bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Facilitated exploitation of pollination mutualisms: fitness consequences for plants
Authors: Richman Sarah K. , Irwin Rebecca E. , Nelson Cherie J. , Bronstein Judith L.
Published: September 2016

Mutualisms are only rarely one‐to‐one interactions: each species generally interacts with multiple mutualists. Exploitation is ubiquitous in mutualisms, and we would therefore expect that each mutualist interacts with multiple exploiters as well. Exploiter species may also interact with one another. For example, the action of one exploiter species might open the opportunity for exploitation by a second species.

Exploitation is common in many plant–pollinator mutualisms: ‘primary’ nectar robbers feed through holes they make in flowers, which can be subsequently used by ‘secondary’ nectar robbers unable to create holes themselves. The overall effect of nectar robbing on plant fitness is often (although not always) negative. No study has separated the effects of interacting with primary vs. secondary robbers.

Here, we examine the effects of primary vs. secondary nectar robbing on pollinator visitation rate and female fitness in Ipomopsis aggregata. Manipulating the type of nectar robbing that flowers experienced, we found that secondary nectar robbing inflicted fitness costs to plants beyond that inflicted by primary robbing alone. Secondary nectar robbing significantly reduced pollen receipt to flowers, as well as fruit and seed production. Although the causes are elusive, the effect may be attributed to changes in pollinator behaviour at these plants.

Synthesis. Our findings provide evidence that interacting with multiple exploiters can lead to increased negative effects for mutualists, and highlight the importance of incorporating multiple exploiters into the conceptual framework of mutualism.
Effects of pollination intensity on offspring number and quality in a wind‐pollinated herb
Authors: Labouche Anne‐Marie , Richards Shane A. , Pannell John R.
Published: September 2016

Low pollination intensity may cause low seed set in plant populations and is thought to be responsible for evolutionary transitions from outcrossing to selfing, or from animal to wind pollination. Variation in pollination intensity may also affect seed quality both through its influence on the degree of pollen competition (with lower quality offspring produced under low pollen intensities) and through seed size–number trade‐offs (with plants under low pollination intensity producing fewer but larger seeds).

Here, we use a field experiment to examine the effects of pollination intensity on both quantity and quality of progeny. We manipulated pollen receipt to stigmas of the wind‐pollinated dioecious plant Mercurialis annua by varying the distance of females from males. We then compared seed size and number, seedling growth and allocation to male and female function, for the progeny produced by females subjected to different pollination intensities.

Our experiment revealed a reduction in pollen load with increasing distance to males, translating into large reductions in the number of seeds produced but only small effects on the performance of offspring. The main effect on offspring quality was through a seed size–number trade‐off, with pollen‐limited females producing fewer but larger seeds, which subsequently performed better. Sons and daughters were affected differently by this trade‐off, pointing to gender‐dependent effects of pollination intensity on progeny performance.

Synthesis. Our results highlight the importance of pollination intensity on both the quantity and quality of progeny. Nevertheless, fitness calculations suggest that the enhanced quality of seed produced by pollen‐limited mothers was not sufficient to offset their losses in terms of quantity.
Clinical profile of children with cerebral palsy born term compared with late‐ and post‐term: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Frank R , Garfinkle J , Oskoui M , Shevell MI
Published: September 2016

Objective

To determine whether cerebral palsy (CP) risks factors, neurological subtype, severity and co‐morbidities differ between early/full‐term‐born children with CP compared with those born late/post‐term.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Children with CP born between 1998 and 2014, residing in Canada, and registered in the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry (CCPR) (n = 1691), a database with information from 15 participating centres across six Canadian provinces.

Population

Children with CP from the CCPR born at 37 weeks of gestation and later (n = 802).

Methods

The clinical profile of children with CP born at 37–40 weeks of gestation was compared with those born at 41 weeks and later using the Pearson chi‐square test (or Fisher's exact test) for univariate analyses of categorical data. A P value <0.05 was considered significant a priori.

Main outcome measures

CP neurological subtype, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) severity, risk factors and co‐morbidities.

Results

Neonatal encephalopathy was found in 23.9% of children with CP born early/full‐term and in 33.6% of those born late/post‐term (P = 0.026). Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia was found in 10.2% of children born in the earlier period and in 2.6% of those born in the later period (P = 0.008). Apgar score at 5 minutes, but not 10 minutes, was significantly higher in the early/full‐term group (9) compared with its late/post‐term counterpart (7; P = 0.046). Rates of CP subtype, severity (GMFCS) and co‐morbidities did not differ significantly between the two gestational periods.

Conclusions

In children with CP, neonatal encephalopathy was significantly less frequent and neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia was significantly more frequent in those born early/full‐term compared with their later‐born counterparts. However, clinical outcomes of CP were not significantly different between these two gestational epochs.

Tweetable abstract

Children with cerebral palsy born early/full‐term have similar outcomes to those born late/post‐term.
Obstetric and neonatal complications in pregnancies conceived after oocyte donation: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Storgaard M , Loft A , Bergh C , Wennerholm UB , Söderström‐Anttila V , Romundstad LB , Aittomaki K , Oldereid N , Forman J , Pinborg A
Published: September 2016

Background

Approximately 50 000 oocyte donation (OD) treatment cycles are now performed annually in Europe and the US.

Objectives

To ascertain whether the risk of adverse obstetric and perinatal/neonatal outcomes is higher in pregnancies conceived by OD than in pregnancies conceived by conventional in‐vitro fertilisation (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or spontaneously.

Search Strategy

A systematic search was performed in the PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases from 1982–2016. Primary outcomes were hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, pre‐eclampsia (PE), gestational diabetes mellitus, postpartum haemorrhage, caesarean section, preterm birth, low birthweight and small for gestational age.

Selection criteria

Inclusion criteria were original studies including at least five OD pregnancies with a control group of pregnancies conceived by conventional IVF/ICSI or spontaneous conception, and case series with >500 cases reporting one or more of the selected complications. Studies not adjusting for plurality were excluded.

Data collection and analysis

Thirty‐five studies met the inclusion criteria. A random‐effects model was used for the meta‐analyses.

Main results

For OD pregnancies versus conventional IVF/ICSI pregnancies the risk of PE was adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.11 (95% CI, 1.42–3.15) in singleton and AOR 3.31 (95% CI, 1.61–6.80) in multiple pregnancies. The risks of preterm birth and low birthweight in singletons were AOR 1.75 (95% CI, 1.39–2.20) and 1.53 (95% CI, 1.16–2.01), respectively.

Conclusions

OD conceptions are associated with adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes. To avoid the additional increase in risk from multiplicity, single‐embryo transfer should be the choice of option in OD cycles.

Tweetable abstract

Oocyte donation pregnancies have increased risk of a range of obstetric and neonatal complications.
The Role of Evaluation at the UN and in the new Sustainable Development Goals: Towards the Future We Want
Authors: Rugg Deborah
Published: September 2016

After outlining recent developments in the United Nations system with regard to the growing role of evaluation, this article provides an overview on how evaluation was considered in the international policy debates that took place in 2015 to shape the new agenda, and the role evaluation should play during the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Furthermore, it outlines how efforts at the global, national and local level to strengthen evaluation can be made more effective.
Who is taking part? Political subjectivity and Glasgow's Commonwealth Games
Authors: Fitzpatrick Susan
Published: September 2016

This paper examines the problems of locating political subjectivity in the midst of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games of 2014 and takes as its starting point Rancière's contention that politics cannot be defined on the basis of any pre‐existing subject. The Commonwealth Games, as both policy vehicle and a form of knowing the world, constructs subjects through the invocation of “legacy”. This involves assuming a consensual populism within which social problems are identified and rectified through the eventfulness of the event. However, leading on from Rancière's contention above, this paper suggests a critical perspective where the event itself is de‐centred in order to move beyond the citational response to mega‐events: that policy constructs subjugated subjects. The paper proceeds by examining how the logics of local residents of East Glasgow elude subjugation in their encounters with the official discourses of the mega‐event. It outlines the ways that political subjectivity is brought forth in two discursive spaces: first, within Games Legacy Evaluation Reports. Second, a public meeting organised by Glasgow City Council as part of their Get Ready Glasgow series. These spaces are considered alongside recent academic criticism that focuses on the corrective elements of social policy relating to sporting mega events.
How Much Will China Save? Projecting China's National Savings Through 2040*
Authors: Li Shiyu , Kotlikoff Laurence J. , Lin Shuanglin , Woo Wing Thye , Jiang Yunyun
Published: September 2016

This paper projects China's national savings through 2040 based on China's national account data, demographic data, and data on rural and urban life‐cycle income and consumption. Our baseline projections show that China's national saving in 2040 will be 16 times the current national saving. The annual growth rate of wealth will decline from 16.3 percent in 2012 to 9.5 percent in 2040. Lowering the growth rate of wealth accumulation to the current rate of return to wealth increases consumption through 2040; lowering the growth rate of wealth further may increase consumption more in the short run, but less in the long run.
Effects of β‐carotene‐enriched dry carrots on β‐carotene status and colostral immunoglobulin in β‐carotene‐deficient Japanese Black cows
Authors: Nishijima Yoshitaka , Taniguchi Saya , Ikeda Shuntaro , Yoshitani Kenichi , Hamano Takashi , Tani Hiroshi , Fujita Masahiko , Murakami Kenji , Kogusa Keisuke , Sato Kenji , Sugimoto Miki , Kume Shinichi
Published: September 2016

Data from 18 β‐carotene‐deficient Japanese Black cows were collected to clarify the effects of feeding β‐carotene‐enriched dry carrots on β‐carotene status and colostral immunoglobulin (Ig) in cows. Cows were assigned to control or carrot groups from 3 weeks before the expected calving date to parturition, and supplemental β‐carotene from dry carrots was 138 mg/day in the carrot group. Plasma β‐carotene concentrations in the control and carrot groups at parturition were 95 and 120 μg/dL, and feeding dry carrots slightly improved plasma β‐carotene at parturition. Feeding dry carrots increased colostral IgA concentrations in cows and tended to increase colostral IgG1, but colostral IgM, IgG2, β‐carotene and vitamin A were not affected by the treatment. Feeding dry carrots had no effects on plasma IgG1, IgA and IgM concentrations in cows, but plasma IgG1 concentrations decreased rapidly from 3 weeks before the expected calving date to parturition. These results indicate that feeding β‐carotene‐enriched dry carrots is effective to enhance colostral IgA and IgG1 concentrations in β‐carotene‐deficient cows.
From Transitional to Permanent Uncertainty: Employability of Middle‐aged Workers in Hong Kong
Authors: Chan Raymond K.H.
Published: September 2016

Since the 1990s, Hong Kong has experienced increasing economic uncertainty. Middle‐aged workers, who often have little formal education and limited skills, have been the first casualties of economic restructuring. Initially, their unemployment was considered transitional. Limited government‐sponsored retraining programs were expected to improve their employability. Subsequent economic crises, however, have undercut the hopes of both workers and policy‐makers. Despite improvements in the job market since the mid‐2000s, the belief that unemployment was transitional has been replaced by a permanent state of uncertainty and consequent anxiety. Flexibility is considered the key to sustaining economic growth, and would relieve the insecurity and anxiety associated with unemployment. Policies have been modified, but they are still based on a narrowly defined concept of individual employability, which consolidates the sense of uncertainty. To address the factors contributing to the perception of permanent uncertainty among middle‐aged workers, we advocate a pragmatic approach that takes reference from the notion of flexicurity to mitigate this sense of uncertainty.
Management intensity and temporary conversion to other land‐use types affect plant diversity and species composition of subtropical grasslands in southern Brazil
Authors: Koch Christiane , Conradi Timo , Gossner Martin M. , Hermann Julia‐Maria , Leidinger Jan , Meyer Sebastian T. , Overbeck Gerhard E. , Weisser Wolfgang W. , Kollmann Johannes
Published: September 2016

Questions

We investigated the effects of grassland management intensity and temporary conversion to other land uses on abiotic and biotic properties of subtropical grasslands. We used species‐rich permanent grasslands of medium management intensity (PG‐M) as a reference, and asked the following questions: (1) do permanent grasslands with low and high management intensities (PG‐L and PG‐H, respectively) have different plant diversity and species composition than reference grasslands; and (2) do secondary grasslands recovering from conversion to arable fields (SG‐A) or pine plantations (SG‐P) differ from permanent grasslands in their plant species composition and abiotic conditions?

Location

Highland grasslands, Campos de Cima da Serra, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil.

Methods

We analysed variation in plant species composition and diversity among 80 grassland sites, including three types of permanent grassland and two types of secondary grassland. An indicator species analysis was used to identify characteristic species for the different land‐use types. We used a linear discriminant analysis to investigate differences in soil conditions among land‐use types.

Results

Both PG‐L and PG‐H differed from PG‐M regarding plant species composition. Although PG‐L shared many typical grassland species with PG‐M, their communities were generally less diverse. PG‐H, on the other hand, not only had fewer species but also deviated from PG‐M in species composition. Secondary grasslands on former arable fields and plantations differed from PG‐M in species composition and showed lower diversity. Soil conditions of SG‐P were similar to those of PG‐L and PG‐M, but they were distinct from those of PG‐H and SG‐A.

Conclusions

All land‐use types showed deviations from reference grasslands (PG‐M). The decrease in the number of species in PG‐L may be reversed if traditional management intensity is re‐introduced, whereas strong compositional changes in SG‐P may require the re‐introduction of grassland species. This is also true for PG‐H and SG‐A: both showed marked deviations from reference grasslands in biotic and abiotic components. Overall, restoration of altered land‐use types to near‐natural subtropical grassland seems feasible, but suitable techniques have to be developed.
Landscape structure and climate affect plant invasion in subtropical grasslands
Authors: Guido Anaclara , Vélez‐Martin Eduardo , Overbeck Gerhard E. , Pillar Valério D.
Published: September 2016

Question

How do climate and landscape structure affect plant invasion process in south Brazilian natural grasslands?

Location

Natural grasslands across Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil.

Methods

We selected 20 plots (2 km × 2 km each), situated in ten different grassland types in southern Brazil. In each grassland type, one plot was located in a region with remnant grassland cover <30% (not conserved landscapes) and another in a region with remnant grassland cover >60% (conserved landscapes), in a paired design. In each plot, we surveyed the presence and cover of the four most important invasive species of grasslands in Rio Grande do Sul (Cynodon dactylon, Eragrostis plana, Senecio madagascariensis and Ulex europaeus). We used 12 variables related to climate and landscape structure (i.e. composition and configuration) for testing causal models of plant invasion using Akaike's information criterion for path analyses.

Results

Empirical evidence on how climatic conditions and landscape structure can cause plant invasion in subtropical grasslands was provided through six causal models validated with path analysis. The models indicated that increased water deficit, higher density of roads and losses in natural grassland cover caused an increment of invasive plant cover. Further, invasion differed between plots located in conserved vs not conserved landscapes, resulting in not conserved grasslands having a higher level of invasion. E. plana, a perennial grass from South Africa, was the most important invasive species in the grasslands, in terms of frequency and cover.

Conclusions

Our results identified the general conditions that promote successful population growth of invasive plants in subtropical grasslands: water deficit, road density and land use, highlighting the effects of climate, landscape structure and human activity in the level of invasion across grassland types.
The uropygial gland of the Southern Caracara (Caracara plancus; Falconidae: Falconinae): histological and histochemical aspects
Authors: Chiale Maria Cecilia , Montalti Diego , Flamini M. Alicia , Barbeito Claudio G.
Published: September 2016

The uropygial gland of Southern Caracara is composed of two lobes with a conical papilla and 21 tuft feathers. The RGM recorded for this species was 0.057%. The capsule surrounding the gland and the medial septum is composed of dense connective tissue and has elastic and reticular fibres. The epithelium of the adenomers can be divided into different strata: germinative, intermediate, secretory and degenerative stratum. The adenomers can be divided into three zones; from zone III, adenomers lead to secondary chambers that converge into a primary storage chamber. Histochemical techniques showed that the uropygial gland synthesizes different types of mucins and it was also positive to some lectins demonstrating the presence of a variety of glycoconjugates. The RGM in this species is smaller than that found for other Falconidae. These differences may be attributed to a negative allometric relationship. The general histological description is similar to other birds. The histochemistry and lectin histochemistry analysis showed a variety of glycoconjugates as part of the uropygial gland. Uropygial secretions have been proposed to have protective functions against bacteria and fungi. The presence of carbohydrate residues is linked to glycoconjugates with antimicrobial functions in many vertebrates associating our results with this species′ habits.
The activity of dung beetles increases foliar nutrient concentration in tropical seedlings
Authors: Santos‐Heredia Carolina , Andresen Ellen , del‐Val Ek , Zárate Diego A. , Nava Mendoza Maribel , Jaramillo Víctor J.
Published: September 2016

Dung beetles are extensively used as a focal taxon in tropical forests. Yet, information for most of their ecological functions comes from other systems. We present results from a field experiment in a tropical rain forest showing that dung beetle activity increases foliar phosphorus concentration in seedlings of the tree Brosimum lactescens. Our results open new lines of research to assess the multiple effects that dung beetles may have on rain forest plants.
Reservoir‐host amplification of disease impact in an endangered amphibian
Authors: Scheele Ben C. , Hunter David A. , Brannelly Laura A. , Skerratt Lee F. , Driscoll Don A.
Published: September 2016

Emerging wildlife pathogens are an increasing threat to biodiversity. One of the most serious wildlife diseases is chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which has been documented in over 500 amphibian species. Amphibians vary greatly in their susceptibility to Bd; some species tolerate infection, whereas others experience rapid mortality. Reservoir hosts—species that carry infection while maintaining high abundance but are rarely killed by disease—can increase extinction risk in highly susceptible, sympatric species. However, whether reservoir hosts amplify Bd in declining amphibian species has not been examined. We investigated the role of reservoir hosts in the decline of the threatened northern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi) in an amphibian community in southeastern Australia. In the laboratory, we characterized the response of a potential reservoir host, the (nondeclining) common eastern froglet (Crinia signifera), to Bd infection. In the field, we conducted frog abundance surveys and Bd sampling for both P. pengilleyi and C. signifera. We built multinomial logistic regression models to test whether Crinia signifera and environmental factors were associated with P. pengilleyi decline. C. signifera was a reservoir host for Bd. In the laboratory, many individuals maintained intense infections (>1000 zoospore equivalents) over 12 weeks without mortality, and 79% of individuals sampled in the wild also carried infections. The presence of C. signifera at a site was strongly associated with increased Bd prevalence in sympatric P. pengilleyi. Consistent with disease amplification by a reservoir host, P. pengilleyi declined at sites with high C. signifera abundance. Our results suggest that when reservoir hosts are present, population declines of susceptible species may continue long after the initial emergence of Bd, highlighting an urgent need to assess extinction risk in remnant populations of other declined amphibian species.
The reactivity of the back revisited. Are there differences in reactivity in different parts of the back?
Authors: Björk Ann‐Kristin , Bruze Magnus , Engfeldt Malin , Nielsen Christel , Svedman Cecilia
Published: September 2016

Background

In the contact dermatitis literature, it is regularly stated that the patch test reactivity on various areas of the back differs, which might have a large impact on the reproducibility of patch testing.

Objectives

To investigate the reproducibility of patch testing on the upper back with regard to the left as opposed to the right side, and the medial as opposed to the lateral part of the upper back. The reproducibility over time and with regard to the reactivity pattern was also investigated.

Methods

Thirty‐one subjects with contact allergy to the metals gold (n = 19) or nickel (n = 12) were patch tested with serial dilutions, in triplicate applications, on different locations on the upper back. The Friedman test was used for statistical calculations.

Results

No significant differences in the reactivity of the back were found. In all gold‐allergic patients and 11 of 12 nickel‐allergic patients, the allergy could be reproduced with regard to previous patch testing, but the degree of reactivity differed.

Conclusions

When a high level of standardization of the patch test technique with the same test system was used, there were no differences in patch test reactions and sites of application on the upper back.
Reappraisal of histopathology of cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa
Authors: Morimoto Ari , Chen Ko‐Ron
Published: September 2016

Background

There is controversy on whether lymphocytic thrombophilic arteritis (LTA) and macular arteritis (MA) are a different entity from cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa (C‐PAN).

Objective

To evaluate the controversy on LTA/MA by examining the morphologic changes during the dynamic inflammatory process.

Materials and methods

A clinical and histopathological investigation of 46 biopsy specimens from 21 histopathologically proven C‐PAN patients at our hospital was performed.

Results

Most of the biopsy findings revealed arteritis in the subacute and reparative stages. Coexistence of different stages was found in over half of the specimens. Two biopsy specimens consistent with LTA/MA showed coexisting histologically proven (subacute stage) C‐PAN in other lesions. Analyses of the longitudinal sections showed focal and segmental arteritis. Patients overall improved well with compression stockings, anti‐inflammatory agents, a prostaglandin analog and antiplatelet agents. Currently, three patients are medication free and only require compression stockings.

Conclusion

LTA/MA seems to be part of the spectrum of C‐PAN. The vasculitic lesions of C‐PAN are segmental and focal, and coexist in different stages. As the chronic stage of C‐PAN can be mistaken as LTA/MA, it is necessary to perform multiple biopsies, serial sections and analyses of longitudinal sections to confirm the main finding of vasculitis.
Cytological diagnosis of biliary cryptococcosis in an immunocompromised patient with mid common bile duct stricture masquerading as cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Burad D. K. , Ramakrishna B.
Published: September 2016

Immunosuppressed patients often present with opportunistic infections that mimic malignancy on clinical and radiologic grounds.
The Misty Grail: The Search for a Comprehensive Measure of Development and the Reasons for GDP Primacy
Authors: Felice Emanuele
Published: September 2016

Recent decades have seen a flurry of new indicators to measure economic progress, but none of them has succeeded in replacing GDP. This article seeks to explain this outcome and to contribute to the debate about composite indicators versus a dashboard approach. To this end, it reviews some of the most popular alternatives to GDP (the Human Development Index, the Genuine Progress Indicator, the Happy Planet Index, and an environmentally corrected GDP), focusing on their conceptual foundations rather than on their statistical consistency as most of the literature does. It is shown that most of these measures are theoretically inconsistent; the exception is the environmentally corrected GDP, but since this too has failed to replace GDP, inconsistency must be only one reason behind the limited use of alternative measures. The author argues that the main reason for GDP's primacy is that GDP is better suited to reflect the goals of capitalist market economies. This implies that constructing composite indicators as alternatives to GDP will be pointless as long as the current preference system has not changed to include environmental or social goals. The author also suggests that for this purpose a dashboard approach, which provides different social groups with intelligible quantitative instruments, may be preferable to the use of composite indicators.
Overcoming the Resource Curse: Reform and the Rentier State in Chile and Argentina, 1973–2000
Authors: Haslam Paul Alexander
Published: September 2016

This article examines the possibility of overcoming the resource curse through case studies of the appropriation and use of mining rents derived from public–private joint ventures in Argentina and Chile in the period 1973–2000. In particular, it examines how two similar cases of sectoral liberalization resulted in divergent outcomes: the deployment of rent‐appropriation strategies around multinational corporations in Argentina and an innovative and productivist approach based on joint ventures with foreign capital in Chile. The article argues that while the liberalization of the sector created similar opportunities for appropriating rents in both countries, the existence of strong civil society pressures in Chile constrained rent‐appropriation and waste by the state, in comparison to the absence of such pressures in Argentina.
Impact of the mode of protraction of basal insulin therapies on their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and resulting clinical outcomes
Authors: Heise Tim , Mathieu Chantal
Published: September 2016

Manufacturers of insulin products for diabetes therapy have long sought ways to modify the absorption rate of exogenously administered insulins in an effort to better reproduce the naturally occurring pharmacokinetics of endogenous insulin secretion. Several mechanisms of protraction have been used in pursuit of a basal insulin, for which a low injection frequency would provide tolerable and reproducible glucose control; these mechanisms have met with varying degrees of success. Before the advent of recombinant DNA technology, development focused on modifications to the formulation that increased insulin self‐association, such as supplementation with zinc or the development of preformed precipitates using protamine. Indeed, NPH insulin remains widely used today despite a frequent need for a twice‐daily dosing and a relatively high incidence of hypoglycaemia. The early insulin analogues used post‐injection precipitation (insulin glargine U100) or dimerization and albumin binding (insulin detemir) as methods of increasing therapeutic duration. These products approached a 24‐hour glucose‐lowering effect with decreased variability in insulin action. Newer basal insulin analogues have used up‐concentration in addition to precipitation (insulin glargine U300), and multihexamer formation in addition to albumin binding (insulin degludec), to further increase duration of action and/or decrease the day‐to‐day variability of the glucose‐lowering profile. Clinically, the major advantage of these recent analogues has been a reduction in hypoglycaemia with similar glycated haemoglobin control when compared with earlier products. Future therapies may bring clinical benefits through hepato‐preferential insulin receptor binding or very long durations of action, perhaps enabling once‐weekly administration and the potential for further clinical benefits.
Dyslipidaemia and its treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes: A joint analysis of the German DIVE and DPV registries
Authors: Bramlage Peter , Lanzinger Stefanie , Rathmann Wolfgang , Gillessen Anton , Scheper Nikolaus , Schmid Sebastian M. , Kaltheuner Matthias , Seufert Jochen , Danne Thomas , Holl Reinhard W.
Published: September 2016

Aims

To compare lipid abnormalities in people with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to assess the effect of treatment.

Materials and methods

We combined data from the German DIVE (DIabetes Versorgungs‐Evaluation) and DPV (Diabetes‐Patienten‐Verlaufsdokumentation) databases to produce a large cohort of people with T2DM. The characteristics of people receiving and not receiving lipid‐modifying therapy (LMT) were compared, including demographics, cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and comorbidities. Lipid profiles were evaluated, and the achievement of recommended LDL cholesterol and non‐HDL cholesterol targets was assessed. The effect on lipid levels in subgroups of patients aged ≥60 years, being obese or with CV disease was also investigated.

Results

A total of 363 949 people were included in the analysis. Of these, only 97 160 (26.7%) were receiving LMT. These individuals were older than those not receiving LMT, and comorbidities were more prevalent. Statins were the most commonly used agents (84.2%), with ezetimibe, fibrates and nicotinic acid taken by a small proportion of people. The median LDL cholesterol level was lower for the LMT group (100.5 vs 114.0 mg/dL;
P
< .001), as was the non‐HDL cholesterol level (131.0 vs 143.1 mg/dL;
P
< .001), while the triglyceride level was higher (160.3 vs 152.0 mg/dL;
P
< .001). HDL cholesterol was lower in the LMT group for both men (41.0 vs 42.0 mg/dL;
P
< .001) and women (47.5 vs 48.0 mg/dL;
P
< .001). Elderly people were more likely to have achieved the target lipid levels, while obese people were less likely. For people with CV disease, there was a greater likelihood of achieving LDL, total and non‐HDL cholesterol targets, but less chance of attaining a desired HDL cholesterol level.

Conclusions

Dyslipidaemia was highly prevalent in this large population and management of lipid abnormalities was suboptimal. The distinct lipid profile of people with T2DM warrants further investigation into the use of non‐statins in addition to statin LMT.
Aortic aneurysm mimicking a right atrial mass
Authors: Mohamed Ahmed , Elsayed Mahmoud , Kalra Rajat , Bulur Serkan , Nanda Navin C.
Published: September 2016

We present a case of a 54‐year‐old female who was initially thought to have a cystic mass in the right atrium on two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. Careful transducer angulation and off‐axis imaging showed this mass‐like effect was produced by an aortic root aneurysm impinging on the right atrium.
Employment adjustment in the global crisis
Authors: Telegdy Álmos
Published: September 2016

This paper analyzes the employment adjustment of domestic, foreign and state‐owned companies before and during the global crisis. Using Hungarian firm‐level data for the period between 2006 and 2012 and matching foreign and state‐owned firms to domestic enterprises by industry and employment, it finds that the net job creation rate is similar in domestic and state‐owned firms while it is larger by 3.5 percent in foreign‐owned enterprises before the crisis. Domestic and foreign‐owned firms react to the crisis in very similar fashion by dropping net job creation by about 4 percentage points. Contrary to this behaviour, state‐owned enterprises do not decrease net job creation in some, and increase it by 3.5‐6 percent in other regressions.
Temperature‐ and light‐dependent ratio of energy gain to metabolic costs explains spatial and temporal habitat use of zooplanktivorous fish
Authors: Beier Ulrika
Published: September 2016

Understanding the forces that drive habitat selection of species in communities is important in both ecology and evolution. In nature, species face variation in competition, predation and physical characters among habitats. Vendace (Coregonus albula(L.)) is a specialised zooplanktivorous fish predominantly using deeper water in lakes during summer, while roach (Rutilus rutilus(L.)) uses mainly the shallow littoral zone as well as the upper layer of the pelagic zone. To understand mechanisms behind habitat use of these species, I first conducted a predation experiment to investigate their sensitivity to predation by perch (Perca fluviatilisL.). Second, I performed a foraging experiment using different temperature and light treatments. I then used metabolic calculations to estimate energetic costs when foraging. I found no difference between species regarding sensitivity to predation. Vendace was the most efficient forager on zooplankton but also swam faster spending more energy compared to roach. Roach had a comparatively high metabolic rate in the lowest temperature, where their foraging efficiency was lowest. The energy gain ratio at 6°C was highest for vendace, while it was lowest for roach. In the highest temperature (18°C) and the lowest light level (1 lux), both species were similar in their energy gain ratio. The relative energy gain ratio provides a mechanism to explain habitat distribution for the two species. An increased understanding of the role of metabolism in combination with biotic interactions and habitat use may help to foresee effects of environmental change for different species.
What Makes Children Work? The Participative Trajectory in Domestic and Pastoral Chores of Children in Southern Mongolia
Authors: Michelet Aude
Published: September 2016

This article presents an ethnographic study of how children in rural southern Mongolia became competent at pastoral and domestic chores in the years 2006 and 2008–2009. Previous research shows that children's spontaneous interest in learning to work in order to be helpful is cross‐culturally pervasive. Little attention has, however, been paid to the fluctuating nature of children's motivation. In this article, I argue that like learning, motivation needs to be “situated.” Following six children's trajectory of participation in work activities at different ages, we see that their involvement was paved by different injunctions from adults, who at times welcomed or required their participation, and at others challenged or rebuffed their involvement. I examine how these children responded to these different modalities of participation and how those shaped their learning practices and motivation to work. The study demonstrates the importance of disentangling children's motivation to learn and participate from children's motivation to work.
Care, Closeness, and Becoming “Better”: Transformation and Therapeutic Process in American Adolescent Psychiatric Custody
Authors: Hejtmanek Katie Rose
Published: September 2016

In the United States, young people are remanded to psychiatric custody for the institutionalized treatment of mental illness, behavior disorders, and emotional disturbances, and forced to participate in this therapeutic system. Anthropological investigations of therapeutic process have focused on individuals actively seeking and engaging in treatment or a therapeutic process. Does transformation require a person fully accept the therapeutic system? Is a coerced therapeutic process still effective? This article engages with these questions by situating the therapeutic process in psychiatric custody for American adolescents. The youth in treatment accept that transformation and even healing take place but locate the etiology and form of this change differently than the official treatment paradigms. This case study illustrates that transformation and therapeutic process as multifaceted, especially in coercive contexts, and the efficacy of the therapeutic process as shaped by the life stage and political contexts of those engaged in the process.
Fatigue performance of butt welds between cast steel joint and steel tubular members
Authors: Han Q. , Guo Q. , Yin Y. , Xing Y.
Published: September 2016

Cast steel joints have gained increasing popularity for use in engineering. The fatigue performance of butt welds between cast steel joint and steel tubular members, however, is not yet well characterized. A series of fatigue tests were conducted on a new type of welding detail, cast steel joint with sloped end and integrated backing ring (Type C), for butt welds between cast steel joint and steel tubular members. Fatigue failure mechanism and S–N curves obtained from the tests were compared with those of Type A connection with backing ring and Type B cast steel joint with integrated nose obtained in literature. Fatigue behaviours of all three welding details were successfully predicted by local strain approach, the results of which are consistent with test results, especially for Types A and B welding details. According to the results of tests and analysis, fatigue cracking of butt welds between cast steel joint and steel tubular members always initiates from the bottom of the weld root, and the fatigue performance of Type C welding detail is better than those of Types A and B because of its lower stress concentration level. A simplified fatigue design equation was then proposed based on the results of local strain approach, in which the fatigue notch factor was adopted in fatigue behaviour evaluation. The accuracy of this simplified fatigue design equation was verified for Type C welding details with various geometry configurations.
A heterozygous mutation in tubulin, beta 2B (Tubb2b) causes cognitive deficits and hippocampal disorganization
Authors: Stottmann Rolf W. , Driver Ashley , Gutierrez Arnold , Skelton Matthew R. , Muntifering Michael , Stepien Christopher , Knudson Luke , Kofron Matthew , Vorhees Charles V. , Williams Michael T.
Published: September 2016

Development of the mammalian forebrain requires a significant contribution from tubulin proteins to physically facilitate both the large number of mitoses in the neurogenic brain (in the form of mitotic spindles) as well as support cellular scaffolds to guide radial migration (radial glial neuroblasts). Recent studies have identified a number of mutations in human tubulin genes affecting the forebrain, including
TUBB2B
. We previously identified a mouse mutation in Tubb2b and we show here that mice heterozygous for this missense mutation in Tubb2b have significant cognitive defects in spatial learning and memory. We further showed reduced hippocampal long‐term potentiation consistent with these defects. In addition to the behavioural and physiological deficits, we show here abnormal hippocampal morphology. Taken together, these phenotypes suggest that heterozygous mutations in tubulin genes result in cognitive deficits not previously appreciated. This has implications for design and interpretation of genetic testing for humans with intellectual disability disorders.
Adapt, move or die – how will tropical coral reef fishes cope with ocean warming?
Authors: Habary Adam , Johansen Jacob L. , Nay Tiffany J. , Steffensen John F. , Rummer Jodie L.
Published: September 2016

Previous studies hailed thermal tolerance and the capacity for organisms to acclimate and adapt as the primary pathways for species survival under climate change. Here we challenge this theory. Over the past decade, more than 365 tropical stenothermal fish species have been documented moving poleward, away from ocean warming hotspots where temperatures 2–3 °C above long‐term annual means can compromise critical physiological processes. We examined the capacity of a model species – a thermally sensitive coral reef fish, Chromis viridis (Pomacentridae) – to use preference behaviour to regulate its body temperature. Movement could potentially circumvent the physiological stress response associated with elevated temperatures and may be a strategy relied upon before genetic adaptation can be effectuated. Individuals were maintained at one of six temperatures (23, 25, 27, 29, 31 and 33 °C) for at least 6 weeks. We compared the relative importance of acclimation temperature to changes in upper critical thermal limits, aerobic metabolic scope and thermal preference. While acclimation temperature positively affected the upper critical thermal limit, neither aerobic metabolic scope nor thermal preference exhibited such plasticity. Importantly, when given the choice to stay in a habitat reflecting their acclimation temperatures or relocate, fish acclimated to end‐of‐century predicted temperatures (i.e. 31 or 33 °C) preferentially sought out cooler temperatures, those equivalent to long‐term summer averages in their natural habitats (~29 °C). This was also the temperature providing the greatest aerobic metabolic scope and body condition across all treatments. Consequently, acclimation can confer plasticity in some performance traits, but may be an unreliable indicator of the ultimate survival and distribution of mobile stenothermal species under global warming. Conversely, thermal preference can arise long before, and remain long after, the harmful effects of elevated ocean temperatures take hold and may be the primary driver of the escalating poleward migration of species.
Comparison of techniques for culture of dialysis water and fluid
Authors: Maltais Jo‐Ann B. , Meyer Klemens B. , Foster Meredith C.
Published: September 2016

Introduction: Microbiological culture of dialysis water and fluid is a routine safety measure. In the United States (U.S.), laboratories perform these cultures on trypticase soy agar at 35–37°C for 48 h (TSA‐48h), not on the tryptone glucose extract agar or Reasoner's 2A agar at 17–23°C for 7 days (TGEA‐7d and R2A‐7d, respectively) recommended by international standards. We compared culture methods to identify samples exceeding the accepted action level of 50 CFU/mL.

Methods: Dialysis water and fluid samples collected from 41 U.S. dialysis programs between 2011 and 2014 were cultured at two U.S. laboratories. Each sample was cultured using (1) either TGEA‐7d or R2A‐7d and (2) TSA‐48h. We compared proportions exceeding the action level by different methods and test characteristics of TSA‐48h to those of TGEA‐7d and R2A‐7d.

Findings: The proportion of water samples yielding colony counts ≥50 CFU/mL by TGEA‐7d was significantly different from the proportion by TSA‐48h (P = 0.001; difference in proportion 4.3% [95%CI 1.3–7.3%]). The proportions of dialysis fluid samples ≥50 CFU/mL by TGEA‐7d and TSA‐48h were not significantly different; there were no significant differences for comparisons of R2A‐7d to TSA‐48h.

Discussion: In dialysis fluid, TSA‐48h was comparable to TGEA‐7d and R2A‐7d in identifying samples as having bacterial counts ≥50 CFU/mL. In dialysis water, TSA‐48h was comparable to R2A‐7d in identifying samples ≥50 CFU/mL, but TGEA‐7d did yield significantly more results above 50 CFU/mL. Nonetheless, the negative predictive value of a TSA‐48h result of <50 CFU/mL in dialysis water exceeded 95%.
A Phase I, Open‐Label, Single‐Dose Safety, Pharmacokinetic, and Tolerability Study of the Sumatriptan Iontophoretic Transdermal System in Adolescent Migraine Patients
Authors: Gutman Dikla , Hellriegel Edward , Aycardi Ernesto , Bigal Marcelo E. , Kunta Jeevan , Chitra Rohini , Kansagra Sujay , Kidron Orna Srur , Knebel Helena , Linder Steven , Ma Yuju , Pierce Mark , Winner Paul K. , Spiegelstein Ofer
Published: September 2016

Objective

To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of sumatriptan delivered by the iontophoretic transdermal system (TDS) in adolescent patients.

Background

Since nausea can be a prominent and early symptom of migraine, nonoral treatment options are often required. Sumatriptan iontophoretic TDS is approved for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. The present study evaluates the pharmacokinetics of sumatriptan administered via the iontophoretic TDS in adolescents, contrasting the findings with historical data from adults.

Design

Patients aged 12–17 years (inclusive) with acute migraine were treated with sumatriptan iontophoretic TDS for 4 hours. Blood samples for pharmacokinetic profiling of sumatriptan were obtained prior to dosing and at predetermined time points covering the 12 hours postonset of treatment. Key pharmacokinetic endpoints included Cmax (peak plasma drug concentration), tmax (time to Cmax), AUC0–∞ (area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to infinity), and t½ (terminal elimination half‐life). Safety was evaluated by monitoring of adverse events in addition to laboratory and clinical assessments.

Results

The sample consisted of 37 patients, and 36 were included in the PK evaluable population. Cmax, tmax, AUC0–∞, and t½ values were all similar between male and female patients and between younger (12–14 years) and older (15–17 years) adolescents. When compared with historical adult data, adolescent patients demonstrated similar systemic exposures to those observed in adults (mean Cmax 20.20 (±6.43) ng/mL in adolescents vs 21.89 (±6.15) ng/mL in adults; mean AUC0–∞ 98.1 (±28.1) ng·h/mL in adolescents vs 109.7 (±26.1) ng·h/mL in adults). All adverse events were mild or moderate, with application‐site paresthesia being the most common (32%). No clinically relevant changes in laboratory values, vital signs, or electrocardiogram findings were observed.

Conclusions

The iontophoretic TDS produced mean systemic exposures to sumatriptan in younger and older adolescents, in line with what was seen in adult subjects. It was generally well tolerated.