bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preventing sleep deficit in adolescents: Long‐term effects of a quasi‐experimental school‐based intervention study
Authors: Bauducco Serena Valeria , Flink Ida K. , Boersma Katja , Linton Steven J.
Published: November 2019

Adolescents are at risk of sleep deficit, which has serious consequences for their daytime functioning. However, school‐based interventions to improve sleep have shown limited success. This might be due to the content of the programmes (e.g., not targeting central factors such as daytime stress and technology use) or because changes have not been captured due to a lack of long‐term follow‐ups. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the long‐term effects of a school‐based sleep education curriculum including time‐management training. The study used a quasi‐experimental design. Participants were 3,622 adolescents (mean age 13.7, 48% girls); 286 were in the intervention group and 3,336 were followed as a natural control group. Data were collected before the intervention and at a 1‐year follow‐up. We divided participants into three groups according to baseline sleep duration (calculated from self‐reported bed‐ and wake times, minus sleep onset latency): insufficient (<7 hr), borderline (7–8 hr) and adequate (>8 hr). Adolescents in the intervention group were ~2 times less likely to report insufficient sleep at follow‐up as compared to controls. Sleep knowledge improved significantly in the intervention group but there were no changes in emotional sleep hygiene (e.g., bedtime worry) and perceived stress. Surprisingly, technology use increased and behavioural sleep hygiene worsened in the intervention group. Although the mechanisms of change need further investigation, the results of this study point to potential long‐term benefits of school‐based sleep programmes.
Determination of a serum total calcium concentration threshold for accurate prediction of ionized hypercalcemia in dogs with and without hyperphosphatemia
Authors: Groth Elizabeth M. , Chew Dennis J. , Lulich Jody P. , Tommet Megan , Rendahl Aaron K. , Husbands Brian D. , Furrow Eva
Published: November 2019

Background

Total serum calcium (tCa) concentrations are poorly predictive of ionized calcium (iCa) status in dogs.

Hypothesis

There is an optimal threshold of tCa concentration that is highly predictive of ionized hypercalcemia and this threshold is higher in hyperphosphatemic dogs as compared to nonhyperphosphatemic dogs.

Animals

Nonhyperphosphatemic (n = 1593) and hyperphosphatemic (n = 250) adult dogs.

Methods

Retrospective medical record review of paired tCa and iCa concentration measurements in dogs presented to a university teaching hospital over a 5‐year period. Positive and negative predictive values, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated for tCa concentration thresholds of 11.0‐15.0 mg/dL (upper limit of laboratory reference interval = 11.5 mg/dL) in nonhyperphosphatemic and hyperphosphatemic groups.

Results

In nonhyperphosphatemic dogs, an optimal tCa concentration threshold of 12.0 mg/dL resulted in a positive predictive value of 93% (95% confidence interval [CI], 84%‐98%) and sensitivity of 52% (95% CI, 43%‐61%) for ionized hypercalcemia. An optimal tCa concentration threshold was not identified for hyperphosphatemic dogs. The nonhyperphosphatemic dogs had a higher prevalence of ionized hypercalcemia than the hyperphosphatemic dogs (7 versus 3%, P = .04) and a lower prevalence of ionized hypocalcemia (23 versus 62%, respectively; P < .001).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

High tCa concentrations are strongly predictive of ionized hypercalcemia in nonhyperphosphatemic adult dogs and should prompt further diagnostic testing to determine the underlying cause of hypercalcemia. In this population, dogs without increased tCa concentrations rarely had ionized hypercalcemia, but iCa concentrations still should be evaluated in patients with tCa concentrations within the reference interval if there is clinical suspicion for calcium abnormalities.
Total factor productivity and technical efficiency differences of aquaculture farmers in Bangladesh: Do environmental characteristics matter?
Authors: Mitra Sandip , Khan Md Akhtaruzzaman , Nielsen Rasmus , Islam Nazrul
Published: November 2019

This study examines how production environment characteristics affect total factor productivity (TFP) and technical efficiency (TE) in aquaculture farms. Enhancing productivity is important for increasing resource use efficiency, especially in developing countries where improvements in the aquaculture sector can enhance food security for low‐ and middle‐income people and improve farmer livelihood. In the present study, 580 aquaculture farms from different areas of Bangladesh were sampled using stratified random sampling techniques. A Fisher quantity index and data envelopment analysis were used to analyze TFP and TE, respectively. In addition, a rank‐sum test was used to investigate how production environment characteristics affect TFP and TE. The results show that farmers could significantly reduce input while maintaining the same level of output. Furthermore, they demonstrate that the TFP and TE of a farm are significantly affected by environmental characteristics, varying with geographical variation in water availability, color, and plants; feed types; and culture systems. Dissemination of the results through training programs and extension services provided by public or private stakeholders could help extensive pond farmers in developing countries improve productivity and efficiency and thereby help provide food and improve livelihood conditions in developing countries.
Surgical results in women with detrusor underactivity and stress urinary incontinence undergoing suburethral sling procedure—Predictive factors for successful outcome
Authors: Chen Ching‐Jung , Yeoh Soon‐Chin , Yeh Hsin‐Tzu , Hsiao Sheng‐Mou , Kuo Hann‐Chorng
Published: November 2019

Objectives

To elucidate the treatment results and predictors for successful outcome in women with detrusor underactivity (DU) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) undergoing suburethral sling procedure.

Methods

Medical records of women with coexistent SUI and DU treated with a suburethral sling were retrospectively reviewed and we analyzed the association between treatment outcome and baseline demographics including etiology of DU and urodynamic variables. Patients who were dry and could urinate spontaneously were considered successful. Treatment failure was considered in those who were dry but needing clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) and patients who were still wet. Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI‐6) and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ‐7) scores were used to assess the impact of surgery on the quality of life.

Results

Among 71 patients, a successful outcome was noted in 39 (55%), failed outcome with CIC in 15 (21%), and totally treatment failure in 17 (24%). Treatment outcome did not differ among the etiology subgroups. Overall, UDI‐6 and IIQ‐7 scores significantly improved after surgery. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the IIQ‐7 and maximum flow rate (Qmax) were two independent predictors for improvement after surgery. An IIQ‐7 score ≤6, and Qmax ≥6 mL/s can predict improvement by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Qmax ≤6 mL/s can predict needing CIC after surgery.

Conclusions

For women with SUI and coexistent DU who underwent suburethral sling procedure, low IIQ‐7 (≤6) scores and higher Qmax (≥6 mL/s) are predictors for improvement of surgical outcome. A Qmax of <6 mL/s was the only predictor for CIC after surgery.
Elevation gradients of lemur abundance emphasise the importance of Madagascar’s lowland rainforest for the conservation of endemic taxa
Authors: Campera Marco , Santini Luca , Balestri Michela , Nekaris K.A.I. , Donati Giuseppe
Published: November 2019

Elevation gradients correlate with changes in several environmental conditions and are known to be related to animal abundance. Animals in regions with a naturally limited extent of lowland rainforest are expected to have evolved adaptations to intermediate elevations that provided a stable environment during their evolution.

Since the lowland rainforest of Madagascar has a limited extent and suffers from increasing anthropogenic pressure, it is essential to understand how well species tolerate intermediate and high elevations. In this study, we aim to quantify the relationship between lemur abundance and elevation in the eastern rainforest of Madagascar.

We correlated abundance data on 26 lemur species (10 genera), including 492 records from 26 studies, with elevation. We analysed the consistency of correlations across species with a meta‐analytical approach. We controlled for species’ body mass, elevational range and median elevation. We then ran generalised linear mixed models to determine whether lemur abundance was related to elevation, body mass, plant productivity and anthropogenic disturbance.

Overall, the abundance of lemur species in Malagasy rainforests was negatively correlated with elevation, and species occupying broader elevational ranges showed stronger correlations. Body mass was not related to species’ tolerance of high elevations. Even though several lemur species are able to occupy the entire elevation gradient, the few remaining patches of lowland rainforests host lemur species at greater abundances than other sites. Abundance across species was negatively related to body mass, elevation and seasonality in plant productivity and positively related to plant productivity.

Despite the ecological flexibility of many lemur species, the remnant patches of lowland rainforests host the highest levels of lemur abundance and are key to lemur conservation. It is crucial to preserve this priority habitat both for biodiversity conservation and for our understanding of lemur adaptations.
“UNIFIED”: Bridging the Researcher–Practitioner Divide in Mind, Brain, and Education
Authors: Hobbiss Michael H. , Massonnié Jessica , Tokuhama‐Espinosa Tracey , Gittner Alastair , de Sousa Lemos Mónica Arson , Tovazzi Alice , Hindley Charlotte , Baker Sharon , Sumeracki Megan A. , Wassenaar Thomas , Gous Ignatius
Published: November 2019

Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) science is by definition transdisciplinary. However, the communication and collaboration between constituent disciplines needed for true transdisciplinarity remains relatively rare. Consequently, many of the potential benefits of MBE science remain unrealized for parties on all sides of the discipline. The present commentary first conducts an analysis of the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of transdisciplinary partnerships in MBE. A new, free, and international web platform (“UNIFIED”) is then proposed to broker relationships between researchers and teachers within schools. This website would allow users to form collaborations based on a system of tags indexing their research interests as well as practicalities such as their location. Such a website appears well placed to realize many of the opportunities, and mitigate the threats and weaknesses, of transdisciplinary MBE research. The article concludes with an appeal to interested researchers and schools to contribute to the development of the project.
Impostor syndrome among physicians and physicians in training: A scoping review
Authors: Gottlieb Michael , Chung Arlene , Battaglioli Nicole , Sebok‐Syer Stefanie S. , Kalantari Annahieta
Published: November 2019

Context

Impostor syndrome (IS) is increasingly recognised as a condition among physicians and physicians in training. Impostor syndrome is especially problematic because of its association with increased rates of burnout and suicide. In order to address this issue, we need to fully understand its prevalence, scope, and factors associated with IS. The purpose of this scoping review is to analyse the existing literature on IS among practising physicians and physicians in training in order to identify current trends and directions for future research.

Methods

The authors conducted a literature search of nine databases for any articles on IS among practising physicians or physicians in training published prior to January 2019. Two reviewers independently screened articles and identified 18 papers meeting the study inclusion criteria. Two authors independently extracted data and performed quantitative and qualitative syntheses consistent with best practice recommendations for scoping reviews.

Results

Most studies utilised the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale and cited rates of IS ranging from 22% to 60%. Studies found that gender, low self‐esteem and institutional culture were associated with higher rates of IS, whereas social support, validation of success, positive affirmation, and both personal and shared reflections were protective. Overall, IS was also associated with higher rates of burnout.

Conclusions

This review summarises the existing literature on IS among practising physicians and physicians in training, providing valuable insights and areas for future research.
Investigating the Operating Mechanisms of the Sources of L2 Writing Self‐Efficacy at the Stages of Giving and Receiving Peer Feedback
Authors: LEE MAN–KIT , EVANS MICHAEL
Published: November 2019

Peer feedback has earned an increasingly noteworthy place in second language (L2) writing research. A pressing concern is that issues of motivation are not well understood, largely due to a lack of theory‐driven investigations. Centering on Bandura's self‐efficacy (SE) theory, this study examined the impact of peer feedback on L2 writing SE and the operating mechanisms underlying the theorized sources of SE in peer feedback practice. One hundred and ten Chinese undergraduate learners of English were assigned to peer feedback treatment groups (face‐to‐face and computer‐mediated discussions) or a comparison group. Questionnaire and interview data on writing SE and its sources and on perceived feedback usefulness were collected. The treatment groups reported more positive changes in writing SE, and perceived usefulness of giving (but not receiving) peer feedback enhanced writing SE directly and via a mediating system involving writing self‐regulatory efficacy and apprehension. Writing SE was also shaped through a dynamic interplay between receptive and productive mastery experiences, computer‐mediated exchanges, social comparisons, and achievement goal orientations.
The helical motions of roots are linked to avoidance of particle forces in soil
Authors: Martins Adalvan D. , O'Callaghan Felicity , Bengough A. Glyn , Loades Kenneth W. , Pasqual Moacir , Kolb Evelyne , Dupuy Lionel X.
Published: November 2019

Limitation to root growth results from forces required to overcome soil resistance to deformation. The variations in individual particle forces affects root development and often deflects the growth trajectory.

We have developed transparent soil and optical projection tomography microscopy systems where measurements of growth trajectory and particle forces can be acquired in a granular medium at a range of confining pressures. We developed image‐processing pipelines to analyse patterns in root trajectories and a stochastic‐mechanical theory to establish how root deflections relate to particle forces and thickening of the root.

Root thickening compensates for the increase in mean particle forces but does not prevent deflections from 5% of most extreme individual particle forces causing root deflection. The magnitude of deflections increases with pressure but they assemble into helices of conserved wavelength in response linked to gravitropism.

The study reveals mechanisms for the understanding of root growth in mechanically impeding soil conditions and provides insights relevant to breeding of drought‐resistant crops.
Rural change and tourism in remote regions: Developments and Indigenous endeavour in Westland, Te Tai o Poutini, Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Riddle Callum , Thompson‐Fawcett Michelle
Published: November 2019

Remote rural areas have encountered significant change and the need for renegotiation of economic and social priorities in the late 20th and early 21st century. In our broader research, we ask how have such communities been responding to this change? What role have different organisations and agencies played? And, how have they acted on the aspirations of marginalised communities? In this paper we examine these issues through a case study of Westland District on the west coast of Aotearoa New Zealand's South Island. We probe the general shift towards prioritising tourism in the District, and highlight particular experiences in regard to Indigenous endeavour in tourism. We find that those engaged in leading local development and tourism have not collaborated strategically across the sector and have not established meaningful partnerships with the community that recognise both economic and socio‐cultural aspirations.
Liquidity Constraints, Unemployed Job Search and Labour Market Outcomes
Authors: Gerards Ruud , Welters Riccardo
Published: November 2019

Liquidity constraints prompt the unemployed to intensify their job search, but does that produce better labour market outcomes? Using longitudinal Australian data, we test the effect of objective proxy indicators of liquidity constraints on job search and concomitant labour market outcomes. We find that liquidity constraints, specifically their severe form ‘hardship’, intensify job search without improving short‐run employment outcomes or objective job quality (if a job is secured), whereas subjective job quality outcomes are worse. Moreover, we find evidence that the quit intention is higher and the concomitant medium‐run employment stability is lower for those who found jobs facing hardship.
Experimental and observational studies on alcohol use and dietary intake: a systematic review
Authors: Cummings Jenna R. , Gearhardt Ashley N. , Ray Lara A. , Choi Alyssa K. , Tomiyama A. Janet
Published: November 2019

The scientific literature on links among alcohol use, total energy intake, cardiometabolic disease and obesity is conflicting. To clarify the link between alcohol use and cardiometabolic health, this systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42016039308A) uses PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses) guidelines to synthesize how alcohol use affects dietary intake (carbohydrate, fat and protein intake) in humans. A search of Google Scholar, PsycINFO and PubMed from June 2016‐March 2019 yielded 30 qualified studies. Experimental and observational studies allowed for inferences about effects of a single drinking occasion and of frequent drinking, respectively. Alcohol quantities were standardized according to the 2015‐2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. On average, methodological quality of the studies was medium strength. Results indicated that a single occasion of light and moderate drinking as well as frequent light and moderate drinking were linked to greater fat and protein intake, albeit the majority of studies did not detect differences in dietary intake due to these drinking behaviours. Frequent heavy drinking, on the other hand, was linked to less carbohydrate intake in the majority of studies. Overall, alcohol use does not appear to uniformly affect diet but instead appears to affect intake of specific macronutrients in a dose‐dependent manner, most consistently decreasing carbohydrate intake with heavier use.
Early repolarization pattern in an ethnically diverse population: Increased risk in Hispanics
Authors: Leiderman Ephraim , Kargoli Faraj , Shulman Eric , Aagaard Philip , Hoch Ethan , Zaremski Lynn , Di Biase Luigi , Kim Soo G. , Gross Jay N. , Ferrick Kevin J. , Fisher John , Krumerman Andrew
Published: November 2019

Background

Early repolarization (ER) pattern on ECG is associated with an increased mortality in Caucasians. This study analyzed the association between ER pattern and all‐cause mortality in a population of multiple ethnicities.

Methods

A total of 20 000 individuals were randomly selected and their ECGs were analyzed for ER pattern using the 2015 consensus: end‐QRS notching or slurring with a J‐point (Jp) ≥0.1 mV in contiguous inferior or lateral leads. Exclusion criteria were age <18, QRS duration of ≥120 ms, and acute myocardial infarction. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves were used to assess crude survival, and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine predictors of all‐cause mortality.

Results

A total of 17 901 patients with a mean age of 53 met inclusion criteria. Individuals were 62% female, 14% White, 37% Black, 40% Hispanic, and 9% other. Median follow‐up time was 6.4 years. ER pattern was noted in 995 (5.6%) patients. Jp ≥2 mm was noted in 282 (1.6%) patients. In those with ER pattern and Jp ≥1 mm, there was no difference in mortality when compared to individuals without Jp elevation (odds ratio [OR]: 0.962, 95% confidence of interval [CI]: 0.819‐1.131). Patients with Jp ≥2 mm had a significantly increased all‐cause mortality (OR: 1.333, 95% CI: 1.009‐1.742). This increased mortality was also significant in Hispanic patients with Jp ≥2 mm (OR: 1.584, 95% CI: 1.003‐2.502).

Conclusion

ER pattern with Jp ≥2 mm is associated with increased mortality in a multiethnic population, apparently driven by an increased risk in Hispanics.
Social cognition in adolescent females with borderline personality traits
Authors: Goueli Tamer , Nasreldin Mohamed , Madbouly Nagwan , Dziobek Isabel , Farouk Mohamed
Published: November 2019

Objectives

Social cognitive impairment is considered to be a psychopathological cornerstone in adolescent females with borderline personality disorder. The aim is to compare the social cognitive performance in adolescent females with borderline personality traits and healthy adolescent females, and to assess the social cognitive performance in relation to the severity of borderline personality features.

Design

A case–control study was conducted on 30 adolescent females who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of DSM‐IV of borderline personality traits, compared to 30 matched healthy volunteer adolescent females.

Methods

Borderline Personality Questionnaire (BPQ) was used to rate borderline personality features. Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (RMET) and Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) were applied to assess social cognitive abilities.

Results

The scores of RMET and some domains of MASC showed a highly significant difference between the patient and control groups. Scores of RMET and some domains of MASC showed significant correlation with impulsiveness, emptiness, relationship patterns, and quasi‐psychotic states subscales of BPQ.

Conclusions

Adolescent females with borderline personality traits had lower social cognitive performance compared to healthy adolescent females. The intensity of this social cognitive deficit was evident to be related to impulsivity, emptiness, pattern of relationships, and quasi‐psychotic states.
Genetic variation in ZmTIP1 contributes to root hair elongation and drought tolerance in maize
Authors: Zhang Xiaomin , Mi Yue , Mao Hude , Liu Shengxue , Chen Limei , Qin Feng
Published: November 2019

Drought is a major abiotic stress that threatens maize production globally. A previous genome‐wide association study identified a significant association between the natural variation of ZmTIP1 and the drought tolerance of maize seedlings. Here, we report on comprehensive genetic and functional analysis, indicating that ZmTIP1, which encodes a functional S‐acyltransferase, plays a positive role in regulating the length of root hairs and the level of drought tolerance in maize. We show that enhancing ZmTIP1 expression in transgenic Arabidopsis and maize increased root hair length, as well as plant tolerance to water deficit. In contrast, ZmTIP1 transposon‐insertional mutants displayed the opposite phenotype. A calcium‐dependent protein kinase, ZmCPK9, was identified as a substrate protein of ZmTIP1, and ZmTIP1‐mediated palmitoylation of two cysteine residues facilitated the ZmCPK9 PM association. The results of this research enrich our knowledge about ZmTIP1‐mediated protein S‐acylation modifications in relation to the regulation of root hair elongation and drought tolerance. Additionally, the identification of a favourable allele of ZmTIP1 also provides a valuable genetic resource or selection target for the genetic improvement of maize.
PpGST1, an anthocyanin‐related glutathione S‐transferase gene, is essential for fruit coloration in peach
Authors: Zhao Yun , Dong Weiqi , Zhu Yongchao , Allan Andrew C. , Lin‐Wang Kui , Xu Changjie
Published: November 2019

Anthocyanins have crucial biological functions and affect quality of horticultural produce. Anthocyanins accumulate in ripe peach fruit; differential accumulation is observed in deep coloured cultivar ‘Hujingmilu’ and lightly pigmented cultivar ‘Yulu’. The difference was not fully explained by accumulation of total flavonoids and expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. Expression analysis was conducted on a glutathione S‐transferase gene (PpGST1), and it was found that the expression correlated well with anthocyanin accumulation in peach fruit tissues. Functional complementation of the Arabidopsis tt19 mutant indicated that PpGST1 was responsible for transport of anthocyanins but not proanthocyanidins. PpGST1 was localized in nuclei and the tonoplast, including the sites at which anthocyanin vacuolar sequestration occurred. Transient overexpression of PpGST1 together with PpMYB10.1 in tobacco leaves and peach fruit significantly increased anthocyanin accumulation as compared with PpMYB10.1 alone. Furthermore, virus‐induced gene silencing of PpGST1 in a blood‐fleshed peach not only resulted in a reduction in anthocyanin accumulation but also a decline in expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic and regulatory genes. Cis‐element analysis of the PpGST1 promoter revealed the presence of four MYB binding sites (MBSs). Dual‐luciferase assays indicated that PpMYB10.1 bound to the promoter and activated the transcription of PpGST1 by recognizing MBS1, the one closest to the ATG start codon, with this trans‐activation being stronger against the promoter of deep coloured ‘Hujingmilu’ compared with lightly coloured cultivar ‘Yulu’. Altogether, our data provided molecular evidence supporting coordinative regulatory roles of PpGST1 and PpMYB10.1 in anthocyanin accumulation in peach.
Salinity tolerance of wild barley Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum
Authors: Ebrahim Fatemeh , Arzani Ahmad , Rahimmalek Mehdi , Sun Dongfa , Peng Junhua
Published: November 2019

Salinity tolerance of 47 wild barley genotypes and six barley cultivars was evaluated under control and salinity stress (300 mM NaCl) conditions. Shoot and root dry weight (DW), plant height, membrane stability index (MSI), relative water content, survival rate, leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents, root and leaf Na, K, Ca and K/Na ratio, and chlorophyll a fluorescence were measured. Salinity stress caused significant increase in the MDA, proline content, Na and Ca concentrations of the roots and leaves, but resulted in a decrease in the other traits. H. spontaneum genotypes were considerably less affected by the salinity than the genotypes of H. vulgare. Plant survivability was negatively correlated with the Na concentration (r =−.66) but positively correlated with the leaf K/Na ratio (r = .67) and MSI (r = .68). Tolerance mechanisms such as ion exclusion (Na) were likely to be present in the wild barley causing K/Na homeostasis as well as the much lower root and shoot Na, resulting in the higher survival rate.
Epidermal keratin 5 expression and distribution is under dermal influence
Authors: Cario Muriel , Pain Catherine , Kaulanjan‐Checkmodine Priscilla , Masia Daniela , Delia Gabriele , Casoli Vincent , Costet Pierre , Goussot Jean‐François , Guyonnet‐Duperat Véronique , Bibeyran Alice , Ezzedine Khaled , Reymermier Corinne , Andre‐Frei Valérie , Taieb Alain
Published: November 2019

Human skin melanin pigmentation is regulated by systemic and local factors. According to the type of melanin produced by melanocytes, the transfer and degradation of melanosomes differ, thus accounting for most variations between ethnicities. We made the surprising observation that in a drastically changed environment, white and black phenotypes are reversible since Caucasian skin grafted onto nude mice can become black with all black phenotypic characteristics. Black xenografts differed essentially from other grafts by the levels of epidermal FGF‐2 and keratin 5. In vitro analysis confirmed that FGF‐2 directly regulates keratin 5. Interestingly, this phenomenon may be involved in human pathology. Keratin 5 mutations in Dowling–Degos Disease (DDD) have already been associated with the pheomelanosome–eumelanosome transition. In a DDD patient, keratin 5 was expressed in the basal and spinous layers, as observed in black xenografts. Furthermore, in a common age‐related hyperpigmentation disorder like senile lentigo (SL), keratin 5 distribution is also altered. In conclusion, modulation of keratin 5 expression and distribution either due to mutations or factors may account for the development of pigmentary disorders.
“The Panhandle is Different than the Peninsula”: How Rural Colleges in Florida Implemented Education Reform
Authors: Nix Amanda N. , Bertrand Jones Tamara , Hu Shouping
Published: November 2019

When it comes to the creation of higher education policy, state legislators are challenged with addressing the diverse academic needs of college students enrolled across a spectrum of institutions. In this paper, we explore how 203 individuals at five rural‐serving colleges in Florida engaged in state‐wide developmental education (DE) reform using the theoretical framework of “situated cognition.” Specifically, we ask whether the colleges implemented DE reform in unique ways that may have differed from their non‐rural counterparts and what their rationale was for doing so. Our work indicates that institutional culture and capacity generated a combination of strengths and constraints in how reform played out in a rural context. In some ways, a rural‐serving identity made colleges more flexible and better able to adjust their advising and curricular structures to comply with the mandates of SB 1720. But in other ways, rural‐serving institutions lacked the resources necessary to adequately support students and campus personnel through this dramatic transition toward new ways of providing DE. In looking toward the passage and implementation of future education reform, we call upon policymakers to consider more deeply the design of policies to ensure they support rural and non‐rural colleges alike.
What Is In a (Non‐) Significant Finding? Moving Beyond False Dichotomies
Authors: Steenbergen Marco R.
Published: November 2019

One of the most problematic aspect of p‐values is the tendency to dichotomize, whereby statistical significance is equated with scientifically worthwhile and insignificance with worthless findings. This article outlines two approaches that move beyond such dichotomies: minimum Bayes factors and the analysis of credibility. Their use is illustrated through a simple example. The examples show that significant findings may not always be as telling as statistical significance would suggest, whereas non‐significant findings may contain considerable evidence about effects.
The Effect of Neighborhood Limited English Proficiency on Third Graders' Reading Achievement in Public Elementary Schools in the U.S. State of Georgia
Authors: Ghimire Ramesh , Topple Trasie A.
Published: November 2019

Objective

We analyze the effect of neighborhood limited English proficiency on third graders' reading achievement in public elementary schools in the U.S. state of Georgia.

Methods

Neighborhood limited English proficiency and school‐related outcomes are more likely to be endogenously determined at the neighborhood level. We correct for this endogeneity concern using foreign‐born population as the instrument for neighborhood limited English proficiency.

Results

Our results show that a 1 percentage point increase in limited English proficient households in the census tract reduced proficient learners and above on third‐grade reading by 0.20 percentage point in the U.S. state of Georgia.

Conclusion

Improving neighborhood characteristics may help improve students' achievement.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐DPA1*01:03:16 allele by sequencing‐based typing
Authors: Cargou Marine , Andreani Marco , Troiano Maria , Guidicelli Gwendaline , Visentin Jonathan
Published: November 2019

HLA‐DPA1*01:03:16 differs from HLA‐DPA1*01:03:01:03 by one nucleotide substitution in codon 171 in exon 3.
Historicizing the Conversation
Authors: Holfter Gisela
Published: November 2019

Where are German Studies heading? To answer this, a look backward into the development of German Studies might be useful. Starting with a brief overview, from the establishment of the first chair in 1776 to selected discussions of the curriculum of German Studies in English‐speaking countries from the 19th century on, a number of – at times contradictory – developments can be detected. The content of the curriculum, the role of literature, the question of focusing on specific periods and writers, and methods of teaching the subject have never been static and continue to change. While some aspects are irrelevant nowadays, some questions about the relevance, focus, and identity of German Studies remain crucial and help our understanding of the shifting state of the discipline.
Reflecting on Global Learning Goals: The Study Abroad Portfolio
Authors: Grewling Nicole
Published: November 2019

Students' learning progress in areas such as language proficiency or cultural awareness is considerable while studying abroad, but specific preparation, engagement with, and reflection of their experiences can increase these benefits and particularly students' awareness of them. This article offers an overview of a study abroad portfolio that was developed to help students approach their semester abroad more intentionally by setting different learning goals for their time abroad, observing and reflecting on cultural experiences, and tracking their progress in areas such as their ability to adapt to unfamiliar cultural settings. Such a portfolio project further helps students understand and articulate the outcomes of their study abroad experience, which can serve as basis from which to document their global skills, intercultural competencies, and ability to adapt to new cultural settings in different locations when needed, for instance, on the job market.
The Freedom to Travel, the Limitations of Borders: Teaching Global Perspectives of the Long 19th Century
Authors: McLary Laura , Scheve Emma
Published: November 2019

This article describes a significant revision of an existing upper‐division German course to include more global perspectives of the long 19th century. The revision was undertaken in collaboration with an advanced undergraduate student. The course provides an important opportunity to upend preconceptions students might have about German‐speaking identity and belonging. It supports a global perspective that sees German‐speaking people engaging with others around the world not only through travel but also through a long history of welcoming others into or repelling them outside of a real or imagined set of boundaries around German identity and belonging. Primary sources used in this course include literary works, travel writing, feuilleton, and images such as posters and postcards. Expanding the course content to provide a global perspective also intersects with the University of Portland's German program goals of creating a more inclusive pedagogy that speaks to a diversity of learning needs, experiences, and ethnic and gender identities of an increasingly diverse student population. Through structured summative discussions, students develop a wider, more nuanced view of German identity, in tandem with language‐learning goals specific to the genre‐based approach of the German program at the University of Portland such as using discourse markers for discussion. Students engage with the materials through comparison and first forays into applying a theoretical lens like colonialism. By using tools of intersectional comparison to engage with texts and images, students demonstrate the ability to employ an intellectually sophisticated and flexible framework that extends beyond the boundaries of a traditionally prescribed German culture curriculum.
Terms of Engagement: Teaching the African Diaspora in German‐Speaking Europe
Authors: Nenno Nancy P.
Published: November 2019

Striving to be more representative in their answer to the question, “What is German,” many programs are expanding their curricula to include the history and perspectives of Black Germans and Austrians. Through discussion of a course on “Die afrikanische Diaspora im deutschsprachigen Europa,” this article argues that examining texts by Germans and Austrians of African descent as well as by immigrants from Africa through the lens of cultural proficiency addresses a key component of both the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), namely intercultural competence. Comparative tasks that explore sociocultural perspectives obtained through the medium of the target language can defamiliarize seemingly‐familiar concepts including race, nationality, and identity. Precisely because Black German Studies focuses on the interplay of power relations between dominant and minority cultures within Germanophone cultures, it may provide a model of intercultural competence through the analysis of the successes and failures of intracultural proficiency. Finally, the article considers the need to uncouple language and cultural/national identity in the European Germanophone context while simultaneously addressing the global demand for multicultural and multilingual competence.
UnpackingHeimat: A Spiraled Approach to Identity and Belonging for Global German Studies
Authors: Peabody Seth , Randall Amanda
Published: November 2019

If the German‐speaking world is conceived of as a pluralistic society, open to migration, and integrated in global networks, then what couldHeimatmean for German Studies? This article presents a rationale and curricular design model for critically unpacking the cultural narrative ofHeimatwithin a globalized context. As numerous scholars have argued,Heimatis a complex, possibly untranslatable concept that expresses both belonging and exclusion. Its connection to nationalism, racism, and propaganda in German history is well known, and we argue that its most recent reemergence in public and political discourse presents pressing implications for German instruction. Given all of the cultural energies embedded into the concept, this article considers how we might reframeHeimatin our courses to build students' critical thinking skills and global perspectives. Through recent curriculum reform efforts in our undergraduate German program, we have implemented an iterative approach to critically probing the layered meanings ofHeimatvia multiple texts and avenues for student engagement at each level of the curriculum. By engaging the concept through a spiraling, content‐driven design, students confront the implications ofHeimatas an organizer of German identities and a discursive vehicle for achieving a more inclusive Germany and German Studies.
Going Global in Small German Programs
Authors: Grewling Nicole , Rinker Erika Hille
Published: November 2019

Globalizing the curriculum in small German programs with a single faculty member consists of different considerations than in larger programs with more faculty and students. In this dialogue, the faculty members in two such programs discuss what globalizing German Studies means within the context of their small programs and the need to maintain a distinct German identity within the larger context of Global Studies. Despite several significant differences between their institutions, they find that they have faced similar challenges and enjoyed similar rewards attributable to the small size of their programs. They also offer suggestions about how current graduate programs might better prepare students for positions like their own.
Bacterial infections in children after liver transplantation: A single‐center surveillance study of 345 consecutive transplantations
Authors: Dohna Schwake Christian , Guiddir Tamazoust , Cuzon Gaelle , Benissa Mohamed‐Rida , Dubois Cécile , Miatello Jordi , Merchaoui Zied , Durand Philippe , Tissieres Pierre ,   For the Bicêtre Pediatric Liver Transplant Group
Published: November 2019

Background

Infectious complications after pediatric liver transplantation frequently occur and are potentially serious. Data concerning strictly defined bacterial infections and their associated risk factors are lacking.

Methods

For the pediatric liver transplant postoperative period, we analyzed data from the nosocomial infection surveillance (2006‐2015).

Results

A total of 235 bacterial infections in 162 transplantations (47%) occurred, including 32 bacterial pneumonia cases, 104 surgical site infections, 27 urinary tract infections, and 40 bloodstream infections. Sepsis was diagnosed in 127 cases (54%), severe sepsis in 22 (9%) cases, and septic shock in 41 (17%) cases. Thirty patients (9%) died, and septic shock was the leading cause of death. The carrier status of multi‐drug resistant bacteria and a tacrolimus level >20 ng/mL were independent risk factors for surgical site infections and the occurrence of severe sepsis or septic shock. The length of mechanical ventilation was an independent risk factor for pneumonia and surgical site infection.

Conclusion

Bacterial infections in the early postoperative period after pediatric liver transplantation are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Physicians involved in the medical care of these patients should be aware of the specific risk factors, and further development of prevention programs is highly recommended.
Sexual and reproductive health knowledge among adolescents in eight sites across sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Finlay Jocelyn E. , Assefa Nega , Mwanyika‐Sando Mary , Dessie Yadeta , Harling Guy , Njau Tasiana , Chukwu Angela , Oduola Ayoade , Shah Iqbal , Adanu Richard , Bukenya Justine
Published: November 2019

Objective

To examine knowledge of menstruation, HIV and STIs other than HIV across eight sites in SSA to develop effective programmatic interventions enabling adolescents to achieve positive SRH as their transition to adulthood.

Methods

We combine data from eight Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites across sub‐Saharan Africa, from an adolescent‐specific survey that included 7116 males and females age 10–19 years old. We provide pooled and site‐specific estimates from multiple analytic models examining the how year‐specific age, school attendance and work correlate with knowledge of menstruation, HIV knowledge and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) other than HIV.

Results

Many adolescents lack knowledge of menstruation (37.3%, 95% CI 31.8, 43.1 do not know of menstruation) and STIs other than HIV (55.9%, 95% CI 50.4, 61.3 do not know of other STIs). In multivariate analysis, older age, being in school and wealth are significant positive correlates of STI knowledge. Older adolescent age, female sex and being in school are significant positive correlates of knowledge of menstruation. Knowledge of HIV is high (89.7%, 95% CI 8.3, 12.7 know of HIV) and relatively similar across adolescent age, sex, wealth and school and work attendance.

Conclusion

Knowledge of HIV is widespread across adolescents in these communities in sub‐Saharan Africa, but knowledge of other dimensions of sexual and reproductive health – menstruation and other STIs in this study – is lacking especially for early adolescents (10‐ to 14‐year olds). The dissemination of more comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information is needed within these and similar communities in SSA to help adolescents gain insight on how to make their own decisions towards positive adolescent sexual and reproductive health and protect them from risks.
Soil presence reduces the control effectiveness of a slow‐release formulation of pyriproxyfen on Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae
Authors: Junges Melania Teresita , Harburguer Laura , Lorenzo Maria Cecilia , Eisenberg Patricia , Masuh Héctor , Carbajo Aníbal Eduardo
Published: November 2019

Objective

To assess the influence of soil on the effectiveness of two new slow‐release formulations (floating and non‐floating) of pyriproxyfen coextruded with low‐density polyethylene.

Methods

Two slow‐release devices were developed using low‐density polyethylene, pyriproxyfen as larvicide and calcium carbonate as filler. A factorial design was used to evaluate the effect of soil presence on the performance of each device. Weekly bioassays were performed.

Results

Soil presence affected treatment effectiveness, but this effect was associated with device type. The tablets were effective for nearly 3 months.

Conclusion

Treatment effectiveness could be reduced because of the loss of pyriproxyfen by several physico‐chemical processes such as adsorption into the soil.
A pseudomolecule‐scale genome assembly of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha
Authors: Diop Seydina I. , Subotic Oliver , Giraldo‐Fonseca Alejandro , Waller Manuel , Kirbis Alexander , Neubauer Anna , Potente Giacomo , Murray‐Watson Rachel , Boskovic Filip , Bont Zoe , Hock Zsofia , Payton Adam C. , Duijsings Daniël , Pirovano Walter , Conti Elena , Grossniklaus Ueli , McDaniel Stuart F. , Szövényi Péter
Published: November 2019

Marchantia polymorpha has recently become a prime model for cellular, evo‐devo, synthetic biological, and evolutionary investigations. We present a pseudomolecule‐scale assembly of the M. polymorpha genome, making comparative genome structure analysis and classical genetic mapping approaches feasible. We anchored 88% of the M. polymorpha draft genome to a high‐density linkage map resulting in eight pseudomolecules. We found that the overall genome structure of M. polymorpha is in some respects different from that of the model moss Physcomitrella patens. Specifically, genome collinearity between the two bryophyte genomes and vascular plants is limited, suggesting extensive rearrangements since divergence. Furthermore, recombination rates are greatest in the middle of the chromosome arms in M. polymorpha like in most vascular plant genomes, which is in contrast with P. patens where recombination rates are evenly distributed along the chromosomes. Nevertheless, some other properties of the genome are shared with P. patens. As in P. patens, DNA methylation in M. polymorpha is spread evenly along the chromosomes, which is in stark contrast with the angiosperm model Arabidopsis thaliana, where DNA methylation is strongly enriched at the centromeres. Nevertheless, DNA methylation and recombination rate are anticorrelated in all three species. Finally, M. polymorpha and P. patens centromeres are of similar structure and marked by high abundance of retroelements unlike in vascular plants. Taken together, the highly contiguous genome assembly we present opens unexplored avenues for M. polymorpha research by linking the physical and genetic maps, making novel genomic and genetic analyses, including map‐based cloning, feasible.