bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence, Judgment, and Belief at Will
Authors: Roeber Blake
Published: October 2018

Doxastic involuntarists have paid insufficient attention to two debates in contemporary epistemology: the permissivism debate and the debate over norms of assertion and belief. In combination, these debates highlight a conception of belief on which, if you find yourself in what I will call an ‘equipollent case’ with respect to some proposition p, there will be no reason why you can’t believe p at will. While doxastic involuntarism is virtually epistemological orthodoxy, nothing in the entire stock of objections to belief at will blocks this route to doxastic voluntarism. Against the backdrop of the permissivism debate and the literature on norms of belief and assertion, doxastic involuntarism emerges as an article of faith, not the obvious truth it’s usually purported to be.
Powerful bursts of water masers towards G25.65+1.05
Authors: Volvach L N , Volvach A E , Larionov M G , MacLeod G C , van den Heever S P , Wolak P , Olech M
Published: October 2018

The results of long-term monitoring of the Galactic 22.2 GHz water masers associated with G25.65+1.05 using several telescopes are presented. We report a powerful double flare with peak flux densities of ∼60 and 130 kJy in 2017 September and 2017 November, respectively. We propose a linear relationship between the inverse of the square of the line width and the natural logarithm of the flux density of the flaring water maser feature. We infer from this that the flaring feature is unsaturated.
Tobacco Advertisement Liking, Vulnerability Factors, and Tobacco Use Among Young Adults
Authors: Lienemann Brianna A , Rose Shyanika W , Unger Jennifer B , Meissner Helen I , Byron M Justin , Baezconde-Garbanati Lourdes , Huang Li-Ling , Cruz Tess Boley
Published: October 2018

Introduction

Young adulthood (aged 18–24) is a crucial period in the development of long-term tobacco use patterns. Tobacco advertising and promotion lead to the initiation and continuation of smoking among young adults. We examined whether vulnerability factors moderated the association between tobacco advertisement liking and tobacco use in the United States.

Methods

Analyses were conducted among 9109 US young adults in the nationally representative Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study wave 1 (2013–14). Participants viewed 20 randomly selected sets of tobacco advertisements (five each for cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco) and indicated whether they liked each ad. The outcome variables were past 30-day cigarette, e-cigarette, cigar, and smokeless tobacco use. Covariates included tobacco advertisement liking, age, sex, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, education, poverty level, military service, and internalizing and externalizing mental health symptoms.

Results

Liking tobacco advertisements was associated with tobacco use, and this association was particularly strong among those with lower educational attainment (cigarettes, cigars) and living below the poverty level (e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco).

Conclusions

The association between tobacco advertisement liking and tobacco use was stronger among young adults with lower educational attainment and those living below the poverty level. Policies that restrict advertising exposure and promote counter-marketing messages in this population could reduce their risk.

Implications

This study shows that liking tobacco advertisements is associated with current tobacco use among young adults, with stronger associations for vulnerable young adults (ie, lower education levels and living below the poverty level). Findings suggest a need for counter-marketing messages, policies that restrict advertising exposure, and educational interventions such as health and media literacy interventions to address the negative influences of tobacco advertisements, especially among young adults with a high school education or less and those living below the poverty level.
Effects of concentrate input on nutrient utilization and methane emissions of two breeds of ewe lambs fed fresh ryegrass
Authors: Wang Chunmei , Zhao Yiguang , Aubry Aurélie , Arnott Gareth , Hou Fujiang , Yan Tianhai
Published: October 2018

The objective of this study was to evaluate if high-quality grass could sustain a similar feeding efficiency to concentrate meals for two breeds of lowland ewe lambs. Sixteen lowland ewe lambs of approximately 13 mo age and 61.5 ± 5.28 kg live weight were used in a 2 × 2 factorial study, with 2 diets (fresh perennial ryegrass [Lolium perenne] vs. fresh perennial ryegrass plus 0.5 kg/d fresh concentrate) × 2 breeds (Highlander vs. Texel). Grass was cut daily in the morning from a single zero-grazing sward and offered ad libitum. The animals were individually housed in pens and fed experimental diets for an adaptation phase of 19 d, and then transferred to respiration calorimeter chambers, remaining there for 5 d, with feed intake, feces and urine outputs, and methane (CH4) emissions measured during the final 4 d. There were no significant interaction effects between diets and breeds on any variables. Ewe lambs offered 0.5 kg/d concentrate supplementation had slightly greater DM intake and energy (GE, DE, and ME) intake, but had significantly higher N intake and N excretion in feces and urine than those fed the grass-only diet. However, diets had no significant effects on nutrient digestibility, energy or N utilization, or CH4 emission. Texel breed had a significantly lower DM intake and CH4 emissions per kg live weight, whereas the breed had no significant effect on nutrient digestibility or energy or N utilization. These results implicate that good quality grass could sustain high nutrient utilization efficiency as effectively as diets supplemented with concentrates for ewe lamb production. The two breeds of lowland ewe lambs can utilize good quality grass at a similar level of efficiency.
Determinants of Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss After Trabeculectomy With Mitomycin C
Authors: Higashide Tomomi , Nishino Tsubasa , Sakaguchi Kimikazu , Yamada Yutaro , Sugiyama Kazuhisa
Published: October 2018

Purpose:

To investigate factors associated with decreased corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC).

Methods:

Retrospective review of consecutive glaucoma cases who underwent trabeculectomy with MMC. The types of glaucoma included were primary open-angle glaucoma, exfoliation glaucoma (XFG), neovascular glaucoma, and uveitic glaucoma (UG). The postoperative ECD changes compared with the preoperative ECD and risk factors for ECD decrease were analyzed using mixed-effects models.

Results:

In total, 162 eyes of 136 patients were included in this study. Postoperative ECD measurements were performed 3.7±1.8 times (mean±SD) during a median follow-up period of 34 months. The mean intraocular pressure decreased from 25.3±9.6 to 9.2±2.3 mm Hg postoperatively. The marginal mean (SE) ECD decrease at 24 months was 9.3% (1.3%) in all cases. The marginal mean ECD decrease at 24 months was 18.2% (3.1%) and 20.6% (4.7%) in eyes with XFG and UG, respectively, which was significantly greater than 4.8% (1.8%) in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (P<0.001, each), after accounting for the variability in the number and timepoint of ECD measurements. Multivariate mixed-effects model analyses showed that type of glaucoma (XFG and UG) and older age were significantly associated with larger ECD decrease, and preoperative factors (oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitor and vitrectomy) and postoperative choroidal detachment were significantly associated with a declining trend of ECD over time.

Conclusions:

The type of glaucoma (XFG, UG) and older age were risk factors for larger ECD decrease after trabeculectomy with MMC.
New Medicare Diabetes Prevention Coverage May Limit Beneficiary Access and Widen Health Disparities
Authors: Ritchie Natalie D. , Gritz Robert M.
Published: October 2018

Background:

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently issued final rules for the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), offering an unprecedented opportunity to provide lifestyle intervention to Medicare beneficiaries with prediabetes via a pay-for-performance model. The MDPP is based on the widely disseminated, yearlong National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP), which has lesser but still beneficial risk-reduction outcomes among minority and low-income participants.

Objectives:

We compare projected payments based on outcomes of a diverse sample of Medicare beneficiaries to service delivery costs, and explore resulting implications for MDPP access and sustainability.

Methods:

We delivered NDPP in a safety-net health care system from 2013 to 2017 and conducted an analysis of service cost, beneficiary performance, and projected MDPP reimbursement.

Results:

Among 1165 total participants, 213 (18.3%) were Medicare beneficiaries. Participating beneficiaries were 40.6% Hispanic, 31.6% non-Hispanic black, and 26.9% non-Hispanic white and 69.5% low-income. Overall beneficiary performance would result in an average reimbursement of $138.52 (interquartile range=162.50). Program delivery costs were $800 per participant, leaving an average gap of $661 per beneficiary.

Conclusions:

Findings from delivering the NDPP to diverse and undeserved patients show a large gap between service costs and projected reimbursement. Although many MDPP suppliers are needed to reach all Medicare beneficiaries with prediabetes, insufficient reimbursement may be a deterrent. Health disparities may also widen as suppliers serving diverse and low-income populations will likely receive especially low payments, threatening access. Higher payments are supported by strong return-on-investment findings and seem needed to reduce diabetes prevalence and related disparities.
Concomitant Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Is an Independent Predictive Factor for the Occurrence of New Cancer in the Remnant Pancreas
Authors: Matsuda Ryota , Miyasaka Yoshihiro , Ohishi Yoshihiro , Yamamoto Takeo , Saeki Kiyoshi , Mochidome Naoki , Abe Atsushi , Ozono Keigo , Shindo Koji , Ohtsuka Takao , Kikutake Chie , Nakamura Masafumi , Oda Yoshinao
Published: October 2018

Objective:

To determine the factors predicting the subsequent development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in remnant pancreas (PDAC-RP) after partial pancreatectomy for PDAC.

Summary Background Data:

PDAC-RP after partial pancreatectomy for PDAC is currently not so rare because of improved prognosis of PDAC patients due to recent advances in surgical techniques and adjuvant therapy. However, the predictive factors related to PDAC-RP remain unknown.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological data of a consecutive series of 379 patients with PDAC treated by partial pancreatectomy between 1992 and 2015; 14 patients (3.69%) had PDAC-RP. Clinicopathological variables were compared between PDAC-RP and non-PDAC-RP.

Results:

In univariate analysis, concomitant intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) (P = 0.0005), cancer location (body/tail) (P = 0.0060), and lower T factor in UICC (P = 0.0039) were correlated with PDAC-RP development. Multivariate analysis revealed concomitant IPMN (P = 0.0135) to be an independent predictive factor for PDAC-RP. PDAC concomitant with IPMN had higher cumulative incidence of PDAC-RP (47.5%/10 yrs) than PDAC without IPMN (9.96%/10 yrs) (P = 0.0071). Moreover, the density of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions in the background pancreas of cases of PDAC concomitant with IPMN (1.86/cm2) was higher than that of cases of PDAC without IPMN (0.91/cm2) (P = 0.0007).

Conclusions:

Concomitant IPMN in PDAC is an independent predictive factor for the development of new PDAC in remnant pancreas. Cancer susceptibility of remnant pancreas after resection for PDAC concomitant with IPMN is probably due to an increased density of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions.
Perforated Peptic Ulcer Surgery: Decreased Length of Stay but No Difference in Mortality with Laparoscopic Repair
Authors: Gabriel Viktor , Grigorian Areg , Schubl Sebastian D. , Pejcinovska Marija , Won Eugene , Lekawa Michael , Bernal Nicole , Nahmias Jeffry
Published: October 2018

Background:

Perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) surgery mortality ranges 1% to 24%. We hypothesized a decrease in length of stay (LOS) with laparoscopic surgical repair (LSR) compared with open surgical repair (OSR).

Methods:

Patients undergoing PPU surgery 2005 to 2015 were identified in NSQIP. LSR was compared with OSR 2005 to 2015. LSR 2005 to 2010 was compared with 2011 to 2015. OSR 2005 to 2010 was compared with 2011 to 2015. The primary outcome was LOS. Secondary outcomes were mortality and morbidity.

Results:

Between 2005 and 2015, LSR had a decreased LOS, was more likely to wean from the ventilator, but had no significant difference in mortality compared with OSR. There was no significant difference in mortality for LSR or OSR over time.

Conclusions:

When patients are appropriately selected, LSR for PPU is a viable alternative to OSR, decreasing LOS and pulmonary complications. This demonstrates significant benefit to patients and hospital throughput.
Effect of Classic Foot Massage on Vital Signs, Pain, and Nausea/Vomiting Symptoms After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Çankaya Askeri , Saritaş Serdar
Published: October 2018

This semiexperimental study on the effects of foot massage recruited 88 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the general surgery clinics of our hospital in Turkey (June 2017 to May 2018). Patients were assigned to either the intervention group (n=44, 10 min of classic foot massage) or the control group (n=44, no intervention). Pretest assessment, intervention, and posttest assessment were conducted within 1 to 6 hours postoperatively. Outcome measures included vital signs, pain, and nausea/vomiting symptoms. The intervention was associated with a significant decrease in pain scores and incidence of nausea. Despite being associated with an increase in body temperature, the intervention was also associated with a decrease in systolic blood pressure without increasing diastolic blood pressure or respiratory rate, suggesting a positive effect on blood circulation. Classic foot massage may serve as an affordable and useful way to help improve pain, nausea, and blood circulation after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Twenty-four hour versus extended antibiotic administration after surgery in complicated appendicitis: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Saar Sten , Mihnovitš Vladislav , Lustenberger Thomas , Rauk Mariliis , Noor Erast-Henri , Lipping Edgar , Isand Karl-Gunnar , Lepp Jaak , Lomp Andrus , Lepner Urmas , Talving Peep
Published: October 2018

BACKGROUND

Recent investigations noted noninferiority in short-course antimicrobial treatments following source control in abdominal infections. We set out to investigate noninferiority of a short and fixed (24 hours) antibiotic administration compared to extended treatment after source control in complicated appendicitis in a prospective single-center open-label randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, all consecutive adult patients (age, ≥ 18 years) with complicated appendicitis including gangrenous appendicitis, perforated appendicitis, and appendicitis with periappendicular abscess between May 2016 and February 2018 were randomly allocated to antibacterial therapy limited to 24 hours (short) vs. >24 hours (extended) administration after appendectomy. Primary outcomes included composite postoperative complications and Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI). Secondary outcome was hospital length of stay (HLOS). Follow-up analysis at 1 month was conducted per intention and per protocol.

RESULTS

A total of 80 patients were enrolled with 39 and 41 cases allocated to the short and the extended therapy group, respectively. Demographic profile and disease severity was similar between the study groups. Overall rate of complications was 17.9% and 29.3% in the short and extended group, respectively (p = 0.23). Mean CCI did not differ between the study groups (p = 0.29). Hospital length of stay was significantly reduced in the short therapy group (61 ± 34 hours vs. 81 ± 40 hours, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

In the current prospective randomized investigation, the short (24 hours) antibiotic administration following appendectomy did not result in a worse primary outcome in complicated appendicitis. The short interval administration resulted in a significant reduction in HLOS with a major cost-saving and antibacterial stewardship perspective.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level IV.
Donor-specific Cell-free DNA as a Biomarker in Solid Organ Transplantation. A Systematic Review
Authors: Knight Simon Robert , Thorne Adam , Lo Faro Maria Letizia
Published: October 2018

Background

There is increasing interest in the use of noninvasive biomarkers to reduce the risks posed by invasive biopsy for monitoring of solid organ transplants (SOTs). One such promising marker is the presence of donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) in the urine or blood of transplant recipients.

Methods

We systematically reviewed the published literature investigating the use of cfDNA in monitoring of graft health after SOT. Electronic databases were searched for studies relating cfDNA fraction or levels to clinical outcomes, and data including measures of diagnostic test accuracy were extracted. Narrative analysis was performed.

Results

Ninety-five articles from 47 studies met the inclusion criteria (18 kidneys, 7 livers, 11 hearts, 1 kidney-pancreas, 5 lungs, and 5 multiorgans). The majority were retrospective and prospective cohort studies, with 19 reporting diagnostic test accuracy data. Multiple techniques for measuring dd-cfDNA were reported, including many not requiring a donor sample. dd-cfDNA falls rapidly within 2 weeks, with baseline levels varying by organ type. Levels are elevated in the presence of allograft injury, including acute rejection and infection, and return to baseline after successful treatment. Elevation of cfDNA levels is seen in advance of clinically apparent organ injury. Discriminatory power was greatest for higher grades of T cell–mediated and antibody-mediated acute rejection, with high negative predictive values.

Conclusions

Cell-free DNA is a promising biomarker for monitoring the health of SOTs. Future studies will need to define how it can be used in routine clinical practice and determine clinical benefit with routine prospective monitoring.
Factors Influencing Staff’s Attitude Toward Electroconvulsive Therapy
Authors: Scholz-Hehn Anne Deborah , Müller Jana Christina , Deml Ruben , Methfessel Isabel , Zilles David , Hädrich Florian , Hecht Gregory , Luedecke Daniel , Gornisch Janina , Albrecht Heiko , Stumm Laura , Freundlieb Nils
Published: October 2018

Objectives

Despite being a highly effective treatment, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is still stigmatized even among professionals. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with a positive attitude toward ECT among health care workers.

Methods

We investigated staff's attitude and their self-assessment of knowledge while introducing ECT in 3 German psychiatric clinics. Furthermore, we compared this data to that of a clinic where ECT has been applied with a long tradition. An anonymous questionnaire was answered by n = 182 employees in the ECT-introducing clinics (novices) and n = 68 employees in the clinic with a long history of ECT (experts).

Results

Irrespective of the clinical history, the majority of participants approved the application of ECT in their clinic. Factors associated with a positive attitude were (a) profession (physicians presented a more positive mindset about ECT than nursing staff), (b) subjective feeling of being adequately informed, and (c) having had contact to patients undergoing ECT. Interestingly, the general attitude toward ECT did not differ between subjects who reported to have seen an ECT and those who had not.

Conclusions

When introducing ECT as a new treatment into a clinic, formal information should be adapted to the needs of each profession with a special emphasis on nurses. To further increase acceptance, contact to ECT-experienced patients (professionals taught by patients) might result in a more positive attitude toward ECT than participation in an ECT treatment itself.
Parkinson disease age of onset GWAS: defining heritability, genetic loci and a-synuclein mechanisms
Authors: Blauwendraat Cornelis , Heilbron Karl , Vallerga Costanza L. , Bandres-Ciga Sara , von Coelln Rainer , Pihlstrøm Lasse , Simón-Sánchez Javier , Schulte Claudia , Sharma Manu , Krohn Lynne , Siitonen Ari , Iwaki Hirotaka , Leonard Hampton , Noyce Alastair J. , Tan Manuela , Gibbs J. Raphael , Hernandez Dena G. , Scholz Sonja W. , Jankovic Joseph , Shulman Lisa M. , Lesage Suzanne , Corvol Jean-Christophe , Brice Alexis , van Hilten Jacobus J. , Marinus Johan ,   The 23andMe Research Team, Tienari Pentti , Majamaa Kari , Toft Mathias , Grosset Donald G. , Gasser Thomas , Heutink Peter , Shulman Joshua M , Wood Nicolas , Hardy John , Morris Huw R , Hinds David A. , Gratten Jacob , Visscher Peter M. , Gan-Or Ziv , Nalls Mike A. , Singleton Andrew B. ,   for the International Parkinson’s Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDGC)
Published: October 2018

Increasing evidence supports an extensive and complex genetic contribution to Parkinson’s disease (PD). Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have shed light on the genetic basis of risk for this disease. However, the genetic determinants of PD age of onset are largely unknown. Here we performed an age of onset GWAS based on 28,568 PD cases. We estimated that the heritability of PD age of onset due to common genetic variation was ~0.11, lower than the overall heritability of risk for PD (~0.27) likely in part because of the subjective nature of this measure. We found two genome-wide significant association signals, one at SNCA and the other a protein-coding variant in TMEM175, both of which are known PD risk loci and a Bonferroni corrected significant effect at other known PD risk loci, INPP5F/BAG3, FAM47E/SCARB2, and MCCC1. In addition, we identified that GBA coding variant carriers had an earlier age of onset compared to non-carriers. Notably, SNCA, TMEM175, SCARB2, BAG3 and GBA have all been shown to either directly influence alpha-synuclein aggregation or are implicated in alpha-synuclein aggregation pathways. Remarkably, other well-established PD risk loci such as GCH1, MAPT and RAB7L1/NUCKS1 (PARK16) did not show a significant effect on age of onset of PD. While for some loci, this may be a measure of power, this is clearly not the case for the MAPT locus; thus genetic variability at this locus influences whether but not when an individual develops disease. We believe this is an important mechanistic and therapeutic distinction. Furthermore, these data support a model in which alpha-synuclein and lysosomal mechanisms impact not only PD risk but also age of disease onset and highlights that therapies that target alpha-synuclein aggregation are more likely to be disease-modifying than therapies targeting other pathways.
Host Genetic Background and Gut Microbiota Contribute to Differential Metabolic Responses to Fructose Consumption in Mice
Authors: Ahn In Sook , Lang Jennifer M. , Olson Christine A. , Diamante Graciel , Zhang Guanglin , Ying Zhe , Byun Hyae Ran , Cely Ingrid , Ding Jessica , Cohn Peter , Kurtz Ira , Gomez-Pinilla Fernando , Lusis Aldons J. , Hsiao Elaine Y. , Yang Xia
Published: October 2018

Background

It is unclear how high fructose consumption induces disparate metabolic responses in genetically diverse mouse strains.

Objective

We aim to investigate whether the gut microbiota contributes to differential metabolic responses to fructose.

Methods

Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J (B6), DBA/2J (DBA), and FVB/NJ (FVB) mice were given 8% fructose solution or regular water (control) for 12 weeks. The gut microbiota composition in cecum and feces was analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing, and PERMANOVA was used to compare community across mouse strains, treatments, and time points. Microbiota abundance was correlated with metabolic phenotypes and host gene expression in hypothalamus, liver and adipose tissues using Biweight midcorrelation. To test the causal role of the gut microbiota in determining fructose response, we conducted fecal transplants from B6 to DBA mice and vice versa for 4 weeks, as well as gavaged antibiotic-treated DBA mice with Akkermansia for 9 weeks, accompanied with or without fructose treatment.

Results

Compared to B6 and FVB, DBA mice had significantly higher Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and lower baseline levels of Akkermansia and S24-7 (P < 0.05), accompanied by metabolic dysregulation after fructose consumption. Fructose altered specific microbial taxa in individual mouse strains, such as a 7.27-fold increase in Akkermansia in B6 and 0.374-fold change in Rikenellaceae in DBA (FDR < 5%), which demonstrated strain-specific correlations with host metabolic and transcriptomic phenotypes. Fecal transplant experiments indicated that B6 microbes conferred resistance to fructose-induced weight gain in DBA mice (F = 43.1, P < 0.001), and Akkermansia colonization abrogated the fructose-induced weight gain (F = 17.8, P <0.001) and glycemic dysfunctions (F = 11.8, P = 0.004) in DBA mice.

Conclusions

Our findings support that differential microbiota composition between mouse strains is partially responsible for host metabolic sensitivity to fructose, and that Akkermansia is a key bacterium that confers resistance to fructose-induced metabolic dysregulation.
Cover crop mixture diversity, biomass productivity, weed suppression, and stability
Authors: Florence A. M. , Higley L. G. , Drijber R. A. , Francis C. A. , Lindquist J. L.
Published: October 2018

The diversity-productivity, diversity-invasibility, and diversity-stability hypotheses propose that increasing species diversity should lead, respectively, to increased average biomass productivity, increased invasion resistance, and increased stability. We tested these three hypotheses in the context of cover crop mixtures, evaluating the effects of increasing cover crop mixture diversity on aboveground biomass, weed suppression, and biomass stability. Twenty to forty cover crop treatments were replicated three or four times at eleven sites using eighteen species representing three cover crop species each from six pre-defined functional groups: cool-season grasses, cool-season legumes, cool-season brassicas, warm-season grasses, warm-season legumes, and warm-season broadleaves. Each species was planted in monoculture, and the most diverse treatment contained all eighteen species. Remaining treatments included treatments representing intermediate levels of cover crop species and functional richness and a no cover crop control. Cover crop planting dates ranged from late July to late September with both cover crop and weed aboveground biomass being sampled prior to winterkill. Stability was assessed by evaluating the variability in cover crop biomass for each treatment across plots within each site. While increasing cover crop mixture diversity was associated with increased average aboveground biomass, this was the result of the average biomass of the monocultures being drawn down by low yielding species rather than due to niche complementarity or increased resource use efficiency. At no site did the highest yielding mixture out-yield the highest yielding monoculture. Furthermore, while increases in cover crop mixture diversity were correlated with increases in weed suppression and increases in biomass stability, we argue that this was largely the result of diversity co-varying with aboveground biomass, and that differences in aboveground biomass rather than differences in diversity drove the differences observed in weed suppression and stability. The results of this study contradict popular interpretations of the diversity-productivity, diversity-invasibility, and diversity-stability hypotheses.
Reduced representation sequencing for symbiotic anthozoans: are reference genomes necessary to eliminate endosymbiont contamination and make robust phylogeographic inference?
Authors: Titus Benjamin M. , Daly Marymegan
Published: October 2018

Anthozoan cnidarians form the backbone of coral reefs. Their success relies on endosymbiosis with photosynthetic dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae. Photosymbionts represent a hurdle for researchers using population genomic techniques to study these highly imperiled and ecologically critical species because sequencing datasets harbor unknown mixtures of anthozoan and photosymbiont loci. Here we use range-wide sampling and a double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) of the sea anemoneBartholomea annulatato explore how symbiont loci impact the interpretation of phylogeographic patterns and population genetic parameters. We use the genome of the closely relatedExaiptasia diaphana(previouslyAiptasia pallida)to create an anthozoan-only dataset from a genomic dataset containing bothB. annulataand its symbiodiniacean symbionts and then compare this to the raw, holobiont dataset. For each, we investigate spatial patterns of genetic diversity and use coalescent model-based approaches to estimate demographic history and population parameters. The Florida Straits are the only phylogeographic break we recover forB. annulata, with divergence estimated during the last glacial maximum. BecauseB. annulatahosts multiple members of Symbiodiniaceae, we hypothesize that, under moderate missing data thresholds,de novoclustering algorithms that identify orthologs across datasets will have difficulty identifying shared non-coding loci from the photosymbionts. We infer that, for anthozoans hosting diverse members of Symbiodinaceae, clustering algorithms act asde factofilters of symbiont loci. Thus, while at least some photosymbiont loci remain, these are swamped by orders of magnitude greater numbers of anthozoan loci and thus represent genetic “noise,” rather than contributing genetic signal.
Coupled Reaction Networks for Noise Suppression
Authors: Xiao Fangzhou , Fang Meichen , Yan Jiawei , Doyle John C.
Published: October 2018

Noise is intrinsic to many important regulatory processes in living cells, and often forms obstacles to be overcome for reliable biological functions. However, due to stochastic birth and death events of all components in biomolecular systems, suppression of noise of one component by another is fundamentally hard and costly. Quantitatively, a widelycited severe lower bound on noise suppression in biomolecular systems was established by Lestaset. al.in 2010, assuming that the plant and the controller have separate birth and death reactions. This makes the precision observed in several biological phenomena, e.g., cell fate decision making and cell cycle time ordering, seem impossible. We demonstrate that coupling, a mechanism widely observed in biology, could suppress noise lower than the bound of Lestaset. al.with moderate energy cost. Furthermore, we systematically investigate the coupling mechanism in all two-node reaction networks, showing that negative feedback suppresses noise better than incoherent feedforward achitectures, coupled systems have less noise than their decoupled version for a large class of networks, and coupling has its own fundamental limitations in noise suppression. Results in this work have implications for noise suppression in biological control and provide insight for a new efficient mechanism of noise suppression in biology.
Biofilm/Persister/Stationary Phase Bacteria Cause More Severe Disease Than Log Phase Bacteria – I BiofilmBorrelia burgdorferiNot Only Display More Tolerance to Lyme Antibiotics But Also Cause More Severe Pathology In a Mouse Arthritis Model: Implications for Understanding Persistence, PTLDS and Treatment Failure
Authors: Feng Jie , Li Tingting , Yuan Yuting , Yee Rebecca , Zhang Ying
Published: October 2018

Lyme disease, caused byBorrelia burgdorferi,is the most common tick-borne illness in US and Europe. While most patients can be cured with a 2-4 week antibiotic therapy, about 10%-20% patients continue to suffer persistent symptoms of fatigue, pain or joint and muscle aches, and neurocognitive despite the treatment, a condition called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). The cause for PTLDS is unclear but one possibility is persistent infection withB. burgdorferi. B. burgdorferiis known to develop morphological variant forms such as round bodies and aggregated biofilm-like microcolonies as a log phase culture consisting of spirochete form grows into stationary phase. Here we isolated biofilm-like microcolony and planktonic form (spirochetal forms and round body) from stationary phase culture and found that the stationary phase planktonic form (SP) and microcolony form (MC) were much more tolerant to the current antibiotics for Lyme disease, doxycycline, ceftriaxone and cefuroxime than log phase spirochete form (LOG). In addition, we also compared the ability of the variant forms to cause disease in a mouse arthritis model. Surprisingly, the MC in particular and the SP caused a more severe arthritis with an earlier onset of inflammation and joint swelling than LOG. MC-infected mice showed significant joint swelling as early as 9 days post-infection, while the LOG and SP did not cause significant swelling. At 21 days, the joint swelling of the MC group dramatically increased and peaked, while the SP showed significant swelling at this time but less severe than the MC group. The LOG infected mice were just beginning to develop joint swelling at 21-day post-infection, with only slight swelling. At 30-day post infection, the SP group mice also developed similar severity of joint swelling as the MC group, but the LOG group still did not show significant swelling. However, at 35-day post infection, all three infected groups showed similar degree of significant joint swelling. Thereafter, the joint swelling of the three infected groups waxed and waned during the 90-day observation. Thus, we established a new biofilm-inocula mediated visual arthritis model that could facilitate more efficient evaluation of treatment regimens for persistentB. burgdorferiinfections. Our findings provide new insight about disease pathogenesis and may have implications for understanding PTLDS and PTLDS treatment failure, due to possible biofilm inoculation during tick-bite. This biofilm/persister seeding model may be valid for different microbial infections and facilitate developing more effective treatments of persistent infections in general.
Small-angle neutron scattering studies on the AMPA receptor GluA2 in the resting, AMPA-bound and GYKI-53655-bound states
Authors: Larsen Andreas Haahr , Dorosz Jerzy , Thorsen Thor Seneca , Johansen Nicolai Tidemand , Darwish Tamim , Midtgaard Søren Roi , Arleth Lise , Kastrup Jette Sandholm
Published: October 2018

The AMPA receptor GluA2 belongs to the family of ionotropic glutamate receptors, which are responsible for most of the fast excitatory neuronal signalling in the central nervous system. These receptors are important for memory and learning, but have also been associated with brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Today, one drug is on the market for the treatment of epilepsy targeting AMPA receptors, i.e. a negative allosteric modulator of these receptors. Recently, crystal structures and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of full-length GluA2 in the resting (apo), activated and desensitized states have been reported. Here, solution structures of full-length GluA2 are reported using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) with a novel, fully matched-out detergent. The GluA2 solution structure was investigated in the resting state as well as in the presence of AMPA and of the negative allosteric modulator GYKI-53655. In solution and at neutral pH, the SANS data clearly indicate that GluA2 is in a compact form in the resting state. The solution structure resembles the crystal structure of GluA2 in the resting state, with an estimated maximum distance (D
max) of 179 ± 11 Å and a radius of gyration (R
g) of 61.9 ± 0.4 Å. An ab initio model of GluA2 in solution generated using DAMMIF clearly showed the individual domains, i.e. the extracellular N-terminal domains and ligand-binding domains as well as the transmembrane domain. Solution structures revealed that GluA2 remained in a compact form in the presence of AMPA or GYKI-53655. At acidic pH only, GluA2 in the presence of AMPA adopted a more open conformation of the extracellular part (estimated D
max of 189 ± 5 Å and R
g of 65.2 ± 0.5 Å), resembling the most open, desensitized class 3 cryo-EM structure of GluA2 in the presence of quisqualate. In conclusion, this methodological study may serve as an example for future SANS studies on membrane proteins.
Aircraft model for automatic taxi directional control system design
Authors: Krawczyk Mariusz , Szczepanski Cezary Jerzy , Zajdel Albert
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present a concept of an automatic directional control system of remotely piloted aerial system (RPAS) during the taxiing phase. In particular, it shows the initial stages of the control laws synthesis – mathematical model and simulation of taxiing aircraft. Several reasons have emerged in recent years that make the automation of taxiing an important design challenge including decreased safety, performance and pilot workload.

Design/methodology/approach

The adapted methodology follows the model-based design approach in which the control system and the aircraft are mathematically modelled to allow control laws synthesis. The computer simulations are carried out to analyse the model behaviour.

Findings

Chosen methodology and modelling technique, especially tire-ground contact model, resulted in a taxing aircraft model that can be used for directional control law synthesis. Aerodynamic forces and moments were identified in the wind tunnel tests for the full range of the slip angle. Simulations allowed to compute the critical speeds for different taxiway conditions in a 90° turn.

Practical implications

The results can be used for the taxi directional control law synthesis and simulation of the control system. The computed critical speeds can be treated as safety limits.

Originality/value

The taxi directional control system has not been introduced to the RPAS yet. Therefore, the model of taxiing aircraft including aerodynamic characteristics for the full range of the slip angle has a big value in the process of design and implementation of the future auto taxi systems. Moreover, computed speed safety limits can be used by designers and standard creators.
Investigation on the benefit of formation flight with a focus on the leading and trailing aircraft rotation
Authors: Liu Yaolong , Zhou Yaoming
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the potential advantages of aircraft formation flight (FF) and to exploit further benefits through exchanging the leading positions.

Design/methodology/approach

The detailed and robust methodologies concerning FF mission analysis including the leading aircraft rotation strategies are developed in this paper to study the fuel burn benefit and the additional bonus of formation rotation.

Findings

Switch of FF leading positions can offset the undesired weight ratios between the leading and trailing aircraft within FF missions, which further alleviates the deviations from design flight conditions. The case studies on two long-range civil transport aircraft in FF show that the leading and trailing aircraft can achieve almost equal fuel benefit through rotations. As compared to FF without rotation, the fuel efficiency can be improved by more than 11 per cent.

Research limitations/implications

The work can bring benefit the research communities as a fundamental basis for operational studies of FF, such as FF airspace management in the future, which is significant for a future real-world implementation of FFs.

Practical implications

According to the authors’ study, equal or quasi-equal fuel savings can be achieved if the rotation is properly arranged. For the real-world FF application, fuel consumption (FC) or cost redistribution problem for leading and trailing aircraft belonging to two different operating airlines can therefore be resolved through the concept proposed by the paper.

Originality/value

The methods developed in the paper have the advantage to give more reliable estimations of the achievable fuel burn savings of FF. The concept proposed in the paper has significant meaning with respect to offset the undesired weight ratios between the leading and trailing aircraft within FF missions and redistributing FC or cost redistribution of different operating airlines.
Price transmission, reserve regulation and price volatility
Authors: Tan Yanwen , Zeng Huasheng
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether Chinese pork reserve regulation policy fulfills its function in stabilizing market prices and simultaneously to theoretically and empirically analyze the causes leading to the failure of Chinese Government’s intervention in the market, especially in the context of asymmetric pork and hog price information transmission.

Design/methodology/approach

A modified Reserve-Cobweb model based on the competitive storage model developed by Muth in 1961 is employed to examine the transmission effect of hog and pork prices under the setting of Chinese Government’s pork reserve regulation policy, using the data on Chinese hog and pork prices from June 2009 to June 2015.

Findings

While the Reserve-Cobweb model provides theoretical insights, suggesting that the implementation of the government’s reserve policy tool to control price volatility actually leads to increased price volatility, the empirical results indicate that the policy induces hypercorrection and impels greater price volatility, especially in the context of existence of asymmetric price information transmission.

Social implications

The Chinese Government should reduce excessive pork price intervention and instead allow the market to play its role in the hog and pork markets.

Originality/value

This paper develops a modified Reserve-Cobweb model based on the price transmission effect on different links within the agricultural products supply chain, which is used to empirically validate the existence of asymmetric price information transmission between pork and hog price in China.
3D numerical analysis of atmospheric-aerosol/carbon-black nanofluid flow within a solar air heater located in Shiraz, Iran
Authors: Sadripour Soroush
Published: October 2018

Purpose

In this study, the effects of using corrugated absorber plate (instead of flat plate) and also using aerosol/carbon-black nanofluid (instead of air) on heat transfer and turbulent flow characteristics in solar collectors were numerically investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The 3D continuity, momentum and energy equation were solved by finite volume and SIMPLE algorithm. As a result, the corrugated absorber plate was inspected in the case of triangle, rectangle and sinuous with the wave length of 1 mm and wave amplitude of 3 mm in turbulent flow regime and Reynolds number between 2,500 and 4,000. Choosing the proper geometry was carried out based on the best performance evaluation criteria (PEC) and increasing the air temperature from collector inlet to outlet.

Findings

The results revealed that for all times of the year the highest PEC was obtained for corrugated Sinusoidal model; however, the highest temperature increase from inlet to outlet was obtained for rectangular corrugated model. In addition, the results indicated that in sinusoidal model, the nanoparticles volume fractions increase leads to heat performance coefficient increase and the best heat performance conditions were attained in volume fraction of 0.1 per cent and Reynolds number of 4,000 for both six months period. In model with rectangular corrugated plate, usage of nanofluid in all range of Reynolds numbers leads to reduction of outlet temperature.

Originality/value

The effect of some nanoparticles on heat transfer using thermal– hydraulic performances in heat exchangers has been assessed, but the effects of atmospheric aerosol-based nanofluid using carbon-black nanoparticles (CBNPs) on the heat transfer in corrugated heat sink solar collectors by 3D numerical modeling has not been yet investigated. In present study, usage of CBNPs with different volume fractions in range of 0 to 0.1 per cent in turbulent regime of fluid flow is analyzed. Furthermore, in this paper, besides the effects of using CBNPs, a solar absorber located in Shiraz, as one of the best solar irradiation receiver cities in Iran is evaluated.
Can UGITs promote liquidity management and sustainable development?
Authors: Aassouli Dalal , Ebrahim Muhammed-Shahid , Basiruddin Rohaida
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a liquidity management solution for Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) that concurs with sustainable development and financial stability.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is a qualitative research. It uses the exploratory research methodology, specifically the content analysis approach, to gather primary data and identify and interpret relevant secondary data and Sharīʿah concepts. The purpose is to develop a liquidity management solution for IFIs. The proposal is based on the Unleveraged Green Investment Trust (UGIT) model, which is consistent with Basel III regulatory requirements. In developing the UGIT model, the exploratory research was complemented by a case study to examine the UGIT solution for the particular case of renewable energy.

Findings

The model demonstrates how financial innovation can meet both financial stability and sustainable development objectives, thereby achieving the spirit of Islamic finance. The structure further highlights the importance of regulatory and fiscal frameworks to enhance liquidity management and investor appeal for green financial instruments.

Originality/value

This study suggests a structure of UGIT to enable IFIs to meet their liquidity management needs while promoting sustainable development.
Knowledge-based lean six sigma system for enhancing quality management performance in healthcare environment
Authors: Al Khamisi Yousuf Nasser , Khan M. Khurshid , Munive-Hernandez J. Eduardo
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present the development of a knowledge-based system (KBS) to support the implementation of Lean Six Sigma (L6s) principles applied to enhance quality management (QM) performance within a health-care environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The process of KBS building has been started by acquiring knowledge from experts in field of L6σ and QM in health care. The acquired knowledge has been represented in a rule-based approach for capturing L6σ practices. These rules are produced in IF […].THEN way where IF is the premise and THEN is the action. The produced rules have been integrated with gauging absence pre-requisites (GAP) technique to facilitate benchmarking of best practice in a health-care environment. A comprehensive review of the structure of the system is given, detailing a typical output of the KBS.

Findings

Implementation of L6s principles to enhance QM performance in a health-care environment requires a pre-assessment of the organisation’s competences. The KBS provides an enhanced strategic and operational decision-making hierarchy for achieving a performance benchmark.

Research limitations/implications

The KBS needs validation in real health-care environment, which will be done in Oman’s hospitals.

Practical implications

The paper is intended to benefit QM practitioners in the health-care sector during decision-making to achieve performance improvement against a best practice benchmark.

Originality/value

This research presents a novel application of a hybrid KBS with GAP methodology to support the implementation of L6s principles to enhance QM performance in a health-care environment.