bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of organic insecticides for management of spotted‐wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) in berry crops
Authors: Sial Ashfaq A. , Roubos Craig R. , Gautam Bal K. , Fanning Philip D. , Van Timmeren Steven , Spies Janine , Petran Andrew , Rogers Mary A. , Liburd Oscar E. , Little Brian A. , Curry Shane , Isaacs Rufus
Published: March 2019

Spotted‐wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), is an invasive pest affecting fruit production in many regions of the world. Insecticides are the primary tactic for controlling D. suzukii in organic as well as conventional production systems. Organic growers have a greater challenge because fewer insecticides are approved for use in organic agriculture. The most effective organically approved product is spinosad, but alternatives are needed because of label restrictions limiting the number of applications per year, toxicity to beneficial arthropods and the risk of developing resistance. We evaluated several organically approved insecticides against D. suzukii in laboratory assays and field trials conducted on organic blueberry and raspberry farms. Spinosad was consistently the most effective insecticide, but a few other insecticides such as azadirachtin + pyrethrins, Chromobacterium subtsugae and sabadilla alkaloids showed moderate activity. None of the treatments had long residual activity. Mortality started to decline by 3 days after treatment, and by 5 days after application, the treatments were not different from the controls. These products may be useful in rotation programmes, necessary for reducing reliance on spinosad and mitigating resistance. Cultural and biological control approaches are needed in fruit production for D. suzukii management, but insecticides will likely continue to be the dominant management tactic while these other approaches are being optimized and adopted.
Optimizing precooling of large beef carcasses using a comprehensive computational fluid dynamics model
Authors: Delele Mulugeta A. , Kuffi Kumsa D. , Geeraerd Annemie , De Smet Stefaan , Nicolai Bart M. , Verboven Pieter
Published: March 2019

Precooling has been questioned as a suitable step in the process of beef carcass cooling. Model‐based optimization was performed to identify optimum operating conditions for different heavy‐muscled beef carcass cooling practices in slaughterhouses with both precooling and cooling stages. The study was conducted using a validated computational fluid dynamics model of the beef carcass cooling process. The precooling practice was optimized based on a weighted impact function taking into account energy consumption, weight loss, cooling time, and heat shortening duration. The values of these output variables were dependent on air temperature, air velocity, and precooling time. The results clearly show the benefit of using a precooling unit that operates with an optimum precooling time, cooling air temperature, and velocity. Using a weighted impact function of energy cost and quality, a precooling time of 4 hr using −30°C but low air velocity (0.58 m s−1) appeared more beneficial than precooling using high airflow fans with high energy consumption. The eventual optimum operation conditions depend on the impact variable that the operator wants to minimize and is a trade‐off between adverse effects on energy use and meat quality.

Practical applications

The comprehensive computational fluid dynamics model can be applied to optimize the operation and design of carcass precooling system. Carcass cooling system operators can make a choice of the impact variable they want to minimize and use the approach to determine the optimum operating condition of the cooling system. The approach can be applied to develop carcass cooling procedure that could potentially minimize the energy consumption and maximize the quality of the carcass.
Influence of surface lining type on the probability of dike breaching due to overtopping
Authors: Alhasan Zakaraya , Duchan David , Říha Jaromír
Published: March 2019

The reliability analysis of a flood protection dike depends on the probability of its failure. In this context, the surface lining covering the landside slope of the dike plays a considerable role, as it protects the dike against failure due to overtopping. A mathematical model describing the overtopping and erosion processes is proposed. The overtopping is simulated using simple surface hydraulics equations while the erosion initiation is linked to the lining resistance. For the modelling of erosion, a simple transport equation was used with erosion parameters. In order to obtain a probabilistic solution, the uncertainty in the involved parameters was taken into account and the Latin Hypercube Sampling method was used. Eight different types of lining material were tested for a chosen dike. Typical phases of the dike breaching due to overtopping were distinguished. The final results take the form of probabilities for those typical phases for each lining material.
A coupled probabilistic hydrologic and hydraulic modelling framework to investigate the uncertainty of flood loss estimates
Authors: Ahmadisharaf Ebrahim , Kalyanapu Alfred J.
Published: March 2019

Reliable estimation of flood loss is crucial for flood management. Since this estimation relies on models that are prone to uncertainty, it is vital to clearly understand how the uncertainties affect the appraised flood loss. This paper presents a coupled probabilistic hydrologic and hydraulic modelling framework to estimate the uncertainty of anticipated loss. A hydrologic model performs rainfall‐runoff transformation and a two‐dimensional unsteady hydraulic model simulates flood inundation. The outputs of the latter are fed into a loss estimation tool. Two sources of uncertainty—rainfall depth and antecedent moisture condition—are used to illustrate the framework on the Swannanoa River watershed in North Carolina, United States. The impact of the uncertainty of these two sources is tracked over the hydrologic model, hydraulic model and loss estimation tool. Our case study results illustrate that the estimations on the percent affected people can be four times more uncertain than the rainfall depth and two times more than the flood extent, but its uncertainty is comparable to hydrograph attributes. The appraised structural damages are nearly two times more uncertain than the affected people. These findings, however, may only be valid for a case study with hilly topography and should be cautiously extrapolated to other areas.
Spatial and temporal dynamics of blue agave (Agavetequilana Weber var. azul) wilt in Jalisco Mexico
Authors: Rubio‐Ríos José Ramón , Guzmán‐Plazola Remigio Anastacio , Ayala‐Escobar Victoria , Rubio‐Cortés Ramón
Published: March 2019

Tequila is a Mexican alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation and distillation of the blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber var. azul) stem. This crop is affected by a wilt associated mainly with Fusarium oxysporum. This disease can produce considerable yield losses. Little is known about the spatial and temporal behaviour of blue agave wilt. In this work, the spatial and temporal dynamics of the disease in commercial blue agave plantations in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, were analysed. Four fields of approximately 1 ha were selected in the municipalities of Arandas and Magdalena, in which disease assessments were carried out over a year of evaluation. Each plant was categorized based on a scale with four severity classes (healthy plant, severity class 1, severity class 2 and severity class 3). Maps of disease distribution were made. The spatial pattern was analysed by means of four indicators of spatial variation for binomial data; the spatial and temporal variation was analysed by means of transition matrices. An aggregate spatial pattern was observed in all fields. The transitions in severity classes were not completely unidirectional; some plants showed symptom remission between the date of first and second disease assessment, while others remained at their original severity. Severity class 1 occurred most frequently in Arandas fields (from 12.9% to 40.3%). There was a notable increase in wilt severity to class 2 in the Magdalena fields (from 4% to 50.6%). The rates of disease development towards severity class 3 are low and do not suppose a significant loss for the crop; nevertheless, the rates of disease development towards the wilt severity class 2 do put in risk the health of the crop and the availability of the raw material for the making of tequila.
Pediatric drug regulation: International perspectives
Authors: Baum Victor C. , Bax Ralph , Heon Dominique , Yang Zhimin , Sakiyama Michiyo
Published: March 2019

There was a time when the predominant approach to exposing children to new drugs was to protect children from research. This has evolved over the past several decades into protecting children through research. To encourage pediatric studies and approval of pediatric medicines, governments have provided financial incentives as well as obligations/requirements for pharmaceutical companies to carry out pediatric studies in certain circumstances. The unique considerations for children have been acknowledged by the various governments and drug regulatory agencies through international dialogue and cooperation among patient and patient care representatives, regulatory agencies, and academic, clinical and manufacturing stakeholders. We describe pediatric drug regulation in five of the largest international drug regulatory agencies and additionally discuss efforts at international cooperation and discussion in pediatric drug regulation.
Calcium acetate‐induced reduction of cadmium accumulation in Oryza sativa: Expression of auto‐inhibited calcium‐ATPase and cadmium transporters
Authors: Treesubsuntorn C. , Thiravetyan P.
Published: March 2019

Calcium (Ca) signalling has an essential role in regulating plant responses to various abiotic stresses.

This study applied Ca in various forms (Ca acetate and CaCl2) and concentrations to reduce cadmium (Cd) concentration in rice and propose a possible mechanism through which Ca acts to control the Cd concentration in rice.

The results showed that supplementation of Cd‐contaminated soil with Ca acetate reduced the Cd concentration in rice after exposure for 7 days in both hydroponic and soil conditions. The possible involvement of the auto‐inhibited Ca2+‐ATPase gene (ACA) might act to control the primary signal of the Cd stress response. The messages from ACA3 and ACA13 tended to up‐regulate the low‐affinity cation transporter (OsLCT1) and down‐regulate Cd uptake and the Cd translocation transporter, including the genes, natural resistance‐associated macrophage protein 5 (Nramp5) and Zn/Cd‐transporting ATPase 2 (HMA2), which resulted in a reduction in the Cd concentration in rice. After cultivation for 120 days, the application of Ca acetate into Cd‐contaminated soil inhibited Cd uptake of rice.

Increasing the Ca acetate concentration in the soil lowered the Cd concentration in rice shoots and grains. Moreover, Ca acetate maintained rice productivity and quality whereas both aspects decreased under Cd stress.
Eligibility for anti‐fibrotic treatment in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis depends on the predictive equation used for pulmonary function testing
Authors: Burgess Andrew , Goon Ken , Brannan John D. , Attia John , Palazzi Kerrin , Oldmeadow Christopher , Corte Tamera J. , Glaspole Ian , Goh Nicole , Keir Gregory , Allan Heather , Chapman Sally , Cooper Wendy , Ellis Samantha , Hopkins Peter , Moodley Yuben , Reynolds Paul , Zappala Chris , Macansh Sacha , Grainge Christopher
Published: March 2019

Background and objective

Publicly funded therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) relies on percentage predicted values from pulmonary function testing, for example Australian patients must have a forced vital capacity ≥50% (%FVC), transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide ≥ 30% (%TLco) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC ratio > 0.7. Despite defined cut‐off values, no jurisdiction prescribes a reference equation for use; multiple equations exist. We hypothesized that access to subsidized treatment varies depending on the chosen equation. The %FVC and %TLco from different commonly used reference equations across general respiratory patients, and IPF‐specific patients, were compared.

Methods

FVC and TLco measurements from a large general respiratory laboratory and the Australian Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Registry (AIPFR) database were analysed using multiple equations. Differences between %FVC and %TLco for each equation were calculated, with particular interest in classification of patients (%) at the threshold for subsidized treatment.

Results

A total of 20 378 general respiratory database results were analysed. The %FVC ≥ 50% increased from 86% with the Roca equation to 96% with Quanjer (European Coal and Steal Community, ECSC) and %TLco≥30% increased from 91% with Paoletti to 98% with Thompson. However, overall increase in eligibility for subsidized treatment was modest, varying from 48.2% to 49.2%. A total of 545 AIPFR database results were analysed. The %FVC ≥ 50% increased from 73% with Roca to 94% with Quanjer (ECSC) and %TLco≥30% increased from 87% with Paoletti to 96% with Miller. Overall eligibility for subsidized treatment in the AIPFR group varied from 73.6% to 82.8% between surveyed interstitial lung disease (ILD) centres based entirely on the equation used.

Conclusion

Substantial variability exists between reference equations, impacting access to subsidized treatment. Treating clinicians should be aware of this when assessing patients around public funding thresholds.
Peak Exposures in Epidemiologic Studies and Cancer Risks: Considerations for Regulatory Risk Assessment
Authors: Checkoway Harvey , Lees Peter S. J. , Dell Linda D. , Gentry P. Robinan , Mundt Kenneth A.
Published: March 2019

We review approaches for characterizing “peak” exposures in epidemiologic studies and methods for incorporating peak exposure metrics in dose–response assessments that contribute to risk assessment. The focus was on potential etiologic relations between environmental chemical exposures and cancer risks. We searched the epidemiologic literature on environmental chemicals classified as carcinogens in which cancer risks were described in relation to “peak” exposures. These articles were evaluated to identify some of the challenges associated with defining and describing cancer risks in relation to peak exposures. We found that definitions of peak exposure varied considerably across studies. Of nine chemical agents included in our review of peak exposure, six had epidemiologic data used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) in dose–response assessments to derive inhalation unit risk values. These were benzene, formaldehyde, styrene, trichloroethylene, acrylonitrile, and ethylene oxide. All derived unit risks relied on cumulative exposure for dose–response estimation and none, to our knowledge, considered peak exposure metrics. This is not surprising, given the historical linear no‐threshold default model (generally based on cumulative exposure) used in regulatory risk assessments. With newly proposed US EPA rule language, fuller consideration of alternative exposure and dose–response metrics will be supported. “Peak” exposure has not been consistently defined and rarely has been evaluated in epidemiologic studies of cancer risks. We recommend developing uniform definitions of “peak” exposure to facilitate fuller evaluation of dose response for environmental chemicals and cancer risks, especially where mechanistic understanding indicates that the dose response is unlikely linear and that short‐term high‐intensity exposures increase risk.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of lenograstim for hematopoietic stem cell mobilization: a prospective randomized study for optimal apheresis
Authors: Kang Jihoon , Hong Jung Yong , Yoon Dok Hyun , Kim Jeong Eun , Kim Kyu‐pyo , Kim Shin , Lee Kyoung Min , Park Jung Sun , Lee Ji Sung , Suh Cheolwon
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the correlation between the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (lenograstim) and the impact of initiation time of apheresis on stem cell mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Twenty‐four patients with multiple myeloma were randomized into one of the two groups (early vs. late). Lenograstim at 10 μg/kg/day once daily was injected for at least 4 consecutive days. Apheresis was initiated 2 hours after the fourth dose of lenograstim in the early collection group and 16 hours after the fourth dose of lenograstim in the late collection group. Blood sampling for pharmacokinetics was performed within 30 minutes before, and 1, 2, 6, and 24 hours after the fourth dose of lenograstim.

RESULTS

Overall, the two groups (early vs. late, n = 10 vs. 14) exhibited similar baseline characteristics including age, sex, subtype of myeloma, stage distribution, and myeloma‐associated symptoms. No correlation was found between plasma lenograstim concentration and peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ cell counts or hematopoietic progenitor cells. In the late collection group, the median number of apheresis procedures for minimal collection was significantly lower (early vs. late: 2 vs. 1; p = 0.04) and there was a higher number of total collected PB CD34+ cells in a single session of apheresis (1.4 vs. 3.1; p = 0.06). There were no differences in median overall PB stem cell collection efficiency.

CONCLUSION

Late collection positively impacted the number of apheresis procedures for minimal collection, with numerically improved PB stem cell collection efficiency at first apheresis in patients with multiple myeloma.
Donor iron depletion: beneficial or burdensome?
Authors: Vassallo Ralph R.
Published: March 2019

KEY IDEAS

Most purported benefits of blood donation have not been proven. While studies suggest individuals with type II diabetes have transiently improved postdonation glycemic control, the mechanism is unknown.

Blood donors with nonanemic or mildly anemic iron deficiency can develop pica and undergo unnecessary diagnostic procedures. Lower infant birth weight has been documented in female blood donors. In other healthy populations, reversible fatigue and exercise capacity impairment occur with mild iron deficiency. The effects of donor iron depletion on cognition and neurocognitive outcomes after pregnancy continue to be studied.

Blood collectors are beginning to implement enhanced educational and interventional measures to prevent iron depletion in at‐risk donors.
Vocational rehabilitation for emergency services personnel: a scoping review
Authors: Alexander Lyndsay , Cooper Kay
Published: March 2019

Objective:

The objective of this scoping review is to examine and map the range of vocational rehabilitation available for emergency services personnel.

Introduction:

Employee work absence due to illness and injury is an international burden. The emergency service sector (police officers, firefighters and ambulance/paramedic staff) workforce has been shown to report a higher prevalence of illness/injury and sick leave compared to the general population. Despite the evidence of physical and psychological problems that emergency service sector workers can face, vocational rehabilitation (VR) interventions and the structure and effectiveness of VR for these workers are less well known.

Inclusion criteria:

This scoping review considered studies that included adult emergency medical services personnel (e.g. police officers, firefighters and ambulance/paramedic staff), regardless of age, sex or rank. Emergency medical services personnel from any developed nation were included. The interventions included any VR regardless of condition, work status (VR to prevent sick leave or for workers on sick leave) or focus (e.g. mental health issues, neurological problems or musculoskeletal conditions). Vocational rehabilitation interventions can include work conditioning, work hardening, physiotherapy, counseling, functional restoration and occupational rehabilitation.

Methods:

Published and unpublished literature in English from 2007 to 2017 was included in this review. A three-step search strategy was followed that included five databases and nine websites. Data extraction was performed by two reviewers using a pre-determined data extraction form developed by the authors.

Results:

This review identified 24,271 sources of information, of which 48 were screened at full-text stage, and 22 sources were eligible to be included in the final scoping review. The majority of the sources provided evidence of VR for police officers and firefighters. Vocational rehabilitation is typically provided in residential rehabilitation settings as well as some outpatient, off-site and workplace settings. The main type of VR provided is physical, but there is also evidence of psychological rehabilitation and addiction/substance misuse rehabilitation.

Conclusions:

This review demonstrated that there is a lack of information in the public domain on VR for staff working in the emergency service sector, as well as a lack of rigorous evaluation available on the effectiveness of VR within the emergency service sector. There is inconsistent provision of VR internationally for emergency service sector staff.
Effects of Exercise Interventions on Habitual Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Bar-Haim Simona , Aviram Ronit , Shkedy Rabani Anat , Amro Akram , Nammourah Ibtisam , Al-Jarrah Muhammed , Raanan Yoav , Loeppky Jack A. , Harries Netta
Published: March 2019

Purpose: Exercise interventions have been shown to increase motor capacities in adolescents with cerebral palsy; however, how they affect habitual physical activity (HPA) and sedentary behavior is unclear. The main objective was to correlate changes in HPA with changes in mobility capacity following exercise interventions. Methods: A total of 54 participants (aged 12–20 y) with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels II and III received 4 months of group progressive resistance training or treadmill training. Mobility measurements and HPA (averaged over 96 h) were made before and after interventions. Results: Averaged baseline mobility and HPA measures and improvements in each after both interventions were positively correlated in all participants. Percentage of sedentary/awake time decreased 2%, with significant increases in HPA measures of step count (16%), walk time (14%), and upright time (9%). Mobility measures and HPA changes were quite similar between Gross Motor Function Classification System levels, but improvement in HPA after group progressive resistance training was greater than after treadmill training (12% vs 4%) and correlated with mobility improvement. Conclusions: Mobility capacity improved after these interventions and was clearly associated with improved HPA. The group progressive resistance training intervention seems preferable to improve HPA, perhaps related to greater social interaction and motivation provided by group training.
Tear cytokine profiling in patients with superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis who underwent medical treatment or in conjunction with surgical management
Authors: Sun Yi-Chen , Tang Yi-Hua , Liou Hau-Min , Chen Wei-Li , Hu Fung-Rong
Published: March 2019

Purpose

To determine the correlation between superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis (SLK) and selected tear cytokines and to evaluate the efficacy of these cytokines in monitoring the response of patients with SLK to either medical treatment alone or in combination with conjunctival resection.

Design

A cohort study.

Methods

Twenty-five eyes of 13 patients with SLK were assigned to either medically responsive or surgical treatment groups depending on their responses 1 month after initial medical treatment. Treatment efficacy was assessed by improvements in clinical grading and decreases in the levels of tear cytokines.

Results

Fourteen eyes were improved by medical treatment alone, whereas satisfactory outcomes were achieved for the remaining 11 eyes after surgical management. The overall grading prior to medical treatment was lower in medically responsive group compared with surgical treatment group (p=0.0139). Among the examined tear cytokines, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 was positively associated with the severity of clinical grading (p=0.0251). While both treatments significantly decreased the levels of MCP-1 and interleukin-6, surgical treatment also decreased the levels of interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor-α. Notably, overall cytokine levels after surgical treatment were lower than those after medical treatment alone.

Conclusions

Since an association of tear MCP-1 level with the clinical grading and treatment response of SLK was observed in this study, tear MCP-1 may be a potential indicator of SLK disease severity. According to the degree to which the tear cytokine levels were decreased, surgical treatment appears to be an effective treatment modality for patients with SLK who are refractory to medical treatment alone.
Road safety risk factors for non-motorised vehicle users in a Chinese city: an observational study
Authors: Li Qingfeng , Yu Sile , Chen Ting , Bishai David M , Bachani Abdulgafoor , Hyder Adnan A
Published: March 2019

Objective

The objective of this study is to describe and analyse the prevalence of speeding, helmet use and red-light running among riders of non-motorised vehicles (NMVs) in Shanghai, China, with a focus on electric bikes (ebikes).

Methods

Observational studies were conducted in eight randomly selected locations in Shanghai. Descriptive statistics and a Cox proportional hazard (PH) model were used in the analyses.

Findings

A total of 14 828 NMVs were observed in November 2017. At the free flow sites, the average speed was 22.5 km/hour for ebikes and 13.4 km/hour for bicycles. 95.5% of ebikes run above 15 km/hour, the legal speed limit for NMVs in China and 83.8% above 20 km/hour, the maximum design speed for ebikes. Helmet wearing rate was 13.5% for ebike drivers and 9.4% for passengers. Riders of commercial ebikes were nearly three times more likely to wear a helmet than personal ebikes. 22.4% of ebikes were observed to run a red light. The Cox PH model showed that ebikes (vs bicycles), males (vs females), clear weather (vs cloudy, rainy and snowy), helmet users (vs nonusers) are associated with a higher hazard for running a red light.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this study is among the first comprehensive evaluation of road user behaviours for NMVs in China. An effective intervention package including regulating ebike production to national standards, strengthening speed enforcement and passing legislation on mandatory helmet use for ebike users may be able to help.
On the asymptotic stability of stratified solutions for the 2D Boussinesq equations with a velocity damping term
Authors: Castro Ángel , Córdoba Diego , Lear Daniel
Published: March 2019

We consider the 2D Boussinesq equations with a velocity damping term in a strip domain, with impermeable walls. In this physical scenario, where the Boussinesq approximation is accurate when density or temperature variations are small, our main result is the asymptotic stability for a specific type of perturbations of a stratified solution.
Can machine learning reveal sedimentological patterns in river deposits?
Authors: Demyanov Vasily , Reesink Arnold Jan H. , Arnold Daniel Peter
Published: March 2019

River deposits are rich in sedimentological patterns that determine their petrophysical properties and industrial value (e.g. hydrocarbon reservoirs and aquifers), as well as providing each deposit with individual characteristics. Great variability in characteristics exists in modern river systems; their behaviour is expected to further diverge under environmental and climate change scenarios, and much greater variation exists when we consider all of geological time.

In view of this diversity in sedimentological patterns, a series of fundamental questions arise. Have we recognized all significant patterns? And, are all patterns that we recognize significant? These questions underpin both our ability to characterize river deposits and to interpret the singular dynamics that gave rise to individual deposits. Machine learning provides a means of re-analysing data to understand bias and uncertainty within our data domains, and can therefore be used to improve our understanding of ancient and modern rivers from existing datasets.

Herein, we apply machine learning techniques to classify sediment core data taken from one of the world's largest rivers: the Río Paraná, Argentina. We apply self-organizing maps for unsupervised clustering of sedimentary structures in the cores. The methods are suited to the analysis of different types of data, including core, borehole geophysics, and outcrops of varying size and quality. Early results illustrate that machine learning classification can: (1) recognize depositional units based on sedimentary structures and their location; and (2) simplify complex patterns of primary sedimentary structures, and present them as sedimentary facies with varying abundance, similarity and degrees of certainty.

The success of these initial experiments opens up new opportunities for, for example: (i) automated distinction of depositional environments; (ii) the quantification of vertical and lateral trends in sedimentary deposits; and (iii) an improved interpretation of the generic and singular dynamics that give rise to river deposits. Thus, the results illustrate that machine-learning methods can identify significant patterns from sedimentary cores, including patterns that reveal areas which require further systematic research.

Being able to classify sedimentological information in such a semi-automatic way opens new avenues for the analysis of much larger data domains, the interpretation of which would otherwise require vast manual expert effort. Automated detection of sedimentological features from data also enables the quantification of levels of uncertainty within the data domain. As such, machine learning provides a rigorous pathway to integrate uncertainty information into data-driven predictive models, and allows identification of ‘poorly understood’ aspects of river systems.
An interview with Katie Schuman
Authors: Anjum Bushra
Published: March 2019

In this series of interviews with innovation leaders, Ubiquity Associate Editor and software engineer, Dr. Bushra Anjum, sits down with Katie Schuman to discuss computers inspired by biological neural systems as an alternate promising architecture.
Tollip Inhibits ST2 Signaling in Airway Epithelial Cells Exposed to Type 2 Cytokines and Rhinovirus
Authors: Dakhama Azzeddine , Al Mubarak Reem , Pavelka Nicole , Voelker Dennis , Seibold Max , Ledford Julie G. , Kraft Monica , Li Liwu , Chu Hong Wei
Published: March 2019

The negative immune regulator Tollip inhibits the proinflammatory response to rhinovirus (RV) infection, a contributor to airway neutrophilic inflammation and asthma exacerbations, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Tollip may inhibit IRAK1, a signaling molecule downstream of ST2, the receptor of IL-33. This study was carried out to determine whether Tollip downregulates ST2 signaling via inhibition of IRAK1, but promotes soluble ST2 (sST2) production, thereby limiting excessive IL-8 production in human airway epithelial cells during RV infection in a type 2 cytokine milieu (e.g., IL-13 and IL-33 stimulation). Tollip- and IRAK1-deficient primary human tracheobronchial epithelial (HTBE) cells and Tollip knockout (KO) HTBE cells were generated using the shRNA knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9 approaches, respectively. Cells were stimulated with IL-13, IL-33, and/or RV16. sST2, activated IRAK1, and IL-8 were measured. A Tollip KO mouse model was utilized to test if Tollip regulates the airway inflammatory response to RV infection in vivo under IL-13 and IL-33 treatment. Following IL-13, IL-33, and RV treatment, Tollip-deficient (vs. -sufficient) HTBE cells produced excessive IL-8, accompanied by decreased sST2 production but increased IRAK1 activation. IL-8 production following IL-13/IL-33/RV exposure was markedly attenuated in IRAK1-deficient HTBE cells, as well as in Tollip KO HTBE cells treated with an IRAK1 inhibitor or a recombinant sST2 protein. Tollip KO (vs. wild-type) mice developed exaggerated airway neutrophilic responses to RV in the context of IL-13 and IL-33 treatment. Collectively, these data demonstrate that Tollip restricts excessive IL-8 production in type 2 cytokine-exposed human airways during RV infection by promoting sST2 production and inhibiting IRAK1 activation. sST2 and IRAK1 may be therapeutic targets for attenuating excessive neutrophilic airway inflammation in asthma, especially during RV infection.
Hepatic Abscess due to Streptococcus anginosus and Eikenella corrodens, Secondary to Gastric Perforation by a Fish Bone
Authors: Gonçalves Rita João , Murinello António , Gomes da Silva Sílvia , Coelho João Santos , Lopes Santos Adriana , Sá Damásio Helena
Published: March 2019

Introduction: Foreign-body ingestion is a common event, but in only less than 1% of the cases complications occur. Hepatic abscesses induced by foreign-body penetration are rare. To date, there are only 62 reported cases of hepatic abscess secondary to fish bone perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. Case Presentation: A 78-year-old male patient was admitted due to high fever and vomiting for 2 days, along with frequent eructations for the past 3 months. Abdominal ultrasound showed a liver abscess in the left lobe, and computed tomography revealed a hyperdense linear image that crossed the superior wall of the gastric antrum, contacting the liver lesion, suggestive of a foreign body, probably a fish bone. Blood cultures were positive with isolation of Streptococcus anginosus and Eikenella corrodens. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage of the abscess was done, and S. anginosus was isolated in the pus. Surgical debridement and fish bone removal were performed; the patient completed 21 days of antibiotic therapy, with a favorable evolution. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of liver abscess caused by fish bone penetration with isolation of S. anginosus and E. corrodens. Bacterial coaggregation is one of the mechanisms that can explain their ability for causing invasive infections away from the oral cavity, by increasing their resistance to the innate immune system and survival of both species.
Acute Effects of Connective Tissue Manipulation on Autonomic Function in Healthy Young Women
Authors: Akbaş Eda , Ünver Banu , Erdem Emin Ulaş
Published: March 2019

Background: Connective tissue manipulation (CTM) has therapeutic effects on diseases with autonomic imbalance, yet its mechanisms of action are not clearly identified. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate acute autonomic responses to CTM in healthy young women with various physical activity levels. Method: The study was designed as a nonrandomized, controlled single-center study. Healthy women aged between 18 and 25 years were assigned to a connective tissue manipulation group (CTMG) (n = 150) or a control group (CG) (n = 60). CTM was applied to the CTMG while the CG did not receive any intervention. Respiratory rate (RR), heart rate, systolic/diastolic blood pressures (SP/DP), oxygen saturation (OS) and body temperature were measured. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form was used to determine physical activity levels. ­Results: Analysis revealed significant reduction in SP and DP and an increment in RR in the CTMG (p < 0.05). RR increased and SP decreased among inactive, SP decreased among moderately active, and SP and OS decreased among highly active participants in the CTMG (p < 0.05). There were no significant alterations in the CG (p > 0.05). Conclusions: CTM has an immediate reducing effect on sympathetic activity in healthy young women independently from the physical activity level. Future studies are needed to clarify long-term effects of CTM on autonomic functions in healthy individuals.
A estrutura urbana de São Paulo a partir do Plano Urbanístico Básico: o descompasso de seu percurso para a continuidade de um propósito
Authors: Sato Priscila Regina , Bernardini Sidney Piochi
Published: March 2019

O artigo tem como objetivo analisar os apontamentos relacionados à estrutura urbana da Grande São Paulo estabelecidos no Plano Urbanístico Básico (PUB), realizado pelo município de São Paulo, em 1968, elucidando a tentativa de imprimir uma estrutura urbana condicionada pelo processo de metropolização em curso, além de discutir os meandros técnicos e institucionais que forjaram uma reorientação da sua concepção nos anos seguintes. Além de uma oposição ao modelo proposto, as contradições político-institucionais que se intervieram em um momento de mudanças importantes de caráter institucional em São Paulo foram algumas das razões para a sua não efetividade.
La economía política de las obras de transporte: una metodología contra la injusticia
Authors: Connolly Priscilla
Published: March 2019

Este trabajo expone una metodología para analizar y evaluar las diversas formas de producción de obras y servicios públicos. A partir de una tipología básica de las formas de producción de obras y servicios públicos, se caracterizan las diferentes etapas de construcción y aprovisionamiento del metro de la Ciudad de México. Para evaluar las diferentes formas de producción así identificadas, se aplican criterios derivados del concepto de la justica planteado por autores como Amartya Sen, David Harvey, Susan Fainstein, entre otros.
Social inequalities in the use of contraceptives in adult women from Southern Brazil
Authors: Gonçalves Tonantzin Ribeiro , Leite Heloísa Marquardt , Bairros Fernanda Souza de , Olinto Maria Teresa Anselmo , Barcellos Nêmora Tregnago , Costa Juvenal Soares Dias da
Published: March 2019

OBJECTIVE: To describe the contraceptive methods used by adult women and the associated socioeconomic and demographic factors. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional study with 20 to 49-year-old women from São Leopoldo, state of Rio Grande do Sul, in 2015. Three outcomes were considered to analyze the association with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics: use of oral contraceptive pills, tubal ligation and male condom. The crude prevalence ratios, stratified by age, and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were obtained using Poisson regression, taking the experimental error into account. RESULTS: A total of 736 women, aged from 20 to 49 years old, were evaluated. The prevalence of the use of oral contraceptive pills, tubal ligation and male condom were respectively 31.8% (95%CI 28.4–35.3), 11.1% (95%CI 9.0–13.6) and 10.9% (95%CI 8.7–13.3). In addition, 10.5% (n = 77) of the women reported making combined use of oral contraceptive pills and condom. In the stratified analysis, younger women with lower education level and from lower social classes reported less use of oral contraceptive pills. Tubal ligation was more prevalent among the lower social classes, but only in the age group from 30 to 39 years old. No differences were found in relation to male condom. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that differences persist in relation to contraception, which can be associated with both the difficulties of access to these inputs and the frailty of actions in reproductive health to achieve the needs and preferences of women who are more socially vulnerable.
Ndufs2, a Core Subunit of Mitochondrial Complex I, Is Essential for Acute Oxygen-Sensing and Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction
Authors: Dunham-Snary Kimberly J. , Wu Danchen , Potus François , Sykes Edward A. , Mewburn Jeffrey D. , Charles Rebecca L. , Eaton Philip , Sultanian Richard A. , Archer Stephen L.
Published: March 2019

Rationale:

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) optimizes systemic oxygen delivery by matching ventilation to perfusion. HPV is intrinsic to pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Hypoxia dilates systemic arteries, including renal arteries. Hypoxia is sensed by changes in mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species, notably hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) ([H
2
O
2
]
mito
). Decreases in [H
2
O
2
]
mito
elevate pulmonary vascular tone by increasing intracellular calcium ([Ca
2+
]
i
) through reduction-oxidation regulation of ion channels. Although HPV is mimicked by the Complex I inhibitor, rotenone, the molecular identity of the O
2
sensor is unknown.

Objective:

To determine the role of Ndufs2 (NADH [nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide] dehydrogenase [ubiquinone] iron-sulfur protein 2), Complex I’s rotenone binding site, in pulmonary vascular oxygen-sensing.

Methods and Results:

Mitochondria-conditioned media from pulmonary and renal mitochondria isolated from normoxic and chronically hypoxic rats were infused into an isolated lung bioassay. Mitochondria-conditioned media from normoxic lungs contained more H
2
O
2
than mitochondria-conditioned media from chronic hypoxic lungs or kidneys and uniquely attenuated HPV via a catalase-dependent mechanism. In PASMC, acute hypoxia decreased H
2
O
2
within 112±7 seconds, followed, within 205±34 seconds, by increased intracellular calcium concentration, [Ca
2+
]
i
. Hypoxia had no effects on [Ca
2+
]
i
in renal artery SMC. Hypoxia decreases both cytosolic and mitochondrial H
2
O
2
in PASMC while increasing cytosolic H
2
O
2
in renal artery SMC. Ndufs2 expression was greater in PASMC versus renal artery SMC. Lung Ndufs2 cysteine residues became reduced during acute hypoxia and both hypoxia and reducing agents caused functional inhibition of Complex I. In PASMC, siNdufs2 (cells/tissue treated with Ndufs2 siRNA) decreased normoxic H
2
O
2
, prevented hypoxic increases in [Ca
2+
]
i
, and mimicked aspects of chronic hypoxia, including decreasing Complex I activity, elevating the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH/NAD
+
) ratio and decreasing expression of the O
2
-sensitive ion channel, Kv1.5. Knocking down another Fe-S center within Complex I (Ndufs1, NADH [nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide] dehydrogenase [ubiquinone] iron-sulfur protein 1) or other mitochondrial subunits proposed as putative oxygen sensors (Complex III’s Rieske Fe-S center and COX4i2 [cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 2] in Complex IV) had no effect on hypoxic increases in [Ca
2+
]
i
. In vivo, siNdufs2 significantly decreased hypoxia- and rotenone-induced constriction while enhancing phenylephrine-induced constriction.

Conclusions:

Ndufs2 is essential for oxygen-sensing and HPV.
Endothelial Cells Regulate Physiological Cardiomyocyte Growth via VEGFR2-Mediated Paracrine Signaling
Authors: Kivelä Riikka , Hemanthakumar Karthik Amudhala , Vaparanta Katri , Robciuc Marius , Izumiya Yasuhiro , Kidoya Hiroyasu , Takakura Nobuyuki , Peng Xuyang , Sawyer Douglas B. , Elenius Klaus , Walsh Kenneth , Alitalo Kari
Published: March 2019

Background:

Heart failure, which is a major global health problem, is often preceded by pathological cardiac hypertrophy. The expansion of the cardiac vasculature, to maintain adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients, is a key determinant of whether the heart grows in a physiological compensated manner or a pathological decompensated manner. Bidirectional endothelial cell (EC)–cardiomyocyte (CMC) cross talk via cardiokine and angiocrine signaling plays an essential role in the regulation of cardiac growth and homeostasis. Currently, the mechanisms involved in the EC-CMC interaction are not fully understood, and very little is known about the EC-derived signals involved. Understanding how an excess of angiogenesis induces cardiac hypertrophy and how ECs regulate CMC homeostasis could provide novel therapeutic targets for heart failure.

Methods:

Genetic mouse models were used to delete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors, adeno-associated viral vectors to transduce the myocardium, and pharmacological inhibitors to block VEGF and ErbB signaling in vivo. Cell culture experiments were used for mechanistic studies, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, microarrays, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the cardiac phenotypes.

Results:

Both EC deletion of VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-1 and adeno-associated viral vector–mediated delivery of the VEGFR1-specific ligands VEGF-B or placental growth factor into the myocardium increased the coronary vasculature and induced CMC hypertrophy in adult mice. The resulting cardiac hypertrophy was physiological, as indicated by preserved cardiac function and exercise capacity and lack of pathological gene activation. These changes were mediated by increased VEGF signaling via endothelial VEGFR2, because the effects of VEGF-B and placental growth factor on both angiogenesis and CMC growth were fully inhibited by treatment with antibodies blocking VEGFR2 or by endothelial deletion of VEGFR2. To identify activated pathways downstream of VEGFR2, whole-genome transcriptomics and secretome analyses were performed, and the Notch and ErbB pathways were shown to be involved in transducing signals for EC-CMC cross talk in response to angiogenesis. Pharmacological or genetic blocking of ErbB signaling also inhibited part of the VEGF-B–induced effects in the heart.

Conclusions:

This study reveals that cross talk between the EC VEGFR2 and CMC ErbB signaling pathways coordinates CMC hypertrophy with angiogenesis, contributing to physiological cardiac growth.
A Migrant-Centric Reading of Exodus 2: Tactics of Survival for Immigrant Women and Their Unaccompanied Children
Authors: Cuéllar Gregory Lee
Published: March 2019

From a different vantage point, stories of migration, deportation, exile and diaspora in the Hebrew Bible have more than a didactic function; rather, they speak to and out of a set core of human experiences that in turn render them relevant across the historical spectrum of human migrations. Thus, rather than survey what the Hebrew Bible says about migration, how might its migrant-likeness compare to contemporary migrant-refugee tactics of survival? This article focuses on the story of baby Moses’s internal migration to the Pharaoh’s palace in Exodus 2 with a view toward the recent mass migration of unaccompanied Central America children to the United States. Through this parallel reading, the aim is to forge a migrant-centric reading of this narrative that casts it not as a birth story but as a relevant migrant-survival story that many unaccompanied Central American children are currently living. In the end, this article argues that by framing Exodus 2 solely as a birth story, readers inevitably foreclose on the possibility of elaborating an interpretation of this narrative that addresses the conflict, loss and trauma of many migrant-refugees in our world today.
Moving Beyond the Exclusionary Politics of Migration: A Response from the Social Sciences
Authors: Wylie Gillian
Published: March 2019

This paper offers a response from the social sciences to the papers in this special edition. Drawing on the disciplines of Peace Studies and International Relations, three key themes emerge from these papers on migration stories in the Bible which resonate with the politics and responses now playing out in the current European ‘migration crisis’. These themes are (1) the exclusionary politics driving much migration policy; (2) the importance of acknowledging the agency of migrants; and (3) hints of what alternative responses to migration might look like. This paper draws out the presence of these themes across the collection and relates them to the current situation. Ultimately, while the papers reveal an interminable tendency to ‘other’ the migrant, they also sew the seeds of ideas about alternative approaches to migration which listen to migrant voices and build diverse communities.