bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial and chemical profiles reveal a new genus and species of Neotropical termite with snapping soldiers, Palmitermes impostor (Termitidae : Termitinae)
Authors: Hellemans Simon , Bourguignon Thomas , Kyjaková Pavlína , Hanus Robert , Roisin Yves
Published: June 2017

Since the inception of Linnaean taxonomy, termite species and genus descriptions have been mostly based on the morphology of soldiers, sometimes complemented by alate characters, though these are seldom discriminant. However, narrowly soldier-based descriptions may overemphasise ancestral characters and lead to the establishment of non-monophyletic taxa. In this paper, we used an integrative taxonomic approach that incorporates the morphology of all castes, including workers, as well as molecular and chemical data, to describe Palmitermes impostor Hellemans & Roisin, 2017 (Termitidae:Termitinae), a new termite genus and species from French Guiana. Although the soldiers of P. impostor resemble those of Termes Linnaeus, 1758, the digestive tract and mandibles of workers suggest that Palmitermes is closely related to Cavitermes Emerson, 1925. The sister-group relationship between Palmitermes and Cavitermes was confirmed by a phylogenetic reconstruction based on full mitochondrial genome sequences as well as by the comparison of the profiles of cuticular hydrocarbons of workers with those of related taxa. Our study illustrates the benefits of using an integrative taxonomic approach to describe new taxa and the pitfalls of using soldier morphology as the exclusive set of characters in termite systematics.
Corrosion of 2024 alloy after ultrasonic impact cladding with iron
Authors: Vasylyev M. A. , Mordyuk B. N. , Sidorenko S. I. , Voloshko S. M. , Burmak A. P.
Published: June 2017

The iron-containing layers were produced on the 2024 alloy surface using ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) in the ambient air and argon environment. Multiple high-energy collisions of the pin of Armco-iron by the treated surface induce the iron cladding by means of solid-state welding of Fe dopants and Al substrate. SEM and EDX analysis and microhardness measurements showed a formation of oxide/intermetallic layers, which thickness ranges from 15–20 to 30–35 μm and hardness achieves ∼4 and ∼9 GPa after the argon-UIT and air-UIT processes, respectively. The polarisation tests in 3.5%NaCl medium showed that the layers are characterised by lower corrosion rates and more positive corrosion potentials than those of the original alloy owing to the formation of Alx-Fey intermetallics. The noblest behaviour was registered for the air-UIT-processed 2024 alloy.
Suffering Rights and Incorporation. The German Islam Conference and the integration of Muslims as a discursive means of their racialization
Authors: Hernández Aguilar Luis Manuel
Published: June 2017

In 2006 against the background of the increasing problematization of Muslims and Islam in Germany, the German government established the German Islam Conference. In a post 9/11 world, this was a time period shaped by the global ‘war on terror’ changes in the German naturalization law, the proliferation of racism targeting Muslims and migrants in the country, and the expansion of security apparatuses. The DIK's stated aims are the integration of Muslims in German society and the institutional integration of Islam. I argue that this latter goal to integrate Islamic institutions into existing institutional structures in Germany traps Muslim organizations in the paradox of suffering rights. On the one hand, they find it hard to refuse the additional rights associated with the institutional integration of Islam; on the other hand, integration is deployed as a site of control and regulation. This is in addition to the use of integration as a call for cooperation in national security matters and the underlying racialization of Muslims that are central to the integration project of the German government.
Concentration inequalities for a removal-driven thinning process
Authors: Klobusicky Joe , Menon Govind
Published: June 2017

We prove exponential concentration estimates and a strong law of large numbers for a particle system that is the simplest representative of a general class of models for 2D grain boundary coarsening introduced by the first author (2014). The system consists of

n
n

particles in

(
0
,
∞
)

(0,\infty )

that move at unit speed to the left. Each time a particle hits the boundary point

0
0

, it is removed from the system along with a second particle chosen uniformly from the particles in

(
0
,
∞
)

(0,\infty )

. Under the assumption that the initial empirical measure of the particle system converges weakly to a measure with density

f
0

(
x
)
∈

L
+
1

(
0
,
∞
)

f_0(x) \in L^1_+(0,\infty )

, the empirical measure of the particle system at time

t
t

is shown to converge to the measure with density

f
(
x
,
t
)

f(x,t)

, where

f
f

is the unique solution to the kinetic equation with nonlinear boundary coupling
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\begin{equation*} \partial _t f (x,t) - \partial _x f(x,t) = -\frac {f(0,t)}{\int _0^\infty f(y,t)\, dy} f(x,t), \quad 0>x > \infty , \end{equation*}

and initial condition

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=

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(
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.

The proof relies on a concentration inequality for an urn model studied by Pittel, and Maurey’s concentration inequality for Lipschitz functions on the permutation group.
Characterization of Causal Agents of a Novel Disease Inducing Brown-Black Spots on Tender Tea Leaves in China
Authors: Wang Z. H. , Zhao Z. X. , Hong N. , Ni Dejiang , Cai L. , Xu W. X. , Xiao Y. N.
Published: June 2017

A novel disease characterized by small brown-black spots (1 to 2 mm in diameter) on tender tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) has been observed in many regions of Hubei Province, China, which severely affects the yield and quality of tea. Tea leaf samples with typical symptoms were collected from three major tea-cultivation regions of Hubei, and were subjected to pathogen isolation for etiological analysis. As a result, 34 Pestalotiopsis isolates were obtained from 20 samples, and they were identified as Pestalotiopsis theae (14 isolates), P. camelliae (12), and P. clavispora (8), determined by morphologies and phylogenetic analysis based on internal transcribed spacer, and partial β-tubulin and translation elongation factor 1-alpha genes. Pathogenicity tests on detached tea leaves showed that no matter what mycelial discs or conidium suspensions were used, inoculation of the Pestalotiopsis fungi could result in small brown-black spots (1 to 2 mm in diameter) on wounded leaves, similar to those observed in the field in the sizes and colors. It also revealed that only P. theae had pathogenicity on unwounded tea leaves, and P. theae and P. clavispora showed significantly higher virulence than P. camelliae. Inoculation test with conidium suspension on intact tea leaves in the field further confirmed that P. theae as the pathogen of brown-black spots. Reisolation of the pathogens from diseased leaves confirmed that the symptom was caused by the inoculation of Pestalotiopsis fungi. The P. theae isolates responsible for brown-black spots were also compared with those for tea gray blight disease in growth rate, pathogenicity, and molecular characteristics in parallel. To our knowledge, this is the first report that the Pestalotiopsis fungi cause brown-black spot disease on tender tea leaves. The results provide important implications for the prevention and management of this economically important disease.
Patanjali: an Indian FMCG on growth path
Authors: Mehrotra Sonia , Salunkhe Uday , Chakraborty Ishani
Published: June 2017

Subject area

Strategy.

Study level/applicability

MBA.

Case overview

On 20 May 2016, the Management team at Patanjali Ayurved Limited (PAL), an Indian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, had assembled in their Haridwar office, India, to discuss their future growth plans. The team was in a celebratory mood, as their internal reports suggested the annual revenue forecasts for the year 2016-2017 to be INR 10bn, an increase of 100 per cent as compared to the previous fiscal year 2015-2016 that recorded annual revenues of INR 5bn. PAL incorporated in 2006 and co-founded by Acharya Balkrishna operated in four business segments of foods, personal care, home care and Ayurved products. The products sold under the brand name Patanjali were single-handedly promoted by Swami Ramdev (hereafter referred as Ramdev), a popular Yoga practitioner and preacher amongst the Indian masses, as well as PAL’s co-founder. Ramdev recommended PAL’s products in his yoga sessions on television and yoga shibirs which had led to huge positive “word-of-mouth” publicity for their brand Patanjali. Their fast-paced growth in less than a decade had generated a disruption in the Indian FMCG sector, resulting in a negative impact on the sales of established multinational corporations (MNCs) such as Colgate-Palmolive, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), ITC Limited (ITC), besides the domestic players such as Dabur India Ltd. and Emami Ltd. This had led their FMCG competitors to launch plans to strengthen their product portfolios so as to provide a tough competition to PAL. The management team at PAL, though confident of achieving their annual revenue targets, were apprehensive of this new competition from the big players of the FMCG sector. Were they capable of continuing their success story? Going forward what strategic steps would ensure them a sustainable growth and a market leader position? The mood turned reflective as the team pondered on some of these questions.

Expected learning outcomes

The case is structured to enable discussion on: conducting and understanding a general environment analysis and industry and competitive analysis and critically evaluating the firm’s strategic positioning and scope in a competitive environment.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy.
Compressors Asia Limited: transformation to project marketing firm?
Authors: Phadtare Milind Trivikram
Published: June 2017

Subject area

Industrial Marketing.

Study level/applicability

MBA students and participants of MDPs.

Case overview

It involves marketing of air compressors in particular and industrial equipment in general. It tries to analyse strategies on the framework of market leader strategies to facilitate growth in a challenging business environment in view of the strengths and weaknesses of the firm. It aims to identify the organizational and business model changes that may be required to be implemented in transforming a firm from a marketer of capital goods to a marketer of projects.

Expected learning outcomes

To help students/participants evaluate and select marketing strategies for a market leader under challenging business environments as well as identify important organizational and business model changes involved in transition of any firm from selling products to selling projects.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 8: Marketing.
What happened to global banking after the crisis?
Authors: Schoenmaker Dirk
Published: June 2017

Purpose

Large global banks were at the heart of the global financial crisis. In response to the crisis, the Financial Stability Board published an integrated set of policy measures, such as capital surcharges, to address the systemic and moral hazard risks associated with global systemically important banks (G-SIBs). Almost 10 years later, it is time to take stock of the impact of these measures. This paper answers three questions on what happened to the G-SIBs. First, have they shrunk in size? Second, are they better capitalised? Third, have they reduced their global reach?

Design/methodology/approach

This paper looks at the individual G-SIBs and compares the situation before the crisis with the current situation. In this methodology, the differences because of changes at individual banks and changes in the ranking within the group (composition effect) are disentangled. Data have been collected on these banks from SNL Financial (banking database) and annual reports.

Findings

First, a substantial increase in capital levels is seen, though the distribution is uneven. China and USA are leading the pact with leverage ratios (Tier 1 capital divided by total assets) of around 7 per cent for their large banks, whereas Europe and Japan are trailing behind with ratios between 4 and 5 per cent. Second, a strong composition effect is identified: a shift of business from the global European banks to the more domestic Asian banks, which are gradually increasing their global reach. The US banks keep their strong position. So, the decline in cross-border banking is largely because of a composition effect (i.e. a reshuffle of the global banking champions league) and far less due to a reduced global reach of individual banks.

Research limitations/implications

From the results on capital, recommendations are made on capital requirements (see below at social implications).

Social implications

It is noted that the euro area, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland trail behind with a leverage ratio between 4 and 5 per cent. It is recommended these countries bring the leverage ratio of their largest banks more in line with international practice.

Originality/value

The effects of the reform after the global financial crisis on the large global banks have not been researched in detail. This paper split the results by country of incorporation (home country). This gives interesting differences, which the paper relates to specific policies (or lack of policies) in these countries.
Effects of Acute–Postacute Continuity on Community Discharge and 30‐Day Rehospitalization Following Inpatient Rehabilitation
Authors: Graham James E. , Prvu Bettger Janet , Middleton Addie , Spratt Heidi , Sharma Gulshan , Ottenbacher Kenneth J.
Published: June 2017

Objective

To examine the effects of facility‐level acute–postacute continuity on probability of community discharge and 30‐day rehospitalization following inpatient rehabilitation.

Data Sources

We used national Medicare enrollment, claims, and assessment data to study 541,097 patients discharged from 1,156 inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) in 2010–2011.

Study Design

We calculated facility‐level continuity as the percentages of an IRF's patients admitted from each contributing acute care hospital. Patients were categorized into three groups: low continuity (<26 percent from same hospital that discharged the patient), medium continuity (26–75 percent from same hospital), or high continuity (>75 percent from same hospital). The multivariable models included an interaction term to examine the potential moderating effects of facility type (freestanding facility vs. hospital‐based rehabilitation unit) on the relationships between facility‐level continuity and our two outcomes: community discharge and 30‐day rehospitalization.

Principal Findings

Medicare beneficiaries in hospital‐based rehabilitation units were more likely to be referred from a high‐contributing hospital compared to those in freestanding facilities. However, the association between higher acute–postacute continuity and desirable outcomes is significantly better in freestanding rehabilitation facilities than in hospital‐based units.

Conclusions

Improving continuity is a key premise of health care reform. We found that both observed referral patterns and continuity‐related benefits differed markedly by facility type. These findings provide a starting point for health systems establishing or strengthening acute–postacute relationships to improve patient outcomes in this new era of shared accountability and public quality reporting programs.
Development and Assessment of Postcranial Sex Estimation Methods for a Guatemalan Population
Authors: Fowler Gillian , Hughes Cris
Published: June 2017

This study tests whether postcranial sex estimation methods generated from Hispanic, and mainly Mexican samples, can be successfully applied to other increasingly common migrant populations from Central America. We use a sample of postcranial data from a modern (1980s) Guatemalan Maya sample (n = 219). Results indicate a decrease in classification accuracies for previously established univariate methods when applied to the Guatemalan study sample, specifically for males whose accuracies ranged from 30 to 84%. This bias toward inaccuracies for Guatemalan males is associated with the smaller skeletal sizes for the Guatemalan sample as compared to the samples used in the tested sex estimation methods. In contrast, the tested multivariate discriminant function classification yielded less sex bias and improved classification accuracies ranging from 82 to 89%. Our results highlight which of the tested univariate and multivariate methods reach acceptable levels for accuracy for sex estimation of cases where the region of origin may include Guatemala.
Emergency airway management in Australian and New Zealand emergency departments: A multicentre descriptive study of 3710 emergency intubations
Authors: Alkhouri Hatem , Vassiliadis John , Murray Matthew , Mackenzie John , Tzannes Alex , McCarthy Sally , Fogg Toby
Published: June 2017

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe the practice of endotracheal intubation across a range of Australasian EDs.

Methods

We established a multicentre airway registry (The Australian and New Zealand Emergency Department Airway Registry [ANZEDAR]) prospectively capturing intubations from 43 Australian and New Zealand EDs over 24 months using the ANZEDAR form. Information recorded included patient demographics, intubation indications, predicted difficulty, rapid sequence induction and endotracheal intubation preparation technique, induction drugs, airway adjuncts and complications. Factors associated with first attempt success were explored.

Results

Of the 3710 intubations captured, 3533 were in adults (95.2%), 2835 (76.4%) for medical and 810 (21.8%) for trauma indications. Overall, 3127 (84.3%) patients were successfully intubated at the first attempt; the majority by ED doctors (2654 [72.1%]). A total of 10 surgical airways were performed, all of which were successful cricothyroidotomies. Propofol, thiopentone or ketamine were used with similar frequency for induction, and suxamethonium was the most often used muscle relaxant. Adverse events were reported in 964 (26%), the majority involving desaturation or hypotension.

Conclusion

Australasian ED doctors, predominantly specialist emergency physicians or trainees, perform the majority of ED intubations using rapid sequence induction as their preferred technique mainly for medical indications. First attempt success rate was not different between different types of EDs, and is comparable published international data. Complications are not infrequent, and are comparable to other published series. Monitoring and reporting of ED intubation practice will enable continued improvements in the safety of this high‐risk procedure.
Evaluation of Reference Evapotranspiration Methods in Arid, Semiarid, and Humid Regions
Authors: Gao Fei , Feng Gary , Ouyang Ying , Wang Huixiao , Fisher Daniel , Adeli Ardeshir , Jenkins Johnie
Published: June 2017

It is often necessary to find a simpler method in different climatic regions to calculate reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) since the application of the FAO‐56 Penman‐Monteith method is often restricted due to the unavailability of a comprehensive weather dataset. Seven ETo methods, namely the standard FAO‐56 Penman‐Monteith, the FAO‐24 Radiation, FAO‐24 Blaney Criddle, 1985 Hargreaves, Priestley‐Taylor, 1957 Makkink, and 1961 Turc, were applied to calculate monthly averages of daily ETo, total annual ETo, and daily ETo in an arid region at Aksu, China, in a semiarid region at Tongchuan, China, and in a humid region at Starkville, Mississippi, United States. Comparisons were made between the FAO‐56 method and the other six simple alternative methods, using the index of agreement D, modeling efficiency (EF), and root mean square error (RMSE). For the monthly averages of daily ETo, the values of D, EF, and RMSE ranged from 0.82 to 0.98, 0.55 to 0.98, and 0.23 to 1.00 mm/day, respectively. For the total annual ETo, the values of D, EF, and RMSE ranged from 0.21 to 0.91, −43.08 to 0.82, and 24.80 to 234.08 mm/year, respectively. For the daily ETo, the values of D, EF, and RMSE ranged from 0.58 to 0.97, 0.57 to 0.97, and 0.30 to 1.06 mm/day, respectively. The results showed that the Priestly‐Taylor and 1985 Hargreaves methods worked best in the arid and semiarid regions, while the 1957 Makkink worked best in the humid region.
Implications of Conceptual Channel Representation on SWAT Streamflow and Sediment Modeling
Authors: Her Younggu , Jeong Jaehak , Bieger Katrin , Rathjens Hendrik , Arnold Jeffrey , Srinivasan Raghavan
Published: June 2017

Hydrologic modeling outputs are influenced by how a watershed system is represented. Channel routing is a typical example of the mathematical conceptualization of watershed landscape and processes in hydrologic modeling. We investigated the sensitivity of accuracy, equifinality, and uncertainty of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) modeling to channel dimensions to demonstrate how a conceptual representation of a watershed system affects streamflow and sediment modeling. Results showed the amount of uncertainty and equifinality strongly responded to channel dimensions. On the other hand, the model performance did not significantly vary with the changes in the channel representation due to the degree of freedom allowed by the conceptual nature of hydrologic modeling in the parameter calibration. Such findings demonstrated good modeling performance statistics do not necessarily mean small output uncertainty, and partial improvements in the watershed representation may neither increase modeling accuracy nor reduce uncertainty. We also showed the equifinality and uncertainty of hydrologic modeling are case‐dependent rather than specific to models or regions, suggesting great caution should be used when attempting to transfer uncertainty analysis results to other modeling studies, especially for ungauged watersheds. Editor's note: This paper is part of the featured series on SWAT Applications for Emerging Hydrologic and Water Quality Challenges. See the February 2017 issue for the introduction and background to the series.
Mortality in the Waikato Hospital Systemic Sclerosis Cohort
Authors: Ooi Clement , Solanki Kamal , Lao Chunhuan , Frampton Chris , White Douglas
Published: June 2017

Objective

To characterize the causes of mortality and standardised mortality ratio in a cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods

A cohort of 132 patients enrolled at the Waikato Systemic Sclerosis Clinic was prospectively followed from 2005 to 2016. Patient demographics, diagnoses and laboratory reports were used to assess risk of mortality and generate standardised mortality ratios (SMR). Survival was analyzed using Kaplan‐Meier methods.

Results

Of the cohort of 132 patients, 20 (15%) were deceased by the end of the study period. The median age of diagnosis and death was 52 years (range 13–86) and 71 years (range 42–87) respectively. Seventy percent of deaths were SSc related and the leading causes of death were due to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), interstitial lung disease (ILD) and scleroderma renal crisis (SRC). Patients diagnosed after the age of 60 had renal or cardiac manifestations and were associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality. The overall SMR was 2.59 (95% CI 1.67–4.01) and was higher in those with diffuse versus limited SSc (6.46, 95% CI 3.08–13.54 vs. 1.93, 95% CI 1.10–3.41) and males (4.17, 95% CI 1.74–10.02 vs. 2.30, 95% CI 1.39–3.81).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated an increased risk of mortality in patients with SSc relative to that of the general population. An excess in risk was observed particularly in those with diffuse SSc and in males. Renal and cardiac involvement were found to be significant indicators of mortality and reinforces the necessity of screening for these complications.
Heme oxygenase‐1 directly binds STAT3 to control the generation of pathogenic Th17 cells during neutrophilic airway inflammation
Authors: Lin X. L. , Lv J. J. , Lv J. , Di C. X. , Zhang Y. J. , Zhou T. , Liu J. L. , Xia Z. W.
Published: June 2017

Background

Specific JAK/STAT pathways play a critical role in the functional differentiation of distinct Th subsets. Previously, we showed that HO‐1, a stress‐inducible protein, inhibits Th17 cell differentiation and alleviates neutrophilic airway inflammation, but the responsible molecular basis remains unclear.

Methods

We employed Th17‐skewing differentiation and NEA mouse models to study the role of HO‐1 in regulating IL‐6‐STAT3‐RORγt/SOCS3 signaling pathway to control Th17 cell‐mediated neutrophilic airway inflammation. The levels of cytokines and expressions of relative signaling molecules were measured by ELISA, western blot, and qPCR, respectively. Frequency of CD4+IL‐17A+, CD4+IL‐6R+, and CD4+IL‐23R+ cells was analyzed by FCM. The interaction between HO‐1 and signaling pathway‐related proteins was determined by co‐immunoprecipitation and western blot.

Results

Here, we show that hemin‐induced HO‐1 overexpression is required to mediate this process. Specifically, HO‐1 decreased STAT3 phosphorylation but not IL‐6R/IL‐23R expression or JAK1/JAK2 activation in CD4+ T cells. The effect was accompanied by co‐inhibition of SOCS3, a negative feedback factor of STAT3 activation. HO‐1 bound to three domains on STAT3 (DNA‐binding, linker, and transactivation domains) to directly regulate STAT3 activation. Conversely, either forced expression of a constitutively active STAT3 mutant or application of small‐interfering RNA (siRNA) for HO‐1 reversed these effects.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that HO‐1 exerts its inhibitory effect on Th17 cell differentiation by directly associating and blocking STAT3 phosphorylation. We speculate that hemin may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of other types of immune and pulmonary inflammatory‐related diseases.
Omalizumab effectively protects against early and late allergic responses in asthma after 4 weeks
Authors: Trischler J. , Lieb A. , Arnold M. , Schulze J. , Rosewich M. , Schubert R. , Bottoli I. , Zielen S.
Published: June 2017

Background

Omalizumab is licensed for therapy in severe allergic asthma with an effect demonstrated after 8 weeks or longer treatment. As new applications for omalizumab demand precise knowledge of the onset of effects, the objective of this study was to determine the time course of the early (EAR) and late allergic reaction (LAR).

Materials and Methods

Ten patients (IgE>300 IU/mL and <700 IU/mL) with a significant response to allergen challenge were treated with omalizumab according to the approved dosing table. Bronchial allergen provocations (BAP) were repeated at weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8.

Results

EAR was significantly reduced after 4 weeks (ΔFEV1 28% vs 11%; P<.001), eNO (86 vs 53 ppb; P<.05) and basophil activation after 2 weeks (CD63 expression 79% vs 32%, P<.05) and LAR already after 1 week (ΔFEV1 26% vs 13%, P<.05).

Conclusion

These results demonstrate the onset of protective effects earlier than previously determined, potentially improving seasonal utilization and combination with immunotherapy.
Severe postwar malnutrition did not have a negative impact on the earnings and subsequent pensions of German men born in 1945–1948
Authors: Hermanussen M , Weick S , Scheffler C
Published: June 2017

Aim

Poverty has often been associated with malnutrition, stunted growth, impaired cognitive development and poor earnings. We studied whether these associations were found in German men born and raised shortly after World War II during severe and long‐standing nationwide malnutrition.

Methods

We analysed German old‐age pension payments, as a rough measure of lifetime earnings, in German men born from 1932 to 1960 and compared the at‐risk‐of‐poverty rates of German men born in 1945–1948 versus 1935–1938 and 1955–1958.

Results

Substantially fewer women worked during this period and their longer life expectancy makes their pension payments difficult to interpret. We therefore limited our analysis to men. Men born in the 1930s received the highest monthly old‐age pensions and these declined slightly in men born from 1945 to 1948, indicating a minute impairment in work‐related income in cohorts born shortly after the war. We also found that there was no evidence for increased at‐risk‐of‐poverty rates in men born in 1945–1948 versus those born in 1935–1938 and in 1955–1958.

Conclusion

Being born and raised following World War II was associated with a minute work and pension impairment that was not visible in the at‐risk‐of‐poverty rates. These findings question statements associating early childhood nutrition and future lifetime earnings.
Isolated pulmonary regurgitation causes decreased right ventricular longitudinal function and compensatory increased septal pumping in a porcine model
Authors: Kopic S. , Stephensen S. S. , Heiberg E. , Arheden H. , Bonhoeffer P. , Ersbøll M. , Vejlstrup N. , Søndergaard L. , Carlsson M.
Published: June 2017

Aim

Longitudinal ventricular contraction is a parameter of cardiac performance with predictive power. Right ventricular (RV) longitudinal function is impaired in patients with free pulmonary regurgitation (PR) following corrective surgery for Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). It remains unclear whether this is a consequence of the surgical repair, or whether it is inherent to PR. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between longitudinal, lateral and septal pumping in a porcine model of isolated PR.

Methods

Piglets were divided into a control (n = 8) group and a treatment (n = 12) group, which received a stent in the pulmonary valve orifice, inducing PR. After 2–3 months, animals were subjected to cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. A subset of animals (n = 6) then underwent percutaneous pulmonary valve replacement (PPVR) with follow‐up 1 month later. Longitudinal, lateral and septal contributions to stroke volume (SV) were quantified by measuring volumetric displacements from end‐diastole to end‐systole in the cardiac short axis and long axis.

Results

PR resulted in a lower longitudinal contribution to RV stroke volume, compared to controls (60.0 ± 2.6% vs. 73.6 ± 3.8%; P = 0.012). Furthermore, a compensatory increase in septal contribution to RVSV was observed (11.0 ± 1.6% vs. −3.1 ± 1.5%; P < 0.0001). The left ventricle (LV) showed counter‐regulation with an increased longitudinal LVSV. Changes in RV longitudinal function were reversed by PPVR.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that PR contributes to decreased RV longitudinal function in the absence of scarring from cardiac surgery. Measurement of longitudinal RVSV may aid risk stratification and timing for interventional correction of PR in TOF patients.
Anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor treatment decreases bladder pain in cyclophosphamide cystitis: a Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP) Research Network animal model study
Authors: Lai H. Henry , Shen Baixin , Vijairania Pooja , Zhang Xiaowei , Vogt Sherri K. , Gereau Robert W.
Published: June 2017

Objective

To investigate whether treatment with anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)‐neutralizing antibodies can reduce pain and voiding dysfunction in the cyclophosphamide (CYP) cystitis model of bladder pain in mice.

Materials and Methods

Adult female mice received anti‐VEGF‐neutralizing antibodies (10 mg/kg i.p. B20‐4.1.1 VEGF mAb) or saline (control) pre‐treatment, followed by CYP (150 mg/kg i.p.) to induce acute cystitis. Pelvic nociceptive responses were assessed by applying von Frey filaments to the pelvic area. Spontaneous micturition was assessed using the void spot assay.

Results

Systemic anti‐VEGF‐neutralizing antibody treatment significantly reduced the pelvic nociceptive response to CYP cystitis compared with control (saline). In the anti‐VEGF pre‐treatment group, there was a significant increase in pelvic hypersensitivity, measured by the area under the curve (AUC) using von Frey filaments at 5 h post‐CYP administration (P = 0.004); however, by 48 h and 96 h post‐CYP administration, pelvic hypersensitivity had reduced by 54% and 47%, respectively, compared with the 5 h post‐CYP administration time point, and were no longer significantly different from baseline (P = 0.22 and 0.17, respectively). There was no difference in urinary frequency and mean voided volume between the two pre‐treatment groups.

Conclusion

Systemic blockade of VEGF signalling with anti‐VEGF‐neutralizing antibodies was effective in reducing pelvic/bladder pain in the CYP cystitis model of bladder pain. Our data support the further investigation of the use of anti‐VEGF antibodies to manage bladder pain or visceral pain.
Regioselective synthesis, biological evaluation, and molecular docking of dihydropyrimidin‐4‐ols as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors
Authors: da Silva Andreia M. P. W. , da Silva Fabio M. , Nogara Pablo A. , Dutra Eduardo J. M. , Serres Jonas D. S. , Saraiva Rogério A. , Piccoli Bruna C. , Oliveira Cláudia S. , Schetinger Maria R. C. , Morsch Vera M. M. , Rocha João B. T. , Bonacorso Helio G. , Martins Marcos A. P. , Zanatta Nilo
Published: June 2017

A new series of 3,6‐disubstituted 2‐(methylthio)‐4‐(trifluoromethyl)‐3,4‐dihydropyrimidin‐4‐ols displaying methyl, phenyl, aryl, and heteroaryl groups at the 6‐position; and methyl, ethyl, allyl, and phenyl groups at the 3‐position of the dihydropyrimidine ring, were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. Seven compounds showed activity with IC50 values in the lower micromolar range. The compound 4‐trifluoromethyl‐6‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐methyl‐2‐methylthio‐3,4‐dihydropyrimidin‐4‐ol (6e) had the best inhibitory activity (IC50 2.2 ± 0.9 μm) and this inhibition was characterized as competitive. The molecular docking study showed that the acetylcholinesterase enzyme accommodates compound 6e in its catalytic site. The enantiomers of compound 6e, present similar interactions: π–π stacking interactions between the aromatic ring of the ligand's 4‐fluorophenyl moiety and the aromatic rings of the electron‐rich Trp84; and H‐bonds between the hydroxyl group of Tyr121 and the hydroxyl moiety from 6e. The antioxidant effect of the dihydropyrimidin‐4‐ols was also investigated.
Mutation screening of 10 cancer susceptibility genes in unselected breast cancer patients
Authors: Xie Y. , Li G. , Chen M. , Guo X. , Tang L. , Luo X. , Wang S. , Yi W. , Dai L. , Wang J.
Published: June 2017

Variants of cancer susceptibility genes other than BRCA1/2 have been proved to be associated with increased risks of breast cancer. This study was performed to investigate the spectrum and prevalence of mutations in 10 cancer susceptibility genes in paired tumor/normal tissues of 292 unselected Chinese breast cancer patients. We performed an analysis of germline and somatic variants in ATM, CDH1, CHEK2, ESR1, GATA3, MAP3K1, MSH2, PALB2, RB1 and STK11 genes by integrating microfluidic PCR‐based target enrichment and next‐generation sequencing technologies. In total, 3 germline and 25 somatic deleterious mutations were found among 27 patients (9.25%), and 17 of them were novel mutations. Most deleterious mutations were prevalent in luminal A invasive breast cancer (P = .014). We also observed 83 variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in 100 patients (34.25%), 23 of which were predicted to be deleterious by in silico prediction programs (MetaSVM and MetaLR). VUS carriers had higher positive rate of lymph node metastasis than non‐carriers (P = .008) and were predominantly present in ER+ tumors (P = .018). Our findings would enhance the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer in Chinese population.
A Typology for Investigating the Effects of Sturgeon Aquaculture on Conservation Goals
Authors: Apostle Richard
Published: June 2017

This essay will explore the impact of sturgeon aquaculture on conservation efforts by presenting a typology of sturgeon aquaculture positions aimed at sturgeon preservation. The paper will also connect the primary types of sturgeon aquaculture to related research topics, ranging from global commodity chains to changing protein production systems.
Different drinking motives, different adverse consequences? Evidence among adolescents from 10 European countries
Authors: Wicki Matthias , Kuntsche Emmanuel , Eichenberger Yvonne , Aasvee Katrin , Bendtsen Pernille , Dankulincová Veselská Zuzana , Demetrovics Zsolt , Dzielska Anna , Farkas Judit , de Matos Margarida Gaspar , Roberts Chris , Tynjälä Jorma , Välimaa Raili , Vieno Alessio
Published: June 2017

Introduction and Aim. This study, which builds on previous research demonstrating that drinking motives are associated with adverse consequences, investigates the associations between drinking motives and non‐alcohol‐attributed adverse consequences and disentangles alcohol‐related and direct effects. Design and Method. On the basis of a sample of 22 841 alcohol‐using 13‐ to 16‐year‐olds (50.6% female) from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Switzerland and Wales, structural equation models were used to estimate direct and indirect effects. Additionally, differences across countries were tested in a multigroup analysis. Results. The indirect effect (via alcohol use) was greater for injuries and academic problems than for more general outcomes such as life dissatisfaction and negative body image. For social, enhancement and coping motives, we found positive indirect effects (via alcohol use) on injuries and academic problems; the association was negative for conformity motives. The direct effect, that is, the effect above and beyond alcohol use, indicated more negative consequences among those who tended to drink more frequently for coping motives. More negative consequences, such as injuries and negative body image, were also found among those who drink for conformity motives. The pattern of association was largely comparable across countries. Discussion and Conclusion. While the actual mean level of drinking motives, alcohol use and adverse consequence varied across countries, the consistency of association patterns implies that drinking motive‐inspired health promotion efforts are likely to be beneficial across Europe. This is particularly important for coping drinkers because they are especially prone to adverse consequences over and above their alcohol use. [Wicki M, Kuntsche E, Eichenberger Y, Aasvee K, Bendtsen P, Dankulincová Veselská Z, Demetrovics Z, Dzielska A, Farkas J, de Matos MG, Roberts C, Tynjälä J, Välimaa R, Vieno A. Different drinking motives, different adverse consequences? Evidence among adolescents from 10 European countries.
Evolutionary conservation and conversion of Foxg1 function in brain development
Authors: Kumamoto Takuma , Hanashima Carina
Published: June 2017

Among the forkhead box protein family, Foxg1 is a unique transcription factor that plays pleiotropic and non‐redundant roles in vertebrate brain development. The emergence of the telencephalon at the rostral end of the neural tube and its subsequent expansion that is mediated by Foxg1 was a key reason for the vertebrate brain to acquire higher order information processing, where Foxg1 is repetitively used in the sequential events of telencephalic development to control multi‐steps of brain circuit formation ranging from cell cycle control to neuronal differentiation in a clade‐ and species‐specific manner. The objective of this review is to discuss how the evolutionary changes in cis‐ and trans‐regulatory network that is mediated by a single transcription factor has contributed to determining the fundamental vertebrate brain structure and its divergent roles in instructing species‐specific neuronal circuitry and functional specialization.
Decoding the association between herpes simplex virus and antibody‐mediated encephalitis
Authors: Ellul Mark A , Griffiths Michael J
Published: June 2017

This commentary is on the systematic review by Nosadini et al. on pages 796–805 of this issue and the original article by Kothur et al. on pages 806–814 of this issue.
On the use of climate covariates in aquatic species distribution models: are we at risk of throwing out the baby with the bath water?
Authors: McGarvey Daniel J. , Menon Mitra , Woods Taylor , Tassone Spencer , Reese Jessica , Vergamini Marie , Kellogg Erik
Published: June 2017

Species distribution models (SDMs) in river ecosystems can incorporate climate information by using air temperature and precipitation as surrogate measures of instream conditions or by using independent models of water temperature and hydrology to link climate to instream habitat. The latter approach is preferable but constrained by the logistical burden of developing water temperature and hydrology models. We therefore assessed whether regional scale, freshwater SDM predictions are fundamentally different when climate data versus instream temperature and hydrology are used as covariates. Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) SDMs were built for 15 freshwater fishes using one of two covariate sets: 1) air temperature and precipitation (climate variables) in combination with physical habitat variables; or 2) water temperature, hydrology (instream variables) and physical habitat. Three procedures were then used to compare results from climate vs instream models. First, equivalence tests assessed average pairwise differences (site‐specific comparisons throughout each species’ range) among climate and instream models. Second, ‘congruence’ tests determined how often the same stream segments were assigned high habitat suitability by climate and instream models. Third, Schoener's D and Warren's I niche overlap statistics quantified range‐wide similarity in predicted habitat suitability from climate vs instream models. Equivalence tests revealed small, pairwise differences in habitat suitability between climate and instream models (mean pairwise differences in MaxEnt raw scores for all species < 3 × 10–4). Congruence tests showed a strong tendency for climate and instream models to predict high habitat suitability at the same stream segments (median congruence = 68%). D and I statistics reflected a high margin of overlap among climate and instream models (median D = 0.78, median I = 0.96). Overall, we found little support for the hypothesis that SDM predictions are fundamentally different when climate versus instream covariates are used to model fish species’ distributions at the scale of the Columbia Basin.
Evolved pesticide tolerance influences susceptibility to parasites in amphibians
Authors: Hua Jessica , Wuerthner Vanessa P. , Jones Devin K. , Mattes Brian , Cothran Rickey D. , Relyea Rick A. , Hoverman Jason T.
Published: June 2017

Because ecosystems throughout the globe are contaminated with pesticides, there is a need to understand how natural populations cope with pesticides and the implications for ecological interactions. From an evolutionary perspective, there is evidence that pesticide tolerance can be achieved via two mechanisms: selection for constitutive tolerance over multiple generations or by inducing tolerance within a single generation via phenotypic plasticity. While both mechanisms can allow organisms to persist in contaminated environments, they might result in different performance trade‐offs including population susceptibility to parasites. We have identified 15 wood frog populations that exist along a gradient from close to agriculture and high, constitutive pesticide tolerance to far from agriculture and inducible pesticide tolerance. Using these populations, we investigated the relationship between evolutionary responses to the common insecticide carbaryl and host susceptibility to the trematode Echinoparyphium lineage 3 and ranavirus using laboratory exposure assays. For Echinoparyphium, we discovered that wood frog populations living closer to agriculture with high, constitutive tolerance experienced lower loads than populations living far from agriculture with inducible pesticide tolerance. For ranavirus, we found no relationship between the mechanism of evolved pesticide tolerance and survival, but populations living closer to agriculture with high, constitutive tolerance experienced higher viral loads than populations far from agriculture with inducible tolerance. Land use and mechanisms of evolved pesticide tolerance were associated with susceptibility to parasites, but the direction of the relationship is dependent on the type of parasite, underscoring the complexity between land use and disease outcomes. Collectively, our results demonstrate that evolved pesticide tolerance can indirectly influence host–parasite interactions and underscores the importance of including evolutionary processes in ecotoxicological studies.
Insights from agriculture for the management of insecticide resistance in disease vectors
Authors: Sternberg Eleanore D. , Thomas Matthew B.
Published: June 2017

Key to contemporary management of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and filariasis is control of the insect vectors responsible for transmission. Insecticide‐based interventions have contributed to declines in disease burdens in many areas, but this progress could be threatened by the emergence of insecticide resistance in vector populations. Insecticide resistance is likewise a major concern in agriculture, where insect pests can cause substantial yield losses. Here, we explore overlaps between understanding and managing insecticide resistance in agriculture and in public health. We have used the Global Plan for Insecticide Resistance Management in malaria vectors, developed under the auspices of the World Health Organization Global Malaria Program, as a framework for this exploration because it serves as one of the few cohesive documents for managing a global insecticide resistance crisis. Generally, this comparison highlights some fundamental differences between insect control in agriculture and in public health. Moreover, we emphasize that the success of insecticide resistance management strategies is strongly dependent on the biological specifics of each system. We suggest that the biological, operational, and regulatory differences between agriculture and public health limit the wholesale transfer of knowledge and practices from one system to the other. Nonetheless, there are some valuable insights from agriculture that could assist in advancing the existing Global Plan for Insecticide Resistance Management framework.