bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Profiling the U.S. Sick Leave Landscape: Presenteeism among Females
Authors: Susser Philip , Ziebarth Nicolas R.
Published: March 2016

Objective

To profile the sick leave landscape in the United States.

Data Sources

The 2011 Leave Supplement of the American Time Use Survey.

Study Design

Bivariate and multivariate analyses to identify (i) employees without sick pay coverage and (ii) employees who attend work sick.

Principal Findings

Sixty‐five percent of full‐time employees have sick pay coverage. Coverage rates are below 20 percent for employees with hourly wages below $10, part‐time employees, and employees in the hospitality and leisure industry.

Conclusion

Each week, up to 3 million U.S. employees go to work sick. Females, low‐income earners, and those aged 25 to 34 years have a significantly elevated risk of presenteeism behavior.
Double Filtration Plasmapheresis in the Treatment of Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody Associated Vasculitis With Severe Renal Failure: A Preliminary Study of 15 Patients
Authors: Chen Yinghua , Yang Liu , Li Kang , Liu Zhengzhao , Gong Dehua , Zhang Haitao , Liu Zhihong , Hu Weixin
Published: March 2016

Our aim was to investigate the clinical efficacy of double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) in the treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody‐(ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) with severe renal involvement. Fifteen AAV patients who had severe renal failure (median SCr 5.6(IQR 5.2–9.0) mg/dL) and needed initial renal replacement therapy (RRT) were treated with DFPP and immunosuppressive therapy. Two plasma volumes were processed during each DFPP session. The changes of serum ANCA and renal function were investigated. After the DFPP treatment for three to five sessions, serum MPO‐ANCA level decreased from 250.0 ± 86.9 RU/mL to 70.5 ± 64.7RU/mL (P = 0.00), with a median reduction rate of 67.6%. Eleven patients (73.3%) no longer needed from RRT 3 months after DFPP treatment, while another four patients remained on dialysis. During the follow up for median 10 (IQR 6–24) months, SCr level decreased to normal in one patient, one patient progressed into ESRD. The 1 year renal survival rate was 62.9%. Five (33.3%) patients were complicated with pulmonary infection. DFPP combined with immunosuppressive therapy could increase the renal recovery rate through rapidly decreasing serum ANCA levels for AAV patients with severe renal failure, but its clinical efficacy and impact on long‐term renal survival require further studies.
Disruption of blood–brain barrier integrity in postmortem alcoholic brain: preclinical evidence of TLR4 involvement from a binge‐like drinking model
Authors: Rubio‐Araiz Ana , Porcu Francesca , Pérez‐Hernández Mercedes , García‐Gutiérrez Mª Salud , Aracil‐Fernández María Auxiliadora , Gutierrez‐López María Dolores , Guerri Consuelo , Manzanares Jorge , O'Shea Esther , Colado María Isabel
Published: March 2016

Inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species are reported to be involved in blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption. Because there is evidence that ethanol (EtOH) induces release of free radicals, cytokines and inflammatory mediators we examined BBB integrity and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in postmortem human alcoholic brain and investigated the role of TLR4 signaling in BBB permeability in TLR4‐knockout mice under a binge‐like EtOH drinking protocol.

Immunohistochemical studies showed reduced immunoreactivity of the basal lamina protein, collagen‐IV and of the tight junction protein, claudin‐5 in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of alcoholics. There was also increased MMP‐9 activity and expression of phosphorylated ERK1/2 and p‐38. Greater number of CD45+ IR cells were observed associated with an enhanced neuroinflammatory response reflected by increased GFAP and Iba‐1 immunostaining. To further explore effects of high EtOH consumption on BBB integrity we studied TLR4‐knockout mice exposed to the drinking in the dark paradigm. Repetitive EtOH exposure in wild‐type mice decreased hippocampal expression of laminin and collagen‐IV and increased IgG immunoreactivity, indicating IgG extravasation. Western blot analysis also revealed increased MyD88 and p‐ERK1/2 levels. None of these changes was observed in TLR4‐knockout mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that chronic EtOH increases degradation of tight junctions and extracellular matrix in postmortem human brain and induces a neuroinflammatory response associated with activation of ERK1/2 and p‐38 and greater MMP‐9 activity. The EtOH‐induced effects on BBB impairment are not evident in the hippocampus of TLR4‐knockout mice, suggesting the involvement of TLR4 signaling in the underlying mechanism leading to BBB disruption in mice.
Estimating under‐ and over‐reporting of drinking in national surveys of alcohol consumption: identification of consistent biases across four English‐speaking countries
Authors: Stockwell Tim , Zhao Jinhui , Greenfield Thomas , Li Jessica , Livingston Michael , Meng Yang
Published: March 2016

Background and Aims

Questions about drinking ‘yesterday’ have been used to correct under‐reporting of typical alcohol consumption in surveys. We use this method to explore patterns of over‐ and under‐reporting of drinking quantity and frequency by population subgroups in four countries.

Design

Multivariate linear regression analyses comparing estimates of typical quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption with and without adjustments using the yesterday method.

Setting and Participants

Survey respondents in Australia (n = 26 648), Canada (n = 43 371), USA (n = 7969) and England (n = 8610).

Measurements

Estimates of typical drinking quantities and frequencies over the past year plus quantity of alcohol consumed the previous day.

Findings

Typical frequency was underestimated by less frequent drinkers in each country. For example, after adjustment for design effects and age, Australian males self‐reporting drinking ‘less than once a month’ were estimated to have in fact drunk an average of 14.70 (± 0.59) days in the past year compared with the standard assumption of 6 days (t = 50.5, P < 0.001). Drinking quantity ‘yesterday’ was not significantly different overall from self‐reported typical quantities during the past year in Canada, the United States and England, but slightly lower in Australia (e.g. 2.66 versus 3.04 drinks, t = 20.4, P < 0.01 for women).

Conclusions

People who describe themselves as less frequent drinkers appear to under‐report their drinking frequency substantially, but country and subgroup‐specific corrections can be estimated. Detailed questions using the yesterday method can help correct under‐reporting of quantity of drinking.
Hospital‐assisted home care after early discharge from a Swedish neonatal intensive care unit was safe and readmissions were rare
Authors: Lundberg Björn , Lindgren Carl , Palme‐Kilander Charlotte , Örtenstrand Annica , Bonamy Anna‐Karin Edstedt , Sarman Ihsan
Published: March 2016

Aim

It is common in Sweden to discharge infants early from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and provide hospital‐assisted neonatal home care (HANHC), as an alternative to hospital care, for infants with a persisting need for specialised care. This study assessed the safety of HANHC by reviewing hospital readmissions.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the files of all 1410 infants enrolled in HANHC at the NICU at Sachs' Children's Hospital, Stockholm, from 2002 to 2011 up until hospital readmission or their discharge from HANHC. Each readmitted infant was matched to the next HANHC infant who was not readmitted. Predictors and reasons for readmission were investigated in a retrospective nested case–control study.

Results

We readmitted 74 (5.2%) of the 1410 infants in HANHC. Extremely preterm infants, born at less than 28 weeks, were readmitted more frequently than other infants, with an odds ratio of 6.07 (range 2.06–17.8). The most common symptoms were respiratory symptoms (55%), and viral respiratory tract infections were the most common reason (28%) for readmission.

Conclusion

HANHC was safe for the vast majority of infants (94.8%). Extremely preterm birth was identified as a predictor for hospital readmission. Further studies investigating the safety of HANHC in other settings would be valuable.
Differential visceral blood flow in the hyperdynamic circulation of patients with liver cirrhosis
Authors: McAvoy N. C. , Semple S. , Richards J. M. J. , Robson A. J. , Patel D. , Jardine A. G. M. , Leyland K. , Cooper A. S. , Newby D. E. , Hayes P. C.
Published: March 2016

Background

With advancing liver disease and the development of portal hypertension, there are major alterations in somatic and visceral blood flow. Using phase‐contrast magnetic resonance angiography, we characterised alterations in blood flow within the hepatic, splanchnic and extra‐splanchnic circulations of patients with established liver cirrhosis.

Aim

To compare blood flow in splanchnic and extra‐splanchnic circulations in patients with varying degrees of cirrhosis and healthy controls.

Methods

In a single‐centre prospective study, 21 healthy volunteers and 19 patients with established liver disease (Child's stage B and C) underwent electrocardiogram‐gated phasecontrast‐enhanced 3T magnetic resonance angiography of the aorta, hepatic artery, portal vein, superior mesenteric artery, and the renal and common carotid arteries.

Results

In comparison to healthy volunteers, resting blood flow in the descending thoracic aorta was increased by 43% in patients with liver disease (4.31 ± 1.47 vs. 3.31 ± 0.80 L/min, P = 0.011). While portal vein flow was similar (0.83 ± 0.38 vs. 0.77 ± 0.35 L/min, P = 0.649), hepatic artery flow doubled (0.50 ± 0.46 vs. 0.25 ± 0.15 L/min, P = 0.021) and consequently total liver blood flow increased by 30% (1.33 ± 0.84 vs. 1.027 ± 0.5 L/min, P = 0.043). In patients with liver disease, superior mesenteric artery flow was threefold higher (0.65 ± 0.35 vs. 0.22 ± 0.13 L/min, P < 0.001), while total renal blood flow was reduced by 40% (0.37 ± 0.14 vs. 0.62 ± 0.22 L/min, P < 0.001) and total carotid blood flow unchanged (0.62 ± 0.20 vs. 0.65 ± 0.13 L/min, P = 0.315).

Conclusions

Rather than a generalised systemic hyperdynamic circulation, liver disease is associated with dysregulated splanchnic vasodilatation and portosystemic shunting that, while inducing a high cardiac output, causes compensatory extra‐splanchnic vasoconstriction ‐ the ‘splanchnic steal’ phenomenon. These circulatory disturbances may underlie many of the manifestations of advanced liver disease.
Evaluation of cellular immunological responses in mono- and polymorphic clinical forms of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis in India
Authors: Kaushal H , Bras-Gonçalves R , Avishek K , Kumar Deep D , Petitdidier E , Lemesre J-L , Papierok G , Kumar S , Ramesh V , Salotra P
Published: March 2016

Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is a chronic dermal complication that occurs usually after recovery from visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The disease manifests into macular, papular and/or nodular clinical types with mono- or polymorphic presentations. Here, we investigated differences in immunological response between these two distinct clinical forms in Indian PKDL patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of PKDL and naive individuals were exposed in vitro to total soluble Leishmania antigen (TSLA). The proliferation index was evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based lymphoproliferative assay. Cytokines and granzyme B levels were determined by cytometric bead array. Parasite load in tissue biopsy samples of PKDL was quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The proportion of different lymphoid subsets in peripheral blood and the activated T cell population were estimated using flow cytometry. The study demonstrated heightened cellular immune responses in the polymorphic PKDL group compared to the naive group. The polymorphic group showed significantly higher lymphoproliferation, increased cytokines and granzyme B levels upon TSLA stimulation, and a raised proportion of circulating natural killer (NK) T cells against naive controls. Furthermore, the polymorphic group showed a significantly elevated proportion of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells upon in-vitro TSLA stimulation. Thus, the polymorphic variants showed pronounced cellular immunity while the monomorphic form demonstrated a comparatively lower cellular response. Additionally, the elevated level of both activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, coupled with high granzyme B secretion upon in-vitro TSLA stimulation, indicated the role of cytotoxic cells in resistance to L. donovani infection in polymorphic PKDL.
Pituitary stalk lesions: systematic review and clinical guidance
Authors: Catford Sarah , Wang Yi Yuen , Wong Rosemary
Published: March 2016

The spectrum of pituitary stalk (PS) pathology is vast, presenting a diagnostic challenge. Published large series of PS lesions demonstrate neoplastic conditions are most frequent, followed by inflammatory, infectious and congenital diseases. Inflammatory pathologies however, account for the majority of PS lesions in published small case series and case reports. Physicians must be familiar with the major differential diagnoses and necessary investigations. A comprehensive history and thorough clinical examination is critical. Although magnetic resonance imaging of the PS in disease is nonspecific, associated intracranial features may narrow the differential diagnosis. Initial investigations include basic pathology and computer tomography imaging of the neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis. Further investigations should be guided by the clinical context. PS biopsy should be considered when a diagnosis is regarded essential in centres where an experienced neurosurgeon is available. Treatment is dependent on the underlying disease process and may necessitate pituitary hormone replacement.
Simple blood‐feeding method for live imaging of gut tube remodeling in regenerating planarians
Authors: Hosoda Kazutaka , Morimoto Mizuki , Motoishi Minako , Nishimura Osamu , Agata Kiyokazu , Umesono Yoshihiko
Published: March 2016

Live cell imaging is a powerful technique to study cellular dynamics in vivo during animal development and regeneration. However, few live imaging methods have been reported for studying planarian regeneration. Here, we developed a simple method for steady visualization of gut tube remodeling during regeneration of a living freshwater planarian, Dugesia japonica. When planarians were fed blood several times, gut branches were well‐visualized in living intact animals under normal bright‐field illumination. Interestingly, tail fragments derived from these colored planarians enabled successive observation of the processes of the formation of a single anterior gut branch in the prepharyngeal region from the preexisting two posterior gut branches in the same living animals during head regeneration. Furthermore, we combined this method and RNA interference (RNAi) and thereby showed that a D. japonica raf‐related gene (DjrafA) and mek‐related gene (DjmekA) we identified both play a major role in the activation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) signaling during planarian regeneration, as indicated by their RNAi‐induced defects on gut tube remodeling in a time‐saving initial screening using blood‐feeding without immunohistochemical detection of the gut. Thus, this blood‐feeding method is useful for live imaging of gut tube remodeling, and provides an advance for the field of regeneration study in planarians.
Strong invaders are strong defenders – implications for the resistance of invaded communities
Authors: Henriksson Anna , Wardle David A. , Trygg Johan , Diehl Sebastian , Englund Göran
Published: March 2016

Many ecosystems receive a steady stream of non‐native species. How biotic resistance develops over time in these ecosystems will depend on how established invaders contribute to subsequent resistance. If invasion success and defence capacity (i.e. contribution to resistance) are correlated, then community resistance should increase as species accumulate. If successful invaders also cause most impact (through replacing native species with low defence capacity) then the effect will be even stronger. If successful invaders instead have weak defence capacity or even facilitative attributes, then resistance should decrease with time, as proposed by the invasional meltdown hypothesis. We analysed 1157 introductions of freshwater fish in Swedish lakes and found that species’ invasion success was positively correlated with their defence capacity and impact, suggesting that these communities will develop stronger resistance over time. These insights can be used to identify scenarios where invading species are expected to cause large impact.
From genetic associations to functional studies in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Bos S. D. , Berge T. , Celius E. G. , Harbo H. F.
Published: March 2016

Genetic screens steadily reveal more loci that show robust associations to complex human diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Although some of the identified genetic variants are easily interpreted into a biological function, most of the genetic associations are frequently challenging to interpret. Underlying these difficulties is the fact that chip‐based assays typically detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) representative of a stretch of DNA containing many genomic variants in linkage disequilibrium. Furthermore, a large proportion of the SNPs with strongest association to MS are located in regions of the DNA that do not directly code for proteins. Here we discuss challenges faced by MS researchers to follow up the large‐scale genetic screens that have been published over the past years in search of functional consequences of the identified MS‐associated SNPs. We discuss experimental design, tools and methods that may provide the much‐needed biological insights in both disease etiology and disease manifestations.
Impact of an ICU EEG monitoring pathway on timeliness of therapeutic intervention and electrographic seizure termination
Authors: Williams Ryan P. , Banwell Brenda , Berg Robert A. , Dlugos Dennis J. , Donnelly Maureen , Ichord Rebecca , Kessler Sudha Kilaru , Lavelle Jane , Massey Shavonne L. , Hewlett Jennifer , Parker Allison , Topjian Alexis A. , Abend Nicholas S.
Published: March 2016

Objectives

We aimed to determine whether implementation of a structured multidisciplinary electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring pathway improved the timeliness of administration of antiseizure medication in response to electrographic seizures in encephalopathic critically ill children.

Methods

A multidisciplinary team developed a pathway to standardize EEG monitoring and seizure management in encephalopathic critically ill children, aiming to decrease the time from electrographic seizure onset to antiseizure medication administration. Data were collected to inform the team of improvement opportunities, which were then provided by an institutional pathway, staff education, and streamlined communication. Measurements were obtained before and after pathway implementation to assess for improvement.

Results

We collected data on 41 patients before and 21 after pathway implementation. There were no differences between the baseline and pathway groups in demographic characteristics, acute encephalopathy etiologies, or antiseizure medications utilized. The median duration [interquartile range, IQR] from seizure onset to antiseizure medication administration was shorter for patients treated with the pathway (64 min [50, 101]) compared to patients treated prior to pathway implementation (139 min [71, 189]; p = 0.0006). The median [IQR] interval from seizure onset to antiseizure medication order was shorter for the pathway group (31 min [20, 49]) than the baseline group (71 min [33, 131]; p = 0.003). The median [IQR] interval from antiseizure medication order to administration was shorter for the pathway group (30 min [19, 40]) than the baseline group (40 min [17, 68]) (p = 0.047). Seizure termination was more likely to occur following initial antiseizure medication administration in the pathway than baseline group (67% vs. 27%, p = 0.002).

Significance

Implementation of the pathway resulted in a significant reduction in the duration between electrographic seizure onset and antiseizure medication administration, and a significant increase in the rate of electrographic seizure termination following an initial antiseizure medication. Further study is needed to determine whether these changes are associated with improved outcomes.
Are heritability and selection related to population size in nature? Meta‐analysis and conservation implications
Authors: Wood Jacquelyn L. A. , Yates Matthew C. , Fraser Dylan J.
Published: March 2016

It is widely thought that small populations should have less additive genetic variance and respond less efficiently to natural selection than large populations. Across taxa, we meta‐analytically quantified the relationship between adult census population size (N) and additive genetic variance (proxy: h2) and found no reduction in h2 with decreasing N; surveyed populations ranged from four to one million individuals (1735 h2 estimates, 146 populations, 83 species). In terms of adaptation, ecological conditions may systematically differ between populations of varying N; the magnitude of selection these populations experience may therefore also differ. We thus also meta‐analytically tested whether selection changes with N and found little evidence for systematic differences in the strength, direction or form of selection with N across different trait types and taxa (7344 selection estimates, 172 populations, 80 species). Collectively, our results (i) indirectly suggest that genetic drift neither overwhelms selection more in small than in large natural populations, nor weakens adaptive potential/h2 in small populations, and (ii) imply that natural populations of varying sizes experience a variety of environmental conditions, without consistently differing habitat quality at small N. However, we caution that the data are currently insufficient to determine whether some small populations may retain adaptive potential definitively. Further study is required into (i) selection and genetic variation in completely isolated populations of known N, under‐represented taxonomic groups, and nongeneralist species, (ii) adaptive potential using multidimensional approaches and (iii) the nature of selective pressures for specific traits.
A potential role for overland dispersal in shaping aquatic invertebrate communities in arid regions
Authors: Razeng Emma , Morán‐Ordóñez Alejandra , Brim Box Jayne , Thompson Ross , Davis Jenny , Sunnucks Paul
Published: March 2016

Traditionally, dispersal of aquatic invertebrates has been thought to be very closely associated with river network structure, despite many species being capable of active or passive dispersal across the terrestrial matrix. However, recent studies of both population genetics and community structure from dryland regions indicate that aquatic species commonly disperse across catchments, implying that movement away from streams is more common than originally thought. This study investigated how aquatic invertebrate metacommunity structure in central Australia is influenced by interactions between species’ dispersal traits, dispersal routes and local environmental conditions.

We sampled community composition in 16 perennial and long‐term inundated freshwater habitats in central Australia. Aquatic invertebrate taxa were allocated to one of four dispersal trait groups: obligate aquatic, passive aerial, weak flying and strong flying. We then used Mantel tests to examine correlations between trait group community dissimilarities, and four isolation models representing (i) local environmental conditions, (ii) geographical distances, (iii) landscape resistances restricted to river networks and (iv) landscape resistances incorporating overland dispersal ‘conduits’.

We found that the community composition of aquatic invertebrates in three of four dispersal trait groups, and all traits combined, was influenced primarily by topographic connectivity via overland dispersal conduits.

Our results suggest that rainfall events and their effect on the landscape as a whole, rather than river flow during these events, shape aquatic invertebrate metacommunity structure in central Australia. This study provides further support for the importance of overland dispersal conduits to aquatic invertebrates, particularly in arid environments with irregular rainfall.
Biodiversity scenarios neglect future land‐use changes
Authors: Titeux Nicolas , Henle Klaus , Mihoub Jean‐Baptiste , Regos Adrián , Geijzendorffer Ilse R. , Cramer Wolfgang , Verburg Peter H. , Brotons Lluís
Published: March 2016

Efficient management of biodiversity requires a forward‐looking approach based on scenarios that explore biodiversity changes under future environmental conditions. A number of ecological models have been proposed over the last decades to develop these biodiversity scenarios. Novel modelling approaches with strong theoretical foundation now offer the possibility to integrate key ecological and evolutionary processes that shape species distribution and community structure. Although biodiversity is affected by multiple threats, most studies addressing the effects of future environmental changes on biodiversity focus on a single threat only. We examined the studies published during the last 25 years that developed scenarios to predict future biodiversity changes based on climate, land‐use and land‐cover change projections. We found that biodiversity scenarios mostly focus on the future impacts of climate change and largely neglect changes in land use and land cover. The emphasis on climate change impacts has increased over time and has now reached a maximum. Yet, the direct destruction and degradation of habitats through land‐use and land‐cover changes are among the most significant and immediate threats to biodiversity. We argue that the current state of integration between ecological and land system sciences is leading to biased estimation of actual risks and therefore constrains the implementation of forward‐looking policy responses to biodiversity decline. We suggest research directions at the crossroads between ecological and environmental sciences to face the challenge of developing interoperable and plausible projections of future environmental changes and to anticipate the full range of their potential impacts on biodiversity. An intergovernmental platform is needed to stimulate such collaborative research efforts and to emphasize the societal and political relevance of taking up this challenge.
THE RHETORIC OF BUSINESS IN BRECHT'S DREIGROSCHENROMAN
Authors: Schonfield Ernest
Published: March 2016

This article takes Walter Benjamin's interpretation of the Dreigroschenroman as a point of departure and conclusion. It develops Benjamin's idea that the novel shows how language is used to exert political and economic influence. This article reads the Dreigroschenroman as an insightful example of ‘Sprachkritik’. The business people in the novel use the rhetorical technique of paraphrase, thus drawing on Cicero's advice that the orator should exploit the ignorance of the audience. Whereas neoliberal free market rhetoric (following F. A. Hayek) tends to minimise the problem of monopoly formation, Brecht's novel explores the coercive character of the market and its reliance on the deception that a transaction is mutually beneficial. Macheath emerges as an expert salesman who uses populist marketing techniques in order to extract the maximum profit from his audience. The focus on material interests can be seen as antidote to business rhetoric. As with Marx and Engels, the fundamental question here is that of property. In this way, the novel exemplifies the Brechtian use of crude thinking (‘plumpes Denken’) in order to evade ideological manipulation.

Dieser Artikel bezieht sich auf Walter Benjamins Interpretation des Dreigroschenromans, dass der Roman nämlich zeigt, wie die Sprache dazu verwendet wird, um politischen und wirtschaftlichen Einfluss auszuüben. Der Dreigroschenroman wird hier als ein einsichtsvolles Beispiel von Sprachkritik gelesen. Die Geschäftsleute im Roman benutzen die rhetorische Technik der Paraphrase, in Anlehnung an Cicero, der meinte, der Redner sollte die Unwissenheit des Publikums ausnutzen. Während die liberale Rhetorik des freien Marktes (den Theorien F. A. Hayeks zufolge) dazu neigt, das Problem der Monopolbildung herunterzuspielen, erforscht Brechts Roman den Zwangscharakter des Marktes und seine Abhängigkeit von Täuschungen, insofern als der Tausch von der Täuschung abhängt, dass beide Seiten davon profitieren. Macheath tritt als Marketing‐Experte in Erscheinung, der populistische Marketing‐Techniken anwendet, um aus seinem Publikum den maximalen Profit zu schlagen. Der eingeübte Blick auf materielle Interessen kann als Gegenmittel gegen die Rhetorik des Geschäfts betrachtet werden. Wie bei Marx und Engels ist die Grundfrage im Roman die des Eigentums. Auf diese Weise veranschaulicht er das Brechtsche Prinzip des ‘plumpen Denkens’, durch dessen Anwendung man ideologischen Manipulationen entgehen kann.
THE PLAYWRIGHT AS EPIC TRANSLATOR? MOTHER COURAGE AND THE INTERTEXTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF AN ‘ENGLISH BRECHT’
Authors: Summers Caroline
Published: March 2016

Since the earliest translations of Brecht's plays into English, translators, directors and actors alike have struggled to reconcile a desire for textual accuracy with a style of performance that is considered ‘Brechtian’. While the dialectic between text and performance is celebrated by Brecht's theories of theatre, his translated texts are often seen to bear sole responsibility for ‘fidelity’ to a concept of the Brechtian, and the continuing emergence of new translations of the plays is sometimes interpreted as a (hopeless) striving for perfection in the anglophone understanding of Brecht. However, it is not one individual translation but rather the interaction between the translated texts that is central to an understanding of Brecht in English. If authorship can be understood as a discursive construction, ‘Brecht’ circulates in English as a fluid author‐function that is more than the sum of the individual versions and one that shapes them in its turn. Through the example of Tony Kushner's Mother Courage and her Children (2006), a translation shaped by Brecht's anglophone author‐function but one which also enters into critical dialogue with previous translations, this paper explores the implications, for anglophone Brecht, of the translator's attempts to observe Brechtian principles in his translatorial behaviour as well as in the translated text.

Seit den ersten Übersetzungen von Brechts Werken ins Englische ist es sowohl Übersetzern als auch Regisseuren und Schauspielern schwer gefallen, das Verlangen nach textueller Präzision mit den Merkmalen eines als ʻbrechtischʼ verstandenen Theaterstils zu vereinbaren. Während Brechts Theorie eine Dialektik zwischen Text und Aufführung fördert, tragen seine übersetzten Texte oft alleine der Verantwortung für ‘Treue’ zum Brechtschen Konzept Rechnung. Die regelmäßige Veröffentlichung oder Aufführung neuer Versionen zeugen für manche Kritiker zugleich von einem (vergeblichen) Streben nach Perfektionismus im anglophonen Brechtverständnis. Jedoch dienen nicht einzelne Texte sondern die Beziehungen zwischen ihnen als Schlüssel zum englischsprachigen Brecht. Wenn die Autorschaft als eine aus dem Diskurs stammende Kategorie betrachtet werden kann, darf Brechts im Englischen verbreitete Identität als flüssige Autorfunktion verstanden werden, welche mehr als die Summe der einzelnen Versionen ist und gleichzeitig ihrerseits Einfluss auf diese hat. Tony Kushners Mother Courage and her Children (2006) beispielsweise basiert stark auf Brechts englischsprachiger Autorfunktion, setzt sich jedoch zur selben Zeit mit früheren Übersetzungen kritisch auseinander. In diesem Artikel dient der Text als Beispiel, um zu erkunden, wie sich Kushners Versuch, brechtsche Konzepte bei seiner Herangehensweise und auch im übersetzten Text einzuhalten, auf das englischsprachige Verständnis von Brecht auswirkt.
BRECHT ON THE TURKISH STAGE: ADAPTATION, EXPERIMENTATION, AND THEATRE AESTHETICS IN GENCO ERKAL'S DOSTLAR TIYATROSU1
Authors: Gezen Ela
Published: March 2016

This essay examines the interpretation and implementation of Bertolt Brecht's dramaturgy and theatre practice in the Turkish context, focusing specifically on the theatre ensemble Dostlar Tiyatrosu and its co‐founder Genco Erkal, a dramatist, actor, and director. Rather than closely examining individual productions by Erkal, this essay engages with his theory of theatrical practice, highlighting Erkal's interpretation, transformation and adaptation of Brechtian theatre aesthetics for the Turkish context. Even as he drew on elements of Brecht's Epic Theatre and critical dramaturgy in the creation of a new political theatre aesthetic, Erkal emphasised the necessity to adapt Brechtian concepts to pressing national concerns as well as political and historical events, and to place them in dialogue with Turkish aesthetic traditions and the Turkish literary Left. Brecht thus informs Erkal's general conceptualisation of theatre as a catalyst for societal change, and had an impact on his specific performance practice within the Dostlar Tiyatrosu – a life's work in experimentation and adaptation that is still ongoing.

Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Auslegung und Umsetzung der Dramaturgie und Theaterpraxis Bertolt Brechts im türkischen Kontext. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei insbesondere auf dem Theaterensemble Dostlar Tiyatrosu und dessen Mitbegründer, dem Dramatiker, Schauspieler und Regisseur Genco Erkal. Anstatt einzelne Produktionen Erkals näher zu untersuchen, beschäftigt sich dieser Beitrag mit seiner Theorie zur Theaterpraxis, wobei Erkals Transformation und Adaption der Brechtschen Theaterästhetik für den türkischen Kontext besonders hervorgehoben wird. Während Erkal Elemente von Brechts epischem Theater und kritischer Dramaturgie für die Gründung einer neuen politischen Theaterästhetik heranzog, betonte er stets die Notwendigkeit, Brechtsche Konzepte den nationalen Anliegen und politisch‐historischen Gegebenheiten in der Türkei anzupassen und sie in Dialog mit türkischen ästhetischen Traditionen und der türkischen literarischen Linken zu setzen. Der Beitrag macht deutlich, dass Brecht Erkals Konzeption des Theaters als Katalysator für sozialen Wandel und seine spezifische Aufführungspraxis innerhalb des Dostlar Tiyatrosu entscheidend geprägt hat – ein vom Experimentieren und der Adaption gekennzeichnetes Lebenswerk, das bis heute andauert.
‘FREMD BIN ICH EINGEZOGEN, FREMD ZIEH’ ICH WIEDER AUS …’: BRECHTS BAAL UND DIE WINTERREISE VON WILHELM MÜLLER UND FRANZ SCHUBERT
Authors: Hillesheim Jürgen
Published: March 2016

Baal, Brecht's earliest full‐length drama, the first version of which was written in the spring of 1918, is one of his most complex in respect of its sources. The aesthetic of ‘re‐cycling material’, which was to define the work henceforth, is presented impressively already at this point. Thus, a range of borrowings from and allusions to the Old Testament and Expressionism can be demonstrated, allusions to the life of the young poet himself, too, and the play has also been read as a variation on Goethe's Faust. A further source has hitherto remained undetected, Die Winterreise by Wilhelm Müller, an otherwise relatively unknown author of the Romantic era. In Franz Schubert's setting these poems became one of the most famous cycles of Lieder in music history. Many parallels can be demonstrated. They concern in the first instance the form: the highly lyrical quality of Die Winterreise can be found, too, in Baal, as can the characteristically episodic and disjointed elements, which distinguish the song‐cycle and the drama in equal measure. There are also striking similarities in the content: the lyrical subject in the cycle and the protagonist in the drama are embarked on a path away from society and towards death. The two motifs of alienation and of wandering have a fundamental importance and unite the works of Müller/Schubert and Brecht in a specific congruity. For Brecht, however, Baal would prove to be the first and last great experiment with Romanticism and its poetry.

Baal, Brechts frühestes größeres, in erster Fassung im Mai 1918 entstandenes Drama, ist, seine Quellenlage betreffend, eines seiner komplexesten. Die Ästhetik der ‘Materialverwertung’, die das Werk fortan bestimmen sollte, wird bereits hier eindrucksvoll vorgeführt. So sind u. a. diverse Anlehnungen und Anspielungen auf das Alte Testament und den Expressionismus nachweisbar, auch auf das Leben des jungen Dichters selbst, und das Stück wurde auch als Variation zu Goethes Faust gelesen. Eine weitere Quelle wurde bisher übersehen: Die Winterreise von Wilhelm Müller, einem ansonsten recht unbekannten Autoren der Romantik, die, in der Vertonung Franz Schuberts, zu einem der berühmtesten Liederzyklen in der Musikgeschichte wurde. Viele Parallelen sind nachweisbar. Sie betreffen zum einen die Form: Das höchst Lyrische der Winterreise ist in Baal ebenso wiederzuerkennen wie das spezifische Episoden‐ und Sprunghafte, das Zyklus und Drama gleichermaßen auszeichnet. Dies führt zu markanten inhaltlichen Entsprechungen: Das lyrische Ich des Zyklus und der Protagonist des Dramas sind auf einem Wege heraus aus der Gesellschaft hin zum Tod. Die beiden Motive der Fremdheit und des Wanderns haben dabei grundlegende Bedeutung und verbinden in spezifischer Übereinstimmung die Werke Müller/Schuberts und Brechts. Für letzteren jedoch sollte Baal das erste und letzte größere Experiment mit der Romantik und deren Lyrik bleiben.
Surprises from the top of the mantle transition zone
Authors: Rollinson Hugh
Published: March 2016

Recent studies of chromite deposits from the mantle section of ophiolites have revealed a most unusual collection of minerals present as inclusions within the chromite. The initial discoveries were of diamonds from the Luobosa ophiolite in Tibet. Further work has shown that mantle chromitites from ophiolites in Tibet, the Russian Urals and Oman contain a range of crustal minerals including zircon, and a suite of highly reducing minerals including carbides, nitrides and metal alloys. Some of the minerals found represent very high pressure phases indicating that their likely minimum depth is close to the top of the mantle transition zone. These new results suggest that crustal materials may be subducted to mantle transition zone depths and subsequently exhumed during the initiation of new subduction zones—the most likely environment for the formation of their host ophiolites. The presence of highly reducing phases indicates that at mantle transition zone depths the Earth's mantle is ‘super’‐reducing.
Promoting geological heritage through postage stamps
Authors: Dove Jane
Published: March 2016

Postage stamps are useful in promoting geological heritage. This concept is explored through an analysis of British and New Zealand stamps, which portray a variety of different types of geological heritage. Coastal, glacial, fluvial and limestone scenery all feature, together with volcanic landforms such as the Giant's Causeway. Other stamps celebrate the work of historically significant figures who have contributed to geology, such as Charles Darwin. The field of palaeontology is represented in stamps, for example, featuring dinosaurs. Others portray economic activities and engineering achievements associated with geology such as oil and gas exploration. Industrial heritage is depicted by stamps featuring, for example, abandoned tin mines, while building stones are represented in stamps of ancient monuments, bridges, cathedrals and domestic architecture. Perhaps subjects for future stamp issues in the UK might draw upon the recently published 100 top geosites list.
Groundwork for effective conservation education: an example of in situ and ex situ collaboration in South East Asia
Authors: Crudge B. , O'Connor D. , Hunt M. , Davis E. O. , Browne‐Nuñez C.
Published: March 2016

Zoos and aquariums can play an important role in raising awareness of biodiversity and conservation. By collaborating with field‐based organizations, zoos and aquariums can more effectively implement conservation interventions to secure populations of species in natural ecosystems and habitats over the long term. Here, we present the collaborative efforts of San Diego Zoo Global, USA, and Free the Bears to design innovative surveys aimed at improving our understanding of public knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards bears and bear‐part consumption in South East Asia. Over 1500 surveys were completed in Cambodia and Lao PDR. Preliminary analysis of the Lao PDR surveys shows that there are significant differences between Lao and Western responses across most questions, indicating differing world views in terms of knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours towards wildlife and wildlife trade. The results of these surveys will be used to identify key messages that should be delivered and key groups that should be targeted, in order to promote sustainable behaviours effectively and ensure stable wild populations of bears in South East Asia.
The role of students' motivation and participation in predicting performance in a MOOC
Authors: de Barba P.G. , Kennedy G.E. , Ainley M.D.
Published: March 2016

Over the last 5 years, massive open online courses (MOOCs) have increasingly provided learning opportunities across the world in a variety of domains. As with many emerging educational technologies, why and how people come to MOOCs needs to be better understood and importantly what factors contribute to learners' MOOC performance. It is known that online learning environments require greater levels of self‐regulation, and that high levels of motivation are crucial to activate these skills. However, motivation is a complex construct and research on how it functions in MOOCs is still in its early stages. Research presented in this article investigated how motivation and participation influence students' performance in a MOOC, more specifically those students who persist to the end of the MOOC. Findings indicated that the strongest predictor of performance was participation, followed by motivation. Motivation influenced and was influenced by students' participation during the course. Moreover, situational interest played a crucial role in mediating the impact of general intrinsic motivation and participation on performance. The results are discussed in relation to how educators and designers of MOOCs can use knowledge emerging from motivational assessments and participation measures gleaned from learning analytics to tailor the design and delivery of courses. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Does multiple paternity influence offspring disease resistance?
Authors: Thonhauser K. E. , Raveh S. , Thoß M. , Penn D. J.
Published: March 2016

It has been suggested that polyandry allows females to increase offspring genetic diversity and reduce the prevalence and susceptibility of their offspring to infectious diseases. We tested this hypothesis in wild‐derived house mice (Mus musculus) by experimentally infecting the offspring from 15 single‐ and 15 multiple‐sired litters with two different strains of a mouse pathogen (Salmonella Typhimurium) and compared their ability to control infection. We found a high variation in individual infection resistance (measured with pathogen loads) and significant differences among families, suggesting genetic effects on Salmonella resistance, but we found no difference in prevalence or infection resistance between single‐ vs. multiple‐sired litters. We found a significant sex difference in infection resistance, but surprisingly, males were more resistant to infection than females. Also, infection resistance was correlated with weight loss during infection, although only for females, indicating that susceptibility to infection had more harmful health consequences for females than for males. To our knowledge, our findings provide the first evidence for sex‐dependent resistance to Salmonella infection in house mice. Our results do not support the hypothesis that multiple‐sired litters are more likely to survive infection than single‐sired litters; however, as we explain, additional studies are required before ruling out this hypothesis.
Behaviour in a standardized assay, but not metabolic or growth rate, predicts behavioural variation in an adult aquatic top predator Esox lucius in the wild
Authors: Laskowski K. L. , Monk C. T. , Polverino G. , Alós J. , Nakayama S. , Staaks G. , Mehner T. , Arlinghaus R.
Published: March 2016

This study tested for links among behaviour, state and life‐history variables as predicted by the pace‐of‐life hypothesis in adult pike Esox lucius. First, a standardized open‐field behavioural assay was developed to assess individual behaviour of wild‐captured adult E. lucius. Behaviour within the standardized assay predicted swimming behaviour in the lake, providing an ecological validation of the assay. There was no relationship between standardized behaviour and any of the life‐history and state variables, including metabolism, body condition, juvenile growth rate and adult growth rate in contrast to predictions from the pace‐of‐life hypothesis. This study demonstrates that it is possible to assess ecologically relevant behavioural variation in a large‐bodied top predator using a standard open‐field assay, but it is noteworthy that this standardized behaviour is not systematically related to standard metabolism or growth.
A bestrophin‐like protein modulates the proton motive force across the thylakoid membrane in Arabidopsis
Authors: Duan Zhikun , Kong Fanna , Zhang Lin , Li Wenjing , Zhang Jiao , Peng Lianwei
Published: March 2016

During photosynthesis, photosynthetic electron transport generates a proton motive force (pmf) across the thylakoid membrane, which is used for ATP biosynthesis via ATP synthase in the chloroplast. The pmf is composed of an electric potential (ΔΨ) and an osmotic component (ΔpH). Partitioning between these components in chloroplasts is strictly regulated in response to fluctuating environments. However, our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that regulate pmf partitioning is limited. Here, we report a bestrophin‐like protein (AtBest), which is critical for pmf partitioning. While the ΔpH component was slightly reduced in atbest, the ΔΨ component was much greater in this mutant than in the wild type, resulting in less efficient activation of nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) upon both illumination and a shift from low light to high light. Although no visible phenotype was observed in the atbest mutant in the greenhouse, this mutant exhibited stronger photoinhibition than the wild type when grown in the field. AtBest belongs to the bestrophin family proteins, which are believed to function as chloride (Cl−) channels. Thus, our findings reveal an important Cl− channel required for ion transport and homeostasis across the thylakoid membrane in higher plants. These processes are essential for fine‐tuning photosynthesis under fluctuating environmental conditions.