bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel characteristic variational multiscale FEM for incompressible natural convection problem with variable density
Authors: Wang Weilong , Wu Jilian , Feng Xinlong
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new method to solve the incompressible natural convection problem with variable density. The main novel ideas of this work are to overcome the stability issue due to the nonlinear inertial term and the hyperbolic term for conventional finite element methods and to deal with high Rayleigh number for the natural convection problem.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper introduces a novel characteristic variational multiscale (C-VMS) finite element method which combines advantages of both the characteristic and variational multiscale methods within a variational framework for solving the incompressible natural convection problem with variable density. The authors chose the conforming finite element pair (P2,P2,P1,P2) to approximate the density, velocity, pressure and temperature field.

Findings

The paper gives the stability analysis of the C-VMS method. Extensive two-dimensional/three-dimensional numerical tests demonstrated that the C-VMS method not only can deal with the incompressible natural convection problem with variable density but also with high Rayleigh number very well.

Originality/value

Extensive 2D/3D numerical tests demonstrated that the C-VMS method not only can deal with the incompressible natural convection problem with variable density but also with high Rayleigh number very well.
Connection or competence
Authors: Moreo Andrew , Woods Robert , Sammons Gail , Bergman Christine
Published: December 2018

Purpose

As a service segment, the food and beverage industry has great potential for intensive interface between the consumer and the service provider and between the service provider and the back of the house staff. Given the significance of the perception of the provision of service to the consumer, it is important to study every aspect of the interaction. With this in mind, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between emotional labor, service quality, purpose of consumption, satisfaction and customer loyalty as seen through the perceptions of the consumer.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 400 respondents using an online market research firm in the USA. This research used three independent variables (emotional labor, service quality and purpose of consumption), each with two levels in a between-subjects 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experimental design. Eight scenarios were used to represent the eight different combinations of variables to test their effects.

Findings

Two very interesting findings emerged from this study. The first was that consumers’ purpose of consumption, whether dining for leisure or business, had no significant impact on their satisfaction or loyalty, either independently or in conjunction with emotional labor or service quality. The second most interesting finding was that the interaction of service quality and emotional labor did have a significant impact on satisfaction but not loyalty.

Practical implications

A restaurants’ standards of service should be the same, regardless of the business or leisure demographic being served. Authenticity matters, and therefore, employers should incorporate personality evaluation into the hiring process. Perhaps, focusing more on attitude and less on skill would lead to great customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Originality/value

This article furthers the relatively young research stream examining the impacts of emotional labor on the consumer.
A scale for restaurant customers’ healthy menu choices: individual and environmental factors
Authors: Jeong EunHa , Jang SooCheong (Shawn) , Behnke Carl , Anderson James , Day Jonathon
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the dimensions of restaurant customers’ engagement or disengagement with healthy eating in terms of individual and environmental factors to develop a scale. The results identified the underlying constructs of customers’ individual motives for and perceived barriers to healthy eating, as well as environmental elements of restaurants that encourage or discourage healthy eating.

Design/methodology/approach

To develop an appropriate set of measures to assess factors influencing customers’ healthy eating behaviors at restaurants, the current study undertook the five steps of scale development suggested by Churchill (1979): specifying the domain of constructs, generating a pool of initial measurement items, assessing content adequacy, administering questionnaires (an online survey method) and purifying and finalizing the measurement (via exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using 410 samples and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using 423 samples).

Findings

The results revealed ten individual factors (health, body image, weight control, feeling better, unappealing food, cost perception, lack of knowledge, state of mind (stress), lack of self-control and negative influences) and five environmental factors (healthy indications, social impact, availability of healthy menu, price policy and unhealthy indications) influencing customers’ healthy eating behaviors at restaurants.

Originality/value

This study developed an appropriate set of measures to assess individual and environmental factors influencing restaurant customers’ healthy eating behaviors, along with identifying underlying sub-constructs. The reliability and validity of the scale and the factor structure are presented and potential applications and theoretical contributions of the scale are provided as well.
Ontology-based approach to enhance medical web information extraction
Authors: Otmani Nassim Abdeldjallal , Si-Mohammed Malik , Comparot Catherine , Charrel Pierre-Jean
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to propose a framework for extracting medical information from the Web using domain ontologies. Patient–Doctor conversations have become prevalent on the Web. For instance, solutions like HealthTap or AskTheDoctors allow patients to ask doctors health-related questions. However, most online health-care consumers still struggle to express their questions efficiently due mainly to the expert/layman language and knowledge discrepancy. Extracting information from these layman descriptions, which typically lack expert terminology, is challenging. This hinders the efficiency of the underlying applications such as information retrieval. Herein, an ontology-driven approach is proposed, which aims at extracting information from such sparse descriptions using a meta-model.

Design/methodology/approach

A meta-model is designed to bridge the gap between the vocabulary of the medical experts and the consumers of the health services. The meta-model is mapped with SNOMED-CT to access the comprehensive medical vocabulary, as well as with WordNet to improve the coverage of layman terms during information extraction. To assess the potential of the approach, an information extraction prototype based on syntactical patterns is implemented.

Findings

The evaluation of the approach on the gold standard corpus defined in Task1 of ShARe CLEF 2013 showed promising results, an F-score of 0.79 for recognizing medical concepts in real-life medical documents.

Originality/value

The originality of the proposed approach lies in the way information is extracted. The context defined through a meta-model proved to be efficient for the task of information extraction, especially from layman descriptions.
Nurse AMHPs: an exploratory study of their experiences
Authors: Stone Kevin
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Mental health and learning disability nurses have been eligible to become approved mental health professionals (AMHPs) since 2008, when the Mental Health Act 2007 was implemented. Despite this, there have been proportionally low numbers of these nurses pursuing the AMHP role. The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of these nurse AMHPs of training and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

Ten practicing nurse AMHPs were recruited from across four local authority sites. Using semi-structured interviews, participants were asked to discuss their experiences of being an AMHP.

Findings

The participants highlighted the need to navigate personal, cultural and structural factors relating to accessing and applying for the training, difficulties with agreeing contracts terms, gaining comparative pay and undertaking the role.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this study are the small number of participants and therefore the generalisability of the findings. Also, respondents were practising AMHPs rather than nurses who considered the role but then rejected it as a career option.

Practical implications

This study has led to gain a greater understanding of the experiences of nurse AMHPs.

Social implications

The results from this study will assist employing local authorities, and NHS consider the barriers to mental health and learning disability nurses becoming AMHPs.

Originality/value

The value of this study is in the insight that provides the experiences of nurse AMHP from applying to training through to being a practising AMHP.
The Effects of High Dynamic Range on Fingerprint Images Processed by Photoshop
Authors: Chuk Hungngai
Published: December 2018

High dynamic range (HDR) imaging is a function that combines five images with different exposures into a single image. This technique may provide fine ridge details of fingerprint images for forensic latent fingerprint examination. Therefore, viewing fingerprints under optimal conditions is of paramount importance. This paper analyzes HDR and non‐HDR photos by using the Michelson contrast formula. The Michelson formula will provide a measurement to determine whether better contrast between the background and print can be achieved using the HDR function and if the background color affects the quality of the images. Two hypothesis were tested: (i) the HDR image provides more details of fingerprints with a better tone, greater clarity, and contrast than a normally exposed image regardless of the background color; (ii) the background color does not affect the quality of HDR fingerprint images overall, but the multi‐color background may increase the contrast of HDR fingerprint images in some cases.
Selection of Bacillus thuringiensis strains in citrus and their pathogenicity to Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) nymphs
Authors: Dorta Sílvia de Oliveira , Balbinotte Juliana , Monnerat Rose , Lopes João Roberto Spotti , da Cunha Tatiane , Zanardi Odimar Zanuzo , de Miranda Marcelo Pedreira , Machado Marcos Antonio , de Freitas‐Astúa Juliana
Published: December 2018

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins are effective in controlling insect pests either through the spraying of products or when expressed in transgenic crops. The discovery of endophytic Bt strains opened new perspectives for studies aimed at the control of sap‐sucking insects, such as the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), a vector of “Candidatus Liberibacter spp.,” associated with citrus huanglongbing (HLB). In this study, translocation of endophytic Bt strains in citrus seedlings inoculated with Bt suspension delivered by soil‐drench, and their systemic pathogenicity to D. citri nymphs were investigated. The pathogenicity of three wild‐type Bt strains against D. citri third‐instar nymphs was demonstrated. Among the 10 recombinant strains tested (each of them harboring a single cry or cyt gene), 3 can be highlighted, causing 42%–77% and 66%–90% nymphal mortality at 2 and 5 d after inoculation, respectively. The isolation of Bt cells from young citrus shoots and dead nymphs, and PCR performed with specific primers, confirmed the involvement of the Bt strains in the psyllid mortality. This is the first report showing the translocation of Bt strains from citrus seedling roots to shoots and their potential to control D. citri nymphs that fed on these soil‐drench inoculated seedlings. The Bt strains that caused the highest mortality rates have the potential to be used as bioinsecticides to control D. citri and the identified genes can be used for the production of transgenic Bt citrus.
Deciphering global gene expression and regulation strategy in Escherichia coli during carbon limitation
Authors: Li Zongjin , Pan Qing , Xiao Yunzhu , Fang Xingxing , Shi Ruoping , Fu Chunxiang , Danchin Antoine , You Conghui
Published: December 2018

Despite decades of studies meant to analyse the bacterial response to carbon limitation, we still miss a high‐resolution overview of the situation. All gene expression changes observed in such conditions cannot solely be accounted for by the global regulator Crp either free or bound to its effector, cyclic AMP. Here, for the first time, we evaluated the response of both CDS (protein‐coding sequence) and ncRNA (non‐coding RNA) genes to carbon limitation, revealed cellular functions of differentially expressed genes systematically, quantified the contribution of Crp‐cAMP and other factors to regulation and deciphered regulation strategies at a genomewide scale. Approximately one‐third of the differentially expressed genes we identified responded to Crp‐cAMP via its direct or indirect control, while the remaining genes were subject to growth rate‐dependent control or were controlled by other regulators, especially RpoS. Importantly, gene regulation mechanisms can be established by expression pattern studies. Here, we propose a comprehensive picture of how cells respond to carbon scarcity. The global regulation strategies thus exposed illustrate that the response of cell to carbon scarcity is not limited to maintaining sufficient carbon metabolism via cAMP signalling while the main response is to adjust metabolism to cope with a slow growth rate.
Prenatal development of retina in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)
Authors: Tomar Mahendra Pratap Singh , Bansal Neelam
Published: December 2018

The development of retina in Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) has not been reported previously. The aim of the present study was therefore to report the major landmarks and the time course in the development of retina. Serial histological sections of Indian buffalo embryos and foetuses were used as group1 (<20.0 cm CVRL), group2 (>20.0 but <40.0 cm CVRL) and group3 (>40.0 cm CVRL). Age estimation was made on the basis of crown vertebral‐rump length (CVRL), which ranged between 36 and 286 days (1.6–94.0 cm). The retina in Indian buffalo was developed in a similar manner to that of the other mammals with the principal differences in the time of occurrence of various layers of this nervous tunic. In 36 days (1.6 cm stage), the foetal retina was composed of pigmented layer and the layer of neuroblasts. Differentiation of layers was first observed in 47 days (4.0 cm CVRL) which became prominent in 52 days (5.1 cm stage). At 120 days (20.5 cm stage), the differentiation of inner plexiform layer and inner nuclear layer was evident. At 143 days (31.0 cm) foetal age, the faint line in neuroblastic layer was the first evidence of the future outer plexiform layer. In foetuses of group III, the retina was comprised of all 10 layers (eight cell layers and two membranes) viz. pigmented epithelium, layer of rods and cones, outer limiting membrane, outer nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, inner plexiform layer, ganglion cell layer, layer of nerve fibres and the inner limiting membrane.
Laparoscopic artificial urinary sphincter implantation in women with stress urinary incontinence: update on 13 years’ experience in a single centre
Authors: Bracchitta Damiano , Costa Pedro , Borojeni Shahed , Ménard Johann , Bryckaert Pierre‐Emannuel , Mandron Éric
Published: December 2018

Objectives

To update the outcomes and analyse the safety of laparoscopic implantation of an artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) as a result of intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD).

Patients and Methods

Seventy‐four women with SUI caused by ISD underwent laparoscopic AUS implantation between 2005 and 2018 in our centre. Urodynamic assessment was required. The AUS was implanted using a transperitoneal laparoscopic approach to the Retzius space. The cuff was placed around the bladder neck between the peri‐urethral fascia and the vagina. Postoperative functional outcomes were defined as success (total continence), improvement (>50% decrease in number of leakages or in number of pads used), or failure (<50% improvement, persistent or increased leaking). Data on peri‐operative and long‐term complications were also collected.

Results

The mean ± sd operating time was 119.7 ± 48.9 min, with no conversion to laparotomy. With a mean ± sd (range) follow‐up of 44.5 ± 40.5  (1–149) months, 78.3% of the women were totally continent and 18.6% reported improvement. One vaginal and one urethral perforation were the only intra‐operative complications, both solved during surgery. Late complications included recurrent urinary tract infection (5.4%), acute urinary retention (6.8%), urethral (4%) and vaginal erosion (2.7%), and urgency urinary incontinence (2.7%). Reimplantation of AUS was performed in 13.5% of the women as a result of mechanical failure (n =9) and erosion (n = 1). Permanent removal was performed in 10.8%.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the largest series with the longest follow‐up of women with urinary incontinence treated with laparoscopic AUS implantation, demonstrating its safety, feasibility and effectiveness, and showing a very positive impact on the quality of life of the women.
T‐705‐modified ssRNA in complex with Lassa virus nucleoprotein exhibits nucleotide splaying and increased water influx into the RNA‐binding pocket
Authors: Omotuyi Olaposi I. , Nash Oyekanmi , Safronetz David , Ojo Ayodeji A. , Ogunwa Tomisin H. , Adelakun Niyi S.
Published: December 2018

Lassa virus infection is clinically characterized by multiorgan failure in humans. Without an FDA‐approved vaccine, ribavirin is the frontline drug for the treatment but with attendant toxicities. 6‐Fluoro‐3‐hydroxy‐2‐pyrazinecarboxamide (T‐705) is an emerging alternative drug with proven anti‐Lassa virus activity in experimental model. One of the mechanisms of action is its incorporation into nascent single‐strand RNA (ssRNA) which forms complex with Lassa nucleoprotein (LASV‐NP). Here, using molecular dynamics simulation, the structural and electrostatics changes associated with LASV‐NP‐ssRNA complex have been studied when none, one, or four of its bases has been substituted with T‐705. The results demonstrated that glycosidic torsion angle χ (O4′‐C1′‐N1‐C2) rotated from high‐anti‐ (−110° and −60°) to the syn‐ conformation (+30) with increased T‐705 substitution. Similarly, increased T‐705 substitution resulted in increased splaying (55°–70°), loss of ssRNA‐LASV‐NP H‐bond interaction, increased water influx into the ssRNA‐binding pocket, and decreased electrostatic potentials of ssRNA pocket. Furthermore, strong positively correlated motion observed between α6 residues (aa: 128–145) and its contact ssRNA bases (5–7) is weakened in Apo biosystem and transitioned into anticorrelated motions in ssRNA‐bound LASV‐NP biosystem. Finally, LASV genome may become more accessible to cellular ribonuclease access with T‐705 incorporation due to loss of NP interaction.
Buccal bone thickness at dental implants in the maxillary anterior region with large bony defects at time of immediate implant placement: A 1‐year cohort study
Authors: Meijer Henny J. A. , Slagter Kirsten W. , Vissink Arjan , Raghoebar Gerry M.
Published: December 2018

Background

There is lack of studies regarding preservation and possible changes in BBT at dental implants.

Purpose

To assess, on cone beam computer tomograms, the presence of bone at the time of tooth extraction in the maxillary esthetic region and the mean buccal bone thickness 1 month and 1 year after final restoration placement in patients with large bony defects.

Material and Methods

In a cohort study, patients were selected presenting a failing tooth with a large bony defect (test group [n = 20]: large bony defect, immediate placed implant and delayed provisionalization). Results were compared with a group in which patients presented a failing tooth without or with a small bony defect: (control group [n = 20]: without or small bony defect, immediate placed implant and delayed provisionalization). Cone beam computer tomograms were made preoperatively, and 1 month and 1 year after placement of the restoration, and buccal bone thickness was analyzed.

Results

In both groups approximately 1 mm of buccal bone thickness was present after 1 month and 1 year, without a significant difference between the groups.

Conclusion

In patients with large bony defects at a failing tooth it was possible to create a bone layer buccally of the implant and this bone layer remained stable during a 1‐year follow‐up; there were no significant differences between thickness of buccal bone at 1 month and 1 year in patients with large buccal bony defects and patients without or with small bony defects.
Patientencharakteristika der dermatologischen Notfallambulanz an einer Universitätsklinik in Deutschland
Authors: Ansorge Claudia , Miocic Johannes M. , von Bubnoff Dagmar , Technau‐Hafsi Kristin
Published: December 2018

Hintergrund und Ziele

In letzter Zeit steigt die Anzahl der Patienten, die sich in den Notfallambulanzen sämtlicher medizinischer Fachrichtungen vorstellen. Das Ziel unserer Arbeit war es, demografische Daten, Überweisungsart, Symptome, Lokalisationen der Hautveränderungen, Vorbehandlung, Diagnosen und Hospitalisierungsrate bei dermatologischen Patienten zu untersuchen.

Patienten und Methoden

Die Studie wurde über sechs Monate als monozentrische prospektive Befragung in der dermatologischen Klinik eines deutschen Universitätsklinikums durchgeführt. In die konsekutive Stichprobe wurden 1552 Konsultationen aufgenommen.

Ergebnisse

Die Studienkohorte, die zu 53 % aus Frauen bestand, wies ein Durchschnittsalter von 41 Jahren auf. Fast die Hälfte der Patienten wohnte weniger als 10 Kilometer vom Studienzentrum entfernt. 72 % der Patienten hatten sich selbstständig vorgestellt. Die häufigsten Symptome waren Juckreiz und Ausschlag. Diese Symptome hatten im Mittel seit mehr als einer Woche bestanden. In der Mehrzahl war die Haut generalisiert betroffen. 55 % Patienten hatten vor der Konsultation einen Dermatologen oder einen Allgemeinarzt aufgesucht. 49 % waren zuvor behandelt worden. Acht Prozent der Patienten wurden stationär aufgenommen. Die häufigste Diagnose waren Ekzemerkrankungen, gefolgt von Urtikaria und Skabies.

Schlussfolgerungen

Diese Studie bestätigt, dass sich eine beträchtliche Anzahl von Patienten mit nicht‐dringlichen Diagnosen vorstellt. Zur Umkehrung dieses Trends sind eine gezielte Selektion und Sensibilierung der Bevölkerung erforderlich.
Plant and ant assemblages predicted to decouple under climate change
Authors: Caddy‐Retalic Stefan , Hoffmann Benjamin D. , Guerin Greg R. , Andersen Alan N. , Wardle Glenda M. , McInerney Francesca A. , Lowe Andrew J.
Published: December 2018

Aim

Marked differences in plant and animal responses to climate change could have a profound impact on community composition and function, with implications for habitat structure and resource availability for fauna, and the provision of faunal‐mediated ecological services for flora. We examine the comparative sensitivity of plant and ant assemblages to climatic change, and determine if we should expect community breakdown and a loss of ecosystem function under climate change.

Location

A bioclimatic gradient from the temperate to arid zone in South Australia.

Methods

We sampled plant and ant assemblages along the gradient to establish assemblage‐level responses to spatial climatic change using ordinations, and then projected assemblage responses to future climate change scenarios.

Results

We recorded totals of 363 plant and 227 ant species. Alignment between plant and ant communities was high, suggesting a high degree of similarity in the structuring of plant and ant communities in relation to environmental variation. However, our modelling suggested that ant assemblages were up to 7.5 times more sensitive to projected climate change than were plant assemblages, forecasting a very substantial decoupling of these assemblages under a future climate.

Main conclusions

Our results indicate that a high degree of community reorganization and change in ecosystem function should be expected under climate change.
Predicting cetacean abundance and distribution in a changing climate
Authors: Becker Elizabeth A. , Forney Karin A. , Redfern Jessica V. , Barlow Jay , Jacox Michael G. , Roberts Jason J. , Palacios Daniel M.
Published: December 2018

Aim

Changes in abundance and shifts in distribution as a result of a warming climate have been documented for many marine species, but opportunities to test our ability to forecast such changes have been limited. This study evaluates the ability of habitat‐based density models to accurately forecast cetacean abundance and distribution during a novel year with unprecedented warm ocean temperatures caused by a sustained marine heatwave.

Location

California Current Ecosystem, USA.

Methods

We constructed generalized additive models based on cetacean sighting and environmental data from 1991 to 2009 for eight species with a diverse range of habitat associations. Models were built with three different sets of predictor variables to compare performance. Models were then used to forecast species abundance and distribution patterns during 2014, a year with anomalously warm ocean temperatures. Cetacean sighting data collected during 2014 were used to assess model forecasts.

Results

Ratios of model‐predicted abundance to observed abundance were close to 1:1 for all but one species and accurately captured changes in the number of animals in the study area during the anomalous year. Predicted distribution patterns also showed good concordance with the 2014 survey observations. Our results indicate that habitat relationships were captured sufficiently to predict both changes in abundance and shifts in distribution when conditions warmed, for both cool‐ and warm‐temperate species.

Main conclusions

Models built with multidecadal datasets were able to forecast abundance and distribution in a novel warm year for a diverse set of cetacean species. Models with the best explanatory power did not necessarily have the best predictive power. Also, they revealed species‐specific responses to warming ocean waters. Results have implications for modelling effects of climate change on cetaceans and other marine predators.
Climate change is likely to affect the distribution but not parapatry of the Brazilian marmoset monkeys (Callithrixspp.)
Authors: Braz Alan Gerhardt , Lorini Maria Lucia , Vale Mariana Moncassim
Published: December 2018

Aim

Parapatric distributional patterns can arise from abiotic or biotic factors, or from dispersal barriers. Climate change can potentially affect parapatry by changing species’ potential geographic distribution, and thereby widening or shrinking contact zones. Here, we study the effects of climate change on all six species in the genusCallithrix, a group of small‐sized Neotropical primates that is distributed parapatrically in eastern Brazil, allegedly due to biotic interactions.

Location

Atlantic Forest, savanna and xeric shrublands from Brazil.

Methods

We explore a method to investigate potential effects of climate change on the distribution of parapatric species by (a) determining whether the parapatric pattern is explained by abiotic (climate) or biotic (species’ interactions) factors using niche equivalency and niche similarity tests; (b) estimating each species’ potential distribution under current and future climatic conditions, using ecological niche models; and (c) performing a pixel‐by‐pixel analysis in order to constrain distribution overlap between species pairs in which parapatry is maintained by biotic factors.

Results

We found that parapatry inCallithrixis maintained mostly by abiotic factors, except for two species pairs (Callithrix auritavs.C. flavicepsandC. geoffroyivs.C. penicillata) in which biotic factors are more likely to be acting. Our proposed method is able to produce better models than conventional ecological niche modelling, predicting net reductions in distribution area for some species and increases for others; however, reductions generally exceeded expansions. The reduction in potential distribution areas would maintainCallithrix flavicepsas Endangered under IUCN criteria.

Main conclusions

Despite range contractions and the loss of area of sympatry, climate change is unlikely to affect the parapatric distribution patterns inCallithrix, nor intensify interspecific interactions.
Disentangling the climatic and biotic factors driving changes in the dynamics of Quercus suber populations across the species‘ latitudinal range
Authors: Matías Luis , Abdelaziz Mohamed , Godoy Oscar , Gómez‐Aparicio Lorena
Published: December 2018

Aim

Impacts of different global change drivers are altering the performance of plant species worldwide. However, these pressures usually differ across the species' distribution range. To properly assess the combined effect of global change at species level, we need to evaluate its consequences across their complete distribution. We focused on recent decline in Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) populations given its high ecological and economic relevance.

Location

We selected 10 different sites (and two populations per site) separated about one degree in latitude across the core distribution of Q. suber, following a transcontinental aridity gradient.

Methods

To evaluate the current trends in population dynamics across the species' distribution and the factors implied on population decline, we evaluated the effect of latitude, aridity, pathogens (Phytophthora cinnamomi), stand density and tree size on seed and crop size, demographic structure, dominance of recruitment bank, defoliation and mortality.

Results

We found an increase in seed weight as latitude decreased, with a homogeneous low crop size across the complete distribution. Demographic structure was determined by latitude, precipitation and pathogen abundance. We detected a trend towards reduced sapling densities towards the southern edge of the distribution, with a demographic structure dominated by old trees. The low sapling density at the southern edge translates into a loss of dominance with respect to other woody species, suggesting an alteration of community structure in the mid‐term future. Tree density, precipitation and pathogen abundance determined tree mortality across the species distribution, with a higher abundance of pathogens in central‐latitude populations.

Main conclusions

Our results allow the early detection of declining trends and the evaluation of the main risks for species' conservation, suggesting potential for range displacement of the species driven by the recruitment failure at the southern edge of the distribution and a likely range expansion at northern populations.
Ontogenetic shifts in prey selection and foraging behaviour of larval and early juvenile alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula)
Authors: Butler Steven E. , Einfalt Lisa M. , Abushweka Asma A. , Wahl David H.
Published: December 2018

The early foraging ecology of alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) is poorly documented, with little information available on young‐of‐year food habits or ontogenetic diet shifts. We conducted laboratory experiments to quantify prey selection and foraging behaviours of larval and early juvenile alligator gar (16–80 mm TL) simultaneously offered zooplankton, chironomid larvae and one of three densities of fish prey. The smallest size groups of alligator gar consumed zooplankton almost exclusively, but with increasing size, selection for zooplankton declined and selection for fish prey increased. At higher densities of fish prey, alligator gar exhibited lower selection for zooplankton and positively selected for fish at smaller sizes. Ingestion efficiencies for chironomids were considerably lower than for zooplankton or fish prey, resulting in low rates of consumption and negative selection for chironomids by all size groups of alligator gar. Fish prey elicited a different foraging response from alligator gar than zooplankton or chironomids, as alligator gar pursued and struck at fish over longer distances than for other prey types. With increasing size, alligator gar used a wider vertical range of the water column for foraging, changed their strike tactics and exhibited decreased handling times for zooplankton and fish. These observations indicate that alligator gar undergo several functional and behavioural changes during early ontogeny that facilitate a rapid transition to piscivory, but fish prey density strongly affects prey consumption patterns and the size at which alligator gar transition to piscivory.
Alterity in Simone de Beauvoir and Emmanuel Levinas: From Ambiguity to Ambivalence
Authors: Giovanini Valerie
Published: December 2018

This article is meant to stage an encounter, a kind of rendezvous, between Emmanuel Levinas and Simone de Beauvoir regarding how alterity seems to enable an ethical relation for Levinas while closing one for Beauvoir. I will argue that Beauvoir's reading of Levinas on “the other” is not a charitable one, and the ethical ambivalence in Levinas's notion of alterity can motivate the praxis Beauvoir seeks for undoing social forms of oppression. I will start with Beauvoir's interpretation of alterity as “feminine otherness” in Levinas's ethics that, for her, originates in the violent perspective of male privilege. Then I will move to Levinas's response to this critique in a set of interviews with Philip Nemo, and to consideration of how a more charitable reading of alterity, understood as a sort of ambivalence in the structure of subjectivity, creates a close proximity between Levinas's and Beauvoir's ethics of action. I contend that both Beauvoir and Levinas respectively developed their ethics of action, either of ambiguity or of ambivalent alterity, in order to free thought from the absolute seriousness with which normative standards are held.
Prescribing trends and revisit rates following a pharmacist-driven protocol change for community-acquired pneumonia in an emergency department†
Authors: Zimmerman David E , Covvey Jordan R , Nemecek Branden D , Guarascio Anthony J , Wilson Laura , Freedy Henry R , Yassin Mohamed H
Published: December 2018

Objective

To compare pharmacist-led prescribing changes and associated 30-day revisit rates across different regimens for patients discharged from an emergency department (ED) with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods

An observational, retrospective cohort analysis was conducted of patients who were discharged from an ED over a 4-year period with a diagnosis of CAP. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, antibiotic selection and comorbidity and condition severity scores were collected for two cohorts: 2012–13 (before protocol change) and 2014–15 (post-protocol change). During January 2014, a pharmacist-led protocol change with prescriber education was implemented to better align ED treatment practices with clinical practice guidelines. The primary endpoint was the change in prescribing practices across the two cohorts.

Key findings

A total of 741 patients with CAP were identified, including 411 (55.5%) patients in 2012–13 and 330 (44.5%) in 2014–15. Prescribing of macrolide monotherapy regimens decreased significantly following protocol change (70.1% versus 42.7%; difference: 27.4%, 95% CI: 23.8–31.0%) with a reciprocal increase in macrolide/β-lactam combination prescribing (6.3–21.8%; difference: 15.5%, 95% CI: 12.9–18.1%). A total of 12.2% of patients who received macrolide/β-lactam combination treatment revisited a network ED within 30 days due to worsening pneumonia, compared to 8.6% of patients who received macrolide monotherapy treatment (P = NS).

Conclusions

The current study showed a significant increase in antibiotic prescribing compliance following a pharmacist-driven protocol change and education, but no statistical difference in rates of return for macrolide monotherapy versus other regimens.
Determining the motivations of family members to undertake cardiopulmonary resuscitation training through grounded theory
Authors: Yue Peng , Zhu Zhiyong , Wang Yongli , Xu Yimin , Li Jia , Lamb Karen V. , Xu Yahong , Wu Ying
Published: December 2018

Aims

To explore the motivation of family members of patients at high risk for sudden cardiac death for undertaking cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.

Background

Home cardiac arrests are associated with poor outcomes because few family members learn CPR. Little is known about factors that motivate family members to participate in CPR training.

Design

We used grounded theory to establish a theoretical framework to explore the motivational factors for learning CPR among family members.

Methods

Twelve participant observations and 42 semi‐structured interviews with family members of different behaviours towards CPR training were conducted from December 2013 ‐ November 2016. Data were analysed using constant‐comparisons, situational analysis, and encoding.

Findings

A motivation‐behaviour theoretical framework for learning CPR was constructed. We identified meeting inner needs as the core category to demonstrate motivation. Security motivation and responsibility motivation emerged as main categories, which demonstrate that seeking a sense of security and shouldering family responsibility were important considerations for family members to learn CPR. These two motivations produced high‐engagement behaviours of family members to learn CPR.

Conclusions

The motivations we identified—deriving from a sense of security and family responsibility—are the main reasons family members would learn CPR and, therefore, should be understood by medical professionals. Understanding these motivations may help in the formulation of customized CPR training that further meets the needs of family members. For example, motivational interventions that are integrated with a family‐based CPR course can be designed to improve the participation of family members and the sustainability of the course.
Health‐related behaviours of nurses and other healthcare professionals: A cross‐sectional study using the Scottish Health Survey
Authors: Schneider Anna , Bak Marieke , Mahoney Catherine , Hoyle Louise , Kelly Muireann , Atherton Iain M. , Kyle Richard G.
Published: December 2018

Aims

To estimate the prevalence and co‐occurrence of health‐related behaviours among nurses in Scotland relative to other healthcare workers and those in non‐healthcare occupations.

Design

Secondary analysis of nationally representative cross‐sectional data, reported following STROBE guidelines.

Methods

Five rounds (2008–2012) of the Scottish Health Survey were aggregated to estimate the prevalence and co‐occurrence of health‐related behaviours (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, fruit/vegetable intake). The weighted sample (n = 18,820) included 471 nurses (3%), 433 other healthcare professionals (2%), 813 unregistered care workers (4%), and 17,103 in non‐healthcare occupations (91%). Logistic regression models compared the prevalence of specific health‐related behaviours and principal component analysis assessed co‐occurrence of health‐related behaviours between occupational groups.

Results

Nurses reported significantly better health‐related behaviours relative to the general working population for smoking, fruit/vegetable intake, and physical activity. No significant difference was found for alcohol consumption between occupational groups. Nurses reported lower levels of harmful co‐occurring behaviours (tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption) and higher levels of preventive behaviours (physical activity and fruit/vegetable intake) compared with the general working population. Other healthcare professionals had the lowest level of harmful health behaviours and the highest level of preventive health behaviours. Health‐related behaviours were poorest among unregistered care workers.

Conclusion

Nurses’ health‐related behaviours were better than the general population but non‐adherence to public health guidelines was concerning.

Impact

Nurses play an important role in health promotion through patient advice and role‐modelling effects. To maximise their impact, healthcare providers should prioritise increasing access to healthy food, alcohol awareness, and smoking cessation programmes.
A resistance exercise set for a total body workout for adults with intellectual disabilities, a pilot study
Authors: Weterings Stijn , Oppewal Alyt , van Eeden Florien M. M. , Hilgenkamp Thessa I. M.
Published: December 2018

Background

Resistance training has beneficial effects on fitness levels, cardiovascular disease risk, risk of sarcopenia and on performing activities of daily living. The focus of this study is to design a total body resistance exercise set for adults with intellectual disabilities (RESID) with minimal equipment required and to test its feasibility.

Method

The RESID was selected in an expert meeting, and its feasibility was determined in a cross‐sectional pilot study. The feasibility was determined with completion rate, correct execution of exercises and the participant's experience.

Results

The expert group (n = 7) selected seven exercises for the RESID. The participants (N = 11) performed the RESID twice during regular sports classes. Completion rate and correctness were excellent for all exercises. The participants did not experience any major problems with the RESID.

Conclusions

The RESID is feasible for use in different training settings. A physiotherapist or fitness instructor is required to supervise the training sessions.
Optimizing ex situ genetic resource collections for European livestock conservation
Authors: De Oliveira Silva Rafael , Ahmadi Bouda Vosough , Hiemstra Sipke Joost , Moran Dominic
Published: December 2018

Ex situ collections offer the potential to reduce extinction risks, affording option to society in maintaining future breeding opportunities for productivity and heritage traits. However, how much should we be seeking to collect and conserve in gene banks, and where? We developed a mathematical model to optimize logistical decisions of breed conservation choices and to evaluate alternative scenarios for efficiently re‐allocating genetic materials currently stored in different European gene banks, allowing for cross‐country collections, cost and cryogenic capacity differentials. We show how alternative allocations for the breeds that are currently stored in 11 European gene banks could reduce overall conservation costs by around 20% by selecting cryogenic banks that have relatively lower combination of fixed and collection costs, and are geographically closer to collection regions. Our results show that centralizing collections in one gene bank would double the costs, relative to collective European collections approaches. We also calculate marginal costs of collections and show that increasing diversity within the gene banks implies in higher costs per conserved breed.
Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment May be Stratified by Advanced Diffusion Metrics and Neurocognitive Testing
Authors: Allen Jason W. , Yazdani Milad , Kang Jian , Magnussen Marcus J. , Qiu Deqiang , Hu William
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prevalent disorder, with a subset of patients progressing to dementia each year. Although MCI may be subdivided into amnestic or vascular types as well as into single or multiple cognitive domain involvement, most prior studies using advanced diffusion imaging have not accounted for these categories. The purpose of the current study was to determine if the pattern of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) metrics in patients with amnestic MCI (aMCI) correlate to specific cognitive domain impairments.

METHODS

Nineteen consecutive patients with aMCI referred for brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. All subjects underwent neurocognitive testing. A z‐score was calculated for each domain and a composite of all four domains. Brain MRI included standard structural imaging and diffusion imaging. Volumetric, DTI, and DKI metrics were calculated and statistical analysis was performed with adjustments for multiple measures and comparisons.

RESULTS

Statistically significant correlations between diffusion metrics and cognitive z‐scores were detected: visuospatial‐visuoconstructional z‐scores only correlated with alterations in the corpus callosum splenium, executive functioning z‐scores with the corpus callosum genu, memory testing z‐scores with the left hippocampus, and composite z‐scores with the anterior centrum semiovale.

CONCLUSION

Neuroimaging studies of patients with aMCI to date have assumed a population with homogeneous cognitive impairment. Our results demonstrate selective patterns of regional diffusion metric alterations correlate to specific cognitive domain impairments. Future studies should account for this heterogeneity, and this may also be useful for prognostication.
Brain MRI Lesions are Related to Bowel Incontinence in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Fröhlich Kilian , Linker Ralf A. , Engelhorn Tobias , Dörfler Arnd , Lee De‐Hyung , Huhn Konstantin , Schwab Stefan , Hilz Max J. , Seifert Frank , Winder Klemens
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Bowel incontinence in multiple sclerosis might be associated with specific lesion sites. This study intended to determine associations between bowel incontinence and cerebral multiple sclerosis lesions using a voxel‐wise lesion symptom mapping analysis.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of multiple sclerosis patients with self‐reported bowel incontinence and matched controls. Lesions were manually outlined on T2‐weighted MRI scans and transformed into stereotaxic space. We performed a voxel‐wise subtraction analysis subtracting the lesion overlap of patients without from patients with bowel incontinence. Finally, we compared the absence or presence of bowel incontinence between patients with and without lesions in a given voxel using the Liebermeister test.

RESULTS

A total of 51 patients were included in the study. The analysis yielded associations between bowel incontinence and lesions in the supramarginal gyrus of the left secondary somatosensory cortex and another lesion cluster in the right parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis indicates associations between bowel incontinence and lesions in the left supramarginal gyral area contributing to integrating anorectal‐visceral sensation and in the right parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala contributing to generating visceral autonomic arousal states. Moreover, our results suggest left hemispheric dominance of sensory visceral integration, while limbic areas of the right hemisphere seem to contribute to the autonomic component of the defecation process. A limitation of our study is the retrospective evaluation of the bowel incontinence status based on medical records. Further research should evaluate the bowel incontinence status in multiple sclerosis patients prospectively to overcome the limitations of the current study.