bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Entry‐Timing Advantages in Renewable Natural Resources Industries
Authors: Mac Cawley Alejandro F. , Sevil Ángel , Vassolo Roberto S. , Sepúlveda Vargas José Ignacio
Published: January 2019

In this paper, we explore the conditions of entry‐timing advantages in renewable natural resource industries. Drawing from behavioural theory of the firm, we classify firms in two groups depending on the different heuristics used to make entry decisions when facing the cyclical endogenous nature of these industries: crowd firms are procyclical, making decisions based on the current phase of the industry cycle, whereas anti‐crowd firms follow a countercyclical strategy, making uncertain, and risky decisions by estimation of the next phase of the cycle. Therefore, anti‐crowd firms anticipate the deployment of resources each cycle, potentially gaining entry‐timing advantages beyond those provided by traditional competitive isolating mechanisms. Through a mathematical simulation of a performance feedback model, we reveal that the entry‐timing advantage of the anti‐crowd group becomes possible when the rivalry in the industry and the price sensitivity of competitors are high, and when the time required to deploy the resources is short.
Regional variation in courage and entrepreneurship: The contrasting role of courage for the emergence and survival of start‐ups in the United States
Authors: Ebert Tobias , Götz Friedrich M. , Obschonka Martin , Zmigrod Leor , Rentfrow P. Jason
Published: January 2019

Objective

There is growing evidence that certain regional personality differences function as important drivers of regional economic development (e.g., via effects on entrepreneurship and innovation activity). The present investigation examines the impact that regional variation in the trait courage has on entrepreneurship.

Method

Using data from a new large‐scale internet‐based study, we provide the first psychological map of courage across the United States (N = 390,341 respondents from 283 U.S. metropolitan regions). We apply regression analyses to relate regional courage scores to archival data on the emergence and survival of start‐ups across American regions.

Results

Our mapping approach reveals comparatively high levels of regional courage in the Eastern and Southern regions of the United States. Regional courage scores were positively related to entrepreneurial activity, but negatively related to start‐up survival—even when controlling for a wide variety of standard economic predictors. Several robustness checks corroborated these results. Finally, regional differences in economic risk‐taking accounted for significant proportions of variance in the relationship between regional courage and entrepreneurship.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that regional courage may contribute to a pattern of enterprising and also risky economic behavior, which can lead to high levels of entrepreneurial activity but also shorter start‐up survival.
The self and depression: Four psychological theories and their potential neural correlates
Authors: Kopala‐Sibley Daniel C. , Zuroff David C.
Published: January 2019

We review theory and research pertaining to psychodynamic, social, humanistic, and ethological models of the self and depression and examine research into the neurobiological bases of the self and depression. We provide a narrative review of classic and recent empirical evidence pertaining to these four models of the relation of the self to depression as well as exemplar relevant neurobiological research. Evidence stemming from each of the four theories reviewed here shows a robust relationship between deficits in the sense of self and depressive symptoms, as well as increases in depressive symptoms over time. A smaller body of literature has linked one’s sense of self to onsets of depressive episodes. A growing body of literature has linked self‐relevant variables to functioning in various prefrontal and cortical midline brain regions as well as emotion and reward processing brain regions which have in turn been linked to depression. Evidence has therefore converged across all four theories and confirmed that a deficit in one’s sense of self confers risk for depression and that there is substantial overlap in the brain areas associated with one’s sense of self and depression.
The existential function of right‐wing authoritarianism
Authors: Womick Jake , Ward Sarah J. , Heintzelman Samantha J. , Woody Brendon , King Laura A.
Published: January 2019

Objective

Four studies tested the existential and existential buffering functions of right‐wing authoritarianism (RWA). We tested whether the facets of meaning mediated these functions.

Method

All studies measured RWA and meaning in life (MIL). Study 1, N = 2,319, also measured covariates, including Protestant Work Ethic and religiosity. Study 2, N = 505, examined RWA and meaning facets (purpose, coherence, and significance), and measured religiosity. Study 3, N = 971, measured psychological distress to test the existential buffering function of RWA. Study 4, N = 833, tested this hypothesis using meaning facets and tested for moderated mediation.

Results

In all studies, RWA and MIL were positively correlated. In Study 1, Protestant Work Ethic and religiosity weakened this association. In Study 2, significance mediated the association between RWA and global MIL. Religiosity wiped out the relationship between RWA and meaning variables, except significance. Study 3 supported the existential buffering hypothesis: distress and global MIL were less strongly related among those high on RWA. Study 4 replicated this finding for MIL facets. Significance mediated the existential buffering function of RWA.

Conclusions

Findings extend scientific knowledge by demonstrating that RWA contributes to MIL, particularly existential mattering, and especially for those experiencing distress. We discuss implications for our understanding of RWA and MIL.
Hepatitis E virus in Spanish donors and the necessity for screening
Authors: Rivero‐Juarez Antonio , Jarilla‐Fernandez María , Frias Mario , Madrigal‐Sanchez Elena , López‐López Pedro , Andújar‐Troncoso Giselle , Machuca Isabel , Camacho Angela , Muñoz‐Valbuena Pilar , Rivero Antonio
Published: January 2019

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) represents a major health problem worldwide. As the course of HEV cases is often subclinical, asymptomatic infections could represent an important source of viral spread and infection via routes such as blood donations. Before universal screening for HEV in blood donations can be implemented, studies evaluating the incidence of infection are needed to establish the potential risk of viral transmission. This is a prospective longitudinal study that included blood donors recruited at the Hospital de Ciudad Real Transfusion Service between October 2017 and January 2018. Pools of eight donations were tested for HEV viremia by PCR. Positive pools were individually evaluated following the same procedure. Positive samples were tested for anti‐HEV IgG and IgM. Recipients of blood transfusions obtained from HEV‐positive donors were retrospectively evaluated. The prevalence of HEV was calculated. A total of 11 313 healthy donors were analysed during the study period. Four blood donations from four different donors were HEV RNA‐reactive. The prevalence of HEV infection was 0.035% (95% CI: 0.01%‐0.09%), which meant a ratio of one positive donation per 2828 donations. All donors were negative for anti‐HEV IgM at the time of the donation. Five patients received transfusions from HEV‐positive blood donations, none of them showed an increase in alanine aminotransferase levels after transfusion. In conclusion, our study found a high prevalence of HEV infection in blood donors from south‐central Spain. In view of the prevalence, Spanish blood banks should carefully consider including screening for HEV.
Hepatitis D virus infection, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in The Gambia
Authors: Mahale Parag , Aka Peter , Chen Xiaohua , Pfeiffer Ruth M. , Liu Ping , Groover Sarah , Mendy Maimuna , Njie Ramou , Goedert James J. , Kirk Gregory D. , Glenn Jeffrey S. , O'Brien Thomas R.
Published: January 2019

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence is high in The Gambia, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the main cause. People coinfected with HBV and hepatitis D virus (HDV) have an even greater risk of HCC and cirrhosis. Using a new HDV quantitative microarray antibody capture (Q‐MAC) assay, we evaluated the association between HDV infection and HCC or cirrhosis among participants in The Gambia Liver Cancer Study. In this case‐control study, cases had HCC (n = 312) or cirrhosis (n = 119). Controls (n = 470) had no clinical evidence of liver disease and normal serum alpha‐foetoprotein. Participants were previously tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg); we tested HBsAg+ specimens by HDV Q‐MAC, western blot and RNA assays. We evaluated separate cut‐offs of the Q‐MAC assay for predicting anti‐HDV and RNA positivity. Q‐MAC correctly identified 29/29 subjects who were western blot‐positive (sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 99.4%) and 16/17 who were RNA‐positive (sensitivity = 94.1%, specificity = 100%). Compared to controls, cases more often had HBV monoinfection (HBsAg+/HDV RNA−; 54.1% vs 17.0%; odds ratio [OR] = 6.28; P < 0.001) or HBV‐HDV coinfection (HBsAg+/HDV RNA+; 3.9% vs 0%; P < 0.001). Risk estimates (for HCC or cirrhosis) based on HDV antibody status and adjusted for covariates (demographics, alcohol, smoking, body mass index, anti‐HCV and aflatoxin B1 exposure) yielded consistent results for both HBV monoinfection (adjusted OR = 8.29; 95% confidence interval = 5.74‐11.98) and HBV‐HDV coinfection (adjusted OR = 30.66; 95% confidence interval = 6.97‐134.95). In this Gambian population, HDV Q‐MAC had high sensitivity and specificity for both anti‐HDV and HDV RNA. HDV infection contributed to the high risk of HCC in The Gambia.
High rates of unprotected anal sex and use of generic direct‐acting antivirals in a cohort of MSM with acute HCV infection
Authors: Girometti Nicolò , Devitt Emma , Phillips Joe , Nelson Mark , Whitlock Gary
Published: January 2019

The role of condomless anal intercourse (CAI) as a driver for the epidemic of hepatitis C in MSM is still debated. Timely access to direct‐acting antivirals (DAA) could represent an essential strategy to tackle this. Case notes of MSM diagnosed with acute hepatitis C (AHC) between July 2016 and June 2017 in a sexual health clinic in London were included. Behavioural data on sexual practices and STI monitoring in the 6 months prior to AHC diagnosis were collected. DAA routes of access and timing from AHC diagnosis to start of treatment were analysed. A total of 60 individuals were enrolled (median age 39 years, IQR = 33‐46, 62% HIV co‐infected, 72% genotype 1a). CAI was reported by 97%, drug use prior to or during sex by 73%; 46% was diagnosed with a rectal STI and 29% with syphilis. About 37% did not report any HCV risk factors other than condomless anal sex. About 36% had a new rectal STI in the 6 months following AHC. About 82% accessed DAA treatment and median time from AHC to DAA start was 278 days for those following the NHS standard of care route, 132 days for those accessing DAA via participation in trials and 114 for those who had self‐sourced DAA online (P < 0.0011). SVR12 was achieved in 100% of the patients who received DAA treatment.In conclusion, CAI is a significant risk factor for HCV acquisition in MSM, irrespective of their HIV status. Rapid and wider access to treatment with DAA could represent a powerful strategy to reduce onward transmission and risk of reinfection in MSM.
Variation in pancreatic amylase gene copy number among Eurasian badgers (Carnivora, Mustelidae, Meles) and its relationship to diet
Authors: Abduriyim S. , Nishita Y. , Abramov A. V. , Solovyev V. A. , Saveljev A. P. , Kosintsev P. A. , Kryukov A. P. , Raichev E. , Väinölä R. , Kaneko Y. , Masuda R.
Published: January 2019

Occurrence of copy number variation (CNV) of gene loci is important in the adaptation of species and populations to their environments. High copy numbers of mammalian genes encoding the digestive enzyme amylase, which plays a role in starch digestion, have been associated with adaptation to high‐starch foods. Here, we investigated CNV in the pancreatic amylase gene (AMY2) in Eurasian badgers (Meles species) and related taxa using real‐time quantitative PCR. We found that Meles anakuma and M. meles, as well as the other mustelids Mustela sibirica, Martes melampus and Martes zibellina, had only one copy of the AMY2 locus, whereas in Meles leucurus the copy number varied between one and four. The AMY2 copy number also varied significantly among M. leucurus populations. This suggests that M. leucurus is better adapted to a diet rich in starch and/or glycogen than its congeners. As Meles spp. are basically omnivorous but favor a carnivoran diet, for example, earthworms and amphibians, we speculate that the CNV is related to the dearth of animal food in the range of M. leucurus, which enforces a more vegetal diet. This in turn would favor more efficient digestion of dietary starch, which could be achieved by increasing the copy number of AMY2 .
Skull shape and Bergmann's rule in mammals: hints from Old World porcupines
Authors: Mori E. , Ancillotto L. , Lovari S. , Russo D. , Nerva L. , Mohamed W. F. , Motro Y. , Di Bari P. , Plebani M.
Published: January 2019

The genus Hystrix includes eight species of porcupines distributed in Eurasia and Africa, across a broad latitudinal gradient. Our aim was to assess whether porcupine skulls: (1) allow for a reliable interspecific distinction; (2) change in size proportionally with body size; (3) follow the Bergmann's rule. We measured 235 Hystrix skulls from museums and private collections. We tested for differences in skull size and we assessed whether variability in skull shape allows species recognition through a multivariate approach. All Hystrix species considered could be reliably identified by skull shape. Skull size was correlated with body size and species differed in skull shape and size, with skulls of Hystrix javanica and Hystrix africaeaustralis being respectively the smallest and the largest ones. Within Hystrix cristata, the Mediterranean and the sub‐Saharan clades differed for both skull size and shape. Using skull size, we could distinguish among African, mainland Italian and Sicilian populations. Skull size of this species decreased in size for increasing latitude values, contrary to prediction by the Bergmann's rule. Such latitudinal pattern may depend on the adaption of H. cristata to Equatorial African conditions, where the species evolved. In Italy (where H. cristata was introduced in the VI Century AD) and in North Africa, a smaller body size may be due to the local climate, or to a ‘founder effect’.
Changes in melanocyte RNA and DNA methylation favour pheomelanin synthesis and may avoid systemic oxidative stress after dietary cysteine supplementation in birds
Authors: Rodríguez‐Martínez Sol , Márquez Rafael , Inácio Ângela , Galván Ismael
Published: January 2019

Cysteine plays essential biological roles, but excessive amounts produce cellular oxidative stress. Cysteine metabolism is mainly mediated by the enzymes cysteine dioxygenase and γ‐glutamylcysteine synthetase, respectively coded by the genes CDO1 and GCLC. Here we test a new hypothesis posing that the synthesis of the pigment pheomelanin also contributes to cysteine homeostasis in melanocytes, where cysteine can enter the pheomelanogenesis pathway. We conducted an experiment with the Eurasian nuthatch Sitta europaea, a bird producing large amounts of pheomelanin for feather pigmentation, to investigate if melanocytes show epigenetic lability under exposure to excess cysteine. We increased systemic cysteine levels in nuthatches by supplementing them with dietary cysteine during growth. In feather melanocytes this led to the downregulation of genes involved in intracellular cysteine metabolism (GCLC), cysteine transport to the cytosol from the extracellular medium (Slc7a11) and from melanosomes (CTNS), and regulation of tyrosinase activity (MC1R and ASIP). These changes were mediated by increases in DNA m5C in all genes except Slc7a11, which experienced RNA m6A depletion. Birds supplemented with cysteine synthesized more pheomelanin than controls, but did not suffer higher systemic oxidative stress. These results suggest that excess cysteine activates an epigenetic mechanism that favours pheomelanin synthesis and may protect against oxidative stress.
The cytochrome P450 CYP72A552 is key to production of hederagenin‐based saponins that mediate plant defense against herbivores
Authors: Liu Qing , Khakimov Bekzod , Cárdenas Pablo D. , Cozzi Federico , Olsen Carl Erik , Jensen Karen Rysbjerg , Hauser Thure Pavlo , Bak Søren
Published: January 2019

Plants continuously evolve new defense compounds. One class of such compounds is triterpenoid saponins. A few species in the Barbarea genus produce saponins as the only ones in the large crucifer family. However, the molecular mechanism behind saponin biosynthesis and their role in plant defense remains unclear.

We used pathway reconstitution in planta, enzymatic production of saponins in vitro, insect feeding assays, and bioinformatics to identify a missing gene involved in saponin biosynthesis and saponin‐based herbivore defense.

A tandem repeat of eight CYP72A cytochromes P450 colocalise with a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for saponin accumulation and flea beetle resistance in Barbarea vulgaris. We found that CYP72A552 oxidises oleanolic acid at position C‐23 to hederagenin. In vitro‐produced hederagenin monoglucosides reduced larval feeding by up to 90% and caused 75% larval mortality of the major crucifer pest diamondback moth and the tobacco hornworm. Sequence analysis indicated that CYP72A552 evolved through gene duplication and has been under strong selection pressure.

In conclusion, CYP72A552 has evolved to catalyse the formation of hederagenin‐based saponins that mediate plant defense against herbivores. Our study highlights the evolution of chemical novelties by gene duplication and selection for enzyme innovations, and the importance of chemical modification in plant defense evolution.
Periodontal status and clinical outcomes in kidney transplant recipients: A systematic review
Authors: Nunes‐dos‐Santos Danila L. , Gomes Samira V. , Rodrigues Vandilson P. , Pereira Antonio L. A.
Published: January 2019

Objective

The aim of this systematic review was to identify clinical outcomes following kidney transplantation associated with periodontal status.

Material and methods

A systematic review was conducted and included cross‐sectional, case–control, or cohort studies published until August 2018 from PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Science Direct, and CENTRAL. The research was carried out using the following descriptors: “kidney transplantation,” “chronic renal failure,” “periodontal diseases,” “periodontitis,” “chronic periodontitis,” “gingival hyperplasia,” and “gingivitis.” The outcomes comprised the clinical transplantation variables. Two independent reviewers extracted the data and assessed the quality of the studies using Newcastle–Ottawa scale.

Results

The electronic search revealed 1,063 potentially relevant studies. We selected 114 articles for reading the full text. Therefore, six studies met the inclusion criteria: one case–control, three cross‐sectional, and two cohort studies. All studies showed low risk of bias. The findings suggest that the periodontal status may be associated with the largest left ventricular mass, greater carotid thickness, graft rejection, lower graft survival, and a higher mortality rate within 60 months among kidney transplant recipients.

Conclusion

The findings of this systematic review indicate that there is an association between periodontal status and worsening of graft function and systemic health among kidney transplant recipients.
Purtscher‐like retinopathy: A rare presentation of hematopoietic stem cell transplant‐associated thrombotic microangiopathy
Authors: Castillo Paul , Voigt Katie , Crockett Charlene , Stout John Timothy , Krance Robert , Naik Swati
Published: January 2019

Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT)‐associated (TA) thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is an acquired disorder and a potentially life‐threatening complication after allogeneic HSCT. TA‐TMA causes endothelial damage and results in micro‐thrombi in capillaries and arterioles. Early detection and treatment of complications associated with TA‐TMA might improve outcomes. Purtscher‐like retinopathy (PLR) is associated with micro‐thrombi that occlude the retinal arteries and cause retinal injury. PLR has been associated with multiple entities, including HUS and TTP, but has not previously been described in the setting of TA‐TMA. Here, we describe an 18‐year‐old male who underwent a mismatched unrelated donor HSCT for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The patient was diagnosed with TA‐TMA based on standard defined criteria. He presented with acute onset of blurred vision with findings of multiple white retinal patches, retinal hemorrhages, and macular edema, thought initially to be hypertensive retinopathy. However, on further evaluation using fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography, the diagnosis was determined to be PLR. The patient was treated with intravitreal steroid injections (triamcinolone acetonide) with dramatic improvement of vision. The aim of this report is to make clinicians aware of PLR as a potential ocular complication associated with TA‐TMA and that prompt intervention might reverse visual impairment.
Medication adherence in pediatric renal transplant patients: The role of family functioning and parent health locus of control
Authors: Kraenbring Meghan Marie , Zelikovsky Nataliya , Meyers Kevin E. C.
Published: January 2019

Children and adolescents with renal disease experience daily social, emotional, and medical challenges. Renal transplantation can help to improve quality of life but requires a lifelong regimen of immunosuppressant medication to maintain health. Adherence to a daily complex regimen can be difficult, particularly for adolescents who are beginning to develop autonomy from caregivers and are faced with a unique set of socio‐emotional challenges. This study examines two factors that have shown to influence adherence in other pediatric populations, namely family functioning and parent health locus of control, from mothers’ perspectives, in predicting medication non‐adherence for adolescents (ages 12‐19 years) 1 year post‐transplant. Non‐adherence was defined as the percentage of missed doses and late doses of the weekly immunosuppressant doses prescribed. Regression results demonstrated that mothers’ perceptions of poorer overall family functioning predicted missed medication doses (ΔR2 = 0.383, F(7, 21) = 2.570, P = 0.044) with significant contributions in the domains of problem‐solving (β = −0.795, t(21) = −2.927, P = 0.008) and affective involvement (β = 0.872, t(21) = 3.370, P = 0.003). Moreover, mothers who perceived that their adolescent had control over his/her health also predicted more missed medication doses (ΔR2 = 0.133, F(1, 27) = 5.155, P = 0.031). Important implications for these findings include implementation of family‐based interventions that promote developmentally appropriate skills for adolescents and cultivate emotional involvement within the family.
Various initial presentations of Epstein‐Barr virus infection‐associated post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in pediatric liver transplantation recipients: Case series and literature review
Authors: Simakachorn Lila , Tanpowpong Pornthep , Lertudomphonwanit Chatmanee , Anurathapan Usanarat , Pakakasama Samart , Hongeng Suradej , Treepongkaruna Suporn , Phuapradit Pornpimon
Published: January 2019

PTLD is a rare but potentially life‐threatening condition, which shows a higher prevalence in children than in adults. From 129 children who underwent LT, we reported 5 cases with biopsy‐proven PTLD at a single teaching hospital. Four patients had shared clinical presentations including fever, lymphadenopathy, and splenomegaly. They were noted to be given a prolonged course of IS due to the management of comorbid complications such as acute cellular rejection or severe food allergy or eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease. The other one patient presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding from gastric mass during an early post‐transplantation period. Notably, hypoalbuminemia was noted in all reported patients. Similar to previous studies, both EBV serology mismatch between the donor and recipient with high EBV viral load were noted in all except one case, whose EBV serology was unknown before LT. At least one episode of CMV reactivation was also observed in 3 of 5 patients prior to the PTLD diagnosis. The histopathology revealed 1 of 5 early PTLD, 1 of 5 polymorphic PTLD, and 3 of 5 monomorphic PTLD. The treatment included IS withdrawal, chemotherapy, and/or rituximab. One patient died of multiorgan dysfunction, one remains in complete remission, and three patients are either still on treatment or await response evaluation. Even though most of our reported PTLD cases had shared manifestations with fever, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, EBV serology mismatch, and high EBV viral load, various initial presentations such as respiratory symptoms, hypoalbuminemia, and prolonged use of IS from other causes such as significant food allergy were noted.
Control of lettuce big‐vein disease by application of fungicides and crop covers
Authors: Opatovsky I. , Elbaz M. , Dori I. , Avraham L. , Mordechai‐Lebiush S. , Dombrovsky A. , Tsror (Lahkim) L.
Published: January 2019

One of the economically important diseases of lettuce is lettuce big‐vein disease (LBVD), which leads to severe yield losses. LBVD is associated with a complex of two viruses, Lettuce big‐vein associated virus (LBVaV) and Mirafiori lettuce big‐vein virus (MLBVV). These viruses are transmitted by motile zoospores of Olpidium spp. fungi, which persist in the soil for decades through resting spores. In greenhouse and field experiments, this study tested whether changing plant and soil temperatures together with fungicide application would have a significant effect on controlling LBVD in lettuce. Soil fumigation with metam sodium was not effective at controlling the disease, as opposed to treatment with chloropicrin and methyl bromide. Moreover, the fungicides carbendazim and fluazinam were effective in reducing the incidence of Olpidium virulentus. Nevertheless, control of the fungal vector did not seem to be sufficient to control the disease due to the transition ability of the virus under low vector abundance. Crop covers, which affect the favourable environmental conditions for the viruses by lowering soil temperature and raising air temperature, reduced the disease symptoms. Combining fungicides with crop cover had a synergistic effect on reducing disease symptoms, thus providing a sustainable solution for LBVD.
Decoding Worker “Reliability”: Modern Agrarian Values and Immigrant Labor on New York Dairy Farms
Authors: Sexsmith Kathleen
Published: January 2019

This article examines the reasons offered by New York dairy farmers for hiring undocumented immigrant workers in their milking parlors, and connects those discourses to broader economic and cultural change in U.S. agrarian society. Based on interviews with 25 dairy farmers on 22 farms, this article examines farmers’ assessments of the Amish, white non‐Amish, Puerto Rican, and undocumented Latino labor pool. The analysis shows that farmers consider undocumented immigrants the most “reliable” workforce, and that their reliability stems from their deportability and from their separation from their families, which drives them to work long hours. I argue that farmer discourses about immigrant “reliability” must be understood in the context of economic pressure to adopt a more commercial orientation to dairying, and of modern agrarian values that prize urban middle‐class lifestyles. Ultimately, worker “reliability” is a euphemism for the transnational separation of workers from their families, and one that is operationalized by farmers to justify the pursuit of economic success and more leisure time off the farm.
Intersectional Approach to Top Executive White‐Collar Offenders’ Discourses: A Case Study of the Martha Stewart and Sam Waksal Insider Trading Scandal
Authors: Liu Lin , Miller Susan L.
Published: January 2019

Employing a feminist intersectional approach, the current study analyzes how the intersected social identities of homemaker extraordinaire Martha Stewart and Sam Waksal, the former CEO of ImClone, manifest in their gendered discursive strategies during the insider trading scandal. Findings indicate gendered performance could be better understood from a social learning process perspective, which dictates that individuals learn from public reactions to their past acts and adjust their presentations of self to achieve their career goals. Our findings also highlight gender transgression includes not only the demeanors associated with acts but also the role individuals take against the socially constructed gendered expectations.
Social Evolution and Environmental Context: Explanative Pluralism and Potentiality
Authors: York Richard , Besek Jordan Fox
Published: January 2019

We identify four common, but we argue fallacious, reasons social scientists object to theories that rely on environmental conditions to explain variation in the evolution of societies. First, some sociologists exclude environmental forces as beyond the domain of sociology. Second, environmental theories are often pejoratively labeled “determinist,” and rejected on those grounds. Third, environmental theories are regularly dismissed as being functionalist. Fourth, environmental theories are frequently charged with being Eurocentric and serving to justify colonialism and social inequalities. We argue that although there are examples of theories that fail in these regards, there is no inherent reason that environmental theories are more prone to these limitations and problems than are more sociologically “pure” theories. We argue that sociology should strive to be more transdisciplinary and can benefit from consideration of environmental conditions.
Putative Null Pronominals In English: Causes and Consequences
Authors: Takahashi Shoichi
Published: January 2019

A null pronominal has sometimes been posited in an extraction site of raising to subject that creates a remnant constituent in the literature. I argue that what has been recognized as a null pronominal should be viewed as a covert definite determiner. Counter‐cyclic merger of a restrictorNPwith a determiner and a procedure for interpreting movement dependencies conspire to produce this syntactic object. Considering also extraction from a certain kind of island, which shows the same traits as raising to subject mentioned above, I will characterize under what circumstances we perceive an effect of a putative null pronominal and why we do so under those circumstances. I conclude that the role of Case is particularly important in our understanding of this effect.
Networked religion meets digital geographies: Pedagogical principles for exploring new spaces and roles in the seminary classroom
Authors: Oliver Kyle Matthew
Published: January 2019

This article presents a pedagogical approach to training seminarians for faith leadership in the era of what Heidi Campbell has called “networked religion.” It argues that the increasing digital mediation of religious practice, expression, and community represents an opportunity for students to explore and inhabit ministry sites and roles from “within” the seminary classroom. Using education scholars' discussions of new digital geographies, gaming scholars' conception of game space, and reflection on classroom‐tested “quick challenges,” the author presents pedagogical principles for designing authentic new media learning experiences. Such activities bridge teaching spaces and ministry spaces to promote active learning through observation and immersion, simulation and role‐playing.
MtABCG20 is an ABA exporter influencing root morphology and seed germination of Medicago truncatula
Authors: Pawela Aleksandra , Banasiak Joanna , Biała Wanda , Martinoia Enrico , Jasiński Michał
Published: January 2019

Summary

Abscisic acid (ABA) integrates internal and external signals to coordinate plant development, growth and architecture. It plays a central role in stomatal closure, and prevents germination of freshly produced seeds and germination of non‐dormant seeds under unfavorable circumstances. Here, we describe a Medicago truncatula ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporter, MtABCG20, as an ABA exporter present in roots and germinating seeds. In seeds, MtABCG20 was found in the hypocotyl–radicle transition zone of the embryonic axis. Seeds of mtabcg20 plants were more sensitive to ABA upon germination, due to the fact that ABA translocation within mtabcg20 embryos was impaired. Additionally, the mtabcg20 produced fewer lateral roots and formed more nodules compared with wild‐type plants in conditions mimicking drought stress. Heterologous expression in Arabidopsis thaliana provided evidence that MtABCG20 is a plasma membrane protein that is likely to form homodimers. Moreover, export of ABA from Nicotiana tabacum BY2 cells expressing MtABCG20 was faster than in the BY2 without MtABCG20. Our results have implications both in legume crop research and determination of the fundamental molecular processes involved in drought response and germination.
The Proper Order of Things
Authors: Ferguson Heather L.
Published: January 2019

The Proper Order of Things demonstrates how early modern Ottoman territorial control, both in general practice and in the specific contexts of Greater Syria and occupied Hungary, was enabled through the creation of a particular web of textual authority. The book therefore focuses attention on an Ottoman paper trail of legal edicts, administrative reports, and reflective treatises that extended the jurisdiction of sovereign power through an evolving textual corpus. This corpus sublimated anxieties of fragmented regional power to assertions of imperial universalism. Formalized registers and circulated protocols fostered the development of a trifecta of imperial order: the emergence of an elite administrative class defined in and through an emerging court bureaucracy; the circulation of a documentary corpus of edicts that promulgated and registered imperial supremacy via a specific idiom of power; and the establishment of a dynastic linguistic and legal medium that defined the shape, even if it did not control the content, of intellectual activity, speculative inquiry, and literary stylizations. The Proper Order of Things thus argues that a link between territorial and textual authority also formalized a particular discourse that became the means by which the Ottoman establishment managed distance and organized diversity into an ordered system of state power. This discourse created a particular orientation to authoritative texts and bridged the divide between conceptual or ideological frameworks and administrative practices.
Enlightened Immunity
Authors: Ramírez Paul
Published: January 2019

A history of epidemics and disease prevention in eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Mexico, Enlightened Immunity focuses on the multiethnic and multimedia production of medical knowledge in a time when the governance of healthy populations was central to the pursuits of absolutist monarchies. The book reconstructs the cultural, ritual, and political background of Mexico’s early experiments with childhood vaccines, tracing how the public health response to epidemic disease was thoroughly enmeshed with religion and the church, the spread of Enlightenment ideas about medicine and the body, and the customs and healing practices of indigenous villages. It was not only educated urban elites—doctors and men of science—whose response to outbreaks of disease mattered. Rather, the cast of protagonists crossed ethnic, gender, and class lines: local officials who decided if and how to execute plans that came from Mexico City, rural priests who influenced local practices, peasants and artisans who reckoned with the consequences of quarantine, and Indian tributaries who decided if they would hand their children to vaccinators. By following the public response to anticontagion measures and smallpox vaccine in colonial Mexico, Enlightened Immunity sheds light on fundamental questions about trust, uncertainty, and the role of religion in a period of medical discovery, innovation, and modernization.
Manipulating Globalization
Authors: Chen Ling
Published: January 2019

The era of globalization saw China emerge as the world’s manufacturing titan. However, the “made in China” model—with its reliance on cheap labor and thin profits—has begun to wane. Beginning in the 2000s, the Chinese state shifted from attracting foreign investment to promoting technological competitiveness of domestic firms. This shift, however, caused tensions between winners and losers, leading local bureaucrats to compete for resources in government budget, funding, and tax breaks. While bureaucrats successfully built coalitions to motivate businesses to upgrade in some cities, in others, vested interests within the government deprived businesses of developmental resources and left them in a desperate race to the bottom. In Manipulating Globalization, Ling Chen argues that the roots of coalitional variation lie in the type of foreign firms with which local governments forged alliances. Cities that initially attracted large global firms with a significant share of exports were more likely to experience manipulation from vested interests down the road compared to those that attracted smaller foreign firms. The book develops the argument with in-depth interviews and tests it with quantitative data across hundreds of Chinese cities and thousands of firms. Chen advances a new theory of economic policies in authoritarian regimes and informs debates about the nature of Chinese capitalism. Her findings also shed light on state-led development and coalition formation in other emerging economies that comprise the new “globalized” generation.
Region‐specific differences and areal interactions underlying transitions in epileptiform activity
Authors: Codadu Neela K. , Parrish R. Ryley , Trevelyan Andrew J.
Published: January 2019

Key points

Local neocortical and hippocampal territories show different and sterotypical patterns of acutely evolving, epileptiform activity.

Neocortical and entorhinal networks show tonic–clonic‐like events, but the main hippocampal territories do not, unless it is relayed from the other areas.

Transitions in the pattern of locally recorded epileptiform activity can be indicative of a shift in the source of pathological activity, and may spread through both synaptic and non‐synaptic means.

Hippocampal epileptiform activity is promoted by 4‐aminopyridine and inhibited by GABAB receptor agonists, and appears far more sensitive to these drugs than neocortical activity.

These signature features of local epileptiform activity can provide useful insight into the primary source of ictal activity, aiding both experimental and clinical investigation.

Understanding the nature of epileptic state transitions remains a major goal for epilepsy research. Simple in vitro models offer unique experimental opportunities that we exploit to show that such transitions can arise from shifts in the ictal source of the activity. These transitions reflect the fact that cortical territories differ both in the type of epileptiform activity they can sustain and in their susceptibility to drug manipulation. In the zero‐Mg2+ model, the earliest epileptiform activity is restricted to neocortical and entorhinal networks. Hippocampal bursting only starts much later, and triggers a marked transition in neo‐/entorhinal cortical activity. Thereafter, the hippocampal activity acts as a pacemaker, entraining the other territories to their discharge pattern. This entrainment persists following transection of the major axonal pathways between hippocampus and cortex, indicating that it can be mediated through a non‐synaptic route. Neuronal discharges are associated with large rises in extracellular [K+], but we show that these are very localized, and therefore are not the means of entraining distant cortical areas. We conclude instead that the entrainment occurs through weak field effects distant from the pacemaker, but which are highly effective at recruiting other brain territories that are already hyperexcitable. The hippocampal epileptiform activity appears unusually susceptible to drugs that impact on K+ conductances. These findings demonstrate that the local circuitry gives rise to stereotypical epileptic activity patterns, but these are also influenced by both synaptic and non‐synaptic long‐range effects. Our results have important implications for our understanding of epileptic propagation and anti‐epileptic drug action.
The misinformation machine
Authors: Ruths Derek
Published: January 2019

Misinformation results from many interacting processes
Conventional DCs sample and present myelin antigens in the healthy CNS and allow parenchymal T cell entry to initiate neuroinflammation
Authors: Mundt Sarah , Mrdjen Dunja , Utz Sebastian G. , Greter Melanie , Schreiner Bettina , Becher Burkhard
Published: January 2019

In vivo reactivation of myelin-reactive T cells requires conventional DCs but not other brain-resident antigen-presenting cells.
Fluorescent Capillary Electrophoresis Is Superior to Culture in Detecting
Candida
Species from Samples of Urinary Catheters and Ureteral Stents with Mono- or Polyfungal Biofilm Growth
Authors: Obručová Hana , Kotásková Iva , Tihelková Radka , Holá Veronika , Růžička Filip , Freiberger Tomáš
Published: January 2019

Molecular techniques in fungal detection and identification represent an efficient complementary diagnostic tool which is increasingly used to overcome limitations of routinely used culture techniques. The aim of this study was to characterize
Candida
sp.
Ceramide Suppresses Influenza A Virus Replication
In Vitro
Authors: Soudani Nadia , Hage-Sleiman Rouba , Karam Walid , Dbaibo Ghassan , Zaraket Hassan
Published: January 2019

Understanding the effect of sphingolipid metabolism on viral pathogenesis provide important insights into the development of therapeutic strategies against microbial infections. In this study, we demonstrate a critical role of ceramide during influenza A virus infection. We demonstrate that ceramide produced through
de novo
biosynthesis possess an antiviral role. These observations unlock new opportunities for the development of novel antiviral therapies against influenza.
Genetics ofsanguinis-Group Streptococci in Health and Disease
Authors: Nobbs Angela , Kreth Jens
Published: January 2019

With the application of increasingly advanced “omics” technologies to the study of our resident oral microbiota, the presence of a defined, health-associated microbial community has been recognized. Within this community,sanguinis-group streptococci, comprising the closely relatedStreptococcus sanguinisandStreptococcus gordonii, together withStreptococcus parasanguinis, often predominate. Their ubiquitous and abundant nature reflects the evolution of these bacteria as highly effective colonizers of the oral cavity. Through interactions with host tissues and other microbes, and the capacity to readily adapt to prevailing environmental conditions,sanguinis-group streptococci are able to shape accretion of the oral plaque biofilm and promote development of a microbial community that exists in harmony with its host. Nonetheless, upon gaining access to the blood stream, those very same colonization capabilities can confer uponsanguinis-group streptococci the ability to promote systemic disease. This article focuses on the role ofsanguinis-group streptococci as the commensurate commensals, highlighting those aspects of their biology that enable the coordination of health-associated biofilm development. This includes the molecular mechanisms, both synergistic and antagonistic, that underpin adhesion to substrata, intercellular communication, and polymicrobial community formation. As our knowledge of these processes advances, so will the opportunities to exploit this understanding for future development of novel strategies to control oral and extraoral disease.
Complete Genome Sequences of Dengue Virus Type 2 Strains from Kilifi, Kenya
Authors: Kamau Everlyn , Agoti Charles N. , Ngoi Joyce M. , de Laurent Zaydah R. , Gitonga John , Cotten Matthew , Phan My V. T. , Nokes D. James , Delwart Eric , Sanders Eduard , Warimwe George M.
Published: January 2019

Dengue infection remains poorly characterized in Africa and little is known regarding its associated viral genetic diversity. Here, we report dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) sequence data from 10 clinical samples, including 5 complete genome sequences of the cosmopolitan genotype, obtained from febrile adults seeking outpatient care in coastal Kenya.
Taking account of context in systematic reviews and guidelines considering a complexity perspective
Authors: Booth Andrew , Moore Graham , Flemming Kate , Garside Ruth , Rollins Nigel , Tunçalp Özge , Noyes Jane
Published: January 2019

Systematic review teams and guideline development groups face considerable challenges when considering context within the evidence production process. Many complex interventions are context-dependent and are frequently evaluated within considerable contextual variation and change. This paper considers the extent to which current tools used within systematic reviews and guideline development are suitable in meeting these challenges. The paper briefly reviews strengths and weaknesses of existing approaches to specifying context. Illustrative tools are mapped to corresponding stages of the systematic review process. Collectively, systematic review and guideline production reveals a rich diversity of frameworks and tools for handling context. However, current approaches address only specific elements of context, are derived from primary studies which lack information or have not been tested within systematic reviews. A hypothetical example is used to illustrate how context could be integrated throughout the guideline development process. Guideline developers and evidence synthesis organisations should select an appropriate level of contextual detail for their specific guideline that is parsimonious and yet sensitive to health systems contexts and the values, preferences and needs of their target populations.