bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Defense of the Nonfundamental
Authors: Bennett Karen
Published: June 2017

The book as a whole defends and explains a layered model of reality, according to which the world is hierarchically structured by building relations into more and less fundamental. Until this point it has simply been assumed that there are nonfundamental things. This chapter explicitly defends that assumption. Since the main reason to deny that there are any nonfundamental things is an appeal to parsimony, the discussion involves close attention to the proper use of such appeals. The chapter closes with reflection on the nature of metaphysics, and defense of the thought that (some) nonfundamentalia are among its proper subject matter.
Organized Autotelescopes for Serendipitous Event Survey (OASES): Design and performance
Authors: Arimatsu Ko , Tsumura Kohji , Ichikawa Kohei , Usui Fumihiko , Ootsubo Takafumi , Kotani Takayuki , Sarugaku Yuki , Wada Takehiko , Nagase Koichi , Watanabe Jun-ichi
Published: June 2017

Organized Autotelescopes for Serendipitous Event Survey (OASES) is an optical observation project that aims to detect and investigate stellar occultation events by kilometer-sized trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). In this project, multiple low-cost observation systems for wide-field and high-speed photometry were developed in order to detect rare and short-timescale stellar occultation events. The observation system consists of commercial off-the-shelf 0.28 m aperture f/1.58 optics providing a 2${^{\circ}_{.}}$3 × 1${^{\circ}_{.}}$8 field of view. A commercial CMOS camera is coupled to the optics to obtain full-frame imaging with a frame rate greater than 10 Hz. As of 2016 September, this project exploits two observation systems, which are installed on Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan. Recent improvements in CMOS technology in terms of high-speed imaging and low readout noise mean that the observation systems are capable of monitoring ∼2000 stars in the Galactic plane simultaneously with magnitudes down to V ∼ 13.0, providing ∼20% photometric precision in light curves with a sampling cadence of 15.4 Hz. This number of monitored stars is larger than for any other existing instruments for coordinated occultation surveys. In addition, a precise time synchronization method needed for simultaneous occultation detection is developed using faint meteors. The two OASES observation systems are executing coordinated monitoring observations of a dense stellar field in order to detect occultations by kilometer-sized TNOs for the first time.
Drought‐Proofing Barley (Hordeum vulgare): The Effects of Stay Green on Starch and Amylose Structure
Authors: Gous Peter W. , Warren Frederick , Gilbert Robert , Fox Glen P.
Published: June 2017

The identification of the plant physiological trait called stay green (SG) was first identified in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), followed by other cereals, including barley. The effects of this drought tolerance trait on starch biosynthesis, structure, and properties have not been extensively investigated. Using size‐exclusion chromatography, the impact of SG expression on starch molecular structure in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) under heat‐ and water‐stress conditions was examined. Differences were found in total starch and amylose contents within and between the treatments. The chain‐length distribution of the amylose in a heat‐stressed doubled haploid, ND24260 × Flagship population expressing SG showed significant differences (P < 0.05), whereas no such differences were observed in the water‐stressed samples. However, significant differences (P < 0.05) in protein content were observed corresponding to SG expression, with higher levels of SG expression having higher protein content. These differences in composition and starch structure could influence functional properties. Understanding physiological responses in plants to abiotic stress and its impact on grain quality and starch biosynthesis may allow for the future manipulation of plants to improve drought tolerance, while maintaining desirable grain quality and yield potential.
Preventing Harm in the ICU—Building a Culture of Safety and Engaging Patients and Families
Authors: Thornton Kevin C. , Schwarz Jennifer J. , Gross A. Kendall , Anderson Wendy G. , Liu Kathleen D. , Romig Mark C. , Schell-Chaple Hildy , Pronovost Peter J. , Sapirstein Adam , Gropper Michael A. , Lipshutz Angela K. M.
Published: June 2017

Objective:

Preventing harm remains a persistent challenge in the ICU despite evidence-based practices known to reduce the prevalence of adverse events. This review seeks to describe the critical role of safety culture and patient and family engagement in successful quality improvement initiatives in the ICU. We review the evidence supporting the impact of safety culture and provide practical guidance for those wishing to implement initiatives aimed at improving safety culture and more effectively integrate patients and families in such efforts.

Data Sources:

Literature review using PubMed including evaluation of key studies assessing large-scale quality improvement efforts in the ICU, impact of safety culture on patient outcomes, methodologies for quality improvement commonly used in healthcare, and patient and family engagement. Print and web-based resources from leading patient safety organizations were also searched.

Study Selection:

Our group completed a review of original studies, review articles, book chapters, and recommendations from leading patient safety organizations.

Data Extraction:

Our group determined by consensus which resources would best inform this review.

Data Synthesis:

A strong safety culture is associated with reduced adverse events, lower mortality rates, and lower costs. Quality improvement efforts have been shown to be more effective and sustainable when paired with a strong safety culture. Different methodologies exist for quality improvement in the ICU; a thoughtful approach to implementation that engages frontline providers and administrative leadership is essential for success. Efforts to substantively include patients and families in the processes of quality improvement work in the ICU should be expanded.

Conclusions:

Efforts to establish a culture of safety and meaningfully engage patients and families should form the foundation for all safety interventions in the ICU. This review describes an approach that integrates components of several proven quality improvement methodologies to enhance safety culture in the ICU and highlights opportunities to include patients and families.
Outcomes of Keratoplasty After Ocular Surface Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Sepsakos Lorena , Cheung Albert Y. , Holland Edward J.
Published: June 2017

Purpose:

To investigate the long-term outcomes of penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) after ocular surface stem cell transplantation (OSST).

Methods:

An observational retrospective review was performed on all patients who underwent OSST followed by either PK or DALK with a minimum of 6-month follow-up.

Results:

One hundred two eyes fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean time to keratoplasty after OSST was 19 months, and the mean follow-up was 57 months after keratoplasty. A Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated 92% graft survival at year 1, 77% at year 2, 62% at year 3, 55% at year 4, and 54% at year 5. During the study period, a total of 44 grafts failed. The mean time to graft failure was 32 months. Preoperative median best-corrected visual acuity for all eyes was 20/550, which improved to 20/100 (P < 0.001) at 1 year postoperatively, 20/60 (P < 0.001) at 2 years, and 20/100 (P < 0.001) at last follow-up.

Conclusions:

Without addressing the underlying stem cell deficiency, keratoplasty in patients with total limbal stem cell deficiency will ultimately fail in all cases. OSST with either subsequent PK or DALK provides successful visual outcomes with an acceptable complication profile.
Spinal microglia are required for long-term maintenance of neuropathic pain
Authors: Echeverry Stefania , Shi Xiang Qun , Yang Mu , Huang Hao , Wu YiChen , Lorenzo Louis-Etienne , Perez-Sanchez Jimena , Bonin Robert P. , De Koninck Yves , Zhang Ji
Published: June 2017

While spinal microglia play a role in early stages of neuropathic pain etiology, whether they are useful targets to reverse chronic pain at late stages remains unknown. Here, we show that microglia activation in the spinal cord persists for >3 months following nerve injury in rodents, beyond involvement of proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine signalling. In this chronic phase, selective depletion of spinal microglia in male rats with the targeted immunotoxin Mac1-saporin and blockade of brain-derived neurotrophic factor–TrkB signalling with intrathecal TrkB Fc chimera, but not cytokine inhibition, almost completely reversed pain hypersensitivity. By contrast, local spinal administration of Mac1-saporin did not affect nociceptive withdrawal threshold in control animals nor did it affect the strength of afferent-evoked synaptic activity in the spinal dorsal horn in normal conditions. These findings show that the long-term, chronic phase of nerve injury-induced pain hypersensitivity is maintained by microglia–neuron interactions. The findings also effectively separate the central signalling pathways underlying the maintenance phase of the pathology from the early and peripheral inflammatory reactions to injury, pointing to different targets for the treatment of acute vs chronic injury-induced pain.
Pain and learning in primary school: a population-based study
Authors: Kosola Silja , Mundy Lisa K. , Sawyer Susan M. , Canterford Louise , van der Windt Danielle A. , Dunn Kate M. , Patton George C.
Published: June 2017

Despite the frequency of pain among children, little is known about its effects on learning and school outcomes. The objective of this study was to quantify the association of pain and academic achievement while taking into account the presence of co-occurring emotional symptoms. A population-based stratified random sample of 1239 students aged 8 to 9 years from primary schools in Melbourne, Australia, was recruited for the Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study. Children indicated sites of pain that had lasted for a day or longer in the past month using a pain manikin. Depressive- and anxiety-related symptoms were assessed using child-reported items. National assessment results for reading and numeracy were used to measure academic achievement. Sixty-five percent of children reported pain in at least 1 body site and 16% reported chronic pain. Increasing number of pain sites was associated with poorer reading scores in a dose–response fashion (β = −3.1; 95% confidence interval −4.9 to −1.3; P < 0.001). The association was only partly attenuated when adjusting for emotional symptoms (β = −2.6; 95% confidence interval −4.5 to −0.8; P < 0.001) and was not moderated by emotional symptoms. Children with chronic pain were a year behind their peers in both reading and numeracy. Among primary school students, pain was associated with lower reading scores even after adjusting for the presence of emotional symptoms. Although population-based longitudinal studies will be required to ascertain consistency and possible causality, grounds exist for considering pain and emotional symptoms in the assessment of children with reading difficulties.
Is Intravenous Thrombolysis Safe and Effective in Central Retinal Artery Occlusion? A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: Dumitrascu Oana M. , Shen Joanne F. , Kurli Madhavi , Aguilar Maria I. , Marks Lisa A. , Demaerschalk Bart M. , Wingerchuk Dean M. , O’Carroll Cumara B.
Published: June 2017

Background:

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a neurological and ophthalmologic emergency associated with poor visual recovery. There is a dilemma regarding the appropriate treatment, as formal guidelines are lacking. Despite being considered an ocular equivalent of cerebral infarction, the time window of intravenous (IV) thrombolysis administration for maximum efficacy and safety in CRAO remains uncertain.

Objective:

To critically assess the current evidence regarding the safety and effectiveness of IV thrombolysis in the treatment of patients with CRAO.

Methods:

The objective was addressed through the development of a critically appraised topic that included a clinical scenario, structured question, literature search strategy, critical appraisal, assessment of results, evidence summary, commentary, and bottom-line conclusions. Participants included consultant and resident neurologists, a medical librarian, and content experts in the fields of vascular neurology and ophthalmology.

Results:

A recent patient-level meta-analysis was selected for critical appraisal. The study compared the visual recovery rates after IV thrombolysis in CRAO against the natural history of this illness and conservative therapies (ocular massage, anterior chamber paracentesis, and/or hemodilution). Time to thrombolytic therapy administration had a significant impact on visual recovery in CRAO (P<0.001). IV thrombolysis within the first 4.5 hours after symptom onset resulted in recovery of vision in 50.0% of the patients [95% confidence interval (CI), 32.4%-67.6%]. The rate of visual recovery was nearly 3 times higher than in the natural history cohort [odds ratio, 4.7 (95% CI, 2.3-9.6); P<0.001], with a 32.3% absolute risk reduction and a number needed to treat of 4.0 (95% CI, 2.6-6.6). There was no significant difference in the recovery rate after thrombolysis compared with the natural history cohort for those patients treated after 4.5 hours. No major hemorrhages occurred after alteplase administration in this meta-analysis.

Conclusions:

IV thrombolysis in CRAO seems to be safe and effective within the first 4.5 hours of symptom onset. A clinical decision based on this meta-analysis alone cannot be made due to several limitations. A randomized controlled clinical trial of early IV alteplase administration in CRAO is necessary to provide evidence-based therapeutic guidance.
Intravenous Alteplase for Acute Stroke and Pulmonary Embolism in a Patient With Recent Abdominoplasty
Authors: Christiansen Michael E. , Kumar Gyanendra , Mahabir Raman C. , Helmers Richard A. , Bendok Bernard R. , O’Carroll Cumara B.
Published: June 2017

Introduction:

Major surgery in the past 14 days is a relative contraindication to treatment of acute stroke with intravenous (IV) alteplase. The 2016 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific statement discussing inclusion and exclusion criteria for alteplase in acute stroke allows for provider judgment citing a lack of evidence to support surgery as an absolute contraindication.

Case Report:

A 59-year-old woman presented with acute left hemiparesis, dysarthria, and acute respiratory failure. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 17. Two days prior she underwent abdominoplasty and liposuction. Computed tomography angiogram of the head demonstrated acute occlusion of right M2, and computed tomography angiogram of the chest was positive for bilateral pulmonary emboli. After urgent consultation with the plastic surgery and neurosurgery teams, the patient was treated with IV alteplase followed by cerebral mechanical thrombectomy. This was complicated by surgical-site hemorrhage in the abdomen requiring operative intervention. Abdominal hemorrhage was controlled and the patient showed remarkable neurological recovery, later being discharged with no residual neurological deficits.

Conclusions:

Interdisciplinary collaboration can successfully inform the decision to treat acute ischemic stroke with IV alteplase in the setting of recent major surgery.
Host-related Risk Factors for Adherent Perinephric Fat in Healthy Individuals Undergoing Laparoscopic Living-donor Nephrectomy
Authors: Narita Shintaro , Kumazawa Teruaki , Tsuchiya Norihiko , Mingguo Huang , Saito Mitsuru , Inoue Takamitsu , Tsuruta Hiroshi , Numakura Kazuyuki , Maeno Atsushi , Nanjo Hiroshi , Satoh Shigeru , Habuchi Tomonori
Published: June 2017

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to assess the risk factors and characteristics of adherent perinephric fat (APF) in healthy individuals.

Patients and Methods:

Men who underwent laparoscopic donor nephrectomy were included. Video review was used to divide patients on the basis of APF severity. Relationship between APF scores and clinical and radiographic features was evaluated.

Results:

Of the 92 patients, 43 (46.7%) and 8 (8.7%) were categorized as APF and severe APF, respectively. The median total operative time was significantly associated with APF severity. Sex, body mass index, and perinephric fat area, stranding, and thickness were significantly associated with severe APF. In the multivariate analysis, perinephric fat areas and stranding were independent risk factors for severe APF (HR, 1.189 and 14.450, respectively). In the 44 analyzed cytokines, levels of sIL-6R in the perinephric adipose tissue-conditioned medium were significantly higher for APF group than that for non-APF group (P=0.049).

Conclusions:

Host-related risk factors for APF could predict surgical difficulty in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy.
A high-throughput assay to identify robust inhibitors of dynamin GTPase activity
Authors: Mohanakrishnan Aparna , Tran Triet Vincent M. , Kumar Meera , Chen Hong , Posner Bruce A. , Schmid Sandra L.
Published: June 2017

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is the major pathway by which cells internalize materials from the external environment. Dynamin, a large multidomain GTPase, is a key regulator of clathrin-mediated endocytosis. It assembles at the necks of invaginated clathrin-coated pits and, through GTP hydrolysis, catalyzes scission and release of clathrin-coated vesicles from the plasma membrane. Several small molecule inhibitors of dynamin’s GTPase activity, such as Dynasore and Dyngo-4a, are currently available, although their specificity has been brought into question. Previous screens for these inhibitors measured dynamin’s stimulated GTPase activity due to lack of sufficient sensitivity, hence the mechanisms by which they inhibit dynamin are uncertain. We report a highly sensitive fluorescence-based assay capable of detecting dynamin’s basal GTPase activity under conditions compatible with high throughput screening. Utilizing this optimized assay, we conducted a pilot screen of 8000 compounds and identified several “hits” that inhibit the basal GTPase activity of dynamin-1. Subsequent dose-response curves were used to validate the activity of these compounds. Interestingly, we found neither Dynasore nor Dyngo-4a inhibited dynamin’s basal GTPase activity, although both inhibit assembly-stimulated GTPase activity. This assay provides the basis for a more extensive search for robust dynamin inhibitors.
Viral apoptosis evasion via the MAPK pathway by use of a host long noncoding RNA
Authors: Barichievy Samantha , Naidoo Jerolen , Boullé Mikaël , Scholefield Janine , Parihar Suraj P. , Coussens Anna K. , Brombacher Frank , Sigal Alex , Mhlanga Musa M.
Published: June 2017

An emerging realisation of infectious disease is the high incidence of genetic instability resulting from pathogen-induced DNA lesions, often leading to classical hallmarks of cancer such as evasion of apoptosis. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) induces apoptosis in CD4+ T cells but is largely non-cytopathic in macrophages, thereby leading to long-term dissemination of the pathogen specifically by these host cells. Apoptosis is triggered by double-strand breaks (DSBs), such as those induced by integrating retroviruses, and is coordinated by the p53-regulated long noncoding RNA lincRNA-p21, in a complex with its protein binding partners HuR and hnRNP-K. Here, we monitor the cellular response to infection to determine how HIV-1 induces DSBs in macrophages yet evades apoptosis in these cells. We show that the virus does so by securing the pro-survival MAP2K1/ERK2 cascade early upon entry, in a gp120-dependent manner, to orchestrate a complex dysregulation of lincRNA-p21. By sequestering HuR in the nucleus, HIV-1 enables lincRNA-p21 degradation. Simultaneously, the virus permits transcription of pro-survival genes by sequestering hnRNP-K in the cytoplasm via the MAP2K1/ERK2 pathway. Notably, this pro-survival cascade is unavailable for similar viral manipulation in CD4+ T cells. The introduction of MAP2K1, ERK2 or HDM2 inhibitors in HIV-infected macrophages results in apoptosis providing strong evidence that the viral-mediated apoptotic block can be released, specifically by restoring the nuclear interaction of lincRNA-p21 and hnRNP-K. These results reveal pathogenic control of apoptosis and DNA damage via a host long noncoding RNA, and present MAP2K1/ERK2 inhibitors as a novel therapeutic intervention strategy for HIV-1 infection in macrophages.
WDR5 stabilizes actin architecture to promote multiciliated cell formation
Authors: Kulkarni Saurabh S. , Griffin John N. , Liem Karel F. , Khokha Mustafa K. ,   on behalf of the PCGC Investigators
Published: June 2017

HIGHLIGHTS

WDR5 has an H3K4 independent role in the formation of multiciliated cells.

WDR5 controls apical cell expansion, basal body patterning, and ciliogenesis in multiciliated cells.

WDR5 localizes near the ciliary base where it connects basal bodies to F-actin.

WDR5 stabilizes the apical actin network in multiciliated cells.

The actin cytoskeleton is critical to shape cells and pattern intracellular organelles to drive tissue morphogenesis. In multiciliated cells (MCCs), apical actin forms a lattice that drives expansion of the cell surface necessary to host hundreds of cilia. The actin lattice also uniformly distributes basal bodies across this surface. This apical actin network is dynamically remodeled, but the molecules that regulate its architecture remain poorly understood. We identify the chromatin modifier, WDR5, as a regulator of apical F-actin in multiciliated cells. Unexpectedly, WDR5 functions independently of chromatin modification in MCCs. Instead, we discover a scaffolding role for WDR5 between the basal body and F-actin. Specifically, WDR5 binds to basal bodies and migrates apically, where F-actin organizes around WDR5. Using a monomer trap for G-actin, we show that WDR5 stabilizes F-actin to maintain apical lattice architecture. In summary, we identify a novel, non-chromatin role for WDR5 in stabilizing F-actin in multiciliated cells.

IN BRIEF

Kulkarni et al discover a chromatin independent function for WDR5 in multiciliated cell formation. WDR5 localizes to the base of cilia and functions as a scaffold between the basal bodies and the apical actin lattice. There, WDR5 stabilizes the actin lattice that allows multiciliated cells to expand their apical surface, pattern basal bodies, and generate hundreds of cilia.
Varying water deficit stress (WDS) tolerance in grain amaranths involves multifactorial shifts in WDS-related responses
Authors: González-Rodríguez América Tzitziki , Hernández Ismael Cisneros , Martínez-Gallardo Norma A. , Mellado-Mojica Erika , López-Pérez Mercedes , Ramírez-Chavez Enrique , Molina-Torres Jorge , Délano-Frier John P.
Published: June 2017

In this study, water deficit stress (WDS)-tolerance in several cultivars of grain amaranth species (Amaranthus hypochondriacus[Ahypo],A. cruentus[Acru] and A.caudatus[Acau]), in addition toA. hybridus(Ahyb), an ancestral amaranth, was examined. Ahypo was the most WDS-tolerant species, whereas Acau and Ahyb were WDS-sensitive. Data revealed that the differential WDS tolerance observed was multifactorial. It involved increased proline and raffinose (Raf) in leaves and/ or roots. Higher foliar Raf coincided with inducedGalactinol synthase 1(AhGolS1) andRaffinose synthase(AhRafS) expression. Unknown compounds, possibly larger RFOs, also accumulated in leaves of WDS-tolerant amaranths, which had high Raf/ Verbascose ratios. Distinct nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) accumulation patterns were observed in tolerant species under WDS and recovery, such as: i) high Hex/ Suc ratios in roots coupled to increased cell wall and vacuolar invertase and sucrose synthase activities; ii) a severer depletion of starch reserves; iii) lower NSC content in leaves, and iv) higher basal hexose levels in roots which further increased under WDS. WDS-marker gene expression patterns proposed a link between amaranth’s WDS tolerance and abscisic acid-dependent signaling. Results obtained also suggest thatAhTRE,AhTPS9,AhTPS11,AhGolS1 and AhRafSare reliable gene markers of WDS tolerance in amaranth.

Highlight

Differential water deficit stress tolerance in grain amaranths and their ancestor,Amaranthus hybridus, is a multifactorial process involving various biochemical changes and modified expression patterns of key stress-related genes.
1-(Cyclohex-1-en-1-yl)-3-[(1-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl]-1H-benzimidazol-2(3H)-one
Authors: Adardour Mohamed , Loughzail Mohamed , Dahaoui Slimane , Baouid Abdesselam , Berraho Moha
Published: June 2017

In the title compound, C22H21N5O, the triazole ring is inclined at 16.88 (12)° to its phenyl substituent and is almost normal to the benzimidazole ring system, making a dihedral angle of 88.40 (8)°. The cyclohexenyl ring adopts a half-chair conformation and its mean plane is inclined to the benzimidazole ring system by 78.75 (12)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network.
Children as change agents for family health
Authors: Burrows Lisette
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore ways in which children and young people are being positioned as change agents for families through school health promotion initiatives in New Zealand.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper maps and describes the kinds of policies and initiatives that directly or indirectly regard children as conduits of healthy eating and exercise messages/practices for families. Drawing on post-structural theoretical frameworks, it explores what these resources suggest in terms of how healthy families should live.

Findings

Families are positioned as central to school health promotion initiatives in New Zealand, especially in relation to obesity prevention policies and strategies. Children are further positioned as agents of change for families in many of the resources/policies/initiatives reviewed. They are represented as key transmitters and translators of school-based health knowledge and as capable of, and responsible for, helping their families eat well and exercise more.

Social implications

While recognising children’s agency and capacity to translate health messages is a powerful and welcome message at one level, the author need to consider the implications of requiring children to convey health information, to judge their family practices and, at times, to be expected to change these. This may create anxiety, family division and expect too much of children.

Originality/value

The paper takes a novel post-structural perspective on a familiar health promotion issue. Given the proliferation of family-focussed health initiatives in New Zealand and elsewhere, this perspective may help us to explore, critique and understand more fully how children are expected to be engaged in these initiatives, and the potentially harmful implications of these expectations.
Promoting social and emotional well-being in schools
Authors: Barry Margaret M. , Clarke Aleisha Mary , Dowling Katherine
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical perspective on the international evidence on promoting young people’s social and emotional well-being in schools. The challenges of integrating evidence-based interventions within schools are discussed and the need for innovative approaches to research and practice are considered in order to support more sustainable approaches that can be embedded into the everyday practice of school systems.

Design/methodology/approach

A common elements approach to intervention development and implementation is explored. A case study is presented on piloting this approach with post-primary students, based on consultations with students and teachers concerning their needs in supporting youth social and emotional well-being.

Findings

The integration and sustainability of evidence-based social and emotional skills programmes within the context of whole school systems is far from clearly established. Research on the use of a common elements approach to evidence-based treatment and youth prevention programmes is presented and the application of this method to the development and implementation of social and emotional learning interventions is considered. Preliminary case study findings are presented exploring this approach in school-based intervention development for post-primary school students.

Research limitations/implications

The potential of adopting a common elements approach is considered; however, more rigorous research is needed to identify the most potent strategies for social and emotional skills development.

Originality/value

Identifying a common set of evidence-based strategies for enhancing adolescents’ social and emotional skills could lead to innovative approaches to intervention delivery that would extend the impact and reach of evidence-based practice across diverse educational systems and school settings.
Principal workload
Authors: Oplatka Izhar
Published: June 2017

Purpose

In order to fill the gap in theoretical and empirical knowledge about the characteristics of principal workload, the purpose of this paper is to explore the components of principal workload as well as its determinants and the coping strategies commonly used by principals to face this personal state.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 principals, all from the elementary and secondary educational systems of Israel. The analysis followed the principles of qualitative research.

Findings

Four subjectively held constructs of principal workload, main sources of this workload, and the key strategies used by principals to face this workload were found in this study.

Practical implications

It is recommended to strengthen school autonomy, increase the number of positions of middle management, prepare future principals for the heavy workload, and encourage supportive superiors who are sensitive to this issue.

Originality/value

This study fills the gap in theoretical knowledge concerning principal workload, assuming that the particular characteristics of the school organization have some unique impact on this personal state. It also enables us to identify the types of this personal state occurring in educational organizations from the subjective perspectives of school members and stakeholders, thereby broadening the understanding of employee workload in various settings, including educational arenas.
Modeling structures in fire with SAFIR®: theoretical background and capabilities
Authors: Franssen Jean-Marc , Gernay Thomas
Published: June 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the theoretical background and main hypotheses at the basis of SAFIR®, a nonlinear finite element software for modeling structures in fire. The paper also explains how to use the software at its full extent. The discussed numerical modeling principles can be applied with other similar software.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a general overview of the organization of the software, the thermal analysis part is explained, with the basic equations and the different possibilities to apply thermal boundary conditions (compartment fire, localized fire, etc.). Next, the mechanical analysis part is detailed, including the time integration procedures and the different types of finite elements: beam, truss, shell, spring and solid. Finally, the material laws are described. The software capabilities and limitations are discussed throughout the paper.

Findings

By accommodating multiple types of finite elements and materials, by allowing the user to consider virtually any section type and to input the fire attack in multiple forms, the software SAFIR®is a comprehensive tool for investigating the behavior of structures in the fire situation. Meanwhile, being developed exclusively for its well-defined field of application, it remains relatively easy to use.

Originality value

The paper will improve the knowledge of readers (researchers, designers and authorities) about numerical modeling used in structural fire engineering in general and the capabilities of a particular software largely used in the fire engineering community.
Identifying environmental drivers of greenhouse gas emissions under warming and reduced rainfall in boreal–temperate forests
Authors: Martins Catarina S. C. , Nazaries Loïc , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel , Macdonald Catriona A. , Anderson Ian C. , Hobbie Sarah E. , Venterea Rodney T. , Reich Peter B. , Singh Brajesh K.
Published: June 2017

Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are predicted to increase as a consequence of fossil fuel emissions and the impact on biosphere–atmosphere interactions. Forest ecosystems in general, and forest soils in particular, can be sinks or sources for CO2, CH4, and N2O. Environmental studies traditionally target soil temperature and moisture as the main predictors of soil greenhouse gas (GHG) flux from different ecosystems; however, these emissions are primarily biologically driven. Thus, little is known about the degree of regulation by soil biotic vs. abiotic factors on GHG emissions, particularly under predicted increase in global temperatures, and changes in intensity and frequency of precipitation events.

Here we measured net CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes after 5 years of experimental warming (+3.4°C), and 2 years of ≈45% summer rainfall reduction, in two forest sites in a boreal–temperate ecotone under different habitat conditions (closed or open canopy) in Minnesota, USA. We evaluated the importance of microbial gene abundance and climo‐edaphic factors (soil texture, canopy, seasonality, climate, and soil physicochemical properties) driving GHG emissions.

We found that changes in CO2 fluxes were predominantly determined abiotically by temperature and moisture, after accounting for bacterial abundance. Methane fluxes on the other hand, were determined both abiotically, by gas diffusivity (via soil texture) and microbially, by methanotroph pmoA gene abundance, whereas, N2O emissions showed only a strong biotic regulation via ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria amoA gene abundance. Warming did not significantly alter CO2 and CH4 fluxes after 5 years of manipulation, while N2O emissions were greater with warming under open canopy.

Our findings provide evidence that soil GHG emissions result from multiple direct and indirect interactions of microbial and abiotic drivers. Overall, this study highlights the need to include both microbial and climo‐edaphic properties in predictive models in order to provide improved mechanistic understanding for the development of future mitigation strategies.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Controlling cyanobacterial harmful blooms in freshwater ecosystems
Authors: Paerl Hans W.
Published: June 2017

Cyanobacteria's long evolutionary history has enabled them to adapt to geochemical and climatic changes, and more recent human and climatic modifications of aquatic ecosystems, including nutrient over‐enrichment, hydrologic modifications, and global warming. Harmful (toxic, hypoxia‐generating, food web altering) cyanobacterial bloom (CyanoHAB) genera are controlled by the synergistic effects of nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) supplies, light, temperature, water residence/flushing times, and biotic interactions. Accordingly, mitigation strategies are focused on manipulating these dynamic factors. Strategies based on physical, chemical (algaecide) and biological manipulations can be effective in reducing CyanoHABs. However, these strategies should invariably be accompanied by nutrient (both nitrogen and phosphorus in most cases) input reductions to ensure long‐term success and sustainability. While the applicability and feasibility of various controls and management approaches is focused on freshwater ecosystems, they will also be applicable to estuarine and coastal ecosystems. In order to ensure long‐term control of CyanoHABs, these strategies should be adaptive to climatic variability and change, because nutrient‐CyanoHAB thresholds will likely be altered in a climatically more‐extreme world.
Discussion of “The Psychology of Billing”
Authors: Falsetta Diana , Kaplan Steven E.
Published: June 2017

Hansen, Jackson, Schaefer, and Stewart (2018) examine the effects of three contextual features on tax professionals’ billing decisions in a case involving issue‐specific tax research. In this discussion, we present a tax fee model. In contrast to determining a bill, our model views tax fees in a more comprehensive perspective. We subsequently use this model to discuss the design choices and limitations of their study and to provide suggestions for future research.
Root proliferation strategies and exploration of soil patchiness in arid communities
Authors: Reyes Maria Fernanda , Aguiar Martín Roberto
Published: June 2017

Soil patchiness is a key feature of arid rangelands. As root proliferation contributes to soil exploration and resource uptake, it is ecologically relevant to understand how species respond to soil heterogeneity and coexist. Campbell et al.'s influential 1991 hypothesis proposes that dominant species deploy root systems (scale) that maximize soil volume explored. Instead, subordinate species show accurate root systems that exclusively proliferate in nutrient‐rich patches (precision). After many experiments under controlled conditions, the generality of this hypothesis has been questioned but a field perspective is necessary to increase realism in the conceptual framework. We worked with a guild of perennial graminoid species inside a grazing exclosure in an arid Patagonian steppe, a model system for ecological studies in arid rangelands for four decades. We buried root traps in bare ground patches with sieved soil, with or without a pulse of nitrogen addition, to measure specific root biomass and precision at 6 and 18 months after burial. We also estimated scale (root density) in naturally established plants, and root decomposition in litter bags. Several species grew in root traps. Dominant species showed the highest root biomass (in both harvests) and scale. Subordinate species grew more frequently with nitrogen addition and showed lower biomass and scale. Similar total root biomass was found with and without nitrogen addition. Species differed in root decomposition, but correcting species biomass by decomposition did not change our conclusions. We did not find a relation between scale and precision, indicating that Campbell's hypothesis is probably not supported in this Patagonian steppe. Soil resource acquisition differences probably do not utterly explain the coexistence of dominant and subordinate species because the steppe is also affected by large herbivore grazing. We propose that root proliferation in this steppe is the result of the interaction between individual density in the community and specific root growth rates.
An investigation of the relationship between recurrent spontaneous abortion and memory T follicular helper cells
Authors: Luan Xiaorui , Kang Xiaomin , Li Weiping , Dong Qian
Published: June 2017

Problem

Immune tolerance with respect to a semi‐allogeneic fetus plays a key role in the establishment of a pregnancy. Memory T follicular helper (Tfh) cells have a central role in the regulation of the adaptive immune response. Much of our knowledge of memory Tfh cells’ function comes from immune‐related diseases. However, the true physiological characteristics of memory Tfh cells and their mode of action in pregnancy remain unclear.

Methods of study

Deciduas and blood were obtained from 25 recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) patients undergoing surgical abortion and 19 normal women in early pregnancy undergoing elective termination. RSA patients were grouped into antibody‐positive patients and antibody‐negative patients, respectively. The memory Tfh cells with the CD4+CXCR5+PD1+CCR7− and CD4+CXCR5+PD‐1+ICOS+ phenotypes were assessed by flow cytometry. The B cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. A correlation analysis of the subsets of memory Tfh cells and B cells in antibody‐positive RSA patients was made by the Pearson test.

Results

Memory Tfh cells with the CD4+CXCR5+PD1+CCR7− and CD4+CXCR5+PD‐1+ICOS+ phenotypes showed a significant increase in RSA patients compared to women with a normal pregnancy who had chosen termination. When RSA patients were grouped according positive or negative antibodies, it was surprising to find that decidual CD4+CXCR5+PD‐1+ICOS+ memory Tfh cells significantly increased in RSA patients with positive antibody compared to RSA patients with negative antibody. However, the percentages of CD4+CXCR5+PD1+CCR7− memory Tfh cells did not change in the deciduas of the two groups. Circulating and decidual B cells significantly increased in antibody‐positive RSA patients compared with antibody‐negative RSA patients. Correlation analysis indicated a strong association between the decidual CD4+CXCR5+ PD‐1+ ICOS+ memory Tfh cells and B cells in antibody‐positive RSA patients.

Conclusion

These new findings provide unique insights into memory Tfh cells in mediating feto‐maternal immune tolerance.
Exploring the use of drug trend data in the regional alcohol and other drug workforce
Authors: Dunn Matthew , Henshaw Richard
Published: June 2017

Objective

Drug trend data can inform appropriate policies to minimise drug‐related harm, as well as assist in early detection and prevention. While Australia has a number of monitoring systems, none operate in regional areas. The aim of this study was to explore how drug trend and other data are used by the regional alcohol and other drug workforce.

Method

Twenty‐one key experts from regional Queensland were interviewed between November 2014 and August 2015. Key experts worked in or had contact with the broader alcohol and other drugs field in the Darling Downs area of Queensland. Interviews were analysed thematically.

Setting

Darling Downs, Queensland.

Results

Two themes emerged from the analysis. There were differences in workforce needs, with those in the law and criminal justice areas believing they had access to good, current data. Those in the health sector differed, although the majority indicated that there did appear to be a knowledge gap related to their location in a regional area.

Conclusions

Trends in the use of, and harms related to, substance use are well captured in urban areas, but less so in regional areas. This inhibits both our understanding of where substance use is changing, as well as how to best plan and respond.
The cost‐effectiveness of three interventions for providing preventive services to low‐income children
Authors: Johnson Ben , Serban Nicoleta , Griffin Paul M. , Tomar Scott L.
Published: June 2017

Objective

We evaluated the impact of loan repayment programmes, revising Medicaid fee‐for‐service rates, and changing dental hygienist supervision requirements on access to preventive dental care for children in Georgia.

Methods

We estimated cost savings from the three interventions of preventive care for young children after netting out the intervention cost. We used a regression model to evaluate the impact of changing the Medicaid reimbursement rates. The impact of supervision was evaluated by comparing general and direct supervision in school‐based dental sealant programmes.

Results

Federal loan repayments to dentists and school‐based sealant programmes (SBSPs) had lower intervention costs (with higher potential cost savings) than raising the Medicaid reimbursement rate. General supervision had costs 56% lower than direct supervision of dental hygienists for implementing a SBSP. Raising the Medicaid reimbursement rate by 10 percentage points would improve utilization by <1% and cost over $38 million. Given one parameter set, SBSPs could serve over 27 000 children with an intervention cost between $500 000 and $1.3 million with a potential cost saving of $1.1 million. Loan repayment could serve almost 13 000 children for a cost of $400 000 and a potential cost saving of $176 000.

Conclusions

The three interventions all improved met need for preventive dental care. Raising the reimbursement rate alone would marginally affect utilization of Medicaid services but would not substantially increase acceptance of Medicaid by providers. Both loan repayment programmes and amending supervision requirements are potentially cost‐saving interventions. Loan repayment programmes provide complete care to targeted areas, while amending supervision requirements of dental hygienists could provide preventive care across the state.
Calcineurin inhibitors exacerbate coronary arteritis via the MyD88 signalling pathway in a murine model of Kawasaki disease
Authors: Murata K , Motomura Y , Tanaka T , Kanno S , Yano T , Onimaru M , Shimoyama A , Nishio H , Sakai Y , Oh-Hora M , Hara H , Fukase K , Takada H , Masuda S , Ohga S , Yamasaki S , Hara T
Published: June 2017

Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) have been used off-label for the treatment of refractory Kawasaki disease (KD). However, it remains unknown whether CNIs show protective effects against the development of coronary artery lesions in KD patients. To investigate the effects of CNIs on coronary arteries and the mechanisms of their actions on coronary arteritis in a mouse model of KD, we performed experiments with FK565, a ligand of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) in wild-type, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), caspase-associated recruitment domain 9 (CARD9)–/– and myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88)–/– mice. We also performed in-vitro studies with vascular and monocytic cells and vascular tissues. A histopathological analysis showed that both cyclosporin A and tacrolimus exacerbated the NOD1-mediated coronary arteritis in a dose-dependent manner. Cyclosporin A induced the exacerbation of coronary arteritis in mice only in high doses, while tacrolimus exacerbated it within the therapeutic range in humans. Similar effects were obtained in SCID and CARD9–/– mice but not in MyD88–/– mice. CNIs enhanced the expression of adhesion molecules by endothelial cells and the cytokine secretion by monocytic cells in our KD model. These data indicated that both vascular and monocytic cells were involved in the exacerbation of coronary arteritis. Activation of MyD88-dependent inflammatory signals in both vascular cells and macrophages appears to contribute to their adverse effects. Particular attention should be paid to the development of coronary artery lesions when using CNIs to treat refractory KD.
Glycemic Improvement with a Fixed‐dose combination of DPP‐4 inhibitor + metformin in patients with Type 2 diabetes (GIFT study)
Authors: Bajaj Harpreet S. , Ye Chenglin , Jain Esha , Venn Karri , Stein Eden , Aronson Ronnie
Published: June 2017

This study investigates changes in A1C following a switch from dual therapy of metformin and DPP‐4 inhibitor to a fixed‐dose combination (FDC) of metformin + DPP‐4 inhibitor following the introduction of the FDC in the provincial formulary. The LMC Diabetes Registry was queried retrospectively for patients with type 2 diabetes, aged between 18 and 80 years with at least one A1C recorded prior and ≥3 months post‐switch. Five hundred and sixty‐eight subjects with mean age 64 ± 12 years and mean A1C 7.7% ± 1.2% met study criteria. Overall, A1C was 0.3% lower post‐switch to FDC (P < .01). In stratified analysis, subjects with baseline A1C between 7% and 10% had 0.4% lower A1C (P < .01), with 31% of these subjects reaching target A1C ≤7%, post‐switch. A1C reduction was greater among patients with a higher baseline pill burden: 0.4% among those using ≥10 pills/day vs. 0.1% for those with <10 pills/day (P = .02). In this real‐world study, switching to FDC of metformin + DPP‐4 inhibitor was associated with a significant improvement in A1C. Switching to FDC, especially in patients with high pill burden, can improve A1C goal achievement in clinical practice.