate some significant community effects on African fertility patterns, even after controlling for a number of individual-level factors. For instance, residence in socioeconomically disadvantaged regions, rural settings, poor neighbourhood and communities with high family size norm were found to be associated with higher fertility levels in the selected countries. The emerging African fertility patterns require the need to go beyond addressing individual-level characteristics in the efforts to reduce fertility levels in Africa.
FAR BELOW REPLACEMENT FERTILITY IN URBAN CHINA
Authors: Zhao Zhongwei , Xu Qinzi , Yuan Xin
Published: November 2017

China’s urban population has experienced rapid fertility decline over the past six decades. This drastic change will have a significant impact on China’s demographic, social and economic future. However, the patterns and characteristics of urban China’s fertility decline have not been systematically examined. This study analyses the trends and age patterns of fertility in urban China since the 1950s, and summarizes the major characteristics of reproductive behaviours into four ‘lows’: extremely ‘low’ level of fertility; ‘low’ proportion of two and higher parity births; ‘low’ mean age at birth; and ‘low’ level of childlessness. The paper argues that the highly homogenous reproductive behaviours found in China’s now near 800 million urban population have been in part shaped by the country’s unprecedented government intervention in family planning. The ‘later, longer, fewer’ campaign in the 1970s and the ‘one-child’ policy, in particular, have left clear imprints on China’s reproductive norms and fertility patterns. The government-led family planning programme, however, has not been the only driving force of fertility decline. A wide range of social, economic, political and cultural changes have also affected the transition in family formation, reproductive behaviour and fertility patterns, and this has become increasingly prominent in the past two decades.
A Philosopher in the Eye of the Storm: Monsieur Chouchani and Lévinas's “Nameless” Essay
Authors: Ben-Pazi Hanoch
Published: November 2017

This article considers the role of the individual during crises in humanism and the ethical responsibility with which the individual is charged in such times of moral calamity. In a narrow sense, the article explores Emmanuel Lévinas's “Nameless” (“Sans nom”), an essay that appears in his bookProper Names, and proposes viewing it as his personal reading in honor of his unique, unaccounted-for teacher Monsieur Chouchani. From a broader philosophical perspective, the article attempts to consider the meaning of ethics and the assumption of responsibility in times when doing so appears to offer no benefit and hold no significance whatsoever. From an educational perspective, it endeavors to better understand the ethical role of the teacher in both tranquil and tempestuous times. And finally, it also offers another profound observation of what Lévinas's article refers to as the “Jewish condition,” not in a national historical sense but as a model of crisis-oriented ethical challenge.
Hasidic Halakhah: Reappraising the Interface of Spirit and Law
Authors: Kahana Maoz , Mayse Ariel Evan
Published: November 2017

This paper offers a novel perspective regarding the interface between law, mysticism, and social reality. The inner turn that characterizes Hasidism is often understood through a binary model defined by the Christian Hebraists, and followed by many academic scholars, in which law and spirit exist in intractable tension. We suggest, however, that in the specific contexts of Hasidism, nomos, eros, and mystical piety often merged in distinctive ways, and that these are visible in novel forms of Jewish legal method and discourse. Our appreciation of the multifaceted Jewish religious and pietistic expressions of modernity should not be made to conform to the generally accepted definition of an era of strict “Orthodox” formulation and monolithic, conservative legal stagnation. Instead, we argue that the spiritual and legal ethos of Hasidism took on new forms in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as local identities became increasingly complex and new cultural fusions led to creative re-expressions of law and theology.
Jerusalem in Naḥmanides's Religious Thought: The Evolution of the “Prayer over the Ruins of Jerusalem”
Authors: Yisraeli Oded
Published: November 2017

R. Moses ben Naḥman (1194–1270), one of the most prominent rabbinic figures of medieval Spanish Jewry, wrote the majority of his works in Catalonia, and composed only a few isolated pieces after his move to ’Ereẓ Yisra'el three years before his death. This article examines one of his latest works—the prayer he delivered in Jerusalem on visiting its ruins in 1267. This lament over the city, which extols its majesty during its glory days, also reflects the place the temple occupied in Naḥmanides's religious thought. This article presents an earlier version of the prayer that was probably written during the heyday of his career in Catalonia. A close analysis of the changes Naḥmanides made to it after his move to ’Ereẓ Yisra'el reveals changes in his perception of the temple, perhaps also shedding light on some of the motives behind his decision to move to ’Ereẓ Yisra'el at the end of his life.
Human ecology of sacred space: Church forests in the highlands of northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: RUELLE MORGAN L. , KASSAM KARIM-ALY , ASFAW ZEMEDE
Published: November 2017

In the highlands of northwestern Ethiopia, Orthodox Christian churches provide habitats for plants that have become rare in the surrounding agricultural landscapes. The objective of this paper is to investigate why and how the local clergy and laypeople protect and promote woody plants within their sacred spaces. Interviews at 11 churches in the Debark District of North Gonder generated a list of 47 woody species, of which most are rare in the rest of the landscape. Three tree species (indigenous cedar,Juniperus procera; indigenous olive,Olea europaeasubsp.cuspidata; and exoticEucalyptus globulus) were identified as most important. While cedar and olive are symbols of tradition and witnesses to church history, eucalyptus is a source of income and alternative material for church construction and repair. A significant proportion of indigenous species within Debark's church forests were said to have been planted, including cedars and olives. Knowledge that these species are cultivated enhances the conservation value of these forests by inspiring local people to continue planting trees and shrubs. In addition to serving as refugia for rare species, Ethiopia's church forests nurture the knowledge necessary to promote plant diversity in the rest of the landscape and serve as archetypes for community-driven conservation.
MODELING INTERNATIONAL STOCK PRICE COMOVEMENTS WITH HIGH-FREQUENCY DATA
Authors: Ben Ameur Hachmi , Jawadi Fredj , Louhichi Wael , Idi Cheffou Abdoulkarim
Published: November 2017

This paper studies stock price comovements in two key regions [the United States and Europe, which is represented by three major European developed countries (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom)]. Our paper uses recent high-frequency data (HFD) and investigates price comovements in the context of “normal times” and crisis periods. To this end, we applied a non-Gaussian Asymmetrical Dynamic Conditional Correlation (ADCC)-GARCH (Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity) model and the Marginal Expected Shortfall (MES) approach. This choice has three advantages: (i) With the development of high-frequency trading (HFT), it is more appropriate to use HFD to test price linkages for overlapping and nonoverlapping data. (ii) The ADCC-GARCH model captures further asymmetry in price comovements. (iii) The use of the MES enables to measure systemic risk contributions around the distribution tails. Accordingly, we offer two interesting findings. First, while the hypothesis of asymmetrical and time-varying stock return linkages is not rejected, the MES approach indicates that both European and US indices make a considerable contribution to each other's systemic risk, with significant input from Frankfurt to the French and US markets, especially following the collapse of Lehman Brothers. Second, we show that the propagation of systemic risk is higher during the crisis period and overlapping trading hours than during nonoverlapping hours. Thus, the MES test is recommended as an indicator to help monitor market exposure to systemic risk and to gauge expected losses for other markets.
The impact of urban gardens on adequate and healthy food: a systematic review
Authors: Garcia Mariana T , Ribeiro Silvana M , Germani Ana Claudia Camargo Gonçalves , Bógus Cláudia M
Published: November 2017

Objective

To examine the impacts on food and nutrition-related outcomes resulting from participation in urban gardens, especially on healthy food practices, healthy food access, and healthy food beliefs, knowledge and attitudes.

Design

The systematic review identified studies by searching the PubMed, ERIC, LILACS, Web of Science and Embase databases. An assessment of quality and bias risk of the studies was carried out and a narrative summary was produced.

Setting

Studies published as original articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals in English, Spanish or Portuguese between 2005 and 2015 were included.

Subjects

The studies included were based on data from adult participants in urban gardens.

Results

Twenty-four studies were initially selected based on the eligibility criteria, twelve of which were included. There was important heterogeneity of settings, population and assessment methods. Assessment of quality and bias risk of the studies revealed the need for greater methodological rigour. Most studies investigated community gardens and employed a qualitative approach. The following were reported: greater fruit and vegetable consumption, better access to healthy foods, greater valuing of cooking, harvest sharing with family and friends, enhanced importance of organic production, and valuing of adequate and healthy food.

Conclusions

Thematic patterns related to adequate and healthy food associated with participation in urban gardens were identified, revealing a positive impact on practices of adequate and healthy food and mainly on food perceptions.
Association of citrus leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) damage with physiological parameters and larval weight in Citrus reticulata
Authors: Arshad Muhammad , Ullah Muhammad Irfan , Afzal Muhammad , Aatif Hafiz M. , Iftikhar Yasir , Molina-Ochoa Jaime , Foster John E.
Published: November 2017

The citrus leafminer (CLM),Phyllocnistis citrellaStainton causes injury to citrus and related species in the Rutaceae family. The damage that the CLM larvae can cause is significant in citrus plantations. We tested two citrus cultivars — ‘Kinnow’ (Citrus reticulataBlanco) and ‘Fairchild’ (a hybrid ofCitrus reticulataClementine x Orlando Tangelo) — to quantify CLM larvae infestation and effect on the physiology of the citrus cultivars. We then compared the CLM larval weight with its associated damage. To calculate infestation level, mine area and total leaf area, we used the image analysis technique. The infestation level of CLM was higher in ‘Fairchild’ than in ‘Kinnow’ cultivar of citrus. For both cultivars, larval weight of CLM was directly proportional to the amount of mines generated. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that the mines that CLM larvae generate pose significant effect on the net photosynthetic rates and water use efficiency of citrus nursery plants. These results will help improve our understanding of the interaction between CLM and citrus nursery plants and effect of the pest on the yield potential of the crop.