bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Protection against the Lust of Men’: Progressivism, Prostitution and Rape in the Dominican Republic under US Occupation, 1916–24
Authors: Wright Micah
Published: October 2016

This article explains the disparity between the United States (US) military government's efforts to defend and empower local women during the first occupation of the Dominican Republic (1916–24) and its reputation for tolerating sexual assault. It argues that US officials, inspired by a progressive ideology that linked the social, economic and political spheres, set out to reshape Dominican sexual and gender norms as a means to ensure political stability. Yet, these efforts fell victim to both Dominican and US Marines’ conceptions of gender and normative sexuality. Building upon a thriving body of scholarship that addresses the significance of US efforts to redefine Dominican gender norms, this article analyses the military government's policies towards women and provost courts’ responses to sexual assault. It concludes that, combined with an aggressive anti‐prostitution campaign, the military government's reforms succeeded only in creating an atmosphere favourable to crimes against women. Moreover, rape and the way it was prosecuted revitalised the patriarchal norms that US officials had set out to transform, thus setting the stage for the regime of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, whose thirty‐year dictatorship depended on the conspicuous control of women. Thus, US policies and attitudes not only ensured the failure of progressive reform but also contributed to the ongoing subjugation of the very women the military government had pledged to empower.
Gendered Archetypes of Wartime Occupation: ‘New Women’ in Occupied North China, 1937–40
Authors: Taylor Jeremy E.
Published: October 2016

This article examines the creation and use of gendered archetypes by the Provisional Government of the Republic of China (PGROC), the first collaborationist government established in China following the Japanese invasion of 1937. Drawing on a wide range of visual sources, it traces how this regime's messages about where women ‘belonged’ in an occupied China resulted in the creation of unique and complex archetypes which were deployed to convince Chinese women of the advantages of PGROC rule. Chief among these archetypes was the figure of the ‘PGROC new woman’. I show how this figure developed in PGROC poster art and propaganda, and eventually in film, as well as how it evolved out of early wartime and pre‐war precedents. In addition to detailing the uses and meanings of this (and other) archetypes, the article suggests that comparative analyses of gendered archetypes of collaboration developed in cognate regimes during the same period can help shed light on the extent to which the peculiar circumstances of wartime collaboration often resulted in specific ideas by male collaborationist leaders about the roles women were expected to play under occupation.
‘Shirkers’, ‘Scrimjacks’ and ‘Scrimshanks’?: British Civilian Masculinity and Reserved Occupations, 1914–45
Authors: Pattinson Juliette
Published: October 2016

In both World Wars, the state retained men with essential skills on the home front. Despite needing to mobilise industry and labour in order to supply the military and to maintain key services such as healthcare and food provision, those men who remained in civilian roles were susceptible to accusations of cowardice and being derided as shirkers evading their patriotic duty. While the manliness of the ‘soldier hero’ was secure, the civilian man was susceptible to having his masculinity called into question. This article utilises a range of sources including parliamentary debates, cartoons, Mass Observation records, written testimony and oral histories to examine the policies that were implemented affecting civilian male workers deployed in essential jobs in both wars and the perceptions of men to their reserved status. While there were haphazard attempts to raise an ‘industrial army’ in the First World War, by 1939, a more systematic approach had been implemented with a Schedule of Reserved Occupations drawn up retaining key men in their work. While men on the Second World War home front were potentially diminished by the ‘soldier hero’ and the female war worker, they defined and defended their contributions to the national war effort in written and oral sources in gendered terms, making reference to job security, valued skills, significant earning power, the auxiliary position of female dilutees, positive cultural representations and the added dangers from aerial bombing.
From Partisan Warfare to Memory Battlefields: Two Women's Stories about the Second World War and Its Aftermath in Lithuania
Authors: Budrytė Dovilė
Published: October 2016

This article explores how women fighters tell their stories in relation to the dominant state narratives about a partisan war. In addition to engaging their individual stories, it explores how they speak, write and act as memory entrepreneurs, creating collective memory about a past that they have experienced instead of allowing others to select actors and events for historical narratives. It argues that memory regimes and gender cultures are intertwined, and that gender cultures are essential in understanding the cultural choices made by memory entrepreneurs in memory making. The article analyses the oral testimonies and written memoirs of two women, Rakhel’ Margolis and Aldona Vilutienė (neé Sabaitytė), who were partisans in Lithuania during the Second World War (Margolis) and its aftermath (Vilutienė) and created the first museums dealing with the Second World War and its legacy in post‐Soviet Lithuania. Read as stories about what it was like to be a woman during a partisan war, the narratives include some common themes: widespread betrayal, the difficult physical conditions that they had to endure as women and the vulnerability that came with these experiences. Read as stories told by memory entrepreneurs, the narratives reveal that the two women acted as mnemonic warriors fighting for competing memory regimes built on opposing gender ideologies.
Gender and Post‐war Relief: Support for War‐Widowed Mothers in Occupied Japan (1945–52)
Authors: Takenaka Akiko
Published: October 2016

This article analyses the gender implications that emerged through welfare support for the war‐bereaved in post‐Asia‐Pacific War Japan. It follows the foundation, activities and dissolution of the Federation of Bereaved War Victims, the first support group for the war‐bereaved that initially began as an organisation for military widows. After its dissolution, members of the Federation went on to create two separate groups – the Victims’ Federation and Widows’ Federation – whose members, scope and objectives presented stark gendered divisions. By examining this divide, and by analysing the earlier histories of the organisations, this article explores the relationships among gender, military, death and bereavement, and post‐war relief. The article pays particular attention to the tensions and negotiations among various interest groups, including military widows, women widowed from other causes, feminist activists, male lawmakers, bereaved fathers and the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. I place the dissolution of the Federation in its social and political contexts and analyse its relationship to the contemporaneous discussions on female citizenship. In particular, I focus on two areas mobilised by Japanese feminist activists since the early twentieth century: suffrage and motherhood. The short history of the Federation provides a means to examine the reconfiguration of the connection between gender and citizenship during the demilitarisation and democratisation processes that occurred in occupied Japan.
‘The Men Have Come’: Gender and Militarisation in Kampala, 1966–86
Authors: Twagira Benjamin
Published: October 2016

This article explores the gender implications of the militarisation of the Mengo neighbourhood of Kampala. It analyses how the hyper‐militarisation under post‐colonial regimes, particularly those of Milton Obote and Idi Amin, marked a significant gender reversal. The military presence in Mengo emasculated civilian men, who were attacked and abused by soldiers, and led women to assume the roles of ‘protectors’ who safeguarded men, children and their homes. Women volunteered for the most dangerous tasks at the household and community levels and faced constant dangers, including rape, violence and other forms of abuse. Using oral histories collected from the residents in Mengo in 2014, I examine this reconfiguration of gender roles and its reverberations in contemporary Mengo. Interviews with the women and men from Kampala describe the various ways women protected people and spaces and at the same time stress men's vulnerability. This article therefore challenges popular conceptions of women as weak and vulnerable and in need of men's protection in militarised situations.
Do organizational and political–legal arrangements explain financial wrongdoing?
Authors: Prechel Harland , Zheng Lu
Published: October 2016

The 2008 financial crisis was a systemic problem with deep‐rooted structural causes that created opportunities to engage in financial malfeasance, a form of corporate wrongdoing. However, few quantitative studies exist on the effects of organizational and political–legal arrangements on financial malfeasance. In this paper, we examine the effects of organizational and political–legal arrangements that emerged in the 1990s in the FIRE sector (i.e., financial, insurance, and real estate) on financial malfeasance. Our historical contextualization demonstrates how changes in the political–legal arrangements facilitate the emergence of new corporate structures and opportunities for financial malfeasance. Our longitudinal quantitative analysis demonstrates that US FIRE sector corporations with a more complex organizational structure, larger size, lower dividend payment, and higher executive compensation are more prone to commit financial malfeasance.
BJOG Editor's Choice
Authors: Marsh Michael
Published: October 2016

Deputy Editor‐in‐Chief, Mr. Michael Marsh, discusses his top articles from this issue in an audio podcast available at: https://soundcloud.com/bjog/november-editors-choice-2016.
Application of shear‐wave elastography to estimate the stiffness of the male striated urethral sphincter during voluntary contractions
Authors: Stafford Ryan E. , Aljuraifani Rafeef , Hug François , Hodges Paul W.
Published: October 2016

Objectives

To investigate whether increases in stiffness can be detected in the anatomical region associated with the striated urethral sphincter (SUS) during voluntary activation using shear‐wave elastography (SWE); to identify the location and area of the stiffness increase relative to the point of greatest dorsal displacement of the mid urethra (i.e. SUS); and to determine the relationship between muscle stiffness and contraction intensity.

Subjects and Methods

In all, 10 healthy men participated. A linear ultrasound (US) transducer was placed mid‐sagittal on the perineum adjacent to a pair of electromyography electrodes that recorded non‐specific pelvic floor muscle activity. Stiffness in the area expected to contain the SUS was estimated via US SWE at rest and during voluntary pelvic floor muscles contractions to 5%, 10% and 15% maximum. Still image frames were exported for each repetition and analysed with software that detected increases in stiffness above 150% of the resting stiffness.

Results

Pelvic floor muscle contraction elicited an increase in stiffness above threshold within the region expected to contain the SUS for all participants and contraction intensities. The mean (SD) ventral–dorsal distance between the centre of the stiffness area and region of maximal motion of the mid‐urethra (caused by SUS contraction) was 5.6 (1.8), 6.2 (0.8), and 5.8 (0.7) mm for 5%, 10% and 15% maximal voluntary contraction, respectively. Greater pelvic floor muscle contraction intensity resulted in a concomitant increase in stiffness, which differed between contraction intensities (5% vs 10%, P < 0.001; 5% vs 15%, P < 0.001; 10% vs 15%, P = 0.003).

Conclusion

Voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles in men is associated with an area of stiffness increase measured with SWE, which concurs with the expected location of the SUS. The increase in stiffness occurred in association with an increase in perineal surface electromyography activity, providing evidence that stiffness amplitude relates to general pelvic floor muscle contraction intensity. Future applications of SWE may include investigations of patient populations in which dysfunction of the SUS is thought to play an important role, or investigation of the effect of rehabilitation programmes that target this muscle.
Otolaryngology residency education: a scoping review on the shift towards competency‐based medical education
Authors: Wagner N. , Fahim C. , Dunn K. , Reid D. , Sonnadara R.R.
Published: October 2016

Background

Residency training programmes worldwide are experiencing a shift from the traditional time‐based curriculum to competency‐based medical education (CBME), due to changes in the healthcare system that have impacted clinical learning opportunities. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (OTL‐HNS) programmes are one of the first North American surgical specialties to adopt the new CBME curriculum.

Objective of review

The purpose of this scoping review is to examine the literature pertaining to CBME in OTL‐HNS programmes worldwide, to identify the tools that have been developed and identify potential barriers to the implementation of CBME.

Search strategy

Four online databases, OVID MEDLINE (R) from 1946 to 5 August 2015, EMBASE 1974 to 5 August 2015, Cochrane and CINAHL databases up to 5 August 2015, were searched using key words related to OTL‐HNS and CBME.

Evaluation method

Two researchers independently reviewed the literature in a systematic manner and met to discuss and address any discrepancies at each step of the review process.

Results

Of the 207 publications identified in the initial search, 31 were included in this scoping review. Two key themes emerged from the literature: first, OTL‐HNS programmes reported a need for new assessment tools that assess competency and also provide the learner with formative feedback. Second, although varieties of tools assessing both technical and non‐technical skills have been developed, implementation of such tools has been met with some challenges. These challenges include a lack of faculty support, inadequate administrative support and a lack of knowledge on how to start the transition to CBME.

Conclusions

This scoping review suggests that task‐specific checklists, entrustment scales, evaluation portfolios from multiple assessments and faculty training sessions are key aspects to incorporate as OTL‐HNS training programmes shift towards a CBME curriculum.
Geographical distribution of morphological abnormalities and wing color pattern modifications of the pale grass blue butterfly in northeastern Japan
Authors: Hiyama Atsuki , Taira Wataru , Iwasaki Mayo , Sakauchi Ko , Gurung Raj , Otaki Joji M.
Published: October 2016

The pale grass blue butterfly Zizeeria maha has been used as an environmental indicator to evaluate the biological impacts of the Fukushima nuclear accident. A high morphological abnormality rate (AR) of this butterfly was detected in 2011 from radioactively contaminated areas at 37–38°N. However, the geographical AR distribution has not been documented for the entirety of northeastern Japan. Additionally, the geographical distribution of the wing color pattern modification rate (MR) of temperature‐shock type remains undocumented. Here, we collected adult butterflies from many localities in northeastern Japan in 2014 and examined the local AR and MR. Both AR and MR were generally low throughout the 44 local populations surveyed. Latitudinal AR and MR distributions indicated a gap zone at approximately 39°N. The mean AR and the mean MR of the populations south of the gap zone were low (AR = 3.0%, MR = 1.1%), whereas those of the northern populations were relatively high (AR = 10.6%, MR =10.3%). Logistic regression analyses revealed that abnormalities and modifications were associated with temperature‐related variables. We conclude that abnormalities and modifications are generally rare, but that their rates are higher in the northern populations than in the southern ones. These results, along with evidence from other studies, strongly suggest that the high AR detected in 2011 from contaminated areas was induced by anthropogenic radioactive mutagens. This study presents a basic dataset of the current wildlife state of Z. maha in northeastern Japan, which facilitates a future use of this butterfly species as an environmental indicator.
Effort rights‐based management
Authors: Squires Dale , Maunder Mark , Allen Robin , Andersen Peder , Astorkiza Kepa , Butterworth Douglas , Caballero Gonzalo , Clarke Raymond , Ellefsen Hans , Guillotreau Patrice , Hampton John , Hannesson Rögnvaldur , Havice Elizabeth , Helvey Mark , Herrick Samuel , Hoydal Kjartan , Maharaj Vishwanie , Metzner Rebecca , Mosqueira Iago , Parma Ana , Prieto‐Bowen Ivan , Restrepo Victor , Sidique Shaufique Fahmi , Steinsham Stein Ivar , Thunberg Eric , del Valle Ikerne , Vestergaard Niels
Published: October 2016

Effort rights‐based fisheries management (RBM) is less widely used than catch rights, whether for groups or individuals. Because RBM on catch or effort necessarily requires a total allowable catch (TAC) or total allowable effort (TAE), RBM is discussed in conjunction with issues in assessing fish populations and providing TACs or TAEs. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages, and there are trade‐offs between the two approaches. In a narrow economic sense, catch rights are superior because of the type of incentives created, but once the costs of research to improve stock assessments and the associated risks of determining the TAC and costs of monitoring, control, surveillance and enforcement are taken into consideration, the choice between catch or effort RBM becomes more complex and less clear. The results will be case specific. Hybrid systems based on both catch and effort are increasingly employed to manage marine fisheries to capture the advantages of both approaches. In hybrid systems, catch or effort RBM dominates and controls on the other supplements. RBM using either catch or effort by itself addresses only the target species stock externality and not the remaining externalities associated with by‐catch and the ecosystem.
Vulnerability of aquaculture‐related livelihoods to changing climate at the global scale
Authors: Handisyde Neil , Telfer Trevor C , Ross Lindsay G
Published: October 2016

There is now a strong consensus that during the 20th century, and especially during recent decades, the earth has experienced a significant warming trend with projections suggesting additional further warming during the 21st century. Associated with this warming trend are changes in climate that are expected to show substantial spatial variability across the earth's surface. Globally, fish production has continued to increase during recent years at a rate exceeding that of human population growth. However, the contribution from capture fisheries has remained largely static since the late 1980s with the increase in production being accounted for by dramatic growth in the aquaculture sector. In this study, the distribution of vulnerability of aquaculture‐related livelihoods to climate change was assessed at the global scale based on the concept of vulnerability as a function of sensitivity to climate change, exposure to climate change and adaptive capacity. Use was made of national‐level statistics along with gridded climate and population data. Climate change scenarios were supplied using the MAGICC/SCENGEN climate modelling tools. Analysis was conducted for aquaculture in freshwater, brackish and marine environments with outputs represented as a series of raster images. A number of Asian countries (Vietnam, Bangladesh, Laos and China) were indicated as most vulnerable to impacts on freshwater production. Vietnam, Thailand, Egypt and Ecuador stood out in terms of brackish water production. Norway and Chile were considered most vulnerable to impacts on marine production while a number of Asian countries (China, Vietnam and the Philippines) also ranked highly.
Structural and functional characterization of a cold‐adapted stand‐alone TPM domain reveals a relationship between dynamics and phosphatase activity
Authors: Pellizza Leonardo A. , Smal Clara , Ithuralde Raúl E. , Turjanski Adrián G. , Cicero Daniel O. , Arán Martín
Published: October 2016

The TPM domain constitutes a family of recently characterized protein domains that are present in most living organisms. Although some progress has been made in understanding the cellular role of TPM‐containing proteins, the relationship between structure and function is not clear yet. We have recently solved the solution and crystal structure of one TPM domain (BA42) from the Antarctic bacterium Bizionia argentinensis. In this work, we demonstrate that BA42 has phosphoric‐monoester hydrolase activity. The activity of BA42 is strictly dependent on the binding of divalent metals and retains nearly 70% of the maximum at 4 °C, a typical characteristic of cold‐adapted enzymes. From HSQC, 15N relaxation measurements, and molecular dynamics studies, we determine that the flexibility of the crossing loops was associated to the protein activity. Thermal unfolding experiments showed that the local increment in flexibility of Mg2+‐bound BA42, when compared with Ca2+‐bound BA42, is associated to a decrease in global protein stability. Finally, through mutagenesis experiments, we unambiguously demonstrate that the region comprising the metal‐binding site participates in the catalytic mechanism. The results shown here contribute to the understanding of the relationship between structure and function of this new family of TPM domains providing important cues on the regulatory role of Mg2+ and Ca2+ and the molecular mechanism underlying enzyme activity at low temperatures.
Spatial distribution patterns of the non‐native European catfish, Silurus glanis, from multiple online sources – a case study for the River Tagus (Iberian Peninsula)
Authors: Gago J. , Anastácio P. , Gkenas C. , Banha F. , Ribeiro F.
Published: October 2016

Effective management of invasive fishes depends on the availability of updated information about their distribution and spatial dispersion. Forensic analysis was performed using online and published data on the European catfish, Silurus glanis L., a recent invader in the Tagus catchment (Iberian Peninsula). Eighty records were obtained mainly from anglers’ fora and blogs, and more recently from www.youtube.com. Since the first record in 1998, S. glanis expanded its geographic range by ≈700 km of river network, occurring mainly in reservoirs and in high‐order reaches. Human‐mediated and natural dispersal events were identified, with the former occurring during the first years of invasion and involving movements of >50 km. Downstream dispersal directionality was predominant. The analysis of online data from anglers was found to provide useful information on the distribution and dispersal patterns of this non‐native fish, and is potentially applicable as a preliminary, exploratory assessment tool for other non‐native fishes.
Different fates of deposited and in a temperate forest in northeast China: a 15N tracer study
Authors: Liu Jun , Peng Bo , Xia Zongwei , Sun Jianfei , Gao Decai , Dai Weiwei , Jiang Ping , Bai Edith
Published: October 2016

Increasing atmospheric reactive nitrogen (N) deposition due to human activities could change N cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the differences between the fates of deposited and are still not fully understood. Here, we investigated the fates of deposited and , respectively, via the application of 15NH4NO3 and NH415NO3 in a temperate forest ecosystem. Results showed that at 410 days after tracer application, most was immobilized in litter layer (50 ± 2%), while a considerable amount of penetrated into 0–5 cm mineral soil (42 ± 2%), indicating that litter layer and 0–5 cm mineral soil were the major N sinks of and , respectively. Broad‐leaved trees assimilated more 15N under NH415NO3 treatment compared to under 15NH4NO3 treatment, indicating their preference for –N. At 410 days after tracer application, 16 ± 4% added 15N was found in aboveground biomass under treatment, which was twice more than that under treatment (6 ± 1%). At the same time, approximately 80% added 15N was recovered in soil and plants under both treatments, which suggested that this forest had high potential for retention of deposited N. These results provided evidence that there were great differences between the fates of deposited and , which could help us better understand the mechanisms and capability of forest ecosystems as a sink of reactive nitrogen.
Nutrient deficiency and hypoxia as constraints to Panicum coloratum growth in alkaline soils
Authors: Luna D. F. , Aguirre A. , Pittaro G. , Bustos D. , Ciacci B. , Taleisnik E.
Published: October 2016

Alkaline and saline–alkaline soils impose severe restrictions on plant growth. Panicum coloratum var. coloratum is a perennial C4 forage grass widely used in tropical and subtropical environments. Published information on its responses to alkaline soil conditions is scarce. The objectives of this study were (i) to characterize the effects of alkaline substrates on germination and initial growth in this species, (ii) to assess the influence of high pH in combination with reduced availability of either nutrients or oxygen and salinity, on plant growth and (iii) to evaluate some physiological traits potentially responsible for growth restrictions under alkaline soil conditions. Trials were conducted in a greenhouse. Germination and early plant survival were not affected by alkalinity. To isolate the effects of high pH, reduced nutrient and oxygen availability on growth, plants were grown either in neutral or alkaline soil, in hydroponics, in neutralized alkaline soil (with or without supplementary fertilization), or were flooded to induce hypoxia. Alkalinity effects on growth in hydroponics were milder than in soil. Growth in alkaline soil with nutrient supplement was still significantly lower (by 40%) than in neutral soil. Both alkalinity and hypoxia reduced growth non‐synergistically. These results show that studies of plant response to alkaline substrates carried out in aerated nutrient solutions can only partially address the complexity of this stress. Photosynthesis and PSII activity were among the physiological mechanisms negatively affected by alkalinity and may be partially responsible for the growth limitations observed in P. coloratum under alkaline conditions.
Efficacy of nalfurafine hydrochloride in patients with chronic liver disease with refractory pruritus: A randomized, double‐blind trial
Authors: Kumada Hiromitsu , Miyakawa Hiroshi , Muramatsu Taro , Ando Naoki , Oh Takanori , Takamori Kenji , Nakamoto Hidetomo
Published: October 2016

Aims

Patients with chronic liver disease sometimes develop cholestasis, which induces severe whole‐body pruritus that may disrupt daily activities and sleep. To determine the efficacy of nalfurafine hydrochloride (5 μg), which is a selective κ‐opioid receptor agonist, in improving pruritus, we undertook a double‐blind placebo‐controlled study in patients with chronic liver disease with refractory pruritus. Nalfurafine hydrochloride at 2.5 μg was also used to evaluate the dose–response relationship.

Methods

In total, 318 subjects were randomly assigned to receive the placebo or nalfurafine hydrochloride (2.5 or 5 μg) given orally once daily for 84 consecutive days. Pruritus was assessed based on the visual analog scale and pruritus scores.

Results

Changes in the visual analog scale at week 4 (last observation carried forward) were significantly greater in the nalfurafine hydrochloride groups at 28.56 and 27.46 mm in the 2.5 μg and 5 μg groups, respectively, compared to 19.25 mm in the placebo group (P = 0.0022 and 0.0056, respectively). The major adverse drug reactions (ADRs) included pollakiuria (including nocturia), somnolence, insomnia (including middle insomnia), and constipation. Most ADRs were mild.

Conclusions

Nalfurafine hydrochloride (2.5 or 5 μg daily) was effective in the treatment of refractory pruritus in patients with chronic liver disease. Furthermore, no clinically significant ADRs were observed at either dose.
Remittances and labour market outcomes: Evidence from Mexico
Authors: SHARMA Amarendra , CÁRDENAS Oscar
Published: October 2016

The effects of remittances on labour market outcomes have been studied by many researchers, primarily using micro‐level data. While a few studies have also used macro‐level data, they suffer from endogeneity bias due to the inclusion of remittances in their estimations. The present study attempts to fill the gap in the literature by using a set of panel data of Mexican states and by addressing the endogeneity bias with a system GMM (generalized method of moments) estimator. The main conclusions are that remittances increase labour force participation rates and reduce median hours worked, critical employment and unemployment duration.
Is parenteral chemotherapy safe in rural hospitals? A prospective audit of neutropenic fever in Albany Hospital, a regional West Australian cancer centre
Authors: Kennedy K. , Auret K.
Published: October 2016

Background

Neutropenic fever is a life‐threatening complication of chemotherapy. The widely dispersed population of Australia creates challenges for rural patients in accessing healthcare services. Cancer treatment is particularly, burdensome with patients being forced to relocate to the city for treatment or to endure long and repeated journeys to the city. This study aimed to assess the safety of chemotherapy in a rural centre with a general physician‐led model, by analysing neutropenic fever in Albany Hospital, a regional cancer centre in Western Australia.

Methods

A prospective audit of patients undergoing parenteral chemotherapy was undertaken from March 2014 to March 2015. Cases of neutropenic fever as a consequence of parenteral chemotherapy were analysed and recorded by the Albany Hospital medical registrar.

Results

There were 1294 cycles of chemotherapy administered to 192 patients during the study period. There were 19 cases of neutropenic fever in 16 patients, meaning 8.33% of patients undergoing parenteral chemotherapy had their treatment complicated by neutropenic fever (n = 16/192). The incidence of neutropenic fever was 1.47% per cycle of chemotherapy (n = 19/1294). There were no deaths in the study period. As per guidelines, antibiotics were given within 60 min of arrival in 73.68% of cases (n = 14/19).

Conclusions

The rate of neutropenic fever observed was similar to rates in other centres worldwide, and the mortality rate was lower than average, with no deaths in the study population. These results provide reassurance with regards to the safe delivery of parenteral chemotherapy in this rural centre with a general physician‐led model.
Genotype Rankings for Nutrient Stress Resistance are Unrelated to Stress Severity in Cultivated Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)
Authors: Bowsher A. W. , Shelby K. C. , Ahmed I. , Krall E. , Reagan D. J. , Najdowski M. N. , Donovan L. A.
Published: October 2016

Abiotic stress limits crop productivity worldwide, making stress‐resistant crops a major goal for improving food security. Stress resistance is often assessed by comparing genotypes under a single control and stressed level of an abiotic factor, then ranking the genotypes’ overall performance, using a metric like geometric mean productivity (GMP). However, abiotic stress is rarely a presence/absence phenomenon, but often varies continuously. Here, we tested whether the common practice of assessing performance using a single control and stress level is predictive of performance across a range of stress levels. Twelve sunflower genotypes were grown in the greenhouse under one of eight nutrient levels (from non‐limiting to severely limiting) and assessed for performance (shoot dry mass at the budding stage) and related traits at both seedling and budding stages. Contrary to expectations, genotype rankings for GMP were consistent regardless of the two nutrient levels used to calculate GMP. This suggests that, for nutrient stress in sunflower, studies using an arbitrary control and stress level are broadly representative: genotypes with high GMP exhibit high GMP regardless of the nutrient levels used. In addition, GMP values were highly correlated with performance in the respective nutrient levels from which they were calculated; thus, higher GMP for a given genotype indicates that it performed well (relative to other genotypes) under both stressed and non‐stressed conditions. Together, these findings strongly support the current paradigm of comparing genotypes at a single control and stress level as a valid strategy for screening for nutrient stress resistance in sunflower. However, few traits were consistently associated with performance (shoot dry mass) at either high‐ or low‐nutrient availability, and seedling traits were rarely predictive of budding‐stage traits and performance, suggesting further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms underlying nutrient stress resistance in this important oilseed crop.
Emergency room nurses’ pathway to turnover intention: a moderated serial mediation analysis
Authors: Bruyneel Luk , Thoelen Tom , Adriaenssens Jef , Sermeus Walter
Published: October 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore the association between the quality of the work environment, job characteristics, demographic characteristics and a pathway of job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion and turnover intention among nurses in emergency departments and perform subgroup analyses.

Background

Turnover intention among nurses is high. Multiple causes have been described, mostly in large studies of nurses working on general wards, often without considering complementarity of conceptual models and showing scant interest in the consistency of associations across subgroups of nurses.

Design

Cross‐sectional multicentre survey.

Method

Convenience sample of 294 nurses in 11 Belgian emergency departments during 2014–2015. Indirect effects in the form of mediation and serial mediation were estimated to assess the association between work environment (Magnet model), job characteristics (Job Demand Control Support model) and turnover intention via job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Consistency of these indirect effects across subgroups of nurses was examined using moderated mediation analysis (conditional indirect effects).

Results

Several Magnet and Job Demand Control Support dimensions were related to turnover intention, either via job dissatisfaction (mediation) or via job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion (serial mediation). In the case of social support from supervisor, these indirect effects were only significant for female nurses, among whom turnover intention was higher. Last, nurses with more years of experience were less likely to indicate turnover intention.

Conclusion

To maximize prevention of turnover intention at emergency departments, interventions could target early career nurses, work environment and job characteristics. Female nurses in particular may also benefit from improved social support from their supervisor.
Using the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program to Increase Pneumococcal Immunizations for Older Adults: A Cluster‐Randomized Trial
Authors: Zimmerman Richard K. , Brown Anthony E. , Pavlik Valory N. , Moehling Krissy K. , Raviotta Jonathan M. , Lin Chyongchiou J. , Zhang Song , Hawk Mary , Kyle Shakala , Patel Suchita , Ahmed Faruque , Nowalk Mary Patricia
Published: October 2016

Objectives

To test the effectiveness of a step‐by step, evidence‐based guide, the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program, to increase adult pneumococcal vaccination.

Design

Randomized controlled cluster trial (RCCT) in Year 1 (June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014) and pre‐post study in Year 2 (June 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015) with data analyzed in 2016. Baseline year was June 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. Demographic and vaccination data were derived from deidentified electronic medical record extractions.

Setting

Primary care practices (n = 25) stratified according to metropolitan area (Houston, Pittsburgh), location (rural, urban, suburban), and type (family medicine, internal medicine), randomized to receive the intervention in Year 1 (n = 13) or Year 2 (n = 12).

Participants

Individuals aged 65 and older at baseline (N = 18,107; mean age 74.2; 60.7% female, 16.5% non‐white, 15.7% Hispanic).

Intervention

The 4 Pillars Program, provider education, and one‐on‐one coaching of practice‐based immunization champions. Outcome measures were 23‐valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) vaccination rates and percentage point (PP) changes in vaccination rates.

Results

In the Year 1 RCCT, PPSV vaccination rates increased significantly in all intervention and control groups, with average increases ranging from 6.5 to 8.7 PP (P < .001). The intervention was not related to greater likelihood of PPSV vaccination. In the Year 2 pre‐post study, the likelihood of PPSV and PCV vaccination was significantly higher in the active intervention sites than the maintenance sites in Pittsburgh but not in Houston.

Conclusion

In a RCCT, PPSV vaccination rates increased in the intervention and control groups in Year 1. In a pre‐post study, private primary care practices actively participating in the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program improved PPSV and PCV uptake significantly more than practices that were in the maintenance phase of the study.
American Legal Realism and Anthropology
Authors: Tuori Kaius
Published: October 2016

The purpose of this article is to analyze the interdisciplinary cooperation and interaction between American legal realists and anthropologists during the interwar period. Using scholarly publications and manuscripts as its sources, it argues that despite the lack of recognition in earlier studies, there were transfers of important methodological and substantive influences that were crucial to the creation of legal anthropology as it is known today, as well as the whole field of law and society studies. Writers of the era like Karl N. Llewellyn, E. Adamson Hoebel, Felix S. Cohen, Franz Boas, and Bronislaw Malinowski utilized interdisciplinary influences to criticize scholarly formalism as well as social and political conservatism, seeking to replace conceptual structures with scientific facts gained from studies.
Cellulose production, activated by cyclic di‐GMP through BcsA and BcsZ, is a virulence factor and an essential determinant of the three‐dimensional architectures of biofilms formed by Erwinia amylovora Ea1189
Authors: Castiblanco Luisa F. , Sundin George W.
Published: October 2016

Bacterial biofilms are multicellular aggregates encased in an extracellular matrix mainly composed of exopolysaccharides (EPSs), protein and nucleic acids, which determines the architecture of the biofilm. Erwinia amylovora Ea1189 forms a biofilm inside the xylem of its host, which results in vessel plugging and water transport impairment. The production of the EPSs amylovoran and levan is critical for the formation of a mature biofilm. In addition, cyclic dimeric GMP (c‐di‐GMP) has been reported to positively regulate amylovoran biosynthesis and biofilm formation in E. amylovora Ea1189. In this study, we demonstrate that cellulose is synthesized by E. amylovora Ea1189 and is a major modulator of the three‐dimensional characteristics of biofilms formed by this bacterium, and also contributes to virulence during systemic host invasion. In addition, we demonstrate that the activation of cellulose biosynthesis in E. amylovora is a c‐di‐GMP‐dependent process, through allosteric binding to the cellulose catalytic subunit BcsA. We also report that the endoglucanase BcsZ is a key player in c‐di‐GMP activation of cellulose biosynthesis. Our results provide evidence of the complex composition of the extracellular matrix produced by E. amylovora and the implications of cellulose biosynthesis in shaping the architecture of the biofilm and in the expression of one of the main virulence phenotypes of this pathogen.
Relationships between altitude, triatomine (Triatoma dimidiata) immune response and virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas' disease
Authors: DE FUENTES‐VICENTE J. A. , CABRERA‐BRAVO M. , ENRÍQUEZ‐VARA J. N. , BUCIO‐TORRES M. I. , GUTIÉRREZ‐CABRERA A. E. , VIDAL‐LÓPEZ D. G. , MARTÍNEZ‐IBARRA J. A. , SALAZAR‐SCHETTINO P. M. , CÓRDOBA‐AGUILAR A.
Published: October 2016

Little is known about how the virulence of a human pathogen varies in the environment it shares with its vector. This study focused on whether the virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi (Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae), the causal agent of Chagas' disease, is related to altitude. Accordingly, Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) specimens were collected at three different altitudes (300, 700 and 1400 m a.s.l.) in Chiapas, Mexico. The parasite was then isolated to infect uninfected T. dimidiata from the same altitudes, as well as female CD‐1 mice. The response variables were phenoloxidase (PO) activity, a key insect immune response, parasitaemia in mice, and amastigote numbers in the heart, oesophagus, gastrocnemius and brain of the rodents. The highest levels of PO activity, parasitaemia and amastigotes were found for Tryp. cruzi isolates sourced from 700 m a.s.l., particularly in the mouse brain. A polymerase chain reaction‐based analysis indicated that all Tryp. cruzi isolates belonged to a Tryp. cruzi I lineage. Thus, Tryp. cruzi from 700 m a.s.l. may be more dangerous than sources at other altitudes. At this altitude, T. dimidiata is more common, apparently because the conditions are more beneficial to its development. Control strategies should focus activity at altitudes around 700 m a.s.l., at least in relation to the region of the present study sites.
Effects of domestic chemical stressors on expression of allergen genes in the European house dust mite
Authors: VIDAL‐QUIST J. C. , ORTEGO F. , LAMBRECHT B. N. , CASTAÑERA P. , HERNÁNDEZ‐CRESPO P.
Published: October 2016

The expression of allergen genes in house dust mites is influenced by temperature and relative humidity, but little is known of the impacts of other environmental factors that may alter the repertoire of allergens released by mites in home microhabitats. Bioassays were conducted in concave microscope slides in combination with real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) to analyse gene expression of 17 allergens of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acariformes: Pyroglyphidae) exposed to three chemical stressors that can be present in domestic environments. Short‐term exposure (5–12 days) to diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) (1 µg/cm2), bacterial lipopolysaccharide endotoxin (0.1 µg/cm2) and benzyl benzoate (3.2 µg/cm2), at concentrations exceeding those expected in homes, had no significant effect on allergen transcription. A significant increase in the transcription of allergens Der p 3, Der p 8 and Der p 21 was observed only after exposing mites to a higher concentration of DEPs (10 µg/cm2) over a whole generation. In combination, the present results suggest that the analysed factors have low impact on allergen production. The methodology described here offers a sound and rapid approach to the broad‐spectrum study of factors affecting allergen‐related mite physiology, and allows the simultaneous screening of different factors in a relatively short period with consideration of the full spectrum of allergen genes.
Tolerability of up to 200 days of prophylaxis with valganciclovir oral solution and/or film‐coated tablets in pediatric kidney transplant recipients at risk of cytomegalovirus disease
Authors: Varela‐Fascinetto G. , Benchimol C. , Reyes‐Acevedo R. , Genevray M. , Bradley D. , Ives J. , Silva H. T.
Published: October 2016

This multicenter, open‐label study evaluated the tolerability of extended prophylaxis with valganciclovir in pediatric kidney transplant recipients at risk of CMV disease. Fifty‐six patients aged 4 months to 16 years received once‐daily valganciclovir oral solution and/or tablets, dosed by BSA and renal function, for up to 200 days. The most common AEs on treatment were upper respiratory tract infection (33.9%), urinary tract infection (33.9%), diarrhea (32.1%), leukopenia (25.0%), neutropenia (23.2%), and headache (21.4%). There were fewer AEs during days 101‐228 vs days 1‐100. Twenty‐seven patients (48.2%) had treatment‐related AEs during valganciclovir treatment, most commonly leukopenia (21.4%), neutropenia (19.6%), anemia (7.1%), and tremor (5.4%). Treatment‐related serious AEs were reported for nine patients (16.1%) and six withdrew due to AEs. Viremia was centrally confirmed in 10 patients; there was no confirmed CMV disease. One patient tested positive for a resistance mutation (UL97 L595F). Biopsy‐proven acute rejection occurred in six patients (10.7%), but no graft loss or deaths occurred. In conclusion, up to 200 days of valganciclovir prophylaxis in pediatric kidney allograft recipients showed a safety profile consistent with that established in adult transplant patients.
Determining an Effective UV Radiation Exposure Time for Vitamin D Synthesis in the Skin Without Risk to Health: Simplified Estimations from UV Observations
Authors: Miyauchi Masaatsu , Nakajima Hideaki
Published: October 2016

UV radiation contains erythemally weighted UV, as well as UV that synthesizes vitamin D3. Here, we attempted to determine the relationship between these factors by numerical simulation of atmospheric parameters, such as total ozone, using a simplified “SMART2” model for radiative transfer. Both forms of UV were almost linearly correlated with each other for a comparably large UV radiation exposure, larger than UV Index ~1.6. If erythemally weighted UV, which carries a risk of sunburn, is known, the amount of UV exposure needed for vitamin D synthesis in the epidermis can be estimated using this relationship. The production of 10 μg (400 IU) of vitamin D per day takes approximately 1/3 of the time needed to reach the minimal erythemal dose (MED) for an effective skin area of 600 cm2 for skin phototype III. For an area of 1200 cm2, 1/6 of that exposure time suffices. From a UV Index that is commonly used, the risks and benefits can be evaluated using this linear relationship, which will enable people to effectively manage their UV exposure and consider the risks and benefits to optimize health outcomes.
The role of interactions with teachers and conflict with friends in shaping school adjustment
Authors: Wang Dan , Fletcher Anne C.
Published: October 2016

Fifth grade children (N = 346) identified school friends and reported on levels of conflict in relationships with these friends as well as perceived stress in relationships with teachers. Teachers and children provided ratings of problem behaviors at school, and children reported on their own perceptions of stress at school. Both less conflictual school friendships and less stressful relationships with teachers were linked with fewer feelings of stress and lower levels of problem problems at school. For the problem behaviors outcome, having more positive relationships with one set of others (teachers or friends) buffered children from experiencing negative consequences of poor relationships with the other set of individuals. The interaction effect involving friendship conflicts and stressful teacher interactions in relation to school stress was more complicated, differing for boys versus girls.