bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in sleep quality and levels of psychological distress during the adaptation to university: The role of childhood adversity
Authors: John‐Henderson Neha A. , Williams Sarah E. , Brindle Ryan C. , Ginty Annie T.
Published: May 2018

Stress‐related sleep disturbances are common, and poor sleep quality can negatively affect health. Previous work indicates that early‐life adversity is associated with compromised sleep quality later in life, but it is unknown whether it predicts greater declines in sleep quality during stressful life transitions. We propose and test a conceptual model whereby individuals who reported experiencing greater levels of child maltreatment would experience greater psychological distress during a stressful life transition, which in turn would contribute to greater declines in sleep quality, relative to their quality of sleep before the stressful transition. Controlling for potential confounding variables (e.g., age, gender), structural equation modelling demonstrated that psychological distress experienced during a stressful transition (i.e., beginning life at university) mediated the relationship between childhood emotional neglect and changes in sleep quality. The hypothesized model demonstrated a good overall fit to the data, χ 2 (15) = 17.69, p = .279, CFI = .99, TLI = .97, SRMR = .04, RMSEA = .04 (90% CI <0.001–0.09). Emotional neglect (β = .22) was positively associated with psychological distress which in turn was positively associated with poor sleep quality (β = .31) during a stressful transition. Future research should aim to understand the specific stressors in the university environment that are most challenging to individuals who faced early‐life emotional maltreatment. These findings will help inform interventions to facilitate adaptation to a new environment and improve sleep quality for these university students.
Microcystic macular oedema in optic neuropathy: case series and literature review
Authors: Kessel Line , Hamann Steffen , Wegener Marianne , Tong Jessica , Fraser Clare L
Published: May 2018

Cavitations in the inner nuclear layer associated with severe optic atrophy and loss of retinal ganglion cells have clinically been termed microcystic macular oedema (MME). We describe a case series of MME in patients of all ages but predominantly younger patients with a wide range of optic atrophies ranging from acute onset optic disc drusen associated ischemic optic neuropathy to slowly progressive disease as glaucoma. There were no physical distinctions between MME in different causes of optic atrophy suggesting a common causative mechanism. We reviewed the literature on MME and it appears that MME is associated with more severe visual loss, and is more common in hereditary optic neuropathies and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disease rather than in patients with optic atrophy secondary to multiple sclerosis and glaucoma. Three main causative mechanisms have been proposed, including increased vitreal traction on the macular as the ganglion cells are lost. Others have suggested that trans‐synaptic loss of cells in the inner nuclear layer causes formation of empty spaces or cavities. Finally, some have hypothesized a disturbance in the fluid homeostasis of the inner retina as Müller cells are lost or their function is impaired. There are no known treatments of MME. In conclusion, MME seems to be a marker of severe optic nerve atrophy irrespective of the underlying cause.
A retrospective study on titanium sensitivity: Patch test materials and manifestations
Authors: de Graaf Niels P. J. , Feilzer Albert J. , Kleverlaan Cees J. , Bontkes Hetty , Gibbs Sue , Rustemeyer Thomas
Published: May 2018

Background

Titanium is being increasingly used. Although it is considered to be a non‐allergenic material, allergic reactions to it have been reported. Titanium dioxide has been found to be an unreliable patch test material. Few studies to date have profiled titanium allergy, and it therefore remains difficult to distinguish its manifestations.

Objectives

To evaluate alternatives for titanium dioxide as a patch test preparation, and to profile titanium reactions and manifestations.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted with 458 patients who underwent patch testing with at least 1 of 5 different titanium salts.

Results

At least 1 positive result was noted in 5.7% of the patients. The frequency of positive results for the tested salts ranged from 0.9% to 7.9%. Titanium(IV) oxalate hydrate had the highest yield and titanium dioxide the lowest. Erythema, dermatitis and local swelling were the most common objective complaints. In 16 (61.5%) patients, the test result had partial or full clinical relevance.

Conclusions

No titanium‐specific risk factors and clinical picture could be identified. Titanium dioxide is not adequately sensitive for identifying titanium allergy. The titanium salts seem to be possible superior patch test preparations, but appear to be unsuitable if used singly. The patient's medical history and clinical picture remain crucial in the diagnostic work‐up.
Evolutive echocardiographic changes in cardiac amyloidosis: Look at the whole picture
Authors: Gual‐Capllonch Francisco , Teis Albert , Ferrer Elena , Bayes‐Genis Antoni
Published: May 2018

Doppler echocardiogram provides not only structural information about heart chambers, valves and pericardium but also contributes to functional assessment. A unique feature of this assessment is its variability, not only due to heart disease course but also related to extracardiac conditions. We present a case of primary amyloidosis with two atypical characteristics: left ventricular outflow obstruction and low‐grade diastolic dysfunction. Nevertheless, a more typical picture of cardiac amyloidosis was observed in the evolution of the disease coinciding with a second cardiac stressor, emphasizing the necessity of not focusing our attention exclusively to the heart.
Paternal effects associated with melanism in Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): mating sequence asymmetries and interactions with age‐specific maternal effects
Authors: Michaud J.P. , Abdelwahab Ahmed H. , Canassa Vinicius F. , Bain Clint
Published: May 2018

1. For this study a cohort of melanic Harmonia axyridis males homozygous for the spectabilis allele was produced. These were used to produce four kinds of twice‐mated females, comprising all four permutations of melanic and non‐melanic (succinic) males. A series of 12 larvae were then reared from the first and 10th clutches of each female to compare progeny developmental phenotypes.

2. There were no effects of mating treatment on overall female reproductive performance (preoviposition period, 20‐day fecundity, or egg fertility).

3. Age‐specific maternal effects were evident in progeny developmental phenotypes; larvae of 10th clutches developed more slowly, pupation was shorter, and adults emerged at heavier weights.

4. Paternal effects were superimposed on maternal effects and affected progeny independent of their paternity; melanic males induced slower larval development and slower pupation, but only in 10th clutches and only when they mated second.

5. There was a significant three‐way interaction between male mating treatment, clutch number and progeny phenotype, indicating that progeny developmental responses to (mixed) paternal effects varied depending on their own phenotype and the time elapsed since their mother's last mating.

6. Melanic males mating second obtained a P2 advantage over succinic males, which increased from first to 10th clutch, but the reverse was not true when succinic males mated second. Thus, polyandry in H. axyridis facilitates both genetic and epigenetic competition among males while simultaneously enabling the sharing of predominant paternal effects among the progeny of different fathers.
High‐dose Bendamustine‐EAM followed by autologous stem cell rescue results in long‐term remission rates in lymphoma patients, without renal toxicity
Authors: Noesslinger Thomas , Panny Michael , Simanek Ralph , Moestl Michaela , Boehm Alexandra , Menschel Elisabeth , Koller Elisabeth , Keil Felix
Published: May 2018

Background

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) following BEAM (BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) conditioning is standard of care in relapsed low‐ and high‐grade B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and other lymphoproliferative disorders, but BCNU is associated with interstitial pneumonia and an increased mortality. A less toxic regimen might improve the outcome of patients with lymphoma after transplantation.

Objectives

We investigated the role of bendamustine replacing BCNU in the BEAM regimen in patients with lymphoma undergoing ASCT.

Patients/Methods

The conditioning regimen BendaEAM consisted of bendamustine, cytarabine, etoposide, and melphalan and was used in patients with Hodgkin′s disease (HD) and Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Results

Forty‐one patients with HD (n = 9) or NHL (n = 32) were consecutively treated with Benda‐BEAM replacing BCNU. No pulmonary or renal toxicities occurred, and no patient died related to transplant. After a median follow‐up of 55 months, CR rate was 56%, 18 patients (44%) showed progression after a median time of 7 months after transplantation (range: 2‐29 months), and 11 patients (24%) have died, all due to lymphoma progression. The 1‐, 2‐, and 4‐year PFS are 73.2%, 58.6%, and 55.6% and the 1‐, 2‐, and 4‐year OS 85.4%, 78.0%, and 72.6%, respectively.

Conclusion

BendaEAM seems to be feasible with a promising response rate and acceptable toxicity.
Early activation of CD95 is limited and localized to the cytotoxic synapse
Authors: Sánchez María Florencia , Murad Fabronia , Gülcüler Balta Gülce S. , Martin‐Villalba Ana , García‐Sáez Ana J. , Carrer Dolores C.
Published: May 2018

The cytotoxic synapse formed between cytotoxic T lymphocytes or natural killer cells expressing CD95L and target cells with CD95 on their surface is a key pathway for apoptosis induction by the immune system. Despite similarities with the immune synapse in antigen presenting cells, little is known about the role of the spatiotemporal organization of agonistic proteins/receptor interactions for CD95 signaling. Here, we have developed an artificial cytotoxic synapse to examine how mobility and geometry of an anti‐CD95 agonistic antibody affect receptor aggregation and mobility, ie the first step of receptor activation. By measuring the distribution, diffusion coefficient, and fraction of immobile CD95 receptor in living cells, we show that at short times, the initial activation of CD95 occurs locally and is limited to the contact region of the cytotoxic synapse. This anisotropic activation of apoptotic signaling supports a role for confined interactions on the efficiency of signal transduction that may have implications for biomedical applications of extrinsic apoptosis induction.
The negative ecological impacts of a globally introduced species decrease with time since introduction
Authors: Závorka Libor , Buoro Mathieu , Cucherousset Julien
Published: May 2018

While there is a long‐history of biological invasions and their ecological impacts have been widely demonstrated across taxa and ecosystems, our knowledge on the temporal dynamic of these impacts remains extremely limited. Using a meta‐analytic approach, we investigated how the ecological impacts of non‐native brown trout (Salmo trutta), a model species with a 170‐year‐long and well‐documented history of intentional introductions across the globe, vary with time since introduction. We first observed significant negative ecological impacts immediately after the species introduction. Second, we found that the negative ecological impacts decrease with time since introduction and that the average ecological impacts become nonsignificant more than one century after introduction. This pattern was consistent across other ecological contexts (i.e., geographical location, levels of biological organization, and methodological approach). However, overall negative ecological impacts were more pronounced at the individual and population levels and in experimental studies. While the mechanisms leading to this decrease remain to be determined, our results indicate that rapid response of native organisms (e.g. adaptation, but also local extinction) may play an important role in this dynamic. Changes in native species traits and local extinction can have important conservation implications. Therefore, we argue that the decline of the negative ecological impacts over time should not be used as an argument to neglect the negative impacts of biological invasions.
A Raman investigation of the structural evolution of supercooled liquid barium disilicate during crystallization
Authors: Moulton Benjamin J. A. , Rodrigues Alisson Mendes , Pizani Paulo Sergio , Sampaio David Vieira , Zanotto Edgar Dutra
Published: May 2018

The homogeneous and stoichiometric crystallization of the barium disilicate (BaSi2O5) glass makes it possible to follow the structural evolution of Raman bands from the supercooled liquid to the crystalline phase. We monitored the crystallization of supercooled liquid BaSi2O5 at 790°C over 440 minutes revealing a three‐stage crystallization process: stage 1 involves changes in the barium sites toward a bonding environment that is similar to that in orthorhombic low barium disilicate. The end of stage 1 is marked by the loss of the Q4 species vibration at 1170 cm−1 and the creation of a crystalline band at 490 cm−1. Stage 2 is marked by the transition of the Q3 peak (1060 cm−1) from a Gaussian‐like to a Lorentzian curve, indicating the formation of well‐developed sheet structures. These observations lead us to conclude that the Raman spectra are resolving both the crystalline L‐BS2 phase and the BS2 melt. The final stage involves a rapid decrease in the remaining Qn species to form Q3. This crystallization process involves structural modifications that occur on the tens of microns scale. The barium cations drive the initial stages of crystallization, providing direct evidence that the short‐range order, around network modifiers, is a critical factor involved in homogeneous crystallization.
Impact of maternal pre‐pregnancy overweight on infant overweight at 1 year of age: associations and sex‐specific differences
Authors: Bridgman S. L. , Azad M. B. , Persaud R. R. , Chari R. S. , Becker A. B. , Sears M. R. , Mandhane P. J. , Turvey S. E. , Subbarao P. , Haqq A. M. , Kozyrskyj A. L.
Published: May 2018

Background

Maternal overweight or obesity (OWOB) is linked to gestational diabetes, fetal macrosomia and higher rates of caesarean delivery.

Objectives

The study aims to assess whether maternal pre‐pregnancy OWOB is associated with infant overweight in a sex‐dependent manner, independent of microbiota‐altering variables.

Methods

Weight and length measurements of 955 mother–infant pairs were obtained from the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development cohort. Maternal pre‐pregnancy weight was defined as follows: normal, overweight (25 ≤ body mass index < 30) and obese (body mass index ≥ 30). Age and sex‐adjusted weight‐for‐length z‐scores >97th percentile were classified as infant overweight at age 1 year. Associations between pre‐pregnancy and infant overweight were determined by linear and logistic regression, adjusting for covariates.

Results

Maternal pre‐pregnancy OWOB were associated with infant weight‐for‐length and overweight risk at 1 year. Except for pre‐pregnancy obesity, these associations were not attenuated appreciably after adjustment for birth mode, exclusivity of breastfeeding, exposure to antibiotics and infant sex. Yet only boys born to mothers with obesity were three times more likely to become overweight at age 1 independent of microbiota‐altering variables. Pre‐pregnancy obesity was associated with weight‐for‐length in male and female infants.

Conclusions

Maternal pre‐pregnancy OWOB increases the risk of infant overweight, and this association is more evident in male infants.
The impact of leadership on employees' intended information security behaviour: An examination of the full‐range leadership theory
Authors: Guhr Nadine , Lebek Benedikt , Breitner Michael H.
Published: May 2018

Explaining the influence of management leadership on employees' information security behaviour is an important focus in information systems research and for companies and organizations. Unfortunately, the role of leadership has remained largely unexplored in the information security context. Our study addresses this gap in literature: how the dimensions of full‐range leadership influence employees' intended information security behaviour. Consequently, our study takes an interactional psychology perspective and links the dimensions of the full‐range model of leadership to employees' security compliance intention and security participation intention. We tested our multitheoretical model using Smart PLS 3.2.7 on a proprietary data set of 322 professionals in more than 14 branches throughout different regions worldwide. Our study contributes to the literature on information security, management, and leadership by exploring how and why different leadership styles enhance employees' intended information security behaviour. Our empirical findings emphasize the importance of transformational leaders because they are capable of directly influencing employees on the extra‐role and in‐role behaviour levels. Our results indicate new directions for information security and leadership research and implications for leadership practices.
Fabrication and characterization of ternary La1‐xCexB6 by a novel molten salt synthesis route
Authors: Yu Yiping , Wang Song , Li Wei
Published: May 2018

A novel molten salt synthesis route has been developed to prepare ternary La1‐xCexB6 (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8), using LaCl3, CeCl3, and NaBH4 as reactants and eutectic LiCl/KCl salt as molten salt medium. All the synthesized ternary La1‐xCexB6 are single‐phase solid solution, and their lattice constant decreases linearly with increasing x. Morphology, microstructure, and elements composition of La0.6Ce0.4B6 which is a typical representative of the series of La1‐xCexB6 are analyzed in detail.
Job insecurity and creativity: The buffering effect of self‐affirmation and work‐affirmation
Authors: Jiang Lixin
Published: May 2018

It is well documented that job insecurity is a detrimental work stressor. The literature aimed at counteracting the adverse outcomes of job insecurity has focused on either individual differences, which are less amenable to modification, or organizational‐level interventions, which largely depend on organizational initiatives. This study introduced a self‐affirmation intervention to working adults and examined whether self‐affirmation could weaken the negative association between job insecurity and creativity. In order to enrich self‐affirmation theory and increase the applicability of the intervention to the workplace, this study also investigated whether work‐affirmation could attenuate the negative relationship between job insecurity and creativity. In a quasi‐experiment with employees recruited from Mturk, I found that a negative link between job insecurity and creativity, but not among those who were given an opportunity to affirm one's value (i.e., self‐affirmation) or one's work (i.e., work‐affirmation).
LncRNA ABHD11‐AS1 promotes the development of endometrial carcinoma by targeting cyclin D1
Authors: Liu Yao , Wang Li‐Li , Chen Shuo , Zong Zhi‐Hong , Guan Xue , Zhao Yang
Published: May 2018

To investigate the expression, role and mechanism of action of long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) ABHD11‐AS1 in endometrial carcinoma. The expression of lncRNA ABHD11‐AS1 was quantified by qRT‐PCR in human endometrial carcinoma (n = 89) and normal endometrial tissues (n = 27). LncRNA ABHD11‐AS1 was stably overexpressed or knocked‐down in endometrial carcinoma cell lines to examine the cellular phenotype and expression of related molecules. Compared to normal endometrial tissue, lncRNA ABHD11‐AS1 was significantly overexpressed in endometrial carcinoma. Overexpression of lncRNA ABHD11‐AS1 promoted the proliferation, G1‐S progression, invasion and migration of endometrial cancer cells; inhibited apoptosis; up‐regulated cyclin D1, CDK1, CDK2, CDK4, Bcl‐xl and VEGFA; and down‐regulated p16, while ABHD11‐AS1 down‐regulation has the opposite effect. RNA pull down demonstrated that lncRNA ABHD11‐AS1 binds directly to cyclin D1. Knockdown of cyclin D1 can reverse the effect of ABHD11‐AS1. Overexpression of lncRNA ABHD11‐AS1 increased the tumorigenicity and up‐regulated cyclin D1 in an in vivo model of endometrial cancer in nude mice. LncRNA ABHD11‐AS1 functions as an oncogene to promote cell proliferation and invasion in endometrial carcinoma by positively targeting cyclin D1.
What is the guidelines challenge? TheCauseHealthperspective
Authors: Anjum Rani Lill
Published: May 2018

This paper is an introduction to the conference, The Guidelines Challenge, held in Oxford in October 2017. My aim is to explain our motivation for organising this conference, as part of the research project Causation, Complexity, and Evidence in Health Sciences (CauseHealth). Depending on the professional starting point, the guidelines challenge can be interpreted in a number of ways. Our idea with this conference was to discuss guidelines from 3 overarching perspectives: practice, policy, and philosophy. In particular, we wanted to discuss some of the challenges that face anyone developing and implementing clinical guidelines in the evidence‐based era of medicine. This introduction gives a brief overview of what CauseHealth sees as the guidelines challenge from these perspectives. More attention is given to the philosophical issues with which the CauseHealth project is particularly concerned, although a proper treatment or discussion of these issues naturally falls outside the scope of this introduction.
Decreasing Use of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Feeding in Japan
Authors: Komiya Kosaku , Usagawa Yuko , Kadota Jun‐ichi , Ikegami Naoki
Published: May 2018

OBJECTIVES

To identify trends in percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement and intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) in nonhospital settings (as a potential alternative to tube feeding for nutrition) and to summarize published reports concerning the decision‐making process for PEG placement.

DESIGN

National survey and systematic review.

SETTING

Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

All Japanese people.

MEASUREMENTS

Data on numbers of individuals with a PEG tube and IVH were obtained from the website of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare and published reports concerning the decision‐making process for PEG placement in Japan were summarized.

RESULTS

The number of PEG tube placements peaked in 2007 and has been decreasing since Japan experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. A further decline was seen in 2015 after the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare revised the fee schedule in 2014. More than half of individuals who had tubes were aged 80 and older during the years observed. In contrast, the number of individuals receiving IVH was lowest in the same year as PEG tube placement peaked and has been increasing ever since. Four studies reported that the decision‐making process included consideration of not only the underlying disease, but also the individual's age and social barriers and the physician's personal philosophy.

CONCLUSION

The number of PEG tube placements has been decreasing since its peak in 2007, and the number of individuals receiving IVH has been increasing. Many factors influence the decision‐making process for PEG tube placement. Physicians in Japan may be realizing that there is little evidence to support the use of tube feeding in frail elderly adults.
Women Who Bedshare More Frequently at 14 Weeks Postpartum Subsequently Report Longer Durations of Breastfeeding
Authors: Bovbjerg Marit L. , Hill Jill A. , Uphoff Adrienne E. , Rosenberg Kenneth D.
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Breastfeeding rates in the United States continue to fall short of Healthy People 2020 goals. Bedsharing has been promoted as a way of increasing breastfeeding durations.

Methods

We used prospectively collected Oregon Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) and PRAMS‐2 data from 2276 women to explore whether bedsharing frequency predicts age at weaning. Bedsharing was assessed at 14 weeks after birth (PRAMS), and duration of breastfeeding was assessed at 2 years after birth (PRAMS‐2). Cox proportional hazards models controlled for primiparity, cesarean birth, marital status, employment status, maternal race and ethnicity, and pregravid body mass index.

Results

Women in this sample reported high rates of bedsharing: only 15.7% of PRAMS respondents said they never shared a bed with their infant. We also observed a dose‐response association between bedsharing frequency and breastfeeding duration when the analysis controlled for covariables: women who reported more frequent bedsharing at 14 weeks postpartum were more likely to wean later. Hazard ratios ranged from 1.18 (95% CI, 1.02‐1.35) for “often” versus “always” bedsharing to 1.92 (95% CI, 1.66‐2.24) for “never” versus “always.” In other words, at any given infant age, women who always bedshared were more likely to keep breastfeeding. Women who always bedshared at 14 weeks postpartum breastfed their infant for a median of 13 months (95% CI, 12‐14), compared with 10 months (95% CI, 9‐11) for women who never bedshared at 14 weeks.

Discussion

Although we cannot rule out confounding by breastfeeding intention, our results suggest that bedsharing in early infancy might lead to later weaning. Regardless of infant feeding method, given the frequency of bedsharing reported by women in this and other samples, clinicians encountering pregnant and postpartum women should teach safe bedsharing practices.
Fatigue Failure Load of Lithium Disilicate Restorations Cemented on a Chairside Titanium‐Base
Authors: Kaweewongprasert Peerapat , Phasuk Kamolphob , Levon John A. , Eckert George J. , Feitosa Sabrina , Valandro Luiz F. , Bottino Marco C. , Morton Dean
Published: May 2018

Purpose

To evaluate the fatigue failure load of distinct lithium disilicate restoration designs cemented on a chairside titanium base for maxillary anterior implant‐supported restorations.

Materials and Methods

A left‐maxillary incisor restoration was virtually designed and sorted into 3 groups: (n = 10/group; CTD: lithium disilicate crowns cemented on custom‐milled titanium abutments; VMLD: monolithic full‐contour lithium disilicate crowns cemented on a chairside titanium‐base; VCLD: lithium disilicate crowns bonded to lithium disilicate customized anatomic structures and then cemented onto a chairside titanium base). The chairside titanium base was air‐abraded with aluminum oxide particles. Subsequently, the titanium base was steam‐cleaned and air‐dried. Then a thin coat of a silane agent was applied. The intaglio surface of the ceramic components was treated with 5% hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching gel, followed by silanization, and bonded with a resin cement. The specimens were fatigued at 20 Hz, starting with a 100 N load (5000× load pulses), followed by stepwise loading from 400 N up to 1400 N (200 N increments) at a maximum of 30,000 cycles each. The failure loads, number of cycles, and fracture analysis were recorded. The data were statistically analyzed using one‐way ANOVA, followed by pairwise comparisons (p < 0.05). Kaplan‐Meier survival plots and Weibull survival analyses were reported.

Results

For catastrophic fatigue failure load and the total number of cycles for failure, VMLD (1260 N, 175,231 cycles) was significantly higher than VCLD (1080 N, 139,965 cycles) and CDT (1000 N, 133,185 cycles). VMLD had a higher Weibull modulus demonstrating greater structural reliability.

Conclusion

VMLD had the best fatigue failure resistance when compared with the other two groups.
Advances in the systematics and evolution of western Mediterranean representative species of the Pentanema conyzae clade through genetic fingerprinting
Authors: Gutiérrez‐Larruscain David , Andrés‐Sánchez Santiago , Rico Enrique , Martínez‐Ortega María Montserrat
Published: May 2018

Forty‐five populations of Pentanema corresponding to seven species included in the Pentanema conyzae clade have been studied using AFLP fingerprinting. The results show that allopolyploidization could have been involved in the diversification of this group, specifically in species P. langeanum and P. maletii. Molecular data confirm the presence of P. britannicum in the Iberian Peninsula and key steps are provided to identify the species that are morphologically the most challenging.
The Role of Whites in Lay Leadership Within Latino Churches
Authors: Martinez Brandon C. , Tamburello Jeffrey A.
Published: May 2018

Latinos are the largest ethnoracial minority group in America, and Latino congregations play an important role in the lives of their members and communities. Yet, little research exists on these congregations. The current study provides an examination of the lay leadership structures and power dynamics within Latino congregations. Drawing from organizational ecology theory and the homophily principle as well as contemporary racial stratification literature, we propose competing hypotheses regarding the roles whites play within the lay leadership and power structures of Latino congregations. Utilizing a national multilevel data set, we find the persistence of white privilege existing within Latino congregations, as whites are more likely to hold lay leadership positions within these congregations than Latinos, despite their numeric minority status. Moreover, our results reveal that individual access to the decision‐making process in these congregations increases for both whites and multiracial individuals as the proportion of Latinos increases in their congregation. We further discuss the implications of these findings.
Where Men Appear More Religious Than Women: Turning a Gender Lens on Religion in Israel
Authors: Schnabel Landon , Hackett Conrad , McClendon David
Published: May 2018

Past research, typically focused on Christians in Christian nations, has found that women tend to be more religious than men. This study uses original nationally representative data (N = 5,601) with strategic oversamples of minority groups to examine variation in how religion and gender intersect across ethnoreligious identities in Israel. We demonstrate that Israel diverges from the typical pattern of women appearing more religious than men. In fact, Israeli men are consistently more religious than Israeli women on commonly used measures and frequently more religious on a broader set of questions specific to Judaism and Israel. Subgroup analyses highlight the intersectional nature of gender and religion, showing that men's greater religiosity in Israel is limited to Jews, and, more specifically, nonsecular Jews. We suggest that gender gaps arise, at least in part, because religions are gendered institutions with gendered norms, expectations, and incentives, and that these norms, expectations, and incentives vary from religion to religion.
Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels: a metabolic TR(i)P to obesity prevention and therapy
Authors: Bishnoi M. , Khare P. , Brown L. , Panchal S. K.
Published: May 2018

Cellular transport of ions, especially by ion channels, regulates physiological function. The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, with 30 identified so far, are cation channels with high calcium permeability. These ion channels are present in metabolically active tissues including adipose tissue, liver, gastrointestinal tract, brain (hypothalamus), pancreas and skeletal muscle, which suggests a potential role in metabolic disorders including obesity. TRP channels have potentially important roles in adipogenesis, obesity development and its prevention and therapy because of their physiological properties including calcium permeability, thermosensation and taste perception, involvement in cell metabolic signalling and hormone release. This wide range of actions means that organ‐specific actions are unlikely, thus increasing the possibility of adverse effects. Delineation of responses to TRP channels has been limited by the poor selectivity of available agonists and antagonists. Food constituents that can modulate TRP channels are of interest in controlling metabolic status. TRP vanilloid 1 channels modulated by capsaicin have been the most studied, suggesting that this may be the first target for effective pharmacological modulation in obesity. This review shows that most of the TRP channels are potential targets to reduce metabolic disorders through a range of mechanisms.
Linking photosynthetic performances with the changes in cover degree of three Mediterranean shrubs under climate manipulation
Authors: Liberati Dario , de Dato Giovanbattista , Guidolotti Gabriele , De Angelis Paolo
Published: May 2018

Understanding how different combinations of plant functional traits contribute to species fitness is a question of considerable ecological interest, that can give insights into the mechanisms controlling community assembly, and into the processes by which climate change can modify plant community structure and composition. We investigated the changes in cover degree of three shrubs (Cistus monspeliensis, Dorycnium pentaphyllum and Helichrysum microphyllum) growing in a Mediterranean garrigue subjected for 11 years to a reduced rainfall regime, following a conceptual framework based on the two‐phase resource dynamic model: considering the seasonal drought typical of the Mediterranean climate, the two‐phases were identified based on high (pulse phase) and low (interpulse phase) soil water availability. We developed a parameter proportional to the whole plant photosynthesis (plant photosynthetic index, PPI), scaling up the leaf photosynthesis to canopy level, taking into account the different canopy densities and the fluctuations in leaf biomass due to summer leaf shedding. PPI was used to derive plant performance estimators for both pulse (maximum value reached by PPI, PPImax) and interpulse phase (duration of the exhaustion phase, Durep, when drought constrains PPI below the plant carbon compensation point determining carbon starvation). For each species the ratio between PPImax and Durep (named PPIred) was used as an index of plant performance. The reduced rainfall regime mainly decreased the performances of the dominant species C. monspeliensis, both limiting PPImax and extending Durep. Under both natural and the manipulated rainfall regime, PPIred was proportional to plant success, measured as the cover degree variation rate of the species. This result suggests that a mechanistic approach using functional traits to quantify the different performance of co‐occurring species can be used to investigate 1) the drivers of the medium‐term changes in species abundance and 2) the processes responsible for change in plant community composition under climate change.
Beyond deterrent enforcement styles: Behavioural intuitions of Chinese environmental law enforcement agents in a context of challenging inspections
Authors: Liu Ning , Van Rooij Benjamin , Lo Carlos Wing‐Hung
Published: May 2018

This article extends the study of regulatory enforcement on three levels. First, it separates enforcement style elements during inspections and sanction decision‐making work, creating a more realistic measurement. Second, it focuses on how these elements function in a context where it is hard in practice to achieve deterrence. Third, it assesses how agents view the effectiveness of combinations of style elements in such a context. To do so, it uses survey and interview data with street‐level environmental officials in Guangzhou, China. It finds that the agents studied practise enforcement that goes beyond deterrence and uses education and persuasion more effectively. It finds that the behavioural assumptions of these agents are to a large extent in line with the available regulatory literature, although agents are very unlikely to have consulted such studies. Therefore, the article concludes that law enforcement agents can develop nuanced and appropriate behavioural intuitions through their everyday work experiences.
Management strategies in response to an institutional crisis: The case of earthquakes in the Netherlands
Authors: Schmidt Arjen , Boersma Kees , Groenewegen Peter
Published: May 2018

When a policy sector is confronted with a relatively strong and steep decline in legitimacy, we speak of an institutional crisis. We know little about the causes or consequences of these crises. This article explores how institutional crises are managed. It focuses on the effects of management strategies observed in a case study of an institutional crisis in the Netherlands. While we found that policy elites displayed a tendency to maintain the status quo of a policy sector, we also found that the effectiveness of their response strategies was negated by the counter‐response it evoked among freshly energized interest, advocacy and citizen groups. We conclude that the resolution of an institutional crisis is inherently contested. Based on our case study, we develop a theoretical model and formulate propositions that may help to improve our understanding of institutional crisis management.
Integrated control of potato late blight: predicting the combined efficacy of host resistance and fungicides
Authors: Ritchie F. , Bain R. A. , Lees A. K. , Boor T. R. W. , Paveley N. D.
Published: May 2018

Integrating cultivars that are partially resistant with reduced fungicide doses offers growers an opportunity to decrease fungicide input but still maintain disease control. To use integrated control strategies in practice requires a method to determine the combined effectiveness of particular cultivar and fungicide dose combinations. Simple models, such as additive dose models (ADM) and multiplicative survival models (MSM), have been used previously to determine the joint action of two or more pesticides. This study tests whether a model based on multiplicative survival principles can predict the joint action of fungicide doses combined with cultivars of differing partial host resistance. Data from eight field experiments on potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans) were used to test the model; the severity of foliar blight was assessed and scores used to calculate the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). A subset of data, derived from the most susceptible cultivar, King Edward, was used to produce dose–response curves from which parameter values were estimated, quantifying fungicide efficacy. These values, along with the untreated values for the more resistant cultivars, Cara and Sarpo Mira, were used to predict the combined efficacy of the remaining cultivar by fungicide dose combinations. Predicted efficacy was compared against observations from an independent subset of treatments from the field experiments. The analysis demonstrated that multiplicative survival principles can be applied to describe the joint efficacy of host resistance and fungicide dose combinations.
“Monks by Night and Knights by Day”: Ḥasan al‐Bannāʾ,Tarbīya, and the embodied ethics of the early Muslim Brotherhood
Authors: Houston Sam
Published: May 2018

In this article, I trace and analyze the manifold ways in which Ḥasan al‐Bannāʾ (d. 1949), founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, appropriated Ṣūfī thought and practice in the creation of Brotherhood doctrine and institutional structures, with a particular focus on his model of ethico‐spiritual formation (tarbīya). For al‐Bannāʾ, Ṣūfī discursive and embodied practices and the virtues they produced were required not only for individual flourishing, but as the necessary precondition for socio‐political activism. Such a recognition of the embodied nature of ethical formation stands in contrast to Salafī epistemologies predicated on a scriptural positivism and an exoteric focus on law, and sheds further light on the early Muslim Brotherhood's Ṣūfī origins. Moreover, this ethical paradigm, which entails a “sharīʿa‐minded” Ṣūfism placed in an activist framework, not only challenges those narratives which perpetuate an inherent Salafī‐Ṣūfī divide; it also creates avenues for exploring the relationship between practical reasoning, virtue formation, and public engagement, thus further contributing to an “engaged Ṣūfism” advocated by some today.
What is the shape of a bundle? An analysis of Rosen's fibrous composites experiments using the chain‐of‐bundles model
Authors: Li Shuang , Gleaton James , Lynch James
Published: May 2018

In the 1960s, W. B. Rosen conducted some remarkable experiments on unidirectional fibrous composites that gave seminal insights into their failure under increasing tensile load. These insights led him to a grid system where the nodes in the grid were ineffective length fibers and to model the composite as something he called a chain‐of‐bundles model (i.e., a series system of parallel subsystems of horizontal nodes that he referred to as bundles), where the chain fails when one of the bundles fails. A load‐sharing rule was used to quantify how the load is borne among the nodes. Here, Rosen's experiments are analyzed to determine the shape of a bundle. The analysis suggests that the bundles are not horizontal collection of nodes but rather small rectangular grid systems of nodes where the load‐sharing between nodes is local in its form. In addition, a Gibbs measure representation for the joint distribution of binary random variables is given. This is used to show how the system reliability for a reliability structure can be obtained from the partition function for the Gibbs measure and to illustrate how to assess the risk of failure of a bundle in the chain‐of‐bundle model.
Survival times in dogs with presumptive intracranial gliomas treated with oral lomustine: A comparative retrospective study (2008‐2017)
Authors: Moirano S. J. , Dewey C. W. , Wright K. Z. , Cohen P. W.
Published: May 2018

Intracranial gliomas are a common malignancy in dogs, and are associated with a poor prognosis due to their aggressive nature and a lack of clinically effective treatments. The efficacies of various treatment modalities for canine brain tumours have been previously described, though little data exist on the use of cytotoxic chemotherapy. A comparative retrospective study, including 40 cases from 5 northeastern US veterinary hospitals, from 2008 to 2017, was conducted. Variables analysed in this study with relation to overall survival and prognostic significance included: age, sex, clinical signs, clinical sign duration, tumour location and treatment protocol used. Dogs with presumptive intracranial gliomas treated with lomustine chemotherapy lived longer (median, 138 days) than those treated exclusively with symptomatic care (median, 35 days;P = .0026 log‐rank, 0.0138 Wilcoxon). Additionally, a duration of clinical signs ≥16 days prior to diagnosis (median, 109 days) was associated with a longer survival than a duration <16 days prior (median, 25 days;P = .0100 log‐rank, 0.0322 Wilcoxon). Lomustine‐associated side effects included neutropenia in 46% of dogs, anaemia in 15% and thrombocytopenia in 15%. Potential renal and hepatotoxicity based on increased BUN and/or creatinine and ALT values were reported in 15% and 50% of dogs, respectively. This study provides evidence that lomustine therapy may be effective in prolonging survival in dogs with intracranial gliomas and should be considered as a potential treatment option. Although lomustine‐related toxicities are fairly common, they are rarely life threatening and often do not result in discontinuation of therapy.
Failure of bacterial screening to detect Staphylococcus aureus: the English experience of donor follow‐up
Authors: Brailsford S. R. , Tossell J. , Morrison R. , McDonald C. P. , Pitt T. L.
Published: May 2018

Background and Objectives

Between February 2011 and December 2016, over 1·6 million platelet units, 36% pooled platelets, underwent bacterial screening prior to issue. Contamination rates for apheresis and pooled platelets were 0·02% and 0·07%, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 21 contaminations, including four pooled platelets, one confirmed transfusion‐transmitted infection (TTI) and three ‘near‐miss’ incidents detected on visual inspection which were negative on screening. We describe follow‐up investigations of 16 donors for skin carriage of S. aureus and molecular characterisation of donor and pack isolates.

Materials and Methods

Units were screened by the BacT/ALERT 3D detection system. Contributing donors were interviewed and consent requested for skin and nasal swabbing. S. aureus isolates were referred for spa gene type and DNA macrorestriction profile to determine identity between carriage strains and packs.

Results

Donors of 10 apheresis and two pooled packs screen positive for S. aureus were confirmed as the source of contamination; seven had a history of skin conditions, predominantly eczema; 11 were nasal carriers. The ‘near‐miss’ incidents were associated with apheresis donors, two donors harboured strains indistinguishable from the pack strain. The TTI was due to a screen‐negative pooled unit, and a nasal isolate of one donor was indistinguishable from that in the unit.

Conclusion

Staphylococcus aureus contamination is rare but potentially harmful in platelet units. Donor isolates showed almost universal correspondence in molecular type with pack isolates, thus confirming the source of contamination. The importance of visual inspection of packs prior to transfusion is underlined by the ‘near‐miss’ incidents.
Comparison of Somatotype Characteristics and Anthropometric Proportional Relations of Elite Wrestlers Between Styles and Weights
Authors: Kaplan Defne Öcal , Yıldıran İbrahim
Published: May 2018

In this paper, comparison of somatotype characteristics and anthropometric proportional relations of elite wrestlers at the level of styles and weights and, contribution to improvement and orientation of sport is aimed. 57 elite wrestlers took place in the European Championship Preparatory Camp of Turkish National Adults Wrestling Team (31 greco-roman style with 7 light weight, 14 medium weight and 10 heavy weight –with av. height: 168.9 cm. and av. weight: 81.1 kg.; 26 free style with 8 light weight, 12 are medium weight and 6 heavy weight –with av. height: 173.0 cm. and av. weight: 87.9 kg), analyzed in this study. As a result of anthropometric measurements, there are no meaningful differences between free style and greco-roman elite wrestlers both in style and weigh. Wrestlers, as evaluated in somatotype, free and greco-roman styles are characterized as endomorphic mesomorphy, lightweight wrestlers are measured as balanced mesomorphy, medium-weight wrestlers are found endomorphic mesomorphy and heavy-weight wrestlers are characterized as endomorphic mesomorphy. Meaningful difference have found between weights. In spite of there is no differentiate effect of styles for wrestlers, partake in the similar training, nutrition and competition programs from childhood, weight, leaning on differentiates of somatotypes in the frame of the components like height, weight, length of bust and arm etc., emanates differences.