bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘HEAVEN HELP THE YANKEES IF THEY CAPTURE YOU’: WOMEN READING GONE WITH THE WIND IN OCCUPIED GERMANY
Authors: Oliver Emily
Published: March 2018

First published in German in 1937, Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind was one of the most popular books in Germany throughout the Second World War and well into the occupation period. This article investigates why Mitchell's tale of the American Civil War and the South's humiliating defeat and subsequent occupation by hostile powers captured the popular imagination in occupied Germany. Drawing on the portrayal of women in the post‐war German press, the article illuminates how Scarlett O'Hara's transgression of traditional gender roles offered female readers potential for identification with the central character. Through reading Gone with the Wind in relation to debates about women's behaviour, relationships, and bodies during the occupation period, it argues that the novel participated in the victim discourse arising within Germany immediately after the Second World War.
WHICH FISCAL MULTIPLIERS ARE REGIME‐DEPENDENT? A META‐REGRESSION ANALYSIS
Authors: Gechert Sebastian , Rannenberg Ansgar
Published: March 2018

We analyse whether estimated multiplier effects are systematically higher if the economy suffers a downturn. For that purpose, we conduct a meta‐regression analysis on a unique data set of 98 empirical studies with more than 1800 observations on multiplier effects and control for regime‐dependence of the multiplier. We find that spending multipliers are much higher (by about 0.7–0.9 units) during a downturn. Tax multipliers are not sensitive to the economic regime, and generally lower than spending multipliers. Finally, for all spending categories other than government consumption, the multiplier significantly exceeds one during downturns.
Aversion to and Understanding of God Talk in the Public Sphere: A Survey Experiment
Authors: Evans John H.
Published: March 2018

“God talk” occurs when a member of the public gives religious reasons for a policy claim. The legitimacy of God talk is the subject of great debate among sociological and political theorists of the public sphere. There has never been an empirical study of the general public's views of the legitimacy of God talk itself. Using a vignette survey experiment, I find among the overall public that there is a statistically significant but extremely small degree of aversion to hearing God talk. Additionally, respondents claim to be able to understand God talk just as well as claims justified by science. Aversion to hearing and understanding God talk do differ by the religion of the respondent. I conclude with a discussion of how these results may influence theoretical debate about the public sphere.
Factors Driving Aquaculture Technology Adoption
Authors: Kumar Ganesh , Engle Carole , Tucker Craig
Published: March 2018

Technology adoption has played a key role in the global development and increase in agricultural productivity. However, the decision to adopt a new technology on farms is complex. While the factors that drive the adoption of new technologies have been well studied in agriculture, less attention has been paid to drivers of technology adoption in aquaculture. Aquacultural technologies have developed and advanced rapidly in recent decades, but not all technologies have been adopted readily by farmers. This review paper summarizes some of the critical factors that influence aquaculture technology adoption decisions such as: (1) method of information transfer, (2) characteristics of the technology, (3) farm characteristics, (4) economic factors, and (5) sociodemographic and institutional factors. Fish farmers have tended to adopt technologies that are perceived to be more advantageous than others in terms of productivity, cost efficiency, and ease of management. Price of aquaculture products and profit expectations from business ventures were key economic factors influencing adoption decisions. Given the wide array of species, production practices, and global nature of aquaculture, the intensity and the extent of adoption of technologies depend on the nature of the industry in which they are adopted and their economic, social, political, and regulatory environments.
The role of advanced geriatric nurses in Norway: A descriptive exploratory study
Authors: Henni Silje Havrevold , Kirkevold Marit , Antypas Konstantinos , Foss Christina
Published: March 2018

Background

Care of older adults in the community is becoming increasingly complex. However, nursing staff often has insufficient knowledge and skills to adequately address the needs of frail older adults. There is therefore a need for nurses with advanced qualifications. To meet this need, advanced geriatric nursing has been introduced in Norway.

Aims and Objectives

This study aimed to describe the experiences of nurses with their new role as advanced geriatric nurses in care of older adults and to determine what strategies the nurses considered important in the development of their new role.

Design

This study applied a descriptive, exploratory design.

Methods

In‐depth interviews were conducted with 21 nurses who had undergone an educational programme to become advanced geriatric nurses in Norway in 2016. Content analysis was used to analyse the data.

Findings

The participants described a complex and extensive nursing role, which they related to a new understanding of the patients, relatives and the system in which they worked. This new gaze had developed based on a combination of their new knowledge, their skills, experiences and professional interests. The opportunities to use their role depended on their workplace conditions. They related to contextual challenges at their workplace in different ways to optimise the use of their new gaze.

Conclusions

Common for all participants was a broader and deeper understanding of the patient's health and life situation, which guided participants' actions. The key issue in developing the new role was developing effective strategies to foster role integration.

Implications for Practice

Advanced geriatric nurses should collaborate with their managers to create a role that takes advantage of their knowledge and skills, as well as collaborate with colleagues to enhance understanding of utilisation of their role.
Rethinking the Principle of Fair Play
Authors: Tosi Justin
Published: March 2018

The principle of fair play is widely thought to require simply that costs and benefits be distributed fairly. This gloss on the principle, while not entirely inaccurate, has invited a host of popular objections based on misunderstandings about fair play. Central to many of these objections is a failure to treat the principle of fair play as a transactional principle – one that allocates special obligations and rights among persons as a result of their interactions. I offer an interpretation of the principle of fair play that emphasizes its similarities to another transactional principle: consent. This interpretation reveals that playing fair requires one to reciprocate specifically by following the rules of the cooperative scheme from which one benefits, just as consent requires one to act according to the terms of an agreement. I then draw on the comparison with consent to reply to some popular and persistent objections to the principle.
Positive emotion in distress as a potentially effective emotion regulation strategy for depression: A preliminary investigation
Authors: Yamaguchi Keiko , Ito Masaya , Takebayashi Yoshitake
Published: March 2018

Objectives

Emotion regulation utilizing positive emotion during negative emotional states might be one of the effective ways to alleviate depression and anxiety problems among people with emotional disorders. This study examined the psychometric properties and incremental validity of the Positive Emotion In Distress Scale (PEIDS), a newly developed self‐report scale, in a sample of university students in Japan.

Design and methods

To examine the psychometric properties of the PEIDS, the scale was completed by Japanese university students (396 men and 363 women; mean age of 19.92). Participants additionally answered the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Rumination and Reflection Questionnaire – Shorter Version, Affective Style Questionnaire, Positive and Negative Affective Schedule, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The survey was conducted at two time points separated by 1 month to assess test–retest reliability and validity of the PEIDS.

Results

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed a one‐factor structure. Reliability was confirmed by high internal consistency and test–retest stability; the convergent and discriminant validity was confirmed by correlations with related and unrelated variables. The results of hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that positive emotion in distress might predict depression above and beyond the effect of baseline depression and other common emotion regulation strategies.

Conclusions

The PEIDS showed acceptable reliability and validity within young adults and a non‐clinical population in Japan. Further research will be needed to examine the effect of positive emotion among clinical populations.

Practitioner points

Previous research suggests that positive emotions play a key role in recovery from depression and anxiety problems through some forms of psychotherapy.

The Positive Emotion In Distress Scale (PEIDS) measures individual differences regarding the extent to which people can experience positive emotions in negative emotional states.

Results suggested that the subjective rating of the ability to experience positive emotions in distress might alleviate depression prospectively but not anxiety problems.

The effect of positive emotion in distress demonstrated to have beyond the effects of other emotion regulation strategies.
Executive control of bureaucracy and presidential cabinet appointments in East Asian democracies
Authors: Lee Don S.
Published: March 2018

This article examines the role of cabinet appointments in controlling the bureaucracy in presidential democracies. I demonstrate how administrative challenges stemming from the structure of the bureaucracy shape presidential choice of ministers. Analyzing a sample of four East Asian cases from 1986 through 2013, I find that presidents are more likely to select ministers from the civil service as bureaucracies are more professionalized, controlling for several political factors. Further evidence from qualitative interviews and case studies suggests that, in professionalized systems equipped with a sizable pool of talent but lacking responsiveness, presidents tend to promote ideologically aligned senior civil servants. However, in politicized systems, where presidents easily obtain responsiveness but face a low level of competence, policy experts tend to be selected from outside the bureaucracy. My findings have important implications for the regulatory governance and state capacity of East Asia, demonstrating the value of balancing between responsiveness and competence.
Forecasting Gross Domestic Product Growth with large Unbalanced Data Sets: The Mixed Frequency Three-pass Regression Filter
Authors: Hepenstrick Christian , Marcellino Massimiliano
Published: March 2018

Gross domestic product (GDP) is a key summary of macroeconomic conditions and it is closely monitored both by policy makers and by decision makers in the private sector. However, it is only available on a quarterly frequency, and in many countries it is released with a substantial delay. There are, however, many higher frequency and more timely economic and financial indicators that could be used for nowcasting and short-term forecasting GDP. Against this backdrop, we propose a modification of the three-pass regression filter to make it applicable to large mixed frequency data sets with ragged edges in a forecasting context. The resulting method, labelled MF-3PRF, is very simple but compares well with alternative mixed frequency factor estimation procedures in terms of theoretical properties and actual GDP nowcasting and forecasting for the USA and a variety of other countries.
Slow Growth and Sluggish Manufacturing in Indonesia’s Less Competitive Provinces: A Geweke Causality Analysis
Authors: Giap Tan Khee , Amri Mulya
Published: March 2018

This article presents a causality analysis of lagging economic growth in two Indonesian provinces: East Nusa Tenggara and North Maluku. We identify three variables which stand out for some of Indonesia’s economically challenged provinces: consistently low gross domestic product (GDP) growth, low levels of manufacturing, and under-utilisation of labour. Using Geweke causality analysis, we identify and measure the direction of causal effects between these variables. Our empirical findings confirm that output growth is affected by the level of value addition in economic activities and the productivity of human resources. We find that both the secondary sector’s contribution to gross regional development product (GRDP) and labour productivity contribute to the changes in overall provincial GRDP, but not the other way around. Such findings suggest that development in Indonesia’s economically challenged provinces would benefit greatly from expansion of appropriate manufacturing and value added activities, and more productive utilization of labour force in full employment situations.
The Continual Cultural, Societal and Religious Relevance of Augustine’s City of God
Authors: Cox Anna M.
Published: March 2018

In every culture and society there are basic fundamental, relevant aspects that are at the core of that society and culture. It is through one of Christianity’s greatest Bishops and writer, St. Augustine, and his work The City of God that his metaphor of the heavenly and the Earthly City examines some the most fundamentally profound aspects to a society and culture. It is through examining The City of God that one can see how profoundly and fundamentally influential and relevant these aspects of civil obedience, natural law, justice, virtue, free will and grace are in medieval history and religion. Furthermore in such an evaluation of The City of God it is evident that Augustine’s work of the City of God and these fundamentally influential and relevant cultural and societal aspects in medieval times are arguably equally as influential and revenant in modern times, society and culture as they were during St. Augustines day and Medieval times, culture and society.
Irreducibility of polynomials over global fields is diophantine
Authors: Dittmann Philip
Published: March 2018

Given a global field $K$ and a positive integer $n$, we present a diophantine criterion for a polynomial in one variable of degree $n$ over $K$ not to have a root in $K$. This strengthens a result by Colliot-Thélène and Van Geel [Compositio Math. 151 (2015), 1965–1980] stating that the set of non-$n$th powers in a number field $K$ is diophantine. We also deduce a diophantine criterion for a polynomial over $K$ of given degree in a given number of variables to be irreducible. Our approach is based on a generalisation of the quaternion method used by Poonen and Koenigsmann for first-order definitions of $\mathbb{Z}$ in $\mathbb{Q}$.
The myth of the immature barrier systems in the developing brain: role in perinatal brain injury
Authors: Mallard Carina , Ek C. Joakim , Vexler Zinaida S.
Published: March 2018

Central nervous system homeostasis is maintained by cellular barriers that protect the brain from external environmental changes and protect the CNS from harmful molecules and pathogens in the blood. Historically, for many years these barriers were thought of as immature, with limited functions, during brain development. In this review, we will present advances in the understanding of the barrier systems during development and evidence to show that in fact the barriers serve many important neurodevelopmental functions and that fetal and newborn brains are well protected. We will also discuss how ischaemic injury or systemic inflammation may breach the integrity of the barriers in the developing brain.

image
Hormone‐sensitive lipase preferentially redistributes to lipid droplets associated with perilipin‐5 in human skeletal muscle during moderate‐intensity exercise
Authors: Whytock Katie L. , Shepherd Sam O. , Wagenmakers Anton J. M. , Strauss Juliette A.
Published: March 2018

Key points

Hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) are the key enzymes involved in intramuscular triglyceride (IMTG) lipolysis.

In isolated rat skeletal muscle, HSL translocates to IMTG‐containing lipid droplets (LDs) following electrical stimulation, but whether HSL translocation occurs in human skeletal muscle during moderate‐intensity exercise is currently unknown.

Perilipin‐2 (PLIN2) and perilipin‐5 (PLIN5) proteins have been implicated in regulating IMTG lipolysis by interacting with HSL and ATGL in cell culture and rat skeletal muscle studies.

This study investigated the hypothesis that HSL (but not ATGL) redistributes to LDs during moderate‐intensity exercise in human skeletal muscle, and whether the localisation of these lipases with LDs was affected by the presence of PLIN proteins on the LDs.

HSL preferentially redistributed to PLIN5‐associated LDs whereas ATGL distribution was not altered with exercise; this is the first study to illustrate the pivotal step of HSL redistribution to PLIN5‐associated LDs following moderate‐intensity exercise in human skeletal muscle.

Hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) control skeletal muscle lipolysis. ATGL is present on the surface of lipid droplets (LDs) containing intramuscular triglyceride (IMTG) in both the basal state and during exercise. HSL translocates to LD in ex vivo electrically stimulated rat skeletal muscle. Perilipin‐2‐ and perilipin‐5‐associated lipid droplets (PLIN2+ and PLIN5+ LDs) are preferentially depleted during exercise in humans, indicating that these PLINs may control muscle lipolysis. We aimed to test the hypothesis that in human skeletal muscle in vivo HSL (but not ATGL) is redistributed to PLIN2+ and PLIN5+ LDs during moderate‐intensity exercise. Muscle biopsies from 8 lean trained males (age 21 ± 1 years, BMI 22.6 ± 1.2 kg m−2 and 48.2 ± 5.0 ml min−1 kg−1) were obtained before and immediately following 60 min of cycling exercise at ∼59% . Cryosections were stained using antibodies targeting ATGL, HSL, PLIN2 and PLIN5. LDs were stained using BODIPY 493/503. Images were obtained using confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and object‐based colocalisation analyses were performed. Following exercise, HSL colocalisation to LDs increased (P < 0.05), and was significantly greater to PLIN5+ LDs (+53%) than to PLIN5− LDs (+34%) (P < 0.05), while the increases in HSL colocalisation to PLIN2+ LDs (+16%) and PLIN2− LDs (+28%) were not significantly different. Following exercise, the fraction of LDs colocalised with ATGL (0.53 ± 0.04) did not significantly change (P < 0.05) and was not affected by PLIN association to the LDs. This study presents the first evidence of exercise‐induced HSL redistribution to LDs in human skeletal muscle and identifies PLIN5 as a facilitator of this mechanism.
Clinical and Genetic Risk Factors for Biofilm-Forming Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Luther Megan K. , Parente Diane M. , Caffrey Aisling R. , Daffinee Kathryn E. , Lopes Vrishali V. , Martin Emily T. , LaPlante Kerry L.
Published: March 2018

The molecular and clinical factors associated with biofilm-forming methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) are incompletely understood. Biofilm production for 182 MRSA isolates obtained from clinical culture sites (2004 to 2013) was quantified. Microbiological toxins, pigmentation, and genotypes were evaluated, and patient demographics were collected. Logistic regression was used to quantify the effect of strong biofilm production (versus weak biofilm production) on clinical outcomes and independent predictors of a strong biofilm. Of the isolates evaluated, 25.8% (47/182) produced strong biofilms and 40.7% (74/182) produced weak biofilms. Strong biofilm-producing isolates were more likely to be from multilocus sequence typing (MLST) clonal complex 8 (CC8) (34.0% versus 14.9%;
P
= 0.01) but less likely to be from MLST CC5 (48.9% versus 73.0%;
P
= 0.007). Predictors for strong biofilms were
spa
type t008 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21 to 17.1) and receipt of chemotherapy or immunosuppressants in the previous 90 days (aOR, 33.6; 95% CI, 1.68 to 673). Conversely, patients with high serum creatinine concentrations (aOR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.15 to 0.72) or who previously received vancomycin (aOR, 0.03; 95% CI, 0.002 to 0.39) were less likely to harbor strong biofilm-producing MRSA. Beta-toxin-producing isolates (aOR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.89) and isolates with
spa
type t895 (aOR, 0.02 95% CI, <0.001 to 0.47) were less likely to produce strong biofilms. Patient outcomes also varied between the two groups. Specifically, patients with strong biofilm-forming MRSA were significantly more likely to be readmitted within 90 days (aOR, 5.43; 95% CI, 1.69 to 17.4) but tended to have decreased 90-day mortality (aOR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.12 to 1.06). Patients that harbored t008 and received immunosuppressants were more likely to have strong biofilm-producing MRSA isolates. Clinically, patients with strong biofilm-forming MRSA were less likely to die at 90 days but five times more likely to be readmitted.
In Vitro
Antifungal Activity of Novel Triazole Efinaconazole and Five Comparators against Dermatophyte Isolates
Authors: Rezaei-Matehkolaei Ali , Khodavaisy Sadegh , Alshahni Mohamad Mahdi , Tamura Takashi , Satoh Kazuo , Abastabar Mahdi , Shokoohi Gholam Reza , Ahmadi Bahram , Kord Mohammad , Taghipour Simin , Makimura Koichi , Badali Hamid
Published: March 2018

The objective of this study was to assess the
in vitro
activity of the novel triazole antifungal drug, efinaconazole, and five comparators (luliconazole, lanoconazole, terbinafine, itraconazole, and fluconazole) against a large collection of
Trichophyton interdigitale
and
Trichophyton rubrum
clinical isolates. The geometric mean MICs were the lowest for luliconazole (0.0005 μg/ml), followed by lanoconazole (0.002 μg/ml), efinaconazole (0.007 μg/ml), terbinafine (0.011 μg/ml), itraconazole (0.095 μg/ml), and fluconazole (12.77 μg/ml). It appears that efinaconazole, lanoconazole, and luliconazole are promising candidates for the treatment of dermatophytosis due to
T. interdigitale
and
T. rubrum
.
A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter Study To Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Intravenous Iclaprim versus Vancomycin for Treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections Suspected or Confirmed To Be Due to Gram-Positive Pathogens (REVIVE-2 Study)
Authors: Holland Thomas L. , O'Riordan William , McManus Alison , Shin Elliot , Borghei Ali , File Thomas M. , Wilcox Mark H. , Torres Antoni , Dryden Matthew , Lodise Thomas , Oguri Toyoko , Corey G. Ralph , McLeroth Patrick , Shukla Rajesh , Huang David B.
Published: March 2018

Iclaprim is a novel diaminopyrimidine antibiotic that may be an effective and safe treatment for serious skin infections. The safety and effectiveness of iclaprim were assessed in a global phase 3, double-blind, randomized, active-controlled trial. Six hundred thirteen adults with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) suspected or confirmed to be due to Gram-positive pathogens were randomized to iclaprim (80 mg) or vancomycin (15 mg/kg of body weight), both of which were administered intravenously every 12 h for 5 to 14 days. The primary endpoint was a ≥20% reduction in lesion size compared with that at the baseline at 48 to 72 h after the start of administration of study drug in the intent-to-treat population. Among patients randomized to iclaprim, 78.3% (231 of 295) met this primary endpoint, whereas 76.7% (234 of 305) of those receiving vancomycin met this primary endpoint (difference, 1.58%; 95% confidence interval, −5.10% to 8.26%). This met the prespecified 10% noninferiority margin. Iclaprim was well tolerated, with most adverse events being categorized as mild. In conclusion, iclaprim was noninferior to vancomycin in this phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. On the basis of these results, iclaprim may be an efficacious and safe treatment for skin infections suspected or confirmed to be due to Gram-positive pathogens. (This trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT02607618.)
Characterization of an M-Cluster-Substituted Nitrogenase VFe Protein
Authors: Rebelein Johannes G. , Lee Chi Chung , Newcomb Megan , Hu Yilin , Ribbe Markus W.
Published: March 2018

The Mo- and V-nitrogenases are two homologous members of the nitrogenase family that are distinguished mainly by the presence of different heterometals (Mo or V) at their respective cofactor sites (M- or V-cluster). However, the V-nitrogenase is ~600-fold more active than its Mo counterpart in reducing CO to hydrocarbons at ambient conditions. Here, we expressed an M-cluster-containing, hybrid V-nitrogenase in
Azotobacter vinelandii
and compared it to its native, V-cluster-containing counterpart in order to assess the impact of protein scaffold and cofactor species on the differential reactivities of Mo- and V-nitrogenases toward CO. Housed in the VFe protein component of V-nitrogenase, the M-cluster displayed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) features similar to those of the V-cluster and demonstrated an ~100-fold increase in hydrocarbon formation activity from CO reduction, suggesting a significant impact of protein environment on the overall CO-reducing activity of nitrogenase. On the other hand, the M-cluster was still ~6-fold less active than the V-cluster in the same protein scaffold, and it retained its inability to form detectable amounts of methane from CO reduction, illustrating a fine-tuning effect of the cofactor properties on this nitrogenase-catalyzed reaction. Together, these results provided important insights into the two major determinants for the enzymatic activity of CO reduction while establishing a useful framework for further elucidation of the essential catalytic elements for the CO reactivity of nitrogenase.

IMPORTANCE
This is the first report on the
in vivo
generation and
in vitro
characterization of an M-cluster-containing V-nitrogenase hybrid. The “normalization” of the protein scaffold to that of the V-nitrogenase permits a direct comparison between the cofactor species of the Mo- and V-nitrogenases (M- and V-clusters) in CO reduction, whereas the discrepancy between the protein scaffolds of the Mo- and V-nitrogenases (MoFe and VFe proteins) housing the same cofactor (M-cluster) allows for an effective assessment of the impact of the protein environment on the CO reactivity of nitrogenase. The results of this study provide a first look into the “weighted” contributions of protein environment and cofactor properties to the overall activity of CO reduction; more importantly, they establish a useful platform for further investigation of the structural elements attributing to the CO-reducing activity of nitrogenase.
QStatin, a Selective Inhibitor of Quorum Sensing in
Vibrio
Species
Authors: Kim Byoung Sik , Jang Song Yee , Bang Ye-ji , Hwang Jungwon , Koo Youngwon , Jang Kyung Ku , Lim Dongyeol , Kim Myung Hee , Choi Sang Ho
Published: March 2018

Pathogenic
Vibrio
species cause diseases in diverse marine animals reared in aquaculture. Since their pathogenesis, persistence, and survival in marine environments are regulated by quorum sensing (QS), QS interference has attracted attention as a means to control these bacteria in aquatic settings. A few QS inhibitors of
Vibrio
species have been reported, but detailed molecular mechanisms are lacking. Here, we identified a novel, potent, and selective
Vibrio
QS inhibitor, named QStatin [1-(5-bromothiophene-2-sulfonyl)-1H-pyrazole], which affects
Vibrio harveyi
LuxR homologues, the well-conserved master transcriptional regulators for QS in
Vibrio
species. Crystallographic and biochemical analyses showed that QStatin binds tightly to a putative ligand-binding pocket in SmcR, the LuxR homologue in
V. vulnificus
, and changes the flexibility of the protein, thereby altering its transcription regulatory activity. Transcriptome analysis revealed that QStatin results in SmcR dysfunction, affecting the expression of SmcR regulon required for virulence, motility/chemotaxis, and biofilm dynamics. Notably, QStatin attenuated representative QS-regulated phenotypes in various
Vibrio
species, including virulence against the brine shrimp (
Artemia franciscana
). Together, these results provide molecular insights into the mechanism of action of an effective, sustainable QS inhibitor that is less susceptible to resistance than other antimicrobial agents and useful in controlling the virulence of
Vibrio
species in aquacultures.

IMPORTANCE
Yields of aquaculture, such as penaeid shrimp hatcheries, are greatly affected by vibriosis, a disease caused by pathogenic
Vibrio
infections. Since bacterial cell-to-cell communication, known as quorum sensing (QS), regulates pathogenesis of
Vibrio
species in marine environments, QS inhibitors have attracted attention as alternatives to conventional antibiotics in aquatic settings. Here, we used target-based high-throughput screening to identify QStatin, a potent and selective inhibitor of
V. harveyi
LuxR homologues, which are well-conserved master QS regulators in
Vibrio
species. Structural and biochemical analyses revealed that QStatin binds tightly to a putative ligand-binding pocket on SmcR, the LuxR homologue in
V. vulnificus
, and affects expression of QS-regulated genes. Remarkably, QStatin attenuated diverse QS-regulated phenotypes in various
Vibrio
species, including pathogenesis against brine shrimp, with no impact on bacterial viability. Taken together, the results suggest that QStatin may be a sustainable antivibriosis agent useful in aquacultures.
Host-Microbe Interactions in Airway Disease: toward Disease Mechanisms and Novel Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Cope Emily K.
Published: March 2018

Despite growing efforts to understand the role of the microbiota in airway disease, mechanisms that link microbial community dysbiosis to chronic inflammation remain elusive. Our laboratory is interested in how altered microbiota composition or function influences airway inflammatory diseases, including chronic rhinosinusitis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis.
Evaluating practical support stroke survivors get with medicines and unmet needs in primary care: a survey
Authors: Jamison James , Ayerbe Luis , Di Tanna Gian Luca , Sutton Stephen , Mant Jonathan , De Simoni Anna
Published: March 2018

Objectives

To design a questionnaire and use it to explore unmet needs with practical aspects of medicine taking after stroke, predictors of medicine taking and to estimate the proportion of survivors who get support with daily medication taking.

Design

Four workshops with stroke survivors and caregivers to design the questionnaire.

A cross-sectional postal questionnaire in primary care.

Setting

18 general practitioner practices in the East of England and London. Questionnaires posted between September 2016 and February 2017.

Participants

1687 stroke survivors living in the community outside institutional long-term care.

Primary outcome measures

The proportion of community stroke survivors receiving support from caregivers for practical aspects of medicine taking; the proportion with unmet needs in this respect; the predictors of experiencing unmet needs and missing taking medications.

Results

A five-item questionnaire was developed to cover the different aspects of medicine taking. 596/1687 (35%) questionnaires were returned. 56% reported getting help in at least one aspect of taking medication and 11% needing more help. 35% reported missing taking their medicines. Unmet needs were associated with receiving help with medications (OR 5.9, P<0.001), being on a higher number of medications (OR 1.2, P<0.001) and being dependent for activities of daily living (OR 4.9, P=0.001). Missing medication was associated with having unmet needs (OR 5.3, P<0.001), receiving help with medications (OR 2.1, P<0.001), being on a higher number of medicines (OR 1.1, P=0.008) and being older than 70 years (OR 0.6, P=0.006).

Conclusions

More than half of patients who replied needed help with taking medication, and 1 in 10 had unmet needs in this regard. Stroke survivors dependent on others have more unmet needs, are more likely to miss medicines and might benefit from focused clinical and research attention. Novel primary care interventions focusing on the practicalities of taking medicines are warranted.
What factors are critical to attracting NHS foundation doctors into specialty or core training? A discrete choice experiment
Authors: Scanlan Gillian Marion , Cleland Jennifer , Johnston Peter , Walker Kim , Krucien Nicolas , Skåtun Diane
Published: March 2018

Objectives

Multiple personal and work-related factors influence medical trainees’ career decision-making. The relative value of these diverse factors is under-researched, yet this intelligence is crucially important for informing medical workforce planning and retention and recruitment policies. Our aim was to investigate the relative value of UK doctors’ preferences for different training post characteristics during the time period when they either apply for specialty or core training or take time out.

Methods

We developed a discrete choice experiment (DCE) specifically for this population. The DCE was distributed to all Foundation Programme Year 2 (F2) doctors across Scotland as part of the National Career Destination Survey in June 2016. The main outcome measure was the monetary value of training post characteristics, based on willingness to forgo additional potential income and willingness to accept extra income for a change in each job characteristic calculated from regression coefficients.

Results

677/798 F2 doctors provided usable DCE responses. Location was the most influential characteristic of a training position, followed closely by supportive culture and then working conditions. F2 doctors would need to be compensated by an additional 45.75% above potential earnings to move from a post in a desirable location to one in an undesirable location. Doctors who applied for a training post placed less value on supportive culture and excellent working conditions than those who did not apply. Male F2s valued location and a supportive culture less than female F2s.

Conclusion

This is the first study focusing on the career decision-making of UK doctors at a critical careers decision-making point. Both location and specific job-related attributes are highly valued by F2 doctors when deciding their future. This intelligence can inform workforce policy to focus their efforts in terms of making training posts attractive to this group of doctors to enhance recruitment and retention.
Comparative efficacy and acceptability of psychotherapies for post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents: study protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Yuqing , Zhou Xinyu , Yang Lining , Hetrick Sarah E , Weisz John R , Cuijpers Pim , Barth Jürgen , Del Giovane Cinzia , Yuan Shuai , Cohen David , Gillies Donna , Jiang Xiaofeng , Teng Teng , Xie Peng
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among children and adolescents who are exposed to trauma, and it is often associated with significant negative impacts on their psychosocial functioning and quality of life. Many types of psychotherapies have been found to be effective for PTSD in children and adolescents. However, due to the lack of direct comparisons between different psychotherapies, the hierarchy of treatment efficacy is still unclear. Therefore, we plan to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of various types of psychotherapies for PTSD in children and adolescents.

Methods and analysis

A systematic search will be conducted among eight electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress (PILOTS) and ProQuest Dissertations, from inception to October 2017. Randomised controlled trials, regardless of language, publication year and publication type, comparing any psychotherapies for PTSD to any control condition or alternative treatment in children and adolescents (18 years old or less) diagnosed with full or subclinical PTSD will be included. Study duration and the number of treatment sessions will not be limited. The primary outcome will be PTSD symptom severity at post-treatment as measured by a rating scale reported by the child, parent or a clinician. The secondary outcomes will include: (1) efficacy at follow-up; (2) acceptability (all-cause discontinuation); (3) anxiety symptom severity; (4) depressive symptom severity and (5) quality of life and functional improvement. Bayesian network meta-analyses for all relative outcome measures will be performed. We will conduct subgroup and sensitivity network meta-analyses to determine whether the findings are affected by study characteristics. The quality of the evidence contributing to network estimates of the primary outcome will be evaluated by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework.

Ethics and dissemination

No ethical issues are foreseen. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, which will be disseminated electronically and in print. This network meta-analysis may be updated to inform and guide the clinical management of PTSD in children and adolescents.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42016051786.
Predicting Model and Algorithm in RNA Folding Structure Including Pseudoknots
Authors: Liu Zhendong , Zhu Daming , Dai Qionghai
Published: March 2018

The prediction of RNA structure with pseudoknots is a nondeterministic polynomial-time hard (NP-hard) problem; according to minimum free energy models and computational methods, we investigate the RNA-pseudoknotted structure. Our paper presents an efficient algorithm for predicting RNA structure with pseudoknots, and the algorithm takes O([Formula: see text]) time and O([Formula: see text]) space, the experimental tests in Rfam10.1 and PseudoBase indicate that the algorithm is more effective and precise. The predicting accuracy, the time complexity and space complexity outperform existing algorithms, such as Maximum Weight Matching (MWM) algorithm, PKNOTS algorithm and Inner Limiting Layer (ILM) algorithm, and the algorithm can predict arbitrary pseudoknots. And there exists a [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) polynomial time approximation scheme in searching maximum number of stackings, and we give the proof of the approximation scheme in RNA-pseudoknotted structure. We have improved several types of pseudoknots considered in RNA folding structure, and analyze their possible transitions between types of pseudoknots.
Adaptive Algorithm for Three-Dimensional Mesh Generation Based on Constrained Delaunay
Authors: Zhou Longquan , Lu Xinming , Wang Hongjuan , Zhang Wei , Peng Yanjun , Pan Dongdong
Published: March 2018

Mesh generation is a key step for many areas. Here, an adaptive mesh generation algorithm for piecewise linear domains based on constrained Delaunay is proposed. We focus on improving the quality of the meshes generated and make them conforming to an isotropic size function which is specified by the user. The preliminary mesh with boundaries conforming is generated first. We try to add points to split the mesh either bad shape or not conforming to the size function. The new point can be added to the domain only if it is not close to the existing point in the domain. Finally, local meshes are reconstructed to make all meshes comply with the constrained Delaunay. Experimental comparisons show that the new algorithm is advantageous in generating adaptive mesh. The presented method can be used in a wide range of areas such as computer vision, finite element method and many other areas.
SELF-SIMILAR SPACE-FILLING SPHERE PACKINGS IN THREE AND FOUR DIMENSIONS
Authors: STÄGER D. V. , HERRMANN H. J.
Published: March 2018

Inversive geometry can be used to generate exactly self-similar space-filling sphere packings. We present a construction in two dimensions and generalize this construction to search for packings in higher dimensions. We discover 29 new three-dimensional topologies of which 10 are bearings, and 13 new four-dimensional topologies of which five are bearings. To characterize the packing topologies, we estimate numerically their fractal dimensions and we analyze their contact networks.
PATTERN RECOGNITION OF MINE MICROSEISMIC AND BLASTING EVENTS BASED ON WAVE FRACTAL FEATURES
Authors: LI XUELONG , LI ZHONGHUI , WANG ENYUAN , LIANG YUNPEI , LI BAOLIN , CHEN PENG , LIU YONGJIE
Published: March 2018

A microseismic (MS) monitoring system in a mine can monitor the MS signals generated by coal rock rupture and blasting waves and can distinguish the two types of waves more clearly to monitor and analyze the rupture and evolution process of coal rock. According to the nonlinearity characteristics of the waveform, the fractal characteristics of a mine’s MS and blasting waves are analyzed by simple fractal and multifractal theory, and the simple fractal dimension [Formula: see text] and multifractal parameters are obtained, respectively. Results show that the simple fractal dimension [Formula: see text] reflects the complexity and frequency structure of the wave. The simple fractal dimension [Formula: see text] of a blasting wave is larger than that of a mine MS wave, which indicates that the blasting wave is relatively complex with higher frequency, while the mine MS wave is relatively simple with lower frequency. However, the simple fractal dimension [Formula: see text] can only describe the wave integrity features, not the local features. The multifractal parameters can describe the local characteristics of the wave more finely, and the multifractal spectrum describes the probability information of the singularity exponent [Formula: see text]. The singularity exponential range and multifractal spectral width [Formula: see text] of the blasting wave are smaller than those of the mine MS wave, which indicates that the probability measure of distribution unevenness and the degree of partial parameter fluctuation of the blasting wave are more severe than those of the mine MS wave. Wave signal analysis based on simple fractal and multifractal methods can not only obtain the characteristics of the wave strength and spectral structure but also other important information, such as local singularity. Therefore, it is possible to more clearly and conspicuously identify mine MS and blasting waves, so that coal rock rupture can be monitored more accurately.
FRACTAL ANALYSIS OF AMPHIBOLE AGGREGATION GROWTH FROM A BASALTIC MELT AND RESIDUAL MELT AT HIGH PRESSURE AND HIGH TEMPERATURE
Authors: HU XIANXU , ZHANG BO , TANG QIZHE , XU JINGUI , FAN DAWEI , ZHOU WENGE
Published: March 2018

The aim of this work is to quantitatively explore the texture evolution of amphibole aggregation and residual melt with pressure and temperature. The amphibole aggregation growth from a basaltic melt and the residual melt at high pressure (0.6–2.6[Formula: see text]GPa) and high temperature (860–970[Formula: see text]C) exhibit statistical self-similarity which made us consider studying such characteristic by fractal analysis. The bi-phase box counting method was applied for fractal analysis of each product to identify the fractal phase and the fractal dimension was estimated. In the experimental products, the residual melt is identified as the fractal and amphibole as the Euclidean except for one experiment. The results show that the residual melt can be quantified by the fractal dimension [Formula: see text] within the range of 1.782–1.848. The temperature has a significant effect on the morphology of amphibole and the fractal dimension of the residual melt. The higher the crystallization temperature is, the more regular the amphibole grains are. At lower temperature (from 860[Formula: see text]C to 915[Formula: see text]C), the fractal dimension of the residual melt decreased with the increasing crystallization temperature, but at higher temperature (970[Formula: see text]C), the fractal phase changed to amphibole and the fractal dimension of amphibole is 1.816. The pressure may be the dominant factor that controls the morphology of the mineral aggregation and the residual melt. The fractal dimension of melt decreased linearly with the increasing pressure and if the linear relationship between the fractal dimension and pressure can be further verified in the future, it can be used as a potential geological barometer.
FRACTAL MODEL OF GAS DIFFUSION IN FRACTURED POROUS MEDIA
Authors: ZHENG QIAN , FAN JINTU , LI XIANGPENG , WANG SHIFANG
Published: March 2018

Understanding gas transport behavior though fractured porous media is essential in many fields including fiber science, energy science, soil science, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, etc. In this paper, a fractal model is developed to characterize gas diffusion through fractured porous media, where a bundle of fractal-like tree branching networks is used to represent the fracture system according to fractal scaling laws. The analytical expression for relative gas diffusion coefficient of fractured porous media is derived. The proposed fractal model has been validated by the available experimental data and empirical correlations. From the parametrical study, it can be seen that structural parameters of fractured porous media (for example porosity, the fractal dimension, the diameter ratio, the length ratio and the branching angle) have a significant effect on equivalent gas transport properties. Gas relative diffusion coefficient has a positive correlation with the porosity, the pore size fractal dimension, or the diameter ratio, whereas it has a negative correlation with the length ratio, the branching levels, or the branching angle. The proposed fractal model does not only shed light on gas transport physics of fractured porous media, but also reveals more mechanisms than experimental measurements.
AN ANALYTICAL MODEL FOR TWO-PHASE RELATIVE PERMEABILITY WITH JAMIN EFFECT IN POROUS MEDIA
Authors: LIANG MINGCHAO , GAO YINHAO , YANG SHANSHAN , XIAO BOQI , WANG ZHANKUI , LI YONGFENG
Published: March 2018

Jamin effect, which is a capillary pressure obstructing the drop/bubble flow through the narrow throat, has an important effect on the multiphase flow in the low permeability reservoir porous media. In this work, a novel model for the relative permeability with Jamin effect is developed to study the two-phase flow through porous media based on the fractal theory. The proposed relative permeability is expressed as a function of the applied pressure difference, shape parameters of the drop/bubble, the physical parameters of the wetting and nonwetting fluids, and microstructural parameters of porous media. Good agreement between model predictions and available experimental data is obtained, and the advantage of the present fractal model can be highlighted by comparisons with the empirical model predictions. Additionally, the influences of Jamin effect on the two-phase relative permeability are discussed comprehensively and in detail. The model reveals that the length ratios ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) have significant effects on the relative permeabilities. It is also found that the nonwetting phase relative permeability strongly depends on the interfacial tension, applied pressure difference, viscosity ratio and porosity of porous media at the lower wetting phase saturation. Furthermore, the fractal model will shed light on the two-phase transport mechanism of the low permeability reservoir porous media.