bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting Ordination, Early-Career Mobility, and Career Adaptation from Ministerial Applicants’ Psychological Assessment Results
Authors: Nortomaa Aura
Published: June 2016

The occupational group of ordained ministers is currently facing two types of change: the role of religion in Western societies is transforming, and the boundaryless work culture is expanding even further. As the profession is becoming more demanding, leaving clergy has become a worldwide problem across denominations. Churches are therefore increasingly applying psychological assessments to screen their applicants for ministry. Surprisingly, no studies have yet looked into the connections of these assessment results and later job-person fit: eventual ordination, early-career turnover and commitment, or early-career job performance and job satisfaction. In this study, personality metatraits (stability and plasticity), general mental ability, and social and attributional strategies were assessed for 785 persons heading for ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland during 2006-2010. In a follow-up in 2012 (n = 314, 40 %), career mobility and career adaptation were inspected. The results indicate that the most influential feature is the determination of the applicant. Other aspects related to a successful career pattern were stability and absence of pessimistic strategies. The study confirms that personality metatraits are an applicable approach in selection assessment. Overall, the study provides an outlook on the entry stage recruitment to a vocational religious occupation in the boundaryless age of work.
Sexual Function and Health-Related Quality of Life in Long-Term Rectal Cancer Survivors
Authors: Sun Virginia , Grant Marcia , Wendel Christopher S. , McMullen Carmit K. , Bulkley Joanna E. , Herrinton Lisa J. , Hornbrook Mark C. , Krouse Robert S.
Published: June 2016

Introduction

Sexual dysfunction is a treatment sequela in survivors of rectal cancer (RC). Differences in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) can occur based on ostomy status (permanent ostomy vs anastomosis).

Aim

To describe alterations in sexual function and HRQOL based on ostomy status in long-term (≥5 years) survivors of RC.

Methods

Survivors of RC with an ostomy (n = 181) or anastomosis (n = 394) were surveyed using validated HRQOL and functional status tools. We compared sexuality outcomes between the ostomy and anastomosis groups and reported differences adjusted for clinical and demographic characteristics. Qualitative data from one open-ended question on survivors' greatest challenges since their surgery were analyzed to explore sexuality, symptoms, and relationships.

Main Outcome Measures

Whether sexually active, satisfaction with sexual activity, and select sexual dysfunction items from the Modified City of Hope Quality of Life-Colorectal.

Results

Survivors with a permanent ostomy were more likely to have been sexually inactive after surgery if it occurred before 2000 and experience dissatisfaction with appearance, interference with personal relationships and intimacy, and lower overall HRQOL. Female survivors of RC with an ostomy were more likely to have problems with vaginal strictures and vaginal pain after surgery that persisted at the time of the survey (≥5 years later). Radiation treatment, tumor stage, soilage of garments in bed, and higher Charlson-Deyo comorbidity scores were negatively associated with outcomes. Six qualitative themes emerged: loss of and decreased sexual activity, psychological issues with sexual activity, physical issues with sexual activity, partner rejection, ostomy interference with sexual activity, and positive experiences with sexuality.

Conclusion

Sexual dysfunction is a common long-term sequela of RC treatment, with more problems observed in survivors with a permanent ostomy. This warrants widespread implementation of targeted interventions to manage sexual dysfunction and improve HRQOL for these survivors.
Outdoor Activity and High Altitude Exposure During Pregnancy: A Survey of 459 Pregnancies
Authors: Keyes Linda E. , Hackett Peter H. , Luks Andrew M.
Published: June 2016

Objective

To evaluate whether women engage in outdoor activities and high altitude travel during pregnancy; the health care advice received regarding high altitude during pregnancy; and the association between high altitude exposure and self-reported pregnancy complications.

Methods

An online survey of women with at least 1 pregnancy distributed on websites and e-mail lists targeting mothers and/or mountain activities. Outcome measures were outdoor activities during pregnancy, high altitude (>2440 m) exposure during pregnancy, and pregnancy and perinatal complications.

Results

Hiking, running, and swimming were the most common activities performed during pregnancy. Women traveled to high altitude in over half of the pregnancies (244/459), and most did not receive counseling regarding altitude (355, 77%), although a small proportion (14, 3%) were told not to go above 2440 m. Rates of miscarriage and most other complications were similar between pregnancies with and without travel above 2440 m. Pregnancies with high altitude exposure were more likely to have preterm labor (odds ratio [OR] 2.3; 95% CI 0.97−5.4; P = .05). Babies born to women who went to high altitude during pregnancy were more likely to need oxygen at birth (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.04−5.26; P < .05) but had similar rates of neonatal intensive care unit admission ( P = not significant).

Conclusions

Our results suggest pregnant women who are active in outdoor sports and travel to high altitude have a low rate of complications. Given the limitations of our data, further research is necessary on the risks associated with high altitude travel and physical activity and how these apply to the general population.
A New Evolutionary Debunking Argument Against Moral Realism
Authors: MORTON JUSTIN
Published: June 2016

Evolutionary debunking arguments (EDAs) claim that evolution has influenced our moral faculties in such a way that, if moral realism is true, then we have no positive moral knowledge. I present several popular objections to the standard version of this argument before offering a new EDA that has clear advantages in responding to these objections. Whereas the Standard EDA argues that evolution has selected for many moral beliefs with certain contents, this New EDA claims that evolution has selected for one belief: belief in the claim that categorical reasons exist. If moral realism is true, then this claim is entailed by all positive moral claims, and belief in it is defeated due to evolutionary influence. This entails that if realism is true, then we have no positive moral knowledge. While there may be objections against this New EDA, it is much stronger than the Standard EDA, and one realists ought to worry about.
The Prevalence and Incidence of Dementia: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Fiest Kirsten M. , Jetté Nathalie , Roberts Jodie I. , Maxwell Colleen J. , Smith Eric E. , Black Sandra E. , Blaikie Laura , Cohen Adrienne , Day Lundy , Holroyd-Leduc Jayna , Kirk Andrew , Pearson Dawn , Pringsheim Tamara , Venegas-Torres Andres , Hogan David B.
Published: June 2016

Introduction

Dementia is a common neurological condition affecting many older individuals that leads to a loss of independence, diminished quality of life, premature mortality, caregiver burden and high levels of healthcare utilization and cost. This is an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the worldwide prevalence and incidence of dementia.

Methods

The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for relevant studies published between 2000 (1985 for Canadian papers) and July of 2012. Papers selected for full-text review were included in the systematic review if they provided an original population-based estimate for the incidence and/or prevalence of dementia. The reference lists of included articles were also searched for additional studies. Two individuals independently performed abstract and full-text review, data extraction, and quality assessment of the papers. Random-effects models and/or meta-regression were used to generate pooled estimates by age, sex, setting (i.e., community, institution, both), diagnostic criteria utilized, location (i.e., continent) and year of data collection.

Results

Of 16,066 abstracts screened, 707 articles were selected for full-text review. A total of 160 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among individuals 60 and over residing in the community, the pooled point and annual period prevalence estimates of dementia were 48.62 (CI95%: 41.98-56.32) and 69.07 (CI95%: 52.36-91.11) per 1000 persons, respectively. The respective pooled incidence rate (same age and setting) was 17.18 (CI95%: 13.90-21.23) per 1000 person-years, while the annual incidence proportion was 52.85 (CI95%: 33.08-84.42) per 1,000 persons. Increasing participant age was associated with a higher dementia prevalence and incidence. Annual period prevalence was higher in North America than in South America, Europe and Asia (in order of decreasing period prevalence) and higher in institutional compared to community and combined settings. Sex, diagnostic criteria (except for incidence proportion) and year of data collection were not associated with statistically significant different estimates of prevalence or incidence, though estimates were consistently higher for females than males.

Conclusions

Dementia is a common neurological condition in older individuals. Significant gaps in knowledge about its epidemiology were identified, particularly with regard to the incidence of dementia in low- and middle-income countries. Accurate estimates of prevalence and incidence of dementia are needed to plan for the health and social services that will be required to deal with an aging population.
The Prevalence and Incidence of Dementia with Lewy Bodies: a Systematic Review
Authors: Hogan David B. , Fiest Kirsten M. , Roberts Jodie I. , Maxwell Colleen J. , Dykeman Jonathan , Pringsheim Tamara , Steeves Thomas , Smith Eric E. , Pearson Dawn , Jetté Nathalie
Published: June 2016

Background

Population-based prevalence and incidence studies are essential for understanding the societal burden of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

Methods

The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched to identify publications addressing the incidence and/or prevalence of DLB. References of included articles and prior systematic reviews were searched for additional studies. Two reviewers screened all abstracts and full-text reviews, abstracted data and performed quality assessments.

Results

Twenty-two studies were included. Incidence rates ranged from 0.5 to 1.6 per 1000 person-years. DLB accounted for 3.2-7.1% of all dementia cases in the incidence studies. Point and period prevalence estimates ranged from 0.02 to 63.5 per 1000 persons. Increasing prevalence estimates were reported with increasing age. DLB accounted for from 0.3 to 24.4% of all cases of dementia in the prevalence studies.

Conclusions

DLB becomes more common with increasing age and accounts for about 5% of all dementia cases in older populations.
The Prevalence and Incidence of Dementia Due to Alzheimer’s Disease: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Fiest Kirsten M. , Roberts Jodie I. , Maxwell Colleen J. , Hogan David B. , Smith Eric E. , Frolkis Alexandra , Cohen Adrienne , Kirk Andrew , Pearson Dawn , Pringsheim Tamara , Venegas-Torres Andres , Jetté Nathalie
Published: June 2016

Background

Updated information on the epidemiology of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is needed to ensure that adequate resources are available to meet current and future healthcare needs. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence and prevalence of AD.

Methods

The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched from 1985 to 2012, as well as the reference lists of selected articles. Included articles had to provide an original population-based estimate for the incidence and/or prevalence of AD. Two individuals independently performed abstract and full-text reviews, data extraction and quality assessments. Random-effects models were employed to generate pooled estimates stratified by age, sex, diagnostic criteria, location (i.e., continent) and time (i.e., when the study was done).

Results

Of 16,066 abstracts screened, 707 articles were selected for full-text review. A total of 119 studies met the inclusion criteria. In community settings, the overall point prevalence of dementia due to AD among individuals 60+ was 40.2 per 1000 persons (CI95%: 29.1-55.6), and pooled annual period prevalence was 30.4 per 1000 persons (CI95%: 15.6-59.1). In community settings, the overall pooled annual incidence proportion of dementia due to AD among individuals 60+ was 34.1 per 1000 persons (CI95%: 16.4-70.9), and the incidence rate was 15.8 per 1000 person-years (CI95%: 12.9-19.4). Estimates varied significantly with age, diagnostic criteria used and location (i.e., continent).

Conclusions

The burden of AD dementia is substantial. Significant gaps in our understanding of its epidemiology were identified, even in a high-income country such as Canada. Future studies should assess the impact of using such newer clinical diagnostic criteria for AD dementia such as those of the National Institute on Aging–Alzheimer’s Association and/or incorporate validated biomarkers to confirm the presence of Alzheimer pathology to produce more precise estimates of the global burden of AD.
“GRACEFUL PILLARS”: LAW, RELIGION, AND THE ETHICS OF THE “DAUGHTER TRACK”
Authors: Green M. Christian
Published: June 2016

In this essay, analyzing the “daughter track” of daughter-provided elder care, through feminist philosopher Lisa Tessman's “burdened virtues” framework, I examine the ethical questions surrounding gender, sacrifice, and elder care on the daughter track, particularly concerning contexts of virtue and necessity. Second, I examine how Tessman's “burdened virtues” framework applies to the “daughter track” situation, particularly regarding virtues born of necessity. Third, I examine some wider legal and social justice issues that remain unresolved in eldercare provision by daughters. Finally, I conclude with some reflections on the “daughter track” as a law and religion issue and how law, in particular, might better support women in being not only “dutiful daughters,” but “graceful pillars,” in the care of their elders.
On the Curious Date of the Rylstone Log-Coffin Burial
Authors: Melton Nigel D. , Montgomery Janet , Roberts Benjamin W. , Cook Gordon , Harris Susanna
Published: June 2016

Radiocarbon dates have been obtained from a log-coffin burial excavated in 1864 by Canon William Greenwell from a ditched round barrow at Scale House, near Rylstone, North Yorkshire. The oak tree-trunk coffin had contained an extended body wrapped in a wool textile. The body had entirely decayed and there were no other extant grave goods. In the absence of other grave goods, Greenwell attributed the burial to the Bronze Age because it lay under a ditched round barrow and had similarities with log-coffin burials from Britain and Denmark. This attribution has not been questioned since 1864 despite a number of early medieval log-coffin burials subsequently being found in northern Britain. Crucially, the example excavated near Quernmore, Lancashire in 1973, was published as Bronze Age but subsequently radiocarbon dated to ad 430–970. The Rylstone coffin and textile were radiocarbon dated to confirm that the burial was Early Bronze Age and not an early medieval coffin inserted into an earlier funerary monument. Unexpectedly, the dates were neither Early Bronze Age nor early medieval but c. 800 bc, the cusp of the Bronze Age–Iron Age transition in Britain. The burial at Rylstone is, therefore, one of only two sites in Britain, and is unparalleled elsewhere in north-western Europe at a time when disposal of the dead was primarily through dispersed cremated or unburnt disarticulated remains.
COSMOPOLITANISM AND COMPETITION: PROBING THE LIMITS OF EGALITARIAN JUSTICE
Authors: Wiens David
Published: June 2016

This paper develops a novelcompetition criterionfor evaluating institutional schemes. Roughly, this criterion says that one institutional scheme is normatively superior to another to the extent that the former engenders more widespread political competition than the latter. I show that this criterion should be endorsed by both global egalitarians and their statist rivals, as it follows from their common commitment to the moral equality of all persons. I illustrate the normative import of the competition criterion by exploring its potential implications for the scope of egalitarian principles of distributive justice. In particular, I highlight the challenges it raises for global egalitarians’ efforts to justify extending the scope of egalitarian justice beyond the state.
PhD Abstracts
Authors: HUTTON GRAHAM
Published: June 2016

Many students complete PhDs in functional programming each year. As a service to the community, the Journal of Functional Programming publishes the abstracts from PhD dissertations completed during the previous year.
Depression risk in patients with heart failure in primary care practices in Germany
Authors: Konrad Marcel , Bohlken Jens , Rapp Michael A , Kostev Karel
Published: June 2016

Background:

The goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for diagnosed depression in heart failure (HF) patients in German primary care practices.

Methods:

This study was a retrospective database analysis in Germany utilizing the Disease Analyzer® Database (IMS Health, Germany). The study population included 132,994 patients between 40 and 90 years of age from 1,072 primary care practices. The observation period was between 2004 and 2013. Follow-up lasted up to five years and ended in April 2015. A total of 66,497 HF patients were selected after applying exclusion criteria. The same number of 66,497 controls were chosen and were matched (1:1) to HF patients on the basis of age, sex, health insurance, depression diagnosis in the past, and follow-up duration after index date.

Results:

HF was a strong risk factor for diagnosed depression (p < 0.0001). A total of 10.5% of HF patients and 6.3% of matched controls developed depression after one year of follow-up (p < 0.001). Depression was documented in 28.9% of the HF group and 18.2% of the control group after the five-year follow-up (p < 0.001). Cancer, dementia, osteoporosis, stroke, and osteoarthritis were associated with a higher risk of developing depression. Male gender and private health insurance were associated with lower risk of depression.

Conclusions:

The risk of diagnosed depression is significantly increased in patients with HF compared to patients without HF in primary care practices in Germany.
Person-centred medicines optimisation policy in England: an agenda for research on polypharmacy
Authors: Heaton Janet , Britten Nicky , Krska Janet , Reeve Joanne
Published: June 2016

Aim

To examine how patient perspectives and person-centred care values have been represented in documents on medicines optimisation policy in England.

Background

There has been growing support in England for a policy of medicines optimisation as a response to the rise of problematic polypharmacy. Conceptually, medicines optimisation differs from the medicines management model of prescribing in being based around the patient rather than processes and systems. This critical examination of current official and independent policy documents questions how central the patient is in them and whether relevant evidence has been utilised in their development.

Methods

A documentary analysis of reports on medicines optimisation published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), The King’s Fund and National Institute for Health and Social Care Excellence since 2013. The analysis draws on a non-systematic review of research on patient experiences of using medicines.

Findings

The reports varied in their inclusion of patient perspectives and person-centred care values, and in the extent to which they drew on evidence from research on patients’ experiences of polypharmacy and medicines use. In the RPS report, medicines optimisation is represented as being a ‘step change’ from medicines management, in contrast to the other documents which suggest that it is facilitated by the systems and processes that comprise the latter model. Only The King’s Fund report considered evidence from qualitative studies of people’s use of medicines. However, these studies are not without their limitations.

We suggest five ways in which researchers could improve this evidence base and so inform the development of future policy: by facilitating reviews of existing research; conducting studies of patient experiences of polypharmacy and multimorbidity; evaluating medicines optimisation interventions; making better use of relevant theories, concepts and tools; and improving patient and public involvement in research and in guideline development.
Non-Contributory Benefits, Pension Re-Reforms and the Social Protection of Older Women in Latin America
Authors: Arza Camila
Published: June 2016

Gender inequalities are a key issue for most pension systems in Latin America. Contributory pension schemes that link benefit entitlements to work and earnings tend to reflect in the benefits they offer the gender gaps that prevail in the labour market. This deepened with the implementation of individual private accounts as part of structural pension reforms in a number of countries. This article evaluates how recent pension policies, including measures geared to coverage expansion and so-called pension ‘re-reforms’, have addressed gender gaps in pensions in four Latin American countries. It shows that the expansion of non-contributory pensions and a greater emphasis on redistribution are important for the protection of older women in a context of gendered labour markets and the unequal distribution of paid and unpaid work between women and men. Looking at the cases of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile, the article identifies progress but also the persistence of gender gaps in pensions and emphasises the need for further measures to promote adequate social protection for older women.
Geology reviewed for the Falkland Islands and their offshore sedimentary basins, South Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Stone Philip
Published: June 2016

The position of the Falkland Islands adjacent to the South American continental margin belies the close association of their geology with that of South Africa. A Mesoproterozoic basement is unconformably overlain by a Silurian to Devonian succession of fluvial to neritic and shallow marine, siliciclastic strata. This is disconformably succeeded by a largely Permian succession that, near its base, includes a glacigenic diamictite and, thence, passes upwards into a succession of deltaic and lacustrine strata. The lithological succession and the character of its deformation bear striking similarities to the Cape Fold Belt and Karoo retroarc foreland basin. Swarms of Early Jurassic dykes were coeval with the Karoo magmatism and the initial break-up of Gondwana; Early Cretaceous dykes were intruded during the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. Offshore sedimentary basins surrounding the archipelago contain Late Jurassic to Palaeogene successions and are currently the focus of hydrocarbon exploration. Best known is the North Falkland Basin, a classic failed rift. To the SE, the passive margin, Falkland Plateau Basin may also be rift-controlled, whilst the South Falkland Basin is a foreland basin created at the boundary of the South American and Scotia plates. The role of the Falkland Islands during the breakup of Gondwana remains controversial. Compelling evidence from the onshore geology favours rotation of an independent microplate from an original position adjacent to the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Alternative interpretations, justified largely from offshore geology, favour extension of the Falkland Plateau as a fixed promontory from the South American margin.
Introduction
Authors: Andrews Frances
Published: June 2016

Doubt is a promising subject of inquiry for historians. Its initial definition in the Oxford English Dictionary reads ‘[t]he (subjective) state of uncertainty with regard to the truth or reality of anything; undecidedness of belief or opinion’, which might be advocated as a necessary mindset for any historically inclined investigator embarking on research. Although not always articulated, historians constantly face the ‘state of uncertainty’ of knowledge of the past and the continuous need, therefore, to test the evidence. The compilers of the OED then, perhaps unwittingly, underscore the particular relevance of ‘doubt’ as a subject for ecclesiastical historians by further defining it as ‘uncertainty as to the truth of Christianity or some other religious belief or doctrine’. The prominent placing of this second definition acknowledges the reality that doubts about religious ideas and individual doctrines, if not faith itself, have long been conspicuous in human language, and not just when speaking about Christianity. Nonetheless, the means and the consequences of communicating doubt depend on, and are intensely revealing of, changing historical circumstance.
‘Perhaps he cannot know’: John Wesley's Use of Doubt as a Principle of his ‘Catholic Spirit’
Authors: Yates Kelly Diehl
Published: June 2016

John Wesley published his sermon ‘Catholic Spirit’ in 1750, after he and his preachers had experienced persecution by Church leaders. Wesley stressed that persecution stemmed from lack of tolerance, and one of the reasons for this was the absence of liberty of thinking in the Church. In order for liberty of thinking to be practised, one had to be able to doubt one's own opinions, thereby accepting the limitations of one's knowledge. Most of this sermon, now lauded for its ecumenical brilliance, asserts that such acceptance provides space for tolerance. This tolerance leads to Christian unity. In addition to exploring the sermon, this essay addresses An Answer to the Rev. Mr. Church's Remarks on the Rev. Mr. John Wesley's Last Journal (1745), Letter to a Roman Catholic (1749) and Wesley's correspondence with Gilbert Boyce (1750). The argument thus provides an example of how doubt contributed to the Methodist emphasis on tolerance.
Reforming the Religious Sonnet: Poetry, Doubt and the Church in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
Authors: Blair Kirstie
Published: June 2016

This essay examines the tradition of ‘doubting’ poetics through an assessment of selected nineteenth- and twentieth-century sonnets. Through considering recent work on Victorian literature and culture, it argues for the importance of the poetics of faith in this period, and assesses the presence of nineteenth-century Christian, and particularly Anglican, forms and concepts in the genre of the sonnet. Analysing later twentieth-century sonnets by Geoffrey Hill and Carol Ann Duffy, it suggests that the sonnet remains vitally linked to the literature of faith and that these sonnets have vital links to their Victorian predecessors.
Structure and inference in annotated networks
Authors: Newman M. E. J. , Clauset Aaron
Published: June 2016

For many networks of scientific interest we know both the connections of the network and information about the network nodes, such as the age or gender of individuals in a social network. Here we demonstrate how this ‘metadata’ can be used to improve our understanding of network structure. We focus in particular on the problem of community detection in networks and develop a mathematically principled approach that combines a network and its metadata to detect communities more accurately than can be done with either alone. Crucially, the method does not assume that the metadata are correlated with the communities we are trying to find. Instead, the method learns whether a correlation exists and correctly uses or ignores the metadata depending on whether they contain useful information. We demonstrate our method on synthetic networks with known structure and on real-world networks, large and small, drawn from social, biological and technological domains.
Pliocene-Quaternary crustal melting in central and northern Tibet and insights into crustal flow
Authors: Wang Qiang , Hawkesworth Chris J. , Wyman Derek , Chung Sun-Lin , Wu Fu-Yuan , Li Xian-Hua , Li Zheng-Xiang , Gou Guo-Ning , Zhang Xiu-Zheng , Tang Gong-Jian , Dan Wei , Ma Lin , Dong Yan-Hui
Published: June 2016

There is considerable controversy over the nature of geophysically recognized low-velocity–high-conductivity zones (LV–HCZs) within the Tibetan crust, and their role in models for the development of the Tibetan Plateau. Here we report petrological and geochemical data on magmas erupted 4.7–0.3 Myr ago in central and northern Tibet, demonstrating that they were generated by partial melting of crustal rocks at temperatures of 700–1,050 °C and pressures of 0.5–1.5 GPa. Thus Pliocene-Quaternary melting of crustal rocks occurred at depths of 15–50 km in areas where the LV–HCZs have been recognized. This provides new petrological evidence that the LV–HCZs are sources of partial melt. It is inferred that crustal melting played a key role in triggering crustal weakening and outward crustal flow in the expansion of the Tibetan Plateau.
Genetics affects choice of academic subjects as well as achievement
Authors: Rimfeld Kaili , Ayorech Ziada , Dale Philip S. , Kovas Yulia , Plomin Robert
Published: June 2016

We have previously shown that individual differences in educational achievement are highly heritable throughout compulsory education. After completing compulsory education at age 16, students in England can choose to continue to study for two years (A-levels) in preparation for applying to university and they can freely choose which subjects to study. Here, for the first time, we show that choosing to do A-levels and the choice of subjects show substantial genetic influence, as does performance after two years studying the chosen subjects. Using a UK-representative sample of 6584 twin pairs, heritability estimates were 44% for choosing to do A-levels and 52–80% for choice of subject. Achievement after two years was also highly heritable (35–76%). The findings that DNA differences substantially affect differences in appetites as well as aptitudes suggest a genetic way of thinking about education in which individuals actively create their own educational experiences in part based on their genetic propensities.
Continous application of bioorganic fertilizer induced resilient culturable bacteria community associated with banana Fusarium wilt suppression
Authors: Fu Lin , Ruan Yunze , Tao Chengyuan , Li Rong , Shen Qirong
Published: June 2016

Fusarium wilt of banana always drives farmers to find new land for banana cultivation due to the comeback of the disease after a few cropping years. A novel idea for solving this problem is the continuous application of bioorganic fertilizer (BIO), which should be practiced from the beginning of banana planting. In this study, BIO was applied in newly reclaimed fields to pre-control banana Fusarium wilt and the culturable rhizobacteria community were evaluated using Biolog Ecoplates and culture-dependent denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (CD-DGGE). The results showed that BIO application significantly reduced disease incidences and increased crop yields, respectivly. And the stabilized general bacterial metabolic potential, especially for the utilization of carbohydrates, carboxylic acids and phenolic compounds, was induced by BIO application. DGGE profiles demonstrated that resilient community structure of culturable rhizobacteria with higher richness and diversity were observed in BIO treated soils. Morever, enriched culturable bacteria affiliated with Firmicutes, Gammaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria were also detected. In total, continuous application of BIO effectively suppressed Fusarium wilt disease by stabilizing culturable bacterial metabolic potential and community structure. This study revealed a new method to control Fusarium wilt of banana for long term banana cultivation.
Contribution of mono and polysaccharides to heterotrophic N2 fixation at the eastern Mediterranean coastline
Authors: Rahav E. , Giannetto M. J. , Bar-Zeev E.
Published: June 2016

N2 fixation should be a critical process in the nitrogen-poor surface water of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Despite favorable conditions, diazotroph abundance and N2 fixation rates remains low for reasons yet explained. The main goal of this study was to investigate the limiting nutrients for diazotrophy in this oligotrophic environment. Hence, we conducted dedicated bottle-microcosms with eastern Mediterranean Sea water that were supplemented with mono and polysaccharides as well as inorganic nitrogen and phosphorous. Our results indicate that the diazotrophic community expressing nifH was primarily represented by heterotrophic Proteobacteria. N2 fixation and heterotrophic bacterial activity increased up-to tenfold following two days of dark incubations, once seawater was supplemented with organic carbon substrate in the form of glucose (monosaccharides) or gum-xanthan (polysaccharide surrogate). Furthermore, our results point that carbon-rich polysaccharides, such as transparent exopolymer particles, enhance heterotrophic N2 fixation, by forming microenvironments of intense metabolic activity, high carbon: nitrogen ratio, and possibly low O2 levels. The conclusions of this study indicate that diazotrophs in the eastern Mediterranean coast are primarily limited by organic carbon substrates, as possibly in many other marine regions.
NG2 expression in microglial cells affects the expression of neurotrophic and proinflammatory factors by regulating FAK phosphorylation
Authors: Zhu Lie , Su Qing , Jie Xiang , Liu Antang , Wang Hui , He Beiping , Jiang Hua
Published: June 2016

Neural/glial antigen 2 (NG2), a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, is significantly upregulated in a subset of glial cells in the facial motor nucleus (FMN) following CNS injury. NG2 is reported to promote the resulting inflammatory reaction, however, the mechanism by which NG2 mediates these effects is yet to be determined. In this study, we examined the changes in NG2 expressing microglial cells in the FMN in response to facial nerve axotomy (FNA) in mice. Our findings indicated that NG2 expression was progressively induced and upregulated specifically in the ipsilateral facial nucleus following FNA. To further investigate the effects of NG2 expression, in vivo studies in NG2-knockout mice and in vitro studies in rat microglial cells transfected with NG2 shRNAs were performed. Abolition of NG2 expression both in vitro and in vivo resulted in increased expression of neurotrophic factors (nerve growth factor and glial derived neurotrophic factor), decreased expression of inflammatory mediators (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β) and decreased apoptosis in the ipsilateral facial nucleus in response to FNA. Furthermore, we demonstrated the role of FAK in these NG2-induced effects. Taken together, our findings suggest that NG2 expression mediates inflammatory reactions and neurodegeneration in microglial cells in response to CNS injury, potentially by regulating FAK phosphorylation.
Multi-class texture analysis in colorectal cancer histology
Authors: Kather Jakob Nikolas , Weis Cleo-Aron , Bianconi Francesco , Melchers Susanne M. , Schad Lothar R. , Gaiser Timo , Marx Alexander , Zöllner Frank Gerrit
Published: June 2016

Automatic recognition of different tissue types in histological images is an essential part in the digital pathology toolbox. Texture analysis is commonly used to address this problem; mainly in the context of estimating the tumour/stroma ratio on histological samples. However, although histological images typically contain more than two tissue types, only few studies have addressed the multi-class problem. For colorectal cancer, one of the most prevalent tumour types, there are in fact no published results on multiclass texture separation. In this paper we present a new dataset of 5,000 histological images of human colorectal cancer including eight different types of tissue. We used this set to assess the classification performance of a wide range of texture descriptors and classifiers. As a result, we found an optimal classification strategy that markedly outperformed traditional methods, improving the state of the art for tumour-stroma separation from 96.9% to 98.6% accuracy and setting a new standard for multiclass tissue separation (87.4% accuracy for eight classes). We make our dataset of histological images publicly available under a Creative Commons license and encourage other researchers to use it as a benchmark for their studies.
An Acinetobacter trimeric autotransporter adhesin reaped from cells exhibits its nonspecific stickiness via a highly stable 3D structure
Authors: Yoshimoto Shogo , Nakatani Hajime , Iwasaki Keita , Hori Katsutoshi
Published: June 2016

Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs), cell surface proteins of Gram-negative bacteria, mediate bacterial adhesion to host cells and extracellular matrix proteins. However, AtaA, a TAA in the nonpathogenic Acinetobacter sp. strain Tol 5, shows nonspecific, high adhesiveness to abiotic material surfaces as well as to biotic surfaces. AtaA is a homotrimer of polypeptides comprising 3,630 amino acids and forms long nanofibers; therefore, it is too large and structurally complex to be produced as a recombinant protein. In this study, we isolated AtaA’s passenger domain (AtaA PSD), which is translocated to the cell surface through the C-terminal transmembrane domain and exhibits biological functions, using a new method. We introduced a protease recognition site and reaped AtaA nanofibers 225 nm in length from the cell surface through proteolytic cleavage with a specific protease. Biochemical and biophysical analyses of the purified native AtaA PSD revealed that it has a stable structure under alkaline and acidic conditions. Temperatures above 80 °C, which disrupted AtaA’s higher-order structure but maintained the full-length AtaA polypeptide, inactivated AtaA’s nonspecific adhesiveness, suggesting that the stickiness of AtaA requires its 3D structure. This finding refutes the widespread but vague speculation that large unfolded polypeptides readily stick to various surfaces.
Venlafaxine treatment reduces the deficit of executive control of attention in patients with major depressive disorder
Authors: Tian Yanghua , Du Jing , Spagna Alfredo , Mackie Melissa-Ann , Gu Xiaosi , Dong Yi , Fan Jin , Wang Kai
Published: June 2016

Attention plays an essential role in supporting other cognitive functions and behavior and disturbance of attention is one of the most common symptoms in major depressive disorder (MDD). Although treatment with venlafaxine for MDD symptoms has been shown to reduce deficits in cognition and emotion regulation, it remains unclear whether venlafaxine improves specific attentional functions. We used the Attention Network Test to measure the attentional functions of alerting, orienting and executive control before and after treatment with venlafaxine in patients with MDD compared to untreated healthy controls. Before treatment, the MDD group showed a selective impairment in alerting and executive control of attention, while there were no significant group differences in the orienting function. The interaction between group and session was significant for executive control and after treatment with venlafaxine, the performance of the MDD group on executive control of attention was not significantly different from that of controls. Reported symptoms of MDD were also significantly reduced after treatment with venlafaxine. These results demonstrate that treatment with venlafaxine selectively normalizes the executive control function of attention in addition to improving clinical symptoms in MDD.
Morphology evolution and pure red upconversion mechanism of β-NaLuF4 crystals
Authors: Lin Hao , Xu Dekang , Li Anming , Teng Dongdong , Yang Shenghong , Zhang Yueli
Published: June 2016

A series of β-NaLuF4 crystals were synthesized via a hydrothermal method. Hexagonal phase microdisks, microprisms, and microtubes were achieved by simply changing the amount of citric acid in the initial reaction solution. Pure red upconversion (UC) luminescence can be observed in β-NaLuF4:Yb3+, Tm3+, Er3+ and Li+ doped β-NaLuF4:20% Yb3+, 1% Tm3+, 20% Er3+. Based on the rate equations, we report the theoretical model about the pure red UC mechanism in Yb3+/Tm3+/Er3+ doped system. It is proposed that the pure red UC luminescence is mainly ascribed to the energy transfer UC from Tm3+:3F4 → 3H6 to Er3+:4I11/2 → 4F9/2 and the cross-relaxation (CR) effect [Er3+:4S3/2 + 4I15/2 → 4I9/2 + 4I13/2] rather than the long-accepted mechanism [CR process among Er3+:4F7/2 + 4I11/2 → 4F9/2 + 4F9/2]. In addition, compared to the Li+-free counterpart, the pure red UC luminescence in β-NaLuF4:20% Yb3+, 1% Tm3+, 20% Er3+ with 15 mol% Li+ doping is enhanced by 13.7 times. This study provides a general and effective approach to obtain intense pure red UC luminescence, which can be applied to other synthetic strategies.
Distinct transcriptome profiles reveal gene expression patterns during fruit development and maturation in five main cultivated species of pear (Pyrus L.)
Authors: Zhang Ming-Yue , Xue Cheng , Xu Linlin , Sun Honghe , Qin Meng-Fan , Zhang Shaoling , Wu Jun
Published: June 2016

The transcriptomes of five pear cultivars, ‘Hosui’ (P. pyrifolia), ‘Yali’ (P. bretschneideri), ‘Kuerlexiangli’ (P. sinkiangensis), ‘Nanguoli’ (P. ussuriensis) and ‘Starkrimson’ (P. communis) were sequenced at seven key fruit developmental stages, from fruit setting to maturation and fruit senescence after harvesting. In total, 33,136 genes that could be mapped by reads, were analyzed. Most gene expression cluster models showed a steadily decreasing trend. Gene expression patterns had obvious differences according to maturity type, that is, post-ripening cultivars were still vigorous at maturity and showed a higher proportion of up-regulated genes; non post-ripening cultivars had a gradually decreasing tendency during fruit maturation. Meanwhile, differentially expressed genes related to fruit quality and development, such as stone cells, sugar, acid and hormones, were identified. Co-expression analysis revealed that several ethylene synthesis genes and polyphenoloxidase-related genes interacted with each other directly and an indirect relationship was reflected between ethylene synthesis genes and ethylene response genes. In addition, the highly diverse SNPs represented the great differences between oriental and occidental pears. Understanding how RNA-seq based gene-expression patterns and differential gene expression contribute to fruit quality allows us to build models for gene-expression for fruit development of Pyrus species.
Combination therapy with polymyxin B and netropsin against clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Chung Joon-hui , Bhat Abhayprasad , Kim Chang-Jin , Yong Dongeun , Ryu Choong-Min
Published: June 2016

Polymyxins are last-resort antibiotics for treating infections of Gram-negative bacteria. The recent emergence of polymyxin-resistant bacteria, however, urgently demands clinical optimisation of polymyxin use to minimise further evolution of resistance. In this study we developed a novel combination therapy using minimal concentrations of polymyxin B. After large-scale screening of Streptomyces secondary metabolites, we identified a reliable polymixin synergist and confirmed as netropsin using high-pressure liquid chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry followed by in vitro assays using various Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. To evaluate the effectiveness of combining polymixin B and netropsin in vivo, we performed survival analysis on greater wax moth Galleria mellonella infected with colistin-resistant clinical Acinetobacter baumannii isolates as well as Escherichia coli, Shigella flexineri, Salmonella typhimuruim, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The survival of infected G. mellonella was significantly higher when treated with polymyxin B and netropsin in combination than when treated with polymyxin B or netropsin alone. We propose a netropsin combination therapy that minimises the use of polymyxin B when treating infections with multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
Naïve CD8+ T cell derived tumor-specific cytotoxic effectors as a potential remedy for overcoming TGF-β immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment
Authors: Nguyen Hong Hanh , Kim Therasa , Song Sang Yun , Park Somang , Cho Hyang Hee , Jung Sung-Hoon , Ahn Jae-Sook , Kim Hyeoung-Joon , Lee Je-Jung , Kim Hee-Ok , Cho Jae-Ho , Yang Deok-Hwan
Published: June 2016

Despite of the potential implications for cancer immunotherapy, conventional approaches using in vitro expanded CD8+ T cells have suboptimal outcomes, mostly due to loss of functionality from cellular exhaustion. We therefore investigated the phenotypic and functional differences among in vitro activated CD8+ T cells of three different sources, namely naïve (NTeff), memory (MTeff) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILeff) from human and mice, to better understand mechanisms behind potent effector functions and potential for overcoming current limitations. In line with the greater proliferation activity and longer telomere lengths of NTeff populations, cells of naïve origin exhibited significantly less amounts of T cell exhaustion markers than those of MTeff and TILeff, and moreover, acquired distinct expression patterns of memory-promoting transcription factors, T-bet and Eomes, induced in a rapid and sustainable manner. NTeff cells appeared to have lower expression of Foxp1 and were refractory to apoptosis upon TGF-β conditioning, implying better survival potential and resistance to tumor-induced immune suppression. Of CD8+ T cell pools activated to tumor-specific CTLs, naïve cell generated effectors possessed the most potent cytotoxic activity, validating implications for use in rational design of adoptive immunotherapy.
Electronic Structures of Free-Standing Nanowires made from Indirect Bandgap Semiconductor Gallium Phosphide
Authors: Liao Gaohua , Luo Ning , Chen Ke-Qiu , Xu H. Q.
Published: June 2016

We present a theoretical study of the electronic structures of freestanding nanowires made from gallium phosphide (GaP)—a III-V semiconductor with an indirect bulk bandgap. We consider [001]-oriented GaP nanowires with square and rectangular cross sections and [111]-oriented GaP nanowires with hexagonal cross sections. Based on tight binding models, both the band structures and wave functions of the nanowires are calculated. For the [001]-oriented GaP nanowires, the bands show anti-crossing structures, while the bands of the [111]-oriented nanowires display crossing structures. Two minima are observed in the conduction bands, while the maximum of the valence bands is always at the Γ-point. Using double group theory, we analyze the symmetry properties of the lowest conduction band states and highest valence band states of GaP nanowires with different sizes and directions. The band state wave functions of the lowest conduction bands and the highest valence bands of the nanowires are evaluated by spatial probability distributions. For practical use, we fit the confinement energies of the electrons and holes in the nanowires to obtain an empirical formula.