bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A four-step blueprint for digital reinvention
Authors: Berman Saul J. , Korsten Peter J. , Marshall Anthony
Published: August 2016

Purpose

Digital reinvention helps organizations create unique, compelling experiences for their customers, partners, employees and other stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

Digital reinvention combines the capabilities of multiple technologies, including cloud, cognitive, mobile and the Internet of Things (IoT) to rethink customer and partner relationships from a perspective of fundamental customer need, use or aspiration.

Findings

The most successful digitally reinvented businesses establish a platform of engagement for their customers, with the business acting as enabler, conduit and partner

Practical implications

For successful digital reinvention, organizations need to pursue a new strategic focus, build new expertise and establish new ways of working.

Originality/value

The article offers a blueprint for digital reinvention that involves rethinking customer and partner relationships from a perspective of fundamental customer need, use or aspiration.
Four best practices for strategic planning
Authors: Kachaner Nicolas , King Kermit , Stewart Sam
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The authors identify the practices that the companies that get the most benefit from their strategic-planning activities have in common:

Design/methodology/approach

The authors describe how successful companies achieve better strategic planning: They explore strategy at distinct time horizons. They constantly reinvent and stimulate the strategic dialogue. They engage the broad organization. They invest in execution and monitoring.

Findings

By focusing a standard process on addressing new questions, the strategic dialogue will remain rich, because participants will have new analyses to consider and fundamentally different ideas to discuss; so strategists – and business leaders – have to learn the “art of questioning.””

Practical implications

A good approach is to ask the leaders of the business units to identify the most important questions that the center should be asking them in today’s turbulent competitive environments.”

Originality/value

An high-value overview of strategic planning for the novice and seasoned practitioner alike. A well-chosen extended strategy team and an always-on monthly strategy assessment process can be a powerful early-warning system.
The nuanced negative: Meanings of a negative diagnostic result in clinical exome sequencing
Authors: Skinner Debra , Raspberry Kelly A. , King Martha
Published: August 2016

Genomic sequencing technology is moving rapidly from the research setting into clinical medicine but significant technological and interpretive challenges remain. Exome sequencing (ES) in its recent clinical application provides a genetic diagnosis in about 25 per cent of cases (Berg 2014). While this diagnostic yield is substantial, it also indicates that in a majority of cases, patients are receiving negative results (i.e. no explanatory genetic variant found) from this technology. There are a number of uncertainties regarding the meaning of a negative result in the current context of ES. A negative result may be due to current technological limitations that hinder detection of disease‐causing variants or to gaps in the knowledge base that prohibit accurate interpretation of their pathogenicity; or it may indicate that there is not a genetic etiology for the disorder. In this paper we examine the uncertainties and nuances of the negative result from genome sequencing and how both clinicians and patients make meaning of it as revealed in ethnographic observations of the clinic session where results are returned, and in interviews with patients. We find that clinicians and patients construct the meaning of a negative result in ways that are uncertain, contingent, and multivalent; but invested with optimism, promise, and potentiality.
Postharvest senescence of fresh lotus pods and seeds is delayed by treatment with 1‐methylcyclopropene
Authors: Li P.X. , Gao J.X. , Hu H.L. , Luo S.F. , Zhang L.G.
Published: August 2016

Absract

Fresh lotus pods were treated with 1‐methylcyclopropene (1‐MCP) at a concentration of 0.5 μL L−1 for 24 h at 25°C and then stored at 25°C for 8 days. First, their quality and physiological changes during storage were measured in terms of visual appearance, respiration rate, firmness, and the contents of sugars, protein, total phenolics and malondialdehyde (MDA). The results showed that the 1‐MCP treatment reduced the browning of fresh lotus pods, and inhibited the respiration rate during storage. In addition, the 1‐MCP treatment alleviated changes in firmness, delayed starch and protein degradation, and the accumulation of reducing sugars and total sugars in lotus seeds, preserving the good taste of lotus seeds. Moreover, the 1‐MCP treatment alleviated the increase of MDA and effectively inhibited the decrease in total phenolics in lotus seeds during days 6 to 8 of storage. Meanwhile, the results of antioxidant capacity in lotus seeds indicated that 1‐MCP not only sustained a higher level of 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity, but also increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase throughout the storage period. However, the 1‐MCP treatment reduced polyphenol oxidase activity in seeds relative to the control. Moreover, we found that the adenosine triphosphate content and energy charge during the last 4 days of storage were higher in 1‐MCP‐treated seeds than in the control. These results indicated that the use of 0.5 μL L−1 1‐MCP provided an effective method, via multiple lines of evidence, to delay the postharvest senescence of fresh lotus pods and seeds.
Dental enamel defects, caries experience and oral health‐related quality of life: a cohort study
Authors: Arrow P
Published: August 2016

Background

The impact of enamel defects of the first permanent molars on caries experience and child oral health‐related quality of life was evaluated in a cohort study.

Methods

Children who participated in a study of enamel defects of the first permanent molars 8 years earlier were invited for a follow‐up assessment. Consenting children completed the Child Perception Questionnaire and the faces Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale, and were examined by two calibrated examiners. ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis, negative binomial and logistic regression were used for data analyses.

Results

One hundred and eleven children returned a completed questionnaire and 91 were clinically examined. Negative binomial regression found that oral health impacts were associated with gender (boys, risk ratio (RR) = 0.73, P = 0.03) and decayed, missing or filled permanent teeth (DMFT) (RR = 1.1, P = 0.04). The mean DMFT of children were sound (0.9, standard deviation (SD) = 1.4), diffuse defects (0.8, SD = 1.7), demarcated defects (1.5, SD = 1.4) and pit defects (1.3, SD = 2.3) (Kruskal–Wallis, P = 0.05). Logistic regression of first permanent molar caries found higher odds of caries experience with baseline primary tooth caries experience (odds ratio (OR) = 1.5, P = 0.01), the number of teeth affected by enamel defects (OR = 1.9, P = 0.05) and lower odds with the presence of diffuse enamel defects (OR = 0.1, P = 0.04).

Conclusions

The presence of diffuse enamel defects was associated with lower odds of caries experience.
The changing pattern of contraceptive use and pregnancies in four generations of young women
Authors: Lindh Ingela , Hognert Helena , Milsom Ian
Published: August 2016

Introduction

The aim of this study was to describe contraceptive use and pregnancies and their relationship to socio‐economic status (SES) in four generations of young Swedish women.

Material and methods

Questionnaires regarding contraceptive use and pregnancies were sent to random samples of 19‐year‐old women in 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 (n = 4732).

Results

Current contraceptive use was higher in 2001 (78%) (p < 0.01) and 2011 (69%) (p < 0.05) compared with 1981 (60%) and 1991 (62%). Combined hormonal contraception (CHC) was the most common form of contraception throughout (p < 0.0001). The use of long‐acting reversible contraception (LARC = implants, intrauterine contraception) and progestogen‐only pills increased over time (p < 0.01). Mental side effects as a reason for CHC cessation increased over time and was the most common reason for cessation of CHC in 2011 (p < 0.001). Contraceptive use was lower in women from low SES areas (p < 0.05) in 2011. The percentage of young women who had been pregnant at ≤19 years of age was lower (p < 0.05) in the assessment from 2001 (7%) than in that in 1991 (13%) and 2011 (12%). The proportion of teenage mothers decreased from 4.4% (1981) to 1.6% (2011) (p < 0.01). More women had been pregnant at ≤19 years of age in low SES areas than in middle and high SES areas (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The lowest pregnancy rate was in the cohort with the highest contraceptive use. Term pregnancies declined over time. A greater number of pregnancies in low SES areas and a change towards lower contraceptive use in low SES areas was recorded in 2011.
HIV‐1 and hijacking of the host immune system: the current scenario
Authors: Imran Muhammad , Manzoor Sobia , Saalim Muhammad , Resham Saleha , Ashraf Javed , Javed Aneela , Waqar Ahmed Bilal
Published: August 2016

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a major health burden across the world which leads to the development of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). This review article discusses the prevalence of HIV, its major routes of transmission, natural immunity, and evasion from the host immune system. HIV is mostly prevalent in Sub‐Saharan Africa and low income countries. It is mostly transmitted by sharing syringe needles, blood transfusion, and sexual routes. The host immune system is categorized into three main types; the innate, the adaptive, and the intrinsic immune system. Regarding the innate immune system against HIV, the key players are mucosal membrane, dendritic cells (DCs), complement system, interferon, and host Micro RNAs. The major components of the adaptive immune system exploited by HIV are T cells mainly CD4+ T cells and B cells. The intrinsic immune system confronted by HIV involves (apolipoprotein B mRNA‐editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide‐like 3G) APOBEC3G, tripartite motif 5‐α (TRIM5a), terherin, and (SAM‐domain HD‐domain containing protein) SAMHD1. HIV‐1 efficiently interacts with the host immune system, exploits the host machinery, successfully replicates and transmits from one cell to another. Further research is required to explore evasion strategies of HIV to develop novel therapeutic approaches against HIV.
Subtypes of hypoxia‐responsive cells differentiate into neurons in spinal cord of zebrafish embryos after hypoxic stress
Authors: Zeng Chih‐Wei , Kamei Yasuhiro , Wang Chih‐Tien , Tsai Huai‐Jen
Published: August 2016

Background Information

Neuron stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) of zebrafish central nervous system (CNS) are known to thrive during oxygen recovery after hypoxia, but not all cell types have been fully characterised due to their heterogeneities. In addition, an in vivo model system is not available that can help us to identify what type‐specific cell populations that are involved in neural regeneration and to track their cell fate after regeneration. To solve these issues, we employed a zebrafish transgenic line, huORFZ, which harbours an inhibitory upstream open reading frame of human chop mRNA fused downstream with GFP reporter and driven by cytomegalovirus promoter. When huORFZ embryos were exposure to hypoxic stress, followed by oxygen recovery, GFP was exclusively expressed in some particular cells of CNS. Unlike GFP‐negative cells, all GFP‐expressing cells were not apoptotic, indicating that cell populations that are able to survive after hypoxia can be identified through this approach.

Results

When GFP‐expressing cells of spinal cord were studied, we found mostly NSPCs and radial glia cells (RGs), along with a few oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and oligodendrocytes, all termed as hypoxia‐responsive recovering cells (HrRCs). After hypoxic stress, these GFP‐positive HrRCs did not undergo apoptosis, but GFP‐negative neurons did. Prolonged recovery time after hypoxia was correlated with higher proportions of GFP(+)‐NSPCs and GFP(+)‐RGs, in contrast to lower proportions of proliferating/differentiating GFP(–)‐NSPCs and GFP(–)‐RGs. Among HrRCs subtypes, only GFP(+)‐NSPCs and GFP(+)‐RGs proliferated, migrated and differentiated into functional neurons during oxygen recovery. When some HrRCs were ablated in the spinal cord of hypoxia‐exposed huORFZ embryos, swimming performance was impaired, suggesting that HrRCs are involved in neuronal regeneration.

Conclusion

We demonstrated type‐specific cell populations able to respond sensitively to hypoxic stress in the spinal cord of zebrafish embryos and that these type‐specific populations play a role in neural regeneration.

Significance

Among heterogeneous cell types that exist in the spinal cord of zebrafish embryos after hypoxia, the particular cells that are resistant to hypoxia and also involved in neuronal regeneration can be clearly identified and dynamically traced using a transgenic model fish.
Diagenetic disturbances of marine sedimentary records from methane‐influenced environments in the Fram Strait as indications of variation in seep intensity during the last 35 000 years
Authors: Sztybor Kamila , Rasmussen Tine L.
Published: August 2016

The effect of seeping of methane on marine sediment records has been studied in four gravity cores from Vestnesa Ridge, Svalbard margin. The area shows acoustic signs in the form of flares indicating active methane gas seepage. For a better understanding of the timing and variability of the flux of methane in the past and the effects on potential proxies, a detailed study of the diagenetic processes that may affect the composition and structure of both sediments and foraminiferal shells is needed. Here we discuss deep‐sea records from methane‐influenced environments in three cores from an active and very heterogeneous seep‐area (pockmark) and one core from outside the pockmark for background. The results include the distribution and stable isotopes of authigenic carbonates and of benthic and planktonic foraminifera, magnetic susceptibility, AMS‐14C dates, sedimentary data and biostratigraphy. Extremely low δ13C values recorded in both benthic and planktonic foraminifera during the Bølling‐Allerød interstadials indicate possible increased methane flux beginning at late Heinrich event H1. The recorded low values are mainly a result of diagenetic overprint by methane‐derived authigenic carbonates. The δ18O signals of authigenic carbonates are close to those of foraminiferal calcite and thus the δ18O records remain a valid stratigraphical tool in methane seep sites, except in the case of severely encrusted samples. In addition, the records from the active pockmark show nearly constant values of low magnetic susceptibility in contrast to higher and more variable magnetic susceptibility values from the control station and other published records from normal sediments west of Svalbard. This phenomenon is probably caused by dissolution of magnetic minerals in the reducing environmental conditions of methane seep sediments, associated with anaerobic oxidation of methane and formation of paramagnetic minerals (pyrite). This process enables magnetic susceptibility to be used as a common diagnostic tool for identifying methane‐related palaeo‐reductive environments.
The pharmacology of palmitoylethanolamide and first data on the therapeutic efficacy of some of its new formulations
Authors: Petrosino Stefania , Di Marzo Vincenzo
Published: August 2016

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) has emerged as a potential nutraceutical, because this compound is naturally produced in many plant and animal food sources, as well as in cells and tissues of mammals, and endowed with important neuroprotective, anti‐inflammatory and analgesic actions. Several efforts have been made to identify the molecular mechanism of action of PEA and explain its multiple effects both in the central and the peripheral nervous system. Here, we provide an overview of the pharmacology, efficacy and safety of PEA in neurodegenerative disorders, pain perception and inflammatory diseases. The current knowledge of new formulations of PEA with smaller particle size (i.e. micronized and ultra‐micronized) when given alone or in combination with antioxidant flavonoids (i.e. luteolin) and stilbenes (i.e. polydatin) is also reviewed.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Principles of Pharmacological Research of Nutraceuticals. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.11/issuetoc
From Poachers to Protectors: Engaging Local Communities in Solutions to Illegal Wildlife Trade
Authors: Cooney Rosie , Roe Dilys , Dublin Holly , Phelps Jacob , Wilkie David , Keane Aidan , Travers Henry , Skinner Diane , Challender Daniel W. S. , Allan James R. , Biggs Duan
Published: August 2016

Combating the surge of illegal wildlife trade (IWT) devastating wildlife populations is an urgent global priority for conservation. There are increasing policy commitments to take action at the local community level as part of effective responses. However, there is scarce evidence that in practice such interventions are being pursued and there is scant understanding regardinghowthey can help. Here we set out a conceptual framework to guide efforts to effectively combat IWT through actions at community level. This framework is based on articulating the net costs and benefits involved in supporting conservation versus supporting IWT, and how these incentives are shaped by anti‐IWT interventions. Using this framework highlights the limitations of an exclusive focus on "top‐down," enforcement‐led responses to IWT. These responses can distract from a range of other approaches that shift incentives for local people toward supporting conservation rather than IWT, as well as in some cases actually decrease the net incentives in favor of wildlife conservation.
Age‐dependent increase in Kalirin‐9 and Kalirin‐12 transcripts in human orbitofrontal cortex
Authors: Grubisha Melanie J. , Lin Chien‐Wei , Tseng George C. , Penzes Peter , Sibille Etienne , Sweet Robert A.
Published: August 2016

KALRN (KAL) is a Rho GEF that is highly involved in regulation of the actin cytoskeleton within dendrites. There are several isoforms of the protein that arise from differential splicing of KALRN's 66 exons. KAL isoforms have different functions in development. For example, overexpression of the KAL9 and KAL12 isoforms induce dendritic elongation in early development. However, in mature neurons KAL9 overexpression reduces dendritic length, a phenotype also observed in normal human ageing. We therefore hypothesized that KAL9 would have increased expression with age, and undertook to evaluate the expression of individual KALRN exons throughout the adult lifespan. Postmortem human brain grey matter from Brodmann's area (BA) 11 and BA47 derived from a cohort of 209 individuals without psychiatric or neurodegenerative disease, ranging in age from 16 to 91 years, were analysed for KALRN expression by Affymetrix exon array. Analysis of the exon array data in an isoform‐specific manner, as well as confirmatory isoform‐specific qPCR studies, indicated that the longer KAL9 and KAL12 isoforms demonstrated a statistically significant, but modest, increase with age. The small magnitude of the age effect suggests that inter‐individual factors other than age likely contribute to a higher degree to KAL9 and KAL12 expression. In contrast to KAL9 and KAL12, global KALRN expression did not increase with age. Our work suggests that global measures of KALRN gene expression may be misleading and future studies should focus on isoform‐specific quantification.
Does melanin matter in the dark?
Authors: Płonka Przemysław M. , Picardo Mauro , Slominski Andrzej T.
Published: August 2016

In living cells, melanin pigment is formed within melanosomes, which not only protect the cells from autodestruction, but also serve as second messenger organelles regulating important skin functions, with melanocytes acting as primary sensory and regulatory cells of the epidermis. Yet, one can argue that skin melanin, which may negatively affect cellular homeostasis in melanoma, really exerts protective functions. Consequently, the actual functions of melanin and the melanogenic pathway in skin biology remains enigmatic. Yet, the solution of this riddle seems simple ‐ to check the actual influence of natural melanin on skin cells in the dark. Since many interesting hypotheses and theories put forward in this respect did not survive confrontation with the experiment, a leading pigment research group from Naples was brave to “jump off the cliff” by confronting theory with experimental reality. They showed that, in the dark, human hair‐derived melanin promotes inflammatory responses in keratinocytes, lowers their viability, promotes oxidative stress, and that pheomelanin does so more strongly than eumelanin. Thus, pheomelanin hardly protects red‐haired individuals, even when avoiding the sun. Black hairs do not do much better either, unless they undergo graying.
Attachment‐Based Family Therapy: A Review of the Empirical Support
Authors: Diamond Guy , Russon Jody , Levy Suzanne
Published: August 2016

Attachment‐based family therapy (ABFT) is an empirically supported treatment designed to capitalize on the innate, biological desire for meaningful and secure relationships. The therapy is grounded in attachment theory and provides an interpersonal, process‐oriented, trauma‐focused approach to treating adolescent depression, suicidality, and trauma. Although a process‐oriented therapy,ABFToffers a clear structure and road map to help therapists quickly address attachment ruptures that lie at the core of family conflict. Several clinical trials and process studies have demonstrated empirical support for the model and its proposed mechanism of change. This article provides an overview of the clinical model and the existing empirical support forABFT.
Rising plant‐mediated methane emissions from arctic wetlands
Authors: Andresen Christian G. , Lara Mark J. , Tweedie Craig E. , Lougheed Vanessa L.
Published: August 2016

Plant‐mediated CH4 flux is an important pathway for land–atmosphere CH4 emissions, but the magnitude, timing, and environmental controls, spanning scales of space and time, remain poorly understood in arctic tundra wetlands, particularly under the long‐term effects of climate change. CH4 fluxes were measured in situ during peak growing season for the dominant aquatic emergent plants in the Alaskan arctic coastal plain, Carex aquatilis and Arctophila fulva, to assess the magnitude and species‐specific controls on CH4 flux. Plant biomass was a strong predictor of A. fulva CH4 flux while water depth and thaw depth were copredictors for C. aquatilis CH4 flux. We used plant and environmental data from 1971 to 1972 from the historic International Biological Program (IBP) research site near Barrow, Alaska, which we resampled in 2010–2013, to quantify changes in plant biomass and thaw depth, and used these to estimate species‐specific decadal‐scale changes in CH4 fluxes. A ~60% increase in CH4 flux was estimated from the observed plant biomass and thaw depth increases in tundra ponds over the past 40 years. Despite covering only ~5% of the landscape, we estimate that aquatic C. aquatilis and A. fulva account for two‐thirds of the total regional CH4 flux of the Barrow Peninsula. The regionally observed increases in plant biomass and active layer thickening over the past 40 years not only have major implications for energy and water balance, but also have significantly altered land–atmosphere CH4 emissions for this region, potentially acting as a positive feedback to climate warming.
Organic–inorganic rock–fluid interactions in stylolitic micro‐environments of carbonate rocks: a FIB‐TEM study combined with a hydrogeochemical modelling approach
Authors: Schulz H.‐M. , Wirth R. , Schreiber A.
Published: August 2016

Stylolites and the interfaces to the host limestone have been investigated by means of a multidisciplinary analytical approach (thin section microscopy, FIB‐TEM, organic geochemistry and petrography). Carbonate dissolution assuming different boundary conditions was simulated by applying a generic hydrogeochemical modelling approach. It is the conceptual approach to characterize and quantify traceable organic–inorganic interactions in stylolites dependent on organic matter type and its thermal maturity, and to follow stylolite formation in carbonates as result of organic matter reactivity rather than pressure solution as a main control. The investigated stylolite samples are of Upper Permian (Lopingian, Zechstein), Middle Triassic (Muschelkalk) and Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) age and always contain marine organic matter. The thermal maturity of the organic matter ranges from the pre‐oil generation zone (0.4–0.5% Rr) to the stage of dry gas generation (>1.3% Rr). The results of the generic hydrogeochemical modelling indicate a sharp increase of calcite dissolution and the beginning of stylolite formation at approximately 40°C, which is equivalent to a depth of less than 800 m under hydrostatic conditions considering a geothermal gradient of 30°C and a surface mean temperature of 20°C. This temperature corresponds to the pre‐oil window when kerogens release an aqueous fluid enriched in carbon dioxide and organic acids. This aqueous fluid may change the existing pore water pH or alkalinity and causes dissolution of carbonate, feldspar and quartz, and clay mineral precipitation along the stylolite. Dissolution of limestone and dolostone leads to reprecipitation of calcite or dolomite opposite of the dissolution side, which indicates only localized mass redistribution. All these integrated hydrogeochemical processes are coupled to the generation of water during organic matter maturation. In all of the calculated hydrogeochemical scenarios, H2O is a reaction product and its formation supports the suggested hypothesis.
Love and the Patriarch: Augustine and (Pregnant) Women
Authors: Grosse Patricia L.
Published: August 2016

Theories concerning love in the West tend to be bound by the problematic constraints of patriarchal conceptions of what counts ontologically as “true” or “universal” love. It seems that feminist love studies must choose between shining light on these constraints or bursting through them. In this article I give a feminist analysis of Augustine of Hippo's theory of love through a philosophical, psychological, and theological reading of his complicated relationships with women. I argue that, given the “embodied” nature of his many loves throughout his life, there is room in Augustine's account of love for a gendered reading of love that is unconstrained by patriarchal notions concerning which gender is capable of which kind of love. Augustine's theory of love is one that is not coldly universal but bodied and personal; indeed, although it is founded inside patriarchal historical constructions, it is capable of bursting out of these constraints and suggesting an egalitarian, nongendered view of love.
Phase Evolution, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties of Alumina–Mullite–Zirconia Composites Prepared by Iranian Andalusite
Authors: Majidian Hudsa , Nikzad Leila , Eslami‐Shahed Hossein , Ebadzadeh Touradj
Published: August 2016

This paper investigates the effects of Iranian andalusite and short milling times on alumina–mullite–zirconia composites. Andalusite powder was added at 0, 2.5, 5, and 10 wt% to an alumina–zircon mixture and the raw materials were milled for 1 or 3 h. The sintering of samples was carried out at the temperatures of 1550°C, 1600°C, and 1650°C for 3 h. Microstructural changes, phase composition, physical properties, and mechanical strength of the sintered composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, density, and strength measurement tests. Results show that andalusite promoted the decomposition of zircon and accelerated the reaction sintering of alumina–zircon, which leads to the formation of much more mullite phase and improvements to the composites’ thermal shock resistance up to about 50%.
Sexual healing: mating induces a protective immune response in bumblebees
Authors: Barribeau S. M. , Schmid‐Hempel P.
Published: August 2016

The prevalence of sexual, as opposed to clonal, reproduction given the many costs associated with sexual recombination has been an enduring question in evolutionary biology. In addition to these often discussed costs, there are further costs associated with mating, including the induction of a costly immune response, which leaves individuals prone to infection. Here, we test whether mating results in immune activation and susceptibility to a common, ecologically important, parasite of bumblebees. We find that mating does result in immune activation as measured by gene expression of known immune genes, but that this activation improves resistance to this parasite. We conclude that although mating can corrupt immunity in some systems, it can also enhance immunity in others.
Integrated oral health care for stroke patients – a scoping review
Authors: Ajwani Shilpi , Jayanti Sumedh , Burkolter Nadia , Anderson Craig , Bhole Sameer , Itaoui Rhonda , George Ajesh
Published: August 2016

Aims and objectives

To identify current evidence on the role of nurses and allied health professionals in the oral health management of stroke patients, detailing their current knowledge, attitudes and practices and the potential benefits of an integrated oral care programme.

Background

Stroke has disabling oral health effects, such as dysphagia and hindered brushing due to upper limb hemiparesis. Together, these can increase bacterial load, increasing risk of pneumonia. In general management of stroke, nurses play a key role in early identification, assessment and referral, while occupational therapists, dieticians and speech pathologists are important in rehabilitation. While this should logically apply to the oral care of stroke patients, there is currently limited information, especially in Australia.

Design

Scoping review.

Method

A literature search was conducted using multiple databases regarding the oral health management of stroke patients by nondental professionals, and 26 articles were reviewed.

Results

The Australian National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke accentuate the need for oral care following stroke and suggest how hospital staff need to be involved. Currently, there are no Australian studies. However, international literature suggests that lack of oral health knowledge by nurses and poor patient attitude are reflected in infrequent assistance with stroke patient oral hygiene. There is limited information regarding the benefits of nursing‐driven oral hygiene programme in reducing pneumonia incidence, and only few studies show that involving nurses in assisted oral care reduces plaque. There are some suggestions that involving nurses and speech pathologists in oral rehabilitation can improve dysphagia outcomes.

Conclusion

Managing oral health poststroke is vital, and there is a need for an appropriate integrated oral care service in Australia.

Relevance to clinical practice

Nondental professionals, especially nurses, can play a key role in the poststroke oral health management of stroke patients to reduce complications, especially pneumonia.
Changes in food bolus texture during mastication
Authors: Wada Sachie , Goto Takaharu , Fujimoto Keiko , Watanabe Megumi , Nagao Kan , Nakamichi Atsuko , Ichikawa Tetsuo
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this study was to survey the changes that occur in bolus texture from intake to swallowing during the mastication process for four types of food materials and to identify how texture is related to the number of chews. We recruited 15 young Japanese participants for this study. The subjects were asked to spit the food bolus just before swallowing when eating four different foods: cracker, boiled rice, hard gelatine gel, and soft gelatine gel. Three physical properties (hardness, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness) were measured in the bolus after being chewed for 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125% of the normal number of chews. Occlusal force and pressure as well as stimulated whole saliva volume were also measured. Extensive variation in the number of chews existed between subjects, but minimal intra‐subject variation was observed. Hardness was observed to decrease, whereas cohesiveness and adhesiveness increased in a chew‐dependent manner for the cracker, soft gelatine gel, and hard gelatine gel, but not boiled rice. Bolus texture appears to be largely related to the number of chews. Hardness also tended to be influenced by occlusion. The adhesiveness and hardness of the boiled rice were also greatly influenced by saliva volume and occlusal force, respectively. Hardness is an important rheological factor in food bolus texture and likely plays a significant role in determining the appropriate number of chews. Adhesiveness and cohesiveness appear to be secondary factors in this process.

Practical applications

We propose a model of oral processing for application in determining the appropriate number of chews for an individual. Hardness appears to be an important rheological factor in food bolus texture, with adhesiveness and cohesiveness being secondary aspects. When food is hard or difficult to swallow, chewing behavior will likely be more influenced by the perception of bolus texture.
Concurrent extrahepatic autoimmunity in autoimmune hepatitis: implications for diagnosis, clinical course and long‐term outcomes
Authors: Wong Guan‐Wee , Yeong Tian , Lawrence David , Yeoman Andrew D. , Verma Sumita , Heneghan Michael A.
Published: August 2016

Background

Concurrent extrahepatic autoimmune disease (CEHAID) associated with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) have been incorporated into the diagnostic criteria stipulated by the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group (IAIHG). Large comprehensive cohort data on the extrahepatic autoimmunity in AIH remain scanty.

Aim

To systematically assess features and clinical impact of CEHAID on AIH.

Methods

Clinical records of 562 patients with AIH from two tertiary centres in the UK were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Prevalence of CEHAID in patients with AIH was 42%. Autoimmune thyroid disease was the commonest CEHAID associated with AIH (101/562, 18%). Autoimmune skin diseases were more prevalent in AIH‐2 than AIH‐1 (21.9% vs 7%, P=.009). Personal history of CEHAID was more commonly found in AIH patients with than without first‐degree family history of CEHAID [48/86 (55.8%) vs 169/446 (37.9%), P=.002]. AIH patients with CEHAID were more often women (85.2% vs 76.1%, P=.008), had higher post‐treatment IAIHG score (22 vs 20, P<.001), less reactivity to smooth muscle antibodies (49.8% vs 65%, P<.001), more likely to have mild fibrosis at diagnosis (20.9% vs 6.5%, P<.001) and less often had ascites (6.3% vs 13.6%, P=.008) and coagulopathy (1.18 vs 1.27, P=.013) at presentation. Presence of CEHAID, however, did not significantly affect disease progression, prognosis and survival in AIH.

Conclusions

Our study confirms the strong association of CEHAID with AIH. Association between personal and familial extrahepatic autoimmunity especially among first‐degree relatives was evident. Presence of CEHAID may influence clinical phenotype of AIH at presentation, but without notable impact on the long‐term clinical outcomes.
The Aspergillus fumigatus SchASCH9 kinase modulates SakAHOG1 MAP kinase activity and it is essential for virulence
Authors: Alves de Castro Patrícia , dos Reis Thaila Fernanda , Dolan Stephen K. , Oliveira Manfiolli Adriana , Brown Neil Andrew , Jones Gary W. , Doyle Sean , Riaño‐Pachón Diego M. , Squina Fábio Márcio , Caldana Camila , Singh Ashutosh , Del Poeta Maurizio , Hagiwara Daisuke , Silva‐Rocha Rafael , Goldman Gustavo H.
Published: August 2016

The serine‐threonine kinase TOR, the Target of Rapamycin, is an important regulator of nutrient, energy and stress signaling in eukaryotes. Sch9, a Ser/Thr kinase of AGC family (the cAMP‐dependent PKA, cGMP‐ dependent protein kinase G and phospholipid‐dependent protein kinase C family), is a substrate of TOR. Here, we characterized the fungal opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus Sch9 homologue (SchA). The schA null mutant was sensitive to rapamycin, high concentrations of calcium, hyperosmotic stress and SchA was involved in iron metabolism. The ΔschA null mutant showed increased phosphorylation of SakA, the A. fumigatus Hog1 homologue. The schA null mutant has increased and decreased trehalose and glycerol accumulation, respectively, suggesting SchA performs different roles for glycerol and trehalose accumulation during osmotic stress. The schA was transcriptionally regulated by osmotic stress and this response was dependent on SakA and MpkC. The double ΔschA ΔsakA and ΔschA ΔmpkC mutants were more sensitive to osmotic stress than the corresponding parental strains. Transcriptomics and proteomics identified direct and indirect targets of SchA post‐exposure to hyperosmotic stress. Finally, ΔschA was avirulent in a low dose murine infection model. Our results suggest there is a complex network of interactions amongst the A. fumigatus TOR, SakA and SchA pathways.
Survival probabilities and movements of harbor seals in central California
Authors: Manugian Suzanne C. , Greig Denise , Lee Derek , Becker Benjamin H. , Allen Sarah , Lowry Mark S. , Harvey James T.
Published: August 2016

Harbor seal numbers and population trajectories differ by location in central California. Within San Francisco Bay (SFB) counts have been relatively stable since the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act, but in coastal areas like Tomales Bay (TB), counts increased before stabilizing in the 1990s. Emigration, poor survival, and environmental effects have been hypothesized as contributors to differences between trajectories; however, basic demographic data were not available to evaluate these hypotheses. We monitored 32 radio‐tagged adult females (SFB n = 17, TB n = 15) for 20 mo (2011–2013), and estimated survival, resight, and movement probabilities using mark‐resight analyses and multistate mark‐resight models. Annual survival probability for both sites was 0.90 (95% CI = 0.18–0.99). Six seals were observed moving between locations resulting in an estimated probability of 0.042 (95% CI = 0.023–0.076) per month equal movement between sites. Resight probability was less in SFB relative to TB, likely due to differential haul‐out access, area surveyed, visibility, and resight effort. Because of wide confidence intervals and low precision of these first estimates of adult female harbor seal survival in California, this demographic must be further examined to dismiss its contribution to differing population trajectories. Using aerial survey data, we estimated 950 harbor seals in SFB (95% CI = 715–1,184) confirming numbers are still stable.
Transcriptomic changes inNicotiana benthamianaplants inoculated with the wild‐type or an attenuated mutant ofTobacco vein banding mosaic virus
Authors: Geng Chao , Wang Hong‐Yan , Liu Jin , Yan Zhi‐Yong , Tian Yan‐Ping , Yuan Xue‐Feng , Gao Rui , Li Xiang‐Dong
Published: August 2016

Tobacco vein banding mosaic virus(TVBMV) is a potyvirus which mainly infects solanaceous crops. The helper component proteinase (HCpro) of a potyvirus is an RNA silencing suppressor protein and determines the severity of disease symptoms caused by different potyviruses, including TVBMV. It has been shown that substitution mutations introduced into the HCpro open reading frame (ORF) in a TVBMV infectious clone result in changes of Asp189to Lys or Ile250‐Gln251to Asp‐Glu (Asp, aspartic acid; Gln, glutamine; Glu, glutamic acid; Ile, isoleucine). These amino acid changes eliminate the RNA silencing suppression activity of the mutant HCpro (HCm) and attenuate the disease symptoms caused by the mutant TVBMV (T‐HCm) inNicotiana benthamianaplants. Here, we used RNA‐sequencing technology to compare gene expression in plants inoculated with the wild‐type TVBMV (T‐WT) with that in plants inoculated with T‐HCm at 1, 2 and 10 days post‐agroinfiltration (dpai). At 1 and 2 dpai,N. benthamianagenes related to the translation machinery were up‐regulated, whereas genes related to lipid biosynthesis and metabolism or to responses to extracellular/external stimuli were down‐regulated in leaves inoculated with T‐WT or T‐HCm. At 10 dpai, T‐WT infection repressed photosynthesis‐related genes. T‐WT and T‐HCm infections differentially perturbed the genes involved in the RNA silencing pathway. The salicylic acid and ethylene signalling pathways were induced, but the jasmonic acid signalling pathway was repressed after T‐WT infection. Infections of T‐WT and T‐HCm also differentially regulated the genes involved in auxin signalling transduction, which is known to associate with the stunting phenotypes caused by TVBMV. These results illustrate the dynamic nature of TVBMV infection inN.benthamianaat the transcriptomic level.
Microbial community diversity and composition varies with habitat characteristics and biofilm function in macrophyte‐rich streams
Authors: Levi Peter S. , Starnawski Piotr , Poulsen Britta , Baattrup‐Pedersen Annette , Schramm Andreas , Riis Tenna
Published: August 2016

Biofilms in streams play an integral role in ecosystem processes and function yet few studies have investigated the broad diversity of these complex prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities. Physical habitat characteristics can affect the composition and abundance of microorganisms in these biofilms by creating microhabitats. Here we describe the prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial diversity of biofilms in sand and macrophyte habitats (i.e. epipsammon and epiphyton, respectively) in five macrophyte‐rich streams in Jutland, Denmark. The macrophyte species varied in growth morphology, C:N stoichiometry, and preferred stream habitat, providing a range in environmental conditions for the epiphyton. Among all habitats and streams, the prokaryotic communities were dominated by common phyla, including Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteriodetes, and Gammaproteobacteria, while the eukaryotic communities were dominated by Stramenopiles (i.e. diatoms). For both the prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the epipsammon were consistently the most diverse communities and the epiphytic communities were generally similar among the four macrophyte species. However, the communities on the least complex macrophyte, Sparganium emersum, had the lowest richness and evenness and fewest unique OTUs, whereas the macrophyte with the most morphological complexity, Callitriche spp., had the highest number of unique OTUs. In general, the microbial taxa were ubiquitously distributed across the relatively homogeneous Danish landscape as determined by measuring the similarity among communities (i.e. Sørensen similarity index). Furthermore, we found significant correlations between microbial diversity (i.e. Chao1 rarefied richness and Pielou's evenness) and biofilm structure and function (i.e. C:N ratio and ammonium uptake efficiency, respectively); communities with higher richness and evenness had higher C:N ratios and lower uptake efficiency. In addition to describing the prokaryotic and eukaryotic community composition in stream biofilms, our study indicates that 1) physical habitat characteristics influence microbial diversity and 2) the variation in microbial diversity may dictate the structural and functional characteristics of stream biofilm communities.
Validation and Reliability of the Portuguese Version of the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument
Authors: Barbosa Margarida , Saavedra Ana , Severo Milton , Maier Christoph , Carvalho Davide
Published: August 2016

Background

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is very common in the diabetic population. Early screening for foot pathology is of the utmost importance. The Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) is an easy, brief, and noninvasive screening tool. The aim of this study was to validate the semantics and characteristics of both sections of the Portuguese translation of the MNSI for Portuguese diabetic patients.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was performed on 87 type 1 and 2 diabetic patients at our outpatient endocrinology department. The final sample was composed of 76 patients. Nerve conduction studies were requested, but only a subsample of 42 patients agreed to participate in them.

Results

The scale was internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha > 0.70 in section A, or a clinical history questionnaire and a physical examination [section B]), and the scores of both sections were positively correlated (r = 0.70; P < 0.001). With regard to stability, MNSI scores between test/retest showed high stability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.91). The receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) demonstrated its validity, with ROC curve values for section A, section B, and sections A + B of 0.913, 0.798, and 0.906 respectively. Considering a cut off of ≥ 3 in section A and of ≥ 2 in section B, we obtained a sensitivity of 100% and 86%; a specificity of 64% and 61%; a positive predictive value of 80% and 73%; and a negative predictive value of 100% and 79%, respectively.

Conclusions

The Portuguese MNSI is a reliable and valid tool for screening diabetic neuropathy.
Insecure romantic attachment dimensions and frequency of mate retention behaviors
Authors: BARBARO NICOLE , PHAM MICHAEL N. , SHACKELFORD TODD K. , ZEIGLER‐HILL VIRGIL
Published: August 2016

Individual differences in attachment bonds may influence the performance of mate retention behaviors. Because anxiously attached individuals are hypervigilant to partner rejection cues, we hypothesize that individuals higher in anxious attachment will perform more frequent mate retention behaviors. Because avoidantly attached individuals evade intimacy with their partners, we hypothesize that individuals higher in avoidant attachment will perform less frequent mate retention behaviors. Participants (N = 469) in a romantic relationship completed measures of romantic attachment and mate retention behaviors. The results provide support for the study hypotheses but also reveal that avoidantly attached women perform more frequent mate retention behaviors that deter intrasexual rivals. We discuss limitations of this research and highlight directions for research on romantic attachment, mate retention behaviors, and infidelity.
Heterogeneous Change Point Inference
Authors: Pein Florian , Sieling Hannes , Munk Axel
Published: August 2016

We propose, a heterogeneous simultaneous multiscale change point estimator called ‘H-SMUCE’ for the detection of multiple change points of the signal in a heterogeneous Gaussian regression model. A piecewise constant function is estimated by minimizing the number of change points over the acceptance region of a multiscale test which locally adapts to changes in the variance. The multiscale test is a combination of local likelihood ratio tests which are properly calibrated by scale-dependent critical values to keep a global nominal level α, even for finite samples. We show that H-SMUCE controls the error of overestimation and underestimation of the number of change points. For this, new deviation bounds for F-type statistics are derived. Moreover, we obtain confidence sets for the whole signal. All results are non-asymptotic and uniform over a large class of heterogeneous change point models. H-SMUCE is fast to compute, achieves the optimal detection rate and estimates the number of change points at almost optimal accuracy for vanishing signals, while still being robust. We compare H-SMUCE with several state of the art methods in simulations and analyse current recordings of a transmembrane protein in the bacterial outer membrane with pronounced heterogeneity for its states. An R-package is available on line.