bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Boundary Crossings: Collaborative Robots and Human Workers
Authors: PIETRYKOWSKI BRUCE , FOLSTER MICHAEL
Published: January 2020

Agency and automation is explored through three case studies of the use of Cobots – collaborative robots – in three different auto production firms. The business challenges faced by these firms include labor shortages, quality control and reduction of waste. The Cobot solution resulted in different effects on agency through (1) agency task displacement, (2) agency enhancement and (3) agency expansion. In addition, the individual characteristics of the workplace structure also mediated the effects of Cobots on agency. In the first case (Uno Motors) Fordist technology and the presence of a union ensured that Cobots were deployed instrumentally. The second case (Duo Global Technologies) was one in which Cobots were flexibly deployed to meet changing production demands. The third case (Trio) went furthest in integrating Cobots into the production process as co‐workers requiring new workplace relationships together with the potential to recognize new forms of agency.
Designing Queer Connection: An Ethnography of Dating App Production in Urban India
Authors: DAS VISHNUPRIYA
Published: January 2020

India is currently at the precipice of immense social and technological change. The proliferation of smartphones and growth of the nation's app economy raise questions about how digital platforms might influence the contours of love, sex, and desire in the region in the coming decades. This paper engages with these concerns by examining what it means to design intimate connection for LGBTQ communities in non‐western spaces. Drawing on fieldnotes, app walkthroughs, interviews with mid‐level and upper‐level professionals in the dating app space as well as audiovisual material from advertising archives, this paper provides readers with a critical analysis of the “problem” of designing queer connection in a digital world of abundant data and transient identities. Carefully examining the production practices of Delta, India's first locally produced LGBTQ dating app I argue that there is a pressing need for scholarship on industry dynamics beyond western technology centers.
Agency and AI in Consulting: Pathways to Prioritize Agency‐Enhancing Automations
Authors: CEMALOGLU CENGIZ , CHIA JASMINE , TAM JOSHUA
Published: January 2020

Amidst the advances of AI and automation, this paper provides a framework for ethnographic methods and insights to enhance human agency at work. Through analyzing data collected from ethnographic immersions in three different consulting firms (a professional services firm, a management consultancy, and a boutique insights agency), human‐agent decisions are isolated in case studies and the pathways of unlocking the potential of automation to enhance the agency of individuals rather than constraining it are highlighted. Through drawing a distinction between thinking agency and executional agency present in the work of a consultant, this paper argues that automations that preserve thinking agency while maximizing productivity and accuracy are the solutions that should be adopted. Through vetting workflows sourced from ethnographic immersions with the established criteria, a framework for consultancies – and more broadly businesses – to better employ AI and automation is laid out and substantiated by an account of how anthropological approaches can be brought in to assist the process of prioritization among contextual automation processes.
“Resistance is Possible”: The Ethnography of Roleplaying
Authors: LEBLANC NATHAN
Published: January 2020

Roleplaying games, such as the popular Dungeons & Dragons, ask players to take on roles of particular people and contexts. As a researcher, my experience conducting playtesting and ethnographic work for a roleplaying game on the Holocaust called “Rosenstrasse” profoundly affected me. In this PechaKucha, I ponder how roleplaying games might inspire the communication of ethnographic insight. As a medium in which storytelling isn't linear or prescribed, how can roleplaying games effectively transfer cultural understanding? Just as a Games Master and game design facilitate this knowledge transfer, perhaps ethnographers can use techniques similar to roleplaying to increase change‐making by enabling greater agency in stakeholders and teammates.
The failed invasion ofHarmonia axyridisin the Azores, Portugal: Climatic restriction or wrong population origin?
Authors: Alaniz Alberto J. , Soares António O. , Vergara Pablo M. , de Azevedo Eduardo Brito , Grez Audrey A.
Published: January 2020

We tested two questions: (i) whether the climatic conditions of the Azorean Islands in Portugal may have restricted the invasion ofHarmonia axyridisacross this archipelago and (ii) determine what population of this species could have a higher probability of invading the islands. We used MaxEnt to project the climate requirements of differentH. axyridispopulations from three regions of the world, and the potential global niche of the species in the Azorean islands. Then we assessed the suitability of the islands for each of the threeH. axyridispopulations and global potential niche through histograms analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of climate variables, and a variable‐by‐variable assessment of the suitability response curves compared with the climatic conditions of the Azores. Climatic conditions of the Azores are less suitable for the U.S. and native Asian populations ofH. axyridis, and more suitable for European populations and the global potential niche. The PCA showed that the climatic conditions of the islands differed from the climatic requirements ofH. axyridis. This difference is mainly explained by precipitation of the wettest month, isothermality, and the minimum temperature of the coldest month. We concluded that the climatic conditions of the Azores could have influenced the establishment and spread ofH. axyridison these islands from Europe. Our results showed that abiotic resistance represented by the climate of the potentially colonizable zones could hinder the establishment of invasive insects, but it could vary depending of the origin of the colonizing population.
The devil's in the details: Measuring mass violence
Authors: Huff‐Corzine Lin , Corzine Jay
Published: January 2020

Research Summary

Mass violence refers to victimization, resulting in multiple deaths and/or injuries. Thus, the measurement of mass violence cannot rest on a single definition or dataset. The purpose of this paper is to decompose mass violence into its various sub‐types, discuss measurement issues related to the sub‐types, evaluate potential datasets for future studies, and offer practical policy implications.

Policy Implication

Imposing a standard definition for mass violence at this time would be counterproductive and may stifle research and associated policy implications. We recommend developing an enhanced dataset on mass violence based on the National Incident‐Based Reporting System (NIBRS). The advantages of NIBRS include its linkages of fatalities and injuries from the same incident, no limitation on the number killed or wounded, and more information than alternative data sources, maintenance of the current crime data flow from local communities through the state and to the FBI for compilation.
Polyphenols from Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) leaves and their functional properties
Authors: Myint Khaing zar , Wu Ke , Xia Yongmei , Fan Ye , Shen Jie , Zhang Peter , Gu Jianxin
Published: January 2020

The major polyphenol components from Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) leaves (PPS) are chlorogenic acids, a polyphenol family of esters, including hydroxycinnamic acids with quinic acid, which possesses excellent hydrophilic antioxidant activity and other therapeutic properties. As an abundant byproduct during production of steviol glycosides, the PPS would be a new antioxidantive food resource or additives applied in foods and drugs with antidiabetic function. Extracting PPS from S. rebaudiana (Bertoni) leaves together with steviol glycosides would be an economic process, which will change most operation process in current Stevia factories. The quantification of PPS needs to be unified for regulation. In view of the current regulation status of polyphenols and extracts from Stevia, the PPS would be ready to go to the market with few regulation barriers in the near future. This review will summarize the analysis, extraction, and some functional properties of PPS, such as antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anti‐inflammatory, and anticancer.
Targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Authors: Tan Aaron C.
Published: January 2020

The traditional classification of lung cancer into small cell lung cancer and non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been transformed with the increased understanding of the molecular alterations and genomic biomarkers that drive the development of lung cancer. Increased activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway leads to numerous hallmarks of cancer and this pathway represents an attractive target for novel anticancer therapies. In NSCLC, the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway has been heavily implicated in both tumorigenesis and the progression of disease. A number of specific inhibitors of PI3K, Akt and mTOR are currently under development and in various stages of preclinical investigation and in early phase clinical trials for NSCLC. Early evidence has yielded disappointing results. Clinical trials, however, have been performed on predominantly molecularly unselected populations, and patient enrichment strategies using high‐precision predictive biomarkers in future trials will increase the likelihood of success. A greater understanding of the underlying molecular biology including epigenetic alterations is also crucial to allow for the detection of appropriate biomarkers and guide combination approaches.
Connections between the Market Pricing of Accruals Quality and Accounting‐Based Anomalies*
Authors: Du Kai , Jiang Xin Daniel
Published: January 2020

We examine whether prior findings on the market pricing of accruals quality (AQ) can be attributed to other forms of accounting‐based anomalies. Using hedge portfolio analysis and cross‐sectional regressions, we find that the return predictive power of AQ overlaps with several other accounting signals. We also find that, similar to other accounting‐based anomalies, especially the accruals anomaly, the AQ pricing effect (i) is likely due to mispricing instead of risk pricing, (ii) is attenuated in recent years, and (iii) disappears among firms with cash flow forecasts or long‐term growth forecasts. Our findings highlight the importance of controlling for existing return predictive signals when evaluating the market pricing of AQ.
Population recovery of alien black rats Rattus rattus: A test of reinvasion theory
Authors: Hansen Nicole , Hughes Nelika K. , Byrom Andrea E. , Banks Peter B.
Published: January 2020

Reinvasion of pest animals after incomplete control is a major challenge for invasive species management, yet little is known about the behavioural and demographic categories of reinvaders or the mechanisms that drive population‐level responses to control. To understand the fine‐scale mechanisms of reinvasion, we examined changes in demography, movements and activity patterns of reinvading alien black rats Rattus rattus in the short (4 weeks) and longer term (3 months) following localised experimental pest removal. Using recovery and invasion theory, we tested three hypothesised mechanisms of reinvasion: the ‘in situ effect’, the ‘trickle effect’ and the ‘vacuum effect’. We created space for reinvasion by removing black rats from the core of replicate 1‐ha plots (short‐term experiment) and later by removing animals from the entire plot (longer‐term experiment). Reinvaders were characterised as dispersing juveniles, floaters or neighbours. Radio‐tracking quantified home range changes for adjacent resident animals (short‐term experiment only). In the short term, there was no net influx of rats after targeted removal. Radio‐tracked residents’ movements were highly variable and displayed no directional changes after nearby conspecifics were removed. However, in the longer term, removal led to slow population recovery through a mix of reinvading floaters, dispersing juveniles and shifting residents. These responses best support a hypothesis of reinvasion through a trickle effect, with rats being extremely mobile and having a high degree of population turnover, even in untreated sites. Our findings provide the first test of reinvasion theory at a small scale, demonstrating the importance of understanding the differing categories of reinvaders and mechanisms of reinvasion after population control. These mechanisms drive the rate of population recovery and, in turn, should help determine which strategy of pest control should be used, and the frequency with which they are implemented, in order to slow the recovery of pest populations.
Challenges of delivering evidence‐based stroke services for rural areas in Australia
Authors: Prior Sarah Jane , Reeves Nicole S. , Campbell Steven J.
Published: January 2020

Objective

The aim of this paper was to use current stroke care guidelines to identify and discuss current stroke care challenges in rural Australian health care and potential solutions for delivery of evidence‐based practice.

Design and setting

A review of national guidelines since 2002 for organised stroke care was undertaken to determine best practice for delivering primary stroke care. We then employed a narrative literature review strategy looking at relevant articles, based on keywords, outlining current stroke service availability in Australia, highlighting the challenges of implementing evidence‐based stroke care in rural areas in Australia based on the current guidelines.

Results

Delivery of evidence‐based stroke care in rural Australia is fraught with challenges. Although national best‐practice guidelines for stroke care are well established, the recommendations made in these guidelines do not always reflect the resource availability in rural Australia. Redesigning processes and utilising available resources, such as telemedicine or local clinical pathways, can achieve an evidence‐based standard; however, ultimately better resourcing of these areas is required.

Conclusion

Evidence‐based stroke care, aligned with current national standards is the key to providing adequate stroke services in rural Australia. Improved health service resourcing and better utilisation of currently available resources are options for achieving elements of evidence‐based stroke care.

Implications for public health

Availability of adequate services for stroke patients directly impacts public health as it determines health outcomes for these patients. Indirect implications for public health include the effects on health professionals and the general public.
Silica‐related diseases in the modern world
Authors: Hoy Ryan F. , Chambers Daniel C.
Published: January 2020

Silicosis is an ancient and potentially fatal pneumoconiosis caused by exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Silicosis is historically a disease of miners; however, failure to recognize and control the risk associated with silica exposure in contemporary work practices such as sandblasting denim jeans and manufacturing of artificial stone benchtops has led to re‐emergence of silicosis around the world. This review outlines the mineralogy, epidemiology, clinical and radiological features of the various forms of silicosis and other silica‐associated diseases. Perspective is provided on the most recent studies shedding light on pathogenesis, including the central role of innate immune effector cells and subsequent inflammatory cascades in propagating pulmonary fibrosis and the extrapulmonary manifestations, which uniquely characterize this pneumoconiosis. Clinical conundrums in differential diagnosis, particularly between silicosis and sarcoidosis, are highlighted, as is the importance of obtaining a careful occupational history in the patient presenting with pulmonary infiltrates and/or fibrosis. While silicosis is a completely preventable disease, unfortunately workers around the world continue to be affected and experience progressive or even fatal disease. Although no treatments have been proven, opportunities to intervene to prevent progressive disease, founded in a thorough cellular and molecular understanding of the immunopathology of silicosis, are highlighted.
Epidemiology of severe paediatric trauma following winter sport accidents
Authors: Maisonneuve Emilien , Roumeliotis Nadia , Basso Amélie , Venchiarutti Damien , Vallot Cécile , Ricard Cécile , Bouzat Pierre , Mortamet Guillaume ,   the Northern French Alp Trauma System TRENAU group
Published: January 2020

Aim

This study describes the epidemiology of severe injuries related to winter sports (skiing, snowboarding and sledding) in children and assesses potential preventive actions.

Methods

A single‐centre retrospective study performed at Pediatric or Adult Intensive Care Unit in the French Alps. All patients less than 15 years old, admitted to the Intensive Care Unit following a skiing, snowboarding or sledding accident from 2011 to 2018, were included.

Results

We included 186 patients (mean age 10.6 years and 68% were male); of which 136 (73%), 21 (11%) and 29 (16%) had skiing, snowboarding and sledding accidents, respectively. The average ISS (injury severity score) was 16. The major lesions were head (n = 94 patients, 51%) and intra‐abdominal (n = 56 patients, 30%) injuries. Compared to skiing/snowboarding, sledding accidents affected younger children (7 vs 11 years, P < .001); most of whom did not wear a helmet (89% vs 8%, P < .001). Severity scores were statistically different amongst winter sports (ISS = 16 (IQR 9‐24) for skiing, 9 (IQR 4‐16) for snowboarding and 16 (IQR 13‐20) for sledding accident, P = .02).

Conclusion

Winter sports can cause severe trauma in children. Sledding accidents affect younger children that may benefit from wearing protective equipment.
Theracurmin inhibits intestinal polyp development in Apc‐mutant mice by inhibiting inflammation‐related factors
Authors: Adachi Saeko , Hamoya Takahiro , Fujii Gen , Narita Takumi , Komiya Masami , Miyamoto Shingo , Kurokawa Yurie , Takahashi Maiko , Takayama Tetsuji , Ishikawa Hideki , Tashiro Kosuke , Mutoh Michihiro
Published: January 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Therefore, it is important to establish useful methods for preventing CRC. One prevention strategy involves the use of cancer chemopreventive agents, including functional foods. We focused on the well‐known cancer chemopreventive agent curcumin, which is derived from turmeric. However, curcumin has the disadvantage of being poorly soluble in water due to its high hydrophobicity. To overcome this problem, the formation of submicron particles with surface controlled technology has been applied to curcumin to give it remarkably improved water solubility, and this derived compound is named Theracurmin. To date, the preventive effects of Theracurmin on hereditary intestinal carcinogenesis have not been elucidated. Thus, we used Apc‐mutant mice, a model of familial adenomatous polyposis, to evaluate the effects of Theracurmin. First, we showed that treatment with 10‐20 µM Theracurmin for 24 hours reduced nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) transcriptional activity in human colon cancer DLD‐1 and HCT116 cells. However, treatment with curcumin mixed in water did not change the NF‐κB promoter transcriptional activity. As NF‐κB is a regulator of inflammation‐related factors, we next investigated the downstream targets of NF‐κB: monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) and interleukin (IL)‐6. We found that treatment with 500 ppm Theracurmin for 8 weeks inhibited intestinal polyp development and suppressed MCP‐1 and IL‐6 mRNA expression levels in the parts of the intestine with polyps. This report provides a proof of concept for the ongoing Theracurmin human trial (J‐CAP‐C study).
Utility of the INTERMACS profile at the time of assessment for heart transplant
Authors: Friesen Erik Loewen , Foroutan Farid , Krakovsky John , Chih Sharon , Ross Heather , Billia Filio , Rao Vivek , Alba Ana Carolina
Published: January 2020

The Interagency Registry of Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) profiles are associated with mortality in heart failure patients undergoing ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation and heart transplantation (HTx). We assessed the prognostic value of the INTERMACS profile at the time of assessment for HTx or durable VAD implantation as bridge to candidacy (BTC). A total of 503 consecutive patients considered for HTx or VAD between 2006 and 2016 were included. The associations between INTERMACS profile and (a) waitlist mortality or delisting, (b) probability of HTx, and (c) overall mortality or delisting were evaluated using multivariable analysis. Median follow‐up time was 2.9 years (IQR: 0.9‐5.5) during which 184 received VAD, 347 received HTx, and 73 died (27 waitlist, 46 post‐transplant). INTERMACS I‐II profile was associated with higher waitlist mortality or delisting (HR: 3.83, 95% CI: 1.22‐12.03), and this risk was reversed by VAD implantation (HR: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03‐0.50). INTERMACS III‐IV profile was associated with a higher probability of HTx (HR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.37‐2.40). INTERMACS profile was not associated with the composite outcome of overall mortality or delisting. These results emphasize the prognostic utility of INTERMACS at time of decision for advanced therapies and its potential value in selecting patients for different interventions.
Spatial patterns of male alcohol‐related mortality in Belarus, Lithuania, Poland and Russia
Authors: Grigoriev Pavel , Jasilionis Domantas , Klüsener Sebastian , Timonin Sergey , Andreev Evgeny , Meslé France , Vallin Jacques
Published: January 2020

Introduction and Aims

Eastern Europe is known to suffer from a large burden of alcohol‐related mortality. However, persisting unfavourable conditions at the national level mask variation at the sub‐national level. We aim to explore spatial patterns of cause‐specific mortality across four post‐communist countries: Belarus, Lithuania, Poland and Russia (European part).

Design and Methods

We use official mortality data routinely collected over 1179 districts and cities. The analysis refers to males aged 20–64 years and covers the period 2006–2014. Mortality variation is mainly assessed by means of the standardised mortality ratio. Getis‐Ord Gi* statistic is employed to detect hot and cold spots of alcohol‐related mortality.

Results

Alcohol‐related mortality exhibits a gradient from very high levels in northwestern Russia to low levels in southern Poland. Spatial transitions from higher to lower mortality are not explicitly demarcated by national boundaries. Within these countries, hot spots of alcohol‐related mortality dominate the territories of northwestern and western Russia, eastern and northwestern Belarus, southeastern Lithuania, and eastern and central Poland.

Discussion and Conclusions

The observed mortality gradient is likely associated with the spread of alcohol epidemics from the European part of Russia to the other countries, which appears to have started more than a century ago. Contemporary socioeconomic and demographic factors should be taken into account when developing anti‐alcohol policies. The same is true for the peculiarities of culture, norms, traditions and behavioural patterns observed in specific geographical areas of the four countries. Reducing alcohol‐related harm in the areas identified as hot spots should be prioritised.
Wearable electromyography recordings during daily life activities in children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Michelsen Josephine S , Lund Mai C , Alkjær Tine , Finni Taija , Nielsen Jens B , Lorentzen Jakob
Published: January 2020

Aim

To test whether wearable textile electromyography (EMG) recording systems may detect differences in muscle activity levels during daily activities between children with cerebral palsy (CP) and age‐matched typically developing children.

Method

Wearable textile EMG recording systems were used to obtain leg muscle activity in 10 children with spastic CP (four females, six males; mean age 9y 6mo, standard deviation [SD] 2y 4mo, range: 6–13y; Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] level I and II) and 11 typically developing children (four females, seven males; mean age 9y 9mo, SD 1y 11mo, 7–12y) at rest and while performing seven daily activities.

Results

Children with CP showed significantly lower absolute EMG levels during maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of muscles on the most affected side as compared to the least affected side and to typically developing children. None of the typically developing children or children with CP showed detectable EMG activity in resting situations. EMG activity relative to MVC was greater in children with CP during walking, jumping, and kicking on the most affected side as compared to the least affected side and to typically developing children.

Interpretation

Wearable textile EMG recording systems may be used to determine differences in muscle activity during daily activities in children with CP. Children with CP showed reduced muscle activity during daily activities compared to their peers, but used a significantly larger part of their maximal voluntary muscle strength to perform these activities.

What this paper adds

Wearable textile electromyography (EMG) systems are feasible for measurement of daily muscle activity in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Children with CP showed reduced EMG levels during maximal voluntary contractions.

Neither typically developing children or children with CP showed EMG activity in resting situations.

Children with CP used a larger part of their voluntary muscle strength during daily activities.
Efficacy and tolerability of tirzepatide, a dual glucose‐dependent insulinotropic peptide and glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist in patients with type 2 diabetes: A 12‐week, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study to evaluate different dose‐escalation regimens
Authors: Frias Juan Pablo , Nauck Michael A. , Van Joanna , Benson Charles , Bray Ross , Cui Xuewei , Milicevic Zvonko , Urva Shweta , Haupt Axel , Robins Deborah A.
Published: January 2020

Aim

To assess the efficacy and tolerability of tirzepatide treatment using three different dose‐escalation regimens in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

In this double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study, patients were randomized (1:1:1:1) to receive either once‐weekly subcutaneous tirzepatide or placebo. The tirzepatide dose groups and dose‐escalation regimens were: 12 mg (4 mg weeks 0–3; 8 mg weeks 4–7; 12 mg weeks 8–11), 15 mg‐1 (2.5 mg weeks 0–1; 5 mg weeks 2–3; 10 mg weeks 4–7; 15 mg weeks 8–11) and 15 mg‐2 (2.5 mg weeks 0–3; 7.5 mg weeks 4–7; 15 mg weeks 8–11). The primary objective was to compare tirzepatide with placebo in HbA1c change from baseline at 12 weeks.

Results

Overall, 111 patients were randomized: placebo, 26; tirzepatide 12 mg, 29; tirzepatide 15 mg‐1, 28; tirzepatide 15 mg‐2, 28. The mean age was 57.4 years, HbA1c 8.4% and body mass index 31.9 kg/m2. At week 12, absolute HbA1c change from baseline (SE) was greater in the tirzepatide treatment groups compared with placebo (placebo, +0.2% [0.21]; 12 mg, −1.7% [0.19]; 15 mg‐1, −2.0% [0.20]; 15 mg‐2, −1.8% [0.19]). The incidence of nausea was: placebo, 7.7%; 12 mg group, 24.1%; 15 mg‐1 group, 39.3%; 15 mg‐2 group, 35.7%. Three patients discontinued the treatment because of adverse events, one from each of the placebo, 12 mg and 15 mg‐1 groups.

Conclusions

Tirzepatide treatment for 12 weeks resulted in clinically significant reductions in HbA1c. This suggests that lower starting doses and smaller dose increments are associated with a more favourable side effect profile.
Biodiversity inventory of the grey mullets (Actinopterygii: Mugilidae) of the Indo‐Australian Archipelago through the iterative use of DNA‐based species delimitation and specimen assignment methods
Authors: Delrieu‐Trottin Erwan , Durand Jean‐Dominique , Limmon Gino , Sukmono Tedjo , Kadarusman  , Sugeha Hagi Yulia , Chen Wei‐Jen , Busson Frédéric , Borsa Philippe , Dahruddin Hadi , Sauri Sopian , Fitriana Yuli , Zein Mochamad Syamsul Arifin , Hocdé Régis , Pouyaud Laurent , Keith Philippe , Wowor Daisy , Steinke Dirk , Hanner Robert , Hubert Nicolas
Published: January 2020

DNA barcoding opens new perspectives on the way we document biodiversity. Initially proposed to circumvent the limits of morphological characters to assign unknown individuals to known species, DNA barcoding has been used in a wide array of studies where collecting species identity constitutes a crucial step. The assignment of unknowns to knowns assumes that species are already well identified and delineated, making the assignment performed reliable. Here, we used DNA‐based species delimitation and specimen assignment methods iteratively to tackle the inventory of the Indo‐Australian Archipelago grey mullets, a notorious case of taxonomic complexity that requires DNA‐based identification methods considering that traditional morphological identifications are usually not repeatable and sequence mislabeling is common in international sequence repositories. We first revisited a DNA barcode reference library available at the global scale for Mugilidae through different DNA‐based species delimitation methods to produce a robust consensus scheme of species delineation. We then used this curated library to assign unknown specimens collected throughout the Indo‐Australian Archipelago to known species. A second iteration of OTU delimitation and specimen assignment was then performed. We show the benefits of using species delimitation and specimen assignment methods iteratively to improve the accuracy of specimen identification and propose a workflow to do so.
Does the virus cross the road? Viral phylogeographic patterns among bobcat populations reflect a history of urban development
Authors: Kozakiewicz Christopher P. , Burridge Christopher P. , Funk W. Chris , Craft Meggan E. , Crooks Kevin R. , Fisher Robert N. , Fountain‐Jones Nicholas M. , Jennings Megan K. , Kraberger Simona J. , Lee Justin S. , Lyren Lisa M. , Riley Seth P. D. , Serieys Laurel E. K. , VandeWoude Sue , Carver Scott
Published: January 2020

Urban development has major impacts on connectivity among wildlife populations and is thus likely an important factor shaping pathogen transmission in wildlife. However, most investigations of wildlife diseases in urban areas focus on prevalence and infection risk rather than potential effects of urbanization on transmission itself. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a directly transmitted retrovirus that infects many felid species and can be used as a model for studying pathogen transmission at landscape scales. We investigated phylogenetic relationships among FIV isolates sampled from five bobcat (Lynx rufus) populations in coastal southern California that appear isolated due to major highways and dense urban development. Divergence dates among FIV phylogenetic lineages in several cases reflected historical urban growth and construction of major highways. We found strong FIV phylogeographic structure among three host populations north‐west of Los Angeles, largely coincident with host genetic structure. In contrast, relatively little FIV phylogeographic structure existed among two genetically distinct host populations south‐east of Los Angeles. Rates of FIV transfer among host populations did not vary significantly, with the lack of phylogenetic structure south‐east of Los Angeles unlikely to reflect frequent contemporary transmission among populations. Our results indicate that major barriers to host gene flow can also act as barriers to pathogen spread, suggesting potentially reduced susceptibility of fragmented populations to novel directly transmitted pathogens. Infrequent exchange of FIV among host populations suggests that populations would best be managed as distinct units in the event of a severe disease outbreak. Phylogeographic inference of pathogen transmission is useful for estimating the ability of geographic barriers to constrain disease spread and can provide insights into contemporary and historical drivers of host population connectivity.
Electrodeposition of fluorohydroxyapatite gradient coating on titanium alloy
Authors: Zhu Qing‐xia , Han Wei‐wei , Wen Shao‐zhen , Shi Ying‐ying , Geng Hong‐zhang
Published: January 2020

In order to obtain the apatite implants which can meet the requirements for both bonding strength and bioactivity, the FHA(Ca10(PO4)6OH2−xFx(x = 0 ~ 2)) gradient coating was prepared by electrophoretic deposition on the surface of titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V). The effects of fluorine substitution and gradient structure on the morphology, bonding strength, and bioactivity of the coating were investigated. The gradient coating has the dense inner layer and porous outer layer that were deposited by controlling the suspension concentration and the preparation process. Through controlling of the fluorine substitution gradient, the thermal expansion coefficient gradually changed to improve the bonding strength more than 30 Mpa. The inner layer with high fluorine content can improve the thermal stability of the coating and bonding strength between the coating and the substrate, while the proper content of fluorine in the outer layer improves the bioactivity of the gradient coating.
Treatment and outcomes of metastatic colorectal cancer patients in public and private hospitals: results from the South Australian Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Registry
Authors: McNeill David , Karapetis Christos S. , Price Timothy J. , Meagher Philip , Piantadosi Cynthia , Quinn Stephen , Roder David , Padbury Rob , Maddern Guy , Townsend Amanda , Jayawardana Madawa W. , Roy Amitesh C.
Published: January 2020

Background

Studies have reported significant differences in baseline characteristics and outcomes of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients when managed in private versus public hospitals.

Aims

To compare disease, treatment and survival outcomes of patients with mCRC in public versus private hospitals in South Australia (SA).

Methods

Analysis of prospectively collected data from the SA mCRC Registry. Patterns of care and outcome data according to location of care and socioeconomic status based on Index of Relative Socio‐Economic Advantage and Disadvantage were analysed.

Results

A total of 3470 patients’ data was analysed during February 2006–January 2015. The majority (70%) of patients received treatment in public hospitals. Patients in the upper 50% for Index of Relative Socio‐Economic Advantage and Disadvantage score were more likely to receive treatment at a private hospital (41.2% vs 21.56%) compared to <50%. Public patients had higher burden of disease (10.49% vs 7.41%, P = 0.005). Public patients received less treatment compared to the private patients (odds ratio = 0.48 (0.38–0.61), P = 0.01) and rates of surgical resections were lower in public patients. After adjusting for the covariates, public patients survive 1.33 months (P = 0.025) shorter than private patients with follow‐up time of 5 years. Patients receiving metastasectomy and more than three lines of treatment were shown to have the greatest survival benefit.

Conclusion

Public patients have a higher burden of disease and in comparison are less likely to receive systemic therapy and have lower survival than patients treated in private hospitals.
Influence of Nb5+ ions on phase transitions and polar disorder above TC in PbZrO3 studied by Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Kajewski Dariusz , Jankowska‐Sumara Irena , Ko Jae‐Hyeon , Lee Jeong W. , Sitko Rafał , Majchrowski Andrzej , Bussmann‐Holder Annette , Roleder Krystian
Published: January 2020

Micro‐Raman light scattering experiments on PbZrO3 (PZO) single crystal doped with Nb5+ have been investigated. Special attention was paid to the paraelectric (PE) phase in which nominally forbidden first‐order Raman spectra were detected at temperatures far above the phase transition TC. Complex Raman spectra were observed in the vicinity of three structural phase transitions. These results mainly from the coexistence of phases with different symmetries in a wide temperature range below TC. The Raman measurements have been compared with dielectric and optical observations and proved that polar nanoregions in a centrosymmetric lattice appear well above TC. It was shown that doping ABO3 perovskites with heterovalent ions like Nb5+ unbalances charge neutrality of the lattice and strongly extends the temperature range of polar regions. The investigations performed point out that in the PE matrix the interaction between electrons and lattice vibrations, as recently suggested for pure PZO, plays an important role.
Autosomal suppression and fitness costs of an old driving X chromosome in Drosophila testacea
Authors: Keais Graeme L. , Lu Sijia , Perlman Steve J.
Published: January 2020

Driving X chromosomes (XDs) bias their own transmission through males by killing Y‐bearing gametes. These chromosomes can in theory spread rapidly in populations and cause extinction, but many are found as balanced polymorphisms or as “cryptic” XDs shut down by drive suppressors. The relative likelihood of these outcomes and the evolutionary pathways through which they come about are not well understood. An XD was recently discovered in the mycophagous fly, Drosophila testacea, presenting the opportunity to compare this XD with the well‐studied XD of its sister species, Drosophila neotestacea. Comparing features of independently evolved XDs in young sister species is a promising avenue towards understanding how XDs and their counteracting forces change over time. In contrast to the XD of D. neotestacea, we find that the XD of D. testacea is old, with its origin predating the radiation of three species: D. testacea, D. neotestacea and their shared sister species, Drosophila orientacea. Motivated by the suggestion that older XDs should be more deleterious to carriers, we assessed the effect of the XD on both male and female fertility. Unlike what is known from D. neotestacea, we found a strong fitness cost in females homozygous for the XD in D. testacea: a large proportion of homozygous females failed to produce offspring after being housed with males for several days. Our male fertility experiments show that although XD male fertility is lower under sperm‐depleting conditions, XD males have comparable fertility to males carrying a standard X chromosome under a free‐mating regime, which may better approximate conditions in wild populations of D. testacea. Lastly, we demonstrate the presence of autosomal suppression of X chromosome drive. Our results provide support for a model of XD evolution where the dynamics of young XDs are governed by fitness consequences in males, whereas in older XD systems, both suppression and fitness consequences in females likely supersede male fitness costs.
Meaningful shared decision‐making: complex process demanding cognitive and emotional skills
Authors: Stalnikowicz Ruth , Brezis Mayer
Published: January 2020

Background

Shared decision‐making (SDM) takes place when clinicians help patient identify best course of action in the context of their preferences.

Methods

The aim of this paper is a narrative review of the literature with special focus on the humanistic dimensions of SDM.

Results

We show that SDM is largely underused in practice, because of many barriers such as time constraints and poor skills.

Conclusions

We suggest that listening and empathy are key challenges in communicating uncertainty, which require emotional intelligence and trust building skills. To promote implementation, we propose the development of tools, simulation‐based training and the design of improved measures for SDM quality. While essential for patients, we believe that SDM may restore meaning in healthcare.
LCAart: Communicating industrial ecology at a human scale
Authors: Eckelman Matthew J. , Laboy Michelle M.
Published: January 2020

This Forum piece describes a collaborative project between engineering and architecture to visualize some of the most influential results from industrial ecology using human‐scale, photorealistic images that are quantitatively accurate. Our goal was to apply visualization theories and practices from art and architecture to address a major communication problem in our field: though inspirational in concept, in practice much industrial ecology research is difficult to comprehend for the average person. Models are large and complex, metrics are esoteric, and results are often reported on a scale that is devoid of personal meaning. Our strategy was to place hidden flows and embodied emissions in plain sight, creating images that show the environmental implications of consumption as absurd insertions into scenes of daily life, at a scale that is relatable and personally meaningful. We also compare with and discuss other artistic efforts around the world in the oeuvre of “Consumption Art,” providing historical context. Industrial ecology envisions a world where production systems can incorporate social and environmental implications in real‐time, where policy is informed by our best understanding of trade‐offs and inequities, and where the public has an appreciation for what actions are meaningful, all with the goals of improving quality of life for all while safeguarding the environment and human health. Effective communication of our research is vital to build consensus for policy and action toward this vision, and one under‐appreciated aspect of communication in our field is the sympathetic power of Art.
P–T–tevolution of the Cycladic Blueschist Unit in Western Anatolia/Turkey: Geodynamic implications for the Aegean region
Authors: Çetinkaplan Mete , Candan Osman , Oberhänsli Roland , Sudo Masafumi , Cenki‐Tok Bénédicte
Published: January 2020

Eclogite and blueschist facies rocks occurring as a tectonic unit between the underlying Menderes Massif (MM) and the overlying Afyon Zone/Lycian Nappes and the Bornova Flysch Zone in western Anatolia represent the eastward continuation of the Cycladic Blueschist Unit (CBU) in Turkey. This high‐Punit is attributed to the closure of the Pindos Ocean and consists of (a) a Triassic to Upper Cretaceous coherent series derived from passive continental margin sediments and (b) the tectonically overlying Upper Cretaceous Selçuk mélange with eclogite blocks embedded in a pelitic epidote‐blueschist matrix. The coherent series has experienced epidote‐blueschist facies metamorphism (490 ± 25°C/11.5 ± 1.5 kbar; 38 km depth).40Ar/39Ar white mica and206Pb/238U monazite dating of quartz metaconglomerate from coherent series yielded middle Eocene ages of 44 ± 0.3 and 40.1 ± 3.1 Ma for epidote‐blueschist facies metamorphism, respectively. The epidote‐blueschist facies metamorphism of the matrix of the Selçuk mélange culminates at 520 ± 15°C/13 ± 1.5 kbar, 43 km depth, and is dated at 57.5 ± 0.3–54.5 ± 0.1 Ma (40Ar/39Ar phengite). Eclogite facies metamorphism of the blocks (570 ± 30°C/18 ± 2 kbar, 60 km depth) is early Eocene and dated at 56.2 ± 1.5 Ma by206Pb/238U zircon. Eclogites experienced a nearly isothermal retrogression (490 ± 40°C/~6 to 7 kbar) during their incorporation into the Selçuk mélange. The retrograde overprints of the coherent series (410 ± 15°C/7 ± 1.5 kbar from Dilek Peninsula and 485 ± 33°C/~6 to 7 kbar from Selçuk–Tire area) and the Selçuk mélange (510 ± 15°C/6 ± 1 kbar) are dated at 35.8 ± 0.5–34.3 ± 0.1 Ma by40Ar/39Ar white mica and 31.6 ± 6.6 Ma by206Pb/238U allanite dating methods, respectively. Regional geological constrains reveal that the contact between the MM and the CBU originally formed a lithosphere‐scale transform fault zone.40Ar/39Ar white mica age from the contact indicates that the CBU and the MM were tectonically juxtaposed under greenschist facies conditions during late Eocene, 35.1 ± 0.3 Ma.
Postencephalitic epilepsy in dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown origin: Clinical features, risk factors, and long‐term outcome
Authors: Kaczmarska Adriana , José‐López Roberto , Czopowicz Michał , Lazzerini Kali , Leblond Guillaume , Stalin Catherine , Gutierrez‐Quintana Rodrigo
Published: January 2020

Background

Although the presence of seizures in dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) has been associated with shorter survival times, data regarding the prevalence and risk factors for postencephalitic epilepsy (PEE) is lacking.

Objectives

To describe the clinical features, prevalence, risk factors, and long‐term outcome of PEE in dogs with MUO.

Animals

Sixty‐one dogs with presumptive diagnosis of MUO based on the clinicopathological and diagnostic imaging findings.

Methods

Retrospective study. Cases were identified by search of hospital medical records for dogs with suspected or confirmed MUO. Medical records of dogs meeting inclusion criteria were reviewed. Signalment, seizure history, clinicopathologic, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were recorded.

Results

Among 61 dogs at risk of PEE, 14 (23%) dogs developed PEE. Three of 14 dogs with PEE (21%) developed drug‐resistant epilepsy. Dogs with PEE were younger (P= .03; ORadjusted= 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58‐0.98) and had significantly shorter survival times (log‐rank testP= .04) when compared to dogs that did not develop epilepsy. The risk factors associated with the development of PEE were the presence of acute symptomatic seizures (ASS;P= .04; ORadjusted= 4.76; 95% CI, 1.11‐20.4) and MRI lesions in the hippocampus (P= .04; ORadjusted= 4.75; 95% CI, 1.07‐21.0).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Dogs with MUO and seizures at the early stage of the disease (ASS) seem to be at a higher risk of developing PEE.
Past human disturbances and soil fertility both influence the distribution of light‐demanding tree species in a Central African tropical forest
Authors: Vleminckx Jason , Bauman David , Demanet Marine , Hardy Olivier J. , Doucet Jean‐Louis , Drouet Thomas
Published: January 2020

Questions

In vast areas of Central African forests, the upper canopy is presently dominated by light‐demanding tree species. Here, we confront three hypotheses to explain this dominance: (a) these species have expanded their distribution because of widespread past slash‐and‐burn activities, as suggested by important charcoal amounts recorded in the soils of the region; (b) their abundance is rather explained by soil properties, as this guild establishes preferentially on favourable physico‐chemical conditions for rapid growth; (c) soil properties have been substantially influenced by past human disturbances and those two effects cannot be disentangled.

Location

Pallisco‐CIFM logging concession, southeastern Cameroon (300,000 ha).

Methods

We quantified soil charcoal abundance and measured ten soil variables at the basis of 60 target trees that belonged to a list of three long‐living pioneer light‐demanding (LLP) and four shade‐bearer (SB) species. We identified all stems with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 20 cm within a distance of 15 m around each target tree. Species were characterised by their wood‐specific gravity (WSG), which reflected their light requirement. Multiple regression models were used to quantify and test the relative effects of charcoal abundance and soil variables on the mean WSG of the 60 tree communities, as well as the abundance of three guilds: LLP, SB, and non‐pioneer light demanders (NPLD).

Results

The mean WSG was the only response variable significantly explained by soil variables and charcoal abundance combined. It was significantly negatively associated with soil calcium and Mg content and with charcoal abundance, with soil and charcoal influencing the mean WSG independently.

Conclusion

Our study provides evidence that past human disturbances and soil fertility have independently promoted the establishment of light‐demanding species in western Central African forests, thereby shedding light on tree community assembly rules in these ecosystems which remain considerably understudied compared to the tropical forests of other continents.