bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Foraging theory and the propensity to be obese: an alternative to thrift
Authors: Baig Ulfat , Lokhande Lavanya , Lalwani Poortata , Chawla Suraj , Watve Milind
Published: March 2018

The evolutionary origin of obesity is classically believed to be genetic or developmentally induced thrift, as an adaptation to ancestral feast and famine conditions. However, recently the thrift family of hypotheses have attracted serious criticism necessitating alternative thinking. Optimization of foraging behaviour is an important aspect of behavioural evolution. For a species evolved for optimizing nutritional benefits against predation or other foraging risks, reduction in foraging risk below a threshold dramatically increases the steady-state body weight. In modern life where feeding is detached from foraging, the behavioural regulation mechanisms are likely to fail resulting into escalation of adiposity. At a proximate level the signalling pathways for foraging optimization involve fear induced signal molecules in the brain including Cocaine and Amphetamine Regulated Transcript (CART) interacting with adiposity signals such as leptin. While leptin promotes the expression of the fear peptides, the fear peptides promote anorectic action of leptin. This interaction promotes foraging drive and risk tolerance when the stored energy is low and suppresses hunger and foraging drive when the perceived risk is high. The ecological model of foraging optimization and the molecular model of interaction of these peptides converge in the outcome that the steady state adiposity is an inverse square root function of foraging risk. The foraging optimization model is independent of thrift or insurance hypotheses, but not mutually exclusive. We review existing evidence and suggest testable predictions of the model. Understanding obesity simultaneously at proximate and ultimate levels is likely to suggest effective means to curb the obesity epidemic.
Inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase by spirotetramat causes lipid depletion and surface coat deficiency in nematodes
Authors: Gutbrod Philipp , Gutbrod Katharina , Nauen Ralf , Elashry Abdelnaser , Siddique Shahid , Benting Jürgen , Dörmann Peter , Grundler Florian M.W.
Published: March 2018

Plant-parasitic nematodes pose a significant threat to agriculture causing annual yield losses worth more than 100 billion US$. Nematode control often involves the use of nematicides, but many of them including non-selective fumigants have been phased out, particularly due to ecotoxicological concerns. Thus new control strategies are urgently needed. Spirotetramat (SPT) is used as phloem-moble systemic insecticide targeting acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) of pest insects and mites upon foliar application. Our studies revealed that SPT known to be activatedin plantato SPT-enol acts as a developmental inhibitor of the free-living nematodeCaenorhabditis elegansand the plant-parasitic nematodeHeterodera schachtii. Exposure to SPT-enol leads to larval arrest and disruption of the life cycle. Furthermore, SPT-enol inhibits nematode ACC activity, affects storage lipids, fatty acid composition and disrupts surface coat synthesis. Silencing ofH. schachtii ACCby RNAi induced similar phenotypes and thus mimics the effects of SPT-enol, supporting the conclusion that SPT-enol acts on nematodes by inhibiting ACC. Our studies demonstrated that the inhibition ofde novolipid biosynthesis by interfering with nematode ACC is a new nematicidal mode of action addressed by spirotetramat, a well-known systemic insecticide for sucking pest control.
Inferring causal pathways among three or more variables from steady-state correlations in a homeostatic system
Authors: Chawala Suraj , Pund Anagha , Vibishan B. , Kulkarni Shubhankar , Diwekar-Joshi Manawa , Watve Milind
Published: March 2018

Cross-sectional correlations between two variables have limited implications for causality. We show here that in a homeostatic system with three or more inter-correlated variables, it is possible to make causal inferences from steady-state data. Every putative pathway between three variables makes a set of differential predictions that can be tested with steady state data. For example, among 3 variables, A, B and C, the coefficient of determination,is predicted by the product ofandfor some pathways, but not for others. Residuals from a regression line are independent of residuals from another regression for some pathways, but positively or negatively correlated for certain other pathways. Different pathways therefore have different prediction signatures, which can be used to accept or reject plausible pathways. We apply these principles to test the classical pathway leading to a hyperinsulinemic normoglycemic insulin-resistant, or pre-diabetic state using four different sets of epidemiological data. Currently, a set of indices called HOMA-IR and HOMA-β are used to represent insulin resistance and glucose-stimulated insulin response by β cells respectively. Our analysis shows that if we assume the HOMA indices to be faithful indicators, the classical pathway must in turn, be rejected. Among the populations sampled, the classical pathway and faithfulness of the HOMA indices cannot be simultaneously true. The principles and tools described here can find wide application in inferring plausible regulatory mechanisms in homeostatic systems based on epidemiological data.
Binaural summation of amplitude modulation involves weak interaural suppression
Authors: Baker D.H. , Vilidaite G. , McClarnon E. , Valkova E. , Bruno A. , Millman R.E.
Published: March 2018

The brain combines sounds from the two ears, but what is the algorithm used to achieve this summation of signals? Here we combine psychophysical amplitude modulation discrimination and steady-state electroencephalography (EEG) data to investigate the architecture of binaural combination for amplitude-modulated tones. Discrimination thresholds followed a ‘dipper’ shaped function of pedestal modulation depth, and were consistently lower for binaural than monaural presentation of modulated tones. The EEG responses were greater for binaural than monaural presentation of modulated tones, and when a masker was presented to one ear, it produced only weak suppression of the response to a signal presented to the other ear. Both data sets were well-fit by a computational model originally derived for visual signal combination, but with suppression between the two channels (ears) being much weaker than in binocular vision. We suggest that the distinct ecological constraints on vision and hearing can explain this difference, if it is assumed that the brain avoids over-representing sensory signals originating from a single object. These findings position our understanding of binaural summation in a broader context of work on sensory signal combination in the brain, and delineate the similarities and differences between vision and hearing.
Generating and testing ecological hypotheses at the pondscape with environmental DNA metabarcoding: a case study on a threatened amphibian
Authors: Harper Lynsey R. , Handley Lori Lawson , Hahn Christoph , Boonham Neil , Rees Helen C. , Lewis Erin , Adams Ian P. , Brotherton Peter , Phillips Susanna , Hänfling Bernd
Published: March 2018

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is revolutionising biodiversity monitoring, but has unrealised potential for ecological hypothesis generation and testing. Here, we validate this potential in a large-scale analysis of vertebrate community data generated by eDNA metabarcoding of 532 UK ponds. We test biotic associations between the threatened great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) and other vertebrates as well as abiotic factors influencingT. cristatusdetection at the pondscape. Furthermore, we test the status ofT. cristatusas an umbrella species for pond conservation by assessing whether vertebrate species richness is greater in ponds withT. cristatusand higherT. cristatusHabitat Suitability Index (HSI) scores.T. cristatusdetection was positively correlated with amphibian and waterfowl species richness. Specifically,T. cristatuswas positively associated with smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), common coot (Fulica atra), and common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), but negatively associated with common toad (Bufo bufo).T. cristatusdetection did not significantly decrease as fish species richness increased, but negative associations with common carp (Cyprinus carpio), three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) were identified.T. cristatusdetection was negatively correlated with mammal species richness, andT. cristatuswas negatively associated with grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis).T. cristatusdetection was negatively correlated with larger pond area, presence of inflow, and higher percentage of shading, but positively correlated with HSI score, supporting its application toT. cristatussurvey. Vertebrate species richness was significantly higher inT. cristatusponds and broadly increased asT. cristatusHSI scores increased. We reaffirm reported associations (e.g.T. cristatuspreference for smaller ponds) but also provide novel insights, including a negative effect of pond inflow onT. cristatus. Our findings demonstrate the prospects of eDNA metabarcoding for ecological hypothesis generation and testing at landscape scale, and dramatic enhancement of freshwater conservation, management, monitoring and research.
Karyotype-environment associations support a role for a chromosomal inversion in local adaptation in the seaweed flyCoelopa frigida
Authors: Mérot Claire , Berdan Emma , Babin Charles , Normandeau Eric , Wellenreuther Maren , Bernatchez Louis
Published: March 2018

Large chromosomal rearrangements are thought to facilitate adaptation to heterogeneous environments by limiting genomic recombination. Indeed, inversions have been implicated in adaptation along environmental clines and in ecotype specialisation. Here, we combine classical ecological studies and population genetics to investigate an inversion polymorphism previously documented in Europe among natural populations of the seaweed flyCoelopa frigidaalong a latitudinal cline in North America. We test if the inversion is present in North America and polymorphic, assess which environmental conditions modulate the inversion karyotype frequencies, and document the relationship between inversion karyotype and adult size. We sampled nearly 2,000 flies from 20 populations along several environmental gradients to quantify associations of inversion frequencies to heterogeneous environmental variables. Genotyping and phenotyping showed a widespread and conserved inversion polymorphism between Europe and America. Variation in inversion frequency was significantly associated with environmental factors, with parallel patterns between continents, indicating that the inversion may play a role in local adaptation. The three karyotypes of the inversion are differently favoured across micro-habitats and represent life-history strategies likely maintained by the collective action of several mechanisms of balancing selection. Our study adds to the mounting evidence that inversions are facilitators of adaptation and enhance within-species diversity.
Defining a canonical ligand-binding pocket in the orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1
Authors: de Vera Ian Mitchelle S. , Munoz-Tello Paola , Dharmarajan Venkatasubramanian , Marciano David P. , Matta-Camacho Edna , Giri Pankaj Kumar , Shang Jinsai , Hughes Travis S. , Rance Mark , Griffin Patrick R. , Kojetin Douglas J.
Published: March 2018

Nuclear receptor related 1 protein (Nurr1/NR4A2) is an orphan nuclear receptor that is considered to function without a canonical ligand-binding pocket. A crystal structure of the Nurr1 ligand-binding domain (LBD) revealed no physical space in the conserved region where other nuclear receptors with solvent accessible apo-protein ligand-binding pockets bind synthetic and natural ligands. Using solution NMR spectroscopy, hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, and molecular dynamics simulations, we show here that the putative canonical ligand-binding pocket in the Nurr1 LBD is dynamic with high solvent accessibility, exchanges between two or more conformations on the microsecond-to-millisecond timescale, and can expand from the collapsed crystalized conformation to allow binding of unsaturated fatty acids. These findings should stimulate future studies to probe the ligandability and druggability of Nurr1 for both endogenous and synthetic ligands, which could lead to new therapeutics for Nurr1-related diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.
Robotic automation of droplet microfluidics
Authors: Tran Tuan M. , Kim Samuel C. , Abate Adam R.
Published: March 2018

Droplet microfluidics enables new reactions, assays, and analytic capabilities, but often requires complex workflows involving numerous steps of macro- and micro-fluidic processing. We demonstrate robotically-automated droplet microfluidics, an approach to automate workflows with commercial fluid-handling robots. These workflows can be performed without human intervention, increasing reliability and convenience.
North American entrepreneurs in Cuba: which entry mode and government affiliation strategy?
Authors: Vila-Lopez Natalia , White Graham
Published: March 2018

Purpose

To have success in newly liberalized markets, firms must have a plan of action before resources are committed. What some companies do not realize is that their own entrepreneurial orientation (EO) will dictate their strategies, and performance outcomes, in both their home market and abroad. In order to maximize firm performance in newly liberalized markets (such as Cuba), firms must be able to objectively gauge their own EO. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Within this framework, the present paper will attempt to effectively measure the EO of decision-making managers from US companies that have an interest in entering the Cuban market. A final sample of 81 US managers accepted to collaborate. They were then split into two groups (high and low EO; with 41 and 35 managers in each group, respectively) and compared regarding three variables: entry mode strategy, government affiliation strategy, and performance outcomes.

Findings

The results show that EO is related with performance, but not with the two proposed variables of entry mode and government affiliation.

Originality/value

In sum, the added value of the paper is to link US managers’ strategies and performance in a newly liberalized market which has been seldom studied: Cuba. The fields of entry mode strategies and government affiliation decisions in this newly liberalized market remain poorly investigated. Not all firms managed by highly entrepreneurial-orientated managers will decide to enter foreign markets and, on the contrary, domestic firms which are not interested in international markets can be run by highly entrepreneurial managers. This is due, in part, to the fact that internationalization can be driven by other factors. Therefore, this paper will attempt to demonstrate if certain entry modes will perform better than others when the foreign market is a newly liberalized economy. Additionally, the importance, and effect, of governmental relationships on performance outcomes will be tested within the research.
Arab teachers’ perception of parent involvement (PI): components and differences
Authors: Arar Khalid , Abu Nasra Muhammed , Alshafi Hassan
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of parental involvement among 317 teachers in the Arab education system in Israel.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire measured teachers’ attitudes regarding parents’ involvement in the school relating to pedagogy, resources, and control.

Findings

The findings show that Arab teachers perceive parents’ involvement as related to pedagogy and resources rather than control. In addition, the research results revealed that young teachers in terms of age, and seniority of teaching, and teachers who are not members of the management team demonstrated a stronger perception of the pedagogy and control components than did older and senior teachers and teachers who are members of the management team. However, older and senior teachers and teachers who are members of the management team had a stronger perception that parental involvement related to resources than did young teachers and teachers who are not members of the management team.

Social implications

Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to our understandings of the different components that affect parental involvement in developing and minority societies.
Online search for information about universities: a Hong Kong study
Authors: Wong Phoebe , Lee Daisy , M.L. Ng Peggy
Published: March 2018

Purpose

A fuller understanding of the information search behaviour of prospective students in the digital era is one of the keys to success in university recruitment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ university choice factors in relation to the online environment.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 637 samples from 11 private higher education institutions were collected and tested against assumptions before performing statistical analysis including exploratory factor analysis and mean comparison.

Findings

The findings revealed that there are some significant differences in gender and academic discipline in the use of the internet to search for university information. In addition, four constructs of university information were identified that are perceived as important by students in their search behaviour: “university reputation”, “eligibility and affordability”, “teaching and learning” and “university tangibility”. The outcomes of this research provide some noteworthy insights which have numerous strategic digital marketing implications.

Originality/value

While most existing studies have explored types of social media apps or online channels that prospective students use, little research has touched on students’ university choice factors in relation to the online environment. Responding to Constantinides and Zinck Stagno (2011) and Hemsley-Brownet al.’s (2016) call, this paper aims to address this research gap by investigating students’ university information search in relation to the online environment.
Content of Care in 15,000 Sick Child Consultations in Nine Lower‐Income Countries
Authors: Kruk Margaret E. , Gage Anna D. , Mbaruku Godfrey M. , Leslie Hannah H.
Published: March 2018

Objective

Describe content of clinical care for sick children in low‐resource settings.

Data Sources

Nationally representative health facility surveys in Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda from 2007 to 2015.

Study Design

Clinical visits by sick children under 5 years were observed and caregivers interviewed. We describe duration and content of the care in the visit and estimate associations between increased content and caregiver knowledge and satisfaction.

Principal Findings

The median duration of 15,444 observations was 8 minutes; providers performed 8.4 of a maximum 24 clinical actions per visit. Content of care was minimally greater for severely ill children. Each additional clinical action was associated with 2 percent higher caregiver knowledge.

Conclusions

Consultations for children in nine lower‐income countries are brief and limited. A greater number of clinical actions was associated with caregiver knowledge and satisfaction.
Cross‐Sector Partnerships: An Examination of Success Factors
Authors: Hartman Laura Pincus , Dhanda Kanwalroop Kathy
Published: March 2018

In this paper, we examine the drivers involved in an alternative business model: cross‐sector social partnerships (CSSPs) between for‐profit, predominantly multinational corporations (MNCs) and nonprofit organizations (NPOs). We explore these cross‐sector social partnerships (CSSPs) from the perspective of these primary stakeholders, examining the questions of power differentials and the definitions and determinants of success. In order more deeply to understand these drivers, we review the evolution of the concept of “value” and the perception of the value that each stakeholder brings to the partnership. We then describe and offer the results of an empirical, qualitative study of 18 CSSPs, where we analyze each partner's representations of success, outcomes sought and distinctions in determinants of value within the partnerships.
Activists against research: Experiences studying wind energy in Ontario
Authors: Walker Chad , Christidis Tanya
Published: March 2018

Whether because instances are rare or because academics are uncomfortable writing about them, descriptions of activism against academic research cannot be easily found within the existing literature. In this paper, we share our experience of being young geographic researchers faced with impassioned opposition against our work. Studies we conducted of wind energy development in rural Ontario spurred backlash; activists used several means of opposing our research and attempted to discredit us as capable academics. We share examples of direct and indirect communication from such people and advise that there is much to be learned, especially for those who may not have the benefit of mentors intimately familiar with the type of activism we encountered. The paper closes with a practical discussion of three lessons written particularly for academics who may be entering similar areas of contested geographic research for the first time.
Goal‐Directed Correlates and Neurobiological Underpinnings of Adolescent Identity: A Multimethod Multisample Longitudinal Approach
Authors: Becht Andrik I. , Bos Marieke G.N. , Nelemans Stefanie A. , Peters Sabine , Vollebergh Wilma A.M. , Branje Susan J.T. , Meeus Wim H.J. , Crone Eveline A.
Published: March 2018

This multimethod multisample longitudinal study examined how neurological substrates associated with goal directedness and information seeking are related to adolescents’ identity. Self‐reported data on goal‐directedness were collected across three biannual waves in Study 1. Identity was measured one wave later. Study 1 design and measurements were repeated in Study 2 and extended with structural brain data (nucleus accumbens [NAcc] and prefrontal cortex gray matter volume [PFC]), collected across three biannual waves. Study 1 included 497 adolescents (Mage T1 = 13.03 years) and Study 2 included 131 adolescents (Mage T1 = 14.69 years). Using latent growth curve models, goal directedness, NAcc, and PFC volume predicted a stronger identity one wave later. These findings provide crucial new insights in the underlying neurobiological architecture of identity.
From Learning Beliefs to Achievement Among Chinese Immigrant and European American Preschool Children
Authors: Li Jin , Yamamoto Yoko , Kinnane Jamison M. , Shugarts Bree C. , Ho Clarence K.K.
Published: March 2018

Little research exists on how immigrant children develop their beliefs about school learning (BASLs) in their home and host cultures. We examined the BASLs and achievement children of Chinese immigrants’ (CCI) and European American (EA) children. We followed longitudinally 120 middle‐class children from age 4 to 5, balanced for gender. Children heard two story beginnings depicting a child eager to attend school and another not. Children completed the stories and were tested for math and literacy achievement. We found seven BASLs. CCIs and EAs showed similar BASLs. Awareness of parental involvement and intellectual benefit consistently explained their achievement, with CCIs showing greater achievement. CCIs’ (but not EAs’) valuation of learning explained their net academic growth. Implications on CCIs’ development are discussed.
Gastrointestinal influences in multiple sclerosis: Focus on the role of the microbiome
Authors: Francis Anna , Constantinescu Cris S.
Published: March 2018

Despite extensive research, the etiology of multiple sclerosis remains unclear. Gene–environment interactions are believed to determine the risk of disease, but the necessary exposures have not been identified. Here, we review the evidence for the role of disturbances in the normal intestinal flora (the gut microbiome) in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. We present data from human and animal studies proposing that the intestinal immune system integrates bacterial signaling with systemic inflammatory and regulatory responses. Dysbiosis, which is observed more frequently in multiple sclerosis than in health, can skew the intestinal T‐cell repertoire towards an effector T‐cell response, which is subsequently amplified in different tissues. In patients with a genetically determined predisposition, this could lead to inflammation and demyelination in the central nervous system. Furthermore, bacterial products can directly affect the blood–brain barrier, neurons and microglia, and bacterial antigens that mimic neuro‐antigens can lead to activation and proliferation of autoreactive T cells.
Novel mechanisms of chronic inflammation in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
Authors: Oki Shinji
Published: March 2018

Genome wide‐association studies have clearly shown the key roles of helper T (Th) cells and cellular immune responses for development of multiple sclerosis (MS). Novel medication for a “relapsing–remitting” form of MS (RR‐MS) including natalizumab and fingolimod that targets immune cells, such as Th cells, is now available in clinics. However, a significant proportion of RR‐MS patients subsequently develop a chronic progressive disease without obvious signs of relapses known as secondary progressive MS (SP‐MS). Therapeutic agents for SP‐MS are limited and pathogenesis of SP‐MS remains elusive, partly because of the lack of experimental animal models that enable comprehensive and deep analysis of the disease.

We have previously reported that an orphan nuclear receptor, NR4A2, plays critical roles in Th17 cells, a key Th cell subset associated with the pathogenesis of RR‐MS and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Although EAE induced in mice lacking the NR4A2 gene in Th cells showed significantly milder signs of acute EAE, they unexpectedly developed a late/chronic EAE, in which atypical Th cells expressing Eomesodermin (Eomes) with cytotoxic properties were involved. Functional analysis revealed that Eomes+ Th cells are critically associated with the development of late/chronic EAE. Interestingly, similar Eomes+ Th cells were remarkably increased in the peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid from SP‐MS patients, but not from RR‐MS patients, implying that Eomes+ Th cells are selectively involved in the pathogenesis of SP‐MS. Therefore, elimination or functional inhibition of Eomes+ Th cells could be considered as novel therapeutic strategies for SP‐MS.
Drug‐induced progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in multiple sclerosis: A comprehensive review
Authors: Yukitake Motohiro
Published: March 2018

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare and severe demyelinating disease of the white matter in the central nervous system (CNS), and is caused by the John Cunningham virus. Most PML cases occur in immunocompromised patients, particularly those with impaired cell‐mediated immunity. There is no specific therapy for PML; the main therapeutic approach is restoring host adaptive immune responses. In 2005, PML was described in two multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with natalizumab. MS is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS that has been suggested to be associated with attacks by autoreactive lymphocytes. Disease‐modifying therapies have recently been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of clinical relapse, and slow the development of disability. Although freedom from disease activity has become the primary aim of the treatment of MS, these therapies increase the risk of PML. Natalizumab is a monoclonal immunoglobulin antibody directed toward α4 integrin adhesion molecules. To date, 731 natalizumab‐associated PML cases (728 MS and three Crohn's disease) have been reported, including one case of PML in a Japanese patient with MS. Fingolimod is a sphingosine 1‐phosphate receptor modulator that prevents the egress of lymphocytes from lymphatic tissue. There have been 15 confirmed fingolimod‐associated PML cases, including four cases in Japanese MS patients. Dimethyl fumarate is the methyl ester of fumaric acid. The anti‐inflammatory mechanism of dimethyl fumarate has not yet been elucidated in detail. A total of 21 cases of PML have been reported in patients receiving dimethyl fumarate, among which five were MS patients. Dimethyl fumarate‐associated PML has not been documented in Japan. In the era of disease‐modifying therapies for the treatment of MS, neurologists need to consider drug‐induced PML in MS.
Gonadoblastoma in a patient with an isodicentric X chromosome
Authors: KATAYAMA K. PAUL , ROESLER M. R. , DUNGAR CHARLES F. , MATTINGLY RICHARD F.
Published: March 2018

Although gonadoblastoma is known to be associated with the presence of a Y chromosome, this case report of a 15‐year‐old patient with gonadal dysgenesis, gonadoblastoma, and an idic(Xq‐) chromosome provides evidence for the occurrence of gonadoblastoma even in the absence of a Y chromosome. A review of previous cases reported to have gonadoblastoma in the absence of a Y chromosome revealed that the presence of some breast development was the common denominator among those patients. Therefore, a patient who presents with gonadal dysgenesis with some breast development, but lacks a Y chromosome may deserve as close scrutiny as the patient with gonadal dysgenesis in the presence of a Y chromosome.
IT'S NO ACCIDENT: EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTIONS
Authors: Hoagland Alex , Woolley Trevor
Published: March 2018

An increase in technology means that vehicles are more reliable than in the past. Accordingly, states have begun to discontinue their requirements for vehicle safety inspections. To gauge the effect of such changes, we examine traffic fatality data from 2000 to 2015, with emphasis on New Jersey, which ended safety inspection requirements in 2010. Utilizing a synthetic controls approach, we conclude that ending these requirements did not result in a significant increase in the frequency or intensity of accidents due to car failure, implying that the consumer and government expenditures used for inspections could be reallocated to other areas of travel safety. (JEL R41, Z18, C23)
Drivers of the spatial scale that best predict primate responses to landscape structure
Authors: Galán‐Acedo Carmen , Arroyo‐Rodríguez Víctor , Estrada Alejandro , Ramos‐Fernández Gabriel
Published: March 2018

Understanding the effect of landscape structure on biodiversity is critically needed to improve management strategies. To accurately evaluate such effect, landscape metrics need to be assessed at the correct scale, i.e. considering the spatial extent at which species–landscape relationship is strongest (scale of effect, SE). Although SE is highly variable, its drivers are poorly known, but of key relevance to understand the way species use the landscape. In this study, we evaluate whether and how species traits, biological responses, landscape variables and the regional context of the study drive SE in Mexican primates. We estimated the relative abundance and immature‐to‐female ratio (a proxy of reproductive success) of howler monkeys Alouatta palliata and A. pigra and spider monkeys Ateles geoffroyi in 48 forest patches from four rainforest regions (12 patches per region) with different land‐use intensity. We then assessed the composition (forest cover, matrix functionality) and configuration (forest patch density, connectors’ density, forest edge density) of local landscapes considering 13 scales (100 to 1300‐m radius) to identify the spatial extent at which each landscape variable best predict each response variable in each species and region. We found that SE did not differ significantly among the drivers evaluated. However, it tended to be lower for connectors’ density than for forest patch density and forest edge density, probably because connectors’ density is associated with local‐scale processes such as supplementary dynamics. Surprisingly, SE also tended to be higher in the more disturbed region than in the rest of the regions, probably because primates in the more disturbed region used larger areas of the landscape. Our findings therefore suggest that SE depends more strongly on landscape variables and regional context than on species traits and biological responses, and hence, especial caution should be taken when attempting to generalize SE to different explanatory variables and regions.
Becoming Teacher/Tree and Bringing the Natural World to Students: An Educational Examination of the Influence of the Other‐than‐Human World and the Great Actor on Martin Buber's Concept of the I/Thou
Authors: Blenkinsop Sean , Scott Charles
Published: March 2018

This essay is written in two sections. The first, following a short introduction, is made up of three scenarios drawn from the life and work of Martin Buber. As well as demonstrating his obvious interest in human relationships with the other‐than‐human, each scenario describes an encounter between either Buber himself or a stand‐in character and a member of the other‐than‐human world. Together, these scenes not only suggest that I/Thou encounters are possible with the other‐than‐human, and that they are important for the development of the human I, but also outline characteristics that make such encounters possible. The second section focuses on Buber's description of the “great actor” in order to offer a way teachers might engage their own students with the other‐than‐human world. Just as the actor embodies both the character and his or her own person in a dramatic role, so the teacher might embody the I/Thou relationship with the natural world, becoming Teacher/Tree, and exemplifying that relationship with the students.
Narrating a Critical Indigenous Pedagogy of Place: A Literary Métissage
Authors: Lowan‐Trudeau Gregory
Published: March 2018

This essay responds to a persistent paucity of narrative and Indigenous perspectives in scholarship related to a critical pedagogy of place. In it Gregory Lowan‐Trudeau explores interrelated concepts such as diasporic indigeneity, identity, and critical, place‐based education and research through a literary métissage that weaves together Western and Indigenous narratives to reflect upon recent experiences of (re‐)visiting sites of great personal and familial significance.
In Search of the Environmentalist Way: Beyond Mending the Machine
Authors: Stables Andrew
Published: March 2018

In this essay, Andrew Stables notes that philosophies such as existentialism, humanism, and environmentalism come in either exploratory or active forms: that is, one can study the nature of existence or the human, or one can ascribe to a way of life in an attempt to improve the world. Among the major influences on active environmentalist thought are (forms of) humanism, socialism, posthumanism, and post‐ (or pre‐)colonialism. In many cases, however, such ways of thinking can be as damaging or unsuccessful as they may be ameliorative and successful. The search for an environmentalist Way, Stables maintains, must transcend entrenched binaries, oppositions, and ideologies without lapsing into thoroughgoing antirealism or willfully ignoring current realities. Here, he explores the valuable contributions that Daoist and Buddhist texts and practices have to offer in this search.
3D skin models for 3R research: The potential of 3D reconstructed skin models to study skin barrier function
Authors: Niehues Hanna , Bouwstra Joke A. , El Ghalbzouri Abdoelwaheb , Brandner Johanna M. , Zeeuwen Patrick L. J. M. , van den Bogaard Ellen H.
Published: March 2018

The skin barrier is an important shield regulating the outside‐in as well as inside‐out penetration of water, nutrients, ions and environmental stimuli. We can distinguish four different barrier compartments: the physical, chemical, immunological and microbial skin barrier. Well‐functioning of those is needed to protect our body from the environment. To better understand the function and the contribution of barrier dysfunction in skin diseases, 3D skin or epidermal models are a valuable tool for in vitro studies. In this review, we summarize the development and application of different skin models in skin barrier research. During the last years, enormous effort was made on optimizing these models to better mimic the in vivo composition of the skin, by fine‐tuning cell culture media, culture conditions and including additional cells and tissue components. Thereby, in vitro barrier formation and function has been improved significantly. Moreover, in this review we point towards changes and chances for in vitro 3D skin models to be used for skin barrier research in the nearby future.
Diagnosing diabetes mellitus in patients with porphyria cutanea tarda
Authors: Christiansen Anne L. , Bygum Anette , Hother‐Nielsen Ole , Rasmussen Lars M.
Published: March 2018

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increased in patients with porphyria cutanea tarda. Different tests are available for diagnosing and screening for type II diabetes mellitus, however choosing the most suitable test is challenging. The pitfalls in the different tests along with the interfering comorbidities and treatments concerning patients with porphyria cutanea tarda complicate diagnosing these patients with diabetes mellitus. HbA1c, fasting glucose, or oral glucose tolerance are the current available tests, with HbA1c as first choice. Measuring HbA1c requires no fasting, however HbA1c can be false low if the patient is treated with phlebotomy or has liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis. Instead fasting glucose and oral glucose tolerance tests can be used if the patient is not acutely ill. If either of the tests give a result in the diagnostic range, the test should be repeated if the patient has no clinical symptoms of diabetes. Diagnosing diabetes mellitus is important for the purpose of early intervention, and this review provides the knowledge needed to diagnose this special patient group properly.
Melanocyte abnormalities and senescence in the pathogenesis of idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis
Authors: Rani Seema , Kumar Ravinder , Kumarasinghe Prasad , Bhardwaj Supriya , Srivastava Niharika , Madaan Aaisha , Parsad Davinder
Published: March 2018

Background

Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH) is a pigmentary disorder of unknown pathogenesis characterized by small discrete white macules. In the skin, epidermal melanin unit between melanocytes and keratinocytes is responsible for melanin synthesis and equal distribution of melanin pigment.

Objective

Therefore, this study was designed to check the role of melanocytes in the pathogenesis of IGH.

Methods

For this study, six IGH patients and six controls were enrolled. Melanin content was checked in the skin sections and in the cultured melanocytes. Senescence was checked in the lesional skin of IGH patients by comparing the mRNA and protein expression of senescence markers p16, hp1, and p21.

Results

Cultured melanocytes from the IGH patients showed morphological changes in comparison to the control melanocytes. Melanocytes from IGH patients were bigger in size with very small and retracted dendrites as compared to the control melanocytes. Melanin accumulation was more in the IGH patients as compared to the controls. Our results showed that expression of p16, p21, and hp1 was significantly higher in lesional skin of IGH patient as compared to healthy controls.

Conclusion

This study revealed large‐sized melanocytes with small and retracted dendrites in IGH patients. Accumulation of more melanin in the IGH melanocytes might be due to problem in the transfer of melanin from melanocytes to keratinocytes. Accumulation of melanin can lead to the senescence in the melanocytes of IGH patients.
Zinc seed priming improves salt resistance in maize
Authors: Imran M. , Boelt B. , Mühling K.‐H.
Published: March 2018

Salt stress is a major yield‐limiting factor in crops by reducing nutrient uptake and plant growth. Under salt stress, decreased water and nutrient uptake results in nutrient imbalance in plants. In addition, at high pH in saline conditions, solubility of minerals is also reduced leading to low availability of certain nutrients. Perspectives to overcome these limitations by Zn seed priming were studied with maize plants exposed to NaCl as salt stress. Maize seeds were primed for 24 hr in deionized water and 4 mm ZnSO4·7H2O solution (ZnP) and subsequently air‐dried at room temperature before further use. The DTZ (diphenylthiocarbazone) staining method was used for showing Zn2+ localization in the seeds. Zn2+ and other nutrient concentrations in unprimed, water and ZnP seeds and maize plants were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP‐MS). Maize plants (cv. Sun star L.) were grown for 3 weeks in complete nutrient solution with or without salt stress (100 mm NaCl) under glasshouse conditions. Seed Zn2+ contents were increased after ZnP treatment by 600%. In maize seeds, most of the primed Zn2+ accumulated in the outer tissues (particularly, aleurone layer) of maize seed. Zn priming decreased the injurious effects of salt stress on plant growth. Under salt stress conditions, biomass production of plants from ZnP treatments was 25% higher compared to water priming treatment. Zn seed priming also improved mineral nutrient status of plants grown in both control and salt stress conditions. Plants from ZnP treatments also showed higher accumulation of Na+ in the shoots. This offers perspectives for using Zn seed priming for improving early seedling development and plant nutrient status of maize under salt stress conditions.
Phenological shifts in North American red squirrels: disentangling the roles of phenotypic plasticity and microevolution
Authors: Lane Jeffrey E. , McAdam Andrew G. , McFarlane S. Eryn , Williams Cory T. , Humphries Murray M. , Coltman David W. , Gorrell Jamieson C. , Boutin Stan
Published: March 2018

Phenological shifts are the most widely reported ecological responses to climate change, but the requirements to distinguish their causes (i.e. phenotypic plasticity vs. microevolution) are rarely met. To do so, we analysed almost two decades of parturition data from a wild population of North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). Although an observed advance in parturition date during the first decade provided putative support for climate change‐driven microevolution, a closer look revealed a more complex pattern. Parturition date was heritable [h2 = 0.14 (0.07–0.21 (HPD interval)] and under phenotypic selection [β = −0.14 ± 0.06 (SE)] across the full study duration. However, the early advance reversed in the second decade. Further, selection did not act on the genetic contribution to variation in parturition date, and observed changes in predicted breeding values did not exceed those expected due to genetic drift. Instead, individuals responded plastically to environmental variation, and high food [white spruce (Picea glauca) seed] production in the first decade appears to have produced a plastic advance. In addition, there was little evidence of climate change affecting the advance, as there was neither a significant influence of spring temperature on parturition date or evidence of a change in spring temperatures across the study duration. Heritable traits not responding to selection in accordance with quantitative genetic predictions have long presented a puzzle to evolutionary ecologists. Our results on red squirrels provide empirical support for one potential solution: phenotypic selection arising from an environmental, as opposed to genetic, covariance between the phenotypic trait and annual fitness.
Developing the experts we need: Fostering adaptive expertise through education
Authors: Mylopoulos Maria , Kulasegaram Kulamakan , Woods Nicole N.
Published: March 2018

In this era of increasing complexity, there is a growing gap between what we need our medical experts to do and the training we provide them. While medical education has a long history of being guided by theories of expertise to inform curriculum design and implementation, the theories that currently underpin our educational programs do not account for the expertise necessary for excellence in the changing health care context. The more comprehensive view of expertise gained by research on both clinical reasoning and adaptive expertise provides a useful framing for re‐shaping physician education, placing emphasis on the training of clinicians who will be adaptive experts. That is, have both the ability to apply their extensive knowledge base as well as create new knowledge as dictated by patient needs and context. Three key educational approaches have been shown to foster the development of adaptive expertise: learning that emphasizes understanding, providing students with opportunities to embrace struggle and discovery in their learning, and maximizing variation in the teaching of clinical concepts. There is solid evidence that a commitment to these educational approaches can help medical educators to set trainees on the path towards adaptive expertise.
Constructing Unfinalizability: A Subject Positioning Analysis of a Couple's Therapy Session Hosted by Tom Andersen
Authors: Guilfoyle Michael
Published: March 2018

The notion of subject positions is a useful tool in thinking through therapeutic interactions. In this article, I discuss positioning as an everyday phenomenon, and highlight the relational and social power dynamics that shape the subject positions persons may inhabit. Analysis is presented of the positional dynamics that play out in the couple's therapy session facilitated by Tom Andersen. Analysis suggests that Andersen adopts a not‐knowing, uncertain, and curious position, while constructing the couple as competent, unfinalizable persons able to negotiate the choice‐points that arise in front of them. However, if subject positions are grounded in social power dynamics, the session leaves a particular question unanswered: How will these emergent positions take hold outside of the consulting room?
Live‐cell imaging of new polyene sterols for improved analysis of intracellular cholesterol transport
Authors: MODZEL M. , SOLANKO K.A. , SZOMEK M. , HANSEN S.K. , DUPONT A. , NÅBO L.J. , KONGSTED J. , WÜSTNER D.
Published: March 2018

Analysis of intracellular cholesterol transport by fluorescence microscopy requires suitable fluorescent analogues of cholesterol. Most existing cholesterol analogues contain lipophilic dyes which can compromise the sterol properties in membranes. An alternative strategy is to introduce additional double bonds into the sterol ring system resulting in intrinsic fluorescence, while at the same time keeping the cholesterol‐like properties of the analogues. Existing polyene sterols, such as dehydroergosterol (DHE) or cholestatrienol (CTL), however, contain only three double bonds and suffer from low brightness, significant photobleaching and excitation/emission in the ultraviolet region. Thus, special equipment is required to image such sterols. Here, we describe synthesis, characterization and intracellular imaging of new polyene sterols containing four conjugated double bonds in the sterol ring system. We show that such analogues have red‐shifted excitation and emission by ∼20 nm compared to DHE or CTL. The red shift was even more pronounced when preventing keto‐enol tautomer equilibration by protecting the 3’‐hydroxy group with acetate. We show that the latter analogue can be imaged on a conventional wide field microscope with a DAPI/filipin filter cube. The new polyene sterols show reduced photobleaching compared to DHE or CTL allowing for improved deconvolution microscopy of sterol containing cellular membranes.