bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Why Love Kills: Power, Gender Dichotomy, and Romantic Femicide
Authors: Gregoratto Federica
Published: December 2016

This article conceptually investigates a type of gender murder, “romantic femicide.” I understand this as the extreme form of violence that occurs as a result of men's incapacity to cope with their (female) partners’ autonomy and power. The incapacity is not merely an individual pathology but is rather rooted in the dynamic of recognition characterizing love under structural conditions of gender dichotomy. After having sketched out the current discussion about femicide and its shortcomings, I argue for the hypothesis in three steps. First, I draw on a feminist theory of recognition in order to outline a nonviolent form of love. Lovers of this sort would depend on their partners and, at the same time, try to affirm their independence of them. Second, I show how such an interdependence bond would entail a dynamic of mutual empowerment. Third, I argue that love becomes a relation of domination as result of gender dichotomy. The dichotomization of two gender identities, “man” and “woman,” splits the interdependence bond in a way that allows only man's unilateral exercise of power and makes mutual empowerment impossible. Violence might be required for maintaining the dynamic of dominance; finally, romantic femicide may result from the unsustainability of such a structure.
Sanctuary Cities: Policies and Practices in International Perspective
Authors: Bauder Harald
Published: December 2016

Sanctuary cities in the USA, UK, and Canada aim to accommodate illegalized migrants and refugees in their communities. The concept of the “sanctuary city,” however, is highly ambiguous: it refers to a variety of different policies and practices, and focuses on variable populations in different national contexts. In this article, I examine the international literature to show how urban sanctuary policies and practices differ between national contexts and assess whether there are common features of sanctuary cities. I uncover legal, discursive, identity‐formative, and scalar aspects of urban sanctuary policies and practices. These aspects assemble in ways that differ between countries. The article concludes by raising important practical and theoretical questions about urban sanctuary.
Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐β/δ modulates mast cell phenotype
Authors: Yao Pei‐Li , Morales Jose L. , Gonzalez Frank J. , Peters Jeffrey M.
Published: December 2016

The peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐β/δ (PPARβ/δ) is known to have multiple anti‐inflammatory effects, typically observed in endothelial cells, macrophages, T cells and B cells. Despite the fact that mast cells are important mediators of inflammation, to date, the role of PPARβ/δ in mast cells has not been examined. Hence, the present study examined the hypothesis that PPARβ/δ modulates mast cell phenotype. Bone‐marrow‐derived mast cells (BMMCs) and peritoneal mast cells from Pparβ/δ+/+ mice expressed higher levels of high‐affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) compared with Pparβ/δ−/− mice. BMMCs from Pparβ/δ+/+ mice also exhibited dense granules, associated with higher expression of enzymes and proteases compared with Pparβ/δ−/− mice. Resting BMMCs from Pparβ/δ+/+ mice secreted lower levels of inflammatory cytokines, associated with the altered activation of phospholipase Cγ1 and extracellular signal‐regulated kinases compared with Pparβ/δ−/− mice. Moreover, the production of cytokines by mast cells induced by various stimuli was highly dependent on PPARβ/δ expression. This study demonstrates that PPARβ/δ is an important regulator of mast cell phenotype.
Testing a contact intervention based on intergroup friendship between Roma and non‐Roma Hungarians: reducing bias through institutional support in a non‐supportive societal context
Authors: Kende Anna , Tropp Linda , Lantos Nóra Anna
Published: December 2016

Although intergroup friendships have been shown to reduce prejudice, little research has considered whether interventions fostering intergroup friendship would be effective in highly prejudicial contexts. We conducted a quasi‐experiment (N = 61) to test whether a contact‐based intervention based on intergroup friendship could reduce bias against Roma people among non‐Roma Hungarians. Participants in the contact condition engaged in a face‐to‐face interaction with a Roma person, and responded to questions involving mutual self‐disclosure. Through pre‐ and post‐test questionnaires, we observed significant positive change in attitudes and contact intentions among participants in the contact condition, while these effects were not observed among participants in the control condition. Positive change was moderated by perceived institutional norms, which corroborates the potential of contact‐based interventions.
Risk of Stroke and Recurrence After AF Ablation in Patients With an Initial Event‐Free Period of 12 Months
Authors: KOCHHÄUSER SIMON , ALIPOUR POURIA , HAIG‐CARTER TANJAH , TROUGHT KATHLEEN , HACHE PHILIP , KHAYKIN YAARIV , WULFFHART ZAEV , PANTANO ALFREDO , TSANG BERNICE , BIRNIE DAVID , VERMA ATUL
Published: December 2016

Stroke and Recurrence After AF Ablation

Introduction

Because of the unclear prognostic effects of ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), oral anticoagulation (OAC) is often continued after ablation even in asymptomatic patients. We sought to determine the frequency of stroke and AF recurrence in patients on and off therapeutic OAC 1 year after a successful AF ablation.

Methods and Results

Patients that underwent AF ablation and were free of AF 12 months after ablation were selected from our AF database. During follow‐up (FU), patients were screened for recurrence of AF, changes in OAC or antiarrhythmic medication, and the occurrence of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

A total of 398 patients (median age 60.7 years [50.8, 66.8], 25% female) were investigated. The median duration of FU was 529 (373, 111,3.5) days. OAC was discontinued in 276 patients (69.3%). During FU, 4 patients (1%) suffered from stroke and 55 patients (13.8%) experienced a recurrence of AF. Persistent AF was significantly associated with a greater chance of AF recurrence (49.1% vs. 26.8%; P = 0.001). Neither CHADS2 nor CHA2DS2‐VASc‐Score nor recurrence of AF were significantly different in patients with or without stroke. There was a trend toward a higher percentage of coronary artery disease among patients that experienced stroke (50% vs. 10%; P = 0.057).

Conclusion

The overall risk of stroke and AF recurrence is low in patients with a recurrence free interval of at least 12 months after AF ablation. Of note, recurrence of AF was not associated with a higher risk of stroke in our study population.
New glycemic targets for patients with diabetes from the Japan Diabetes Society
Authors: Araki Eiichi , Haneda Masakazu , Kasuga Masato , Nishikawa Takeshi , Kondo Tatsuya , Ueki Kohjiro , Kadowaki Takashi
Published: December 2016

In the ‘Evidence‐based Practice Guideline for the Treatment for Diabetes in Japan 2013’, a new concept of the glycemic control in patients with diabetes in Japan has been declared from the Japan Diabetes Society. The main objective value of HbA1c was set to <7% from the perspective of preventing microvascular complications. On the other hand, the objective in cases where objectives can be attained by appropriate dietary or exercise therapy, or during pharmacotherapy without the occurrence of side effects such as hypoglycemia was set to <6%, and the objective in cases where intensification of treatment was considered difficult due to side effects such as hypoglycemia or for other reasons was set to <8%. Treatment objectives should be established individually, in consideration of age, duration of disease, organ damage, risk of hypoglycemia, support structure, and etc.
Application of the combined FibroMeter vibration‐controlled transient elastography algorithm in Chinese patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Loong Thomson Chi‐Wang , Wei Jeremy Lok , Leung Jonathan Chung‐Fai , Wong Grace Lai‐Hung , Shu Sally She‐Ting , Chim Angel Mei‐Ling , Chan Anthony Wing‐Hung , Choi Paul Cheung‐Lung , Tse Yee‐Kit , Chan Henry Lik‐Yuen , Wong Vincent Wai‐Sun
Published: December 2016

Background and Aim

The FibroMeter vibration‐controlled transient elastography (FM VCTE) is a new formula combining the serum test FM and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by VCTE. We tested the accuracy and utility of FM VCTE for fibrosis staging in patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods

Two hundred fifteen NAFLD patients with LSM, FM NAFLD, FM VCTE, and other serum tests (aspartate aminotransferase‐to‐platelet ratio index, fibrosis‐4 index, BARD score, NAFLD fibrosis score, and aspartate aminotransferase‐to‐alanine aminotransferase ratio) performed 1 day before liver biopsy were evaluated.

Results

Sixty‐nine (32.1%) and 43 (20.0%) patients had F2‐4 and F3‐4, respectively. LSM had higher diagnostic accuracy (area under receiver‐operating characteristics curves [AUROC] 0.851 for F2‐4, 0.940 for F3‐4; Obuchowski index 0.937 ± 0.007) than all evaluated serum tests, while FM NAFLD was the most accurate serum test (AUROC 0.775 and 0.774; Obuchowski index 0.891 ± 0.013). FM VCTE had similar accuracy to LSM (AUROC 0.855 and 0.901; Obuchowski index 0.927 ± 0.009). LSM had excellent negative predictive values of 92.4% and 99.2% to exclude F2‐4 and F3‐4, but the positive predictive values (PPV) were only 71.4% and 61.0%, respectively. In patients with high LSM, the use of FM VCTE improved the PPV from 71.4% to 84.4% for F2‐4 and from 61.0% to 88.9% for F3‐4. Liver biopsy could be spared in around 50–65% of patients.

Conclusions

Liver stiffness measurement alone can confidently exclude significant and advanced fibrosis in NAFLD patients. Using FM VCTE in patients with high liver stiffness can increase the positive predictive value to rule in F2‐4 and F3‐4.
Network‐based characterization of the synaptic proteome reveals that removal of epigenetic regulator Prmt8 restricts proteins associated with synaptic maturation
Authors: Lee Patrick Kia Ming , Goh Wilson Wen Bin , Sng Judy Chia Ghee
Published: December 2016

The brain adapts to dynamic environmental conditions by altering its epigenetic state, thereby influencing neuronal transcriptional programs. An example of an epigenetic modification is protein methylation, catalyzed by protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMT). One member, Prmt8, is selectively expressed in the central nervous system during a crucial phase of early development, but little else is known regarding its function. We hypothesize Prmt8 plays a role in synaptic maturation during development. To evaluate this, we used a proteome‐wide approach to characterize the synaptic proteome of Prmt8 knockout versus wild‐type mice. Through comparative network‐based analyses, proteins and functional clusters related to neurite development were identified to be differentially regulated between the two genotypes. One interesting protein that was differentially regulated was tenascin‐R (TNR). Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated binding of PRMT8 to the tenascin‐r (Tnr) promoter. TNR, a component of perineuronal nets, preserves structural integrity of synaptic connections within neuronal networks during the development of visual‐somatosensory cortices. On closer inspection, Prmt8 removal increased net formation and decreased inhibitory parvalbumin‐positive (PV+) puncta on pyramidal neurons, thereby hindering the maturation of circuits. Consequently, visual acuity of the knockout mice was reduced. Our results demonstrated Prmt8′s involvement in synaptic maturation and its prospect as an epigenetic modulator of developmental neuroplasticity by regulating structural elements such as the perineuronal nets.

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The Post‐Privatization Role of Out‐growers' Associations in Rural Capital Accumulation: Contract Farming of Sugar Cane in Kilombero, Tanzania
Authors: Isager Lotte , Fold Niels , Nsindagi Thobias
Published: December 2016

Contract farming is widely promoted by multilateral agencies as an engine of economic growth in developing countries. The agencies often stress the need for governments to create strong farmers' organizations that can shoulder the risks associated with contractual relationships with large corporations. However, empirical studies of farmers' organizations in contractual schemes are few and tend to dismiss the performances of these organizations for not measuring up to donor expectations. This paper seeks to offer a more unbiased examination of what farmer's organizations actually do by recounting the development of out‐growers' associations in a contract farming scheme in central Tanzania. The paper explores the new space for social organization and business operations which emerged after privatization in 1998. It is argued that under certain conditions, out‐grower associations occupy a crucial position with regard to classic agrarian questions of land, labour and capital accumulation.
Response to and toxicity of gemcitabine for recurrent ovarian cancer according to number of previous chemotherapy regimens
Authors: Takei Yuji , Takahashi Yoshifumi , Machida Shizuo , Taneichi Akiyo , Takahashi Suzuyo , Nagashima Tomomi , Morisawa Hiroyuki , Saga Yasushi , Matsubara Shigeki , Fujiwara Hiroyuki
Published: December 2016

Aim

Gemcitabine is used not only as a second‐line, but also as a third‐line or higher regimen for taxane/platinum‐resistant recurrent ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study was to clarify the response to and toxicity of gemcitabine for recurrent ovarian cancer according to the number of previous chemotherapy regimens.

Methods

The subjects were patients with taxane/platinum‐resistant recurrent ovarian cancer on gemcitabine treatment at the present hospital between June 2007 and September 2013. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records. Response and adverse events were assessed using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. and the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0, respectively.

Results

The subjects consisted of 65 patients. The median number of previous chemotherapy regimens was 3 (range, 1–7). Overall response rate was 4.6%, and disease control rate (DCR) was 40.0%. DCR versus one, two, three, and ≥four previous chemotherapy regimens was 83.3%, 45.0%, 36.4%, and 23.5%, respectively. Grade 3/4 neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia occurred in 52.3%, 9.2%, and 9.2% of patients, respectively. Prevalence of grade 3/4 neutropenia according to one, two, three, and ≥four previous chemotherapy regimens was 66.7%, 55.0%, 54.5%, and 41.2%, respectively. Prevalence of anemia, thrombocytopenia, and almost all the non‐hematological toxicities also did not increase with an increase in the number of previous chemotherapy regimens.

Conclusions

Although DCR decreased as the number of previous chemotherapy regimens increased, the toxicities did not increase. Gemcitabine may be relatively safe in heavily pretreated ovarian cancer patients.
FAK is overexpressed in keratocystic odontogenic tumor: a preliminary study
Authors: Sarode Sachin C , Sarode Gargi S , Choudhary Shakira , Patil Shankargouda
Published: December 2016

Background

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is an important mediator of cell adhesion, growth proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and migration. FAK is overexpressed in many locally invasive and malignant lesions including oral cancer. Looking at the tumorigenic nature of keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT), which involves local invasion, proliferation, and recurrence, we hypothesized strong expression of FAK in the epithelial lining of KCOT.

Materials and Methods

34 KCOTs, 11 orthokeratinized odontogenic cysts (OOCs), 25 radicular cysts (RCs), 17 dentigerous cysts (DCs), and 25 dental follicles (DFs) were retrieved from archives and subjected to the immunohistochemical analysis using FAK antibody.

Results

In KCOT, strong expression was observed in 22 (62.8%) cases followed by weak and negative expression in 9 (25.71%) and 4 (11.4%) cases, respectively. Negative expression was seen in 7 (63.63%) cases of OOC, while 4 (36.36%) showed weak expression. In case of RC, 20 (80%) cases displayed negative expression and 4 (16%) and 1 (4%) cases showed weak and strong expressions, respectively. In case of DC, negative expression was seen in 14 (82.35%) cases and weak expression in 3 (17.64%) cases. DF was characterized by negative [21 (84%)] and weak expression [4 (16%)]. Nuclear expression of FAK was seen only in KCOT (11 cases). There was statistically significant higher FAK expression in KCOT as compared to OOC, RC, DC, and DF (P < 0.00001).

Conclusion

FAK molecule could be an important player in tumorigenesis of KCOT and thus is a potential target for future drug development.
Erythritol/chlorhexidine combination reduces microbial biofilm and prevents its formation on titanium surfaces in vitro
Authors: Drago Lorenzo , Bortolin Monica , Taschieri Silvio , De Vecchi Elena , Agrappi Serse , Del Fabbro Massimo , Francetti Luca , Mattina Roberto
Published: December 2016

Background

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the antibiofilm activity of a novel air‐polishing powder consisting of erythritol and chlorhexidine, assessing its ability to reduce previously grown microbial biofilm and to prevent biofilm formation on titanium surfaces.

Methods

Clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacteroides fragilis and Candida albicans isolated from peri‐implantitis lesions were used. Biofilm was grown on sandblasted titanium discs and treated with erythritol/chlorhexidine. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum microbicidal concentration. The antibiofilm activity was assessed by semiquantitative spectrophotometric assay and by confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Results

Erythritol/chlorhexidine displayed an inhibitory and a microbicidal activity against all the tested strains. The spectrophotometric analysis showed that the treatment was effective in both reducing the previously developed biofilm and decreasing biofilm formation on titanium surfaces. Confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis showed a significant reduction of the total biofilm volume, with an increase of the percentage of dead cells of all the microorganisms tested.

Conclusions

Erythritol/chlorhexidine displayed significant antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against microorganisms isolated from peri‐implantitis lesions. Due to its properties, it might represent a promising approach for the prevention and treatment of peri‐implant diseases associated to microbial biofilm infections.
Long noncoding RNA MALAT1 affects the efficacy of radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by regulating Cks1 expression
Authors: Li Zhijun , Zhou Yang , Tu Bo , Bu Yu , Liu Aqiu , Kong Jianmin
Published: December 2016

Objective

Long noncoding RNA metastasis‐associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) has been well studied in the progression of many malignancies. However, its association with the radioresistance of tumors has not been well understood yet. This study tried to explore the role of MALAT1 in regulating the radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer (EC), especially esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), involving its regulation on Cks1 expression.

Methods

KYSE150 cells were subcutaneously inoculated into nude mice to establish ESCC xenografts. Real‐time PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to detect the expression of MALAT1 and Cks1 in irradiated xenografts and cells. Functional analysis was performed in both EC9706 and KYSE150 cells via the transfection of corresponding plasmids or small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Irradiation‐induced damage was examined by the detection of cell viability and apoptosis using MTT and TUNEL assays, respectively.

Results

Both MALAT1 and Cks1 were downregulated in irradiated xenografts and cells. Cks1FER1L4 showed significant downregulation. Overexpression of MALAT1 inhibited irradiation‐induced decrease in cell viability, increase in apoptosis, and downregulation of Cks1. Cks1 expression was also downregulated by MALAT1 siRNA, while Cks1 siRNA strongly recovered MALAT1‐induced radioresistance in vitro. Moreover, better tumor growth, accompanied by Cks1 upregulation, was observed in KYSE150 xenografts with MALAT1 overexpression, especially under radiation treatment.

Conclusion

MALAT1 acted as one positive regulator of the radioresistance of ESCC, at least partly due to its promotion on Cks1 expression. Furthermore, MALAT1‐targeted therapies showed great potential in enhancing the radiotherapeutic effect on ESCC.
Community Living for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: Unravelling the Cost Effectiveness Discourse
Authors: Felce David
Published: December 2016

The requirements for a rigorous cost‐effectiveness analysis are considered. The evidence base on services for people with ID is then reviewed with an emphasis on the transition from institutional services to those in the community and postdeinstitutionalization research on the costs and outcomes of different forms of community provision. Despite certain limitations, a number of conclusions are possible: (a) overall, community services provide for a better quality of life than institutional care; (b) whether community service costs are more or less than institutional costs may depend on factors such as funding mechanisms, wage rates and the level of investment in institutional services prior to deinstitutionalization, that are likely to differ between countries; (c) economies of scale are not pervasive but may arise among settings with very small group sizes depending on staffing model; (d) the costs of staffing are a major element in total service package costs and there is scope to relate staff input more precisely to the needs and characteristics of service users; (e) the factors responsible for variation in costs and outcomes are incompletely understood; (f) however, resource input does not appear to result in enhanced outcome; (g) greater staff input is inefficiently translated into performance which affects service users; and therefore, (h) operational culture and staff training and management are important determinants of ultimate outcome. More research is required on the factors that drive costs on the one hand and outcomes on the other. An international consensus is required on the important variables to be described when doing research on residential support arrangements, so that relationships between environmental characteristics and either costs or outcome can be identified with greater confidence.
Quality of Life—Challenges to Research, Practice and Policy
Authors: Brown Roy I.
Published: December 2016

Quality of life (QOL) has been developing in the field of IDD since the early 1980s, and ever since there have been research, models, and theoretical constructs along with many recommendations. Ignored in its early development, QOL is now seen as important for support and intervention. The research has resulted in new insights yet there remain many challenges, three of which are discussed in this article. (1) Much QOL research requires the acceptance of parent and allied commentary that is regarded as subjective and frequently carries less weight than objective evidence. This can raise questions across disciplines regarding the validity and therefore the value of QOL in the field of research, practice, and policy. (2) Family quality of life (FQOL) research, which is an outgrowth of QOL in IDD, has resulted in a number of questions concerning our perception and management of family challenges. One is our understanding or lack of understanding of the process of inclusion, which is discussed suggesting the need for a much more clear articulation of exclusion and inclusion and its relevance to research and application within a QOL context. (3) QOL involves an holistic approach and much of this approach has been researched and applied in the field of IDD. It is posited in this article that the QOL approach should now be seen as a paradigm for research, policy, and intervention in which other procedures can be explored and addressed. To do so the paradigm requires further development and integration and an understanding of its specificity and breadth of potential application. Each of these issues is discussed and recommendations are put forward for action under the headings of Perceptual and Objective Data, Education of Personnel, Further Research and Application, and Policy Integration.
A mobile, web‐based system can improve positive airway pressure adherence
Authors: Hostler Jordanna M. , Sheikh Karen L. , Andrada Teotimo F. , Khramtsov Andrei , Holley Paul R. , Holley Aaron B.
Published: December 2016

SleepMapper is a mobile, web‐based system that allows patients to self‐monitor their positive airway pressure therapy, and provides feedback and education in real time. In addition to the usual, comprehensive support provided at our clinic, we gave the SleepMapper to 30 patients initiating positive airway pressure. They were compared with patients initiating positive airway pressure at our clinic without SleepMapper (controls) to determine whether SleepMapper affected adherence. A total of 61 patients had polysomnographic and adherence data analysed, 30 were given SleepMapper and 31 received our standard of care. The two groups were well matched at baseline to include no significant differences in age, apnea–hypopnea index, percentage receiving split‐night polysomnographs and starting pressures. Patients in the control group received significantly more non‐benzodiazepine sedative hypnotics the night of their polysomnography and during positive airway pressure initiation. At 11 weeks, patients in the SleepMapper group had a greater percentage of nights with any use (78.0 ± 22.0 versus 55.5 ± 24.0%; P < 0.001) and >4 h positive airway pressure use (78.0 ± 22.0 versus 55.5 ± 24.0%; P = 0.02). There was a trend toward more patients in the SleepMapper group achieving >4 h of use for at least 70% of nights [9/30 (30%) versus 3/31 (9.7%); P = 0.06]. In multivariate linear regression, the SleepMapper remained significantly associated with percentage of nights >4 h positive airway pressure use (β coefficient = 0.18; P = 0.02). Added to our usual, comprehensive programme to maximize positive airway pressure adherence in new users, the SleepMapper was independently associated with an 18% increase in nights >4 h of use.
Genetics and the conservation of natural populations: allozymes to genomes
Authors: Allendorf Fred W.
Published: December 2016

I consider how the study of genetic variation has influenced efforts to conserve natural populations over the last 50 years. Studies with allozymes in the 1970s provided the first estimates of the amount of genetic variation within and between natural populations at multiple loci. These early studies played an important role in developing plans to conserve species. The description of genetic variation in mitochondrial DNA in the early 1980s laid the foundation for the field of phylogeography, which provided a deeper look in time of the relationships and connectivity among populations. The development of microsatellites in the 1990s provided much more powerful means to describe genetic variation at nuclear loci, including the ability to detect past bottlenecks and estimate current effective population size with a single temporal sample. In the 2000s, single nucleotide polymorphisms presented a cornucopia of loci that has greatly improved power to estimate genetic and population demographic parameters important for conservation. Today, population genomics presents the ability to detect regions of the genome that are affected by natural selection (e.g. local adaptation or inbreeding depression). In addition, the ability to genotype historical samples has provided power to understand how climate change and other anthropogenic phenomena have affected populations. Modern molecular techniques provide unprecedented power to understand genetic variation in natural populations. Nevertheless, application of this information requires sound understanding of population genetics theory. I believe that current training in conservation genetics focuses too much on the latest techniques and too little on understanding the conceptual basis which is needed to interpret these data and ask good questions.
Shifts in the distribution of ixodid ticks parasitizing cattle in Zimbabwe
Authors: SUNGIRAI M. , ABATIH E. N. , MOYO D. Z. , CLERCQ P. De , MADDER M.
Published: December 2016

In an attempt to update information on the ecological distribution of ixodid ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) in Zimbabwe, a cross‐sectional survey was carried out between September 2013 and May 2015 at 322 dip tanks. A total of 15 tick species were collected, namely: Amblyomma hebraeum Koch (65.2%, n = 210/322), Amblyomma variegatum Fabricius (14.9%, n = 48/322), Hyalomma rufipes Koch (62.4%, n = 201/322), Hyalomma truncatum Koch (37.9%, n = 122/322), Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neumann (60.6%, n = 195/322), Rhipicephalus compositus Neumann (0.3%, n = 1/322,), Rhipicephalus decoloratus Koch (61.8%, n = 199/322), Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi Neumann (65.2%, n = 210/322), Rhipicephalus lunulatus Neumann (4%, n = 13/322), Rhipicephalus microplus Canestrini (32%, n = 103/322), Rhipicephalus near punctatus Walker and Horak (7.1%, n = 23/322), Rhipicephalus simus Koch (5.6%, n = 18/322) and Rhipicephalus cf. turanicus Pomerantsev (3.4%, n = 11/322). Compared with previous surveys, changes in the distribution of A. hebraeum, A. variegatum and R. microplus were recorded. The distributions of other tick species have largely remained unchanged. Factors which might have influenced these changes and the possible impacts on the epidemiology of tick‐borne diseases are discussed.
Engineering chloroplasts to improve Rubisco catalysis: prospects for translating improvements into food and fiber crops
Authors: Sharwood Robert E.
Published: December 2016

The uncertainty of future climate change is placing pressure on cropping systems to continue to provide stable increases in productive yields. To mitigate future climates and the increasing threats against global food security, new solutions to manipulate photosynthesis are required. This review explores the current efforts available to improve carbon assimilation within plant chloroplasts by engineering Rubisco, which catalyzes the rate‐limiting step of CO2 fixation. Fixation of CO2 and subsequent cycling of 3‐phosphoglycerate through the Calvin cycle provides the necessary carbohydrate building blocks for maintaining plant growth and yield, but has to compete with Rubisco oxygenation, which results in photorespiration that is energetically wasteful for plants. Engineering improvements in Rubisco is a complex challenge and requires an understanding of chloroplast gene regulatory pathways, and the intricate nature of Rubisco catalysis and biogenesis, to transplant more efficient forms of Rubisco into crops. In recent times, major advances in Rubisco engineering have been achieved through improvement of our knowledge of Rubisco synthesis and assembly, and identifying amino acid catalytic switches in the L‐subunit responsible for improvements in catalysis. Improving the capacity of CO2 fixation in crops such as rice will require further advances in chloroplast bioengineering and Rubisco biogenesis.

Contents

Summary
494

I.
Introduction
495

II.
Prokaryotic ancestry of chloroplasts influences gene regulatory mechanisms
496

III.
The target enzyme of CO2 fixation within chloroplasts – Rubisco
496

IV.
Oxygenation of RuBP leads to photorespiration and hampers C3 plant photosynthesis
499

V.
Exploring nature for improved Rubisco
499

VI.
Prospects for improving rice photosynthesis by altering Rubisco catalysis
501

VII.
Engineering CO2 assimilation in higher plants by plastid transformation
501

VIII.
Direct bioengineering of Rubisco in higher plants
502

IX.
The next challenges that need to be met for Rubisco engineering
505

X.
Conclusions
506

Acknowledgements
507

References
507
The role of electrical and jasmonate signalling in the recognition of captured prey in the carnivorous sundew plant Drosera capensis
Authors: Krausko Miroslav , Perutka Zdeněk , Šebela Marek , Šamajová Olga , Šamaj Jozef , Novák Ondřej , Pavlovič Andrej
Published: December 2016

The carnivorous sundew plant (Drosera capensis) captures prey using sticky tentacles. We investigated the tentacle and trap reactions in response to the electrical and jasmonate signalling evoked by different stimuli to reveal how carnivorous sundews recognize digestible captured prey in their traps.

We measured the electrical signals, phytohormone concentration, enzyme activities and Chla fluorescence in response to mechanical stimulation, wounding or insect feeding in local and systemic traps. Seven new proteins in the digestive fluid were identified using mass spectrometry.

Mechanical stimuli and live prey induced a fast, localized tentacle‐bending reaction and enzyme secretion at the place of application. By contrast, repeated wounding induced a nonlocalized convulsive tentacle movement and enzyme secretion in local but also in distant systemic traps. These differences can be explained in terms of the electrical signal propagation and jasmonate accumulation, which also had a significant impact on the photosynthesis in the traps.

The electrical signals generated in response to wounding could partially mimic a mechanical stimulation of struggling prey and might trigger a false alarm, confirming that the botanical carnivory and plant defence mechanisms are related. To trigger the full enzyme activity, the traps must detect chemical stimuli from the captured prey.
Focusing on situation‐specific expectations in major depression as basis for behavioural experiments – Development of the Depressive Expectations Scale
Authors: Kube Tobias , D'Astolfo Lisa , Glombiewski Julia A. , Doering Bettina K. , Rief Winfried
Published: December 2016

Objectives

Dysfunctional expectations are considered to be core features of various mental disorders. The aim of the study was to develop the Depressive Expectations Scale (DES) as a depression‐specific measure for the assessment of dysfunctional expectations. Whereas previous research primarily focused on general cognitions and attitudes, the DES assesses 25 future‐directed expectations (originally 75 items) which are situation‐specific and falsifiable.

Design and methods

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the DES, the scale was completed by 175 participants with and without severe depressive symptoms in an online survey. Participants additionally completed the Patient Health Questionnaire modules for depression (PHQ‐9) and anxiety (GAD‐7). People experiencing depressive symptoms were informed about the study with the help of self‐help organizations.

Results

Reliability analyses indicated excellent internal consistency of the scale. An exploratory factor analyses revealed four factors: social rejection, social support, mood regulation, and ability to perform. The DES sum score strongly correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms. The DES sum score also significantly correlated with symptoms of generalized anxiety.

Conclusion

The DES was shown to have excellent reliability; validity analyses were promising. As the DES items are situation‐specific and falsifiable, they can be tested by the individual using behavioural experiments and may therefore facilitate cognitive restructuring. Thus, a structured assessment of patients’ expectation with help of the DES can provide a basis for interventions within cognitive–behavioural treatment of depression.

Practitioner points

Assessing situation‐specific expectations in patients experiencing depressive symptoms can provide a basis for the conduction of behavioural experiments to test patients’ expectations.

For the use of behavioural experiments, therapists should choose those dysfunctional expectations which a patient strongly agrees on.

To modify patients’ expectations, they should be exposed to situations where the discrepancy between patients’ expectations and actual situational outcomes can be maximized.

The Depressive Expectations Scale can be completed repeatedly to monitor a patient's progress within cognitive–behavioural treatment.
The influence of facultative endosymbionts on honeydew carbohydrate and amino acid composition of the black bean aphid Aphis fabae
Authors: Schillewaert Sharon , Parmentier Thomas , Vantaux Amelie , Van den Ende Wim , Vorburger Christoph , Wenseleers Tom
Published: December 2016

The facultative endosymbionts Hamiltonella defensa and Regiella insecticola are commonly found in aphids. They are linked with various ecological benefits but generally occur at low prevalence, which indicates a possible harbouring cost. Little is known about how the presence of facultative endosymbionts is reflected in honeydew composition. Honeydew is the key mediator of the mutualism between aphids and their tending ants. The present study examines whether endosymbionts have an influence on aphid honeydew quality by comparing the amino acid and carbohydrate concentrations between infected and uninfected aphids. To this end, two genetic lines of the aphid Aphis fabae Scopoli are experimentally infected with different strains of Hamiltonella and Regiella. Infected aphids are shown to have reduced concentrations of amino acids in the honeydew compared with uninfected aphids. However, the presence of endosymbionts has no effect on the absolute amount of carbohydrates produced. Nevertheless, interclonal variation in honeydew composition between aphid genotypes is observed for both carbohydrate and amino acid production. These results imply that the nutritional value of honeydew depends on aphid genotype, as well as on the presence of secondary bacterial endosymbionts, which suggests that there is a physiological cost of harbouring endosymbionts and which could also impact aphid attractiveness to tending ants.
Damaging Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Cornea
Authors: Delic Naomi C. , Lyons J. Guy , Di Girolamo Nick , Halliday Gary M.
Published: December 2016

The cornea sits at the anterior aspect of the eye and, like the skin, is highly exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The cornea blocks a significant proportion of UVB from reaching the posterior structures of the eye. However, UVA can penetrate the full thickness of the cornea, even reaching the anterior portion of the lens. Epidemiological data indicate that UVR is a contributing factor for a multitude of diseases of the cornea including pterygium, photokeratitis, climatic droplet keratopathy and ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN), although the pathogenic mechanisms of each require further elucidation. UVR is a well‐known genotoxic agent, and its effects have been well characterized in organs such as the skin. However, we are only beginning to identify its effects on the cornea, such as the UVR signature C → T and CC → TT transversions identified by sequencing and increased proliferative and shedding rates in response to UVR exposure. Alarmingly, a single low‐dose exposure of UVR to the cornea is sufficient to elicit genetic, molecular and cellular changes, supporting the consideration of using protective measures, such as wearing sunglasses when outdoors. The aim of this review was to describe the adverse effects of UVR on the cornea.
Bimodal Targeting Using Sulfonated, Mannosylated PEI for Combined Gene Delivery and Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Chitgupi Upendra , Li Yi , Chen Mingfu , Shao Shuai , Beitelshees Marie , Tan Myles Joshua , Neelamegham Sriram , Pfeifer Blaine A. , Jones Charles , Lovell Jonathan F.
Published: December 2016

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and gene delivery have both been used to target both cancer cells and tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs). Given the complex nature of tumor tissue, there could be merit in combining these strategies simultaneously. In this study, we developed a bimodal targeting approach to both cancer cells and macrophages, employing materials conducive to both gene delivery and PDT. Polymers libraries were created that consisted of cationic polyethyleneimine (PEI) conjugated to the photosensitizer pyropheophorbide‐a, with sulfonation (to target selectin‐expressing cells) and mannosylation (to target TAMs). Polyplexes, consisting of these polymers electrostatically bound to DNA, were analyzed for transfection efficacy and cytotoxicity toward epithelial cells and macrophages to assess dual‐targeting. This study provides preliminary proof of principle for using modified PEI for targeted gene delivery and PDT.
Task Interdependence Impacts on Reciprocity in IT Implementation Teams: Bringing Out the Worst in Us, or Driving Responsibility?
Authors: Schoenherr Tobias , Bendoly Elliot , Bachrach Daniel G. , Hood Anthony C.
Published: December 2016

Task interdependence has received a great deal of attention as a critical driver of project dynamics. This study focuses on one of these key dynamics: helping among information technology (IT) implementation project team members. We uniquely distinguish between perceptions of receiving more help than one personally provides to other team members (positive inequity), vs. giving more than one receives (negative inequity). We argue, using an equity theory frame, that members have a tendency to resolve perceived inequity by adjusting subsequent levels of helping, but that the extent of adjustment is moderated by task interdependence. Results from an empirical evaluation of 591 members in 107 IT implementation teams, examined at several points throughout their project cycles, provide insight into these relationships. Extending and bounding equity theory, we find that lower interdependence augments the effect of positive inequity on subsequent helping, but leaves the effect of negative inequity unaffected. Further, we find support for an inverted U‐shaped relationship between the level of subsequent helping in a team and the final cost of implementation. This holds critical implications for project team design and ensuing dynamics.
Impact of Take‐Back Regulation on the Remanufacturing Industry
Authors: Esenduran Gökçe , Kemahlıoğlu‐Ziya Eda , Swaminathan Jayashankar M.
Published: December 2016

As waste from used electronic products grows steadily, manufacturers face take‐back regulations mandating its collection and proper treatment through recycling, or remanufacturing. Environmentalists greet such regulation with enthusiasm, but its effect on remanufacturing activity and industry competition remains unclear. We research these questions, using a stylized model with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) facing competition from an independent remanufacturer (IR). We examine the effects of regulation on three key factors: remanufacturing levels, consumer surplus, and the OEM profit. First, we find that total OEM remanufacturing actually may decrease under high collection and/or reuse targets, meaning more stringent targets do not imply more remanufacturing. Consumer surplus and the OEM profit, meanwhile, may increase when OEM‐IR competition exists in a regulated market. Finally, through a numerical study, we investigate how total welfare changes in the collection target, what happens when the cost of collection is not linear, and what happens when IR products are valued differently by consumers.
Surprise, Anticipation, and Sequence Effects in the Design of Experiential Services
Authors: Dixon Michael J. , Victorino Liana , Kwortnik Robert J. , Verma Rohit
Published: December 2016

The most salient or peak aspect of a service experience often defines customer perceptions of the service. Across two studies, using the same novel form of a scenario‐based experiment, we investigate the design of peak events in a service sequence by testing how anticipated and surprised peaks influence customer perceptions. Study 1 captures the immediate reactions of participants and Study 2 surveys participants a week later. In both studies, we find a main effect for the temporal peak placement, confirming the positive influence of a strong peak ending. When assessing the peak design strategies of surprise and anticipation, we find in Study 1 that surprise and anticipation moderate the temporal peak placement (e.g., early peak vs. late peak) on overall customer perceptions, with the surprise peak at the end of an experience yielding the strongest effect. In Study 2 we see that the remembered experience of a surprise peak positively affects customer perceptions compared to an anticipated peak regardless of the temporal placement of the peak. We also find that the infusion of a surprise peak ending has a lasting effect that amplifies the peak‐end effect of remembered experiences. Drawing on these findings, we discuss the role of surprise, anticipation, and sequence effects in experience design strategy.
Farmers' Information Management in Developing Countries—A Highly Asymmetric Information Structure
Authors: Liao Chen‐Nan , Chen Ying‐Ju
Published: December 2016

In developing countries, governments, non‐governmental organizations, and social entrepreneurs are disseminating agricultural information to farmers to improve their welfare. However, instead of having direct access to the information, farmers usually acquire information from local social networks, and, thus, they may have very different information channels. We establish a general framework that accommodates highly asymmetric information structures to study farmers' information management and utilization problems. In our model, a bipartite graph describes which subset of signals is accessible to a farmer. We characterize a unique Bayesian Nash equilibrium and express farmers' strategies and expected profits in closed form. We discuss properties of this equilibrium and show that asymmetric information structures can lead to various novel results. For example, a farmer may produce more (less) when observing a pessimistic (optimistic) signal, may benefit from the improvement of a signal she cannot observe, may want to share her signal with others, and may become worse off when another farmer releases a signal to her. We conduct comprehensive studies on the equilibrium in the “weak signal limit,” where signals are subject to substantial noise. We examine the government's optimal information allocation in this limit when its goal is to maximize farmers' total profits or the social welfare. To improve farmers' total profits, the government should provide all its information to (and only to) one farmer. We establish an index to determine which farmer should get the information. In contrast, to maximize the social welfare, the government should provide all its information to all farmers.