bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Potential for Cross‐Compliance in Canadian Agricultural Policy: Linking Environmental Goals with Business Risk Management Programs
Authors: Rude James , Weersink Alfons
Published: July 2018

Environmental cross‐compliance links agricultural program payments to producer commitments to achieve agri‐environmental policy goals. The objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of using cross‐compliance to achieve environmental goals in a Canadian policy context. While Canadian policy makers have flirted with cross‐compliance, with the exception of phosphorus regulations for Quebec hog farms, they have never adopted this approach. The potential for effective cross‐compliance depends on producer participation, producer compliance with regulations, environmental performance, and overall welfare implications. This study reviews the application of cross‐compliance in the United States and EU with regard to the potential application to Canadian agriculture. Policy options are considered which link current business risk management (BRM) programs to alternative environmental regulations (wildlife habitat preservation, nutrient management plans, and beneficial management practices for nutrient management). In general, individual Canadian agricultural support program do not provide sufficient incentives for farmers to participate in cross‐compliance. However, if support programs are combined, it is better to link programs that redistribute income with environmental programs than to link agriculture programs that already address specific market failures.
Laccase‐catalysed coloration of wool and nylon
Authors: Prajapati Chetna D. , Smith Edward , Kane Faith , Shen Jinsong
Published: July 2018

The potential for laccase (EC 1.10.3.2) to be used within the area of textile coloration, specifically for the generation of decorative surface pattern design, remains relatively unexplored. The current study presents a novel process for the coloration of wool and nylon 6,6 fibres via laccase oxidation of aromatic compounds as an alternative to conventional dyeing methods. Emphasis was placed on producing a diverse colour palette, which was achieved through the investigation of three different aromatic compounds as laccase substrates: 1,4‐dihydroxybenzene, 2,7‐dihydroxynapthalene and 2,5‐diaminobenzenesulphonic acid. Reaction processing parameters such as buffer systems and pH values, laccase and aromatic compound concentrations, and reaction times were investigated, all in the absence of additional chemical auxiliaries. Enzymatically dyed fabrics were tested against commercial standards, resulting in reasonably good colour fastness to wash. To demonstrate the coloration and design potential by laccase catalysation of aromatic compounds, specially constructed fabrics using a combination of undyed wool, nylon and polyester yarns were dyed using the one‐step laccase‐catalysed coloration process. The use of different fibre types and weave structures enabled simple colour variations to be produced. Shadow, reserve and contrasting effects were achieved with the laccase‐catalysed dyeing process developed. Important advantages over conventional processing methods include the use of simpler and milder processing conditions that eliminate additional chemical use and reduce energy consumption.
Intracellular signaling similarity reveals neural stem cell‐like properties of ependymal cells in the adult rat spinal cord
Authors: Kitada Masaaki , Wakao Shohei , Dezawa Mari
Published: July 2018

Proliferation of ependymal cells of the adult spinal cord (SCEp cells) in the intact condition has been considered as a quite rare event. To visualize proliferating/proliferated SCEp cells, we used the intensive 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine (BrdU) administration method to find that about two cells in the ependymal layer incorporated BrdU in a 10‐μm‐thick section. Because these two cells were not considered to undergo further proliferation, we analyzed the positioning and motility of two neighboring BrdU‐incorporated proliferated cells and elucidated the tendency of the movement of SCEp cells to the outer side inside the ependymal layer. Even if it was rare, one of the proliferated cells in the ependymal layer differentiated into astrocytes. Gene introduction of Notch intracellular domain (NICD), a constitutively active form of Notch1, into SCEp cells demonstrated both increase in proliferation and induction of differentiation into astrocytes. Overexpression of Sox2 promoted proliferation in SCEp cells. The reaction of gene introduction of NICD and Sox2 indicates the similarity of intracellular signaling between SCEp cells and neural stem cells. Also, considering the fact that SCEp cells express these two factors in the intact condition, Notch and Sox2 are important for the cell fate control of SCEp cells in the intact condition.
Clinical biomarkers for assessing neurodevelopmental outcome of infants born preterm
Authors: Kurz Max J , Willett Sandra
Published: July 2018

This commentary is on the original article by Franckx et al. on pages 1232–1238 of this issue.
Ben Nevis—remnant of a lost volcanic landscape
Authors: Muir R.J. , Vaughan A.P.M.
Published: July 2018

The summit region of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, consists of late Silurian to Early Devonian age volcanic rocks originally interpreted as a thick sequence (> 600 m) of andesite lavas and agglomerates that were down‐faulted during caldera subsidence. New digital field mapping of the Ben Nevis area, including both the steep north and south faces of the mountain, has revealed that the volcanic rocks consist largely of volcaniclastic debris flows, and extensive block and ash flow deposits with minor air‐fall tuff units. There is no evidence of any andesite lava flows or a volcanic vent. The volcanic detritus was derived from a volcanic centre situated to the NW of Ben Nevis, perhaps several tens of kilometres away. The rocks forming the summit region of the mountain have been re‐interpreted as a large roof pendant or keel of the former late Silurian to Early Devonian volcanic land surface that once covered much of the SW Highlands of Scotland.
Ben Nevis and geologically driven changes in elevation
Authors: Nowell David
Published: July 2018

With a great deal of fanfare in March 2016 an Ordnance Survey press release announced 1345 m as the newly rounded height for Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland. After a series of complex calculations and surveying, new measurements underpinned by geophysical data revealed that the highest point in the United Kingdom had gone up to by only a few cm since 1949, when it was last measured. This time they were able to use GPS readings from satellites maintained by the US military to pin this down to millimetre precision. The height rose to 1344.527 metres (or 4411 feet and 1½ inches), but Britain's national mapping agency does not reveal exactly what the old height was. Oddly the seventh series 1: 63 360 map (Sheet 47‐Glencoe) published in 1960 was still using 4406 feet, 1343 m. This antiquated height was transferred from the 4406.3 ft inscribed on the six‐inch 1 : 10 560 (Inverness‐shire—Mainland sheet CLI) map published in 1902, relative to the Liverpool datum originally used by the Ordnance Survey. This was probably the base of the cairn upon which the triangulation pillar is built, and not even the nearby summit of Ben Nevis itself. Indeed the OS explains in a video on its website why modern 1 : 50 000 editions show two heights, with brackets around that for the natural high point, to make this distinction clear.
“The Most Naked Phase of Our Struggle”: Gendered Shaming and Masculinist Desiring‐Production in Turkey's War on Terror
Authors: İbrahimhakkıoğlu Fulden
Published: July 2018

The photographs that circulated on social media depicting (and shamelessly celebrating) the atrocious acts committed by the Turkish military forces in southeast Turkey are indicative of an aesthetic (re)construction of militarized masculinity that serves as a metonym for the nation‐state. As violence is aestheticized in a gendered fashion in these depictions, the Kurdish resistance movement is shamed as feminine. Gendered shaming, in this context, conjoins racialization and gendering as subjugating mechanisms of the state. Women's peace movements seek to disrupt this heteropatriarchal logic of the state by countering the tripartite alignment of masculinity‐power‐domination with politicized art. In refusing the shame attributed to femininity, the shame that the state desires the Kurdish body to signify, they transfigure shame into honor and resistance.
Transnational Activities of Syrian Refugees in Turkey: Hindering or Supporting Integration
Authors: Şimşek Doğuş
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on transnational activities of Syrian refugees in Turkey examining the relationship between such activities and integration. The main research question addressed in this article is whether involvement in transnational activities hinders or supports the integration processes of Syrian refugees in Turkey, by drawing upon fieldwork in Istanbul, Ankara, Hatay and Gaziantep. I argue that Syrian refugees perceive integration as a survival mechanism and use transnational activities as a strategy for adapting to a new society, especially when they are faced with insecure legal status and a lack of access to rights in the receiving country. This study contributes to the literature on refugee transnationalism and integration by focusing on the refugees’ perceptions of on integration processes and addressing the question of survival.
What makes a good doctor?
Authors: O'Donnabhain Ronan , Friedman N. Deborah
Published: July 2018

What makes a good doctor probably depends on whom you ask. Patients value interpersonal relations, and being involved in decisions about their care. In contrast, hospital executives place an emphasis on the ability to meet key performance indicators critical to the flow of patients through hospitals.
Medical moulages of farm accidents
Authors: DeLoughery Emma P. , Newman James S.
Published: July 2018

Although popular for displaying dermatologic conditions before the advent of photography, the medical moulage has also illustrated injuries and accidents. Explored here are three farm accidents and the moulages based on them that occurred in rural Minnesota in the early 20th century. Besides being an object of historical interest, the medical moulage also provides a valuable learning and training opportunity, and can even be thought of as the predecessor of three dimensional printing.
Blood pressure variability predicts adverse events and cardiovascular outcomes in SPRINT
Authors: Mezue Kenechukwu , Goyal Abhinav , Pressman Gregg S. , Matthew Roy , Horrow Jay C. , Rangaswami Janani
Published: July 2018

SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) highlighted the benefits of intensive targeted antihypertensive therapy but resulted in higher rates of treatment‐related adverse events. Blood pressure (BP) variability has emerged as a significant predictor of outcomes over and above levels of BP. Using the SPRINT data set, we aimed to determine the relationship of BP variability with cardiovascular outcomes and side effects of antihypertensive therapy. The analyses included all participants randomized in SPRINT who reached the target systolic BP (SBP) for their respective groups (intensive < 120 mm Hg; standard < 140 mm Hg). Coefficients of variation (CV) for SBP, diastolic BP (DBP), and PP for each patient characterized variability. Student t test was used to compare treatment arms for each CV metric. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify independent predictors of the SPRINT primary outcome and adverse events. P < .15 on univariate analysis was required to enter the model and P < .05 to remain in it. A total of 8884 patients (4561 standard group; 4323 intensive group) met inclusion criteria. DBP CV differed between the groups (9.12 ± 3.20 standard group; 9.47 ± 3.49 intensive group [P < .0001]). DBP CV predicted a greater hazard for the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR], 1.14) in the overall model as well as separate analyses by treatment arms (standard group HR, 1.15; intensive group HR, 1.19), each P < .0001. DBP CV also independently predicted a greater hazard for acute kidney injury (HR, 1.12) and hypotensive events (HR, 1.12). Visit‐to‐visit DBP variability independently predicted worse cardiovascular outcomes and hypoperfusion‐related adverse events in SPRINT.
Does gender affect the association between right ventricular strain and arterial hypertension?
Authors: Tadic Marijana , Cuspidi Cesare , Ivanovic Branislava , Pencic Biljana , Grassi Guido , Celic Vera
Published: July 2018

The importance of right ventricular (RV) structure and function in cardiovascular and total morbidity and mortality has been confirmed previously. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of gender on RV structure and function in untreated hypertensive patients. This cross‐sectional study included 243 subjects who underwent 24‐hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring and comprehensive echocardiographic examination including strain evaluation. There was no difference in RV diameter between hypertensive and normotensive women and men. RV wall thickness, right atrial volume index (RAVI), and tricuspid E/e’ ratio were significantly higher in hypertensive women and men than in their normotensive counterparts. RV global longitudinal and RV free wall longitudinal strains were significantly lower in hypertensive women and men than in their normotensive counterparts. Arterial hypertension affected RV wall thickness, RAVI, tricuspid E/e’, and RV longitudinal strain. Gender affected RV diameter, RAVI, tricuspid E/e’, and RV longitudinal strain, whereas hypertension‐gender interaction affected RAVI, E/e’, and RV longitudinal strain. The 24‐hour systolic BP and LV mass index were independently associated with RV free wall longitudinal strain. RV wall thickness was independently associated with RV free wall longitudinal strain only in women, and tricuspid E/e’ was independently associated only in men. In conclusion, RV longitudinal strain was significantly decreased in hypertensive patients in both sexes. Hypertensive men suffered more evident RV mechanical changes than hypertensive women. Gender, arterial hypertension, and their interaction had the important role in RV structural and mechanical remodeling.
Solvent effect on the extraction of soluble solids from murici and pequi seeds
Authors: Araújo Ana Cristina Moreira Andrade , Resende de Oliveira Érica , Menezes Evandro Galvão Tavares , Dias Bruna Oliveira , Terra André William Costa , Queiroz Fabiana
Published: July 2018

The Brazilian cerrado has native species with great potential for use, like murici (Byrsonima crassifolia), and pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb). The seeds of these fruits are rich in oils and bioactive compounds. The extraction by solvent is widely used to extract oils from the seeds, being hexane the most used solvent in this process. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of alternative solvents on oil/soluble solids extraction efficiency and raffinate retention index of solvent extraction of pequi and murici seeds and thermodynamics parameters of the process, using organic green solvents (ethanol, isopropanol, and acetone) and hexane. The extraction has been performed in a shaker using three different temperatures (35, 45, and 55 °C) at the seed:solvent mass ratio of 1:5 (wt/wt). In the extraction with pure solvents the most efficient solvent for both seeds was hexane, at 55 °C, once greater yield and lower retention index were obtained for this condition, along with isopropanol, for pequi seeds. The thermodynamic analysis of the extraction process for both seeds demonstrated positive results to ΔH, and ΔS, and negative results to ΔG, showing the endothermic nature of the process and its spontaneity.

Practical applications

A great amount of seeds is daily being wasted from industries and households of an agricultural country like Brazil. In addition, the oil from murici and pequi seeds has enormous and important potential as an intermediate raw material for food and pharmaceutical industries. So, the present experimental study is composed of the recovery of the soluble solids from these fruits’ seeds through a cost‐effective method using green solvents, which are environmentally safe. For this purpose, pure ethanol, pure acetone, and pure isopropanol were used as solvents for the extraction process, and compared to the regular hexane. Parametric effects were also investigated on the extraction process to collect the data for the economic process design, and to encourage new researches.
Developmental trajectories of children with Down syndrome by socio‐economic status: the case of Latin America
Authors: Arango P. S. , Aparicio A. , Tenorio M.
Published: July 2018

Background

Several studies show that socio‐economic status (SES) is related to the developmental trajectories of children with typical development (TD). However, few studies have analysed this relationship regarding children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Down syndrome (DS). In this paper, we analyse the impact of SES in the neurodevelopmental trajectories of children with DS in comparison with children with TD.

Method

Cognitive, language, motor and socio‐emotional development were assessed in 31 children with DS between the ages of 15 and 80 months from high to low SES backgrounds. Data from this group were compared with data from a sample of 72 children with TD randomly selected from the Longitudinal Survey of Early Childhood. We analyse and compare these two groups using the developmental trajectories method

Results

The results show delayed onsets for the four abilities measured in children with DS compared with children with TD from high to low SES. In the comparison of the developmental trajectories, we found that the differences between the neurodevelopmental trajectories in DS and TD vary according to SES. High SES show differences only in language development, while low SES show significant differences in cognitive, language and socio‐emotional development.

Conclusions

The results indicate that SES is a factor that could impact the developmental trajectories of children with DS. Although the differences between children with DS and with TD are similar at the beginning regardless of SES, the developmental trajectories are slower in children with DS of low SES than in children of high SES. We argue that the differences are related to the complex interaction of several biological and cultural factors associated with SES. Some specific hypotheses about nutrition, health care access, quality of education and parenting practices are presented, but more research in this area is needed to fully understand these results.
Ethnographies of Energy: Race, Space, and State Formation on the Paria Peninsula
Authors: Valencia Cristobal
Published: July 2018

Basado en investigación etnográfica y colaborativa en Venezuela (2008–presente), este artículo examina la intersección de raza y espacio en la formación del estado mediante la producción de energía. Sostengo que la producción de energía nos permite observar cómo los grupos racializados están particularmente expuestos al poder estatal represivo a través de los procesos espaciales y culturales. Esta nexo energético‐cultural nos ofrece un análisis alternativo al poder biopolítico.
Novel insight into wound healing properties of methanol extract of Capparis ovata Desf. var. palaestina Zohary fruits
Authors: Okur Mehmet Evren , Ayla Şule , Çiçek Polat Derya , Günal Mehmet Y , Yoltaş Ayşegül , Biçeroğlu Özge
Published: July 2018

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate the wound healing activity of Capparis ovata var. palaestina fruit extract in mice. For this aim, wound healing, in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, HPLC, phenolic and flavonoid compounds analyses were performed.

Methods

The wound healing effect was tested by excisional wound model. Wound closure was measured for 14 days and at 14th day wound healing was assessed by levels of TGF-β, VEGF, COL1A1 and angiogenesis, granulation tissue thickness, epidermal and dermal regeneration. The antioxidant activity was calculated by DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging assays. Antimicrobial ability was evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration and agar well diffusion tests.

Key findings

The extract indicated significant antioxidant activity while it also exhibited antimicrobial activity. Rutin was found in the extract according to HPLC study. Moreover, the extract was found to have rich phenolic and flavonoid contents. Histological evaluation showed that extract group induced significant (P < 0.001) wound healing activity compared to control group. Furthermore, extract group increased wound healing rates by promoting granulation tissue, epidermal regeneration, angiogenesis, collagen, TGF-β and VEGF.

Conclusions

The results clarified that the extract possesses antioxidant, antimicrobial activity and thus could provide a valuable contribution to the wound healing.
Effects of napping on cognitive function modulation in elderly adults with a morning chronotype: A nationwide survey
Authors: Fang Su‐Chen , Huang Chun‐Jen , Wu Yu‐Lin , Wu Pei‐Yu , Tsai Pei‐Shan
Published: July 2018

Circadian rhythms and napping habits have been associated with cognitive function; however, little is known about the interaction effects on cognitive function. The present study examined the moderating effects of napping habits on the relationship between chronotypes and cognitive function decline in elderly adults. This cross‐sectional study analysed data from the 2009 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey. A total of 1,724 elderly adults (aged ≥65 years) were included. Cognitive function was determined by the Mini‐Mental State Examination. Participants’ chronotypes were assessed using the midpoint of sleep. Napping habits were assessed by self‐report questions. Demographic data, health‐related factors and sleep characteristics of the participants were also assessed as potential confounding factors. A hierarchical regression will be used to test the moderating role of napping habits in the relationship between chronotype and cognitive function level after adjustment for potential confounders. A significant interaction effect between chronotype and napping habits was observed with the MMSE score (b = −0.29, SE = 0.14, p = 0.03). Morning‐type elderly patients with nap durations >60 min exhibited significantly higher MMSE scores than non‐nappers (F = 7.48; p = 0.00). This nationwide survey confirms that in morning‐type elderly adults, nap durations >60 min are associated with less cognitive decline; however, napping habits are not associated with cognitive function level in evening‐type and intermediate‐type elderly adults.
Correlated evolution of self and interspecific incompatibility across the range of a Texas wildflower
Authors: Roda Federico , Hopkins Robin
Published: July 2018

Selection to prevent interspecific mating can cause an increase or a decrease in self‐pollination in sympatric populations. Characterizing the geographical variation in self and interspecific incompatibilities within a species can reveal if and how the evolution of self and interspecific mate choice are linked.

We used controlled pollinations to characterize the variation in self and interspecific incompatibility across 29 populations of Phlox drummondii. We evaluated seed set from these pollinations and described the developmental timing of variation in pollen–pistil compatibility.

There is extensive quantitative variation in self‐incompatibility and interspecific‐incompatibility with its close congener P. cuspidata. Phlox drummondii populations that co‐occur and hybridize with P. cuspidata have significantly higher interspecific incompatibility and self‐incompatibility than geographically isolated P. drummondii populations. The strength of self and interspecific incompatibility is significantly correlated among individuals and the strength of both incompatibilities is explained by the success of pollen adhesion to the stigma.

The correlated strength of self and interspecific incompatibility across the range of P. drummondii and the concurrent developmental timing of the pollen–pistil interaction, suggests these incompatibilities have an overlapping molecular mechanism. The geographical distribution of variation in incompatibilities indicates that this mechanistic link between incompatibilities may affect the evolution of mate choice in plants.
Preventing Wernicke's encephalopathy in anorexia nervosa: A systematic review
Authors: Oudman Erik , Wijnia Jan W. , Oey Misha J. , van Dam Mirjam J. , Postma Albert
Published: July 2018

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a common eating disorder that affects 2.9 million people worldwide. Not eating a balanced diet or fasting can cause neurological complications after severe vitamin B1 malnourishment, although the precise signs and symptoms of Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) are not clear. Our aim was to review the signs and symptoms of WE in patients with AN. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and PiCarta on all case descriptions of WE following AN. All case descriptions of WE in AN, irrespective of language, were included. Twelve WE cases were reviewed, suggesting that WE following AN is still a relatively rare neuropsychiatric disorder. WE is characterized by a triad of: mental status change, ocular signs, and ataxia. In alcoholism, this triad is present in 16% of cases, but eight out of 12 AN cases presented themselves with a full triad of symptomatology. Importantly, patients often had a more complex triad than has been previously described, involving vertigo, diplopia, and the consequences of refeeding syndrome. The development of a full triad and additional symptomatology suggests a late recognition of signs and symptoms of WE in AN. A complicating factor is the overlap between symptoms of thiamine deficiency and the symptoms of WE. Specifically, patients who show rapid weight loss are vulnerable for the development of WE. Eating disorders, such as AN, can lead to WE. Prophylactic thiamine checks and treatment in patients with AN are relevant, and in case of suspicion of WE, adequate parenteral thiamine supplementation is necessary.
Influence of fire and mechanical sagebrush reduction treatments on restoration seedings in Utah, United States
Authors: Wilder Lacey E. , Veblen Kari E. , Gunnell Kevin L. , Monaco Thomas A.
Published: July 2018

Overabundance of woody plants in semiarid ecosystems can degrade understory herbaceous vegetation and often requires shrub reduction and seeding to recover ecosystem services. We used meta‐analysis techniques to assess the effects of fire and mechanical shrub reduction over two post‐treatment timeframes (1–4 and 5–10 years) on changes in cover and frequency of 15 seeded species at 63 restoration sites with high potential for recovery. Compared to mechanical treatments, fire resulted in greater increases in seeded species. Native shrubs did not increase, and forbs generally declined over time; however, large increases in perennial grasses were observed, suggesting that seeding efforts contributed to enhanced understory herbaceous conditions. We found greater increases in a few non‐native species than native species across all treatments, suggesting the possibility that interference among seeded species may have influenced results of this regional assessment. Differences among treatments and species were likely driven by seedbed conditions, which should be carefully considered in restoration planning. Site characteristics also dictated seeded species responses: while forbs showed greater increases in cover over the long term at higher elevation sites considered to be more resilient to disturbance, surprisingly, shrubs and grasses had greater increases in cover and frequency at lower elevation sites where resilience is typically much lower. Further research is needed to understand the causes of forb mortality over time, and to decipher how greater increases of non‐native relative to native seeded species will influence species diversity and successional trajectories of restoration sites.
Distributed Lag Interaction Models with Two Pollutants
Authors: Chen Yin-Hsiu , Mukherjee Bhramar , Berrocal Veronica J.
Published: July 2018

Distributed lag models (DLMs) have been widely used in environmental epidemiology to quantify the lagged effects of air pollution on a health outcome of interest such as mortality and morbidity. Most previous DLM approaches consider only one pollutant at a time. We propose a distributed lag interaction model to characterize the joint lagged effect of two pollutants. One natural way to model the interaction surface is by assuming that the underlying basis functions are tensor products of the basis functions that generate the main effect distributed lag functions. We extend Tukey's 1 degree-of-freedom interaction structure to the two-dimensional DLM context. We also consider shrinkage versions of the two to allow departure from the specified Tukey interaction structure and achieve bias—variance trade-off. We derive the marginal lag effects of one pollutant when the other pollutant is fixed at certain quantiles. In a simulation study, we show that the shrinkage methods have better average performance in terms of mean-squared error across various scenarios. We illustrate the methods proposed by using the ‘National morbidity, mortality, and air pollution study’ data to model the joint effects of particulate matter and ozone on mortality count in Chicago, Illinois, from 1987 to 2000.
Expediting youth's entry into employment whilst overlooking precariousness: Flexi‐employability and disciplinary activation in Hong Kong
Authors: Wong Victor , Au‐Yeung Tat Chor
Published: July 2018

With an emphasis placed on supply‐side interventions such as skills training and incentives enhancement, active labor market polices (ALMPs) are strongly promoted by international organizations and widely adopted across different welfare regimes to boost employment rates. This article first presents the under‐examined relationship between ALMPs and employment precariousness, which has posed a challenge to the neoliberal notion of employability and activation. Youth‐focused employment policies tend to speed up employment entry whilst downplaying the risk of precariousness and the importance of job quality, and thus further reinforcing the belief that engaging in precarious employment is tolerable if not inevitable. The article then examines the case of Hong Kong, which illustrates that its relatively low rate of youth unemployment may conceal the unfavorable employment conditions confronted by youth. It is argued that the service‐led employment policies and short‐term vocational training define the employability of young workers in terms of labor flexibilities. The coined phase of “flexi‐employability” is characterized by promoting youth's readiness for, and adaptability to, the volatilities and changing demands of the labor market. Arguably, the disciplinary approach to youth activation would only strengthen the work‐first principle by enforcing young people to take up jobs available and leave welfare as soon as possible, but without thoroughly addressing the risks and insecurities generated by the labor market in undermining their well‐being.
Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of temporally related nontyphoidal Salmonella strains isolated from humans and food animals in central Ethiopia
Authors: Eguale Tadesse , Asrat Daniel , Alemayehu Haile , Nana Ismael , Gebreyes Wondwossen A. , Gunn John S. , Engidawork Ephrem
Published: July 2018

Salmonella is one of the common causes of food‐borne bacterial illnesses. The primary sources of human nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) infection are food animals. This study characterized temporally and spatially related Salmonella isolated during April 2013 to March 2014 from faeces of diarrhoeic human patients in Addis Ababa (n = 68) and food animals (n = 84) in Addis Ababa and surrounding districts (dairy cattle, n = 30; slaughtered cattle, n = 20; poultry, n = 26; swine n = 8). Isolates were serotyped, page typed and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method, and genotyped by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The dominant Salmonella serovars isolated from food animals were S. Saintpaul (38.1%), S. Typhimurium (17.9%) and S. Kentucky (9.5%), whereas in humans, S. Typhimurium (39.7%), S. Virchow (30.9%) and S. Kottbus (10.3%) were frequently isolated. Resistance to streptomycin, sulfisoxazole, tetracycline, ampicillin and cephalothin was higher in animal isolates than human isolates, and mean number of antimicrobials to which isolates were resistant was significantly higher in isolates from cattle and poultry compared to those from humans (p < 0.05). All S. Kentucky isolated from animals and humans were multidrug resistant (MDR) with shared resistance phenotype (AmpCfCipTeSuSNa). Although this study involved small sample size and was not able to show clear epidemiological linkage among isolates from various sources, genotyping by PFGE analysis demonstrated circulation of closely related genotypes of S. Virchow, S. Typhimurium and S. Kentucky among humans and food animals. Detection of related Salmonella isolates from humans and animals, the high MDR status of isolates from animals and close proximity of farms and human residential areas in the absence of appropriate biosecurity present major public health problem. Integrated surveillance of Salmonella serovars in humans and animals and implementation of appropriate hazard analysis and pathogen control strategies along critical points of the food chain from farm to table is recommended.
Occurrence and characterization of seven major Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli serotypes from healthy cattle on cow–calf operations in South Africa
Authors: Mainga Alfred O. , Cenci‐Goga Beniamino T. , Malahlela Mogaugedi N. , Tshuma Takula , Kalake Alan , Karama Musafiri
Published: July 2018

Cattle are a major reservoir of Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli. This study investigated the occurrence of seven major STEC serogroups including O157, O145, O103, O121, O111, O45 and O26 among 578 STEC isolates previously recovered from 559 cattle. The isolates were characterized for serotype and major virulence genes. Polymerase chain reaction revealed that 41.7% (241/578) of isolates belonged to STEC O157, O145, O103, O121, O45 and O26, and 33 distinct serotypes. The 241 isolates corresponded to 16.5% (92/559) of cattle that were STEC positive. The prevalence of cattle that tested positive for at least one of the six serogroups across the five farms was variable ranging from 2.9% to 43.4%. Occurrence rates for individual serogroups were as follows: STEC O26 was found in 10.2% (57/559); O45 in 2.9% (16/559); O145 in 2.5% (14/559); O157 in 1.4% (8/559); O121 in 1.1% (6/559); and O103 in 0.4% (2/559). The following proportions of virulence genes were observed: stx1, 69.3% (167/241); stx2, 96.3% (232/241); eaeA, 7.1% (17/241); ehxA, 92.5% (223/241); and both stx1 and stx2, 62.2% (150/241) of isolates. These findings are evidence that cattle in South Africa carry STEC that belong to six major STEC serogroups commonly incriminated in human disease. However, only a subset of serotypes associated with these serogroups were clinically relevant in human disease. Most STEC isolates carried stx1, stx2 and ehxA but lacked eaeA, a major STEC virulence factor in human disease.
Exploring non-invasive sampling of parasites by metabarcoding gastrointestinal nematodes in Madagascar frog species
Authors: Aivelo Tuomas , Harris Kendall , Cadle John E , Wright Patrcia
Published: July 2018

The diversity of Anuran parasites is poorly surveyed, despite arguably being one of the most important threats to anuran populations worldwide. Additionally, parasites also interact with a number of other stressors, such as invasive species, pollution, sedimentation and changing light conditions, caused by anthropogenic disturbance in natural habitats. We aimed to explore the use of metabarcoding, a new, non-invasive tool to survey the parasite assemblages in frogs in different environments facing different levels of anthropogenic pressure. We collected fecal samples from frogs across three different transects in Ranomafana National Park, located in southeastern Madagascar, and then used the 18S metabarcoding technique to identify nematode species from the collected fecal samples. We were able to find four different putative species, which were all identified to the genus level. In comparison to the literature on previous surveys done with traditional methods, the metabarcoding approach seems to provide similar diversity estimates and taxonomical accuracy. Our results suggest that non-invasive sampling and metabarcoding can provide a suitable tool for intestinal parasite surveys in anuran host populations.
Let’s talk about antiseizure medications and verbal fluency
Authors: Tully Hannah M.
Published: July 2018

Antiseizure drugs modulate functional connectivity in language networks.
Synergy between Circular Bacteriocin AS-48 and Ethambutol against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Aguilar-Pérez Clara , Gracia Begoña , Rodrigues Liliana , Vitoria Asunción , Cebrián Rubén , Deboosère Nathalie , Song Ok-ryul , Brodin Priscille , Maqueda Mercedes , Aínsa José A.
Published: July 2018

The increasing incidence of multidrug-resistant
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
strains and the very few drugs available for treatment are promoting the discovery and development of new molecules that could help in the control of this disease. Bacteriocin AS-48 is an antibacterial peptide produced by
Enterococcus faecalis
and is active against several Gram-positive bacteria.
Tailoring a Plasmodium vivax Vaccine To Enhance Efficacy through a Combination of a CSP Virus-Like Particle and TRAP Viral Vectors
Authors: Atcheson Erwan , Bauza Karolis , Salman Ahmed M. , Alves Eduardo , Blight Joshua , Viveros-Sandoval Martha Eva , Janse Chris J. , Khan Shahid M. , Hill Adrian V. S. , Reyes-Sandoval Arturo
Published: July 2018

Vivax malaria remains one of the most serious and neglected tropical diseases, with 132 to 391 million clinical cases per year and 2.5 billion people at risk of infection. A vaccine against
Plasmodium vivax
could have more impact than any other intervention, and the use of a vaccine targeting multiple antigens may result in higher efficacy against sporozoite infection than targeting a single antigen.
The Treponema denticola PAS Domain-Containing Histidine Kinase Hpk2 Is a Heme Binding Sensor of Oxygen Levels
Authors: Sarkar Juni , Miller Daniel P. , Oliver Lee D. , Marconi Richard T.
Published: July 2018

Periodontal disease affects nearly 60% of the global adult population. Its costs to individuals, and to society as a whole, are enormous. As periodontal disease develops, there is a shift in the composition of the oral microbial community. The bacteria that become dominant are able to cause significant damage to the tissues that support the teeth, leading to tooth loss.
Treponema denticola
is one of the keystone pathogens associated with periodontal disease. An earlier study demonstrated that the Hpk2 and Rrp2 proteins play an important role in adaptive responses. Here, we explore the role of specific Hpk2 amino acids in environmental sensing and function, using structural analyses and site-directed mutagenesis.
d
-Fining DarR, a LysR-Type Transcriptional Regulator That Responds to
d
-Aspartate
Authors: Mandel Mark J.
Published: July 2018

Work by Jones et al. (R. M. Jones, Jr., D. L. Popham, A. L. Schmidt, E. L. Neidle, and E. V. Stabb, J Bacteriol 200:e00773-17, 2018,
https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00773-17
) describes a
d
-aspartate-sensing system in proteobacteria.
Risk Factors for Colistin Resistance among Gram-Negative Rods and Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates
Authors: Richter Stefan E. , Miller Loren , Uslan Daniel Z. , Bell Douglas , Watson Karol , Humphries Romney , McKinnell James A.
Published: July 2018

Infections due to colistin-resistant (Col
r
) Gram-negative rods (GNRs) and colistin-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolates in particular result in high associated mortality and poor treatment options. To determine the risk factors for recovery on culture of Col
r
GNRs and Col
r
K. pneumoniae
, analyses were chosen to aid decisions at two separate time points: the first when only Gram stain results are available without any bacterial species information (corresponding to the Col
r
GNR model) and the second when organism identification is performed but prior to reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility testing results (corresponding to the Col
r
K. pneumoniae
model).
Stress-Induced Proliferation and Cell Cycle Plasticity of Intracellular
Trypanosoma cruzi
Amastigotes
Authors: Dumoulin Peter C. , Burleigh Barbara A.
Published: July 2018

The mammalian stages of the parasite
Trypanosoma cruzi
, the causative agent of Chagas disease, exhibit a wide host species range and extensive within-host tissue distribution. These features, coupled with the ability of the parasites to persist for the lifetime of the host, suggest an inherent capacity to tolerate changing environments. To examine this potential, we studied proliferation and cell cycle dynamics of intracellular
T. cruzi
amastigotes experiencing transient metabolic perturbation or drug pressure in the context of an infected mammalian host cell. Parasite growth plasticity was evident and characterized by rapid and reversible suppression of amastigote proliferation in response to exogenous nutrient restriction or exposure to metabolic inhibitors that target glucose metabolism or mitochondrial respiration. In most instances, reduced parasite proliferation was accompanied by the accumulation of amastigote populations in the G
1
phase of the cell cycle, in a manner that was rapidly and fully reversible upon release from the metabolic block. Acute amastigote cell cycle changes at the G
1
stage were similarly observed following exposure to sublethal concentrations of the first-line therapy drug, benznidazole, and yet, unlike the results seen with inhibitors of metabolism, recovery from exposure occurred at rates inversely proportional to the concentration of benznidazole. Our results show that
T. cruzi
amastigote growth plasticity is an important aspect of parasite adaptation to stress, including drug pressure, and is an important consideration for growth-based drug screening.

IMPORTANCE
Infection with the intracellular parasite
Trypanosoma cruzi
can cause debilitating and potentially life-threatening Chagas disease, where long-term parasite persistence is a critical determinant of clinical disease progression. Such tissue-resident
T. cruzi
amastigotes are refractory to immune-mediated clearance and to drug treatment, suggesting that in addition to exploiting immune avoidance mechanisms, amastigotes can facilitate their survival by adapting flexibly to diverse environmental stressors. We discovered that
T. cruzi
intracellular amastigotes exhibit growth plasticity as a strategy to adapt to and rebound from environmental stressors, including metabolic blockades, nutrient starvation, and sublethal exposure to the first-line therapy drug benznidazole. These findings have important implications for understanding parasite persistence, informing drug development, and interpreting drug efficacy.
Errors during Gene Expression: Single-Cell Heterogeneity, Stress Resistance, and Microbe-Host Interactions
Authors: Evans Christopher R. , Fan Yongqiang , Weiss Kalyn , Ling Jiqiang
Published: July 2018

Gene expression has been considered a highly accurate process, and deviation from such fidelity has been shown previously to be detrimental for the cell. More recently, increasing evidence has supported the notion that the accuracy of gene expression is indeed flexibly variable. The levels of errors during gene expression differ from condition to condition and even from cell to cell within genetically identical populations grown under the same conditions. The different levels of errors resulting from inaccurate gene expression are now known to play key roles in regulating microbial stress responses and host interactions. This minireview summarizes the recent development in understanding the level, regulation, and physiological impact of errors during gene expression.
Effects of Dry Needling on Post-Stroke Spasticity, Motor Function and Stability Limits: A Randomised Clinical Trial
Authors: Sánchez-Mila Zacarías , Salom-Moreno Jaime , Fernández-de-las-Peñas César
Published: July 2018

Objective

To determine the effects of inclusion of deep dry needling into a treatment session following the Bobath concept on spasticity, motor function and postural control after a stroke.

Methods

26 patients who had suffered a stroke were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: Bobath only, or Bobath plus dry needling. Both groups received a session including strengthening, stretching and reconditioning exercises following the principles of the Bobath concept. Patients in the Bobath plus dry needling group also received a single session of ultrasound-guided dry needling of the tibialis posterior. Spasticity (Modified Modified Ashworth Scale), function (Fugl-Meyer Scale) and stability limits (computerised dynamic posturography using the SMART EquiTest System) were collected before and 10 min after treatment by a blinded assessor. The parameters of the stability limits included movement velocity (MVL), maximum excursion (MXE), end-point excursion (EPE) and directional control (DCL).

Results

A greater number of individuals receiving Bobath plus dry needling exhibited a decrease in spasticity after treatment (P<0.001). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that patients receiving Bobath plus dry needling exhibited greater improvements in the balance (0.8, 95% CI 0.2 to 1.4), sensory (1.7, 95% CI 0.7 to 2.7) and range of motion (3.2, 95% CI 2.0 to 4.4) domains of the Fugl-Meyer Scale than those receiving Bobath only. ANCOVA also found that subjects receiving dry needling showed a greater increase in MVL non-affected forward direction, EPE non-affected direction, MXE backward and MXE affected/non-affected, DCL backward and DCL affected backward direction, than those who did not receive it.

Conclusions

The inclusion of deep dry needling into a treatment session following the Bobath concept was effective at decreasing spasticity and improving balance, range of motion and the accuracy of maintaining stability in patients who had experienced a stroke.

Trial registration number

NCT02579291.
Neuromuscular adaptations to healthy aging
Authors: McNeil Chris J. , Rice Charles L.
Published: July 2018

Even in the absence of disease or disability, aging is associated with marked physiological adaptations within the neuromuscular system. An ability to perform activities of daily living and maintain independence with advanced age is reliant on the health of the neuromuscular system. Hence, it is critical to elucidate the age-related adaptations that occur within the central nervous system and the associated muscles to design interventions to maintain or improve neuromuscular function in the elderly. This brief review focuses on the neural alterations observed at both spinal and supraspinal levels in healthy humans in their seventh decade and beyond. The topics addressed are motor unit loss and remodelling, neural drive, and responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex.