bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anthropogenic‐induced shifts in salinity and nutrient status of two freshwater tropical lakes in India
Authors: Verma Anuya , Pandey Jitendra
Published: December 2017

An understanding of ongoing changes in salinity and nutrient status, as influenced by anthropogenic forcing factors, is important for integrated lake basin management (ILBM) and conservation of water resources in dry tropical regions. This study analysed a range of water quality attributes, including salinity, nitrate (NO3−), ammonia (NH4+), phosphate (PO43−) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in two freshwater lakes in Rajasthan, India for three consecutive years (2000–2002). Between‐lake comparisons indicated marked differences in most of the water quality variables. The pH in both study lakes remained above neutral. Water hardness, salinity and concentrations of total dissolved salts (TDS), chlorides, NO3−, NH4+, PO33− and DOC were high in Lake Udaisagar, which received inputs from agricultural drainage and urban–industrial releases. The DOC in Lake Baghdara, which drains a woodland catchment, was similar to that for Lake Udaisagar, indicating the role of allochtonous inputs in the build‐up of DOC. The results of this study indicated that increasing human interferences have increased the nutrient concentrations in Lake Udaisagar. This factor, coupled with extended periods of dryness, drives these two freshwater lakes towards a high salinity. This study provides evidence of a human‐induced salinity increase and has relevance for ILBM and for the conservation of freshwater resources in dry regions.
Regulatory genes coordinating antibiotic‐induced changes in promoter activity and early transcriptional termination of the mycobacterial intrinsic resistance gene whiB7
Authors: Burian Ján , Thompson Charles J.
Published: December 2017

Diseases caused by various Mycobacterium sp., especially Mycobacterium tuberculosis, are a major burden on global health care. Due to high intrinsic antibiotic resistance, treatment options are severely limited. In mycobacteria, WhiB7 coordinates intrinsic resistance to a broad range of antibiotics. While WhiB7 has been established as an auto‐regulatory transcriptional activator, the signals and genes needed to induce its expression are poorly understood. Using Mycobacterium smegmatis as a model, we coupled transposon mutagenesis and next generation sequencing with WhiB7‐specific antibiotic selection to identify genes that contribute to WhiB7 regulation and function. We showed that whiB7 expression was regulated by two coordinated processes: early termination of the whiB7 transcript and increased whiB7 promoter activity. Early termination was irreversibly maintained by constitutive expression of a putative aspartate aminotransferase gene, MSMEG_4060. A pair of hypothetical genes, MSMEG_3637 and MSMEG_3638, were identified as important contributors to whiB7 promoter induction on antibiotic challenge. Expansion of our understanding of the WhiB7‐resistance pathway may lead to identification of inhibitors that allow the use of previously ineffective antibiotics to treat mycobacterial diseases.
VapA of Rhodococcus equi binds phosphatidic acid
Authors: Wright Lindsay M. , Carpinone Emily M. , Bennett Terry L. , Hondalus Mary K. , Starai Vincent J.
Published: December 2017

Rhodococcus equi is a multihost, facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen that primarily causes pneumonia in foals less than six months in age and immunocompromised people. Previous studies determined that the major virulence determinant of R. equi is the surface bound virulence associated protein A (VapA). The presence of VapA inhibits the maturation of R. equi‐containing phagosomes and promotes intracellular bacterial survival, as determined by the inability of vapA deletion mutants to replicate in host macrophages. While the mechanism of action of VapA remains elusive, we show that soluble recombinant VapA32‐189 both rescues the intramacrophage replication defect of a wild type R. equi strain lacking the vapA gene and enhances the persistence of nonpathogenic Escherichia coli in macrophages. During macrophage infection, VapA was observed at both the bacterial surface and at the membrane of the host‐derived R. equi containing vacuole, thus providing an opportunity for VapA to interact with host constituents and promote alterations in phagolysosomal function. In support of the observed host membrane binding activity of VapA, we also found that rVapA32‐189 interacted specifically with liposomes containing phosphatidic acid in vitro. Collectively, these data demonstrate a lipid binding property of VapA, which may be required for its function during intracellular infection.
Temporal distribution of, and effect of anthropic modifications on, phlebotomine populations in the Chaco Bioregion, Argentina
Authors: SZELAG E. A. , ROSA J. R. , QUINTANA M. G. , SALOMON O. D.
Published: December 2017

The Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae) are insects of medical and veterinary importance, because some species are able to transmit pathogens such as Leishmania spp. In the last 20 years, numerous leishmaniasis outbreaks have been reported in the Chaco Bioregion (Argentina), with an increasing trend of cases associated with periurban transmission. The Chaco Bioregion has two sub‐regions according to their climatic and ecological characteristics: the Dry Chaco and the Humid Chaco. In the present study, sandfly captures were performed in both sub‐regions, at sites with different levels of anthropic modifications, with the aim of describing differential spatio‐temporal patterns of potential tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis vectors. The captures yielded 3559 sandflies of 14 species. Migonemyia migonei (França) was the prevalent species in the Dry Chaco, whereas Mg. migonei and Nyssomyia neivai (Pinto) were co‐dominant in the Humid Chaco. Environmental factors such as degree of anthropic modification and climatic factors were found to modulate both the phlebotomine fauna composition and the diversity and abundance of each species. These factors would increase vector abundances, and thus the transmission risk, during warm months with moderate rainfall, especially in areas with higher anthropic modifications. The co‐dominance patterns observed in transitional areas could contribute to the transmission of leishmaniases.
Luther, Loyola and La La Land
Authors: Carroll Anthony J.
Published: December 2017

This article compares and contrasts Martin Luther's and St. Ignatius of Loyola's theological anthropologies. Drawing upon the mystical sources that Luther used to develop his own account of the human person, I argue that Luther came to reject an indwelling of the divine presence in the human person and located our relation to God in the external realm of faith alone. The resulting conception of the human person is one in which we are by nature rotten by sin. Union between us and God occurs through the darkness of faith and no longer in the highest parts of the soul as it had for the German medieval mystics upon whom Luther drew. For Loyola, by contrast, whilst human nature was damaged by sin, it could be restored by God's transforming grace to actively cooperate in the process of salvation. Loyola sees the inner stirrings of grace permeating our desires and will and restoring our freedom to its natural end of giving praise, reverence, and service to God. Such an apostolic mysticism is orchestrated by Loyola through formation in the Spiritual Exercises, which provide a unique synthesis in which action becomes a form of contemplation. I conclude by sketching the reasons why these contrasting theological anthropologies of Luther and Loyola find little appeal with the dominant philosophical anthropology of exclusive humanism in the modern west.
Post‐Reformation Priesthood in England: Taking the Past into the Future
Authors: Champ Judith
Published: December 2017

This paper explores ways in which the identity of the secular priesthood in England and Wales has been shaped by its particular historical experience. Five themes are proposed: the creation of the concept of mission in the post‐Reformation world; the combination of isolation and independence that became characteristic of recusant priests; the emergence of new ways of relating to church structures that priests were forced to find; the distinctive fraternal identity that was nurtured in a variety of ways throughout the penal times and the period of the Catholic Revival; the revolutions in relationships with the laity. These themes are pursued through the nineteenth‐ and twentieth‐centuries when the meaning and experience of them changed as the emphasis shifted to buildings and organisations. The twentieth century experience of priesthood in a parish context created possibilities for expansion, which masked issues and problems already rising to the surface. Both the challenges and the opportunities of the recusant way of life became stifled. A fixed model of the church made change difficult to contemplate. The loss of an historically shaped sense of priestly identity is explored as part of the explanation for the contemporary loss of confidence and direction within a shrinking presbyterate.
The Eclipse of Sacramental Realism in the Age of Reform: Re‐thinking Luther's Gutenberg Galaxy in a Post‐Digital Age
Authors: Hoff Johannes
Published: December 2017

In the last 500 years our modern world has oscillated between the belief in “disenchanted” strategies of bureaucratic control and surveillance, and the celebration of iconoclastic ruptures that are supposed to preserve our sense of freedom and dignity. Yet, the equilibrium between these poles has fallen out of balance after the turn of the millennium. While the obsession with control has released concerted efforts to replace our supposedly irrational intelligence by the “artificial intelligence” of digital technologies, the implementation of ICT technologies in our everyday life has undermined the iconoclastic conviction that artefacts are merely tools. Our smartphones have a “magic life” of their own – be it that they afford a life that we appreciate, or that they nudge us into a life that we abhor. This challenge requires us to recover our ability to distinguish between idolatrous attachments and the prudent use of “magic objects” that is consistent with our natural desire to transform our life for the better. The following essay will discuss the question to what extent the basic assumptions of the confessionalized religions of the post‐Reformation era distract us from the task of engaging with this challenge. Moreover it will question the modern inclination to replace the engagement with sacramental objects with an engagement with pious “master signifiers”: authoritative substitutes for the “body of Christ”, like the Eucharistic host, the Bible or secular party books that reduce the attachment to religious traditions to a matter of formal belief and submission to an authoritative system of clerical, bureaucratic, or (today) robotic surveillance.
Evolution and systematics of polyploid Nigritella (Orchidaceae)
Authors: Hedrén Mikael , Lorenz Richard , Teppner Herwig , Dolinar Branko , Giotta Cesario , Griebl Norbert , Hansson Sven , Heidtke Ulrich , Klein Erich , Perazza Giorgio , Ståhlberg David , Surina Boštjan
Published: December 2017

Members of the orchid genus Nigritella are widespread in European mountains, but species circumscriptions and evolutionary patterns in the genus are subjects to conflicting opinions. We analyzed a representative material of Nigritella for differentiation at nuclear and plastid marker loci. In agreement with predictions from embryological studies, diploid members of Nigritella are sexual and mostly out‐crossing, whereas triploid, tetraploid and pentaploid members are apomicts. The diploid taxa were poorly differentiated in the investigated molecular markers, except for the western N. gabasiana, which was separated in plastid haplotypes. Polyploid Nigritella aggregate into three groups and within each of these groups apomictic polyploids have given rise to new species. Within the N. nigra group, the tetraploid N. nigra subsp. austriaca is somewhat differentiated from the triploid subsp. nigra at nuclear as well as plastid loci. Fusion of an unreduced egg cell from subsp. nigra with a haploid microgamete from Gymnadenia conopsea gave rise to Gymnigritella runei. Within the N. widderi group, N. archiducis‐joannis is poorly separated from N. widderi in molecular markers, and the pentaploid N. buschmanniae has evolved by fusion of an unreduced egg cell from N. widderi with a haploid microgamete from a diploid Nigritella. Within the N. miniata group, N. stiriaca is somewhat differentiated from N. miniata at nuclear loci, but no other segregates of N. miniata are supported at species level. Polyploid Nigritella species accumulate genetic diversity by somatic mutations. In the widespread N. nigra subsp. austriaca and N. miniata this diversity is correlated to geography. Although some polyploids may be of recent origins, each polyploid contain genetic markers no longer encountered in diploid members of the genus. According to plastid marker data, Nigritella and Gymnadenia may constitute monophyletic sister genera.
Goeppertia mendesiana sp. nov. (Marantaceae) from Bahia, Brazil, with a key to the species of Goeppertia with ornamented leaves in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil
Authors: Saka Mariana Naomi , Popovkin Alex V.
Published: December 2017

Goeppertia mendesiana, a new species from the Atlantic Forest of Bahia, Brazil, is described and illustrated. It resembles G. widgrenii (Körn.) Borchs. & Suárez, but differs from that species by its villose petioles and peduncles (vs glabrous in G. widgrenii) and by the absence of bracteoles and interphylls, a rare feature in the genus. The ecology, distribution and conservation status of the new species is presented, along with a key to the species of Goeppertia with ornamented leaves in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil.
Cypsela micromorphology and anatomy in Cirsium sect. Epitrachys (Asteraceae, Carduoideae) and its taxonomic implications
Authors: Ozcan Melahat
Published: December 2017

Cirsium Miller, one of the largest genera of the Asteraceae (Carduoideae), contains more than 250 taxa. Turkey is one of its diversity centers and according to recent studies this genus is represented by 80 taxa. In the present study, cypsela morphologies, micromorphologies and anatomical structures of 17 C. sect. Epitrachys taxa distributed in Turkey are characterized in detail by using stereomicroscope, light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Cypselas are found to be obovate to narrowly oblong, or rarely oblanceolate. Based on SEM characters, six cypselas surface ornamentation types are identified, pericarp anatomical structures are described, as well as the structure of the testa. Crystal formations were observed in three taxa and secretory materials in the mesocarp were evaluated. Data obtained from this study are compared with previously published results and it is concluded that fruit micromorphological and anatomical characters are useful for the delimitation of taxa in Cirsium and may be useful for supraspecific classification.
Diminished gastric prokinetic response to ghrelin in a rat model of spinal cord injury
Authors: Besecker E. M. , White A. R. , Holmes G. M.
Published: December 2017

Background

Patients with cervical or high‐thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) often present reduced gastric emptying and early satiety. Ghrelin provokes motility via gastric vagal neurocircuitry and ghrelin receptor agonists offer a therapeutic option for gastroparesis. We have previously shown that experimental high‐thoracic injury (T3‐SCI) diminishes sensitivity to another gastrointestinal peptide, cholecystokinin. This study tests the hypothesis that T3‐SCIimpairs the vagally mediated response to ghrelin.

Methods

We investigated ghrelin sensitivity in control and T3‐SCIrats at 3‐days or 3‐weeks after injury utilizing: (i) acute (3‐day post‐injury) fasting and post‐prandial serum levels of ghrelin; (ii) in vivo gastric reflex recording following intravenous or central brainstem ghrelin; and (iii) in vitro whole cell recording of neurons within the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV).

Key Results

The 2‐day food intake of T3‐SCIrats was reduced while fasting serum ghrelin levels were higher than in controls. Intravenous and fourth ventricle ghrelin increased in vivo gastric motility in fasted 3‐day control rats but not fasted T3‐SCIrats. In vitro recording ofDMVneurons from 3‐day T3‐SCIrats were insensitive to exogenous ghrelin. For each measure, vagal responses returned after 3‐weeks.

Conclusions and Inferences

Hypophagia accompanying T3‐SCIproduces a significant and physiologically appropriate elevation in serum ghrelin levels. However, higher ghrelin levels did not translate into increased gastric motility in the acute stage of T3‐SCI. We propose that this may reflect diminished sensitivity of peripheral vagal afferents to ghrelin or a reduction in the responsiveness of medullary gastric vagal neurocircuitry following T3‐SCI.
Simultaneous adaptation and maladaptation of tree populations to local rhizosphere microbial communities at different taxonomic scales
Authors: Lankau Richard A. , Keymer Daniel P.
Published: December 2017

Plant populations are often adapted to their local conditions, but the specific selective forces creating this adaptation are often unclear. All plants interact with diverse microbial communities, but we know little about how these microbial communities as a whole shape the evolutionary trajectory of plant populations.

We tested whether tree populations were adapted or maladapted to their local rhizosphere microbial communities by growing seedlings sourced from multiple locations with soil microbial communities from all locations in a fully reciprocal design, using seedling growth as a proxy for fitness. In addition, we compared the microbial composition of the experimental inocula with that of the communities we detected associating with naturally occurring trees at the seedling source populations.

We found that seedlings grew similarly when inoculated with local vs foreign microbial communities, but this neutral response derived from conflicting patterns – plant populations appeared to be adapted to the presence or absence of whole taxonomic groups in their local microbial community, but were simultaneously maladapted to the particular microbial populations present in their local site.

As rapid climate change and other factors push tree populations into new areas, the successful establishment of seedlings may depend critically on the balance between the novelty and familiarity of the microbial communities they encounter.
Comparative plastome genomics and phylogenomics of Brachypodium: flowering time signatures, introgression and recombination in recently diverged ecotypes
Authors: Sancho Rubén , Cantalapiedra Carlos P. , López‐Alvarez Diana , Gordon Sean P. , Vogel John P. , Catalán Pilar , Contreras‐Moreira Bruno
Published: December 2017

Few pan‐genomic studies have been conducted in plants, and none of them have focused on the intraspecific diversity and evolution of their plastid genomes.

We address this issue in Brachypodium distachyon and its close relatives B. stacei and B. hybridum, for which a large genomic data set has been compiled. We analyze inter‐ and intraspecific plastid comparative genomics and phylogenomic relationships within a family‐wide framework.

Major indel differences were detected between Brachypodium plastomes. Within B. distachyon, we detected two main lineages, a mostly Extremely Delayed Flowering (EDF+) clade and a mostly Spanish (S+) – Turkish (T+) clade, plus nine chloroplast capture and two plastid DNA (ptDNA) introgression and micro‐recombination events. Early Oligocene (30.9 million yr ago (Ma)) and Late Miocene (10.1 Ma) divergence times were inferred for the respective stem and crown nodes of Brachypodium and a very recent Mid‐Pleistocene (0.9 Ma) time for the B. distachyon split.

Flowering time variation is a main factor driving rapid intraspecific divergence in B. distachyon, although it is counterbalanced by repeated introgression between previously isolated lineages. Swapping of plastomes between the three different genomic groups, EDF+, T+, S+, probably resulted from random backcrossing followed by stabilization through selection pressure.
Sustaining global agriculture through rapid detection and deployment of genetic resistance to deadly crop diseases
Authors: Periyannan Sambasivam
Published: December 2017

Contents

Summary
45

I.
Introduction
45

II.
Targeted chromosome‐based cloning via long‐range assembly (TACCA)
46

III.
Resistance gene cloning through mutational mapping (MutMap)
47

IV.
Cloning through mutant chromosome sequencing (MutChromSeq)
47

V.
Rapid cloning through resistance gene enrichment and sequencing (RenSeq)
49

VI.
Cloning resistance genes through transcriptome profiling (RNAseq)
49

VII.
Resistance gene deployment strategies
49

VIII.
Conclusions
50

Acknowledgements
50

References
50

Genetically encoded resistance is a major component of crop disease management. Historically, gene loci conferring resistance to pathogens have been identified through classical genetic methods. In recent years, accelerated gene cloning strategies have become available through advances in sequencing, gene capture and strategies for reducing genome complexity. Here, I describe these approaches with key emphasis on the isolation of resistance genes to the cereal crop diseases that are an ongoing threat to global food security. Rapid gene isolation enables their efficient deployment through marker‐assisted selection and transgenic technology. Together with innovations in genome editing and progress in pathogen virulence studies, this creates further opportunities to engineer long‐lasting resistance. These approaches will speed progress towards a future of farming using fewer pesticides.
Coexistence via coevolution driven by reduced allelochemical effects and increased tolerance to competition between invasive and native plants
Authors: Huang Fangfang , Lankau Richard , Peng Shaolin
Published: December 2017

Coevolution can promote long‐term coexistence of two competing species if selection acts to reduce the fitness inequality between competitors and/or strengthen negative frequency dependence within each population. However, clear coevolution between plant competitors has been rarely documented.

Plant invasions offer opportunities to capture the process of coevolution. Here we investigated how the developing relationship between an invasive forb, Alliaria petiolata, and a native competitor, Pilea pumila, may affect their long‐term coexistence, by testing the competitive effects of populations of varying lengths of co‐occurrence on each other across a chronosequence of invasion history.

Alliaria petiolata and P. pumila tended to develop greater tolerance to competition over invasion history. Their coexistence was promoted more by increases in stabilizing relative to equalizing processes. These changes likely stem in part from reductions in allelopathic traits in the invader and evolution of tolerance in the native.

These results suggested that some native species can evolve tolerance against the competitive effects of strong invaders, which likely promoted their persistence in invaded communities. However, the potential for coevolutionary rescue of competing populations is likely to vary across native species, and evolutionary processes should not be expected to compensate for the ecological consequences of exotic invasions.
Prospective analysis of serious cardiorespiratory events in children during ophthalmic artery chemotherapy for retinoblastoma under a deep standardized anesthesia
Authors: Nghe Marie‐Claire , Godier Anne , Shaffii Anoushée , Leblanc Isabelle , Picard Hervé , Blanc Raphaël , Lumbroso‐Le Rouic Livia , Devys Jean‐Michel
Published: December 2017

Background and Objective

Serious adverse cardiorespiratory events complicate super selective ophthalmic artery chemotherapy for retinoblastoma in anesthetized children. Their mechanism remains unclear but may be attributed to an autonomic nervous reflex induced by the catheter close to the ophthalmic artery. Inadequate depth of anesthesia during catheter stimulation might be an aggravating factor. Thus, we tested whether deep general anesthesia reduced the incidence of serious cardiorespiratory events.

Methods

Children were prospectively included in this observational study. Standardized deep general anesthesia with sevoflurane, rocuronium, and sufentanil was administered. Sevoflurane MAC was kept between 1.5 and 1.7 and additional sufentanil administered. Serious cardiorespiratory event criteria were predefined and included arterial hypotension, bradycardia, and severe decrease in lung compliance. They were recorded and the factors influencing their occurrence were investigated.

Results

One hundred fifteen procedures were performed on 32 children. The median MAC of sevoflurane was 1.5 and median BIS value was 44. Serious cardiorespiratory events occurred in 20% of procedures and were mainly severe decrease in lung compliance (83% of events). All of them required active treatment. One procedure was aborted due to cardiorespiratory compromise and required an epinephrine infusion. All severe decreases in lung compliance occurred within 2 minutes after catheter insertion in the ophthalmic artery. No recorded demographic and endovascular characteristics were associated with serious cardiorespiratory events.

Conclusion

Serious cardiorespiratory events occur commonly during super selective ophthalmic artery chemotherapy. Standardized deep anesthesia with analgesia did not appear to be protective. No predictive factors were identified, but these events systematically arose within 2 minutes after ophthalmic artery catheter insertion. Anesthetists and neuroradiologists should be prepared to manage these serious complications and parents should be informed of the risks.
Ultrasound‐guided lower forearm median nerve block in open surgery for trigger thumb in 1‐ to 3‐year‐old children: A randomized trial
Authors: Liu Wei , Liu Jianxia , Tan Xingqin , Wang Shouyong
Published: December 2017

Background and Aim

Trigger thumb is a common hand disability in children and is primarily treated with open surgery. A conscious median nerve block can usually meet the requirements for trigger thumb‐releasing surgery in adults; however, its effectiveness in children requires further clarification. The present study aims to demonstrate whether ultrasound‐guided lower forearm median nerve blockade is a viable option for children undergoing open surgery for trigger thumb.

Methods

A prospective randomized study was designed to compare median nerve blocks guided by ultrasonography with those guided by anatomic landmarks. Following induction of general anesthesia, the children received a median nerve block performed either by ultrasound‐guided block of the lower forearm (group U) or landmark‐based blocking at the proximal wrist crease level (group T) with a 0.2% ropivacaine injection. The success rates were compared between groups as the primary endpoint; additional sufentanil and propofol administration, anesthesia recovery time, and other secondary endpoints were also compared.

Results

A total of 100 children (age 1‐3 years) with ASA status I who were scheduled for open surgery for trigger thumb were included in this study (n = 50 per group). Thirty‐seven children in group T and 50 children in group U underwent successful blocks. The rate of unsuccessful blockade was significantly lower in group U than group T (0% and 26%, respectively), and rate of additional sufentanil and propofol administration was also lower in group U than in group T.

Conclusion

Ultrasound‐guided lower forearm median nerve block can provide more effective analgesia, a higher success rate, and lower general and local anesthetic dosages than the anatomic landmark‐based blocking method in children undergoing open surgery for trigger thumb.
Successful treatment of facial milia in an infant with orofaciodigital syndrome type 1
Authors: Hinen Hallie B. , Gathings Robert M. , Shuler Marshall , Wine Lee Lara
Published: December 2017

We report the successful treatment of multiple facial milia with manual extraction and tretinoin in a child with orofaciodigital syndrome type 1. Treatment with topical medications may be insufficient in individuals with orofaciodigital syndrome type 1, and pitted scarring is often a sequala. This case demonstrates that manual extraction is well tolerated and effective in the treatment of multiple milia. In addition, clinicians need to be aware of this rare genetic condition, which commonly presents de novo and can lead to significant morbidity if untreated.
Presepsin as a predictor of positive blood culture in suspected neonatal sepsis
Authors: Miyosawa Yukihide , Akazawa Yohei , Kamiya Motoko , Nakamura Chizuko , Takeuchi Yusuke , Kusakari Mai , Nakamura Tomohiko
Published: December 2017

Background

Although the incidence of neonatal sepsis is decreasing, neonatal sepsis remains a severe life‐threatening disease. No current biochemical marker can provide perfect diagnostic accuracy for neonatal sepsis. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the accuracy of presepsin (P‐SEP) as a novel biomarker of bacterial infection for neonatal sepsis diagnosis.

Methods

We prospectively studied newborns with sepsis (sepsis group; n = 13) during the first 30 days after birth and compared them with control preterm newborns (control group; n = 18). In addition, we evaluated term newborns with some clinical signs of early onset sepsis (non‐sepsis term group; n = 35).

Results

P‐SEP in the sepsis group was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.001) The area under the curve for P‐SEP was 0.868 (95%CI: 0.71–1.00). A P‐SEP cut‐off of 795 pg/mL was established, with 85% sensitivity and 89% specificity. The positive and negative predictive values were 85% and 89%, respectively. In the non‐sepsis term group, P‐SEP had better stability than white blood cells and C‐reactive protein for 3 days after birth.

Conclusions

P‐SEP can better discriminate between infections and non‐infectious inflammatory conditions than the currently used biomarkers.
Critical caring theory and public health nursing advocacy for comprehensive sexual health education
Authors: Dickson Elizabeth , Lobo Marie L.
Published: December 2017

Public health nurses (PHNs) often work with adolescent populations at risk for unplanned pregnancies who do not have access to comprehensive sexual health education (CSHE). Evidence‐based CSHE can have a significant protective effect on adolescent sexual behaviors. This article applies critical caring theory to public health nursing advocacy for CSHE. Critical caring theory defines the social justice work of PHNs as an expression of their caring as nurses. The lack of CSHE in schools for adolescents is a social justice issue, and PHNs can be important advocates. The purpose of this article is to explore how critical caring theory can inform public health nursing practice regarding the importance of CSHE advocacy with the goal of creating equitable access to CSHE for all adolescents.
Deep insemination with sex‐sorted Cashmere goat sperm processed in the presence of antioxidants
Authors: Qin Y , Yang S , Xu J , Xia C , Li X , An L , Tian J
Published: December 2017

Contents

Flow cytometrically sex‐sorted sperm have been widely used for improving reproductive management in the dairy industry. However, the industrial application of this technology in other domestic species is largely limited by the lower fertility after insemination. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of antioxidant supplementation during the sex‐sorting and freezing process on the quality and functions of sorted sperm from Liaoning Cashmere goats. We tested the effects of antioxidant supplementation during sex‐sorting and freezing process, including ascorbic acid‐2‐glucosideAA‐2G, glutathione, melatonin and vitamin C (VC), on the quality and functions of sex‐sorted fresh and frozen‐thawed sperm. Based on these experiments, we performed deep insemination with sex‐sorted sperm using our improved strategy, in comparison to unsorted sperm. In Experiment 1, compared with control group and other antioxidants,AA‐2G supplementation significantly alleviated the degradation of motility and viability of fresh sperm after sorting and showed the highest percentage of sperm with normal morphology. In addition,AA‐2G supplementation showed an evident protection against the sorting process‐induced membrane and acrosome damage. In Experiment 2,AA‐2G supplementation was most effective in protecting motility, while melatonin supplementation appears to facilitate the degradation of quality of frozen‐thawed sex‐sorted sperm. In Experiment 3, we performed deep insemination with sperm that were sorted and frozen in the presence ofAA‐2G and obtained a satisfying pregnancy rate comparable to that from unsorted sperm. The results showed thatAA‐2G supplementation efficiently protects quality and function of both fresh and frozen‐thawed sex‐sorted sperm of Cashmere goats, thus obtaining a satisfying pregnancy outcome.
Melatonin reduces apoptotic cells, SOD2 and HSPB1 and improves the in vitro production and quality of bovine blastocysts
Authors: Marques TC , da Silva Santos EC , Diesel TO , Leme LO , Martins CF , Dode MAN , Alves BG , Costa FPH , de Oliveira EB , Gambarini ML
Published: December 2017

Contents

Effects of adding different concentrations of melatonin (10−7, 10−9 and 10−11 M) to maturation (Experiment 1; Control, IVM + 10−7, IVM + 10−9, IVM + 10−11) and culture media (Experiment 2; Control, IVC + 10−7, IVC + 10−9, IVC + 10−11) were evaluated on in vitro bovine embryonic development. The optimal concentration of melatonin (10−9 M) from Experiments 1–2 was tested in both maturation and/or culture media of Experiment 3 (Control, IVM + 10−9, IVC + 10−9, IVM/IVC + 10−9). In Experiment 1, maturated oocytes from Control and IVM + 10−9 treatments showed increased glutathione content, mitochondrial membrane potential and percentage of Grade I blastocysts (40.6% and 43%, respectively). In Experiment 2, an increase in the percentage of Grade I blastocysts was detected in IVC + 10−7 (43.5%; 56.7%) and IVC + 10−9 (47.4%; 57.4%). Moreover, a lower number and percentage of apoptotic cells in blastocysts were observed in the IVC + 10−9 group compared to Control (3.8 ± 0.6; 3.6% versus 6.1 ± 0.6; 5.3%). In Experiment 3, the IVC + 10−9 treatment increased percentage of Grade I blastocysts with a lower number of apoptotic cells compared to IVM/IVC + 10−9 group (52.6%; 3.0 ± 0.5 versus 46.0%; 5.4 ± 1.0). The IVC + 10−9 treatment also had a higher mRNA expression of antioxidant gene (SOD2) compared to the Control, as well as the heat shock protein (HSPB1) compared to the IVM + 10−9. Reactive oxygen species production was greater in the IVM/IVC + 10−9 treatment group. In conclusion, the 10−9 M concentration of melatonin and the in vitro production phase in which it is used directly affected embryonic development and quality.
Non-Parametric Evidence of Second-Leg Home Advantage in European Football
Authors: Geenens Gery , Cuddihy Thomas
Published: December 2017

In international football (soccer), two-legged knockout ties, with each team playing at home in one leg and the final outcome decided on aggregate, are common. Many players, managers and followers seem to believe in ‘second-leg home advantage’, i.e. that it is beneficial to play at home on the second leg. A more complex effect than the well-documented usual home advantage, it is more difficult to identify, and previous statistical studies have not proved conclusive about its actuality. As opposed to previous research, the paper addresses the question from a purely non-parametric perspective, which is not based on any particular model specification which could orientate the analysis in one or the other direction. Along the way, the paper reviews the well-known shortcomings of the Wald confidence interval for a proportion, suggests new non-parametric confidence intervals for conditional probability functions, revisits the problems of bias and bandwidth selection when building confidence intervals in non-parametric regression and provides a novel bootstrap-based solution to them. Finally, the new intervals are used when analysing game outcome data for the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Champions and Europa Leagues from 2009–2010 to 2014–2015. A slight second-leg home advantage is evidenced.
Do Foreign Experts Increase the Productivity of Domestic Firms?
Authors: Malchow‐Møller Nikolaj , Munch Jakob Roland , Skaksen Jan Rose
Published: December 2017

While most countries welcome (and some even subsidize) high‐skilled immigrants, there is very limited evidence of their importance for domestic firms. To guide our empirical analysis, we first set up a simple theoretical model to show how foreign experts can affect the productivity and wages of domestic firms. Using matched worker–firm data from Denmark and a matching difference‐in‐differences approach, we then find that firms that hire foreign experts instead of domestic experts become more productive, in the sense that they pay higher wages to high‐skilled co‐workers.
A (Pragmatic) Defense of (Some) Science
Authors: Whooley Owen
Published: December 2017

In this commentary, a response to MacKendrick (2017), I examine the dilemma that recent science activism poses for sociologists of science. How can we maintain their critical integrity while condemning the anti‐science actions of the Trump administration? I propose that sociologists of science engage in two exercises to marshal a qualified defense of science. First, we should unpack what we might mean by the “science” we wish to defend. Then, we should begin to articulate grounds for defending that science commensurate with the urgency of the moment. I draw inspiration from American pragmatist philosophy to develop one such defense.
Atheists
Authors: Schiavone Sarah R. , Gervais Will M.
Published: December 2017

Atheists represent an inconspicuous minority, identifiable only by their disbelief in God(s). Despite being highly stigmatized and disliked, until recent scientific endeavors, little has been known about this group including why they don't believe, how many people are atheists, and why they trigger intense reactions. Thus, this paper aims to synthesize what is known about atheists (so far) and to help explain the widespread negative attitudes and prejudice towards atheists; the possible cognitive, motivational, and cultural origins of disbelief; and the unique challenges facing the study of religious disbelievers. To do so, we will explore current findings in psychological research on atheism by considering the complex interactions of cultural learning, motivations, and core cognitive processes. Although significant scientific progress has been made in understanding the factors underlying atheism, there remains much to be explored in the domain of religious disbelief.
Strain‐induced crystallization in rubber: A new measurement technique
Authors: Le Cam Jean‐Benoît
Published: December 2017

The crystallinity of stretched crystallizable rubbers is classically investigated using X‐ray diffraction. In this study, we propose a new method based on temperature measurement and quantitative calorimetry to determine rubber crystallinity during mechanical tests. For that purpose, heat power density are first determined from temperature variation measurements and the heat diffusion equation. The increase in temperature due to strain‐induced crystallization is then deduced from the heat power density by subtracting the part due to elastic couplings. The heat capacity, the density, and the enthalpy of fusion are finally used to calculate the crystallinity from the temperature variations due to strain‐induced crystallization. The characterization of the stress–strain relationship and the non‐entropic contributions to rubber elasticity is not required. This alternative crystallinity measurement method is therefore a user‐friendly measurement technique, which is well adapted in most of the mechanical tests carried out with conventional testing machines. It opens numerous perspectives in terms of high speed and full crystallinity field measurements.
Ultrasound findings and associated factors to morbidity in Schistosoma haematobium infection in a highly endemic setting
Authors: Bocanegra García Cristina , Pintar Zeferino , Serres Xavier , Mendioroz Jacobo , Moreno Milagros , Gallego Sara , López Teresa , Soriano‐Arandes Antoni , Aznar Maria Luisa , Sikaleta Nicolau , Gil Eva , Salvador Fernando , Molina Israel
Published: December 2017

Objective

To evaluate the usefulness of the WHO classification of ultrasound pathological changes and to establish risk factors for morbidity in a highly endemic setting.

Methods

One hundred and fifty‐seven ultrasounds were performed on school‐aged children previously diagnosed with urinary schistosomiasis in Cubal, Angola. The findings were analysed according to the WHO guidelines. Factors for morbidity were studied.

Results

Mean age of the children was 8.7 (SD 3.2) years. Pathological changes were found in 85.3% (84.7% in the bladder, 34.4% the ureter and 6.3% kidney lesions). The global score according to the WHO classification was 5.74. Male gender [OR 2.61 (1.04–6.58); P 0.043] and older age [OR 2.96 (1.17–7.46); P 0.023] were associated with a higher risk of developing any kind of urinary abnormality. Proteinuria was present in 61.7% of the children. Macroscopic haematuria [OR 2.48 (1.11–5.58); P = 0.02)] and a high level of proteinuria > 300 mg/dl [OR 5.70 (2.17–14.94); P 300 mg/dl)] were associated with abnormalities of the upper urinary tract and showed good positive and negative predictive values for the detection of pathology in the upper urinary tract (65.5% and 71.1%, respectively).

Conclusions

Severe urinary tract pathology was found in a high percentage of the children in our setting. Microhaematuria and proteinuria were good markers of morbidity, proteinuria being more precise for severe alterations of the upper urinary tract. We suggest initial and evolutive ultrasound in children diagnosed with schistosomiasis, and close monitoring including periodic controls. As schistosomiasis control efforts are currently focused on reducing morbidity, tests that detect the presence or degree of morbidity are essential for targeting treatment and tracking the progress of control campaigns.
OsOFP19 modulates plant architecture by integrating the cell division pattern and brassinosteroid signaling
Authors: Yang Chao , Ma Yamei , He Yong , Tian Zhihong , Li Jianxiong
Published: December 2017

Characterization of OVATE family proteins (OFPs) has revealed that they exert functions by interacting with different types of transcription factor. However, the molecular bases of these processes are poorly understood. Here, we report that OsOFP19 negatively modulates brassinosteroid (BR) response and integrates it with the cell division pattern to affect plant architecture, including grain shape, through interaction with both DWARF AND LOW‐TILLERING (DLT) and Oryza sativa homeobox1 (OSH1). Overexpression of OsOFP19 caused a semi‐dwarf stature with thicker leaves and stronger culms and roots, which result from an increase in cell layers in the sub‐epidermal tissue. Further studies revealed that OsOFP19 interacts with OSH1, and that this interaction mutually enhances the transcriptional activity of these proteins and leads to a transition from anticlinal to periclinal cell division. Furthermore, DLT interacts with both OsOFP19 and OSH1 and acts as an antagonist in the two interactions. Therefore, OsOFP19, OSH1 and DLT form a functional complex which plays a pivotal role in modulating BR signaling and determining the cell division pattern during plant growth and development.
The relationship between trade openness and economic growth: Some new insights on the openness measurement issue
Authors: Huchet‐Bourdon Marilyne , Le Mouël Chantal , Vijil Mariana
Published: December 2017

Empirical results on the links between trade openness and economic growth often suggest that, in the long run, more outward‐oriented countries register better economic growth. However, a similar level of trade openness can hide different types of trade structures. The aim of this paper was to enrich the way of measuring trade openness taking into account two different dimensions of countries’ integration in world trade: export quality and export variety. Based on the estimation of an endogenous growth model on a panel of 169 countries between 1988 and 2014 using a generalised method of moments estimator, our results confirm that countries exporting higher quality products and new varieties grow more rapidly. More importantly, we find a non‐linear pattern between the export ratio and the quality of the export basket, suggesting that openness to trade may impact growth negatively for countries which are specialised in low‐quality products. A non‐linear relationship between export variety, the export ratio and growth is also found, suggesting that countries increasing their exports will grow more rapidly after reaching a certain degree of the extensive margin of exports.
Safety and feasibility of stereotactic radiotherapy using computed portal radiography for canine intracranial tumors
Authors: Rancilio Nicholas J. , Bentley R. Timothy , Plantenga Jeannie Poulson , Parys Magdalena M. , Crespo Beatriz G. , Moore George E.
Published: December 2017

Stereotactic radiotherapy is a highly conformal treatment option for intracranial and extracranial malignancies. Stereotactic radiotherapy utilizes specialized equipment specifically designed to avoid normal tissue while delivering ablative treatments with submillimeter precision and accuracy. Linear accelerator based stereotactic radiotherapy incorporates on‐board image guidance utilizing cone beam computed tomography (CT). Many institutions lack the ability to provide image guidance with cone beam CT but delivery of highly conformal treatments with submillimeter precision and accuracy is still feasible. The purpose of this retrospective, pilot study was to describe clinical outcomes for a group of dogs with neurological disease that were treated with an stereotactic radiotherapy technique utilizing intensity modulated radiation therapy, megavoltage computed portal radiography, a bite plate, thermoplastic mold, and mask based positioning system. Twelve dogs with neurological clinical signs were included. The diagnosis of intracranial tumor was made based on advanced imaging (12/12) and confirmed via histopathology (3/12). Twelve courses of stereotactic radiotherapy, utilizing three fractions of 8.0 Gy, were delivered on alternating days. Self‐resolving neurological deterioration was observed in two patients during stereotactic radiotherapy. Neurological progression free interval and median survival time were 273 days (range: 16–692 days) and 361 days (range: 25–862 days). Stereotactic radiotherapy using computed portal radiography may be a safe treatment option for dogs with intracranial tumors.