bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk stratification of high‐risk metastatic neuroblastoma: A report from the HR‐NBL‐1/SIOPEN study
Authors: Morgenstern Daniel A. , Pötschger Ulrike , Moreno Lucas , Papadakis Vassilios , Owens Cormac , Ash Shifra , Pasqualini Claudia , Luksch Roberto , Garaventa Alberto , Canete Adela , Elliot Martin , Wieczorek Aleksandra , Laureys Geneviève , Kogner Per , Malis Josef , Ruud Ellen , Beck‐Popovic Maja , Schleiermacher Gudrun , Valteau‐Couanet Dominique , Ladenstein Ruth
Published: July 2018

Background

Risk stratification is crucial to treatment decision‐making in neuroblastoma. This study aimed to explore factors present at diagnosis affecting outcome in patients aged ≥18 months with metastatic neuroblastoma and to develop a simple risk score for prognostication.

Procedure

Data were derived from the European high‐risk neuroblastoma 1 (HR‐NBL1)/International Society for Paediatric Oncology European Neuroblastoma (SIOPEN) trial with analysis restricted to patients aged ≥18 months with metastatic disease and treated prior to the introduction of immunotherapy. Primary endpoint was 5‐year event‐free survival (EFS). Prognostic factors assessed were sex, age, tumour MYCN amplification (MNA) status, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)/ferritin, primary tumour and metastatic sites. Factors significant in univariate analysis were incorporated into a multi‐variable model and an additive scoring system developed based on estimated log‐cumulative hazard ratios.

Results

The cohort included 1053 patients with median follow‐up 5.5 years and EFS 27 ± 1%. In univariate analyses, age; serum LDH and ferritin; involvement of bone marrow, bone, liver or lung; and >1 metastatic system/compartment were associated with worse EFS. Tumour MNA was not associated with worse EFS. A multi‐variable model and risk score incorporating age (>5 years, 2 points), serum LDH (>1250 U/L, 1 point) and number of metastatic systems (>1, 2 points) were developed. EFS was significantly correlated with risk score: EFS 52 ± 9% for score = 0 versus 6 ± 3% for score = 5 (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

A simple score can identify an “ultra‐high risk” (UHR) cohort (score = 5) comprising 8% of patients with 5‐year EFS <10%. These patients appear not to benefit from induction therapy and could potentially be directed earlier to alternative experimental therapies in future trials.
The student–teacher relationship quality in children with selective mutism
Authors: Longobardi Claudio , Badenes‐Ribera Laura , Gastaldi Francesca Giovanna Maria , Prino Laura Elvira
Published: July 2018

Selective mutism (SM) is a rare anxiety disorder that compromises children's daily life during critical periods of early development. Because school is a prime context for the manifestation of the disorder, the aim of this study was to investigate the quality of the student–teacher relationship and its effects on behavior and work, and on social and relational skills. The sample consisted of 75 children—15 were affected by SM, with 60 in the control group—and 15 teachers. The results showed greater difficulty on the teacher's part to establish a relationship based on affective closeness with a child affected by SM, compared to that with unaffected children. Nevertheless, an encouraging picture emerges of the inclusion and integration of the child with SM among peers and therefore in the class group.
Underwater confined space mapping by resource‐constrained autonomous vehicle
Authors: Preston Victoria , Salumäe Taavi , Kruusmaa Maarja
Published: July 2018

For marine industrial inspection, archaeology, and geological formation study, the ability to map unknown underwater enclosed and confined spaces is desirable and well suited for robotic vehicles. To date, there are few solutions thoroughly tested in the field designed to perform this specific task, none of which operate autonomously. With a small, low‐cost biomimetic platform known as the U‐CAT, we developed a mapping‐mission software architecture in which the vehicle executes three key sensor‐based reactive stages: entering, exploring, and exiting. Encapsulated in the exploring stage are several state‐defined navigation strategies, called patterns, which were designed and initially tested in simulation. The results of simulation work informed the selection of two patterns that were executed in field trials at a submerged building in Rummu Quarry Lake, Estonia, as part of several full mapping missions. Over the course of these trials, the vehicle was capable of observing the majority (78–97%) of 49.9 explorable square meters within 7 minutes. Based on these results, we demonstrate the capability of a low‐cost and resource‐constrained vehicle to perform confined space mapping under sensor uncertainty. Further, the observations made by the vehicle are shown to be suitable for a target site reconstruction and analysis in postprocessing, which is the intended outcome of this type of mission in practical applications.
P‐152: Analysis and Comparison of Display Defects of Rugged LCDs in high temperature environment
Authors: Qibin Feng , Ziang Hu , Junjun Li , Yuan Yuan , Yu Zhang , Guoqiang Lv
Published: July 2018

To guarantee the display quality in harsh environment, a LCD in military application has to be ruggedized via bonding an ITO glass to reduce electromagnetic interference and reflection. However, with the same bonding process, the rugged LCDs using the LC panels from some manufacturers become more easier to display Mura than the panels from other manufacturers. The paper proposes an experiment‐and‐simulation‐combined method to analyze the display defects of the rugged LCDs. 2 kinds of the common LCDs and the rugged LCDs were tested and simulated. It is found that one kind of the common LCD and the rugged LCD is more sensitive to the external force and temperature, leading to higher possibility to display Mura. It would be helpful to perform some tests on common LCDs before ruggedization to choose one that is no sensitive to harsh environment.
A Highly Skin‐Conformal and Biodegradable Graphene‐Based Strain Sensor
Authors: Wan Shu , Zhu Zhihong , Yin Kuibo , Su Shi , Bi Hengchang , Xu Tao , Zhang Hongtao , Shi Zhihui , He Longbing , Sun Litao
Published: July 2018

For wearable sensors, realizing a strong and conformal contact with skin is essential to precisely detect human vital signals and enable human–machine interaction. Herein, a facile strategy is reported to fabricate a sensor with ultrahigh skin conformity by adopting a commercial make‐up accessory (nose film) as the substrate and graphene as the active materials. The wearable strain sensor can be pasted on human skin at the dermatoglyph level, and the commercial make‐up shows a high skin adhesion with a peel‐off strength of ≈29.4 N m−1. The high adhesion as well as ultraconformity to skin results in a signal amplification of ≈14.2 times. Also, the sensor shows a similar stretchability (≈35%) to human skin (≈30%) in addition to maintaining an impressive performance with a high sensitivity and rapid response time. These characteristics are attractive for precisely monitoring human vital signals and in appliances with increased human–machine interaction. Besides, the sensor is biodegradable, being made from a nontoxic water‐soluble polymer. It is most likely that biodegradable materials will be increasingly attractive due to the potential environmental problem caused by traditional nonbiodegradable polymers.
Potential Impacts of PIT Tagging on a Critically Endangered Small‐Bodied Fish: A Trial on the Surrogate Mountain Galaxias
Authors: Allan Hugh , Unmack Peter , Duncan Richard P. , Lintermans Mark
Published: July 2018

Recent advances in PIT technology have led to smaller tags, meaning that this technology can be used to mark and monitor smaller‐bodied species, many of which are threatened. We examined the effects of 9‐mm PIT tags on the survival and growth of the Mountain Galaxias Galaxias olidus, using this fish as a surrogate for several threatened, small‐bodied galaxiids. We measured survival, growth, and tag retention in 34 tagged and 34 untagged fish held in aquaria for 90 d posttagging. Fish were randomly assigned to a treatment (tagged or untagged) and were weighed just prior to tagging and then at 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 90 d after tagging, with observations made 5–7 times per week to check for survival and tag loss. Survival did not differ significantly between tagged and untagged groups (79% and 88%, respectively), and there was no difference in weight gain or loss between the two groups over time. Tag retention rate was high (96%), with only one tag expelled by the smallest tagged fish (73 mm length to caudal fork). Our findings show that Mountain Galaxias are capable of successfully retaining 9‐mm PIT tags in aquarium conditions, suggesting that this technology is suitable for the monitoring of similar small‐bodied fish in the wild.
Fetal fraction‐based risk algorithm for non‐invasive prenatal testing: screening for trisomies 13 and 18 and triploidy in women with low cell‐free fetal DNA
Authors: McKanna T. , Ryan A. , Krinshpun S. , Kareht S. , Marchand K. , Grabarits C. , Ali M. , McElheny A. , Gardiner K. , LeChien K. , Hsu M. , Saltzman D. , Stosic M. , Martin K. , Benn P.
Published: July 2018

Objective

To identify pregnancies at increased risk for trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy attributable to low fetal fraction (FF).

Methods

A FF‐based risk (FFBR) model was built using data from more than 165 000 singleton pregnancies referred for single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)‐based non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). Based on maternal weight and gestational age (GA), FF distributions for normal, trisomy 13, trisomy 18 and triploid pregnancies were constructed and used to adjust prior risks for these abnormalities. A risk cut‐off of ≥ 1% was chosen to define pregnancies at high risk for trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy (high FFBR score). The model was evaluated on an independent blinded set of pregnancies for which SNP‐based NIPT did not return a result, and for which pregnancy outcome information was gathered retrospectively.

Results

The evaluation cohort comprised 1148 cases, of which approximately half received a high FFBR score. Compared with rates expected based on maternal age (MA) and GA, cases with a high FFBR score had a significantly increased rate of trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy combined (5.7% vs 0.7%; P < 0.001) and also of unexplained pregnancy loss (14.7% vs 10.4%; P < 0.001). For cases that did not receive a high FFBR score, the incidence of a chromosomal abnormality or pregnancy loss was not significantly different from that expected based on MA and GA. In this study cohort, the sensitivity of the FFBR model for detection of trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy was 91.4% (95% CI, 76.9–98.2%) with a positive predictive value of 5.7% (32/564; 95% CI, 3.9–7.9%).

Conclusions

For pregnancies with a FF too low to receive a result on standard NIPT, the FFBR algorithm identified a subset of cases at increased risk for trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy. For the remainder of cases, the risk of a fetal chromosomal abnormality was unchanged from that expected based on MA and GA. © 2018 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Big Data Approaches for coastal flood risk assessment and emergency response
Authors: Pollard James A , Spencer Tom , Jude Simon
Published: July 2018

Big Data Approaches (BDAs) refers to the combined use of historic datasets, incoming data streams, and the array of related technologies designed to shed new light on societal and environmental complexities through novel organizational, storage, and analytical capabilities. Despite widespread recognition of the commercial benefits of BDAs, application in the environmental domain is less well articulated. This represents a missed opportunity given that the dimensions used to characterize BDAs (volume, variety, velocity, and veracity) appear apt in describing the intractable challenges posed by global climate change. This paper employs coastal flood risk management as an illustrative case study to explore the potential applications in the environmental domain. Trends in global change including accelerating sea level rise, concentration of people and assets in low‐lying areas and deterioration of protective coastal ecosystems are expected to manifest locally as increased future flood risk. Two branches of coastal flood risk management are considered. First, coastal flood risk assessment, focusing on better characterization of hazard sources, facilitative pathways, and vulnerable receptors. Second, flood emergency response procedures, focusing on forecasting of flooding events, dissemination of warnings, and response monitoring. Critical commentary regarding technical, contextual, institutional, and behavioral barriers to the implementation of BDAs is offered throughout including a discussion of two fundamental difficulties associated with applying BDAs to coastal flood risk management: the role of BDAs in the broader flood system and the skill requirements for a generation of data scientists capable of implementing Big Data Approaches.

This article is categorized under:

Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Knowledge and Practice

Climate, History, Society, Culture > Technological Aspects and Ideas
Global urban climate governance in three and a half parts: Experimentation, coordination, integration (and contestation)
Authors: Gordon David J.
Published: July 2018

Cities are increasingly central to the global governance of climate change, and much of their activity takes place within city‐networks operating at national, regional, and global scales. As the scope and ambition of city activities have been augmented over the past decade, so the scholarship has evolved as well. I set out in this review article to trace this evolution by focusing on four lines of inquiry organized around the conceptual foundations of governance experimentation, horizontal coordination, vertical integration, and political contestation. As we stand at the cusp of a vital moment in the global response, I suggest the need for a concerted effort to direct more, and more sustained, attention to the last of these. I argue that careful, critical, and creative thinking with respect to the power relations shaping the role of cities as global climate governors offers a means through which scholars can best contribute to augmenting the capacity for a just and effective urban contribution to the global effort.

This article is categorized under:

Policy and Governance > Governing Climate Change in Communities, Cities, and Regions
Bayesian variable selection using the hyper‐g prior in WinBUGS
Authors: Perrakis Konstantinos , Ntzoufras Ioannis
Published: July 2018

The hyper‐g prior is a default choice for Bayesian variable selection in normal linear regression models. In this article we provide an overview of the Bayesian variable selection framework and explain in detail the specification for the hyper‐g prior setup. The practical implementation of the methods under consideration is demonstrated through the use of WinBUGS software explaining the correspondence between code and theoretical setup. An illustration of results is considered through a simulated data example.

This article is categorized under:

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Bayesian Methods and Theory

Statistical Models > Model Selection

Statistical Models > Linear Models
Framing natural assets for advancing sustainability research: translating different perspectives into actions
Authors: Martinez-Harms Maria Jose , Gelcich Stefan , Krug Rainer M. , Maseyk Fleur J. F. , Moersberger Hannah , Rastogi Archi , Wambugu Geoffrey , Krug Cornelia B. , Spehn Eva M. , Pascual Unai
Published: July 2018

Sustainability is a key challenge for humanity in the context of complex and unprecedented global changes. Future Earth, an international research initiative aiming to advance global sustainability science, has recently launched knowledge–action networks (KANs) as mechanisms for delivering its research strategy. The research initiative is currently developing a KAN on “natural assets” to facilitate and enable action-oriented research and synthesis towards natural assets sustainability. ‘Natural assets’ has been adopted by Future Earth as an umbrella term aiming to translate and bridge across different knowledge systems and different perspectives on peoples’ relationships with nature. In this paper, we clarify the framing of Future Earth around natural assets emphasizing the recognition on pluralism and identifying the challenges of translating different visions about the role of natural assets, including via policy formulation, for local to global sustainability challenges. This understanding will be useful to develop inter-and transdisciplinary solutions for human–environmental problems by (i) embracing richer collaborative decision processes and building bridges across different perspectives; (ii) giving emphasis on the interactions between biophysical and socioeconomic drivers affecting the future trends of investments and disinvestments in natural assets; and (iii) focusing on social equity, power relationships for effective application of the natural assets approach. This understanding also intends to inform the scope of the natural asset KAN’s research agenda to mobilize the translation of research into co-designed action for sustainability.
Romiplostim for thrombocytopenia following allogeneic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Lancman Guido , Coltoff Alexander , Steinberg Amir
Published: July 2018

Thrombocytopenia is a relatively common complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and is associated with increased bleeding, transfusion requirements, chronic graft-versus-host disease, and all-cause mortality. There are currently no approved treatments outside of supportive transfusions. We report on the outcomes of five patients at our institution who received romiplostim for either primary engraftment failure or secondary failure of platelet recovery following stem cell transplantation. In total, four out of the five patients demonstrated a response to romiplostim, which was defined as seven consecutive days of platelet count >50 × 109/L with transfusion independence, with two ongoing responses (>365 days each) at the conclusion of the study period. Responses to romiplostim were sustained in the absence of significant bone marrow disease, which was found to contribute to recurrent thrombocytopenia. Additionally, romiplostim was well-tolerated overall; one patient developed minimal fibrotic changes on bone marrow biopsy postromiplostim. Although these results are promising, data from randomized clinical trials are needed to fully understand the role of romiplostim after stem cell transplantation.
Sleep disturbances and dementia risk: A multicenter study
Authors: Sindi Shireen , Kåreholt Ingemar , Johansson Lena , Skoog Johan , Sjöberg Linnea , Wang Hui‐Xin , Johansson Boo , Fratiglioni Laura , Soininen Hilkka , Solomon Alina , Skoog Ingmar , Kivipelto Miia
Published: July 2018

Introduction

Few longitudinal studies assessed whether sleep disturbances are associated with dementia risk.

Methods

Sleep disturbances were assessed in three population‐based studies (H70 study and Kungsholmen Project [Sweden]; Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia study [Finland]). Late‐life baseline analyses (3–10 years follow‐up) used all three studies (N = 1446). Baseline ages ≈ 70 years (Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia, H70), and ≈84 years (Kungsholmen Project). Midlife baseline (age ≈ 50 years) analyses used Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (21 and 32 years follow‐up) (N = 1407).

Results

Midlife insomnia (fully adjusted hazard ratio = 1.24, 95% confidence interval = 1.02–1.50) and late‐life terminal insomnia (fully adjusted odds ratio = 1.94, 95% confidence interval = 1.08–3.49) were associated with a higher dementia risk. Late‐life long sleep duration (>9 hours) was also associated with an increased dementia risk (adjusted odds ratio = 3.98, 95% confidence interval = 1.87–8.48).

Discussion

Midlife insomnia and late‐life terminal insomnia or long sleep duration were associated with a higher late‐life dementia risk.
Supplier non‐retention post disruption: What role does anger play?
Authors: Polyviou Mikaella , Rungtusanatham M. Johnny , Reczek Rebecca W. , Knemeyer A. Michael
Published: July 2018

We analyze the direct and indirect effects of two critical‐component supply‐disruption attributes (CONTROLLABILITYandRESPONSIBILITY) on supplier non‐retention post disruption. Using a scenario‐based role‐playing experiment with 253 purchasing professionals, we find that the likelihood that a recovery lead (i.e., the individual assigned to the disruption‐recovery task) recommends non‐retention of an incumbent critical‐component supplier post disruption is higher when the recovery lead perceives that the supplier, rather than nature, had control over the supply disruption. Moreover, this direct effect is partially explained by the amount ofANGERthat the recovery lead feels due to the supply disruption. Neither the direct nor the indirect effect ofRESPONSIBILITYon supplier non‐retention post disruption is, however, detected. This paper is among the first to offer theoretical and empirical evidence that supplier non‐retention in a supply‐disruption context is a function of who had control over the supply disruption. Furthermore, this paper considers the effects of emotions and illustrates that supply‐management decisions are not based solely on rational (i.e., cognitive) processes but also on emotional processes. Finally, this paper challenges conceptual arguments about the association between supplier selection and retention, at least in the supply‐disruption context and with regard to the individual participating in both tasks. Our findings also have several managerial implications for supplying and buying firms.
The ghrelin and orexin activity in testicular tissues of patients with idiopathic non‐obstructive azoospermia
Authors: Ozkanli Seyma , Basar Mehmet Murad , Selimoglu Serkan , Erol Bulent , Ozkanli Oguz , Nurili Fuad , Kahraman Semra
Published: July 2018

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the presence of ghrelin and orexin in the testicular tissue of patients who have undergone microscopic testicular sperm extraction (micro‐TESE) due to idiopathic non‐obstructive azoospermia. Seventy azoospermic cases were included in this study; serum hormone levels were measured and genetic investigations were performed. The patients were divided into two groups: micro‐TESE (+) and micro‐TESE (−). The number of Leydig cells and stained cells in the seminiferous tubules were counted under a light microscope, and we analyzed ghrelin and orexin activity. The relationship between serum hormone levels and ghrelin and orexin distributions in testicular tissue was evaluated according to micro‐TESE results. While sperm was found in 33 cases (47.1%), micro‐TESE was negative in 37 cases (52.9%). Peptide hormone activity in testicular tissue was higher in micro‐TESE (+) cases. However, interstitial orexin (p = 0.038) and ghrelin (p = 0.002) activity showed statistically meaningful differences. Many different peptides, genes, and other unknown mechanisms play important roles in testicular function. In particular, the peptides orexin and ghrelin may play regulatory roles in testicular function in humans.
Persistence and adherence to rivastigmine in patients with dementia: Results from a noninterventional, retrospective study using the National Health Insurance research database of Taiwan
Authors: Chang Chee‐Jen , Chou Tse‐Chih , Chang Chiung‐Chih , Chen Ta‐Fu , Hu Chaur‐Jong , Fuh Jong‐Ling , Wang Wenfu , Chen Chiung‐Mei , Hsu Winco , Huang Chin‐Chang
Published: July 2018

Introduction

The objective of the study was to assess adherence and persistence of patients treated with rivastigmine versus donepezil.

Methods

Persistence was calculated as the time from the first prescription date of rivastigmine/donepezil until discontinuation/medication switch/end of available data, whichever occurred first. Adherence was calculated as proportion of days covered and medication possession ratio.

Results

A majority of patients persisted on 4.5 and 6 mg of rivastigmine for 429 and 468 days, respectively, versus 443 and 441 days for patients receiving 5 and 10 mg of donepezil daily, respectively. Patients who initially received 1.5 mg of oral rivastigmine required a shorter time to reach a stable dose compared with those who initiated treatment at a higher dose of rivastigmine. Patients at a stable dose of 4.5 or 6 mg of rivastigmine were observed to persist longer than those at a lower dose of rivastigmine and donepezil.

Discussion

Although results indicate significant difference in persistence between rivastigmine and donepezil groups, clinical significance remains undetermined.
A 3D particle model for the plume CEX simulation
Authors: Lu C. , Qiu P. , Cao Y. , Zhang T.P. , Chen J.J.
Published: July 2018

Charge Exchange (CEX) ion is the main factor causing the plume pollution. The distribution of CEX ions is determined by the distribution of beam ions and neutral atoms. Hence, the primary problem in the study of the plume is how to accurately simulate the distribution of beam ions and neutral atoms. At present, the most commonly used model utilised for the plume simulation is the analytical model proposed by Roy for the plume simulation of the NASA Solar Technology Application Readiness (NSTAR) ion thruster. However, this analytical model can only be applied to the ion beam with small divergence angles. In addition, the analytical model is no longer applicable to the simulation for the plume of a new type of ion thruster that appeared recently, which is called the annular ion thruster. In this paper, a 3D particle model is proposed for the plume simulation of ion thrusters consisting of the particle model for beam ions, the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) model for neutral atoms and the Immersed Finite Element-Particle In Cell-Monte Carlo Collision (IFE-PIC-MCC) model for CEX ions. Then, the plume of the NSTAR ion thruster is simulated by both Roy's model and the 3D particle model. The simulation results of both models are then compared with the experimental results. It is shown that the numerical results of the 3D particle model agree well with those of the analytical model and the experimental data. And this 3D particle model can also be used for other electric thrusters.
Old homes and new homelands: imagining the nation and remembering expulsion in the wake of the Mali Federation's collapse
Authors: Rodet Marie , County Brandon
Published: July 2018

This article examines concepts of ‘home’ and ‘abroad’ for migrants and citizens in the twilight of empire. It focuses on the ‘cheminots refoulés’, railway workers with origins in the former French Sudan (today's Republic of Mali) who were expelled from Senegal shortly after both territories declared independence, and other ‘Sudanese’ settled in Senegal, sometimes for several generations. Using newly available archives in France, Mali and Senegal, and interviews with formercheminotsand ‘Sudanese migrants’ on both sides of the border, this article seeks to historicize memories of autochthony and allochthony that have been constructed and contested in postcolonial nation-building projects. The Mali Federation carried the lingering memory of federalist political projects, but it proved untenable only months after the Federation's June 1960 independence from France. When member states declared independence from each other, the internal boundary between Senegal and the Sudanese Republic became an international border between Senegal and the Republic of Mali. In the wake of the collapse, politicians in Bamako and Dakar clamoured to redefine the ‘nation’ and its ‘nationals’ through selective remembering. Thousands ofcheminotsand ‘Sudanese migrants’ who had moved to Senegal from Sudan years (or decades) earlier were suddenly labelled ‘foreigners’ and ‘expatriates’ and faced two governments eager to see them ‘return’ to a hastily proclaimed nation state. This ‘repatriation’ allowed Republic of Mali officials to ‘perform the nation’ by (re)integrating and (re)membering the migrants in a nascent ‘homeland’. But, having circulated between Senegal and Sudan/Mali for decades, ‘Sudanese migrants’ in both states retained and invoked memories of older political communities, upsetting new national priorities. The loss of the Mali Federation raises questions about local, national and international citizenship and movement in mid-century West Africa. Examining the histories invoked to imagine postcolonial political communities, this article offers an insight into the role that memory has played in constructing and contesting the nation's central place in migration histories within Africa and beyond.
‘International chiefs’: chieftaincy, rituals and the reproduction of transborder Ewe ethnic communities on the Ghana–Togo boundary
Authors: Adotey Edem
Published: July 2018

The issue of ‘alien’ voters in Ghana's electoral politics since the return to multiparty democracy in 1992 points to tensions between local/ethnic identities in culturally demarcated spaces and national identity/citizenship promoted by states. Focusing on the two Ewe-speaking communities of Nyive and Edzi, this article examines the legacies of partition in the aftermath of World War One, when the British and French split the former German colony of Togo between themselves and established new administrations under international oversight. It argues that relationships have changed, specifically from political hegemony to largely ritual practices, and that, though distinct, the two are co-determining. The salience or legitimacy of political authority is sustained by ritual authority, and chiefly authorities invest in these rituals to maintain political authority. These shared ritual practices are important, as they are mobilized to promote a sense of belonging among Ewe communities that straddle state boundaries. This is evident in the phenomenon of ‘international chiefs’, as expressed in continued allegiances of village chiefs in Ghana to senior/paramount chiefs in Togo.
Medium-scale commercial farms in Africa: the experience of the ‘native purchase areas’ in Zimbabwe
Authors: Scoones Ian , Mavedzenge Blasio , Murimbarimba Felix
Published: July 2018

Across Africa there has been a growth in medium-sized farms, including in Zimbabwe following the land reform of 2000. What are the prospects of such farms driving new forms of agricultural commercialization? In this article we seek to learn lessons from the past by examining the experience of ‘native purchase areas’, which were established from the 1930s in Zimbabwe. Through a detailed historical study of Mushagashe small-scale commercial farming area in Masvingo Province, the article explores the changing fortunes of farms over time. Historical information is complemented by a survey of twenty-six randomly selected farms, examining patterns of production, asset ownership and accumulation. In-depth interviews explore life histories and changes in social arrangements that have influenced agrarian change. Four broad farm types are identified, including those that are commercialized, projectized, villagized, and held or abandoned. These categories are not static, however, and the article emphasizes non-linear patterns of change. Following Sara Berry, we show how pathways of commercialization are diverse and unpredictable, influenced by interlocking conjunctures of social dynamics, generational changes and political-economic conditions. Commercialization outcomes are dependent on the intersection of relational dynamics and more structural, political economy factors. Bursts of commercialization on these farms are contingent on access to employment by farm owners, labour (hired, squatters and offspring) and, perhaps above all, money to invest. The much-hyped policy vision of a new medium-scale commercial farm sector emerging in Africa therefore must be qualified, and divergent outcomes recognized.
Identifying usual food choices at meals in overweight and obese study volunteers: implications for dietary advice
Authors: Guan Vivienne X. , Probst Yasmine C. , Neale Elizabeth P. , Batterham Marijka J. , Tapsell Linda C.
Published: July 2018

Understanding food choices made for meals in overweight and obese individuals may aid strategies for weight loss tailored to their eating habits. However, limited studies have explored food choices at meal occasions. The aim of this study was to identify the usual food choices for meals of overweight and obese volunteers for a weight-loss trial. A cross-sectional analysis was performed using screening diet history data from a 12-month weight-loss trial (the HealthTrack study). A descriptive data mining tool, the Apriori algorithm of association rules, was applied to identify food choices at meal occasions using a nested hierarchical food group classification system. Overall, 432 breakfasts, 428 lunches, 432 dinners and 433 others (meals) were identified from the intake data (n433 participants). A total of 142 items of closely related food clusters were identified at three food group levels. At the first sub-food group level, bread emerged as central to food combinations at lunch, but unprocessed meat appeared for this at dinner. The dinner meal was characterised by more varieties of vegetables and of foods in general. The definitions of food groups played a pivotal role in identifying food choice patterns at main meals. Given the large number of foods available, having an understanding of eating patterns in which key foods drive overall meal content can help translate and develop novel dietary strategies for weight loss at the individual level.
Across the Divide: Looking for the common ground of Hindustani
Authors: LUNN DAVID
Published: July 2018

This article investigates some of the institutional and poetic practices around the idea of Hindustani in the period 1900–47. It charts the establishment of the Hindustani Academy in 1927 and explores some of its publishing activities as it attempted to make a positive institutional intervention in the Hindi–Urdu debate and cultural field more broadly. It then considers some aspects of poetic production in literary journals, including those associated with the Academy. Ultimately, it is an attempt to explore the grey areas that existed between Hindi/Hindu and Urdu/Muslim in the pre-Independence decades, and to make the case for studying the literature of both traditions simultaneously, along with emphasizing that attempts at compromise—including the perennially contested term ‘Hindustani’ itself—must be taken on their own terms.
The geography of parasite discovery across taxa and over time
Authors: Poulin Robert , Jorge Fátima
Published: July 2018

We need reliable data on the spatial distribution of parasites in order to achieve an inventory of global parasite biodiversity and establish robust conservation initiatives based on regional disease risk. This requires an integrated and spatially consistent effort toward the discovery of new parasite species. Using a large and representative dataset on the geographical coordinates where 4943 helminth species were first discovered, we first test whether the geographical distribution of parasite species reports is spatially congruent across helminth higher taxa; i.e. whether areas, where many trematodes are found, are also areas where many nematodes or cestodes have been discovered. Second, we test whether the global geographical distribution of new helminth species reports has changed significantly over time, i.e. across the last few decades. After accounting for spatial autocorrelation in the data, we find no strong statistical support for either of the patterns we investigated. Overall, our results indicate that helminth species discoveries are both spatially incongruent among higher taxa of helminths, and inconsistent over time. These findings suggest that the global parasite discovery effort is inefficient, spatially biased and subject to idiosyncrasies. Coordinated biodiscovery programmes, involving research teams with expertise in multiple taxonomic groups, seem the best approach to remedy these issues.
Working later in the USA and Ireland: implications for precariously and securely employed women
Authors: Ní Léime Á , Street Debra
Published: July 2018

Policies to extend working life (EWL) assume homogeneous workers face similar choices about working longer: this may be difficult for women, workers in physically onerous jobs or in low-paid precarious employment. Work-life trajectories are gendered; women interrupt employment and pension-building to provide care. There is occupational variation in capacities to prolong working lives: physically demanding jobs cause work-related health deficits. The precariously employed cannot contribute regularly to pensions and may face age discrimination. This research provides an inter-occupational and cross-national dimension to EWL research, comparing women teachers and health-care workers in the United States of America (USA) and Republic of Ireland. It documents intra-cohort distinctions that emerge among women when considering educational opportunities and occupational tracks expressed in lifecourse trajectories and accumulated capacities for extended work. Analysis draws on interview data from ten teachers and ten health-care workers in each country, comparing the implications of EWL policies for women workers: in precariousversussecure occupations and occupations with different physical demands. It reveals work-life trajectories leading to poorer financial and health outcomes for older health-care workers, especially in the USA. Most women (regardless of occupation or country) opposed extending working life, with concerns ranging from health status and ability to work to the desire to have healthy years in retirement. The most important distinctions are between the occupational categories considered, rather than cross-national differences. Implications for national and work-place policy and research are considered.
How figurative language may be related to formal care-givers’ person-centred approach toward their patients with dementia
Authors: Bentwich Miriam Ethel , Bokek-Cohen Ya'arit , Dickman Nomy
Published: July 2018

Person-centred care that respects a patient's personhood is the gold standard in dementia care, which is often difficult to achieve given the complexity of caring for people with dementia. This article delves into the narration style of formal care-givers from a variety of ethno-cultural backgrounds in search of linguistic cues that may be related to their emphasis on a person-centred approach to care. A qualitative study, using a discourse analysis of semi-structured interviews with 20 formal care-givers in an institutional setting, was employed. The care-givers fell into three groups: Arabs, immigrants from the former Soviet Union (IFSU) and Jews born in Israel (JBI). Our results show 20 figurative language expressions (FLEs) in the narratives of the JBI care-givers and 11 among the IFSU care-givers. In contrast, the Arab care-givers conveyed 48 FLEs. Many of the Arab care-givers’ FLEs were not associated with the ‘regular’ domains articulated by other care-givers (family, children, militaristic language) and were primarily individual-focused, emphasising the personhood of the patient. These findings, together with relevant theoretical literature, suggest that the extensive use of figurative language by Arab care-givers may be a possible tool assisting these care-givers to employ a person-centred approach, manifested in their stress on the personhood of the patient. Such tools may be useful for better achieving person-centred care for these patients.
Évaluation de Marche vers le futur, un programme novateur de prévention des chutes offert par videoconference
Authors: Savard Jacinthe , Labossière Sophie , Cardinal Dominique , Pinet Bernard , Borris Caroline
Published: July 2018

Several fall prevention programs have been implemented to reduce falls among seniors. In some rural areas or in French-speaking minority communities, the availability of such programs is limited. The objectives of this paper are to: (a) describe the Fall Prevention Program Marche vers le futur, offered in French, by videoconference; and (b) present the results of the evaluation of the program objectives. Results demonstrate that participants have improved their physical abilities, gained knowledge, adopted new behaviors and lifestyle habits. In short, Marche vers le futur reduces fall risk factors in a manner equal or superior to other programs. Marche vers le futur has made possible the provision of services in French in communities where availability of French-language resources is very limited, therefore fostering equity in access to health services.
Centrosome inheritance in starfish zygotes: behaviour and duplicating capacity of the meiotic centrosomes in maturation division
Authors: Tamura Miwa , Nemoto Shin-ichi
Published: July 2018

In zygotes of almost all animals, it has been believed that only the sperm centrosome acts as the mitotic spindle poles. As first proposed a century ago by Boveri (1887), this uniparental (paternal) inheritance of the centrosome must depend on the selective loss of the maternal centrosomes. To trace the fate and duplicating capacity of all the maternal centrosomes/centrioles, including those cast off into polar bodies, we used two kinds of procedures: (1) suppression of polar body (PB) extrusion and (2) transplantation of PB centro-somes into artificially activated eggs.

Gametes used in this study were from the starfish, Asterina pectinifera. Oocyte maturation was induced with 1-methyladenine (Kanatani, 1969). Suppression of PB extrusion and artificial activation were done according to Washitani-Nemoto et al. (1994). Micromanipulation was performed by the method of Saiki & Hamaguchi (1993). Behaviour of the centrosomes was examined by staining with an antibody against α-tubulin, polarisation and differential interference-contrast microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

In starfish oocytes, no centriole duplication occurs in meiosis II, hence each pole of a meiosis II spindle is formed by the splitting of paired centrioles in the inner centrosome of a meiosis I spindle into singles. Eventually, each of a second PB (PB2) and a mature egg inherits only one centriole from a meiosis II spindle (a PB1 inherits a pair of centrioles). So, either PB2 and the mature egg inherit a single centriole (Fig. 1; cf. Sluder et al., 1989; Kato et al., 1990). When mature eggs were artificially activated with the Ca2+-ionophore A23187, a single monaster was formed.
Speract-receptor interaction and the modulation of ion transport inStrongylocentrotus purpuratussea urchin sperm
Authors: Galindo Blanca-Estela , Nishigaki Takuya , Rodríguez Esmeralda , Sánchez Daniel , Beltrán Camen , Darszon Alberto
Published: July 2018

We are studying the regulation of ion transport in sperm physiology. Sperm ion permeability is modulated by components from the outer layer of the egg which, depending on the species, regulate sperm motility, Chemotaxis and the acrosome reaction (AR). This reaction is required for sperm to fertilise the egg in many species from sea urchins to man (Darszonet al., 1999).

Speract, a decapeptide from the external layer ofStrongylocentrotus purpuratussea urchin eggs, influences sperm respiration, motility and possibly the AR. Signal transduction starts when speract binds to a protein of 77 kDa closely coupled to sperm guanylyl cyclase (Garbers, 1989). Our recent receptor binding experiments using fluorescent-labelled speract (fluorescein and rhodamine) have allowed estimates of the association (kon2.4 × 107M−1s−1) and dissociation rate constants (koff1.3 × 10−4s−1). Furthermore, studies with fluorescent speract analogues indicate that the receptor undergoes conformational changes that depend on intracellular pH (pHi). The overall results are consistent with the possibility that speract may induce in sea urchin sperm a hyperactivated-like flagellar movement inside the jelly coat to accelerate sperm penetration through this layer.
Delamination and tyrosine phosphorylation of SUp62 during early embryogenesis of sea urchin
Authors: Katow Hideki
Published: July 2018

The ingression of primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) in the sea urchin embryo is initiated with local degradation of the basal lamina at the vegetal plate epithelium (e.g. Katow & Solursh, 1980). The ingressed PMCs encounter pamlin, a cell adhesion protein in the basal lamina (Katow, 1995), which guides PMC migration to a particular embryonic region to form a ring pattern (Katow & Komazaki, 1996; Katow et al, 2000). Thus extracellular matrix (ECM) provides a necessary guidance cue to the migratory cells, and this implicates the occurrence of intracellular signalling to promote not only cell locomotion but also orientation for the migration. Using embryos of the sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus, I report the temporal expression of P35, a PMC surface protein, during the very early stages of PMC ingression that is downregulated with SUp62 protein in the cytoplasm, and tyrosine phosphorylation of SUp62 as a consequence of PMCs encountering pamlin in light of ECM/cell signal transduction.
An analysis of sea urchin metamorphosis
Authors: Yazaki Ikuko
Published: July 2018

Metamorphosis of sea urchin larvae is initiated by one or more cues from the environment. The cues can be from bacterial films (Cameron & Hinegardner, 1974), algae (Kitamura et al., 1993) or sand and seawater from adult habitats (Highsmith, 1982). The substances from sand are peptides (Burke, 1984), and those from red algae are free fatty acids (Kitamura et al., 1993) and dibromomethane (Taniguchi et al., 1994). Burke (1983a) suggested that chemical and physical stimuli were received by sensory receptors, probably podia of the adult rudiment, and transmitted to effectors of metamorphosis such as larval and adult tissues. Morpho-genetic, histolytic and histogenic processes progress during metamorphosis to create a juvenile, though direct evidence for the mechanism of induction has not been shown.

Glutamine (Gin) induces metamorphosis in larvae of many sea urchin species (Strongylocentrotus intermedius: Naidenko, 1991; Pseudocentrotus depressus: Yazaki & Harashima, 1994; Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus: Yazaki, 1995). We have analysed the metamorphosis of sea urchin larvae using Gln, neurotransmitters and a natural cue (green algae).
Ultrastructural study of endogenous energy substrates in spermatozoa of the four species of the sea urchin, Echinometra mataei
Authors: Nakamura Masaru , Uehara Tsuyoshi , Mita Masatoshi
Published: July 2018

The sea urchin Echinometra mathaei (Blainville) which belongs to the order Echinoida, occurs in abundance on shallow reefs throughout the tropical to warm Indo-Pacific region. Though Okinawan E. mathaei had been considered as a single species showing extensive morphological variation in test shape and spine colour, it was recently shown that the genus Echinomtra consists of four independent species (Uehara & Shingaki, 1984, 1985; Arakaki et al., 1998). However, the scientific names of these four complex species found in Okinawa are still unclear. These Echinometra are tentatively described here as Echinometra sp. A, B, C and D. Echinometra sp. A is characterised by white-tipped spines, a definite bright milled ring and dark skin on the peristome. Echinometra sp. B is characterised by spines with no white tip, with very faded milled rings and dark skin on the peristome. Echinometra sp. D is characterised by spines without a white tip but with a definite bright milled ring and bright skin on the peristome. In the field, these two Echinometra sp. exhibit a richly coloured variation in spines. Echinometra sp. D is characterised by deep black spines with well-defined milled rings and dark skin around the peristome. Only black-spined individuals have been found so far. In addition, these species show different distribution patterns, habitat preference and agonistic behaviour. It has also been shown that these two species are not possible to cross-fertilise under sperm at limiting concentration.