bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Estate under Pressure to Spiritual Pressure Group: The Bishops and Parliament
Authors: Taylor Stephen , Huzzey Richard
Published: July 2018

This essay traces the mutating place of the anglican bishops within the house of lords to explore revolutionary changes in the relationship between religion, parliament and political pressure from the late 17th to the 20th centuries. After the Restoration, the lords spiritual reoccupied a contested position in the upper chamber as representatives of the clerical estate of the realm. During the 18th century, they began to act as representatives of the church's lay and clerical members. In the 19th century, they made a strong target for thwarted reformers and nonconformist pressure groups which resented the privileged place of these appointed legislators. However, by the 20th century we can detect an inclusive role for the bishops as conduits of spiritual pressure and ecumenical concerns in a legislature which might otherwise neglect those anxieties. These contortions, then, exemplify changing patterns of parliamentary pressure and the place of religion in politics. The essay concludes that the bishops’ evolving role demonstrates the permeability of legislative deliberations, where clerical legislators might claim a role as channels for extraparliamentary pressure and under‐represented interests rather than the continuing supremacy of the state church.
Assessment of Intra‐Aortic Counterpulsation in an Animal Model of Heart Failure and Myocardial Ischemia
Authors: Wray Sandra , Lascano Elena , Negroni Jorge , Cabrera Fischer Edmundo
Published: July 2018

The effectiveness of intra‐aortic balloon pumping (IABP) is currently evaluated using indirect indexes. The diastolic pressure augmentation is quantified using the subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR) and the DABAC/SABAC index (areas beneath the aortic pressure–time signals during the diastolic and systolic periods, respectively). The SEVR requires invasive recordings of left ventricular pressure; the DABAC/SABAC index may represent an alternative, since it only requires an aortic pressure signal. Nonetheless, it has never been used in an animal model of counterpulsated heart failure and ischemia‐reperfusion episode. The aims of this work were: (i) to develop an animal model of heart failure, with a myocardial ischemia‐reperfusion episode, treated with IABP during the reperfusion period; (ii) to evaluate the effects of the IABP using the SEVR and DABAC/SABAC indices; and (iii) to assess the relationship between both ratios. Cardiovascular parameters were obtained in anesthetized sheep, in which induced heart failure and ischemia‐reperfusion episodes were monitored with and without IABP 1:2. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure signals were assessed in the aorta and in the left ventricle. Values of cardiac output and left ventricular wall thickness signals were obtained. Induction of ischemia and heart failure determined decreases in SEVR and DABAC/SABAC indices with respect to their basal stage (0.807 ± 0.118 vs. 0.601 ± 0.107, P < 0.05 and 1.062 ± 0.136 vs. 0.902 ± 0.161, P < 0.05, respectively). Counterpulsated animals whose myocardial reperfusion was accompanied by heart failure showed a significant improvement of wall thickening fraction along time (R2 = 0.7627, P < 0.001). During counterpulsated heart failure accompanied by myocardial reperfusion, the SEVR was positively correlated with DABAC/SABAC index.
Real‐world clinical, endoscopic and radiographic efficacy of vedolizumab for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Kotze Paulo G. , Ma Christopher , Almutairdi Abdulelah , Al‐Darmaki Ahmed , Devlin Shane M. , Kaplan Gilaad G. , Seow Cynthia H. , Novak Kerri L. , Lu Cathy , Ferraz Jose G. P. , Stewart Michael J. , Buresi Michelle , Jijon Humberto , Mathivanan Meena , Heatherington Joan , Martin Marie‐Louise , Panaccione Remo
Published: July 2018

Background

Vedolizumab is an α4β7 integrin antagonist with proven efficacy for inducing and maintaining clinical response and remission in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

Aim

To evaluate clinical and objective response and remission rates with vedolizumab in a large, real world cohort.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of adult CD and UC patients receiving vedolizumab between 2012 and 2017 was conducted. Primary outcome: clinical or objective response and remission at 3, 6 and 12 months after induction. Clinical remission was defined by complete, steroid‐free absence of symptoms. Objective remission was defined by endoscopic mucosal healing or normalisation of radiographic appearance on contrast‐enhanced ultrasound or CT/MR enterography.

Results

The study included 222 vedolizumab patients (122 CD, 100 UC). In CD, clinical remission at 3, 6 and 12 months was achieved in 19.8% (22/111), 22.1% (21/95) and 22.1% (15/68) of patients, respectively. Objective remission occurred in 11.5% (6/52), 21.2% (14/66), and 18.9% (7/37) of patients at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. In UC, clinical remission at 3, 6, and 12 months was 51.0% (51/100), 61.8% (55/89) and 61.9% (39/63), respectively. Endoscopic remission occurred in 27.5% (11/40), 41.0% (16/39) and 47.8% (22/46) of patients at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. In multivariable analysis, patients with UC as compared to CD, and those with milder disease activity were more likely to achieve objectively defined remission at both 6 and 12 months.

Conclusions

Vedolizumab was effective for induction and maintenance of clinical and objective remission, both in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Late Triassic tectonic inversion in the upper Yangtze Block: Insights from detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology from south‐western Sichuan Basin
Authors: Yan Zhaokun , Tian Yuntao , Li Rui , Vermeesch Pieter , Sun Xilin , Li Yong , Rittner Martin , Carter Andrew , Shao Chongjian , Huang Hu , Ji Xiangtian
Published: July 2018

The Sichuan Basin and the Songpan‐Ganze terrane, separated by the Longmen Shan fold‐and‐thrust belt (the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau), are two main Triassic depositional centres, south of the Qinling‐Dabie orogen. During the Middle–Late Triassic closure of the Paleo‐Tethys Ocean, the Sichuan Basin region, located at the western margin of the Yangtze Block, transitioned from a passive continental margin into a foreland basin. In the meantime, the Songpan‐Granze terrane evolved from a marine turbidite basin into a fold‐and‐thrust belt. To understand if and how the regional sediment routing system adjusted to these tectonic changes, we monitored sediment provenance primarily by using detrital zircon U‐Pb analyses of representative stratigraphic samples from the south‐western edge of the Sichuan Basin. Integration of the results with paleocurrent, sandstone petrology and published detrital zircon data from other parts of the basin identified a marked change in provenance. Early–Middle Triassic samples were dominated by Neoproterozoic (~700–900 Ma) zircons sourced mainly from the northern Kangdian basement, whereas Late Triassic sandstones that contain a more diverse range of zircon ages sourced from the Qinling, Longmen Shan and Songpan‐Ganze terrane. This change reflects a major drainage adjustment in response to the Late Triassic closure of the Paleo‐Tethys Ocean and significant shortening in the Longmen Shan thrust belt and the eastern Songpan‐Ganze terrane. Furthermore, by Late Triassic time, the uplifted northern Kangdian basement had subsided. Considering the eastward paleocurrent and depocenter geometry of the Upper Triassic deposits, subsidence of the northern Kangdian basement probably resulted from eastward shortening and loading of the Songpan‐Ganze terrane over the western margin of the Yangtze Block in response to the Late Triassic collision among Yangtze Block, Yidun arc and Qiangtang terrane along the Ganze‐Litang and Jinshajiang sutures.
When Extremists Win: Cultural Transmission Via Iterated Learning When Populations Are Heterogeneous
Authors: Navarro Danielle J. , Perfors Andrew , Kary Arthur , Brown Scott D. , Donkin Chris
Published: July 2018

How does the process of information transmission affect the cultural or linguistic products that emerge? This question is often studied experimentally and computationally via iterated learning, a procedure in which participants learn from previous participants in a chain. Iterated learning is a powerful tool because, when all participants share the same priors, the stationary distributions of the iterated learning chains reveal those priors. In many situations, however, it is unreasonable to assume that all participants share the same prior beliefs. We present four simulation studies and one experiment demonstrating that when the population of learners is heterogeneous, the behavior of an iterated learning chain can be unpredictable and is often systematically distorted by the learners with the most extreme biases. This results in group‐level outcomes that reflect neither the behavior of any individuals within the population nor the overall population average. We discuss implications for the use of iterated learning as a methodological tool as well as for the processes that might have shaped cultural and linguistic evolution in the real world.
Urbanization versus other land use: Diverging effects on dragonfly communities in Germany
Authors: Goertzen Diana , Suhling Frank
Published: July 2018

Aim

Land use change, such as urbanization and intensification of agricultural practices, poses major threats for biodiversity. We examined whether the composition of freshwater species differs between landscapes dominated by urban, agricultural or more natural structures in a region with a long history of landscape transformation. We determined the differences and characteristics of the dragonfly fauna in relation to major land use categories. We particularly focused on urban land use, as it generally induces a high level of landscape transformation.

Location

Germany.

Methods

We used distribution data of dragonflies derived from a citizen science database, which was compiled for the German distribution atlas. To analyse whether different land use categories are associated with distinct species compositions, we performed the classification method random forest.

Results

Based on dragonfly abundance per grid cell, we identified distinct land use‐related assemblages that were separated by two gradients, that is, the level of transformation and a gradient from open land to forest. In particular, urban landscapes possessed a distinct species composition with specific species, all of which were opportunistic and supported by warm climate. They also comprised significantly higher α‐diversity than intensive agricultural landscapes. Similar values of γ‐diversity over all land use categories implied a countrywide homogenized dragonfly fauna, which is probably caused by historic land use.

Main conclusions

Our results indicate that land use is a relevant driver for the composition of freshwater species at the landscape scale. Urban landscapes maintain species diversity better than agricultural landscapes, but they modify the species composition. Additional research on the effects of land use change is required to understand species responses and predict future distributions in a changing world in order to plan sustainable conservation strategies.
Cost‐effectiveness analysis of postpolypectomy colonoscopy surveillance using Japanese data
Authors: Sekiguchi Masau , Igarashi Ataru , Sakamoto Taku , Saito Yutaka , Esaki Minoru , Matsuda Takahisa
Published: July 2018

Objective

Recommendations vary on postpolypectomy surveillance, and no consensus has been reached even regarding the necessity of risk stratification based on polyp characteristics for surveillance. We examined an optimal postpolypectomy surveillance program by performing a cost‐effectiveness analysis.

Methods

We performed a Markov model analysis using parameters based on Japanese data and evaluated four postpolypectomy surveillance programs with respect to their effectiveness in terms of quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs), cost‐effectiveness and required number of colonoscopies. Two were non‐risk‐stratified programs with 1‐year (program 1) and 3‐year (program 2) postpolypectomy surveillance colonoscopy, and the other two were risk‐stratified programs. In program 3, surveillance colonoscopy was performed 3, 10 and 10 years after resection of advanced adenomas, low‐risk adenomatous polyps, and no polyps, respectively. In program 4, those intervals were shortened to 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively.

Results

Risk‐stratified programs (3 and 4) yielded higher QALYs with lower costs than non‐risk‐stratified programs (1 and 2). Program 4 yielded higher QALYs (23.046) and lower required cost (107,717 JPY) than program 3. The required number of colonoscopies for program 4 was 1.2, 1.5 and 1.6 times that for programs 1, 2 and 3, respectively. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that the probability of program 4 being chosen as the most cost‐effective was highest.

Conclusions

After polypectomy, risk‐stratified colonoscopy surveillance based on the polyp characteristics should be considered. A risk‐stratified program with relatively short examination intervals could be effective and cost‐effective in Japan, although further investigation and consideration of colonoscopy capacity are required.
3‐carboxy‐4‐methyl‐5‐propyl‐2‐furanpropanoic acid (CMPF) prevents high fat diet‐induced insulin resistance via maintenance of hepatic lipid homeostasis
Authors: Mohan Haneesha , Brandt Sydney L. , Kim Ja Hyun , Wong Frances , Lai Mi , Prentice Kacey J. , Al Rijjal Dana , Magomedova Lilia , Batchuluun Battsetseg , Burdett Elena , Bhattacharjee Alpana , Cummins Carolyn L. , Belsham Denise D. , Cox Brian , Liu Ying , Wheeler Michael B.
Published: July 2018

Aim

Omega‐3 fatty acid ethyl ester supplements, available by prescription, are common in the treatment of dyslipidaemia in humans. Recent studies show that 3‐carboxy‐4‐methyl‐5‐propyl‐2‐furanpropanoic acid (CMPF), a metabolite formed from fish oil supplementation, was able to prevent and reverse high fat diet (HFD)‐induced fatty liver in mice. In the present study, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for CMPF's hepatic lipid‐lowering effects.

Materials and Methods

CD1 male mice were i.p. injected with CMPF (dosage, 6 mg/kg) for 7 days, followed by 5 weeks of a 60% HFD to induce a fatty liver phenotype. Metabolic parameters, liver morphology, lipid content, protein expression and microarray analysis were assessed. We also utilized primary hepatocytes, an in vitro model, to further investigate the direct effects of CMPF on hepatic lipid utilization and biosynthesis.

Results

CMPF‐treated mice display enhanced hepatic lipid clearance while hepatic lipid storage is prevented, thereby protecting against liver lipid accumulation and development of HFD‐induced hepatic insulin resistance. Mechanistically, as CMPF enters the liver, it acts as an allosteric acetyl‐coA carboxylase (ACC) inhibitor, which directly induces both fatty acid oxidation and hepatic production of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21). A feed‐back loop is initiated by CMPF, which exists between ACC inhibition, fatty acid oxidation and production of FGF21. As a consequence, an adaptive decrease in Insig2/SREBP‐1c/FAS protein expression results in priming of the liver to prevent a HFD‐induced fatty liver phenotype.

Conclusion

CMPF is a potential driver of hepatic lipid metabolism, preventing diet‐induced hepatic lipid deposition and insulin resistance in the long term.
Occurrence of subsurface lateral flow in the Shale Hills Catchment indicated by a soil water mass balance method
Authors: Guo L. , Fan B. , Zhang J. , Lin H.
Published: July 2018

Subsurface lateral flow (SLF) contributes substantially to hillslope runoff. However, because of the lack of appropriate methods, field investigation of SLF at the hillslope and catchment scales has been limited. Recently, high‐frequency soil moisture monitoring has been tested to characterize SLF. This study presented a simple approach to determine SLF based on soil water mass balance and compared this method with an established approach that used the depth‐specific soil moisture response time to precipitation to identify preferential flow. The new method defined the occurrence of SLF when the increase in soil water storage was greater than the accumulated quantity of effective precipitation during a rain event. We applied this method to a 10‐minute resolution soil moisture dataset collected over 3 years from nine soil profiles along a concave hillslope. We found that (i) SLF frequency derived by the proposed method matched well with preferential flow frequency obtained by the established method (r > 0.9), (ii) precipitation and initial soil wetness together controlled the generation of SLF, precipitation intensity determined whether or not the hillslope produced SLF and the quantity of precipitation governed the spatial extent of SLF, and (iii) topographic and small‐scale soil features led to spatially different frequencies of SLF during small storms. Identifying SLF from a soil moisture time series over an entire rain event complements the established method based on soil moisture dynamics at the beginning of an event. Applying both methods creates the potential to measure SLF frequency and vertical preferential flow frequency, respectively. Soil moisture sensor networks have improved the large‐scale investigation of such preferential flows.

Highlights

How can the occurrence of subsurface lateral flow (SLF) be detected by soil moisture time series?

A simple approach is proposed to detect SLF in a forested hillslope using soil water mass balance.

Three‐year SLF frequency obtained by the new method agreed with that from an established method.

Rain, topography and soil attributes control the generation and spatial distribution of SLF.
An in situ probe‐spacing‐correction thermo‐TDR sensor to measure soil water content accurately
Authors: Wen M. M. , Liu G. , Horton R. , Noborio K.
Published: July 2018

To reduce the possibility of probe deflections, conventional thermo‐time domain reflectometry (T‐TDR) sensors have relatively short probe lengths (≤4 cm). However, short probes lead to large errors in TDR‐estimated soil water content (θv). In this study, two new 6‐cm‐long probe‐spacing‐correction T‐TDR (CT‐TDR) sensors were investigated. Compared with conventional 4‐cm‐long T‐TDR sensors, the 6‐cm‐long CT‐TDR sensors reduced errors in TDR‐estimated θv. Errors in heat pulse (HP)‐estimated θv because of probe deflections were reduced when linear or nonlinear probe‐spacing‐correction algorithms were implemented. The 6‐cm‐long CT‐TDR sensors provided more accurate θv estimations than do the conventional 4‐cm‐long T‐TDR sensors.

Highlights

Short thermo‐TDR sensor has shortcomings in determining soil water content.

Changes in thermo‐TDR probe spacing caused by deflections can be determined in situ.

Correcting changed thermo‐TDR probe spacing determined soil water content accurately.

The 6‐cm‐long thermo‐TDR sensors determined soil water content more accurately than 4‐cm‐long sensors.
The importance of environment and life stage on interpretation of silky shark relative abundance indices for the equatorial Pacific Ocean
Authors: Lennert‐Cody Cleridy E. , Clarke Shelley C. , Aires‐da‐Silva Alexandre , Maunder Mark N. , Franks Peter J. S. , Román Marlon , Miller Arthur J. , Minami Mihoko
Published: July 2018

Recent large fluctuations in an index of relative abundance for the silky shark in the eastern Pacific Ocean have called into question its reliability as a population indicator for management. To investigate whether these fluctuations were driven by environmental forcing rather than true changes in abundance, a Pacific‐wide approach was taken. Data collected by observers aboard purse‐seine vessels fishing in the equatorial Pacific were used to compute standardized trends in relative abundance by region, and where possible, by shark size category as a proxy for life stage. These indices were compared to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), an index of Pacific Ocean climate variability. Correlation between silky indices and the PDO was found to differ by region and size category. The highest correlations by shark size category were for small (<90 cm total length [TL]) and medium (90–150 cm TL) sharks from the western region of the equatorial eastern Pacific (EP) and from the equatorial western Pacific. This correlation disappeared in the inshore EP. Throughout, correlations with the PDO were generally lower for large silky sharks (>150 cm TL). These results are suggestive of changes in the small and medium silky indices being driven by movement of juvenile silky sharks across the Pacific as the eastern edge of the Indo‐Pacific Warm Pool shifts location with ENSO events. Lower correlation of the PDO with large shark indices may indicate that those indices were less influenced by environmental forcing and therefore potentially less biased with respect to monitoring population trends.
Implementation of Solute Transport in the Vadose Zone into the “HYDRUS Package for MODFLOW”
Authors: Beegum Sahila , Šimůnek Jiří , Szymkiewicz Adam , Sudheer K. P. , Nambi Indumathi M.
Published: July 2018

The “HYDRUS package for MODFLOW” is an existing MODFLOW package that allows MODFLOW to simultaneously evaluate transient water flow in both unsaturated and saturated zones. The package is based on incorporating parts of the HYDRUS‐1D model (to simulate unsaturated water flow in the vadose zone) into MODFLOW (to simulate saturated groundwater flow). The coupled model is effective in addressing spatially variable saturated‐unsaturated hydrological processes at the regional scale. However, one of the major limitations of this coupled model is that it does not have the capability to simulate solute transport along with water flow and therefore, the model cannot be employed for evaluating groundwater contamination. In this work, a modified unsaturated flow and transport package (modified HYDRUS package for MODFLOW and MT3DMS) has been developed and linked to the three‐dimensional (3D) groundwater flow model MODFLOW and the 3D groundwater solute transport model MT3DMS. The new package can simulate, in addition to water flow in the vadose zone, also solute transport involving many biogeochemical processes and reactions, including first‐order degradation, volatilization, linear or nonlinear sorption, one‐site kinetic sorption, two‐site sorption, and two‐kinetic sites sorption. Due to complex interactions at the groundwater table, certain modifications of the pressure head (compared to the original coupling) and solute concentration profiles were incorporated into the modified HYDRUS package. The performance of the newly developed model is evaluated using HYDRUS (2D/3D), and the results indicate that the new model is effective in simulating the movement of water and contaminants in the saturated‐unsaturated flow domains.
Interest of cytology combined with Xpert®HPV and Anyplex®II HPV28 Detection human papillomavirus (HPV) typing: differential profiles of anal and cervical HPV lesions in HIV‐infected patients on antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Nassereddine H , Charpentier C , Bucau M , Joly V , Bienvenu L , Davitian C , Abramowitz L , Benabderrahmane D , Kotelevets L , Chastre E , Lehy T , Walker F
Published: July 2018

Objectives

The aim of the study was to assess the interest to combine cytological examination and human papillomavirus (HPV) typing of anal and cervical Papanicolaou (Pap) smears of HIV‐infected patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), to evaluate whether differences in prevalence exist between anal and cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions in patients with high‐risk oncogenic HPV infection.

Methods

Anal and/or cervical Pap smears were obtained by anoscopy and/or colposcopy in 238 subjects recruited consecutively in 2015: anal smears were obtained from 48 male and female patients [42 men; 35 men who have sex with men (MSM)] and cervical smears from 190 female patients. Cytological Bethesda classification was coupled with HPV typing. HPV typing was performed, on the same smears, using the Xpert® HPV Assay, which detects only high‐risk HPV (hrHPV), and the Anyplex® II HPV28 Detection assay, which detects hrHPV and low‐risk (lr) HPV.

Results

Our data showed clear‐cut differences between the anal and cervical samples. Compared with the cervical samples, the anal samples exhibited (1) more numerous cytological lesions, which were histologically proven; (2) a higher hrHPV infection prevalence; (3) a higher prevalence of multiple hrHPV coinfections whatever HPV typing kit was used; (4) a predominance of HPV16 and HPV18/45 types. Overall, there was an almost perfect agreement between the two HPV typing assays (absolute agreement = 90.3%).

Conclusions

Co‐testing consisting of cytology and HPV typing is a useful screening tool in the HIV‐infected population on cART. It allows detection of prevalence differences between anal and cervical HPV‐related lesions. As recently recommended, anal examination should be regularly performed especially in HIV‐infected MSM but also in HIV‐infected women with genital hrHPV lesions.
Purification of peptide fraction with antioxidant activity from Moringa oleifera leaf hydrolysate and protective effect of its in vitro gastrointestinal digest on oxidatively damaged erythrocytes
Authors: Lin Lianzhu , Zhu Qiyuan , Zhao Mouming , Zhao Kun , Tian Yuchen , Yang Yanqing
Published: July 2018

Moringa oleifera leaf (MOL) is an excellent source of high‐quality plant protein. MOL hydrolysate (MOLH) was prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol precipitation. The adsorption kinetics of SP‐207 resin for antioxidant peptides from MOLH were studied. The adsorption process for antioxidant peptides on SP‐207 was well described by the pseudo‐second‐order kinetics model. The adsorption was a multi‐molecule layer adsorption process, which was exothermic. The peptide fraction with antioxidant activity (MOLP, 40% ethanol elution fraction) possessing high contents of antioxidant and hydrophobic amino acids was obtained by SP‐207 column chromatography. A total of eight dipeptides including PR, L(I)K, L(I)H, L(I)P, L(I)L(I), GE, VL(I) and PF were identified in gastrointestinal digest of MOLP by UPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS. The protective effects of MOLP digest and LH on oxidatively damaged erythrocytes by inhibition of MDA formation were comparable to that of GSH, indicating that MOLP could be used as an antioxidative ingredient in functional food.
Prevalence and predictors of medicine saving and future prescription medicine sharing: findings from a New Zealand online survey
Authors: Beyene Kebede , Aspden Trudi , Sheridan Janie
Published: July 2018

Objectives

To assess the prevalence of and factors predicting future prescription medicine sharing behaviours among adults in New Zealand (NZ). The prevalence and predictors of having leftover medicines at home and the relationship between medicine storing and sharing practices were also explored.

Methods

An online, self-administered survey of a convenience sample of NZ adults was conducted. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between explanatory and outcome variables.

Key findings

Two hundred and thirty three participants took part, who were mostly members of patient support groups across NZ. A high prevalence of leftover medicine storing practices (72.4%), future prescription medicine borrowing (72.8%) and lending (68.7%) behaviours was documented. Over half of the participants (57.1%) had never received advice from healthcare providers about the safe disposal of medicines, and 79.7% reported never having received information about risks of medicine sharing from healthcare providers. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, high income, having asthma and having leftover medicines stored at home were found to be positive predictors of future medicine lending or borrowing intentions. Further, high income was a positive predictor of having leftover medicines stored at home. Conversely, those with hypertension would be less likely to lend or borrow medicines.

Conclusions

The high prevalence of leftover medicine storing practices and future medicine sharing intentions among adults in NZ suggests it may be beneficial to provide patient and public education about appropriate use of prescribed medicines and safe medicine disposal procedures. Further research is needed to elicit effective strategies to reduce leftover medicines and unsafe medicine sharing practices.
Students' views on the use of ClassBoost in a teachers' education college
Authors: Levin Orna , Avidov‐Ungar Orit
Published: July 2018

There has been a recent acceleration in the use of lecture capture technologies (LCT) in higher education institutions. The present study focuses on an LCT system, by the name of ClassBoost, which has recently been introduced in some classes in an academic college of education in Israel. The system encourages collaborative learning skills at different levels, and the research focused on the students' attitudes towards the system from a procedural viewpoint at two stages of its assimilation: before the use of the system and during its use. Emphasis is given to the students' collaborative learning patterns and learning practices from their own viewpoints. A unique finding is that students felt that their participation in lessons contributed to the effectiveness of the teaching. The research aims to supplement existing research on the use of LCT systems, this time in teacher education, and to point up practical implications, especially for academic colleges of education.
First observations on captive hatching and incubation period of the yellow‐nose skateDipturus chilensis(Rajiformes: Rajidae), from the South‐Eastern Pacific Ocean
Authors: Concha Francisco , Morales Naití , Hernández Sebastián
Published: July 2018

Twelve egg capsules laid in captivity by three females ofDipturus chilensiswere incubated in the laboratory. After 252 ± 9.4 days, 10 skates successfully hatched, with a mean total length, disc length, and disc width of 17.2, 7.4, and 11.4 cm, respectively. This is the first report of captive hatching ofD. chilensisand its corresponding incubation period.
Association between anthropometric markers and asthma control, quality of life and pulmonary function in adults with asthma
Authors: Forte G. C. , Almeida J. C. , da Silva D. T. R. , Hennemann M. L. , Dalcin P. T. R.
Published: July 2018

Background

The role of abdominal fat and body fat (BF) in the evaluation of nutritional status in asthma has been considered recently. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between different anthropometric markers and asthma control, pulmonary function and quality of life. A secondary objective was to determine the agreement between the anthropometric markers with respect to assessing obesity in adults with asthma.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study enrolled adult asthma patients attending an outpatient asthma clinic in southern Brazil. Patients were evaluated regarding sociodemographic data, lung function, asthma control, nutritional status and health‐related quality of life (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire; AQLQ). Nutritional status was classified by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and BF.

Results

The mean (SD) age of the 198 patients was 56.2 (14.8) years. The prevalence of uncontrolled asthma among subjects who were overweight as diagnosed by their BMI was 64.6% higher than in those who were normal weight. An increase in a measure of BMI (1 kg m−2) decreases approximately 44–59% of symptoms, activity limitations and emotional function domains of the AQLQ, whereas an increase in a measure in WC (1 cm) decreases approximately 24–30% of the same domains. Agreement between BMI and BF was 0.566 and that between BMI and WC was 0.597 by Kendall's Tau‐b test.

Conclusions

The prevalence of uncontrolled asthma is greater in overweight subjects than in normal weight subjects. WC and BMI were negatively associated with symptoms, activity limitations and emotional function domains of the AQLQ. BMI appears to be sufficient to diagnose the nutritional status of subjects with asthma in this population.
Salivary shedding of herpesviruses in renal transplant recipients
Authors: Sarmento Dmitry José de Santana , Caliento Rubens , Souza Amabile Oliveira de , Tozetto‐Mendoza Tânia Regina , Palmieri Michelle , Martins Victor Adriano de Oliveira , Braz‐Silva Paulo Henrique , Gallottini Marina
Published: July 2018

Aim

The aim of the present study was to describe the salivary shedding of human herpesviruses (HHV) in renal transplant recipients and to observe the oral manifestations in this group.

Methods

A prospective case‐control study was conducted with a study group of 20 renal transplant recipients and a control group of 20 non‐transplanted, immunocompetent individuals. Clinical examination evaluated the presence of drug‐induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO), salivary flow, and caries. Stimulated saliva was collected from both groups, with HHV being detected by using real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

The mean age of the study group was 45.90 ± 9.89 years, with 55% (11/20) being female, 60% (12/20) being Caucasian, 65% (13/20) having a deceased donor, and 70% (14/20) having used tacrolimus as the main immunosuppressive drug. Renal transplant recipients had shedding of more herpesviruses compared to the control group, with the exception of HHV‐7. Statistical significance was found for herpes simplex virus‐1 (HSV‐1) (P = 0.017) and cytomegalovirus (P = 0.035). DIGO was observed in seven patients (35%), with 35% (7/20) presenting with decreased salivary flow and four (20%) reporting xerostomia.

Conclusion

Renal transplant recipients excreted herpesviruses more often than control individuals, especially HSV‐1. Decreased salivary flow and xerostomia were more frequent in patients who used tacrolimus, whereas those who used cyclosporine had more cases of DIGO.
Are serum ferritin and transferrin saturation risk markers for restless legs syndrome in young adults? Longitudinal and cross‐sectional data from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study
Authors: Lammers Natasja , Curry‐Hyde Ashton , Smith Anne J. , Eastwood Peter R. , Straker Leon M. , Champion David , McArdle Nigel
Published: July 2018

Restless legs syndrome has been associated with serum iron deficiency in clinical studies. However, studies investigating this relationship have had inconsistent results and there are no studies in young adults. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between serum measures of iron stores and restless legs syndrome in young adults in the community. Participants in the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study answered questions on restless legs syndrome (n = 1,100, 54% female) at age 22 years, and provided serum measures of iron stores (ferritin and transferrin saturation) at ages 17 and 22 years. Restless legs syndrome was diagnosed when four International RLS Study Group criteria were met (urge to move, dysaesthesia, relief by movement, worsening during evening/night) and these symptoms occurred ≥5 times per month. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between serum iron stores and restless legs syndrome, adjusting for potential confounders. The prevalence of restless legs syndrome at age 22 years was 3.0% (n = 33, 70% female). Among those who provided restless legs syndrome and iron data at age 22 years (n = 865), the median (interquartile range) ferritin was not different between the restless legs syndrome (55 [29.5–103.5] µg L−1) and the non‐restless legs syndrome group (65.0 [35.0–103.3] µg L−1, p = 0.2), nor were there differences in iron deficiency prevalence (p = 0.36). There was no association between restless legs syndrome (22 years) and iron stores (17, 22 years) before or after adjustment for potential confounders. There was no association between restless legs syndrome at 22 years and iron stores at 17 or 22 years in this cohort. Serum iron stores may not be a useful indicator of restless legs syndrome risk in young adults in the community.
Seasonality of reproduction in Asian elephantsElephas maximusand African elephantsLoxodonta africana: underlying photoperiodic cueing?
Authors: Hufenus Rahel , Schiffmann Christian , Hatt Jean‐Michel , Müller Dennis W. H. , Lackey Laurie Bingaman , Clauss Marcus , Zerbe Philipp
Published: July 2018

Animals in seasonal environments often rely on photoperiodicity to time their reproduction. Elephants have a gestation length of approximately two years and a historical geographic distribution including higher latitudes than at present, so the evolution of a seasonal breeding pattern cued by photoperiodicity and timed to the long‐day period is a theoretical option in both species.

We reviewed literature on reproductive patterns in free‐ranging, semi‐captive and captive Asian and African elephants, photoperiodic cueing, seasonal variation in body condition, and other factors influencing their reproduction, as well as data from zoological collections on the timing of births.

Most of the free‐ranging and all the semi‐captive and captive elephant populations showed a moderate yet distinct seasonal breeding pattern.

Peak breeding activity of free‐ranging Asian elephants took place in either the dry or the wet season, with no preference for short‐day or long‐day breeding at low latitudes (close to the equator) but a preference for long‐day breeding at higher latitudes. Semi‐captive Asian elephants mainly bred in the dry season when body condition was lowest and day‐lengths were increasing. Peak conception often occurred in the wet season in free‐ranging African elephants when body condition was highest, with no evident preference for short‐day or long‐day breeding at low latitudes but preference for long‐day breeding at higher latitudes.

Asian and African elephants in zoos at latitudes from 43 to 53°N tended to conceive more often during spring and summer, i.e. when day‐lengths were increasing. Body condition was not reported to vary significantly throughout the year and was rather high compared to in the wild.

We hypothesise that elephants are ‘long‐day breeders’ in which the photoperiodic timing of conception can be influenced by many additional factors. Strategies to encourage natural conception in captive populations should include measures aimed at increasing breeding incentives in the northern hemisphere spring.
Lived experiences of intensive care nurses in caring for critically ill patients
Authors: Limbu Sunita , Kongsuwan Waraporn , Yodchai Kantaporn
Published: July 2018

Background

Caring for critically ill patients requires competent nurses to help save and secure the lives of patients, using technological developments while maintaining humanistic care. Nepal is a developing country with limited advanced technologies and resources. It is important to understand nursing care for critically ill patients under these shortages.

Aim

To describe the lived experiences of intensive care nurses in caring for critically ill patients in intensive care units.

Methods

A hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 13 nurses from three intensive care units, who met the inclusion criteria. Face‐to‐face, in‐depth individual interviews with an audio recorder were used to collect the data. The interview transcriptions were analysed and interpreted using van Manen's approach. Trustworthiness was established following the criteria of Lincoln and Guba.

Findings

Seven thematic categories emerged from the experiences of nurses and were reflected within the four life worlds of space, body, relation and time. The categories were: low technology of care and insufficient resources (lived space); physical and psychological distress and requiring competency in caring (lived body); connecting relationship as a family, trusting technology of care, and realizing team working (lived relation); and less time to be with the patient as a whole person (lived time).

Conclusions

This study provides an understanding of the lived experience of nurses caring for critically ill patients, with inadequate support that can affect holistic care of patients and nurses' health.

Relevance to clinical practice

Intensive care nurses need to enhance their knowledge and skills related to the use of technologies and patient care by attending training programs and gaining further education. This study recommends that hospital administrators should support sufficient facilities and technologies of care and, in particular, increase the competency of nurses in caring for critically ill patients as the whole person.
Changes in murine anorectum signaling across the life course
Authors: Fidalgo S. , Patel B. A. , Ranson R. N. , Saffrey M. J. , Yeoman M. S.
Published: July 2018

Background

Increasing age is associated with an increase in the incidence of chronic constipation and fecal impaction. The contribution of the natural aging process to these conditions is not fully understood. This study examined the effects of increasing age on the function of the murine anorectum.

Methods

The effects of increasing age on cholinergic, nitrergic, and purinergic signaling pathways in the murine anorectum were examined using classical organ bath assays to examine tissue function and electrochemical sensing to determine age‐related changes in nitric oxide and acetylcholine release.

Key Results

Nitrergic relaxation increased between 3 and 6 months, peaked at 12 months and declined in the 18 and 24 months groups. These changes were in part explained by an age‐related decrease in nitric oxide (NO) release. Cholinergic signaling was maintained with age by an increase in acetylcholine (ACh) release and a compensatory decrease in cholinesterase activity. Age‐related changes in purinergic relaxation were qualitatively similar to nitrergic relaxation although the relaxations were much smaller. Increasing age did not alter the response of the anorectum smooth muscle to exogenously applied ACh, ATP, sodium nitroprusside or KCl. Similarly, there was no change in basal tension developed by the anorectum.

Conclusions and Inferences

The decrease in nitrergic signaling with increasing age may contribute to the age‐related fecal impaction and constipation previously described in this model by partially obstructing defecation.
Ecological succession, patch age and the evolution of social behaviour and terminal investment
Authors: Rodrigues António M. M.
Published: July 2018

Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in understanding the evolution of social behaviour in heterogeneous spatially structured populations. These studies, however, have neglected the impact of extinction–colonisation dynamics and ecological succession on the dynamical expression of social behaviour over time. Here, I present a kin‐selection model in which patches are structured into age‐classes. I show that ecological succession and patch age lead to highly plastic social phenotypes that vary dramatically as societies age since their initial establishment until their ultimate collapse. I find that the mode of colonisation following dispersal strongly influences the patch age‐dependent trajectories of social phenotypes. When patches are colonised by a random collection of immigrants, aggression is favoured during the build‐up of a society, but it slowly subsides until it eventually gives place to cooperation throughout the later stages of a society's lifespan. When newly established societies are formed by collectives of close relatives, cooperation is favoured during the build‐up of the society as well as when the society nears its eventual collapse. At intermediate societal ages, the genetic structure of the society is sufficiently resilient to the influx of immigrants such that cooperation remains relatively high. Moreover, I report a novel form of social terminal investment, whereby cooperative effort rises when patches approach their collapse. When dispersal is allowed to co‐evolve with cooperation, we observe a sudden rise in dispersal phenotypes before a patch's collapse, and the surprising result that clonal colonisation does not yield significantly higher levels of cooperation than the individual mode of colonisation. More generally, my results show that ecological succession strongly determines the dynamics of kin selection after colonisation, and therefore I expect that these findings will be valuable for understanding behavioural syndromes during range expansion or biological invasions.
Maternal provisioning is structured by species’ competitive neighborhoods
Authors: Germain Rachel M. , Grainger Tess N. , Jones Natalie T. , Gilbert Benjamin
Published: July 2018

Differential maternal provisioning of offspring in response to environmental conditions has been argued as ‘the missing link’ in plant life histories. Although empirical evidence suggests that maternal provisioning responses to abiotic conditions are common, there is little understanding of how differences in maternal provisioning manifest in response to competition. Frequency manipulations are commonly employed in ecological studies to assess the strength of interspecific competition, relative to intraspecific competition, and we used frequency manipulations to test how competition in two soil moisture environments affects maternal provisioning of seed mass. Specifically, for 15 pairs comprised from 25 annual plant species that occur in California, we varied the relative frequencies of conspecific to heterospecific competitors from 90% (intraspecific competition) to 10% (interspecific competition). We found that conspecific frequency affected maternal provisioning (seed mass) in 12 of the 25 species (eight significantly (p < 0.05), four marginally significantly (p < 0.07)), and that these responses included both increased (five species) and decreased (six species) seed mass, as well as one species with opposing directions of response to conspecific frequency that depended on the soil moisture environment. Conspecific frequency also affected per capita fecundity (seed number) for 17 of the 25 species (15 significantly (p < 0.05), two marginally significantly (p < 0.09)), which generally decreased seed number as conspecific frequency increased. The direction and magnitude of frequency‐dependent seed mass depended on the identity of the competitor, even among species whose fecundity was not affected by competitor identity; the latter finding reveals competitive differences among species that would otherwise appear to be competitively equivalent. Our research demonstrates how species responses to different competitive environments manifest through maternal provisioning, and that these responses alter previous estimates of environmentally‐determined maternal provisioning and reproductive output; future study is needed to understand their combined effects on population and community dynamics.
Changes in the protein and fat contents of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars released in China in the last 60 years
Authors: Li Yüze , Zhang Renhe , Qin Xiaoliang , Liao Yuncheng , Siddique Kadambot H.M.
Published: July 2018

Peanut is an important oil and cash crop in China. We selected 540 peanut cultivars—released in three ecological regions of China (Yellow River, Yangtze River and Southeast Coast regions)—to examine changes in quality characters and pod yield in the last 60 years. From 1957 to 2016, crude fat, protein and pod yields in peanut cultivars increased significantly in the three regions. In contrast, the crude fat content, as opposed to its yield, did not change in the Yellow River region, increased in the Yangtze River region and decreased in the Southeast Coast region, and the protein content decreased in the Yellow and Yangtze River regions but did not change in the Southeast Coast region. Peanut cultivars grown in the Yellow and Yangtze River regions had higher mean crude fat contents, while those in the Southeast Coast region had higher mean protein contents. In future, breeders and farmers should pay more attention to high protein peanuts in the Southeast Coast region and high oil peanuts in the Yellow River and Yangtze River regions.